My Reflection for June 16, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 7:36-8:3

My Reflection:

A young lady who had five children from five different men was already labeled as an immoral sinner by her siblings and parents.  Her family has already given-up on her even if deep in her heart she was telling herself that she was ready to live a renewed life which is very different from her sinful past.

In our first reading for this Sunday we have King David who committed sin against God by coveting the wife of his soldier Uraih. He purposely feed Uriah to their enemies. So that he would be killed and hence possess his wife without any complications. The action of King David was sinful but notwithstanding his sin he was forgiven by God because he humbly admitted his sinfulness before God almighty.

Similarly, we have in our gospel a sinful woman who humbly went to Jesus to honor Him by kissing His feet and anointing it with ointment. She cried before Jesus as if begging Jesus for forgiveness and second chance. Jesus saw her humility and her honest desire to start a new life. That’s why despite of her grave sins she was forgiven by Jesus.

There is always hope and forgiveness for us sinners no matter how grave the sins that we have committed against Jesus. …      

Fruits of Humility...

Why do we shout in anger at each other... ? Author Unknown

A saint who was visiting river Ganges to take a bath found a couple on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled and asked.

'Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?'

The disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our temper, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the saint.

The disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.

Finally the saint explained.

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small.

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his disciples and said.

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return. …

Money will afford you...