I looked forward to many big things when I got married and had kids. I dreamt of big adventures and milestones we’d have together. But I was not prepared for the seemingly trivial things that came with it—picking up after the kids, sleepless nights, changing nappies, song-and-dance numbers to get our toddler to eat, and many more. But it’s these small things that matter.

Read Exodus 40 and notice the details just to tell us that Moses put together the tent in accordance to God’s instructions. Oftentimes, even in serving God and our community, we will do never-ending small things that seem inconsequential. But as Saint Ignatius taught, we can find God in all things—even the smallest ones.

I believe that all of the consistent “maliliit na bagay” that I do for my wife, kids, and community are where they feel most loved by me. In the same way, all the small good deeds and all the small joys that we experience for ourselves every day is where God’s goodness and mercy also shine.

Patrick Gamo (charlespatrickgamo@gmail.com)

reflect

What small good deed can you do today to make God’s presence felt in the lives of others?

Thank You, Lord, for being ever-present in our lives—in the big things and in the small things. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest, pray for us.

First Reading | Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38

The cloud that hovered over the tent of dwelling was God’s Shekinah glory cloud and was a visible sign of His presence. Only when this cloud lifted did the people pack up camp and move on. We, too, should be aware of God’s dwelling within us and be attentive to the time He wants us to move on. 

¹⁶ Moses did exactly as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁷ On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. ¹⁸ It was Moses who erected the Dwelling. He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars, and set up its columns. ¹⁹ He spread the tent over the Dwelling and put the covering on top of the tent, as the Lord had commanded him. ²⁰ He took the commandments and put them in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it. ²¹ He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the commandments, as the Lord had commanded him. ³⁴ Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. ³⁶ Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey. ³⁷ But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. ³⁸ In the daytime the cloud of the Lord was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11

R: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

³ My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) ⁴ Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young; your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God! (R) ⁵ Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. ⁶ Blessed the men whose strength you are! ⁸ They go from strength to strength. (R) ¹¹ I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R) 

Gospel | Matthew 13:47-53

In this parable, we can see how God wants to include all of us in His Kingdom. The net is thrown out to catch all the fish, but some are found to be unsuitable and are thrown back to the sea. One day, we will all face the judgment seat of Christ. This reminds us of the importance of avoiding sin and growing in holiness. 

Gospel Acclamation

Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.

⁴⁷ Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. ⁴⁹ Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. ⁵¹ “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” ⁵² And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” ⁵³ When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 MACCABEES 1 - 2 today.

Every Experience Counts Before the Lord

Jesus again teaches about the Kingdom of Heaven using a parable. He compares the Kingdom to a net that collects all fish without discrimination. In the same way, the Kingdom of Heaven does not discriminate. God welcomes everyone who wants to enter it.

A saying in the Legion of Mary, a Church-mandated organization, goes like this: “It is not why you came but why you stay.” We may have different reasons why we belong to the faith, but the reason why we stay is what counts in the end. Once we become a member of the Church, our lives are governed by what we believe. The community is a milieu where we are formed. Our lives are not separated from our faith. The discovery of God reigning in our Church and in our lives is crucial.

This is manifested when some leave the Church or become overly critical that they want to assert their own ideas and beliefs. Apparently, their lives are developed but their faith is not. When one realizes the irrelevance of faith to their lives, they suddenly doubt, and worse, try to switch to a different faith. They see themselves better or bigger than the faith. They are simply misled and stunted in the faith.

In the same way that we grow in life through our experiences, let us also try to grow in faith through the same experiences. Whether those experiences were successes or failures, or joys and sorrows, we benefit from them. They make us better persons. In the same way, our life of faith sings the same tune. We learn and deepen our faith through our life experiences. At the same time, we enrich and stabilize our lives by our faith. 

Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection questions

Do you only cherish happy and good experiences? Have you tried finding the hand of God in sad, difficult, and challenging situations?

Lord Jesus, help me to accept every experience as an opportunity to show my love and faith in You. There is nothing I long to do but to offer every moment of my life for and to You. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________