Gospel Reflection

July 10, 2012

Tuesday
St. Veronica Giuliani, Virgin (Feast)

by Rev.  Fr. Joel Jason (Dean, Graduate School of Theology San Carlos Seminary)

12:15pm mass, Edsa Shrine

First Reading:               2 Corinthians 4:6-11, 16, 17

Psalm:                         Psalm 59:2, 10, 17-18  

Gospel:                        Matthew 16:24-27

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.


HOMILY

Father Joel related that he was invited by his uncle one day to go with him at the seminary, because his uncle wanted to take the entrance exams for seminarians. Di pa nga alam ni Father kung ano ang seminary but he accompanied his uncle anyway.

Then his uncle told him, “Joel mag-exam ka na rin katuwaan lang.” In the end, his uncle did not pass the exams but Father Joel did, and he eventually became a priest.

Father Joel shared his story to show us that in life, God will pave the way for us to discover our mission. Sometimes, we pursue something, only because it is our ambition, and not our mission. For example, one would want to be a doctor, only to earn and be popular, but not to be able to help others, especially the poor.

God wants to tell us that we are made, not only for success, but more for significance. We continue to pursue our goals and ambitions, but live them in the spirit of mission. Let us pray that God may help us discover and do our mission for the greater good and for God’s greater glory, not our own.