KOREAN INVASION

“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” — Acts 4:11

On our Seoul trip, my friend told me she had set a dinner with her Korean friend. I instantly thought I’d feel left out. So I began to plan my escape, but my friend insisted I come. “She’s so nice,” my friend assured me.

The next day, we met with the Korean, and she greeted me in Tagalog. Despite having something in common, I still held on to my initial thought that she was an intruder.

But then the intruder brought us to a ne-dining restaurant, treated us to VIP seats in the best theater show I’ve ever seen, and even bought me the lip liner I was eyeing in the store. She was indeed nice and friendly, and I was rude to judge and reject her right away.

In the passage, Jesus was the rejected stone. In our lives, we may have also rejected Him when we look down on other people’s capabilities, when we dismiss a plea for help, or when we judge people even before we get to know them. What we do to others, we do to the Cornerstone. Osy Erica (osy.erica@gmail.com)

Reflect: Jesus bore the worst rejection when He was crucified, yet He carried on because of His love for us. Let us imitate His love.

Jesus, remind me that my actions toward my brothers are my actions toward You. Teach me to embrace everyone and love them like You do.

St. Crescentia Hoess, pray for us. 

HE LOVED US FIRST

A marked characteristic of the Risen Jesus’ many appearances to the disciples is their initial failure to recognize Him. Magdalene thought Jesus was a gardener, the disciples thought He was a ghost, and the two men at Emmaus mistook Him for a random stranger.

Today’s Gospel is no different. The setting is in the Sea of Galilee.  The disciples went back to their former work of fishing. Jesus waved at them from the shore and inquired about their catch. They thought Him to be a fellow fisherman or maybe just a curious buyer wanting fresh  fish for lunch. It was only after the miraculous catch upon the Man on the shore’s instruction that John remarked, “It is the Lord!” and Peter dove into the water to meet Him.

John obviously loved Jesus. He was described as leaning on Jesus’ chest during the Last Supper. He raced  first to the tomb, excited to meet Jesus after he heard of the news from the women. Tradition knows him to be the “beloved disciple” but Scriptures consistently called him “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

John was not the disciple who loved Jesus but the disciple whom Jesus loved.  The former is in the active voice; the latter, passive. Both sentences refer to the same person but they differ in meaning. Although John loved Jesus, Jesus loved him first. Although the Apostles chose to follow Jesus, Jesus chose them first.

Jesus was always first in the love department. Even before the Apostles disembarked, even before Peter jumped in the waters, embraced Jesus, and declared his own sinfulness before him, Jesus already had breakfast prepared for His traitors who He now will restore as His friends.

John later on would reflect on this and proclaim to the world, “ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10, NIV).

Do you love God? If so, you’re in a good spiritual space. But don’t be too quick to tap yourself on the shoulder. You might fall into spiritual pride. We love God, only because He loved us first. Fr. Joel O. Jason

------- REFLECTION QUESTION -------

Do you wait for people to be lovable before you begin loving them? Love the unlovable.You may not immediately like them but you will de nitely dislike them less.

Help me to love as You love, O Jesus. Amen.
Today, I pray for: ______________________________________