MY daily reflection and prayer:
Monday, July 25, 2016
Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Matthew 20: 20-28
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
IN the Gospel reading today, Jesus Christ teaches us on what service means. He calls us to examine ourselves on some of the essentials of Christian service. How central service is to our daily life as a Christian. We are called to serve the Lord and others.
Following Jesus Christ means being called to serve our sisters and brothers. It is an essential element of the Christian life. By serving others we are called to give ourselves unreservedly to others as a continuation of Christ’s love. Yes, truly, our Christian service is an extension of Christ’s love. So, those whom we serve have to discover him in us.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, while adoring Jesus Christ we learn to serve him and others in our prayers. There, we must become less so that Jesus Christ can become more in us. Are our daily lives characterized by a concern for the genuine good of others? Are we ready to do all the good we can for our brothers and sisters, whether big or small?
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you call us to serve, and you teach us that service also means suffering at times. In spite of our many failures, we know you continue to call us to serve you and others. Grant us a renewed sensitivity to the deepest needs of others. Give us the grace to collaborate with you in the salvation of souls by offering our suffering generously to you now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
