Best Catholic Reflections August 02, 2024

By CL

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Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 02, 2024

R/. In your great mercy, answer me, O Lord

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. The word of the Lord remains for ever; and this word is the good news that was preached to you

R/. Alleluia.

At that time: Coming to his hometown Jesus taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

1. Often, God and good meet with anti-climax. What does this mean? When God and good people do so much good with all concern and expect a positive response and a good effect in the life of others, exactly the opposite reaction and effect take place.

2. For example, one gives a sincere advice for the betterment of the other. But the other can easily misunderstand and misinterpret it as an act of jealousy or pessimism. This is what happens in the case of God in the OT and in the case of Jesus in the NT.

3. God invites His straying and unfaithful people to repent and return to Him through the warning by Jeremiah. But instead, people turn hostile to Jeremiah and plot to harm Jeremiah. In the gospel, Jesus invites the people to understand and experience the love and mercy of God and return to him in faith in His Only Son.

4. But the people despise him contending that he is just one among them, and they know him thoroughly. This is because basically people are not ready to accept what is not convenient and not pleasing to their hearing and living.

5. Especially when it is a demand for a review and renewal of life, when they are confronted with challenges, they resent and resist. Unless one tries to traverse beyond what is merely easy and apparent, to what is difficult and deeper, to that what makes life transformed and qualitative, one can never experience change.

6. Faith is this travel from the peripheral to the deeper, from the easy to the difficult, from the convenient to the commitment.

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