Reflection for July 7 Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:32-38

Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”  

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.  

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

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Reflection:

What are we going to do if the good we do is neither appreciated nor acknowledged?

Suppose we do something kind for a neighbor, but instead of hearing, “Thank you,” we are accused of having a hidden agenda. Such experiences can deeply hurt us and tempt us to stop doing good.

The same thing happened to Jesus. After He drove the demon out of the mute man, some people accused Him of being in league with demons. What an irony! The One who came to bring healing, freedom, and life was misunderstood and falsely judged. Yet Jesus did not allow rejection or false accusations to stop Him from fulfilling His mission. He remained faithful to His Father's will and continued doing good with love and humility.

 The Gospel gently reminds us that this may also happen to us. There will be times when our kindness is misunderstood, our sincere intentions are questioned, and our sacrifices go unnoticed. But if this happened to our Lord, we should not be surprised when it happens to us as well.

Jesus teaches us what to do when our goodness is not appreciated. We simply continue doing good because we do not serve to gain recognition, praise, or personal honor. Instead, we humbly offer our good works for the greater glory of God, trusting that He sees every act of love, no matter how hidden it may be.

Even when no one notices or appreciates our efforts, we need not lose heart. Our loving Father sees everything we do. He knows the true intentions of our hearts and understands every sacrifice we make for His sake. While people may judge only what is visible, God sees what is hidden within us. Our reward, therefore, comes from Him—not from human applause or approval.

Let us, then, never grow weary of doing good. Every act of kindness offered with love becomes a pleasing offering before God. Even if we do not receive our reward in this life, we can trust that the Lord, in His perfect time, will reward our faithfulness. He has prepared for us the gift of eternal life—a life filled with His presence, where there will be no more sorrow, worry, pain, or tears.

Today, let us ask ourselves: Will we continue doing good even when no one thanks us, misunderstands us, or recognizes our efforts, trusting that God's approval is far greater than the praise of the world?– Marino J. Dasmarinas