REFLECTION FOR TODAY
All the wealth in the world cannot be compared with the happiness of living together happily united.
-- Blessed Margaret d'Youville
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28
25 “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that isn't right.
26 When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done.
27 When someone evil stops sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life.
28 He realizes what he is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living.
Psalms: Psalm 25:4-9
4 Teach me your ways, O Lord; make them known to me.
5 Teach me to live according to your truth, for you are my God, who saves me. I always trust in you.
6 Remember, O Lord, your kindness and constant love which you have shown from long ago.
7 Forgive the sins and errors of my youth. In your constant love and goodness, remember me, Lord!
8 Because the Lord is righteous and good, he teaches sinners the path they should follow.
9 He leads the humble in the right way and teaches them his will.
Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-11 or Philippians 2:1-5
(Christ's Humility and Greatness)
Philippians 2:1-11
1 Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another.
2 I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind.
3 Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.
4 And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own.
5 The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:
6 He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.
7 Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.
8 He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—his death on the cross.
9 For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.
10 And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below
will fall on their knees,
11 and all will openly poclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
OR
Philippians 2:1-5
1 Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another.
2 I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind.
3 Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.
4 And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own.
5 The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had:
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32
(The Parable of the Two Sons)
28 “Now, what do you think? There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the older one and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
29 ‘I don't want to,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. ‘Yes, sir,’ he answered, but he did not go. 31 Which one of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The older one,” they answered.
So Jesus said to them, “I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you. For John the Baptist came to you showing you the right path to take, and you would not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Even when you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
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