Gospel Reading for the Day
From the holy Gospel according to
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| GOD CREATING HEAVEN AND EARTH. Image from google.com |
But Jesus answered them,
"My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." [17]
...
Jesus said to them,
"I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me." [30]
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
Personal Reflection on the Reading
Sharing for the Day
Perhaps we are familiar with courier services. These companies have messengers who deliver the items sent through their offices. The senders pay so that their items could be delivered to the addressees. The messengers deliver these items whatever the contents are for they are not allowed to open the packages. Whether the recipient accepts or turns down, likes or dislikes the item delivered, the messenger's duty does not include changing the content just to make the recipient happy or satisfied.
We are the Lord's disciples, followers, friends. We are merely bearers of the Message: we are not the Message. The Message is Christ Himself, the Word made flesh through whom everything has been made by the Father. And the Father continually works in us, transforming us to fully conform to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we must not forget that we are being transformed into Christ, not Christ being configured into ourselves!
Since we are mere messengers, just instruments, we cannot do otherwise but deliver the Message. We cannot alter, more so, totally discard, the Message that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Even if the Message does not sound good to others; even if they do not want to listen. The temptation many times is to adapt the Message according to the desires, the motives or the lusts of the listener so that we, the bearers, might be appreciated. By this, we impose our own will upon the manner of the delivery of the Message; worse, we may be imposing our own will upon the Message Himself! It is not ours to tailor-fit the Message just to be appreciated. We are tasked to deliver the Message as it is: Christ Jesus the Son of God who came into the world because of the Father's love for all mankind.
As we said earlier, it is not Christ being transformed into us but us being transformed into Christ. Therefore the Message is still Christ - no one else! If we alter the Message, we'll be imposing our own will. We do not have that convenience. First of all, we do not fully comprehend the depths of the Father's love, nor the fullness of His eternal design. How then can we impose our will over the Message just to satisfy the lusts of those we wish to lead to Christ? Doing so would be like making ourselves equal to Christ our Lord and posing as an impostor. We must never forget that Christ our Lord, the Message we bear, is fully complete to whom we have nothing to add anymore, nor do we have the authority to detract from.
Application of the Message
[1] Prayer
Pray for faithfulness and humility so that you may do God's will not yours.
[2] Abstinence
Abstain from something that makes you impose your own will and disregard God's will.
[3] Almsgiving
What can you share today so that someone else may be inspired to obey God's will than his or her own?
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