Next
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 28/6/2020 - Gospel: Mt 10: 37-42
Priority
We all have different priorities in life. Some believe the world's glory and fame are their goals; others place wealth in first place; and again, others place well being of their own, and of their loved ones first. Some love travel and adventure as their first priority. Jesus told his hearers, that having faith in Him must be the first priority in life. It is the most lofty goal, and all other goals should be derived from and guided by it. Traditional family relationships and friendship are important. We need them. They are dear to us. They are close to us. When we face problems, family and friends come to give support: mentally, morally, spiritually, and if needed, financially. They provide it with love, without counting the cost. They help us and they pray for us. In our prayers, very often we pray for our own needs, and the needs of our relatives and friends; and we pray for peace for the world. We do place God in first place, before everything. Parents love their children; they want what is best for them. They offer their children to God for protection by means of celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism. Young couples ask the Church to strengthen their love by means of celebrating the Sacrament of Matrimony for blessing, and protection. A funeral is the solemn and final 'earthly' goodbye to the deceased we celebrate in Church before burial. We do it, because we believe, there is life after death; a life which is better than the earthly life . We do it because we trust in God's love and mercy, that God will grant our loved ones life in God's kingdom. We celebrate the sacraments, because we believe in God, Who is the first and the last in our lives. The saying 'My thoughts and prayers are with you' implies, that I'd love to help you more, and with all my ability, but there is only so much I can do, and for the rest; I rely on God for your protection. We do make decisions daily, and most of them concern to our daily living. These decisions are not hard to make, because we get used to them. However, when it comes to a big and an important decision, we need help. We do consult our loved ones and friends; we sometimes consult experts for their professional guidance. We show our love to God by loving others, and God talks to us through them. Yes, consulting others is a right thing to do, but we need God's guidance in decision making. Jesus used the word 'prefer' to indicate, that any decision we make without consulting God in prayers is not worth taking, because it is based on purely human wisdom. There are hints in today's reading telling us, how to put God first in life. To be faithful to Jesus, we need to take our daily cross to follow Mat 10,39. Following in Jesus' footsteps requires to find life, not from the things of the world alone, but through Him v. 39. Today's reading seems to suggest we need to focus on charity and hospitality v.42. God's power is at work in Jesus and through His disciples. We listen to our loved ones, and friends, and experts with an open mind, and heart, and in the context of discernment in prayers. We place God as first priority in life when we seek God's wisdom in decision making.
Previous