As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy
Dt 30:15-20
Moses said to the people:
“Today I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore
he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 9:22-25
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
In today’s Word of God, Jesus prophesied to His disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Resurrection is joy and happiness for all those who dare to deny themselves, take up the cross, and follow God. But if there is only suffering, but no resurrection, then that suffering is in vain. Therefore, God wants all those who are carrying the cross to follow Him, giving up everything to live for God and for the Gospel, to be at peace. Because when we suffer and carry the cross with God, the joy and happiness of the afterlife await all of God’s children, who dare to sacrifice, dare to abandon themselves to follow God. He also said that all the apostles, disciples, or those who follow God in this day and age must also experience suffering, be excluded, and be killed mentally and physically. However, God is always with us, and He promises to give us eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven in the future.
The Word of God today also says that Jesus came to earth as a human to redeem humanity from sin. He died, and after three days, He rose again. The resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of victory over death. The pinnacle of that resurrection will also be for all those who dare to sacrifice, deny themselves, and faithfully carry the cross to follow God. Therefore, God invites those who are following Him to live joyfully, happily, and peacefully; joyfully accepting all suffering in all circumstances. Because the Son of God has been resurrected, all those who are following the most Holy Master Jesus, and are loyal and faithful to Him until their last breath, will also be resurrected with Him.
Today, God also tells everyone: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” Today, many people have everything, power, and strength; but they use those things to oppress the common people, to oppress others, to eliminate and kill others. Consider asking: do those souls still belong to God? The question is meant for those who do not live according to the teachings of the Gospel to practice charity and love.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
