God's Free Gift ~ by Josephine Fernando
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Hab. 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Ps. 95: 1-2. 6-7. 8-9
2 Tm 1: 6=8, 13-14
Lk 17: 5-10
Hab. 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Ps. 95: 1-2. 6-7. 8-9
2 Tm 1: 6=8, 13-14
Lk 17: 5-10
Today's Gospel focuses on faith. Faith is a free gift from God. It cannot be earned or merited. When we experience trials, we hope that we will come out of it triumphantly, because of our faith in Christ Jesus. We hope that situations will get better, because of our faith.
We live by the three cardinal virtues: Faith, Hope and Love. Though we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb, salvation is an ongoing process, in hearing and obeying God's Word. The Ten Commandments have been condensed into two commandments: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second one is: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt. 22: 37-39)
It is when we love Christ, that we can love our fellow beings and share our resources and talents with them. God is Love. In the Old Testament, (Gen. 14: 20) Abram gave one tenth of everything to God. Jesus loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor.9:7). The first Christians shared their riches with those in need. We cannot beat Christ in His manifold blessings and gifts that He bestows on us. So let us be generous in answering our Bishop's Appeal of 2010.
The definition of Faith, as it appears in the Letter to the Hebrews (11:1), is that faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Our trials bring us closer to the Lord. They develop in us an urge to trust the Lord, to have a childlike faith in Him. The Lord asks us to have faith as the size of a mustard seed that grows into a large tree.
Christianity is based on one's faith in Christ Jesus. We have not seen the Lord, but yet we believe that He is our Lord and Savior and Master. He rejoices in our Faith. Faith can move mountains. We need to believe and trust that our Lord is in full control of the situation and therefore, we need to pursue and move on. There is no problem so big that Christ cannot solve it. Amen.
We live by the three cardinal virtues: Faith, Hope and Love. Though we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb, salvation is an ongoing process, in hearing and obeying God's Word. The Ten Commandments have been condensed into two commandments: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second one is: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mt. 22: 37-39)
It is when we love Christ, that we can love our fellow beings and share our resources and talents with them. God is Love. In the Old Testament, (Gen. 14: 20) Abram gave one tenth of everything to God. Jesus loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor.9:7). The first Christians shared their riches with those in need. We cannot beat Christ in His manifold blessings and gifts that He bestows on us. So let us be generous in answering our Bishop's Appeal of 2010.
The definition of Faith, as it appears in the Letter to the Hebrews (11:1), is that faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Our trials bring us closer to the Lord. They develop in us an urge to trust the Lord, to have a childlike faith in Him. The Lord asks us to have faith as the size of a mustard seed that grows into a large tree.
Christianity is based on one's faith in Christ Jesus. We have not seen the Lord, but yet we believe that He is our Lord and Savior and Master. He rejoices in our Faith. Faith can move mountains. We need to believe and trust that our Lord is in full control of the situation and therefore, we need to pursue and move on. There is no problem so big that Christ cannot solve it. Amen.
Labels: ordinary time, sundayreflection
posted by mary ann @ Sunday, October 03, 2010
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