15th Sunday in Ordinary Time(Cycle B, Year II)

Community Word:Faith anchored on Jesus Christ is unshakeable.

Theme: Unshakeable faith drives us to go to mission fully dependent on God’s provision.

Promise:“The Lord himself will give his benefits, our land shall yield its increase.”(Ps 85:13)

Reflection:
In the gospel reading of the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus gave His disciples instructions on how they are to carry out their mission of preaching the Good News of God’s reign – ” … take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts,”(Mk 6:7). They are to travel light, taking only what is essential and leaving behind whatever might weigh them down so that they will be able to focus on the mission. Poverty in spirit will free them from seeking comfort and pre-occupation with possessions and will make room for God’s provision. Jesus wants His disciples to be dependent of God and not on themselves.

Jesus is telling us the same thing thru our community theme for this week – Unshakeable faith drives us to go to mission fully dependent on God’s provision.Our good Lord plants us in our community to help advance the Kingdom of God. He is sending us with a mission to bring healing and restoration, pardon and freedom from the oppression of sin, despair, hopelessness and eventual destruction of self. We are to do this without guile, instead with charity, selflessness, peace and simplicity. As He told the early disciples, we must give our full attention to the proclamation of God’s Kingdom and not be diverted to other lesser things. We must do our work, not for what we can get out of it but for what we can give freely to others.

Jesus’ love for us is so incomprehensible that He wills for us to have a share in the salvation of souls. He wants us to serve with Him. God works in and through each of us for His glory. He expects us to do greater things by leading us to be dependent on Him, more than what we can achieve by relying on ourselves. When we respond to God’s word with faith and obedience, we accomplish far beyond what we can do on our own. We are changed and made “a new creation” in Jesus Christ(2Cor 5:17).

Yes, we will experience disappointment, difficulties and failures in going about our mission. But suffering is a “training tool” that God uses to purify our hearts and grow our faith. It is a humbling process that allows us to become more and more dependent on God and be reminded that His grace is sufficient and His love for us strong. There is nothing greater we can do with our life than to faithfully serve our Master. We should see His provision and care even when it is not what we expect because God’s ways are not our ways.

Jesus brings this promise to those who are willing to partner with Him in His mission – “The Lord himself will give his benefits, our land shall yield its increase,”(Ps 85:13). Sometimes we may feel that God’s provision is not available right away or we may even doubt that it will come at all. But we must have that unshakeable faith in believing that God will always provide for our needs. And as we move from this life to the next, all of God’s gifts, graces and blessings will be topped by the promised reward in heaven where we will share in God’s love for all eternity.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I humbly empty myself to You so that You can fill me with Your graces that I need to accomplish the mission that You will for my life. Take and receive my soul, my mind, my will and my heart. Fill my heart with love and compassion for those who do not know You or follow You. May I be a good witness to Your truth and salvation. Amen.

Reflection Questions:
1.Do you believe that God will provide all your spiritual and physical needs in your daily life and when you go and serve Him in mission?

2.When was the time you were anxious that God might not provide what you need in your mission for your family and community life? Share your experience.

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
July 15, 2018 (Sun) -Am 7:12-15/Ps 85:9-14/Eph 1:3-14/Mk 6:7-13
July 16, 2018 (Mon) – Is 1:10-17/Ps 50:8, 9, 16, 17, 21, 23/Mt 10:34-11:1
July 17, 2018 (Tue) – Is 7:1-9/Ps 48:2-8/Mt 11:20-24
July 18, 2018 (Wed) – Is 10:5-7, 13-16/Ps 94:5-10, 14, 15/My 11:25-27
July 19, 2018 (Thu) – Is 26:7-9, 11, 16-19/Ps 102:13-21/Mt 11:28-30
July 20, 2018 (Fri) – Is 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8/Is 38:10-12, 16/Mt 12:1-8
July 21, 2018 (Sat) – Mt 2:1-5/Ps 10:1-4, 7, 8, 14/Mt 12:14-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”