20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A, Year II)

Community Word: Jesus, the Bread of Life, answers the needs of those who heed Him.

Theme: We heed Jesus when we possess an unwavering faith in His mercy.

Promise: “Great is your faith! Let it be done as you wish.” (Mt 15:28)

Reflection:
When ore is tested to ascertain if it is gold or silver, the assayer puts fire under, pours acid on it, and then determines that it is genuine. Likewise, God allows one’s faith to be tested to purify and strengthen it, and show that it is authentic. Someone once said, “The acid of grief tests the coin of belief.” The hardships we are experiencing during this Covid-19 pandemic puts our faith to the test. Will we lean on His power rather than depend on our own understanding? Will we become sweeter or bitter with Him? Will we trust God’s word in times of this crisis?

Scriptures say that when we are rooted in Christ, it doesn’t matter where we are planted. The word of God challenges us to respond to tests and trials with resilient hope we find in Christ no matter the situation. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, rather than on our circumstances, we find Him strengthening us to face every spiritual battle, as what St. James says, “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance,” (Jam 1:3).

Even with this truth, for some our Lord’s faithful love and unfathomable mercy is still a mystery beyond man’s comprehension. But it is not really human emotion or passion that encourages us to have faith in His mercy. It is the spiritual yearning that consumes our soul and leaves us being assured of His promise and comforted by His word. Allowing this deeper connection and relationship with God lead us to a more mature, steady and unwavering faith. As our theme this week says – We heed Jesus when we possess an unwavering faith in His mercy.

In our faith journey, peaks and valleys, trials and tribulations are among those certainties we cannot escape. And during these times, all we can do is to depend completely on God’s faithfulness to provide and meet all our needs. Even if on the surface things look frightening, we can rely on God’s divine presence to be far more real than those around us. We have to believe that God’s intervening power can reverse the severity of a dire situation. Because when we choose to put our complete faith in Jesus, only then will His rich mercy overflow like the waves of the ocean.

A true believer has deep faith that urges him to constantly turn to Jesus with much courage and persistence, believing in His mercy. Let us learn from the Canaanite woman in the Gospel. Even when the disciples want to send her away or when Jesus does not respond immediately, she perseveres in her belief that the Lord will hear and answer her plea. Just like her, we are called to communicate with the Lord, to pray and meditate upon His word in the midst of trials we are facing because of this pandemic.

Let us then heed Jesus’ invitation for us to draw to the throne of God’s grace, that we may receive mercy in this time of our need. He is asking us to rise above our own human understanding and weaknesses to confidently trust in His mercies. For His promise this week is true, “Great is your faith. Let it be done as you wish,” (Mt 15:28).

Prayer:
O God, with the present sufferings and trials we are going through, help us to lean on you more and more. Help us to have an unwavering faith in Your mercy and to trust in You alone even when we feel we are failing. When life knocks us down and brings us to our knees, help us to get up quickly and learn to hold on you when we stumble. And when our faith is shaken, help us that we may have peace in our heart and strength of spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection Guide Questions:
1. How strong is your faith in Jesus especially during this current crisis of the pandemic?

2. If you feel your faith is being tested, how do you respond in your situation? Do you resort to persevering prayer or turn away and feel discouraged and abandoned instead?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
August 16, 2020 (Sun) – Is 56:1,6-7/ Ps 67:2-3,5,6,8/ Rom 11:13-15,29-32/ Mt 15:21-28
August 17, 2020 (Mon) – Ez 24:15-24/ Dt 32:18-19, 20, 21/ Mt 19:16-22
August 18, 2020 (Tues) – Ez 28:1-10/ Dt 32:26-27, 27-28, 30, 35-36/ Mt 19:23-30
August 19, 2020 (Wed) – Ez 34:1-11/ Ps 23:1-3,3-4, 5, 6/ Mt 20:1-16
August 20, 2020 (Thurs) – Ez 36:23-28/ Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19/ Mt 22:1-14
August 21, 2020 (Fri) – Ez 37:1-14/ Ps 107:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9/ Mt 22:34-40
August 22, 2020 (Sat) – Is 9:1-6/ Ps 113/ Lk 1:26-38

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”