25th Week in Ordinary Time
25th September 2023 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Ezra 1:1-6
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered.
Psalm 126:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 (R. 3a)
R/. What great deeds the Lord worked for us!
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good work and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 8:16-18
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Faith, the eye!
Guidlines: God never leaves us in our stress and distress to fight a lone battle. All that is needed is to turn and cling to Him even in our struggle{alertSuccess}
1. Jesus says in the gospel, “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light”. Our life is the lamp and faith is that light that lights up our life.
2. So if we are really people of faith, our life must be lighted and enlightened. This means that we cannot linger on with our shades of the darkness of evil. We cannot continue to love darkness and do works of darkness (cf. Jn 3. 17 ff.). We must love light, walk in the light and do the works of light.
3. Light also implies truthfulness. Claiming to believe the Lord who is the Truth, we cannot be in friendship with falsity. Jesus clearly tells us that “only truth will set us free”. He also reminds us that Satan is the father of lies and falsity. Therefore, whenever we are false in our attitudes, values, and conduct, we are against truth and the Lord himself.
4. Light implies vision and clarity. Light spreads brightness and enables us to see clearly. One who does not see stumbles and falls. Lack of sight and clarity pushes one into confusion, failure to discern, and every possibility to be misguided.
5. Light implies integrity and witness of life. There is nothing hidden or secretive. There are no double-dealings or masks. Life is plain. If one is trying to hide something, it only means that there are some dark areas. Duplicity can work for some time in the sight of the world. But to God’s sight, everything is visible and manifest.
6. When life becomes witnessing, then the inner light radiates into the outside life of good conduct and actions. This is the effect of being “stirred up” by the Spirit of faith. When one is stirred up, he cannot but act according to what God wills.
7. This is what happened in the case of Cyrus king of Persia and the people in exile being stirred up to rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. And this is what Jesus means when he says to “put the lamp on a stand”.
Practice: To the one who has will more be given”. Yes, one who has more generosity and the spirit of giving and doing the maximum without reserve more will be given by God{alertSuccess}