Community Word:
True disciples bear the character of Jesus.
Order:
“Come after me…be my disciple.”(Lk 14:27)
Reflection:
For September, the Order discerned for the BLD Community is: “Come after me…be my disciple.”(Lk 14:27). Jesus is not only asking us to be His followers who will subscribe to His teachings and methods and imitate His lifestyle. He commands us to be His true disciples who must bear His character – one who allows God to guide our minds and hearts, one who maintains a faithful relationship with God, one who is a trustworthy steward of His gifts and more importantly, one who is compassionate to others. Jesus makes it clear in His Sermon on the Mount that eternal reward will depend on the choice that we make here on earth, either we follow our selfish inclinations or we grow in Christ-like character.
The theme for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time states:We bear the character of Jesus when we let God’s counsel guide our action. Jesus, our Savior, was perfectly obedient to the Father’s plan of salvation. He remained willing and determined to accomplish His purpose on earth, despite seeing the suffering He would endure by such obedience. Likewise, we are asked to be obedient to God and to trust in His plan for our life. There are many obstacles along the way, but the one who follows His counsel will finish strong and is rewarded. We are given this week’s promise: “The Lord our God… prosper(s) the work of our hands.” (Ps 90:17b)
For the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the theme is: We bear the character of Jesus when we are reconciled with God and our fellowmen. We are created to develop a deep and sincere relationship with God and to serve Him through our fellowmen. Misunderstanding, and perhaps abuse, severe this bond that make us feel incomplete, isolated and lost. Reconciliation is the key in bringing back the joy to one’s life. Jesus started His public ministry preaching about repentance and turning back to God (Mt 4:17) and He ended it by forgiving even those who crucified Him. This is the same mission that Christ wants us to pursue – to be instruments of reconciliation and peace between man and God, and to lead everyone to true repentance. For “there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents,” (Lk 15:10).
The theme for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time is: We bear the character of Jesus when we are trustworthy stewards of the gifts and talents He has given us. God has entrusted us the stewardship of His gifts. He expects us to be honest, trustworthy and faithful in using these blessings for the building of His Kingdom here on earth. We are indeed made to realize that we “have been enriched in every way,” (1Cor 1:5), not that these gifts and blessings are our own possessions, but to use them in community-building and in our mission and evangelization work. We must share these resources and talents to alleviate the social standing of the under-privileged, restore their self-worth and dignity, and allow them to experience God’s love and compassion. Thus, we become witnesses to the Lord’s promise to the lowly: “He raises up the lowly from the dust…to seat them with princes…” (Ps 113:7).
The theme for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time is: We bear the character of Jesus when we reach out to the poor and care for them. In Scriptures, there are many instances where Jesus shows His deep concern and love for the poor. He never looks away from people. He understands their needs and addresses them. There are many people around us who are suffering from injustice and starvation…people who are dying of hunger, disease and war. If we bear the compassionate heart of our Lord, we would notice those who are deprived and we would be moved with pity to help them. There are big and small ways where we can help and extend spiritual and corporal works of mercy and received the blessing of this promise: “Blessed is he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry,” (Ps 146:7).
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we do not ask that You take away the struggles and challenges we experience in our life. But we pray that You continue to give us the strength to be like Christ in our character and ways and be truly called His worthy followers. So that when reach the end of our faith journey, You will reward us, not by our achievements, but by the kind of life which imitates Christ in obedience, in holiness, in faithfulness and above all in charity.
Reflection September 2016 Final
