Thursday, July 26, 2018

Reflection for Thursday July 26, Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Matthew 13:10-17

Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.

Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them.

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
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Reflection:
How do you measure success in life? Do you measure it by your wealth and power or you measure it with your closeness to Jesus? Many of us today measure it by our wealth and power this mindset is primarily influenced by this world.

But is this true success? No, a truly successful life is always measured by our closeness to Jesus. For what would wealth and power mean to us when it can be taken away from us anytime? What would wealth and power mean to us when we grow old and become slave by old age? During that time wealth and power will not matter anymore to us for someone will be in charge of us and will take control of us.

What is the use of wealth and power if we are isolated and empty deep inside us? What is the use of wealth and power if we could hardly sleep at night? For the simple reason that we worry so much about our wealth which is sometimes dirty wealth?  

Jesus’ disciples were very blessed because awareness of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has already been granted to them by Jesus. They understood that the true essence of life is to be with Jesus and not to be with this world.

Blessed are those who know that life’s success is achieved by our closeness to Jesus. And never with the ownership of the things of this world which is by the way temporary and transitory.

How do you measure success in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

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