MONDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 11, 2022 MEMORIAL ST BENEDICT, ABBOT

MASS READINGS

A reading of the holy Gospel according to MT 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 finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

In Isaiah, 1:16-17, we are told to "learn to do good".

Today we celebrate the memorial of St Benedict, abbot. He lived in the late 400's. He left the world of paganism, Church schism, people suffering from wars and immorality running rampant to live alone in a cave. He became a hermit.

Eventually he formed a religious order where monks could live together in fraternity, community and worship in the same place. The Benedictine rule encompassed this way of living along with manual labor, liturgical prayer and study.

From the Rule of St Benedict, one is taught to put Christ before everything. Whenever one begins to do any good work, we must appeal to God to bring it to perfection.

We must never do evil deeds but seek to pursue the light, listen to His Words, and follow the Holy Spirit. And what does the Spirit say? Come my sons, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Hurry, while you have the light of life, so that death's darkness may not overtake you.'*

Many find the Benedictine way hard as it requires simplicity with a lot of discipline to do that which most of us would walk away from.

And perhaps that is what this world lacks: Discipline. We can't excel in our studies if we don't commit to daily studying, learning so we can understand. We can't perfect playing a musical instrument if we don't spend the time practicing.

Same for our spiritual life. Prayer, perseverance, and 100% of our effort in due time will bring what God has wanted for us all the time.

If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your eyes on the light of life. And the Lord, as he seeks the one who will do His work among the throng of people to whom He makes that appeal, says again: Which of you wants to live to the full; who loves long life and the enjoyment of prosperity? *

And if when you hear this you say, I do, God says to you: If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceit; turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. And when you have done these things my eyes will be upon you and my ears will be attentive to your prayers; and before you call upon my name I shall say to you: Behold, I am here.*

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He reveals Himself to us, tells us how to stay steadfast in His love. In His loving kindness He invites us to lose our life to find it.

God Bless You

* Universalis app, Office of Readings July 11, 2022, From the Rule of Benedict, abbot.