25th Week in Ordinary Time
26th September 2023 (Tuesday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
In those days: Darius the king wrote to the governors of the province Beyond the river, “Leave the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. “I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.” And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 (R. see 1)
R/. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 8:19-21
At that time: His mother and his brothers came to Jesus, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: The only way to belong to Jesus!
Guidlines: Belonging to Jesus is not a matter of lineage or membership but ultimately is a matter of living according to his word and God’s will{alertSuccess}
1. Demarcation and fragmentation are the norm of the day. People get divided and antagonised on the basis of factors like caste, religion, region, language, culture, rite, etc. That is why discrimination and nepotism become the rule of the day.
2. Allegiance is claimed as a right on account of adherence to the abovementioned factors. But all these are in fact secondary and contingent factors.
3. This same mentality is reflected in the religious domain as well. Many feel and claim that they are really religious and devout and faithful people because they have religious allegiance or hold some titles or perform some activities or discharge some duties or command some animation and organization.
4. It is in such a context Jesus makes it clear that relationship with him is not a matter of lineage or membership but is rather a matter of fidelity. It is to belong to a higher realm, an expanded spiritual family. The sole criterion for this new family and new enterprise is to “hear God and do His will”.
5. Jesus’ question, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers and sisters?” is not demeaning them but it is in fact elevating their true dignity drawing our attention to the essentials. These essentials are nothing but simple details of virtue and goodness toward others.
Practice: Divisions and failures in fraternity and kindness are an abomination to the Lord because they are outright lashes to our oneness as a spiritual family in one consecration and mission{alertSuccess}