“Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God….” Tears fell from my eyes after the priest said those words 

during Mass. I was at the back of The Feast Galleria venue, rocking our five-month-old baby to sleep. I couldn’t stop my tears when I realized how that place had witnessed the times when I had nothing else to offer but my pain. 

The first time we stepped into that venue, we were grieving over our second miscarriage. I would burst into tears at random moments: during the homily, consecration, worship, talk, or when seeing babies or expectant moms. During the offertory, I would often lift my heartache to God so He could use it as He wills. My tears were my sincerest offering.

Now, here I was, standing on God’s fulfilled promise—carrying our answered prayer in my arms. What a full-circle moment. From tears of grief, I now offer tears of gratitude. And for a God who sees our heart, I believe our truest offering—be it time, talent, treasure, or tears—will always be enough. 

Maymay Salvosa Trinidad (christiane.trinidad@gmail.com)

reflect

What can you bring to God today? Your brokenness? Fears? Failures? Give it to Him. He can take it. 

Jesus, I offer to You all that I am right now. Turn my life into a living sacrifice—taken, blessed, broken, and shared for Your glory.

St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us.

The future of any organization is found in its youth. Maybe the overall head of a community should be an older statesman-like figure, but Paul thought otherwise. If the head is older, those next in line must be younger, or else the community will atrophy and die. World change, including cultural and behavioral change, is so quick that the youth need to be represented lest serious generational problems will develop.

¹² Beloved: Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. ¹³ Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the imposition of hands of the presbyterate. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to everyone. ¹⁶ Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 111:7-8, 9, 10

R: How great are the works of the Lord!

⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just; sure are all his precepts, ⁸ reliable forever and ever, wrought in truth and equity. (R) ⁹ He has sent deliverance to his people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name. (R) ¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who live by it. His praise endures forever. (R)  

Gospel | Luke 7:36-50

Let us be generous with our forgiveness. There are times when it is difficult to forgive, but that is the only way to heal the hurts that others have caused us. Jesus forgives all our sins. What right do we have to withhold forgiveness from those who have sinned against us? We do not have that right, even when they are not sorry. The only way to be healed is to let go of the sins that others inflict upon us. This enables God to get in and heal our wounds.

Gospel Acclamation

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord. 

³⁶ A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. ³⁷ Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. ⁴¹ “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. ⁴² Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” ⁴⁸ He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Reflect:

What hurt or pain inflicted on you do you find difficult to forgive? 

Why? What can you do to be more forgiving?

Read the Bible in one year! Read EZEKIEL 1 - 4 today.

^{The song “Amazing Grace” was written in 1779 by John Newton (17251807), a seafarer and slave trader who became an abolitionist and Anglican pastor. The song is about Newton’s conversion experience. As ship captain, he transported and sold slaves from Africa to America. One time, his ship steered helplessly, so he spent the night keeping the ship afloat. Fearing the worst, he realized how harshly he treated his mother who taught him the Christian faith and how she never stopped loving him despite taking for granted her love.}

^{This experience led him to surrender his life to God. Despite the slow process of conversion, he persevered and eventually experienced forgiveness despite his sordid past. He became a pastor in 1764 and an advocate of the antislave movement. It was during this phase that he wrote “Amazing Grace.” A slaver turned anti-slave advocate. An atheist turned pastor. Amazing grace, indeed!}

^{The sinful woman in the Gospel lavishes Jesus with all that she has. Simon, the Pharisee, scrimps at what he offers to Him. How much do we allow Jesus to enter into our hearts? The degree we open our hearts to Him is commensurate to the degree of forgiveness we accept. And the degree of forgiveness we accept corresponds to the amount of love we can give.}

^{Oftentimes, we want to perfect our messy lives before allowing Jesus to enter. In the process, we lose sight that He desires to enter into our imperfect and wounded hearts so that, together with Him, we can put our lives in order. It is only when we allow Jesus to take free rein over our hearts that we fully experience the fullness of God’s work in our lives. And only then can we be extravagantly generous. Then grace becomes amazing indeed.} 

^{Fr. Bros Flores, SJ}

^{reflection question}

^{How much do you allow Jesus to reign in your life?}

^{My Lord Jesus, allow me to experience the fullness of Your grace by surrendering my entire life to You. Amen.}

^{Today, I pray for: _______________________________________}