“Thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 36:23

       I used to think that being humble meant having small dreams. Because of this, I discarded my grand dreams —become an internationally acclaimed author, travel the world giving talks and signing books, sponsor many children’s schooling, donate lots of money to charity, pay for annual family vacations, and many more. My dreams became simpler — to be God’s mighty pen and spread His message through the written word, and to have enough money to give to my family, to tithe, and to live comfortably.

       But God spoke to me one day during worship. “How great is our God… and all will see how great, how great is our God,” we sang. “Karren, how will the world see how great I am if you won’t allow yourself to become a channel and reflection of that greatness?” He asked with a smile on His face.

       I was dumbstruck. I realized then that we owe it to a great God to become great people with great dreams and great capacities, not for our glory, but for His. To become small is to discredit the greatness He has instilled in us from the moment of our birth.

Reflection: Are your dreams bold and big enough for God?

Lord, we mistake meekness and timidity for humility. Give us the grace to dream big dreams so that the world will see How great You are.

The Lord promises to give Israel a new heart so that the defilement of His name among the nations will be reversed. A new heart refers to a new message from God, one that will reveal His heart in a new way and transform those who receive it. This is the Gospel of Jesus. Through baptism, our hearts are recreated in Jesus. We now bear the heart of God to the world through the witness of our lives.

Ezekiel 36:23-28

23 Thus says the Lord: I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you. 24 For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. 27 I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. 28 You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

R: I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.

10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 13 [15] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. (R) 16 [18] For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 [19] My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)

We should be ready to respond to the call of the Lord, even if it comes at an inconvenient time. The passion of Jesus was not something that He wanted for Himself. But He endures and embraces it for our sake. Let us serve for the sake of the Gospel and not count the cost.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

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

Matthew 22:1-14

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables, saying, 2 “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.” ’ 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

think: Through baptism, our hearts are recreated in Jesus. We now bear the heart of God to the world through the witness of our lives.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 9-12  

RELIGION: A JOY -KILLER?

Many Christians regard their religion as a burden. They focus on the commandments and prohibitions, on the difficulties and obligations, on the threat of hell, and the sacrifices demanded.

       Actually, they are not real Christians. Just look at how different is the image that Jesus presents! The Kingdom of God is like a wedding feast. And a wedding feast in His time was really something. It lasted for one week. There was singing and dancing, wine was flowing, and food was more than the guests could consume.

       We realize that Jesus does not see religion as a burden, a joy-killer or a cause of sacrifice and pain. Rather, it is a great joy.

        Pope Francis expressed this beautifully in his homily on May 10, 2013 when he said, “Sometimes these melancholic Christians’ faces have more in common with pickled peppers than the joy of having a beautiful life. If we keep this joy to ourselves, it will make us sick in the end, our hearts will grow old and wrinkled, and our faces will no longer transmit that great joy, only nostalgia and melancholy which is not healthy.”

       The joys of the Kingdom of God are not for a few selected people, for a small group of elitists. No, God wants a full house. Everybody is invited and welcome. But unfortunately, not all who are invited respond because many people have wrong priorities. Some invited guests did not attend because they prioritized money and livelihood, forgetting the great privilege to be invited by the King Himself.

       Even in our lives, we can be tempted not to fully respond and be attentive to the invitation. We are busy with many good things, no doubt. But being so busy can lead us at times to neglect — as Luke puts it in one of his stories — sitting at the feet of Jesus, not responding enough to the invitation to be with Him, listen to Him, and enjoy time with Him. And then religion becomes a burden and we miss the great joy Jesus wants us to be filled with. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you a joyful Christian who radiates joy?

Lord, overwhelmed by problems, I forget at times that I have more than enough reason to be filled with joy. Let me remember that there is no greater joy in this world than having You as my divine Brother. Amen.