First reading 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
If Christ has not been raised, your belief is useless
Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless; indeed, we are shown up as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.
But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.
Responsorial Psalm 16(17):1,6-8,15
I shall be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory, O Lord.
Lord, hear a cause that is just,
pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my prayer:
no deceit is on my lips.
I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God.
Turn your ear to me; hear my words.
Display your great love, you whose right hand saves
your friends from those who rebel against them.
Guard me as the apple of your eye.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings
As for me, in my justice I shall see your face
and be filled, when I awake, with the sight of your glory.
Gospel Luke 8:1-3
The women who accompanied Jesus
Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources.
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Proclaiming the kingdom of God
In today’s gospel, Luke the evangelist portrayed Jesus as constantly on the move as He went from one town to the next, one village to the next. He went around to preach and proclaim the kingdom of God, which was His deepest conviction and passion that inspired His activities. This message attracted many people because He was not preaching to them about moral norms and laws but telling them about the good news that the kingdom of God is near, i.e. God is already present and cares for them. Jesus invited the people to believe in the good news. In the passage, Luke the evangelist also mentioned a group of women who believed in Jesus’ message and gave up everything to follow Him as His disciples. They listened to His teaching and served Him faithfully to the end.
Today, we are invited to continue sharing the good news of the kingdom of God to those around us. Like the women disciples in Jesus’ times, may we give all that we have, for example, our time, our talents, etc., for the sake of the mission.
Reflective question:
Can Jesus depend on me to share the good news of the kingdom of God today?
Can Jesus depend on me to share the good news of the kingdom of God today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
