July 11, 2013
Thursday 14th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Gen 44:18–21, 23b–29; 45:1–5
Gospel: Mt 10:7–15
Jesus said to his disciples, “Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler’s bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking stick: workers deserve their living. “When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you. “And if you are not welcomed and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town and shake the dust off your feet. I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than it will for the people of that town.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
A story is told of a penitent who confessed that he had just killed 20 people. “Why did you kill them?” inquired the priest. “Because they said they believed in God”, replied the penitent. Then the penitent asked in the vernacular: “Naniniwala din po ba kayo na may Diyos, Padre?” The priest stammered and said: “Noon ‘yon, pero ngayon jamming-jamming na lang”.
Belief in God blooms so easily when nothing is at stake, but no genuine faith is involved. Faith flourishes best on a seedbed of stones and among thistles and thorns. Genuine faith comes in only when believing in God will cost a person an arm and a leg. Tears, sweat, and blood water faith best and make it bloom. It is this faith that sustains the kingdom of God in our midst.
The Lord said that the kingdom of heaven is near. Do you feel it really near? That we are 90% Catholics still needs to be validated by the number of sick people healed, dead people brought back to life, lepers cleansed and demons driven out. The sick are healed if we make this world less stressful. The so called “living dead” are restored to life if we actively campaign against social menace such as illegal drug trade. “Lepers” are cleansed if the poor are restored to their human dignity. Demons are driven away if we fight corruption and oppose evil laws and legislations.
From all appearances, there is no such convincing validation. That 90% is baloney. When persecutions come, this bubble is sure to burst at the slightest prick. Genuine faith flourishes best on a seedbed of stones and among thistles and thorns. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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