Posted by Word Alive–Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD September 4, 2022 /23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time / C
September 8 is the birthday of Mama Mary. It is also the foundation anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) founded in 1875 by German priest Arnold Janssen, now a saint.
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The Society of the Divine Word ranks 7th largest among the male religious congregations worldwide and the biggest male congregation in the Philippines. To date there are 137 Filipino SVD missionaries working in 45 countries.
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SVD priests and brothers in the Philippines are involved in the following apostolates: justice and peace, mass media. parishes, seminaries: Christ the King Mission Seminary, Quezon City, SVD Theologate, Tagaytay, Divine Word Mission Institute, Tagaytay; four high schools, 8 colleges, 2 universities: San Carlos Cebu and Holy Name Tagbilaran.
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Readers are fervently requested to pray for the Society of the Divine Word and its various mission apostolates here and abroad.
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GOSPEL REFLECTION “If anyone comes to me without turning his back on his father and mother, his wife and children, and even his life, cannot be my follower” (Lk 14,25).
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Jesus’ words of Christ in this 23rd Sunday’s gospel sound harsh, blunt, and even disrespectful. But the Lord, in his Semitic way of teaching, is stressing an important message. He’s saying that nothing, not even family relationships, should stand in the way of following him completely. If a conflict of interest arises like work or leisure, a disciple should prefer to follow Jesus.
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For instance, there are some parents who discourage a son or daughter who wants to follow the Lord in the religious life. Those parents will be answerable to the Lord.
On the other hand, there are generous parents who sincerely wish and pray that one of their children would enter the religious life. They believe that a son or daughter who has a religious aspiration is a special blessing and gift from God.
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The call to discipleship applies not only to the religious life but to EVERY Christian. Jesus’ message is that anything or anyone who is hindering the discipleship must make a choice.
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What are these hindrances? One is work. Some people are so enslaved with material pursuit that they have no more time for God, their family and fellowmen.
Another hindrance may be a deep-rooted vice or sin which can cause grave scandal. A story is told about four clergymen who were discussing confidentially about their own weaknesses.
“I’m very partial to eating sausages,” confided a Jewish Rabbi whose religion forbids eating pork. “I get through a bottle of whisky a day,” said the Protestant minister. “I have a girlfriend on the side,” said the Catholic priest.
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Then they turned to the Born Again minister and said, “What about you—surely you have a secret vice?”
“Yes,” he said, “I am a chronic gossiper.” And the three deeply regretted ever divulging their vices.
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Another obstacle to discipleship is the pursuit of inordinate money obtained through illegal and criminal means. Some common practices nowadays are briberies and merciless money lenders charging sky-high interests that can render the poor borrowers bankrupt.
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Ask yourself: “What’s the thing that hinders you from following Christ? Is it attachment to work, money or illicit relation?
The answer will be different for each and every one because this is something personal. But what’s important is that we must have a PLAN in life which the Lord said that “you must calculate if you have enough resources to finish building a tower” (Lk 14,28).
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Let’s thank the Lord for giving us an invitation to become his disciples. Whatever difficulties and deprivations we encounter in following him is all worth it because the reward will be eternal glory.
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