Aug 21 2021

First reading Ruth 2:1-3,8-11,4:13-17

Ruth gives birth to Obed, the grandfather of David

Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, well-to-do and of Elimelech’s clan. His name was Boaz.

Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Let me go into the fields and glean among the ears of corn in the footsteps of some man who will look on me with favour.’ And she said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So she set out and went to glean in the fields after the reapers. And it chanced that she came to that part of the fields which belonged to Boaz of Elimelech’s clan.

Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Listen, my daughter, and understand this. You are not to glean in any other field, do not leave here but stay with my servants. Keep your eyes on whatever part of the field they are reaping and follow behind. I have ordered my servants not to molest you. And if you are thirsty, go to the pitchers and drink what the servants have drawn.’ Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground. And she said to him, ‘How have I so earned your favour that you take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?’ And Boaz answered her, ‘I have been told all you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death, and how you left your own father and mother and the land where you were born to come among a people whom you knew nothing about before you came here.’

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And when they came together, the Lord made her conceive and she bore a son. And the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord who has not left the dead man without next of kin this day to perpetuate his name in Israel. The child will be a comfort to you and the prop of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you and is more to you than seven sons has given him birth.’ And Naomi took the child to her own bosom and she became his nurse.

And the women of the neighbourhood gave him a name. ‘A son has been born for Naomi’ they said; and they named him Obed. This was the father of David’s father, Jesse.

Responsorial Psalm 127(128):1-5

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord

and walk in his ways!

By the labour of your hands you shall eat.

You will be happy and prosper.

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

in the heart of your house;

your children like shoots of the olive,

around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Indeed thus shall be blessed

the man who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion

all the days of your life!

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Gospel Matthew 23:1-12

They do not practise what they preach

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’

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Reflection
Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17, Matthew 23:1-12

“To be great is to be at the service of other.”
“The greatest among you must be your servant..”. For the religious leaders in Jesus’ time, they strived to be in influential positions and for titles of honour. Jesus defined greatness as love for those around us and the willingness to serve the needs of others. In the life of Jesus, He was constantly placing Himself at the service of others. We remembered His humble action of washing the feet of the twelve disciples.

As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus, our Master, by walking the same path of love and service, and not of honour and pretence of self importance. Jesus tells us that we have only one Master, one Father, one Teacher. Let us look to Jesus and be eager to follow His example of love and service. Let us enter into the heart of God our Father and allow ourselves to be loved by Him so that His love can be the foundation of our love for others.

Questions for reflection:
Do I want others to consider me as important? How can I follow Jesus in this path of loving service?

Renungan
Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17, Matius 23:1-12

“Menjadi yang terbaik adalah dengan melayani orang lain.”
“Sesiapa terbesar di antara kamu, hendaklah dia menjadi pelayanmu..”. Bagi para pemimpin agama pada zaman Yesus, mereka berusaha untuk berada ditempat tertinggi demi gelaran terhormat. Yesus mendefinisikan kehebatan sebagai mengasihi orang-orang di sekitar kita dan kesanggupan untuk melayani keperluan orang lain. Dalam hidup Yesus, Dia dengan setia meletakkan diriNya untuk melayani orang lain. Kita mengingati sikap rendah hatiNya ketika membasuh kaki kedua belas rasulNya.

Sebagai orang-orang Kristian, kita dipanggil untuk mengikuti Yesus, Guru kita, dengan melalui jalan sama iaitu mengasihi dan melayani, dan bukannya hormat dan mementingkan diri sendiri. Yesus menyatakan kepada kita bahawa kita memiliki hanya satu Tuan, satu Bapa, satu Guru. Marilah memandang Yesus dan bersungguh-sungguh mengikuti teladanNya dalam mengasihi dan melayani. Marilah masuk dalam hati Allah Bapa kita dan membenarkan diri kita dikasihiNya agar kasihNya dapat menjadi asas kita untuk mengasihi orang lain.

Soalan renungan:
Adakah saya mahu orang lain menganggap saya penting? Bagaimana saya dapat mengikuti Yesus di jalan pelayanan kasih?

*Rut 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17; Matius 23:1-12*

Indagu boo i Jisus ra ulun masuang am maamaya’-maamaya’ Nano, “Mangngila’ ra Ukum ri Musa am ulun-ulun ri Parisi ti noyo inanian ra kuasa’ mampaintutun ra Ukum ri Musa. Ginio ra, bayaa’ am baalo’ noyo ngaangai’ panusuban nilono. Kaa’ pai’ noyo tiluo’ paliso nilono, sabap ra ilo ti mangila’ ayuk kaa’ kalo mampagagaya’. Ilo ti manusub ra ulun mambaal ra mapagon kaga’, kaa’ ilo galama’ kalo mangindangan risilo ra koborok pana. Ilo mambaal ngaangai’ ragitio makikiilong ayuk ra ulun: Ilai’ ayuk gayo ru pambulian ra tayar ru Buuk Kitab ondo’ pinabangkos ra ulu am longon nilono; ilai’ ayuk gawar ru rumbai ru bayang nilono! Ilai’ ayuk ra ilo manturung ra intok mongoonsoi paat ra mokoondo’ bunsag, am panturungan pinabatang ra saang ra baloi sambayangan. Ilai’ ayuk ra ilo makitabi’ ra ulun giu’ ra pasar am piawon ra mangngila’. Kaa’ akau kalo pana sabiton ra ‘Mangngila”, saban ra ngaangai’ akau koson ayuk mabubukat am rondo’ ayuk Mangngila’. Pai’ kau panabit ra osoi ayuk pana ra tana’ ti i ‘Ama” sabap ra rondo’ ayuk Ama’ min giu’ ra suruga’. Pai’ kau niayuk pakisabit ra ‘Tingganai’ sabap ra rondo’ ayuk Tingganai min, ioginio Mamamayag ondo’ sinusub ri Aki Kapuuno’ i. Osoi intor ramuyun ondo’ maatang tojojo, musiti’ masauk ra ulipon min. Osoi ayuk makapaliso ra minsawat guang, paingganaan; am osoi ayuk makapaliso minggana’ guang, painsawaton.”
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Masauk ra maatang iono masauk ra ulipon ra ulun bokon
*”Osoi intor ramuyun ondo’ maatang tojojo, musiti’ masauk ra ulipon min…”* Ra ilo tingganai-tingganai ru ugama Jaudi ra bulintok ri Jisus, mapirot ilo koson mangalap ra intok makakuasa’ am pangkat ra maurumat. Nambala’ i Jisus ra maatang tojojo koson ra togom risilo ondo’ ra liput takau am masaga’ mangindangan ra ulun ondo’ gumogot ra indangan. Ralalom kaayagan ri Jisus, rayus Io mangandoi koson ulun-ulun. Mangkara’ takau ra gana’ Nano nambagu’ ra kalayam ru mopor am ruo ngaulun maamaya’ no.
Koson ra ulun Kristian, itakau piawon koson maya’ ri Jisus, Mangngila’ takau, mugar ra mogondo’ ralan ru togom am kandoi, am sala’ ka urumat am mitambingai ra maatang rokoon. Nambala’ i Jisus ritakau ra rondo’ ayuk Tingganai takau, rondo’ Ama’, rondo’ Mangngila’. Ibok takau ilai’ i Jisus am tojojo moogot koson tumilu ra togom am kandoi Nano. Ibok subol takau ra ralalom ru guang ri Aki Kapuuno’ Ama’ takau am mangiou ra inan takau tagamin ru Io maa’ raginio togom Nano masauk ra puun ru togom takau ra ulun bokon.
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Pangkuatan ra paguangin:
Masaga’ aku kia ulun ra bokon mangkara’ ra aku ti maatang? Ati kulaan aku mabuli maya’ ri Jisus ralalom ru ralan mangandoi ra moonsoi?

Renungan

Ruth 2:1-3,8-11,4:13-17; Matthew 23:1-12

“Orang ti deka nyadi besai patut nyadi kuli mela orang bukai.”
“Orang ke pemadu besai ba bala kita deka nyadi kuli kita.”. Pemesai pengarap bansa Judah milih deka megai kuasa sereta pangkat. Jesus ngajar enti kitai deka nyadi pemesai kitai patut rindu deka mela orang bukai. Dalam pengidup Jesus, Iya seruran ngeletak diri awak mela orang bukai. Kitai ngingat ka tu lebuh maya Iya nuchi kaki dua belas murid Iya.

Kitai orang Kristen dikangau awak nitih ka Jesus ti Pengajar kitai, bejalai dalam pengerindu sereta mela orang bukai ukai ngambi palan awak dipebasa tauka ngangkat diri empu. Iya ngajar kitai bisi Siko aja Pengajar, Siko aja Apai. Aram kitai malik ngagai Jesus sereta keran deka nitih ka Iya ti rindu sereta mela orang bukai. Aram kitai tama dalam ati Allah Taala Apai kitai sereta meri awak ka diri dikerindu Iya ngambi pengerindu Iya ulih nyadi batu ti tegap endur kitai berindik rindu orang bukai.

Bisi aku meda orang bukai nya beguna? Kati aku ulih nitih ka Jesus ba jalai pengerindu deka mela orang bukai?

省思
«户二:1-3,8-11,四:13-17»
«玛廿三:1-12»

” 成为伟大就是为他人服务”
“你們中那最大的，该作你們的仆役……”。在于耶稣时代的宗教领袖，他们努力获得有影响力的职位，并拥有荣誉的称号。耶稣将伟大定义为对我们周围的人的爱和愿意为他人的需要服务。在耶稣的一生中，祂是不断地将自己置于为他人服务的位置。我们记得祂为十二门徒洗脚的卑微动作。

作为基督徒，我们被呼召跟随我们的主耶稣同样的爱和服务之道路，而不是荣誉和自负。耶稣告诉我们，我们只有一位主，一位父，一位老师。让我们仰望耶稣，热心效法祂的榜样爱和服务。就让我们进入天父的心和被祂所爱。祂的爱成为我们的根基对他人的爱。

省思题：
我希望别人认为我很重要吗？我怎样才能跟随耶稣去实行爱心的服务道路？

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