?You are worth more than many sparrows.? ? Luke. 12: 7

I give my all to a project. Still, I fail. I strive to be holy. Yet, I sin. I serve the Lord to the best that I can and for this I have been persecuted, ridiculed, insulted, maligned, suspected, charged, conspired against, ganged-on, crushed, chopped, ground, pulverized.
        I am a loser. I am a worm. I am worthless.
      Then, my son comes up to me and tells me, ?You know, Dad, I?m the luckiest boy in the world. Why? Because you?re my Dad! You?re a good man, Dad! You?re the best!
      Then, my wife sits down with me and shares, ?Love, Auntie just called up to tell me that the best decision I made in life is to marry you. And she?s right. I can?t imagine life without you.?
      Then, my mom calls me up and with a croaking, crying voice, she whispers, ?I love you. I?m so proud of you. You?ve made our family whole and complete!?
      Then, I close my eyes, shed a tear, and pray, ?Thank you, God, for making me a very, very important person.?
      I AM A WINNER. I AM LOVED. I AM PRICELESS! Alvin B.

REFLECTION:
When the world sees you small, remember, you are big to someone!

Lord, when I feel worthless, let me feel your tight embrace, assuring me, I am important to You! And that?s what matters most. Amen.

G O S P E L

Luke 12:1-7

The yeast of the Pharisees, their hypocrisy is a terribly debilitating sort of disease of faith. It refers to a tendency to hide ones faults under a veneer or righteousness and hope that no one discovers the deception. Jesus assures us that God sees all that is going on so this is a ploy that at best will only fool humans. Jesus then exhorts us to be wary of trying to keep things in the dark, as this is the place where the devil reigns supreme. His are works of darkness and deception. If we have a problem then we should seek help, not hide it. If we have sinned we should repent, not cover it up!

1 Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. He began to speak, first to his disciples, ?Beware of the leaven ? that is, the hypocrisy ? of the Pharisees. 2 ?There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. 5 I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. 7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

my reflections
think: In what ways are we hypocrites?

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God?s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ? S BLESSING LIST

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 23-24

The opening verse of today?s Gospel reading is a curious description of the situation of the crowd which gathered around Jesus. They were, as the Gospel notes, ?so dense that they were treading on one another.? Another translation, in fact, renders that last point as ?trampling one another underfoot.?
      Perhaps we can take this to be a symbol: treading on one another or trampling them underfoot is what we do whenever we judge others. When we do this, we are making our life?s journey (and that of others) more difficult. For instance, if we call or label a person ?proud,? we are adding a burden of responsibility and vigilance for our very selves. It can only mean that we have to be extra careful, because the moment we give in to pride, we  can also turn out to be hypocritical as well.
      Hypocrisy, indeed, is what our Lord warns us against in today?s Gospel. He simply affirms a simple-yet-taken-for-granted reality: that ?there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nothing hidden that will not be made known.? Because of this fact, we must be always be sincere and open ? attitudes opposite to hypocrisy.
      Matters even turn worse because the hypocritical attitude also becomes essentially a fearful attitude. The duplicitous person will always have to cover his tracks lest he get caught. He will always live in an unhealthy fear of saving his false self, his vain image, his deceitful ways. Again, Jesus prescribes a simplicity of manner which disarms: ?Are not five sparrows sold for a few pennies? Yet not one of them is neglected by God.?
      Complexity ? born out of insincerity and cowardice ? makes us truly ?trample one another underfoot.? We ourselves get hurt in the process. Instead, our Lord counsels us, ?Fear nothing, then.? In our simplicity and transparency, we are indeed ?worth more than a flock of sparrows.? Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION:
Am I simple enough?

Enlighten me, oh Lord, on how I can simplify my life.

St. Bertilla Boscardin, virgin, pray for us.