Tuesday, July 16, 2013
15th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Ex 2:1-15 Gospel:
Matthew 11:20-24
Jesus began to denounce the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles, because the people there did not change their ways, “Alas for you Chorazin and Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more bearable on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead! For if the miracles which were performed in you had taken place in Sodom, it would still be there today! But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience) The more a person has given himself to someone he loves, the greater his frustration when the beloved remains unresponsive. It happened to Jesus. The work he did for Chorazin and Bethsaida was more than enough to bring pagans to repentance. But Chorazin and Bethsaida remained lukewarm. We have known of modern Chorazins and Bethsaidas, unimpressed by God’s marvelous interventions because they only see life’s negative side. But there is no such person as bereft of God’s blessings no matter how poor. When one thinks he is very poor, someone down there looks up to him in envy for being blessed with more. Reflecting on the misfortunes of others helps us see and appreciate the blessings we ignore.
A movement called Pietism cropped up in the Lutheran Church in Germany in the 17th century. This movement popularized the maxim “Denken ist danken” (To think is to thank). The similarity of the words “think” and “thank” in both German and English hints to the significant relationship between the two. Unless one thinks he can never thank. This helps us understand why many people today are as indifferent to God’s blessings as the residents of Chorazin and Bethsaida were. They hardly think of God’s blessings. St. Paul’s advice is to thank God all the time for his indescribable gifts (2 Cor. 9:15). But one can never thank if he never thinks. Only those who count their blessings will ever feel grateful to the giver of all blessings.
If we want to nurture a grateful heart, let’s count our blessings and look at life as an art. Our gratitude will be very pleasant, not that it will add anything to God’s greatness, for his greatness is already perfect from the start. Because of his great love, God draws satisfaction from our acts of gratitude no matter how insignificant.
-Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org. q q q May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT <message/name/age/address> at i-send sa 4467.