LAITY REFLECTIONS FOR THE 15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
1st Reading: Amos 7:12- 15
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 85:9 and 10.11- 12.13-14 (R. 8)
2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 85:9 and 10.11- 12.13-14 (R. 8)
2nd Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 6 : 7-13
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| Ibe Francisca Tiwa |
TRUSTING IN DIVINE PROVIDENCE!
One of the greatest challenges facing us as Christians today, is the fact that many of us have misplaced our priorities and as such, we have lost direction in life.
Hence, the quest for material wealth and comfort, have now beclouded the vision of many ministers of the Gospel to the point that, nothing ever makes any sense, unless it is bringing money into their pockets!
When Jesus sent out His apostles two by two in today’s Gospel passage, He strictly charged them to take nothing for the journey, except the needful: their staff!
Thus, as much as possible, while in their line of duties, the apostles were to avoid chasing after comfort and material benefits at the detriment of their primary assignment.
Today, we are encouraged to trust in the ability and capacity of God to take care of us according to His riches in glory, whenever He calls us and sends us out on any mission.
God Will Always Take Care Of Us!
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| Tempulo George |
It has come to my attention.
Before what came to my attention.
Did anyone notice the attitude of the prophet Amos?
"I was only a shepherd, and was called to bring this message"
There was absolutely no sense of entitlement. He was simple and humble. The message came to him in that simplicity (there wasn't earthquake or rumbling of the skies). He was obviously not feeling like superman, but he just knew that the person who sent him can be trusted. Hence he went and prophesied as he was told.
Now back to what came to my attention.
The Lord have been giving many of us a message from time to time, but we keep waiting for an extraordinary event before we answer the lord's call.
Better start answering the call, you know what happens to a watchman when he fails to warn the people against incoming danger.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Another important point I'd like to emphasize is our attitude to prophecy.
The priest Amaziah was self righteous, had a sense of entitlement to God's blessings that he forgot that a covenant entails mutual participation. In his self righteousness, he failed to see that the Israelites had not been obeying God's commands. The right attitude to prophecy should be sober reflection and repentance, not defensiveness and justification.
If you read further.
Because of his wrong attitude to the prophecy, he incurred a curse. We are both being called like Amos as well as prophesied to like Amaziah and the Israelites.
Now, I'd leave this question to the house.
How can one identify true prophecy in the light of the proliferation of "prophecies" in this age?
REFLECTION
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| Rev. Joseph Nnabuike Edeh, CMF |
From the Gospel
In the formation of the Apostles Jesus used both theoretical and practical approaches. Firstly, He schooled them for sometime. Then, He sent them on mission to go and put into practice what they had learnt and observed Him doing and teaching.
Jesus sent them in pairs for mutual encouragement, collaboration and solidarity in mission. Jesus does not want us to work or live alone. Rather, He prefers that His disciples live and do things in common. They were to take nothing by way of provision with them except a staff and the authority of His name over the forces of evil. For the rest of their mission needs they had to depend on and trust in the providence of God.
Today, the mission of God, which is the mission of the Church is for all of us Christians (not only the Bishops and Priests) because through our Baptism we share in the three office function of Christ namely; priest, prophet and king. For this reason, we too, including the lay faithful are called to take part in Jesus' ministry, we do this by words and actions.
Shalom Lekah 🙏
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| Erinoso, Paul Kehinde. |
"Go prophesy to my people, Isreal"
By virtue of our baptism, we have become a priest, king, and an apostle; therefore, we all have the duty to proclaim the kingdom of God.
It does not matter who you are - a herdsman, carpenter, lawyer, or a soldier. We are all duty bound to proclaim the Gospel.
This duty is not an exclusive of the priest, for we all have been called and sent.
May the Lord grant us the zeal and courage through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to spread the message of Christ.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
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| Comfort Mary Edewor |
The thought that crosses my mind as I read this passage is a lesson that many people find difficult to accept. That is the fact that everyone has a calling in life already determined by God even before we were formed in our mother's womb. We may choose to do whatever we like, but it won't be long before we find out that only in that mission assigned to us by God can we find peace and fulfillment. No wonder some people, after so many years of study in a Medical school, leave and enter the Seminary, while some leave the big Business world to become pastors. When you heed God's call, He prepares you to ensure your success in His mission . He removes every stumbling block and makes an easy task of what might appear burdensome.
I also reflected on the way Jesus sent out His apostles in twos. This, l believe, was so they could support and encourage each other, since all this while they had been listening to him and learning. It was now time, the very first time to practice what they had been taught.while depending on God to provide them with whatever they needed. They definitely would face challenges but when there are two of them together the resilience against such attacks would be stronger.
We are all equally called to spread the Good news wherever we find ourselves, even in the very profession we are practicing , always resisting the temptation to conform with the standard of the world but by living out the gospel values that can bring salvation to those we come in contact with everywhere we go. We can be sure that God will always show up for us in difficult times.
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| Paddy Kevwe. |
THE CHOSEN IN CHRIST
And thus goes the trending sound of "president general among the nation, we salute you, president general among the nation." And this sound came from our separated brethren THE CHOSEN. The chosen are those privileged to have a special care and attention with an advantage over others who are not chosen and I feel we will be salute Christ as the president general among the nation on that day of jubilation.
Are you a chosen? If you are, how have you witnessed to the one who chose you?
In the first reading, the prophet Amos in his humility told the priest Amaziah that it was because of his chosen call to be a prophet that has made him to come prophesy to the people of Israel. His case is different from those who parade themselves as prophets who called themselves into the ministry. In the case of Amos, we must know that we do not preach on our own accord but it is the mandate given to us that has given us the impetus to proclaim the word of God.
It is to this end that St. Paul in the second reading gave thanks to God for choosing us in Christ that we may be holy and blameless before him. Just as Amos, our chosenness is not for idle living but first called to be holy and then be blameless before the one who has called us. Sin which has created a distance between us and God has now been defeated by the redemptive blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for which we have forgiveness of sin. Again, as chosen people of God, how are we witnessing to this call to be holy and blameless before him? We must earnestly continue to ask the Lord to let us see his mercy that he may grant us his salvation. Because it will be fruitless to be a chosen people and fail to attain eternal salvation through his mercy since our God speaks of peace for his people and his faithful ones, for his salvation is near those who fear him, and his glory will dwell in our land.
The apostles were chosen by Christ and today after some years of followership, he sent them out to bear witness to their chosen call as apostles. And the beautiful thing is that, with adhering to the instructions of the master most especially of forgiving those who refuse them or reject them preaching to them. This is essential for us who are chosen people of God. If we have obtained forgiveness of sins through the redemptive blood of our Lord Jesus Christ then we are obliged to forgive those who have wronged us, rejected us or despised us. For forgiveness of other's fault against us is a guarantee that God may forgive us our own faults against him as we say in the Lord's prayer.
May the good Lord help us to be true witness to his word as his chosen people to those we encounter daily through Christ our Lord. Amen.
#Shalom
