Monday, February 24, 2014

 

THE HOMELESS MAN

THE HOMELESS MAN

 

It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked to the church. As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church.  He was almost laying down as if he was asleep.  He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face.

 

He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all over them, his toes stuck out. I assumed this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.  We all fellow shipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.

 

A few moments later church began. We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and whispered and made faces.  He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit he took off his hat and coat.

 

My heart sank.

 

There stood our preacher...he was the "homeless man." No one said a word. The preacher took his Bible and laid it on the stand. "Folks, I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today." Then he started singing the words to this song. "If I can help somebody as I pass along.  If I can cheer somebody with a word or song. If I can show somebody that he's traveling wrong. Then my living shall not be in vain."

 

"IS YOUR LIVING IN VAIN?"

 

-- Author Unknown


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Tuesday 7TH Week in Ordinary Time

February 25, 2014

Tuesday 7TH Week in Ordinary Time

 

Jas 4: 1-10 / Ps 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23  / Mk 9: 30-37

 

Reading: Jas 4: 1-10

What causes these fights and quarrels among you? Is it not your cravings that make war within your own selves? When you long for something you cannot have, you kill for it and when you do not get what you desire, you squabble and fight. The fact is, you do not have what you want because you do not pray for it. You pray for something and you do not get it because you pray with the wrong motive of indulging your pleasures. You adulterers! Don't you know that making friends with the world makes you enemies of God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be the world's friend becomes God's enemy. Can you not see the point of the saying in Scripture: "The longing of the spirit he sent to dwell in us is a jealous longing?" But God has something better to give, and Scripture also says, God opposes the proud but he gives his favor to the humble. Give in, then, to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw close to God and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubters. Recognize your distress, be miserable and weep. Turn your laughter into tears and your joy into sadness. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will raise you up.                  

 

Gospel: Mk 9: 30-37

After leaving that place, they made their way through Galilee; but Jesus did not want people to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them, "The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise." The disciples, however, did not understand these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" But they did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, "If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child, placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, "Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me."

 

Reflection:

     In our adolescence and adulthood, we may have engaged in a wild and sinful lifestyle in varying degrees. Young people want to enjoy drinking, partying, sexual pleasures, etc. and sometimes commit many grave sins. Many of us realize our errors and reform our lives eventually, as we grow older and wiser. We understand that these sinful acts lead to death, while doing good to one's neighbor brings us happiness. 

     In the First Reading, St. James says that acts of love can atone for our many sins. Since we know we are sinful, we should not only concentrate on what things we should not do, but instead focus on doing good deeds and charitable acts towards people we know or live with and even people we do not personally know. Rest assured that every day God will give us opportunities to do acts of love towards God and neighbor.

     In the gospel, the apostles were arguing about who among them was the greatest. Isn't this a common occurrence in the workplace, in politics, in our homes and even in church organizations? People are always competing with one another and outperforming one another. This is a human weakness which leads to quarrels, divisiveness, hatred, jealousy, etc. But Jesus told them that in order to be great, one must be the servant of all. Does anyone want to be a servant? Many will say no. But that is the path to greatness, says the Lord. The key to this seemingly impossible way of doing has to be LOVE. If we love someone, we are more than willing to serve him. So if we love people, we can be humble in front of them. To serve others is not hard if we have the Spirit of Christ who is the perfect example of a servant-leader. We should enlarge our hearts to love others and realize that when we do so, we are loving Jesus himself. 

 

Prayer Requests:

We pray …

… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.

… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.

… for families who are in need of healing.

… for world peace and reconciliation.

… for thanksgiving

     * Janet Sabido

 

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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