From Appearance to Truth
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.”Ps. 92
A song lyric says: A world of appearances drowns out trust, words, empty as they are, reveal deceit, we have adulterated the word of God to justify our vain pursuits.
In reality, in this world, it is as easy to deceive others as it is to deceive ourselves, and we often fall into this trap – thinking that just by going to confession and receiving communion, our soul has reached a higher level, or that by singing praises, our soul is truly singing. Yet, it is very easy to pray and sing with our lips while our hearts remain far from God. It is like a first-grade student walking into an eighth-grade classroom and thinking they have advanced eight years just by being there.
Let’s carefully examine where our soul truly stands because, when we come face to face with God, it will be revealed whether our hearts truly love Him or not. At that moment, there will be no lips to deceive or give the “right” answer out of self-interest to secure a place in heaven. It will be evident whether we belong in heaven, purgatory, or hell-based on the true longing of our hearts for love of God and others. Many may have attended Mass daily, yet if they have not grown in love for God and their neighbor, the hour of truth will reveal the true level of their soul.
Many do not take the Christian and spiritual life seriously, treating it as a hobby or a mere alignment of ideas, but they have not entered the new life in Christ–the life in the Spirit. They continue living superficially in the flesh, chasing after the fleeting values of this world, relegating God to a secondary role.
Only God knows where each person’s heart truly is. We may deceive ourselves into thinking we love God while actually treating Him as less important, using Him as we please. We also may think we love someone, but in reality, we only want them to make us feel good–meaning we love selfishly, only while they bring us comfort–because we do not know how to truly love and seek their genuine well-being, even at the cost of personal sacrifice, which is the essence of true love.
LET US PREPARE FOR LENT. Examine yourself and reflect: What place does God hold in your life? Do you love Him? Do you seek to please Him and do His will? Do you give Him your time? Do you enjoy being with Him, listening to Him, and learning from Him? Is He the love of your life, the one you desire to please? Only by placing God first can you truly love Him and your neighbor. Without this first love for God, something or someone else takes His place-leading to idolatry of people or even material things, which push God into the background. Give Him his place within your heart, so you may enjoy his Life in abundance.
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Sir 27:4-7/Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (see 2a)/1 Cor 15:54-58/Lk 6:39-45
Monday: Sir 17:20-24/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7/Mk 10:17-27
Tuesday: Sir 35:1-12/Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23/Mk 10:28-31
Wednesday: JI 2:12-18/Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17/2 Cor 5:20-6:2/Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Thursday: Dt 30:15-20/Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6/Lk 9:22-25
Friday: Is 58:1-ga/Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19/Mt 9:14-15
Saturday: Is 58:9b-14/Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6/Lk 5:27-32
Next Sunday: Dt 26:4-10/Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (see 5b)/Rom 10:8-13/Lk 4:1-13
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday: St. Katharine Drexel, Virgin
Tuesday: St. Casimir
Wednesday: Ash Wednesday
Friday: Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs
Saturday: St. John of God, Religious
Next Sunday: 1st Sunday of Lent, Daylight Saving Time begins
