The Lord will lead you in the way you should go

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 11:16-19)

Biyernes (Disyembre 13)

"Karon, sa ano ko bala ipaanggid ang mga tawo sini nga panahon? Kaangay sila sang mga kabataan nga nagapinungko didto sa tiyendahan kag nagasinggitanay, 'Nagtukar kami sa inyo sing plawta, pero wala kamo magsaot! Nagpanalambiton kami, pero wala man kamo maghibi!' 

Nagkari si Juan nga nagapuasa kag wala nagainom sing bino, kag nagsiling sila, 'Ginagamhan sia sang yawa!'

Ang Anak sang Tawo nagkari nga nagakaon kag nagainom, kag nagsiling sila, 'Tan-awa ninyo ini nga tawo! Palakaon sia kag palainom sing bino, kag amigo sang mga manugsokot sang buhis kag sang mga makasasala! Pero ang kaalam sang Dios mapamatud-an paagi sa iya mga binuhatan."

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, open my ears to hear the good news of your kingdom and set my heart free to love and serve you joyfully. May nothing keep me from following you wholeheartedly."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Do you seek God's way of peace and wisdom for your life? The prophets remind us that God’s kingdom is open to those who are teachable and receptive to the word of God. Through their obedience to God's word and commandments, they receive not only wisdom and peace for themselves, but they, in turn become a blessing to their children and their offspring as well. Jesus warns the generation of his day to heed God's word before it is too late. He compares teachers and scholars, and those who have been taught, with stubborn playmates who refuse to follow any sort of direction or instruction. Jesus’ parable about disappointed playmates challenge us to examine whether we are selective to only hear what we want to hear. The children in Jesus' parable react with dismay because they cannot get anyone to follow their instruction. They complain that if they play their music at weddings, no one will dance or sing; and if they play at funerals, it is the same. This refrain echoes the words of Ecclesiastes 3:4 – "there is a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." Are you in tune with the message of God's kingdom? And do you obey it without reservation? Jesus' message of the kingdom of God is good news to those who will listen and it produces true joy and spiritual freedom for them; but it is also a warning for those who refuse to obey.

Why did the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus meet with deaf ears and resistance? It was out of jealously and spiritual blindness that the scribes and Pharisees attributed John the Baptist's austerities to the devil and they attributed Jesus' table fellowship with sinners as evidence that he must be a false messiah. They succeeded in frustrating God's plan for their lives because they had closed their hearts to the message of John the Baptist and now to Jesus' message. What can make us spiritually dull and slow to hear God's voice? Like the generation of Jesus' time, our age is marked by indifference and contempt, especially in regards to the things of heaven. Indifference dulls our ears to God's voice and to the good news of the gospel. Only the humble of heart can find joy and favor in God's sight. Is you life in tune with Jesus's message of hope and salvation? And do you know the joy of obedience to God word?