Gospel Reflection

July 06, 2012

Friday
St. Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr (Optional Memorial)

Edsa Shrine

First Reading:               Amos 8:4-6, 9-12

Psalm:                         Psalm 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131  

Gospel:                        Matthew 9:9-13  

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. 10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

HOMILY

The priest had four reflections,

First, he said, God is a God of mercy, kahit ano pa ang pinagdadaanan natin o kung ano man ang kasalanan natin.

Second, though God is merciful, He cannot give His mercy to us if our hearts are closed to receive it. Our hearts have to be open, ready and available to receive God’s mercy and grace -no but’s, no if's.

Third, God is a God of hope. He will not give up on us, no matter how sinful we are. That's why Jesus said. “It is the sick who needs a physician’. God will always give us the opportunity, the breakthrough. Nothing is too late for God.

Fourth, God teaches us the importance of our work. It is in our work – what we do – that we encounter God. Let us do our work well and be faithful to the kind of life that God has given us. We should show holiness even in ordinary things.