Friday, November 09, 2012

 

SATURDAY 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

NOVEMBER 10, 2012
MEMORIAL, SAINT LEO THE GREAT
SATURDAY 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR II

Phil 4:10-19 / Lk 16:9-15

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-19
I rejoice in the Lord because of your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me before, but you had no opportunity to show it. I do not say this because of being in want; I have learned to manage with what I have. I know what it is to be in want and what it is to have plenty. I am trained for both: to be hungry or satisfied, to have much or little. I can do all things in him who strengthens me. However you did right in sharing my trials. You Philippians, remember that in the beginning, when we first preached the Gospel, after I left Macedonia you alone opened for me a debit and credit account, and when I was in Thessalonica, twice you sent me what I needed. It is not your gift that I value but rather the interest increasing in your own account. Now I have enough and more than enough with everything Epaphroditus brought me on your behalf and which I received as "fragrant offerings pleasing to God." God himself will provide you with everything you need, according to his riches, and show you his generosity in Christ Jesus.

LUKE 16:9-15
And so I tell you: use filthy money to make friends for yourselves, so that, when it fails, these people may welcome you into the eternal homes. Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great ones; whoever is dishonest in slight matters will also be dishonest in greater ones. So if you have been dishonest in handling filthy money, who would entrust you with true wealth? And if you have been dishonest with things that are not really yours, who will give you that wealth which is truly your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he does not like the one and is fond of the other, or he regards one highly and the other with contempt. You cannot give yourself both to God and to Money." The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at Jesus. He said to them, "You do your best to be considered righteous by people. But God knows the heart, and what is highly esteemed by human beings is loathed by God.

REFLECTION
"I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" (Lk 16:9). Is this real? Use money to win friends? Doesn't it sound selfish? Isn't it self-serving? Why would Jesus say such a thing?

It really depends on what we value more – money or friends. People who love money more than friends will use their money to buy friendship, favor, and love. And we see this happening all the time, yet this is not how God wants us to handle the wealth He has blessed us with. But people who love their friends more than money will use money to help their friends. They help their friends in their time of need. They help them when they are sick, when they need tuition fees for their kids, when they experience devastating loss. They help even if they themselves don't have much. And this strengthens the friendship they share. Their generosity is what makes them worthy stewards of God's riches. And this is what God asks of us: to become trustworthy stewards of the riches He has entrusted to us.

The Gospel today doesn't teach us to use money to buy friendship, favor, or love. Rather it teaches us to love and value our friends and other people as expressed through our generosity toward them.

What do we value more: God or money? We can never love both.

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for the speedy recovery and healing of
- Bubi Camus
- Alfonso Marquez
- Tito Torres, Mon Torres, Fleur Torres, Eden dela Cruz, Mommy Carmen Rafinan, Lorraine
- Renan Lacida
… for the personal intentions of
- Pauline
- Flor
- Josheil Dapo
- Flor
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Barbara Lam Lim
- Thanksgiving: Co Virginia Davey
… for families who are in need of healing
… 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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