10th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C, Year I)
Community Word: Sharing God’s word and His love brings newness of life.
Theme: Compassion and sensitivity to the needs of others bring newness of life.
Promise: “You changed my mourning into dancing.” (Ps 30:12)
Reflection:
The First and Gospel Readings this Sunday are similar. In the First Reading, Elijah begs God to restore the life of the dead son of a widow. In the gospel, nobody asks Jesus to do anything, but moved with pity on seeing the weeping widow He took it upon himself to restore her son to life. Evident in both cases is God’s compassion.
Are we capable of same compassion? It is not enough to have compassion in our hearts, for compassion must translate into concrete action. Jesus expressed compassion through positive action. He responded by doing what needed to be done to alleviate the suffering of the widowed mother. In His mercy Jesus gives a glimpse of God’s overflowing kindness and the graciousness of His kingdom, hence “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36)
In our moments of helplessness and hopelessness, especially when tragedy strikes, we should draw strength by clinging to God’s tender mercies and his promise that he came, “that we may have life, life in all its fullness,” (Jn 10:10). In every experience of death, we must learn to rise up from our sorrow, stop weeping and move on, as Jesus admonishes us: “Do not weep,” (Lk 7:13). The miracle at Nain is an affirmation that, with faith in Christ, deep sorrows, tragedies and even death can be overcome. There is assurance that when we feel broken, frustrated, discouraged and seemingly without hope, we need only continue waiting expectantly on our ever-faithful and merciful God: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry,” (Ps 40:1).
Let us be confident that when in need of help, we shall find mercy and grace from our God (Heb 4:15-16). Jesus is our strength, our life and our hope. Just as he showed compassion on the widowed mother, we trust He will hear our cry for help, heal our ills, and give us what we are in dire need of. Let us keep ourselves open to the healing touch of Jesus, that He may continue His healing work in us and raise up the dead areas of our lives. Let us heed His call: “Young man, I say to you, arise,” (Lk 7:14).
May we experience the Lord’s compassion even as He exhorts us to be merciful as He is merciful that, as we act with sensitivity and concern for others, we may find gladness and newness of life as promised: “You changed my mourning into dancing,”
(Ps 30:12).
Reflection Questions:
1. How do we show our compassion and concern for our brothers and sisters who are undergoing trials
and difficulties in life?
2. How can we, ourselves, overcome our sorrows and trials, and find the newness of life promised to us?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
June 9, 2013 (Sun) 1Kgs 17:17-24/Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13/Gal 1:11-19
June 10, 2013 (Mon) 2Cor 1:1-7/Ps 34:2-9/Mt 5:1-12
June 11, 2013 (Tues) Acts 11:21-26;13:1-3/Ps 98:1-6/Mt 10:7-13
June 12, 2013 (Wed) 2Cor 3:4-11/Ps 99:5-9/Mt 5:17-19
June 13, 2013 (Thur) 2Cor 3:15-4:1,3,6/Ps 85:9-10-14/Mt 5:20-26
June 14, 2013 (Fri) 2Cor 4:7-15/Ps 116:10-18/Mt 5:27-32
June 15, 2013 (Sat) 2Cor 5:14-21/Ps 103:1-4,9-12/Mt 5:33-37
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
