First reading Zechariah 2:5-9,14-15
‘I will be the glory of Jerusalem’
Raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length.’ And then, while the angel who was talking to me stood still, another angel came forward to meet him. He said to him, ‘Run, and tell that young man this, “Jerusalem is to remain unwalled, because of the great number of men and cattle there will be in her. But I – it is the Lord who speaks – I will be a wall of fire for her all round her, and I will be her glory in the midst of her.”’
Sing, rejoice,
daughter of Zion;
for I am coming
to dwell in the middle of you
– it is the Lord who speaks.
Many nations will join the Lord,
on that day;
they will become his people.
Responsorial Psalm Jeremiah 31:10-12,13
Gospel Luke 9:43-45
They were afraid to ask him what he meant
At a time when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.”’ But they did not understand him when he said this; it was hidden from them so that they should not see the meaning of it, and they were afraid to ask him about what he had just said.
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Finding my worth in God
Jesus was at the pinnacle of his life. Large crowds greatly admired Him for all He said and did. Despite this, He was not swayed by external praises and accomplishments. Jesus understood the hearts of the people; those who marvelled at His work would soon be the same ones handing Him over to death. Throughout it all, Jesus continued to focus solely on God, His Father. His life was in God’s hands, not in men’s.
We often seek the admiration and praise of others, striving for success and recognition. The challenge we face is to set our hearts completely on God. God loves us unconditionally, and His love for us transcends our achievements and failures. We are loved regardless of how the world perceives and values us. In our prayers, when we listen to Jesus, He reassures us of God’s love and our value in His eyes. Let us attentively listen to the voice of Love so we can live each moment of success and failure, joy and sorrow, by focusing our hearts on God alone.
Reflective questions:
How do I define my worth? Is it based on God’s love or external factors?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
