Reflection for TUESDAY, 23rd Week, Ordinary Time.
By
Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar
Today's Gospel Reading
Luke 6:12-19
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Today's Reflection
For those of us who drive, we know that there are two things that we should do, in order to avoid accidents.
One is that we should keep our focus on the road ahead, and it means our two eyes on the road.
The other is that we should keep our two hands on the steering wheel.
Even one eye on the road and one hand on the steering wheel is certainly not safe enough, like how we try to text while driving.
Yes, two eyes focused on the road ahead, and two hands holding tight on the steering wheel is what is necessary when driving.
In short, it means that we must keep our focus.
And it is not just in driving, but also in the important aspects of our lives.
In the gospel, we heard about Jesus calling the first disciples.
But there is this disturbing line about Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Somehow Judas lost focus, and he was branded a traitor in every account of the call of the first disciples.
But it was not only Judas who lost focus. The Christian community of Corinth also lost focus and St. Paul had to address the serious matter of division in the 1st reading.
We have been called by God to be disciples and to be witnesses of the Good News of God’s love.
Let us ask the Lord to watch over us and protect us so that we will keep our focus on Jesus and on the mission that He is calling us to.
GOD BLESS YOU
Good morning. Have a nice day.