Aug 14 2021

First reading Joshua 24:14-29

‘The Lord is a holy God, a jealous God’

Joshua said to all the people, ‘Fear the Lord and serve him perfectly and sincerely; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if you will not serve the Lord, choose today whom you wish to serve, whether the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are now living. As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.’

The people answered, ‘We have no intention of deserting the Lord and serving other gods! Was it not the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and preserved us all along the way we travelled and among all the peoples through whom we journeyed? What is more, the Lord drove all those peoples out before us, as well as the Amorites who used to live in this country. We too will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’

Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the Lord, because he is a holy God, he is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you desert the Lord to follow alien gods he in turn will afflict and destroy you after the goodness he has shown you.’ The people answered Joshua, ‘No; it is the Lord we wish to serve.’ Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.’ They answered, ‘We are witnesses.’ ‘Then cast away the alien gods among you and give your hearts to the Lord the God of Israel!’ The people answered Joshua, ‘It is the Lord our God we choose to serve; it is his voice that we will obey.’

That day, Joshua made a covenant for the people; he laid down a statute and ordinance for them at Shechem. Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a great stone and set it up there, under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord, and Joshua said to all the people, ‘See! This stone shall be a witness against us because it has heard all the words that the Lord has spoken to us: it shall be a witness against you in case you deny your God.’ Then Joshua sent the people away, and each returned to his own inheritance.

After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died; he was a hundred and ten years old.

Responsorial Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Gospel Matthew 19:13-15

People brought little children to Jesus, for him to lay his hands on them and say a prayer. The disciples turned them away, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ Then he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

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Reflection
Joshua 24:14-29, Matthew 19:13-15

“Seeing others through the eyes of Jesus”
In Jesus’ time, children were regarded as unimportant. Therefore, when some people brought their children to Jesus for Him to lay His hands on them and pray, the disciples regarded these children as “unworthy” for Jesus. However, Jesus told the disciples to let them come to Him because they were important and had special place in His heart.

What is the message for us as we pray and meditate on this passage? We tend to look at people from a worldly perspective. We admire and respect those who are wealthy and powerful. We tend to look down on people who seem to be weak and those without rights or status. Today, Jesus looks at the little ones, i.e. at those whom society disregard as unimportant, as great and valuable because they too have the dignity of being children of God and are deeply loved by Him. Who are thet little ones around us whom we tend to ignore and disregard? Perhaps it is time for us to look at people through the eyes of Jesus.

Question for reflection:
What is Jesus’ message for me today?

Renungan
Yoshua 24:14-29, Matius 19:13-15

“Melihat orang lain melalui mata Yesus”
Pada zaman Yesus, anak kecil dianggap tidak penting. Oleh itu, apabila beberapa orang membawa anak kecil kepada Yesus agar Dia meletakkan tanganNya atas mereka untuk didoakan, para rasul menganggap anak pini tidak layak bagi Yesus. Namun, Yesus meminta para rasul untuk membiarkan anak-anak kecil itu datang kepadaNya kerana mereka penting dan mempunyai tempat yang istimewa di hatiNya.

Apakah pesannya bagi kita ketika kita berdoa dan merenungkan petikan ini? Kita cenderung melihat orang lain dari perspektif dunia. Kita mengagumi dan menghormati mereka yang kaya dan berkuasa. Kita cenderung memandang rendah terhadap orang-orang yang kelihatan lemah dan mereka yang tidak memiliki hak atau status. Hari ini, Yesus memandang anak kecil, iaitu, mereka yang dianggap tidak penting oleh masyarakat, sebagai hebat dan berharga kerana mereka juga mempunyai martabat sebagai anak-anak Allah dan sangat dikasihi olehNya. Siapakah anak-anak kecil di sekitar kita yang cenderung kita abaikan? Mungkin sudah tiba masa untuk kita melihat orang-orang di sekeliling kita melalui mata Yesus.

Soalan renungan:
Apakah pesan Yesus kepada saya hari ini?

*Josua 24:14-29; Matius 19:13-15*
Mokoondo’ kukula’ ngaulun nagibit ra nagibit ra lalaing-lalaing paumaan ri Jisus. Makitaak ilo ra papuyayon No kalindu’ Nano ra ulu ru lalaing-lalaing ti am makiasi’. Kaa’ maamaya’-maamaya’ ri Jisus ti siminangit risilo. Indagu i Jisus risilo, “Polosoo’ min lalaing-lalaing no muma’ Raki’! Pai’ min ingai’ ilo sabap ra ulun koson ragitio masauk ra ulun ri Aki Kapuuno’.” Pabantaa’ ri Jisus kalindu’ Nano ra ulu ru lalaing-lalaing i am barakato’ No ilo, am ugar Io boo.
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Magilong ra ulun bokon ralalom ru mato ri Jisus
Bulinto ri Jisus, lalaing-lalaing karaan ra kalo maatang. Kaa’, paat ra kukula’ nagulun nagibit ra lalaing-lalaing mongoi ri Jisus koson Io mampabanta’ ra kalindu’ Nano risilo am makiasi’, maamaya’-maamaya’ no mangkara’ ra lalaing-lalaing no koson ra “kalo maaya’ ” ri Jisus. Kabalu’ pana raginio, rinaguan ri Jisus maamaya’-maamaya’ Nano mompoloso ra lalaing-lalaing no muma’ Riso sabap ra ilo no maatang am mokoondo’ ra intok timpok ralalom ru guang Nano.
Atan kia bilin ritakau ra itakau makiasi’ am mampaguang ra pambasaan Injil ti? Bambal takau monontong ra ulun intor ra tontong ra baal katanaan ti. Maansayan am urumaton takau ulun ondo’ langkaya’ am mokoondo’ ra kuasa’. Bambal takau monontong ra mangiis ra ulun ondo’ ilain koson ra malawo am ondo’ kalo matanda’ kapoam mokoondo’ ra pangkat. Orou raiti’, monontong i Jisus ra ondo’ lalaing, iono ulun ondo’ kalo karaan maatang ru ulun sampamagunan, koson ra maayo am mokologo sabap ra ilo pana mokoondo’ ra kaatangan masauk ra anak-anak ri Aki Kapuuno’ am ondo’ tagamin ra malandom kaga’ ru Io. Osoi kia lalaing-lalaing ra liput takau ondo’ bambal takau painsion am kalo lioon? Ati lair iono ginio paat ra itakau monontong ra ulun-ulun ralalom ru mato ri Jisus.
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Pangkuatan ra paguangin:
Atan kia bilin ri Jisus raki’ ra orou raiti’?

Yoshua 24:14-29, Matius 19:13-15

Meda orang bukai nengah mata Jesus.

Lebuh maya Jesus kelia, anak mit enda dipeda beguna bendar. Nya kebuah lebuh orang mayuh mai anak mit sida ngagai Jesus awak Iya ulih ngeletak ka Jari Iya atas semua sida tang bala Murid Jesus meda sida ti “enda patut” datai ngagai Jesus. Taja pia, Jesus ngajar Bala Murid Iya awak ngasoh sida datai ngagai sida laban sida nya orang ti beguna sereta semak ati Jesus.

Nama pesan bacha Injil ku ngagai kitai lebuh kktai besembiang sereta belematika ajar tu? Kitai mudah meda orang bukai nengah mata dunya. Kitai temegah sereta bebasa ka sida ti bisi reta tengkira enggau kuasa. Kitai mega mudah ngemaroh ka orang ti lemi sereta nadai daya tauka pangkat. Saritu, Jesus meda sida anak mit lebih agi sida ti dipeda nadai guna, nyadi orang ti besai sereta berega laban sida anembiak Allah Taala sereta amat dikerindu ka Iya. Sapa bagi sida ti anak mit ka begulai enggau kitai ti suah enda diambi peduli? Engka tu meh maya iya kitai ngambi masa berati ka sida nengah mata Jesus.

Nama pesan Jesus ngagai aku saritu?

省思
«苏廿四:14-29»
«玛十九:13-15»

” 以耶稣的目光正视他人”

在耶稣的时代，孩子被视为极其不重要的人物。因此，当有人把小孩带来耶稣跟前并期望耶稣傅手祈祷时，门徒觉得耶稣不值得如此做。耶稣却一反常态，祂叫门徒把孩子带来跟前，因为他们在耶稣心中有一定的位置。
当我们阅读此福音并默想时，我们得到的启示是什么呢？我们常常以世俗的眼光来看他人。我们仰慕那有权有势的人，轻视那卑微无权势无地位的人。今天，耶稣看重那最小的，就是那些被社会漠视的。耶稣重视他们，觉得他们好尊贵，因为他们仍然有人的尊严成为天主的孩子并且还被天主深深爱着。试问有哪些孩子被我们忽略了？或许是时候以耶稣的目光正视他人了。

省思题：
今天的启示是什么呢？

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.