"Our
true worth does not consist in what human beings think of us.
What we
really are consists in what God knows us to be."
~St.
John Berchmans
"Our true worth does not consist in what human beings think of us.
What we really are consists in what God knows us to be."
~St. John Berchmans
September 28, 2020
Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
JOB 1:6-22
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?”
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
“From roaming the earth and patrolling it.”
And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?”
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
“Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person.”
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
“The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
“The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”
In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
………………………………………………………………
Responsorial Psalm
PS 17:1BCD, 2-3, 6-7
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
……………………………………………………………………
Alleluia
MK 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
……………………………………………………………………..
GOSPEL
LK 9:46-50
An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest.”Then John said in reply,
“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company.”
Jesus said to him,
“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
………………………………………………………………………………
This is why Jesus gave the disciples - and us - a couple of examples of how equally special everyone is to him, and why. It's based on what he preached in Matthew 25: What we do to others we do to him. In this case, the caring and acceptance that we give to a child is caring and acceptance that we give to Jesus. We are not greater than (superior to) children, for through them we encounter God, who alone is superior.
Children know less than we do. But once in a while, they come up with a gem of wisdom or an insight that challenges us, and because they are children, we dismiss it with a condescending smile and "Ahhh, how cute." But that's not how Jesus treats them. That's not how Jesus wants to treat them through us.
What about adults? We expect them to believe us when we tell them what's right and what's wrong, and when they challenge us with an insight that goes against our perception of the truth, we diminish what they said so that we can protect ourselves from feeling inferior.
But that's not how Jesus treats them. That's not how Jesus treats us.
At some point in our lives, we discovered that we could feel good about ourselves if we belonged to "the right group" - the "in" crowd, the "elite" club, the "high status" jobs, the "most respected" parish ministry. Christ's disciples, because they were members of his inner circle, assumed that they'd been given special privileges. When an outsider acted as if he had the same privileges, they didn't think he was equally qualified.
We all know people who don't match our idea of who's qualified, but if they're not working against God's kingdom, we'd better not do anything against them, for that's the same as being against Jesus!
Know that you are not inferior. It's only God's opinion of you that really matters. In his eyes, you are as important as anyone else. Jesus loves you as much as he loves his own mother! Once you realize this and let it heal your wounded heart, the temptation to feel superior will diminish. And every time you feel inferior to others again, ask God what hidden wound needs more healing, and if you do whatever it takes to open up to that healing, eventually the temptation to feel superior will disappear.
Beloved Lord, thank You for the simplicity with which You talk to me and guide me every day. Give me the grace to receive You and give You to my neighbors, whole-heartedly and humbly. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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