Gospel Reading of the Day
From the holy Gospel according to
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| MARY WASHES FEET OF JESUS. Image from faith-health-hope.com |
Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, "Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages and given to the poor?" He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." [1-8]
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The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
Personal Reflection on the Reading
Sharing for the Day
There are times when we hear people saying that the Church is so rich with all the many beautiful churches and chapels that we build, vehicles that Bishops, priests and religious use, and more, questioning us if the Church still is the Church, not only for but, of the poor. But they forget to take note of the fact that the Church also has a lot of charitable works and mission works which manifest her being a Church of and for the poor.
One more thing, the Church includes not only the hierarchy [Bishops and priests] and the religious but all the baptized professing the Christian, particularly Catholic, Faith. Therefore, the call to manifest being poor and pro-poor is not only directed to them but to each one of us. Let it not be used to one's convenience that the clergy and the religious are called to a more perfect charity, but fundamentally, the call to being a Christian, which includes being poor and pro-poor, is made to everyone and everyone is expected to be poor and pro-poor by virtue of our baptism.
Another important thing, being poor does not necessarily mean having nothing for there are people who have nothing and yet very distant from God, while there are those who almost have everything and yet their lives and charity are exemplary. Being pro-poor does not necessarily mean fighting for their rights and privileges through rallies and having socio-political organizations and doling out food packages, etc, but in helping them understand, accept and live out the true meaning of being human and being a Christian.
Application of the Message
[1] Prayer
Pray for the grace of poverty in spirit.
[2] Abstinence
Abstain from something that you do not need in life as your manifestation of being poor and pro-poor.
[3] Almsgiving
What can you share today in order to inspire someone to be poor and pro-poor?
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