Wednesday, July 27, 2005
THURSDAY 17TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
JULY 28, 2005
THURSDAY 17TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR I
EXODUS 40:16-21, 34-38
Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him. On the first day of
the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. It was
Moses who erected the Dwelling. He placed its pedestals, set up its
boards, put in its bars, and set up its columns. He spread the tent
over the Dwelling and put the covering on top of the tent, as the LORD
had commanded him. He took the commandments and put them in the ark; he
placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it. He
brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil, thus
screening off the ark of the commandments, as the LORD had commanded
him. Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the
LORD filled the Dwelling. Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the LORD filled
the Dwelling. Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children
of Israel would set out on their journey. But if the cloud did not
lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go
forward. In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the
Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole
house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.
MATTHEW 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net
thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full
they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What
is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The
angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw
them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding
of teeth." "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes."
And he replied, "Then every scribe who
has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a
household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When
Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
REFLECTION
If the last six chapters of Exodus were included, all of them, in the
liturgy of this week, I'm sure all of us, priest and people, would fall
fast asleep. The last six chapters present God to us, in unending
detail instructing Moses exactly how he wants the "the Dwelling" to be
constructed. There is one truth, however, that this long, highly
detailed account makes very clear: God is deeply involved in the life
of his people; he is with them, he leads them, he guides them.
This is a characteristic of God's relationship with his people all
during the Old Testament years. We tend to underline the downside of
the relationship. The Israelites' "hardheadedness" and "stubbornness"
and God's furious reaction to their disloyalty, whereas this does
repeat itself again and again, still the bottom line of the story and
the constant theme running through the Old Testament is God's fidelity
to this people whom he loves.
Oftentimes we find difficulty in believing that God's love for the
Israelites was and is unconditioned. Maybe because we find it hard to
believe that his love for us is unconditioned. Maybe because we can't
believe that anyone can love without condition.
Yet God is love, his very being is love. How could he not love
unconditionally? If God is love then love must pervade his every
action in our world. This then is what we expect and what we actually
find all throughout both Testaments, God laboring the labor of love
within every human heart, striving there to destroy evil and beget
good. If only we would allow him to succeed in his efforts at least in
each of us.
PRAYER
"Lord, increase my hunger for your kingdom and fill my heart with eager
longing for you that I may one day gaze upon your face in everlasting
bliss."
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
- In thanksgiving for Michael's healing
- For the intention of Gallage family
- for the personal intentions of Lydia and family.
- In Memorian: Engracia Hollmann
- In Memorian: Angel Pe
- for speedy recovery of Kerri Elise A. David. For the personal
intentions of her parents.
- for the good health and special intentions of Franciosa Vanessa L.
Chua.
- for the enlightenment & good health of Elsa & Paolo.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Armando A. Diaz. Eternal rest
grant unto Armando O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. May our Lord Jesus Christ through our Blessed
Mother comfort and strengthen the family he left behind especially his
wife, Betty.
- for the speedy recovery of Mary Ann R. Francisco.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Geraldine S. Lim
- Birthday: Winston P. Uy
- Wedding Anniversary: Mr.& Mrs. Erwin Tangco
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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