10th Week in Ordinary Time
15th June 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1, 3-6
Brethren: Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness", has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14, (R see 10b)
R/. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. A new commandment I give to you, says the Lord, that you love one another, just as I have loved you
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 5:20-26
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to a judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Let light shine in our hearts!
Indicative: God is God of righteousness. In order to belong to His righteous kingdom, we need to pass from and surpass the ordinary and minimum{alertSuccess}
1. God’s holiness is so glorious and radiant that it blinds our gaze. So often a veil is laid over our hearts. There is always a distance, a certain unease and a lack of freedom.
2. But when we are open to the Spirit of the Lord, when we are close to God, there is freedom and there is no more a veil on the face. There is no more hiding or evading the radiance of God’s light. This spiritual freedom enables us to stand unveiled and authentic in God’s sight.
3. Our precise ministry is to let the light shine out of darkness, let God shine in our hearts, and see the light of the gospel of the glory of God and bring it to light. In other words, we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord.
4. This implies a radical and transformed way of life of righteousness. It does not content itself with the bare minimum. It surpasses the normal. Thus an unveiled, free and surpassing righteousness is not satisfied with avoiding physical killing. Much more, it is concerned with avoiding every kind of angry, disrespecting and insulting word.
5. Surpassing righteousness is not satisfied only with peace offering with a sense of sin. Rather, it is more concerned about making peace and reconciliation, along with the offering.
6. This reminds us that our spirituality cannot be separated from our fraternity. Every failure in fraternal responsibility will stand for God’s judgement. This cautions us that we cannot light our failures in fraternal duties and charity.
Imperative: Let us remove all our veils of hypocrisy and double face. Let us stand before God with unveiled hearts and see the light of his knowledge and glory{alertSuccess}