Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42
"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little
ones to drink because the little one is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will
surely not lose his reward."
A poor boy would often pass by a store in his neighborhood to ask
for food that he could bring home to his sick father. Day after day, he came
with hope in his heart because he knew that the store owner was kindhearted and
compassionate.
After
a few days, the store owner began to wonder why the boy was no longer coming
by. He asked around the neighborhood and learned that the boy's family had
moved to the city to live with a relative.
Twenty
years later, the store owner had grown old and sick. He had already closed his
store because there was no one left to manage it. One day, a wealthy young man
came looking for him. When the young man was finally brought to the former
store owner, he introduced himself as the boy who used to ask for food for his
sick father.
The
old man's eyes lit up with joy and surprise. He asked, “Why are you here?”
The
young man replied, “I am here to repay your kindness.”
True
to his word, he brought the old man to the hospital and paid all of his medical
expenses. After the old man recovered, the young man invited him to live with
him permanently. The kindness that had once been given and without expectation
had come back as a blessing many years later.
In
the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus speaks about those who show kindness to His
followers. He teaches us that whatever good we do for others because of our
love for Him will never go unnoticed in the eyes of God. The Lord sees every
act of generosity, every sacrifice, every helping hand, and every expression of
compassion. Even when others forget, God remembers.
Yet
Jesus does not call us to be kind only to those who follow Him. He invites us
to open our hearts to everyone in need—the poor, the hungry, the lonely, the
forgotten, and even those who may never be able to repay us. He calls us to be
His hands, His feet, and His heart in a world that desperately needs His love.
As
followers of Christ, we do not do good because we expect something in return.
We do not serve because we hope for recognition or reward. Rather, we do good
because our hearts have been touched by the love of Jesus. When we truly
experience His goodness and mercy, we cannot help but share that same goodness
and mercy with others.
Every
day, God places people in our path who need encouragement, compassion,
understanding, or practical help. Sometimes they are strangers; sometimes they
are members of our own family. The question is not whether opportunities to do
good exist. The question is whether we are willing to respond when God calls us
to love.
Today,
let us ask the Lord for hearts that are generous, compassionate, and ready to
serve. Let us become instruments of His love wherever He sends us, trusting
that no act of kindness done for His sake is ever wasted.
As
we reflect on God's countless blessings in our lives, are we allowing His love
to flow through us to those in need, or are we keeping His gifts to ourselves?– Marino J. Dasmarinas
