“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike.” – Matthew 11:25

       I learned from a book that before one becomes old and wise, you first need to be young and stupid. Right?

     Wrong! I believe that old age is such an honor to have. It’s not something to be afraid of. It’s something worth preparing for. I believe that old age is not for cowards. Old age is only for the brave and the bold.

       Which reminds me of the following question. What is the difference between these three stages in life? Here’s the answer: The young has time and energy but no money; the middle-aged has energy and money but no time; the old has time and money but no more energy.

       So here’s the challenge. Deliberately live a happy, healthy and holy life so that: When young, we maximize time and energy serving mankind (while investing money); when middle-aged, we maximize energy and money to have time; then when we’re old, we have plenty of energy, time and money to share.

       Success is all about preparation. The Lord calls us to be childlike — a person maximizing his capacity to grow and bless

the world! God’s promise to them is that His wisdom is revealed. Obet Cabrillas (kpreacherobet@gmail.com)

Reflection: Do you savor and maximize every moment of your life?

Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. (Psalm 90:12)

Isaiah predicts the time when Israel will fall to its enemies. In the mindset of the day, the Lord will abandon His people and no longer walk with them. The Lord never abandons us. However, when sin overcomes us, it’s like the Lord is not around. Strive to remain faithful to the Lord to avoid this experience.

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16

5 Thus says the Lord: Woe to Assyria! My rod in anger, my staff in wrath. 6 Against an impious nation I send him, and against a people under my wrath I order him to seize plunder, carry off loot, and tread them down like the mud of the streets. 7 But this is not what he intends, nor does he have this in mind; rather, it is in his heart to destroy, to make an end of nations not a few. 13 For he says: “By my own power I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am shrewd. I have moved the boundaries of peoples, their treasures I have pillaged, and, like a giant, I have put down the enthroned. 14 My hand has seized like a nest the riches of nations as one takes eggs left alone, so I took in all the earth. No one fluttered a wing, or opened a mouth, or chirped!” 15 Will the axe boast against him who hews with it? Will the saw exalt itself above him who wields it? As if a rod could sway him who lifts it, or a staff him who is not wood! 16 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts, will send among his fat ones leanness, And instead of his glory there will be kindling like the kindling of fire.

Psalm 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15

R: The Lord will not abandon his people.

5 Your people, O Lord, they trample down, your inheritance they afflict. 6 Widow and stranger they slay, the fatherless they murder. (R) 7 And they say, “The Lord sees not; the God of Jacob perceives not.” 8 Understand, you senseless ones among the people; and, you fools, when will you be wise? (R) 9 Shall he who shaped the ear not hear? or he who formed the eye not see? 10 Shall he who instructs nations not chastise, he who teaches men knowledge? (R) 14 For the Lord will not cast off his people, nor abandon his inheritance; 15 but judgment shall again be with justice, and all the upright of heart shall follow it. (R)

Jesus teaches that the humble and little ones find it easier to hear the Gospel. They are not as distracted and are not focused on being self-sufficient. Sometimes we have to “turn off” our strengths to avail of the simple benefits of the Gospel. We do not deny the gifts that God has given us, but we have to be humble and open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

Matthew 11:25-27

25 At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

think: Sometimes we have to “turn off” our strengths to avail of the simple benefits of the Gospel.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Chronicles 31-32 

PAUSE FOR REJOICING AND GRATITUDE

The Gospels give us the impression that Jesus was a very busy man like us. He travels from north to south and east to west, preaches, works miracles, always surrounded by a crowd. Once in a while, He goes alone to a mountainside to pray and comes back fit for another bath in the crowd. I like the three verses of today’s Gospel passage very much. When I try to visualize the scene, I see Jesus sitting in the shade of a tree, with only His disciples nearby. Some of them are sleeping, others drowsy, and two or three looking at a very relaxed Jesus — a happy Jesus, who pauses in the midst of His taxing ministry. Suddenly He smiles and utters words that express His happiness and gratitude to His heavenly Father.

       Isn’t that strange? Day after day, He is surrounded by sick people. Day after day, He hears the moans of sick men and women who come to Him for healing. He sees the poor, the blind, those oppressed by the corrupt upper class. Even when He went into pagan territory to get some rest, a woman came asking for help. Wasn’t all this depressing?

       But now He is full of joy, praising His Father, praising the simple, childlike people who have trust in Him. This break must have given Him strength for what lies ahead — days and weeks of stressful ministry. What does this passage tell us?

       We are even busier than Jesus was. Of course our busy life is different from that of Jesus. In our case, it’s the daily job and the worries in the family that tire us endlessly. Jesus makes us aware that we, too, need moments to pause, moments to forget all the worries and demands of daily life and focus on something positive. Let’s not forget, the Father whom Jesus praises and offers thanksgiving to is our Father, too.

       Have we not reason enough to pause daily, turn to our Father, and thank Him before daily worries and frustrations make us again forget the good things He does for us day after day? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you too busy to pause during the day and thank the heavenly Father for being there for you and protecting you?

Lord, it is true, daily worries and frustrations occupy me that I forget the small signs of love You send me every day. Let me not be overwhelmed by negative things. Amen.