Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Noel Rebangcos SVD – Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
Friday 29th Week in Ordinary Time
An amazing 7-year-old celebrity named Xia Vigor was asked by a TV host: “How come Xia that at your young age you are already wearing a ring?” Possessing qualities of a wonder child, Xia answered with a smile in her face, “Yes, this is what I call my ‘right ring.’ This ring reminds me to always think and do what is right.”
“Why do you not judge for yourself what is right?” asks Jesus in the Gospel. Righteousness is the virtue that Jesus urges his disciples and the people to practice. To do the right thing is to follow God’s commandments. For Xia, to do the right thing is to please God always through her acts of respect, kindness, generosity and love. At a young age she sees God actively present in her life unlike the people in the Gospel whom Jesus called “hypocrites.” They could read the weather but could not discern Jesus’message and teaching.
As we grow older, “knowing and doing what is right should be easy.” Not really. We complicate our lives that we tend to forget doing what is right. Jesus said, we need to think like children, that is, un-complicate our lives, step back a little especially when we are pressured and hurried, lessen the drama, listen to what our heart is saying and not what other people are saying. We need to listen to understand, not to listen only to react.
Sometimes, we need reminders of things we need to do. Hence, our daily planners. Xia Vigor has her ring. As Christian adults, we also need to “graduate” from having symbols to remind us to follow God’s commandments. These should already be etched in our hearts, in our minds and in our soul.
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