13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16a
Ps 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19
Rm 6:3-4, 8-11
Mt 10:37-42
Hello, I'm Franciscan Father Greg Friedman with the "Sunday Soundbite" for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Today's reading from the Second Book of Kings may be unfamiliar to you. The prophet Elisha receives the hospitality of a wealthy couple. They provide him with a room in their home; the text even describes how it's to be furnished!
Oddly enough, this story was a childhood favorite of mine, read from a children's Bible I had back then. I remember being particularly impressed with that guest room. Since then, I've been a guest many times, and I'm still impressed—when people go out of their way to be hospitable.
Today's Gospel stresses Christian hospitality, especially to the poor. But before encouraging that value, Jesus sets the bar really high: Our following of him must take priority over everything else in our lives. The context of Christian hospitality is self-sacrificing love, the love that leads to accepting one's cross. In the second reading, Paul tells the Romans point-blank: We were baptized into Christ's death.
A tough standard? And you thought simply making up the guest room was work! Being a Christian in Gospel terms is serious business indeed. Alone, we'd fail utterly in that task. But united around the Eucharistic table, we see that we're not alone. Our faith tells us the sacred meal we share gives us the power to live our Baptism—even in the simple, yet impressive task of Christian hospitality.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Scripture:
•Elisha promised, ֻThis time next year you will be fondling a baby son.” (2 Kings 4:16a)
•If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. (Romans 6:8)
•Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)
•Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. (Matthew 10:40)
Reflection:
•Why does Elisha work a miracle for the women of Shunem? (Hint: She was kind.)
•How do you find your life? (Hint: Lose it.)
•How have you died with Christ? How do you live in Christ?
•Prayfully consider, “Whoever receives you receives me.” Is this true?
The continuing story of salvation in Christ involves each of us one by one as well as society itself. How else could it be? Conversion speaks of the change of heart that, as a member of the Church, each one must undergo.
The Gospel speaks across time and space to each human being, each mind, each heart. It asks us what we think about our lives, how we hope, whom we love, and what we live for.
If faith is not transforming each heart and life, it is dead.…we must let our faith shine on the world around us, radiating the love for Jesus by the everyday way we speak, think, and act.
Ps 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19
Rm 6:3-4, 8-11
Mt 10:37-42
Hello, I'm Franciscan Father Greg Friedman with the "Sunday Soundbite" for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Today's reading from the Second Book of Kings may be unfamiliar to you. The prophet Elisha receives the hospitality of a wealthy couple. They provide him with a room in their home; the text even describes how it's to be furnished!
Oddly enough, this story was a childhood favorite of mine, read from a children's Bible I had back then. I remember being particularly impressed with that guest room. Since then, I've been a guest many times, and I'm still impressed—when people go out of their way to be hospitable.
Today's Gospel stresses Christian hospitality, especially to the poor. But before encouraging that value, Jesus sets the bar really high: Our following of him must take priority over everything else in our lives. The context of Christian hospitality is self-sacrificing love, the love that leads to accepting one's cross. In the second reading, Paul tells the Romans point-blank: We were baptized into Christ's death.
A tough standard? And you thought simply making up the guest room was work! Being a Christian in Gospel terms is serious business indeed. Alone, we'd fail utterly in that task. But united around the Eucharistic table, we see that we're not alone. Our faith tells us the sacred meal we share gives us the power to live our Baptism—even in the simple, yet impressive task of Christian hospitality.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Scripture:
•Elisha promised, ֻThis time next year you will be fondling a baby son.” (2 Kings 4:16a)
•If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. (Romans 6:8)
•Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)
•Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. (Matthew 10:40)
Reflection:
•Why does Elisha work a miracle for the women of Shunem? (Hint: She was kind.)
•How do you find your life? (Hint: Lose it.)
•How have you died with Christ? How do you live in Christ?
•Prayfully consider, “Whoever receives you receives me.” Is this true?
The continuing story of salvation in Christ involves each of us one by one as well as society itself. How else could it be? Conversion speaks of the change of heart that, as a member of the Church, each one must undergo.
The Gospel speaks across time and space to each human being, each mind, each heart. It asks us what we think about our lives, how we hope, whom we love, and what we live for.
If faith is not transforming each heart and life, it is dead.…we must let our faith shine on the world around us, radiating the love for Jesus by the everyday way we speak, think, and act.
posted by See Tho Zhang Jacob at
6:09 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home