Unless your faith is firm, you shall not be firm! – Isaiah 7:9

       I experienced being accused, rejected, demoted and stripped of position and responsibility, not because I did wrong. In fact, I did well, and had something good to offer. But because of the whims of some men for power and recognition, my faith was tested.

       In those circumstances, I always came to God. Through faith in Him, I remained steadfast and I was always consoled by the fact that I did no wrong. God vindicated me in all such trials. In no time at all, He accepted, retained, promoted and gave me bigger responsibilities in different parts of His vineyard, and I became happier and more fulfilled.

       My faith has kept me firm in my journey through life. I have proven, time and again, that anything God allows to happen has a good purpose. My experiences have led me to always put my complete trust in Him, obey His will, and not to worry because He is a God of justice, compassion, and great love. Bella Estrella (blestrella@gmail.com)

Reflection: Do people and circumstances cause you to lose heart? Lift your eyes to God. He sees through it all, and He will strengthen you.

Father, help me to remain steadfast in my faith despite all trials.

Israel is in constant conflict with its neighbors. The nation spends time and resources for its defense. The court will become so corrupt that both the northern and southern kingdoms will be overrun by Assyria and then by Babylon. God will protect them from their enemies. Isaiah assures Ahaz that the kingdom will stand for now.

Isaiah 7:1-9

1 In the days of Ahaz, king of Judah, son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, king of Israel, son of Remaliah, went up to attack Jerusalem, but they were not able to conquer it. 2 When word came to the house of David that Aram was encamped in Ephraim, the heart of the king and heart of the people trembled, as the trees of the forest tremble in the wind. 3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah: Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway of the fuller’s field, 4 and say to him: Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail before these two stumps of smoldering brands [the blazing anger of Rezin and the Arameans, and of the son of Remaliah], 5 because of the mischief that Aram [Ephraim and the son of Remaliah] plots against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up and tear Judah asunder, make it our own by force, and appoint the son of Tabeel king there.” 7 Thus says the Lord: This shall not stand, it shall not be! 8 Damascus is the capital of Aram, and Rezin the head of Damascus; Samaria is the capital of Ephraim, and Remaliah’s son the head of Samaria. 9 But within sixty years and five, Ephraim shall be crushed, no longer a nation. Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!

Psalm 48:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R: God upholds his city for ever.

1 [2] Great is the Lord and wholly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain, 2 [3] fairest of heights, is the joy of all the earth. (R) Mount Zion, “the recesses of the North,” is the city of the great King. 3 [4] God is with her castles; renowned is he as a stronghold. (R) 4 [5] For lo! the kings assemble, they come on together; 5 [6] They also see, and at once are stunned, terrified, routed. (R) 6 [7] Quaking seizes them there; anguish, like a woman’s in labor, 7 [8] as though a wind from the east were shattering ships of Tarshish. (R)

GOSPEL

There is no shame in repentance, only joy. Salvation has replaced condemnation and judgment as the future of your life. The self-righteous is the biggest stumbling block to the proclamation of the Gospel, not the repentant sinner. A self-righteous person presents salvation as something that an individual wins through his own effort. Nothing could be further from the truth.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Matthew 11:20-24

20 Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And as for you, Capernaum: Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld. For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

think: There is no shame in repentance, only joy.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Chronicles 29-30 

THE CURSE OF INDIFFERENCE

The names of the places mentioned by Jesus in today’s Gospel passage always strike me because I have visited all of them. In Capernaum, I found ruins; I had difficulties to locate Chorazin. Only a small sign near some remnants of walls made me aware that it was here where this city once stood. As to Bethsaida, one climbs a hill that covers the ruins of the place where the Apostles Peter and Andrew were born. Tyre and Sidon were busy harbor cities in Lebanon, and Sodom is now a thriving health spa with hotels where people seek and find healing in the mineral rich waters of the Dead Sea.

       How tragic! Places where Jesus preached and worked His miracles have disappeared, while cities looked upon with scorn by biblical writers are flourishing until now.

       I think the problem of these condemned cities and of many of us Christians today is indifference to God’s revelation and mighty works. We not only know about Jesus’ miracles and teachings; we know that He underwent terrible sufferings and even death to save us from our sins and to open the gates of heaven for us. And yet, how often do we take all this for granted? How often do we live as if Jesus had not given us clear guidelines, supported by the teachings of the Church?

       In November 2014, Pope Francis lamented the existence of so many lukewarm Christians “who look like Christians, but in reality are worldly and mediocre. They take the name but they do not follow the responsibilities of Christian life. ”

       The Letter to the Hebrews (2:1-3) has the following passage: “We must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it... how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” These inspired words of Scripture are intended to wake us up from indifference and help us become more fervent followers of Christ and bring His love into our modern society. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you take the teachings of Christ and His sacrificial death for granted?

Lord, heal me from the virus of indifference and make me a zealous follower of You. Amen.