As all 11-year-old schoolers of his day did, Neil postponed doing his book report until the last minute. The night before the deadline, he rushed to the library, and saw the book to be “too thick for speed reading.”

       The next day, when his name was called for the oral book report, he immediately launched into a “fabricated” story, with all its wonderful details, complete with breathtaking turns, and mind-boggling twists. The teacher and students alike were hanging on the edge of their seats, listening intently to his amazing story.

       He got his grade the next day, a huge A+! But underneath this was a note from the teacher that said, “I’ve read the book you reported on yesterday, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the story you shared. But you’re an amazing storyteller. You will do something great with your life. I believe in you.”

       Neil has grown to be a successful screenwriter. Now on top of his game, he always gives credit to his teacher, who, instead of chewing him out, saw the greatness in him, and made him believe in God’s amazing gift.

Reflection: My friend, will you be a teacher to someone today?

Lord, teach me how to love and not to judge. Then I’ll be able to teach genuinely today. Amen.

St. Maximillian, pray for us.

In the Old Testament, the Lord calls the people to repentance and obedience to the Law. Unfortunately, the people’s hearts are far from the Lord and move further away, just like what happened in Sodom. A change of heart and repentance are needed. Overcoming sin takes time but once the process has started, turning away from sin and temptation becomes easier.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah! 16 Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; 17 learn to do good. Make justice your aim redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. 18 Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord. Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool. 19 If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken!

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

8 “Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offerings are before me always. 9 I take from your house no bullock, no goats out of your fold.” (R) 16 “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” (R) 21 “When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it? Or do you think that I am like yourself? I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” (R)

The Church has many beautiful rituals but these are useless unless they help the faithful live a full life in Christ. We are hypocrites if we celebrate God’s forgiveness of our sins but do not forgive those who sin against us. Resentment and revenge have no place in the life of a Christians. Let us love and forgive as individuals and as a Church.

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

1 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your  servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

think: Are you really who you say you are? Be true to God, to yourself and to others.

Read the Bible in one year Genesis 1-3

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

A RELIGION OF DOING

How do we know that we are truly working for God? The answer is simple: When we are willing to work for Him for nothing. Christ shunned human acknowledgment and praise. Last year, Pope Francis described Christianity as a religion that, by its very nature, must act for good — a “religion of doing,” not a “religion of saying” made of hypocrisy and vanity.

       Following the readings of the day, the Pope reflected on God’s reality and the “fakeness” of so many Christians who treat the faith “as though it were window dressing — devoid of obligation — or an occasion for aggrandizement rather than an opportunity for service, especially to our neediest neighbors.”

       He said, “The Lord teaches us the way of doing. And how many times we find people — ourselves included — so often in the Church, who say, ‘Oh, we are very good Catholics.’ But what do they do? How many parents say they are Catholics but never have time to talk to their children, to play with their children, to listen to their children? Perhaps they have their parents in a nursing home but always are busy and cannot go and visit them, and so leave them there, abandoned. ‘But I am a good Catholic: I belong to that association,’ [they say]. This is the religion of saying: I say it is so, but I do according to the ways of the world.”

       Christian authority comes not from titles or positions, but from our faithful obedience to Christ’s commandment of charity and service. We should welcome being misunderstood when we do good to others. It means that God is inviting us to attain a higher level in our charity and service. With His fidelity, Christ shows us that we have every reason to believe in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

---------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS ----------

Do you value charity towards others more than you value any position of authority? Do you seek the praise of others for the good deeds that you do?

Lord, I know I will never be as humble as You but I want to work for the greatest degree of humility possible for me. I want to leave behind the pride that has damaged so many areas of my life. I want to have Your example always fresh in my mind so that I can keep advancing — not in order to glory in my own perfection, but in order to please You and do Your will. Amen.