Sunday, October 25, 2015

Sincerest almsgiving purifies soul


October 13, 2015

Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the day : Saint Edward the Confessor (1066) 

Readings


16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek.[1]17 For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; [2] as it is written, "The one who is righteous by faith will live." 

18The wrath [3] of God [4] is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.[5] 19 For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. 

20Ever since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what He has made. As a result, they have no excuse; 21for although they knew God they did not accord Him glory as God or give Him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. 

22While claiming to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes. 


24Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts [6] for the mutual degradation of their bodies. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.


2The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of His hands. 3Day unto day pours forth speech; night unto night whispers knowledge. 4There is no speech, no words; their voice is not heard; 5A report goes forth through all the earth, their messages, to the ends of the world.


37After he had spoken, [7]Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. 38The Pharisee was amazed to see that He did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

39The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.

40You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? 41But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you. 



 Notes on Readings:

[1]  Romans 1:16-17 - The main theme of the letter is salvation through faith. I am not ashamed of the gospel: Paul is not ashamed to proclaim the gospel, despite the condemnation that Jews and Gentiles leveled against the announcement of the crucified savior; compare with 1 Corinthians 1:23-24. Paul affirms, however, that it is specifically through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection that God's saving will and power become visible. Jew first (compare with Romans 2:9-10)  means that Jews especially, in view of the example of Abraham (Romans 4), ought to be the leaders in the response of faith.

[2] Romans 1:17 - In it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith: the gospel focuses in Jesus Christ, in whom God's saving presence and rectitude in history have been made known. Faith is affirmation of the basic objective and meaning of the Old Testament as announcement of divine promise (Romans 1:2 ;  4;13) and revelation of the powerlessness of humanity to effect its salvation even through covenant law. Faith is the gift of the Holy Spirit and indicates acceptance of salvation as God's righteousness, that is, God's gift of a renewed relationship in absolution and power for a new life. Faith is response to God's total claim on people and their destiny. The one who is righteous by faith will live: see the footnote on  Habakkuk 2:4.

[3] Romans 1:18; 3:20 - Paul aims to show that all humanity is in a desperate plight and necessitates God's special intervention if it is to be saved.

[4] Romans 1:18 - The wrath of God: God's reaction to human sinfulness, an Old Testament phrase that expresses the irreconcilable opposition between God and evil (see Isaiah 9:11, 16; 18;  10:4 ; 30:27. It is not contrary to God's universal love for His creatures, but condemns Israel's turning aside from the covenant obligations. Hosea depicts Yahweh as suffering intensely at the thought of having to punish Israel (Hosea 11:8-9) . God's wrath was to be poured forth especially on the "Day of Yahweh" and thus took on an eschatological connotation (see Zephaniah 1:15).

[5] Romans 1:18-32 - In this passage Paul uses themes and rhetoric common in Jewish-Hellenistic mission proclamation (compare with Wisdom 13:1 ; 14:31) to indict especially the non-Jewish world. The close association of idolatry and immorality is basic, but the generalization needs in all fairness to be balanced against the fact that non-Jewish Christian society on many levels displayed moral attitudes and performance whose quality would challenge much of contemporary Christian culture. Romans themselves expressed abhorrence over devotion accorded to animals in Egypt. Paul's main point is that the wrath of God does not await the end of the world but goes into action at each present moment in humanity's history when misdirected piety serves as a facade for self-interest.

[6] Romans 1:24 - In order to expose the depth of humanity's rebellion against the Creator, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts. Instead of curbing people's evil interests, God abandoned them to self-indulgence, thereby removing the facade of apparent conformity to the divine will. Subsequently Paul will show that the Mosaic law produces the same effect; compare with Romans 5;20 ;7:13-24 . The divine judgment expressed here is related to the theme of hardness of heart described in Romans 9:17-18.

[7] Luke 11:37-54 This denunciation of the Pharisees (Luke 11:39-44) and the scholars of the law (Luke 11:45-52) is set by Luke in the context of Jesus' dining at the home of a Pharisee. Controversies with or reprimands of Pharisees are regularly set by Luke within the context of Jesus' eating with Pharisees ((see Luke 5:29-39; 7:36-50; 14:1-24) . A different compilation of similar sayings is found in Matthew 23  (see also the footnotes there).

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.