Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. — 1 Corinthians 3:7

       One of the things I’ve learned during all these years I’ve been serving God through my Catholic community is this: God doesn’t need me to bring others to Him. He doesn’t need us to serve Him. He is so powerful, so great, so in control of everything that He actually created our world and everything and everyone in it — without any help at all!

       I believe that God doesn’t need us to build His Kingdom here on earth. However, it is us who need to do so. We need to serve. We need to “plant” and “water” seeds of faith in our families and communities. We need to bring Christ to others.

       Because when we do, we grow. God grows our faith. He grows our hope. Most of all, He grows our love.

       So what are you waiting for? Go and start planting and watering! Tina Santiago-Rodriguez (tina@trulyrichmom.com)

Reflection: Do you allow God to use you? Do you do your best to “plant” and “water” seeds of faith in the hearts of people around you?

Jesus, use me to build Your Kingdom here on earth.

St. Gregory the Great, pope and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

The Corinthians are a worldly people — they have seen the possibilities that life can offer to those who are willing to serve the world. Paul now has to convince them that it is time to give up the easy life and become true disciples of Jesus. The honeymoon is over and it is time for them to take responsibility for their community and make it grow.

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, 3 for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according to the manner of man? 4 Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men? 5 What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. 7 Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

12 Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down; he sees all mankind. (R) 14 From his fixed throne he beholds all who dwell on the earth, 15 he who fashioned the heart of each, he who knows all their works. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, 21 for in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. (R)

St. Gregory the Great was a pope with a vision for evangelization. He sent many Benedictine communities to the far reaches of Europe to evangelize what is now modern-day Britain, and Ireland as well as to the north and east. It is time for the Church to recapture this missionary footing and rediscover its true identity as proclaimer of the Gospel. Let us never be afraid or ashamed to stand by the Gospel in any and every aspect of our lives.

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.

38 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. 39 He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. 40 At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. 41 And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. 42 At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. 43 But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

think:  Let us never be afraid or ashamed to stand by the Gospel in any and every aspect of our lives.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 46-50

SERVICE OUT OF GRATITUDE

There are several interesting points for reflection in today’s short Gospel. One is that Peter had a mother-in-law. Why is this interesting? Because it tells us that the “first pope” was married, not elected by cardinals but appointed by Jesus Himself. This could lead us to reflect about the practice of celibacy of priests in the Catholic Church.

       But let us concentrate for a while on this mother-in-law. She must have been a good mother-in-law because, as soon as Jesus entered the house, her family members asked Him to heal her. And that He did.

       Jesus performed miracles not to become famous. Even in the privacy of a small sick room, He healed one who needed His help. His healing miracles are signs of His compassion and of making God’s love visible.

       Let us have a look at her reaction to the healing. St. Luke writes, “She got up immediately and waited on them.”

       Here we find an important message and lesson. She received a great gift from Jesus — her healing. We could imagine that she would have sat down and rested for a while, or asked Peter’s wife to prepare a good meal while she recuperated. But no! It was she who served Jesus and His disciples! That was her way of thanking Jesus for what He had done for her.

       We receive many gifts and blessings from God. How often do we take them for granted? Do we even say “thank you” to God when we wake up healthy in the morning or go to sleep after a day spent in the best of health?

       Not only that. Do we realize that God gives us many gifts and blessings not only for ourselves but that we may use them in serving our fellowmen?

       And so, today’s Gospel urges us to cultivate our gratitude towards God and a more intense service towards our fellowmen. After all, as Jesus tells us in the famous parable about the Last Judgment, it is in those who are “hungry, thirsty, naked, in prison” that we meet and serve the Lord. More than our prayers, it is in serving those people that we can show our profound gratitude for all that God has done and continues to do for us. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you take for granted the graces and blessings you receive from God? Do you realize that you can thank God best by serving those in need?

Lord, open my eyes and my heart to recognize You whenever You approach me in the person of the poor, the naked, and the hungry person.