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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“No slave can serve two masters;

for a slave will either hate the one and love the other,

or be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and wealth.”

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– Luke 16:13 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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In the culture of Jesus’ time

“service” involved such commitment to one’s master

that a servant could not take on any other work or serve any other master.

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Our service to God, our sanctification,

requires us to direct all our actions towards Him.

A Christian does not divide up his time,

allocating some of it to God and some of it to worldly affairs:

everything we do should become a type of service to God and neighbour

– by doing things with upright motivation, and being just and charitable.

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The Pharisees jeered at what Jesus was saying,

in order to justify their own attachment to material things.

Sometimes people make fun of total commitment to God and detachment from material things

because they themselves are not ready to practice virtue;

they cannot even imagine other people really having this generosity.

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Am I totally committed to God,

putting Him as absolute first

and totally above anything and anyone else?

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PRAYER…

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O Lord, my God,

how can I call out to You in this manner,

acknowledging You as my Maker;

as my Lord God Almighty,

if I do not put You first…before everything and everyone else?

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Lord, forgive me for my betrayals;

for my lapses;

for those times when I put myself and my selfish interests first.

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Lord, grant me the gift of discernment;

give me self-control and perseverance;

and increase my faith and my trust in You

so that I will always serve…only You!

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For this I pray with all my heart.

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Amen.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Only You, my Lord and my God!

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YEAR OF FAITH 2012-2013

FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH…

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“Lead us not into temptation”[in the Lord’s Prayer] implies a decision of the heart:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

… No one can serve two masters.” (Mt 6:21,24)

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“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”(Gal 5:25)

In this assent to the Holy Spirit the Father gives us strength.

“No testing has overtaken you that is not common to man.

God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength,

but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape,

so that you may be able to endure it.”(1 Cor 10:13)

[CCC 2848]

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Such a battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. […]

[CCC 2849]

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