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MONDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIMEWe

Writer's picture:  Olivia M. Bannan Olivia M. Bannan

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 10:34-11.1

Jesus said to his Apostles: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple– amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

REFLECTION: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me."

How do we know that God is calling us? How do we know what we need to be doing in the present? We all have had our plans change in a split second when the unknown manifests itself and we have to tend to the immediate problem.

Based on the vocation we are called, we should love God with all our strength no matter what our walk in life is. We all belong to God and it is to God we should abandon ourselves. Detachment from our family and material goods makes perfect sense when it comes to our relationship with God. What is God's will is what we should be striving for, and our hearts cannot be divided when God calls.

How does our PAPA philosophy help determine what is good in making our decisions? The PAPA's way to determine what is good- can be summed up by 3 R's.

1. Is it Right? Is what we are pondering a nudge from God? Is what I am feeling coming from God or is it my own thoughts? We pray and meditate to discern. Are we leaving home, family and friends because of problems we are running away from? Or do we have a love for God that is leading us to follow Him? 2. Is it Reasonable? In asking us to leave our parents and family causing an endangerment to them? Are we neglecting our responsibilties? We work, we have bills to pay, we know loss and suffering. But we trust in God, and we are to put Him first. Is this what He wants? 3. Is it Ripened? Are we ready for reaping, gathering, or use by God? Is our maturity ready for what God is asking of us? Do we have the courage to do the will of God?

Pray and discern to know and understand God's will for us. May our priests ultimately place God before all and show their parishioners that the closer we are to God, the more peaceful, compassionate and generous we will be.


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