FIRST READING
Titus 1:1-9
Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious. For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message as taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and to refute opponents.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place? He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
ALLELUIA
Philippians 2:15d, 16a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 17:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”
And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
REFLECTIONS:
What's the driving force in your life? Jesus speaks
of two forces at work in our lives the power of temptation to sin and
cause harm and the power of faith to overcome obstacles and difficulties
that stand in the way of loving God and our neighbor. The Greek word for
temptation
(scandalon) is the same as the English word scandal. The
original meaning of scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes
one to trip and fall. The scriptures warn us about the snare or enticement
to go astray and to do what is evil. Keep me from the trap which they
have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers! (Psalm 141:9) Whoever
loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there
is no cause for stumbling (1 John 2:10). The Jews held that it was
an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin,
he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set
in motion with no foreseeable end. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible
responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another,
that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin.
The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those
who should be passing on the faith.
While Jesus warns against the danger of giving bad example and causing
scandal, he also demonstrates the power of faith for overcoming obstacles
and temptation to sin. What did Jesus mean when he said that our faith
can move trees and
mountains as well (see Matthew17:20; Mark
11:23)? The term "mountain remover" was used for someone who could solve
great problems and difficulties. Don't we often encounter challenges and
difficulties which seem beyond our power to handle? What appears impossible
to human power is possible to those who believe in God's power. Faith is
a gift freely given by God to help us know God personally, to understand
his truth, and to live in the power of his love. God expects more from
us than we can simply do by ourselves. That is why Jesus gives us the gift
and power of the Holy Spirit who helps us to grow strong in faith,
persevere in hope, and endure in love. Faith in God is the key for removing
obstacles and difficulties which keep us from doing his will. We belong
to God and our lives are no longer our own. Our joy and privilege is to
follow the Lord Jesus and to serve in the power of his love and goodness.
The Lord Jesus is ever ready to work in and through us for his glory. For
our faith to be effective it must be linked with trust and with obedience
an active submission to God and a willingness to do whatever he
commands. Do you trust in the grace and strength which God freely gives
to help us resist temptation and to overcome obstacles in doing his will?
"Lord Jesus, you give us victory over the destructive forces of sin
and harmful desires that keep us from doing your will. Give me the strength
to always choose what is good and to reject what is wrong. May your love
rule my heart that I may forgive those who cause me harm and guide those
who need your help."
The following reflection is courtesy of PresentationMinistries.com (c) 2012. Their website is located at PresentationMinistries.com
"FATHER, FORGIVE" (Lk 23:34)
"If he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times a day turns back to you saying, 'I am sorry,' forgive him." Luke 17:4
We are made in the image and likeness of God (Gn 1:27). As disciples of Jesus, we try to be like Jesus in every aspect of our conduct (1 Pt 1:15). In this way, we are like God, for Jesus is God and the "exact Representation of the Father's Being" (Heb 1:3).
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