I started volunteering as a lay minister in our parish. It was a good opportunity for me to be active and offer my service to our church. During the first meeting, I was excited to get to know everyone, especially those I will be serving with. I noticed a leader who always voiced out his opinions regarding issues. He was pushy and demanding, and it made the meeting a little uncomfortable. I thought to myself that I hope I don’t encounter him in the future. 

After two months of serving, I found myself in a discussion with him regarding our Mass schedule. I was so tempted to argue with him as he was already raising his voice. But I remembered that Jesus chose His battles. That sometimes, the best and most loving thing to do is to stay calm, let the person speak, and answer when your emotions have subsided. 

When he realized I wasn’t saying anything, he became silent. I asked permission if I could speak. After my explanation, he no longer said anything. Mike Ybiernas (mvybiernas@gmail.com) 

Reflect:

“It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool than to talk and remove all doubt of it.” (Maurice Switzer) 

Lord, give us the wisdom to speak when it’s the best time. 

St. Joseph of Barsabas, pray for us.

The psalmist assures us that vengeance belongs only to God. We need to trust Him to vindicate us on the last day. Living a righteous life now will help us receive the ultimate reward in heaven. Those who prosper through evil means will never be satisfied until they turn to God. It is better to have little money and the assurance of a holy life than to have ill-gotten wealth and be in danger of losing eternal life. 

¹ Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches; In the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power. ² They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; They cheat an owner of his house, a man of his inheritance. ³ Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil. ⁴ On that day a satire shall be sung over you, and there shall be a plaintive chant: “Our ruin is complete, our fields are portioned out among our captors, the fields of my people are measured out, and no one can get them back!” ⁵ Thus you shall have no one to mark out boundaries by lot in the assembly of the Lord. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14

R: Do not forget the poor, O Lord! 

¹ Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof? Why hide in times of distress? ² Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived. (R) ³ For the wicked man glories in his greed, and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at naught. ⁴ The wicked man boasts, “He will not avenge it”; “There is no God,” sums up his thoughts. (R) ⁷ His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. ⁸ He lurks in ambush near the villages; in hiding he murders the innocent; his eyes spy upon the unfortunate. (R) ¹⁴ You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow, taking them in your hands. On you the unfortunate man depends; of the fatherless you are the helper. (R) 

Gospel | Matthew 12:14-21

God’s mercy ensures that no matter how fragile our faith becomes, He will not abandon us. Let us trust in Him and approach Him for our concerns, no matter how insignificant the issue may seem to us. God always has the time and resources to meet our needs. 

Gospel Acclamation

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 

¹⁴ The Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. ¹⁵ When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, ¹⁶ but he warned them not to make him known. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ¹⁸ Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. ²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. ²¹ And in his name the Gentiles will hope. 

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 66 - 70 today.

Social media applications like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook have a feature that allows you to follow a certain person and like whatever they posted or shared. Actors, actresses, politicians, and other celebrities have many followers, but their followers do so simply by a click of the mouse.

Jesus also has followers. His followers follow for several reasons. In the Gospel, after Jesus withdrew Himself, many followed Him. Some followed Him on the mountain, perhaps for a practical purpose. They wanted to avail of the bread being distributed by the disciples. Others followed Him to be healed.

There is an inexplicable charisma that we sense in Jesus. Aside from the practical and spiritual reasons for following Him, His entire personhood draws people to Him. He has a perfect humanity. The word “virtue” comes fron the Latin word vir, which means “man.” When you practice the virtues, you actually become more human. As students, we study many things in the academe but very few of us study virtues.

In the spiritual realm, virtues make us powerful and influential. It can even make us look spiritually beautiful. There is a certain attraction that makes people follow you when you possess virtues. Why? Because virtues are the breeding ground of God’s grace. As St. Thomas Aquinas says, “Grace builds on nature.” And our human nature should be a life of living the virtues.

We follow Jesus because He exudes all the virtues. We do not have bread to distribute or perform healing miracles, but we can draw people through our virtues.

Today, figure it out. Maybe you can start with one virtue. I ask you, and I start with myself: How many virtues do I know? Do I practice these virtues every day? To become a follower of Jesus, click the icon of virtues. Fr. Wen Amit, OCD 

Reflection Question

What virtue/s do you want to possess? Practice it every day. 

Lord, grant me the grace to submit myself to Your formation, that I may have the virtues I need to live a holy life. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________