Renungan Harian Katolik Untuk Para Pekerja / Orang Sibuk

Wednesday 8th week in ordinary time

"Mk 10:32-45"

Jesus said to his disciples, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

That's our greatness: "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Mt 23:11). To be able to serve you need to love, and love is the most important virtue: a mother serves her children because she loves them. We too will serve if we love. In order to serve others we need to forget ourselves, to stop that excessive worry about 'me' and do it always with a smile, with a generous heart, without expecting anything in return.

Saint Josemaría, who was fond of saying "My pride is to serve", used to help sick people with tuberculosis in a hospital accompanied by young students. They took care of combing their hair, of shaving them, cutting their nails, washing them or cleaning their chamber pots. That was really awful. One day, a young student called Luis Gordon was asked to clean a chamber pot full of filth, and he couldn't hide a gesture of revulsion. St Josemaría followed Luis, thinking he might even faint from the smell. Instead he was really impressed to find him hard at work, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, cleaning the pot with his bare hand while he said in a low voice, "Jesus, may I put on a good face!"

You can pray the same today: Jesus, may I always put on a good face when I serve others for Your sake.

"I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus... Intense love does not measure; it just gives" (St Teresa of Calcutta).

Holy Mary, Mother of Fair Love, help me to fix in my mind that "to give oneself sincerely to others is so effective that God rewards it with a humility filled with cheerfulness" (St Josemaría).

Monday 8th week in ordinary time

"Mk 10:17-27"

A man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery...'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

We can't help feeling sorry for this young man who had been chosen personally by Jesus to follow Him and become an Apostle. The Gospel says that Jesus, "looking upon him, loved him," but he didn't want to follow Jesus.

Perhaps afterwards he tried to convince himself that he was right: that selling all his sheep, cattle and fields and giving the money to the poor would have been crazy; that leaving everything to follow that man without knowing where they were going would be nonsense. Maybe a couple of years later someone came to the village with the news that Jesus had been crucified - and he thought, 'You see? I was right!'; perhaps a few months later he heard that some said He had risen from the dead and was alive... And he hesitated. But a few years afterwards he heard about the persecutions and Christians running away and probably thought again that he'd made the right decision. At the end of his life he contemplated his possessions and achievements but could not forget that one day, many years before, Jesus wanted to change his life, to make him an Apostle, but he said no...

But the story could have a different ending. Perhaps, after a few weeks hesitating he thought, 'I don't want to spend the rest of my life worried about my cattle and fields and money! Jesus needs me; there are people waiting for me... I can change the course of history with Him!' And he left everything and went after Jesus, became an Apostle and is now in Heaven helping souls to be generous with God to become the Apostles of the 21st century...

Holy Mary, Queen of the Apostles, help me to be generous, to forget about my things and my comfort - and to follow your Son.

Monday 8th week in ordinary time

"Mk 10:17-27"

A man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery...'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

We can't help feeling sorry for this young man who had been chosen personally by Jesus to follow Him and become an Apostle. The Gospel says that Jesus, "looking upon him, loved him," but he didn't want to follow Jesus.

Perhaps afterwards he tried to convince himself that he was right: that selling all his sheep, cattle and fields and giving the money to the poor would have been crazy; that leaving everything to follow that man without knowing where they were going would be nonsense. Maybe a couple of years later someone came to the village with the news that Jesus had been crucified - and he thought, 'You see? I was right!'; perhaps a few months later he heard that some said He had risen from the dead and was alive... And he hesitated. But a few years afterwards he heard about the persecutions and Christians running away and probably thought again that he'd made the right decision. At the end of his life he contemplated his possessions and achievements but could not forget that one day, many years before, Jesus wanted to change his life, to make him an Apostle, but he said no...

But the story could have a different ending. Perhaps, after a few weeks hesitating he thought, 'I don't want to spend the rest of my life worried about my cattle and fields and money! Jesus needs me; there are people waiting for me... I can change the course of history with Him!' And he left everything and went after Jesus, became an Apostle and is now in Heaven helping souls to be generous with God to become the Apostles of the 21st century...

Holy Mary, Queen of the Apostles, help me to be generous, to forget about my things and my comfort - and to follow your Son.

Saturday 7th week in ordinary time

"Mk 10:13-16"

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

We don't find in the Gospels a detailed description of Jesus. In the old days people wrote about the deeds and words of ancient figures and left aside physical and psychological details about the person. Nevertheless, we find interesting words in the Gospels that give us a glimpse of how He was. Jesus loved children, their games and songs, their running around, their chatter and constant enjoyment. Children can be a nuisance sometimes. For Jesus, though, it was a joy to be surrounded by children, to kiss them and hug them. But it is also a fact that children loved Jesus. Little kids are not easily attracted by grown-ups. But they felt confident with Jesus because He was a lovable Man.

A five-minute documentary about St John Paul II and children (http://ow.ly/10pnC6), explains his relationship with the little ones. It opens with the statement: "Six years have passed. And we are still wondering, why did we love him so much?" As images pass through the screen we are reminded of his 'popularity' among children, his affection, his smile, his warmth. At the end children give the answer to the opening question: "We loved him because he was like us. But especially because... he was like Christ."

Children loved Jesus because He was like them. He was cheerful. He told funny stories (like the guy with the plank in his eye...) He didn't hesitate to play their games, sing their songs or tell them stories. And He asked His disciples to be like them. We need to learn a lot from children: their cheerfulness, their trust, their lack of personal concerns. They easily forget their wounds and offences and can laugh ten seconds after crying. They don't need much; they can enjoy themselves with a twig. Mary, my Mother, help us to be like children, to be like your Son.

Friday 7th week in ordinary time

"Mk 10:1-12"

Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?...Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.' So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder."

The plans and laws of God are meant to help us achieve happiness. But the fact that the plan comes from God's Love doesn't mean that it isn't demanding. A man was extremely overweight. He was double the weight he used to be. He went to the doctor because he had constant headaches, sleep problems, difficulties in concentrating and being productive at work. His family life was also difficult. He was grumpy all the time and found it hard to make time for his wife and children. The doctor gave him the solution to all his problems: a diet.

After a few months he went back to his normal weight and found himself better than ever. He could now sleep well, his headaches disappeared, he felt cheerful again and was more productive than ever at work. Everything was great except at meal times. His diet was demanding. On his next visit to the doctor he relayed the good news of his new condition but asked if certain allowances could be made: could he eat pasta, or a cake every now and then? Could he have a snack before going to bed? Was alcohol really prohibited? Couldn't he go to the gym only once a week instead of four times? The doctor had to say, "It is your headache, not mine, your mood, your work, your sleep and your family... Do what you want but remember how it was before!"

We find happiness when we make the effort to fulfil the Loving Plan of God. It is always demanding, but God doesn't just give us a set of rules, a 'diet'. He gives us the Grace we need and He also follows the diet with us.

My Mother, Virgin Most Faithful, may I learn not just to fulfil God's Loving Law as an obligation, but to cherish it every day of my life.

Thursday 7th week in ordinary time

"Mk 9:41-50"

"For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea ... For every one will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

It is a great consolation, Lord, that everything we do for You – no matter how little - will be rewarded. Something as small as a cup of water, My Jesus, will never be forgotten by You.

One cold winter's day, when St Martin was a young soldier, he met a shivering beggar in rags. As he had nothing to give him he took his sword and divided his cape in two, giving half to the beggar. That night in a dream he saw Jesus covered with half of his cape... It is not a valid excuse to say that we can only give a little. As St Teresa of Calcutta said, "If you can't feed a hundred... then feed just one."

In actual fact, what we can do for the others is usually very little. The great deeds of the saints were, very often, a large number of little deeds. Venerable Pope John Paul I taught: "I have never had an opportunity to throw myself into the waters of a rushing stream to save someone whose life was in danger; very often I have been asked to lend something, to write letters, to give simple little directions. I have never run into a mad dog in the street; on the other hand, I have encountered any number of tiresome flies and mosquitoes; I have never had persecutors who beat me, but many people disturb me by speaking loudly in the street, by turning up the volume of their TV, or even by making certain noises while eating soup. To help others as best you can, to avoid losing your temper, to be understanding, to keep calm and smiling on these occasions (as much as possible!) is loving your neighbour, without fancy talk, but in a practical way." And all that will never be forgotten by Our Lord who will reward us as if we did it to Him. That's the salt of Christians: when we can help, we do help. Even if it is a little thing. Because there is nothing little for God. Our Lady, how many times you helped your friends and neighbours! Mother, teach me to serve!