Being meticulous and honest, her expense report is complete with official receipts and vouchers. One day, while filling out her expense report, her co-employee whispered to her that she should pad her gasoline expense and add other receipts as most of them were doing. In other words, by not reporting the truth, she could join them and be rich. Luisa thought about how easy it was to do, and the company wouldn’t even lose a substantial amount. But as she thought more of it, she remembered her mother’s words, “Be honest in all things because you do not belong to this world.”

The next day, Luisa submitted her real and honest expense report. A week later, Luisa received the good news that she was elevated to platinum, the highest status in the company, earning rewards double than what she used to. God rewarded her for her honesty. In her heart, she whispered, “My citizenship is in heaven.” Chelle Crisanto (ellehcmaria@gmail.com)

Reflect: Turn your back on temptation and turn a blind eye to all that glitters. Be worthy of being a citizen of heaven.

Lord, I belong to You. Let not earthly things stain me so that I may enter Your Kingdom.

We read for the second time about God’s three promises to Abraham. However, an additional insight is given on Abram’s action: “Abram put his faith in the Lord who credited to him as an act of righteousness.” This is the text Paul picks up on in Romans 4 where he outlines how our faith saves us. It is God who saves and does the work; we simply trust and believe that He has done it. Let us believe God and His promises.

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

5 The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” 6 Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 7 He then said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” 8 “O Lord God,” he asked, “How am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. 12 As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. 18 It was on that occasion that the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

PSALM

Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14

R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (R) 7 Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. 8 Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks. (R) Your presence, O Lord, I seek. 9 Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper; cast me not off. (R) 13 I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord. (R)

2nd READING

We may be mortals living on earth but our names are written in the Book of Life in heaven. We can either believe in God’s promises or not, and miss out on fullness of grace brought by the resurrection of Jesus. God offers us a citizenship in heaven—this is far better than a U.S. visa or green card.

Philippians 3:17-4:1 (or Philippians 3:20-4:1)

17 Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. 18 For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord.

GOSPEL

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

From the shining cloud, the Father’s voice is heard: This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Luke 9:28-36

28 Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. 34 While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” 36 After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

think: Imagine that you are with Jesus during His transfiguration. What would your reaction be? What will you say to Jesus?

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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

Read the Bible in one year - Genesis 10-12 

CITIZENSHIP THAT MATTERS

Back in the day when our passports enjoyed little respectability everywhere, I had the unfortunate experience of being singled out somewhere in Europe, for I was the only Filipino citizen on board a train compartment where there were four of us. As we passed through the border between France and Spain, I was the only one of the four who was grilled about my passport, and every page, every line, every visa I legitimately got was examined—not with care but with obvious suspicion.

It was a humbling—though not humiliating—experience. The proud are always humiliated; the humble are simply humbled even more. The proud will always feel let down; the humble can never be put down. They can only be exalted, for there is no way but up.

Such is what God did to Abram: “Look up at the stars!” God made a covenant with Abram, giving the land for him and his people for generations. That is also what St. Paul calls us to—set our sights up to heaven, where our real citizenship lies. He calls us to hope and spells out the meaning of this hope: “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body.”

The iGen kids are called as such because the letter “i” stands for many things: Internet, independent, and insecure, among others. But it also means “irreligious.” That means that they can claim to be spiritual in some way, but taking part in specifically “religious” acts is not their strong point.

Today, no less than the Lord takes us up to the mountain of Transfiguration. We may not have the physical mountain in sight, but we all need to look up at the sky ourselves and see not only the concerns of the here and the now, but to discern, accept, and work for God’s cause. At the very least, to help proclaim in word and action the truth that we ourselves have owned up to: “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” and that our “citizenship is in heaven.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

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

Are you consciously working to attain your citizenship in heaven?

You are my light and salvation, Lord. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________