26th Week in the Ordinary Time - Wednesday (Year II)
28th September 2022 (Wednesday)
Surrender and follow!
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Reading of the Day
For more certainity the Readings are posted from the Catholic Lectionary {alertInfo}
First Reading: Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Job answered his friends and said: "Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength -who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?- he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea; who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; who does great things beyond searching out, and marvellous things beyond number. Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him. Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, 'What are you doing?' How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice."
Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15 (R. 3a)
Response: Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.
I cry before you day and night.
Let my prayer come into your presence.
Incline your ear to my cry. Response
In the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why do you reject me, O Lord?
Why do you hide your face from me? Response
Gospel Reading: Luke 9:57-62
At that time: As Jesus and his disciples were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertSuccess}
Main Theme: Directed to destiny!
Indicative: Whatever may happen in our life, good things or bad things, right things or wrong things, positive or negative, there is only one right thing that should guide us and that is priority to God{alertWarning}
1. Today’s word of God places before us three essential features or conditions of a true follower of God, a disciple of Christ. They are namely, focus, detachment, and commitment. To begin with, we see all these three in Job and how he proves himself to be a true man of God. Despite and amidst the total misery that struck him, he remains focused on God, on His sovereignty and holy will. He is deeply detached from any worldly allurements and attachments. He is fully committed to surrendering his life to Him and remaining loyal come what may.
2. The gospel text presents before us three men at the threshold of discipleship. All three encounter the invitation to follow Jesus but all three fail because they lack the three essential prerequisites. They were not focused, not detached, and committed. Hence no discipleship.
3. Now let us test this first man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He fails in all three: he was not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear on the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. There was no detachment, as he is not ready to detach/part from securities. He was not committed to the following of the Lord and the life, the work/mission of the Lord. He declines the call, is not ready to follow the demands of Jesus, and thus fails to be a disciple.
4. Now let us also test this second man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He too fails in all three: he was not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear of the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. He was not prompt in his acceptance of the call. There was no detachment, as he is not ready to leave the family attachments and obligations. He was not committed to following the Lord, readily living with him, and working for his kingdom. He declines the call, the demands of Jesus, and fails to become a disciple.
5. Now here too, we shall test this third man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He too fails in all three: he was not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear of the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. Laying hands on the plough and looking behind shows there is no focus but is attached to what was left behind (the past). He did not give the first place to follow the Lord, did not see the urgency in it. He was not prompt in his acceptance of the call. There was no detachment, as he is not ready to leave the family ties or attachments. He was not committed to following the Lord, belonging to the spiritual family, and working for his kingdom. He declines the call, the demands of Jesus, and fails to become a disciple, and Jesus too declares him to be “not fit” for the kingdom.
Imperative: Following the Lord is not a part-time job. It is not one option among many others. It demands a clear and wholehearted priority to Jesus and his mission{alertWarning}
Video Reflection
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