Monday of the First Week of Lent

from http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/readings/030209.shtml

Gospel
Mt 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."

Si God talaga isusurprise Niya tayo sa kabaligtaran ng inaasahan natin. Akala kasi natin bongga ang pag-enter Niya sa buhay natin pero iyon pala sa maliliit na bagay Siya magpaparamdam. Kaya nga ang pagkakaintindi ko sa gospel today, mas lalo tayong dapat na nagpapahalaga sa “maliliit” na kapuwa natin.

Nagka-interes akong bumili ng colon cleanser para sa mga kapamilya ko tapos nairelate ko sa pagbasa ngayon. May mga cases na napakahealthy ng isang tao tapos isang simpleng sakit lang, madadala na sa hospital tapos ilang araw lang goodbye na. Kaya and tanong ng mga tao sa paligid niya “Napakalusog naman ng taong iyon pero bakit nagkaganoon?” Ang sasabihn naman ng doctor, "Sa mga maliliit na bagay din nakukuha ang sakit. Ang paunti-unti mong pagkahilig sa mabebetsin ang unti-unti ring sisira sa kidney mo. Ang paunti-unti mong pag-inom ng alak ang susunog ng atay mo. Ang bawat stick ng yosi ang susunog ng baga mo. Ang bawat masasarap na chocolates ang magpapataas ng blood sugar mo at kung anu-ano pa." Kaya sana palagi tayong maging healthy at magkaroon tayo ng disiplina sa pagkain ng akala nating masasarap.

Gaya ng pangangalaga sa katawan, pangalagaan din natin ang relasyon natin kay God sa pamamagitan ng pagmamahal sa mga “maliliit” nating kapuwa. Bumili ka kaya ng extrang tinapay or any food tapos ibigay mo sa makikita mong pulubi?

If you can't feed one hundred people, then feed just one. Mother Theresa. from Didache