Gospel Reflection July 2 – Msgr. Hendricks
Sunday, July 2
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 10: 37-42
Gospel:
Jesus said to his apostles:
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
Gospel Reflection:
It seems harsh of Jesus to speak to us in this way, but He makes a great point. If we are not fully committed to His love then we will only reap the rewards of the world and miss the point of life eternal.
As the prophet Elisha in our first reading today committed fully to the Lord, he found strength to not only accept the hospitality of the unnamed wealthy couple, but to offer them the Lord’s miracle of a son in their old age and then after that son dies prematurely to bring him back to life again.
The take away this week is to strengthen your relationship with the Lord.
Monsignor Hendricks