Reflection for Sunday October 30, 2022 by Carli
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Sunday Gospel: Lk 19:1-10
This Gospel passage speaks volume about the importance of dedication and faithfulness to Jesus. Zacchaeus reveals to us that you will be rewarded for the efforts to connect and experience Jesus. It entails pursuing him fully and carrying out everything he would have done for us . As followers of Jesus, we should practice love, recognize the divine inside ourselves, and relate this to our lives as Christians. Jesus accepted Zacchaeus even though he was a sinner. Consider the last time you made an attempt to get in touch with Jesus. What was the outcome? How did you feel? Even with the most lost and worst sinners, Jesus has saved them. This week's reflection is by Carli A. GMAHS class of 2025 |
Reflection for Sunday October 2nd, 2022 By MatteoSunday Gospel: Lk 17:5-10
This Sunday, we hear Jesus telling a story to show us what he wants us to do. He says that after a servant has been working in the fields, most masters would make them prepare and serve dinner and eat after. The servant is not thanked for doing this; he is expected to do it. Of course, in most cases this should not be taken literally. What Jesus is actually trying to tell us is that those who do more than the bare minimum of what he asks will be rewarded. Just as the servant got no special thanks for doing what his master expected, we will not get any special thanks for doing what God asks us to do, but we will have great personal benefit if we go above and beyond. This helps us realize that God gives us things like the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes as a minimum. For example, we are expected to go to Mass every Sunday, but maybe you could try to spread the Word of God throughout the week. Maybe instead of just praying before bed, you can pray when you wake up too. Really, what God is telling us to do is to challenge ourselves in our faith to do more than the minimum. So this week, my challenge to you is to pray an extra rosary and to consider praying for an end to the war in Ukraine. |
Reflection for Sunday October 9th, 2022Sunday Gospel: Lk 17:11-19
In this week's parable we are given a comparison between the one leper and the other nine. Jesus heals all ten of them but only one of them, the Samaritan, returns to give thanks and glorify God. We do not know what the other nine did, initially they were following the instructions of Jesus. Through the comparison we clearly see the importance of gratitude especially to God. The Sunday mass is one way we can show gratitude. Giving up a small part of our week to worship God and remember His blessings. The real challenge however is giving thanks throughout the week and that really starts by becoming aware of God's blessings and grace. What has God done for you this week? As you go to mass, offer up your blessings in gratitude to our generous God. |
Reflection for Sunday October 16th, 2022 By ElodieSunday Gospel Lk 18:1-8
The parable in this Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of a widow who requests a corrupt judge to do justice for her. She continues to ask persistently, and eventually the judge gives in and does what she wants. Jesus relates this parable to praying to God. He tells us we are to always pray persistently and not lose hope. He is not calling God corrupt by relating him to the corrupt judge. More so, he is saying that just as the corrupt judge answered after the continuous asks, for someone who is not corrupt, like God, it will pay off far more greatly. I feel this parable was meant to encourage us to keep going no matter what rejections and obstacles we face, just as the widowed woman in the parable does. Have you ever given up on God? How can you try to stay persistent in difficult times? This week's reflection is by Elodie in 8th grade. |
Reflection for Sunday October 23rd, 2022 By DylanSunday Gospel: Lk 18:9-14
The Gospel this week is about the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee was boasting because he was holier than others while the tax collector was asking for mercy because he was a sinner. We all sin, no one can be perfect but God still loves us for who we are. We do not need to fast and give everything we own to be holy but we do need humility, an awareness of our need for God. In this reading Jesus tells us “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Have you exalted yourself like the Pharisee or have you humbled yourself like the tax collector? This week's reflection is by Dylan, an 8th grader at OMC. |