B. Opening Prayer: Come Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth you Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
C. Reading of the Day:
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| Image from kids.christiansunite.com |
“and there is something greater than Solomon here. ... and there is something greater than Jonah here.” – Luke 11: 31-32
D. Period of Silence: Personal integration of the reading
E. Reflection on the Reading: What is God’s message for you today?
Today's Sharing:
The queen of the south came a long way in order to listen to the wisdom of King Solomon. The people of Nineveh repented when the Prophet Jonah preached to them. The Jews of Jesus' time required more than the miracles and signs that He performed in order for them to believe.
Though we profess to be Catholics - and Christians - many of us question our authorities as to their competence when they try to speak on various aspects of life which we believe are outside of their spiritual, religious and moral competency or leadership. We put them in a box and limit their participation in our lives as mere spiritual, religious and moral guides only. We do not want them to be dealing with things outside of these three such as politics, economics, and others. We believe that there are other people who are more competent to deal with these other things in our present society.
But the wisdom of King Solomon was not limited to a certain aspect only - if it was, the queen would not have wasted precious time traveling from a distant kingdom just to confirm the stories about the wisest king alive during her time. The preaching of the Prophet Jonah was not limited to a certain issue but encompassed the totality of the ills of the society and the persons living in Nineveh. Jesus came not only to save the soul but to renew the body or He would not have resurrected His own human body if it doesn't require salvation too. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans saying that even the whole creation awaits for its salvation from slavery [see Romans 8: 18-22] not only the spiritual realm.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is far greater than either King Solomon or the Prophet Jonah: His mission is far broader than King Solomon's rule over Israel or the Prophet Jonah's mission to preach repentance to the Ninevites. He came in order to free all creation from the slavery to sin - and this includes all the aspects of life, all the spheres of society, and all the conditions of humanity. To say that Jesus - and the Church which He left behind to continue His saving mission - came just for spiritual, religious and moral salvation does not understand that salvation is integral, that is, it encompasses and connects everything, every aspect, every sphere, every condition that man, life, society and the whole creation is in. Not a single thing in this universe is exempt from the power, authority and dominion of God - and the institution which the Lord has left to further carry out His mission on earth: the Church.
If we fail to grasp this truth, we shall find ourselves among those being judged by the queen and the Ninevites for we disregarded something greater than the persons they have heard, listened to and obeyed.
F. Application of the Message
- Pray for openness and acceptance of the significant role of the Church in your life?
- What are you are willing to abstain from today in order to manifest your acceptance of the Church's significant role in your life?
- What are you willing to share materially so that you could lead someone to recognize the significant role of the Church in his or her life?
G. Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
H. Closing Prayer: Here you say your personal thanksgiving to the Father for today’s message
i. Closing Song [if done with others]
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