First reading Wisdom 1:1-7
Seek the Lord in simplicity of heart
Love virtue, you who are judges on earth,
let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord,
seek him in simplicity of heart;
since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test,
he shows himself to those who do not distrust him.
But selfish intentions divorce from God;
and Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.
No, Wisdom will never make its way into a crafty soul
nor stay in a body that is in debt to sin;
the holy spirit of instruction shuns deceit,
it stands aloof from reckless purposes,
is taken aback when iniquity appears.
Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man,
though she will not pardon the words of a blasphemer,
since God sees into the innermost parts of him,
truly observes his heart,
and listens to his tongue.
The spirit of the Lord, indeed, fills the whole world,
and that which holds all things together knows every word that is said.
Responsorial Psalm 138(139):1-10
Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.
O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.
Before ever a word is on my tongue
you know it, O Lord, through and through.
Behind and before you besiege me,
your hand ever laid upon me.
Too wonderful for me this knowledge,
too high, beyond my reach.
O where can I go from your spirit,
or where can I flee from your face?
If I climb the heavens, you are there.
If I lie in the grave, you are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn
and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,
even there your hand would lead me,
your right hand would hold me fast.
Gospel Luke 17:1-6
If your brother does wrong, reprove him
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Obstacles are sure to come, but alas for the one who provides them! It would be better for him to be thrown into the Sea with a millstone put round his neck than that he should lead astray a single one of these little ones. Watch yourselves!
If your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’
The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’
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Increase our faith!
As Jesus said in today’s gospel, obstacles to sin will surely come our way. We will face obstacles that lure us away from living the gospel values of love, truth, honesty, compassion and justice and might find ourselves living controlled by our pride. Thus, we need to stay vigilant and keep watch on ourselves because our unloving ways are stumbling blocks that lead people away from God. Everyday, we need to pray and ask God to help us to give witness by our words and actions.
Jesus continued by speaking about reconciliation. If a fellow brother or sister commits an offence, we need to forgive the person when he/she repents. A good way to give witness to others is by forgiving, not judging and condemning. The task of following Jesus is not easy. Like the disciples, we can turn to Jesus and cry to Him, “Increase our faith”. Jesus offers us the consoling reality that we only need to have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed to overcome obstacles to sin and become good examples for others as well as peacemakers working always for reconciliation.
Reflective question:
How can my way of living point others to Jesus?
How can my way of living point others to Jesus?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
