12 July 2024 - Only By Grace Reflections
#OnlyByGraceReflections #CFC #CouplesforChrist
NOTE: Please click the Subscribe key on YouTube and press the black notification bell to receive the daily reflections. Or, open in YouTube for easy access. View and Like. Thank you.
Show More
Topic: ARE YOU BOLD ENOUGH TO WITNESS TO THE TRUTH?
First Reading: Hosea 14: 2-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51: 3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 and 17
Alleluia: John 16: 13a; 14: 26d
Gospel: Matthew 10: 16-23
Jesus continues His instructions to His disciples and sternly warns them that as they proclaim His message, they will meet opposition. Jesus cautions them to be careful. They will be vulnerable, like sheep in the midst of wolves. Thus, they need to be alert and shrewd in their assessment of everyone they will encounter. This was what the Israelis did in dealing with the Egyptian agent, whom they shrewdly convinced to be a ‘double agent’.
Jesus further warns them that they may be arrested, scourged and taken before governors and kings for “His sake”. In these situations, they are to be strong witnesses to Him. He then consoles them and assures them that they are not to worry about what to say in response to the authorities. Jesus promises that they will be given the words to say and the Holy Spirit will be with them and speak through them.
‘Following Jesus’ may sound romantic. However, if we truly live as He did, we may rock some boats and make enemies just as He did. However, we always have a choice. Every morning when we wake up, we have to make a choice. Should we live and act as Jesus did?
This is the 1536th installment of our CFC contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings.
[NOTE: Let us listen to our brother Jess Ferrer, Head of the CFC Migrants Program, as he brings us today's reflection.
All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on Couples for
