Saturday, July 6, 2019

Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me. Jn 10:27


Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29, Psalm 135:1B-6, 
Matthew 9:14-17


Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Both Isaac and Rebekah failed for preferring one son over the other. Rebekah loved the younger Jacob more than the older. And Isaac loved Esau the older son more. As we read this passage from Scripture we see how many sins are committed both by the mother and the son she loves. She thinks nothing of deceiving her husband to so great an extent she is prepared to steal the blessing that is due to the older. 

All Rebekah had to do was to wait on the Lord in faith; instead, she was prepared to deceive her husband. She committed one sin over another and even tempted Jacob to enter into the deception. He too lied to his father without compunction taking advantage of his old age and blindness. Without pity or sympathy for both his father and brother, he stole what was not his to have. 

God had always intended to bless Jacob abundantly and to set him and his children over Esau. But he weakly entered into his mother's schemes. 

Which of us has not at one time or another acted like Rebekah and Jacob? All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but You have had pity on us, forgiven us and blessed us. Thank You, Lord.


Psalm 135:1B-6

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

God chose Jacob to be His own. Each of his sons were to head the 12 tribes to be the foundation stones of Israel. Later on, You would choose 12 Apostles to be the foundation of Your Church with Peter as its visible head. Here in the new Israel, on Mt. Zion, You will choose to dwell in fullness. Here Your people gather to praise You, worship and thank You for all that You have done for us. 


You have chosen us just as God chose Jacob to become the members of Your Body through the Sacrament of Baptism. We have received grace upon grace, blessing upon blessing, for to us has been given the Gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and we come to the Eucharistic Table to feast at the Banquet of Love. Thank You, Lord, for all that You do for us and for blessing us more richly and abundantly than we deserve.


Matthew 9:14-17

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When the disciples of John asked why Your disciples didn't fast as they and the Pharisees did You replied in parables one about patching old cloaks and the other about new wine. 

Most of us are comfortable with the old, of doing things as they were always done. Change is generally not welcome. We are creatures of habit and we are quite happy to continue doing what served well in the past whether or not it suits the present.

But You came to turn the world upside down. To show us another more excellent way as St. Paul puts it. The Way of Agape Love. A love that puts the other before self. This is an earth-shattering way to Love, it is the Love of the Cross that brought about the salvation of the world. It is the learning to lay down one's life for another. 

As long as we are alive we are called to live in the world yet not be of it. And so it must be until the Bridegroom comes again to claim His Bride and then we will feast eternally in the Kingdom of God.

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