Word Today, Aug. 17, 2004 (Tuesday of the 20 th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Ez 28:1-10/ Mt 19:23-30

After stating the need to be detached from material possessions, Jesus Christ told the apostles the reward that they could expect. “And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.

These words indicate that the apostles indeed left behind everything, very strongly suggesting that they practiced apostolic celibacy, either in the form of not getting married if they were not yet married; or leaving behind their natural families (wives and children) if they were. It also shows us that such a radical sacrifice is rewarded not only in the next life, but even in this life. The “hundred times over” is distinguished from “eternal life” (heaven). Those who give up all for God find themselves blest and happy even in this life.

Word Today, Aug. 18, 2004 (Wednesday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Ez 34:1-11/ Mt 20:1-16

“Many are called but few are chosen.” Indeed, as the Second Vatican Council reminded us, all of us are called to holiness. All of us are called to live the fullness of the Christian life. This is not something for a few only.

However, we must respond to this call. Sanctity is accessible to all. But we all have to work for it, cooperating with the grace of God. It is not for us to judge others, but only to try our best to correspond to the call that God addresses to each of us.

Word Today, Aug. 19, 2004 (Thursday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Ez 36:23-28/ Mt 22:1-14

The kingdom of heaven is compared to a wedding feast or banquet. We can also apply this imagery of a banquet to the “banquet of eternal life”, which is the Eucharist. In the Eucharistic celebration, we are invited to partake of the banquet of the body and blood of the Lord. Hence we can also apply the later part of the comparison -- we must prepare ourselves to receive the Lord. The man without the wedding garment was sent out, “into the blackness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”

St. Paul said that before we partake of the body of the Lord, we should examine ourselves. The Church has said that if we are conscious of mortal sin which has not yet been confessed, we should first go to confession before receiving communion. Being reconciled with God and the Church is our way of putting on the appropriate wedding garment.

Word Today, Aug. 20, 2004 (Friday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Ez 37:1-14/ Mt 22:34-40

In today’s gospel, Jesus categorically upheld the “Great Commandment” of the Law, the commandment of love. Indeed, to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is the fulfillment of all the precepts of the law of God. Even more, we must say that the law must be fulfilled in the spirit of the Great Commandment, in the spirit of love. Mere external compliance without the disposition of love would be empty.

The commandment of love tells us that we must love God totally and absolutely. We cannot put anything, not even our own life, above the demands of God’s love. That is the real challenge that faces every follower of Christ – to love God with a total gift of self.

Word Today, Aug. 21, 2004 (Saturday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Ez 43:1-7b/ Mt 23:1-12

The pharisees were guilty of hypocrisy. Their particular brand of hypocrisy consisted of teaching the right things but not practicing what they taught. Thus Jesus told his followers that they should follow their teaching but not their example.

What is the root of such behavior? Why would someone teach something good but not practice it himself? If one struggled to do good but failed due to weakness, that is understandable. We are , after all, “vessels of clay” holding a precious ointment. But if one did not even try, yet “preached” good things, then he would just be “using” the good teaching for his personal aggrandizement. So at the root of hypocrisy is the vice of pride.

Word Today, Aug. 22, 2004 (TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME)

Readings: Is 66:18-21/ Heb 12:5-7, 11-13/ Lk 13:22-30

"Lord, are only a few to be saved?" (Lk 13:23) It is a very interesting question that Jesus Christ did not answer. Instead, he urged his listeners to strive to "enter by the narrow gate," and he pointed out that some, who took their salvation for granted, would not be saved, because they were "workers of iniquity." (Lk 13:27) What Jesus is telling us is that we should not take salvation for granted--it is an important matter, and it is no easy one. "Enter the narrow gate." In another passage, he elaborates, "For wide is the way that leads to destruction."

The Christian life has often been compared to a journey. When we are going to a certain destination, obviously the right road is fewer than the wrong ones. To live a Christian life, and therefore achieve our eternal salvation, we need to follow the road set out for us by the fulfillment of our ordinary Christian duties. At the same time, there is no denying that along the way, we may be tempted by many other things, and then be deviated from our path. Let us therefore be concerned for our eternal salvation. And let us work for this salvation by accepting Christ into our lives and transforming our lives by acting and working according to Christ's teachings.

Word Today, Aug. 23, 2004 (Monday in the 21st Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: 2 Th 1:1-5, 11-12/ Mt 23:13-22

In the gospel, Christ berates the scribes and Pharisees for being “blind guides”, with no real concern for the spiritual well-being of those who follow them. May we be spared from having such guides. Yet some people somehow insist on having blind guides when they refuse to look for a competent and well-meaning guide for their souls and instead try to “go it alone.”

It is very foolish to be one’s own guide in the spiritual life. When it comes to evaluating our own selves, we can be quite biased due to our emotions or our pride. Thus, we need a good guide, a real spiritual director. One of the greatest gifts we can receive is to have someone who can orient us in our journey to god. Let us pray to God that we find such a person.

Word Today, Aug. 31, 2004 (Tuesday of the 22^nd Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: 1 Cor 2:10b-16/ Lk 4:31-37  

The gospel says that Jesus' "teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority." What does "authority" in this context mean? The "author" of a book is the one who made it. Being the maker, who else could know it better? Who else could speak with more credibility and reliability? The supreme authority is God since he is the creator, the author, of all things. But God governs us through others. As St. Paul says, "All authority comes from God." Hence we must respect and obey all legitimate authority. If not, we shall end up in chaos, not knowing what to follow. 

By divine institution, the authority in the Church resides in the hierarchy. It does not come from the people but from God. On the other hand, civil authority can come in various ways. Christians should obey the civil authority as representing God in the temporal sphere. There is no conflict in the heart of the Christian between his religious loyalty and his loyalty to his country. They both allude to God in different spheres of life.