The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday - 01st August 2021

First reading
Exodus 16:2-4,12-15
The Lord sends manna from heaven

The whole community of the sons of Israel began to complain against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and said to them, ‘Why did we not die at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we were able to sit down to pans of meat and could eat bread to our heart’s content! As it is, you have brought us to this wilderness to starve this whole company to death!’

    Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now I will rain down bread for you from the heavens. Each day the people are to go out and gather the day’s portion; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not.

    ‘I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel. Say this to them, “Between the two evenings you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have bread to your heart’s content. Then you will learn that I, the Lord, am your God.”’

    And so it came about: quails flew up in the evening, and they covered the camp; in the morning there was a coating of dew all round the camp. When the coating of dew lifted, there on the surface of the desert was a thing delicate, powdery, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground. When they saw this, the sons of Israel said to one another, ‘What is that?’ not knowing what it was. ‘That’ said Moses to them ‘is the bread the Lord gives you to eat.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 77(78):3-4,23-25,54

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

The things we have heard and understood,
    the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children
    but will tell them to the next generation:

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

the glories of the Lord and his might
    and the marvellous deeds he has done,
Yet he commanded the clouds above
    and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna for their food,
    and gave them bread from heaven.

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Mere men ate the bread of angels.
    He sent them abundance of food;
So he brought them to his holy land,
    to the mountain which his right hand had won.

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 4:17,20-24
Put aside your old self and put on the new

I want to urge you in the name of the Lord, not to go on living the aimless kind of life that pagans live. Now that is hardly the way you have learnt from Christ, unless you failed to hear him properly when you were taught what the truth is in Jesus. You must give up your old way of life; you must put aside your old self, which gets corrupted by following illusory desires. Your mind must be renewed by a spiritual revolution so that you can put on the new self that has been created in God’s way, in the goodness and holiness of the truth.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:24-35
It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven; I am the bread of life

When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’

    Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’

Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’ So they said, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’

‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:

‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 01st August 2021

 

Often, we live our lives striving for temporary happiness. But today, Jesus reminds us to “not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.” 
 
Last week we heard about Jesus multiplying the loaves of bread and fish for a large crowd. All who were there ate and were satisfied. The multiplication of the loaves prefigures Jesus at the Last Supper and every Eucharistic meal we celebrate at Mass. 
 
Our Eucharistic meal is the Spiritual Food that we consume — Jesus Himself, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It will satisfy us as Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
 
We all have a need to be satisfied. It is in our humanity. It might feel like something is missing in our lives, we always want more, or we are constantly looking to the next moment. The ‘now’ is not good enough, we do not feel complete. 
 
And in that incompleteness, we grab at what surrounds us to satisfy our hearts. It could be the next job promotion, the comforts in our homes, the next trip we plan to take, the new house we want to buy, or even taking the next stage in our vocation — marriage, new baby, becoming a grandparent. The list goes on. We might think to ourselves, ‘then I will be happier.’ Or maybe we don’t even realize how we are relying on those things or events in our lives.
 
And while many of those things are good and bring us joy, they are only a small glimpse of the deeper, lasting happiness that the Lord offers us. They are gifts that should remind us of our Good and Gracious Creator. Instead of placing undue importance on those things or people, place it on Jesus, as He says, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” He is the One who fills our hearts. 
 
So how do we order our minds and hearts so that Jesus is our source of fulfillment? Simply by responding to His invitation to “come to Him.” 
 
We come to Jesus when we receive the Bread of Life at every Mass. The moment we receive the Eucharist, we are sustained and strengthened on our journey to eternal life. 
 
Yet to carry Jesus in our minds and hearts all week long, we must respond to His invitation to “come to Him” in other ways as well.
 
Jesus wants us to come to Him in daily prayer by sitting in silence, praising Him for blessings, and asking Him for guidance. He wants us to come to Him throughout our day-to-day moments — acknowledging His presence, thanking Him for good news received, or calling on Him in a weak or hard moment. He wants us to come to Him as we serve our families, friends, and community at large, remembering that as we serve others, we are serving Christ Himself. 
 
It is simply by letting Him be the One we go to first. It is in those moments that we begin to seek Him as our source of fulfillment in this life. 
 
As you go about your day-to-day lives this week, try to recognize the times you are “working for food that perishes” by seeking things of the world to satisfy your heart. In those moments, recall that everything we have is a gift from God. Instead of misusing that gift, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for all He has given to you. Then respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to Him” by speaking with Him throughout your day. 

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 25th July 2021

 

Our readings today remind us that we are called to give God everything we have. We are inspired by the servant and the little boy, who didn’t have much but gave the very best of what they had and all that they had for God. In turn, He multiplied their gifts above and beyond what they could have imagined. God will do the same for us today. We must allow Him to do so. 

 

Our first reading from the second book of Kings foreshadows the multiplication of the loaves and fish in our Gospel today. The servant brings to the king, Elisha, twenty barley loaves from the first fruits of the harvest and fresh grain. Elisha gave strict commands to give it to the people to eat. The servant questioned, “how can I set this before a hundred people?” Yet Elisha stated that the Lord said, “They shall eat and there shall be some left over.” And we hear that it was true, people ate and still, there was food left over. 

 

Likewise, in our Gospel Jesus asked the apostles how they were going to feed the crowd that had been following them. Philip replied that not even 200 days’ worth of wages would be enough for the number of people. All they had were five barley loaves and two fish from a little boy. Yet Jesus multiplied the food so that there were baskets left over. All ate and were satisfied. 

 

The servant and the little boy are excellent examples for us as Christian stewards. The servant gave the very best of what he had, and the boy gave all that he had, then God did the rest. 

 

We must ask ourselves, what is our very best, and are we giving it to God? It can be easy to give God the bare minimum. It is convenient and doesn’t cause us to stretch ourselves. Yet, a key component of living as a good steward is constantly re-evaluating our lives, particularly our relationship with God, to ensure we are not just ‘scraping by,’ but rather, giving God our entire lives. 

 

As we evaluate our lives, we should ask ourselves — "how am I giving God my time, using my talents, and sharing my treasures?"

 

We are called to give God adequate time each day and if we don’t plan it out then it is likely that He won’t get any. Maybe it is the first fifteen minutes of each morning or the first fifteen when we get home from work. It could be the moment all the kids are napping or a quiet fifteen minutes on our lunch break. We need to find what works best for us so that God can become a greater part of our daily lives. 

 

An additional way we are called to spend our time is with our loved ones. We are called to give undivided time to our families—whether it is having a family meal, quality time in the evening, a family game in the back yard, praying together, or a phone call to check in on our siblings or relatives—giving our families time is a key component of living as a Christian steward. 

 

We are also called to put our gifts and talents to good use too. We all have countless talents that we are asked to use each day, yet sometimes we miss the opportunity to use them well. Yet the servant and the boy teach us that it is not up to us to decide how our gift will affect others. God will do that. All we need to do is to give it well. So whether we are called to go to work to provide for our family, phone a friend to just listen, or cook three meals a day for our spouse and kids, we are called to do it for the glory of God and with our whole heart.  

 

Lastly, the servant reminds us that we are called to give the first fruits of our treasures. The servant gave to Elisha the very best of his harvest, not the scraps. It shows how important God was to that servant. And likewise, in our Gospel, the little boy shared all that he had with Jesus, not just part of it.

 

We are called to do the same. It is easy to give something; it is difficult to give the finest gift. Giving our very best requires us to evaluate our priorities in life. We must ask ourselves—do my spending habits reflect that God is the top priority in my life? Do I view all of my possessions as gifts from God that can be used for His glory?

 

Giving God our finest gift can be a challenge. I am sure the little boy was thinking to himself, ‘I just gave up my dinner!’ Yet it is always worth it. When we strive to live out our call as Christian stewards by entrusting all that we have been given to the One who graciously gave us these gifts, we will be blessed beyond measure. 

 

As we begin a new week, let us spend some time evaluating our relationship with God by asking, ‘what is my very best, and am I giving it to God?’

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 25h July 2021

First reading
2 Kings 4:42-44
They will eat, and have some left over

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing Elisha, the man of God, bread from the first-fruits, twenty barley loaves and fresh grain in the ear.’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’, Elisha said. But his servant replied, ‘How can I serve this to a hundred men?’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’ he insisted ‘for the Lord says this, “They will eat and have some left over.”’ He served them; they ate and had some left over, as the Lord had said.

The word of the Lord.

_______

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):10-11,15-18

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
    and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
    and declare your might, O God.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

The eyes of all creatures look to you
    and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
    grant the desires of all who live.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

The Lord is just in all his ways
    and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
    who call on him from their hearts.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 4:1-6
One Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:

Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:1-15
The feeding of the five thousand

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.

    Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 18th July 2021

 

Today’s readings remind us of how our God is compassionate and passionately loves us. 
 
“Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord.” Our First Reading from the prophet Jeremiah addresses false prophets who had misled God’s people away from the Lord. Jeremiah was outraged and fought against these prophets. The Lord declares that He will restore His people by bringing back those who have gone astray and providing for them new shepherds so that they will “no longer fear and tremble.”
 
This reading portrays God’s infinite care and concern for our lives. We can see that God is the one who loved us first. He pursues us constantly. Oftentimes, we are like the people who are blind to His goodness and enticed by sin — something we think will make us happy but does not. God is the one who constantly pursues us and gives us opportunities to say "yes" to Him. He wants to win us back, and ultimately, He will make us happy. 
 
So now we must ask ourselves, who or what is blinding us or leading us away from our ultimate happiness? Stop for a moment and name that thing — money, status, a person, career, laziness, addiction, self-image, health, etc. — that could be leading you away from a more full and happy relationship with God.
 
As Christian disciples, deep down we really know that our true happiness is God. So, what are we waiting for? Take the leap of faith and allow yourself to radically love God in return. 
 
Our Gospel echoes what our First Reading proclaims as masses of people seek Jesus and the apostles. The apostles were exhausted from all the work they had done in Jesus’ name — "they had no opportunity even to eat.” 
 
Jesus tried to seek solitude for the apostles to recuperate from their work, yet the masses of people kept coming after them. Upon seeing this, it says, “his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like a sheep without a shepherd.”
 
Wherever we are at this point in our lives — following a false shepherd, like in our First Reading, or aimlessly going through life with no shepherd or direction — Jesus is ready to shepherd us. His compassionate heart is ready to guide us. He has been waiting. 
 
So, let us learn from the masses of people in our Gospel today. If we are having trouble of letting go of that "thing" that we think will make us happy or we aren’t sure where to even start in becoming an intentional disciple of Jesus Christ, simply seek Jesus. Seek Him in daily prayer, frequent reception of the sacraments, and through reading the Scriptures. If we can do that, surely, He will be “moved with pity” for us and teach us many things. 
 
As we begin this new week, let us name the things in our lives that are robbing us of our ultimate happiness, work to let go of them, and let us strive to make Jesus our true shepherd by seeking Him in our daily lives. 

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 18th July 2021

First reading
Jeremiah 23:1-6
I will gather together the remnant of my flock and raise up shepherds for them

‘Doom for the shepherds who allow the flock of my pasture to be destroyed and scattered – it is the Lord who speaks! This, therefore, is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds in charge of my people: You have let my flock be scattered and go wandering and have not taken care of them.

    Right, I will take care of you for your misdeeds – it is the Lord who speaks! But the remnant of my flock I myself will gather from all the countries where I have dispersed them, and will bring them back to their pastures: they shall be fruitful and increase in numbers. I will raise up shepherds to look after them and pasture them; no fear, no terror for them any more; not one shall be lost – it is the Lord who speaks!

‘See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David,
who will reign as true king and be wise,
practising honesty and integrity in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel dwell in confidence.
And this is the name he will be called:
The-Lord-our-integrity.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
    where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
    to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
    he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
    no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
    with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
    in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
    my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
    all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
    for ever and ever. 

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 2:13-18
Christ Jesus is the peace between us

In Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actually destroying in his own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law. This was to create one single New Man in himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace through the cross, to unite them both in a single Body and reconcile them with God: in his own person he killed the hostility. Later he came to bring the good news of peace, peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near at hand. Through him, both of us have in the one Spirit our way to come to the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation
Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 6:30-34
They were like sheep without a shepherd

The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday, 11th July 2021

First reading

Amos 7:12-15

'Go, shepherd, and prophesy to my people Israel'

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, said to Amos, ‘Go away, seer;’ get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.’ ‘I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets,’ Amos replied to Amaziah ‘I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 84(85):9-14(Sun15)

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,

    a voice that speaks of peace,
    peace for his people.
His help is near for those who fear him
    and his glory will dwell in our land.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;
    justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
    and justice look down from heaven.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

The Lord will make us prosper

    and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
    and peace shall follow his steps.

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and give us your saving help.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 1:3-14

God chose us in Christ before the world was made

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.
Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,
to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,
determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ
for his own kind purposes,
to make us praise the glory of his grace,
his free gift to us in the Beloved,
in whom, through his blood, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.
Such is the richness of the grace
which he has showered on us
in all wisdom and insight.
He has let us know the mystery of his purpose,
the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning
to act upon when the times had run their course to the end:
that he would bring everything together under Christ, as head,
everything in the heavens and everything on earth.
And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own,
chosen from the beginning,
under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things
as he decides by his own will;
chosen to be,
for his greater glory,
the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.
Now you too, in him,
have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation,
and have believed it;
and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise,
the pledge of our inheritance
which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own, to make his glory praised.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!

_______

Gospel
Mark 6:7-13

'Take nothing with you'

Jesus made a tour round the villages, teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 11th July 2021

 

Our readings today provide examples of people who trusted in the Lord. It is a reminder for us to live our day-to-day lives in total surrender to His care. 
 
In our First Reading, Amos is told to leave Bethel and flee to the land of Judah. Amos was a prophet that pointed out the errors of what was happening in Bethel to the priest, Amaziah. Amos replies to the hostile comment from Amaziah, saying, “The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
 
When we live our lives doing the will of God, there will be days that are hard. Just because we are doing what the Lord is asking of us, doesn’t mean every day will be perfect. As a matter of fact, we might be led to rejection or suffering because of what we believe. 
 
The moment we are faced with that conflict, we are called to respond as Amos did — not by turning our back on God, but rather, remaining faithful to Him. God has a plan, even in the darkest moments. We are called to trust in His ways.  
 
Our Gospel recounts when Jesus instructs His twelve apostles to begin their missionary work two by two. He encouraged them to take very little — a walking stick and sandals. He said, “no food, no sack, no money in their belts… not a second tunic.” They did not know where they would stay on their journey. 
 
If you can recall a time you packed for a trip, or even left the house for a day’s travel, you might remember making a list, packing days in advance, or even asking yourself, "Did I forget anything?" Regardless, if you are a diligent planner or a minimalist, we tend to pack what we think is "safe" so we know we will be comfortable. 
 
If we extend this concept of "comfort" into other areas of our lives, we will most likely find a few instances where we ensure life is comfortable. It could be buying extra food at the grocery store just in case, ensuring we have new clothes frequently, going out to eat regularly, making sure we have the most updated technology, or even feeling safe in our bank accounts. 
 
It is not bad to have extra food in the pantry or to buy a new shirt. It also isn’t bad to enjoy a dinner out or to buy a new phone. And it isn’t bad to ensure you have savings. These things can be good and enjoyable when used properly. 
 
But what if we aren’t using them properly? What if we are looking to them for comfort, security or even happiness?
 
So, imagine if Jesus approached you and said, “Go out and do my work, but you can only bring a walking stick and shoes.” Would you be willing to surrender all the rest? Would you trust that God would provide all that is needed?
 
A key component of living out our call as Christian stewards is total surrender. It is trusting in God during our best moments and our hardest. It is looking to Him for security, comfort and happiness. 
 
We can be sure that the journey for the apostles was filled with joyful moments and extremely hard trials, similar to the prophet Amos in our First Reading. Yet, because they entrusted themselves completely into the hands of God, they knew it would all work out for their good. 
 
So how do we say "yes" to God like the apostles and Amos? It is easier to say "yes" when we are not attached to what is around us. A simple practice of self-denial and surrender go a long way. 
 
Consider buying exactly what you need at the grocery store, and see how God takes care of you; or taking the money you would spend on a new dress or a meal out and give it to someone in need; or waiting six months before buying the newest technology; or detaching from the security in your bank account by increasing your financial gift to God. 
 
When we make room for God in our lives through practices of self-denial and surrender, we give Him the freedom to shower us with His goodness. And we are more willing to say "yes" to God when He comes knocking on our door when we are not weighted down by what surrounds us. It truly is freeing. 
 
Today, reflect on the ways you personally might be looking for comfort, security and happiness in the things of this world. Tangibly find a way to become independent from that "thing" so that you can become more dependent on God.

Mass Reflection:. Sunday, 04th July 2021

Our readings today portray three figures that experienced challenges — Ezekiel, St. Paul and Jesus. It is a reminder for us that, even in our weakest and toughest moments, God has a plan. 
 
Our first figure, the prophet Ezekiel, reminds us of the challenges we encounter in our day-to-day lives. He is sent to the Israelites who are in need of truth as they are rebels who have rebelled against God. Essentially, he is sent on a challenging mission to encounter tough people. 
 
Sometimes within our own mission fields, we are faced with challenges. It might be finishing a rough week at work, parenting a rebellious child, sharing your faith with reluctant family members, or being extremely kind to the rude cashier. In the face of the challenge, we oftentimes feel like we have been sent to the toughest of tough places. We ask ourselves, "Will I make it out?" 
 
God prepares Ezekiel for this mission by essentially telling Ezekiel to remain close to Him as the Lord says, “You shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist — for they are a rebellious house — they shall know that a prophet has been among them.” 
 
We might feel like we have been thrown into these challenges completely unprepared. Yet, the reality is, if we face the challenge with God, we will make it out and we will be a witness to our faith in the process. 
 
Our second figure, St. Paul, reminds us of the crosses that the Lord presents to us throughout life. St. Paul describes a “thorn” that had been given to him. He believed this thorn to be the thing that kept him grounded as he said, “to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.” 
 
At first, he asked the Lord to remove this cross, but the Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Through this explanation, St. Paul resolved to believe, “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
 
We all bear crosses in this life, whether they seem to be little thorns or sharp daggers. The easiest thing to do, as St. Paul did, is to pray for the cross to be taken. It would be great if all of our struggles just magically faded away! But listen to the Lord’s words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”
 
Stop and reflect on your cross. Instead of wishing it to go away, look at it as an opportunity to grow and to allow God to work in your life. God permitted this cross in your life for a reason. Do not let the opportunity for Christ to work on your heart pass you by. 
 
Our last figure is Jesus Himself. He reminds us of the times that we are not accepted by others in this life. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath and those who heard Him were taken back by His teaching ability. They questioned where He received His knowledge and power, especially if He was raised from a carpenter. 
 
It says, “they took offense at him… He was amazed at their lack of faith.”
 
As Christian stewards, we are not always accepted. It might be because of what we believe in, the principles we stand for, how we spend our time and money, what we choose to participate in or not, or even how we raise our families. And sometimes our toughest critics are those we are closest to, which can leave us in amazement.
 
Jesus was supposed to be rejected so that He could suffer, die and rise for us. It was all part of God’s plan. So too, is our rejection. It is all part of God’s plan. Maybe it is to strengthen us, to grow our own faith, to be a witness to someone else or to just get a glimpse of how Christ was rejected. 
 
Regardless of the reason, let us pray for the strength to not shy away in rejection and to not become like those who rejected Christ. Rather, let us cling to Christ in that moment and let us remember that God has a plan. 
 
Today, as we hear about these three figures in the Scriptures, let us reflect on our lives. Recall that God loves us more than we could ever imagine. There is not a moment that goes by that He does not have us in mind. He has a specific plan for our lives. Therefore, may we encounter life’s challenges, our weaknesses and moments of feeling unwanted with confidence in Christ.

The Liturgy of the Word:. Sunday, 04th July 2021

First reading	Ezekiel 2:2-5

These rebels shall know that there is a prophet among them

The spirit came into me and made me stand up, and I heard the Lord speaking to me. He said, ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to the rebels who have turned against me. Till now they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me. The sons are defiant and obstinate; I am sending you to them, to say, “The Lord says this.” Whether they listen or not, this set of rebels shall know there is a prophet among them.’

The word of the Lord.

---

Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 122(123)

Our eyes are on the Lord till he shows us his mercy.

To you have I lifted up my eyes,

  you who dwell in the heavens;

my eyes, like the eyes of slaves

  on the hand of their lords.

Our eyes are on the Lord till he shows us his mercy.

Like the eyes of a servant

  on the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

  till he show us his mercy.

Our eyes are on the Lord till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

  We are filled with contempt.

Indeed all too full is our soul

  with the scorn of the rich,

  with the proud man’s disdain.

Our eyes are on the Lord till he shows us his mercy.

---

Second reading
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ·

The Lord's power is at its best in weakness

In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, ‘My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness.’ So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

The word of the Lord.

---

Gospel Acclamation	Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:

to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia

---

Gospel	Mark 6:1-6

'A prophet is only despised in his own country'

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

The Gospel of the Lord.