Daily Reflection – Sep 2, 2016
Friday 2 September 2016
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Responsorial Psalm:
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord
Psalm 36(37):3-6, 27-28, 39-40
Gospel Reading: Luke 5:33-39
Today’s Note: Friday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel Reading:
The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Reflection:
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)
If you have read The Lord of the Rings books or watched the movies, you may remember Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Like his ancestors before him, he governed and protected the realm of Gondor as the people awaited the return of the true king. However, Denethor forgot the example of how the noble kings had ruled in the past. Instead, he grew selfish and greedy for power.
Did you know that you are a steward as well? God has entrusted each of us with a great treasure—the gospel message of salvation—and he wants us to guard and protect it as we await the return of Jesus, our King. He also wants us to take this message out into the world so that more and more people can come to believe in him.
So how can you be an effective steward of the good news? Here are three suggestions:
Celebrate it. You have been entrusted with something much greater than an earthly kingdom. You have been given the mysteries of God: the truth of who he is, his eternal plan of salvation, and the promise of eternal life in him. Let those truths sink into your heart, and give thanks.
Take responsibility for it. A steward cares for his master’s house, and for us that means the Church. Whether it’s by prayer or active participation, decide how you can help your parish flourish.
Share it. If the gospel were just for an elite group, the Church would never have made it out of Jerusalem. Stewardship means getting that message to as many people as you can. Find some way to share the good news today, whether in word or in deed.
When Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to fill you. This Holy Spirit can empower you to spread the gospel, to serve the Church, and to praise God—the job description of a steward of the mysteries of God! So invite him to help you joyfully take on this mission today.
“Lord, thank you for entrusting me with the gospel. Holy Spirit, help me to be a steward of the good news until the day when Jesus returns in glory.”
