Scripture Readings
Isa 45:1, 4-6, Ps 95:1. 3-5. 7-10 r.7, 1 Thess 1:1-5, Matt 22:15-21
Second Isaiah insists that every event, good or bad, is caused by God. The conquest and exile of Israel by Babylon contributed towards God’s purpose. And so does the freedom given them about 530 BC by Cyrus, King of Persia, whom God calls his ‘anointed’ or ‘messiah’, because he did God’s work. Thus all men, including Gentiles, though they do not know him, will know that there is only one God, the Lord.
For the last 5 Sundays of Ordinary Time we read from Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, which he founded about AD 50. Thessalonica is about 60 miles west of Philippi, and also on the road from Byzantium to Rome. Paul later sent Silvanus and Timothy back to support the new community. This letter was written from Corinth after Timothy returned to tell Paul about the church’s progress. It is the earliest Christian writing we have. Centuries before the idea of the Trinity developed, Paul distinguishes clearly between “God our Father”, “our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “the Holy Spirit”.
Over the next three weeks we hear the final three discussions in Matthew’s Gospel between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They ironically address Jesus as “Teacher”, but he silences them: he alone has the authority to interpret the Jewish Scriptures.
Psalm Response: Give the Lord glory and power
From my heart to your heart
by Father Bernadino
DON’T CHANGE
Robert was a victim of a few addictions. He felt miserable. His family felt miserable. His friends felt miserable. Every person approached him to make him to change. He was a liar, a cheater and would make fun of all those who dared to give him advice. There were threats, bribes, promises, begging but he looked insensitive to everyone.
One day, after so many frustrations and so many friends quitting on him, and after so many prayers, Robert looked like a different man. He became sober, clean, hard worker, with a great sense of humour, a loving husband and a loving father. Nobody could believe in what was happening. All his acquaintances felt tempted to think and to say “Boy… this man looks like Robert. I wish Robert became like him”.
Finally, slowly, everyone admitted that this man was the real Robert and everyone was very happy about him.
All his friends wanted to know the secret. What happened to you and how did it happen?
Robert with a smile, where they could see a mixture of happiness and sadness, shared what had happened:
I was feeling sick. I was feeling miserable. I had no hope. Nothing mattered in my life. I had no reasons to live. When my friends greeted me they didn’t even ask me: “How are you, Robert”? The only thing they used to say was: “Change your life Robert. Please change. If you don´t change you are going to die and especially your family is going to feel happy that you have died. Please change, Robert”. Even my best friend Joe kept telling me: “Change Robert, change. I love you. I am your best friend. Do that for me, Robert”. But I could not change. I felt helpless. My self esteem was zero. It seemed that I was already doomed to hell before my death and after my death.
One day, my best friend Joe came to me and said: “Robert! I came to have a cup of coffee with you and tell you something very important: Don´t change. You don´t have to change. I love you the way you are. No strings attached. No conditions attached. I love you the way you are. I will always be here for you. Count always on me”.
Then a miracle happened. On that day I changed.
One of the slogans of People Helping People is “Only love frees”. Mother Teresa used to say that: “If you start by judging people you are too busy to love them”. And finally these are the words of a Man who inspired the project People Helping People: “Don´t judge others and God will not judge you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others” (Math. 7: 1-2). The name of that Man is Jesus.
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