Reflection for Friday September 30, Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church; Luke 10:13-16

Gospel: Luke 10:13-16

Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

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Reflection:

Do you listen to Jesus’ call of repentance?

 Repentance is a perpetual call from Jesus and we must listen to Him. What will happen if we will not listen?  There would be punishment and it will not certainly come from God; punishment will originate from the outcome of our sinfulness.

For example a woman who had been advised by her relatives to stop her adulterous affair. Instead of listening to her relative’s admonition he persisted. Eventually they were caught by their respected spouses; you can just imagine the punishment that they'll receive.

There’s a lot more examples of those who did not listen, so they received their deserved punishment. Punishment which did not come from God, It originated from their stubbornness and refusal to heed God’s call of repentance.

So why not repent and listen to the voice of God who always calls us every minute of the day to change our ways for the better? Are we not afraid of the punishment that is surely forthcoming?

In the church true repentance happens when we humbly submit ourselves to the Sacrament of Confession. – Marino J. Dasmarinas