7/2/2023 (Sunday) Today’s gospel reading: Matthew 10:37-42

37 Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

7/2/2023 (Sunday) Today’s gospel reflection: Matthew 10:37-42

Kindness such as giving a cup of water to someone who is thirsty is a priceless commodity. Yet too often this value is lost in many people. It is forgotten or ignored or taken for granted. Surely, it is not lost in the record of heaven. God looks down with merciful eyes upon a kind person.

The gospel reading above tells us that Jesus who embodies the value of compassion must take the number one spot in our scale of values. He cannot be treated as our second best option. Above all things including our very own life or family, we must choose to follow Him and in following Him, He is teaching us, not just to be kind, but to give our whole being in the service of others. For the life of a Christian is giving oneself to others, going out of one’s comfort zone to serve the last, the lost, and the least. In doing so, our reward is great when the right time comes.

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How do you make a decision?

In life, we make a lot of choices. In fact, a large part of our life today is the result of the choices we had made in the past. In the same manner, the decisions we make today determines our future. So how do we make decision so that we will have a peaceful and happy life?

There are times when making decision is not easy especially if our basic principles in life are involved. In these moments, we often make compromises and many times we choose what is convenient for the time being. Rather than fight for what is right, we often opt to stay in our comfort zone and protect our peace of mind. When faced with a choice between God and worldly things, many of us choose the latter.

For this reason, Jesus is telling us that we are not worthy of Him if we make decision based on convenience such as for the sake of personal advantage, for family, and even for the sake of temporary peace. In the process, we compromise the values and principles of love and justice. Jesus is challenging us to always make personal sacrifices for the sake of His kingdom – that is, for us to accept wholeheartedly His offer of salvation by turning away from the world and to follow Him.

Following the path of Jesus entails a lot of difficult decisions. There are many crosses, i.e. hindrances, along the way. Sometimes these difficulties include family and loved ones. Often times, the decision is whether to turn back or to proceed. May we always decide in favor of the gospel message, that is, to carry our crosses, deny ourselves and to focus on Him. In doing this, we will receive our just reward of true peace, real happiness and eternal life.