REFLECTIONS #1054: “How Will Good Prevail in the World? — Saturday of the 1st Week of Advent 2020

This is the first Gospel reflections on Medium numbered 1054. I started counting since January 11, 2018, the day I began to write the reflections daily.

Gospel of the Day:
Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6–8

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

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.”

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflections:

A blessed Saturday to all of us! The Lord is merciful to all. He wants healing for all of us. He wants nothing but the good for us. But He needs hands here on earth that would work for Him. He needs our hands and our feet to go and minister to those who are suffering. He needs people to listen to His Word and do it. These are His works: to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, feed the hungry among many other good works in His Name. There is no one else who will do it but us who are believers. We will do it with God’s help and power.

The reason why evil prevails in the world is not because of God who is blameless. It is because of man who deliberately chooses evil and sin. It is man who abuses freedom given to Him by God. His power and capacity to choose between good and evil. People choose greed over giving. People choose envy and vanity over simplicity and contentment to selves. Without prayer and faith, we could have no control over our natural tendencies to be selfish, to desire things that we do not need and are not good for us, to be envious, prideful, and many others. We need prayer to conquer this. We need God’s Word to heal us from these weaknesses.

Jesus did not only call priests and religious people to minister to others and do good. He called all of us who were baptized and who belonged to Him. We all have different talents, abilities, money, material things and all graces we need to do good. We are called to share whatever we have with God and with others. The Lord sends us to do what He has done on earth. We will continue works of Jesus which we have read in the Gospels. Are we willing to? Are we ready to obey? Are we ready for God’s coming?

May we reflect on this. Amen. +

God bless you!

Reflections by Frances Mary Margaret D.J.

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