"Ibaligya ang tanan mo nga pagkabutang kag magaangkon ka sing manggad sa langit"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 19:16-22)
Lunes (Agosto 19)

May isa ka tawo nga nagpalapit kay Jesus kag nagpamangkot, “Manunodlo, ano bala ang maayo nga himuon ko agod akon maangkon ang kabuhi nga walay katapusan?”

Nagsabat si Jesus, “Ngaa bala nagapamangkot ka sa akon kon ano ang maayo?” May Isa lamang nga maayo. Tumana ang mga sugo kon luyag ka mag-angkon sang kabuhi nga wala sing katapusan.

Nagpamangkot sia, “Ano nga mga sugo?” Nagsabat si Jesus, “Indi ka magpatay, indi ka magpanginbabayi ukon magpanginlalaki, indi ka magpangawat, kag indi ka magbutig.

Tahura ang imo amay kag ang imo iloy, kag higugmaa ang imo isigkatawo subong sang imo kaugalingon.”

Ang pamatan-on nagsabat, “Natuman ko na ini nga mga sugo. Ano pa bala ang nakulang sa akon?”

Si Jesus nagsiling sa iya, “Kon luyag ka nga manginhimpit, lakat ka kag ibaligya ang tanan mo nga pagkabutang kag ihatag mo ang kuwarta sa mga imol, kag magaangkon ka sing manggad sa langit kag dali sunod ka sa akon.”

Sang pagkabati sini sang pamatan-on, naglakat sia nga masinulob-on, kay manggaranon sia.

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, you alone can satisfy the deepest longing in my heart. No other treasure can compare with you. Keep me free from all discontentment, possessiveness, greed and selfishness, that I may have joy in knowing that you alone are my true Treasure and my Portion."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

What gives hope and satisfaction to our desire for happiness and security? A young man who had the best the world could offer – wealth and security – came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments; but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him from giving himself whole-heartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became dismayed.

Why did he go away from Jesus with sadness rather than with joy? His treasure and his hope for happiness were misplaced. Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. The Lord himself is the greatest treasure we can possibly have. Giving up everything else to have the Lord as our treasure is not sorrowful, but the greatest joy. See Jesus' parable about the treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). Selling all that we have could mean many different things – our friends, our job, our style of life, what we do with our free time. Jesus challenged the young man because his heart was possessive. He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with innumerable spiritual goods – such as longlasting peace, unspeakable joy, enduring love, abiding relationships and friendship that does not fade or fail – that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions which fail to sastify us beyond the present moment. God alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from seeking true joy with Jesus?