FIRST READING
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ”
The beginning of the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians (Philippians 1:1 – 11)
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 111: lb-2.3-4.5-6 (R. 2a)
R/. Great are the works of the Lord.
Or: Alleluia.
I will praise the Lord with all my heart,
in the meeting of the just and the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who delight in them. R.
Majestic and glorious his work;
his justice stands firm forever.
He has given us a memorial of his wonders.
The Lord is gracious and merciful. R.
He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
His mighty works he has shown to his
people by giving them the heritage of nations. R.
ALLELUIA John 10:27
Alleluia. My sheep heat my voice, says the Lord; and I know them, and they follow me. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day? ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 14: 1-6)
One sabbath when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the sab- bath, or not?” But they were silent. Then he took him and healed him, and let him go. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?” And they could not reply to this.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The beginning of the Letter of St Paul to the Philippians is so instructive. It reflects the concern and love every Bishop and priest of the Church ought to have for God’s people. This responsibility of love and concern does not end with Priests, it comes down to the parents and children in the family, teachers and leaders, and in fact, everyone who has the responsibility of caring for others. The question Jesus asked the lawyer and the Pharisees in today’s gospel about healing on the Sabbath and his subsequent healing miracle is one of care and concern he has for a suffering person. He also puts the same question before all of us today. What act of love and concern can you do today? Jesus invites us to join him in healing our world of hatred, pain, neglect, indifference, slander and disunity.