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Myanmar Catholic Church
CBCM
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Seeking God’s Glory

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A)

 

Seeking God's glory above all is not something we can learn overnight. Besides a solid sacramental and prayer life, it also takes a sincere and constant effort to keep our naturally selfish tendencies under control. Active Christians are extra vulnerable to the temptation of self-righteousness. Like the Pharisees, we can start thinking so highly of ourselves that we begin looking down on others. From this Sunday Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples not to claim any special honor or any special place because they are closely associated with him or because they are the first members of his Church. All the people, no matter where they come, are equally precious to God. Similarly, long-time Church members should expect no special preference over recent members. As the chosen People of God, the Jews looked down upon the Gentiles. Jesus warns them that the Gentiles who put their Faith in God will have the same reward as a good Jew may expect. Through this parable, Jesus intends to show the generosity of God in opening the doors of the Heavenly Kingdom to the repentant Gentiles and sinners on equal footing with the Jews. Matthew, by retelling this parable, may well desire to give the same warning to the members of his Judeo-Christian community who considered the converted Gentiles as second-class Christians.

In all that we do, we should be striving not for praise and recognition from other people here on earth, but for God's reward in heaven. We should strive simply to love God and to love our neighbor, and to do good to others so as to be mirrors of God's own goodness. Paul the Apostle reminds us, "Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not others, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward - you are serving the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24). Let us remind ourselves: “the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20: 16)

Fr. Anthony Htun


2020-09-19 08:14:02
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