THE JUST WILL LIVE IN THE PRESENCE(Genesis 13:2,5-18/Psalm 15:2-5/Matthew 7:6,12-14)

THE JUST WILL LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

(Tuesday, June 25, 2019)

Today’s first reading shows Abram as being rewarded for accepting the more challenging environment, that is, choosing the right, but more difficult route. It does matter how it begins but how it ends. The first reading is reminding us to always put our trust in God even it seems that the hope of surviving is slim like in the case of Abram in the reading. Lot his brother chose the better but God eventually rewarded Abram at the end because of his trust in Him. We can see that Abram treated his brother Lot even to the extent of proposing something allowed Lot to choose first. This is exactly the message of the gospel reading today. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”

These words spoken by Jesus in today’s gospel have come to be known as The Golden Rule. Jesus continues addressing specific issues in the life of the faithful. This teaching is so basic that almost every religion possesses this teaching. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”

The teaching is not hard to understand and accept. It is the practice of it that is far from the lives of so many people and worse still, among Christians. There is always a tendency to see and preserve only oneself. We are all connected to one another in one way or the other. The best if not the highest measure of how we regard others is our regard of ourselves. Normally, we want the best for ourselves. We do not want pain, suffering, and failure.

We also reject and abhor dishonest, disrespectful, violent, immoral, and other abominable attitudes. It is also part of Golden Rule game to see that others do not experience these negative things. Our own happiness should not be gotten by stepping on people’s rights and comforts. But it seems that in spite of this Golden Rule, many of us still remain selfish. We seem weak and afraid to let go of the resolve to treat others as we treat ourselves.

The golden Rule is essential as testified to by many religions. To us Christians, it is core and basic. We may be addressed as those who do not understand the teaching of Christ if we fail to live by the Golden Rule.

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me grace to do good to others so that in the end I will fine eternal life. Amen