What reward points are you accumulating?

“…amen I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”– MT 10: 42

In this day and age, it seems like there are many ways to build up rewards to achieve something we want.  When we use credit cards, we have the opportunity to acquire air miles, discounts to our favorite store or on the price per gallon of gas for our vehicles.  The list is endless, and it seems whatever the reason, achieving these rewards enables us to spend more money on things that give us happiness in this life.  However, are these the only reward points we should be accumulating?

Who or what takes first place in our life - in our daily thoughts, cares, and concerns? Our readings on this Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time gives us insight on how God has put us first in His thought, care, and concern for our well-being and future. God loved us first and our love for Him is a response to His exceeding kindness and mercy towards us. Even while we were hopelessly adrift through our own sinful pride, rebellion and unbelief, He choose to give us His own beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for our sake - to set us free from slavery to sin, Satan, and death. How are our actions saying thanks to this fact?

There is no greater proof of God's love for us than the free-will offering of His Son who shed His blood for us on the cross. The death of Jesus broke the curse of guilt and condemnation which won for us pardon and adoption as beloved sons and daughters of God our Father. Through the victory of His cross and resurrection, the Lord Jesus offers us abundant new life through the gift and power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

The Holy Spirit reveals to us the love of the eternal Father and the eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who come to make their home with us and to unite us in a bond of peace and friendship. That is why the Lord Jesus commands us as He did with the early disciples to give Him our undivided loyalty and love above all else. We owe Him a debt of gratitude for what He has done for us. The Lord Jesus gives us the assurance and promise that He will raise up our mortal bodies to be like His so that we may fully share in His resurrection for all eternity. WHAT A REWARD!!

God has no equal - that is why we owe the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit our undivided loyalty, trust, and obedience. Jesus challenges his disciples, including us, to examine who we love first and foremost. A true disciple loves God above all else and is willing to forsake all for the Lord Jesus who calls us to follow Him. Jesus insists that His disciples give Him the loyalty which is due to God, a loyalty which is higher than spouse or family member. It is possible that family and friends can become our enemies, if the thought of them keeps us from doing what we know God wants us to do.  The same is true when we give our loyalty to worldly things in the name of happiness and rewards in this life.  This is not to say we shouldn’t look for savings; it is just that we should not do so by forsaking that what Jesus has taught us.

Today is the Memorial of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons.  He is a Father of the Church and was martyred in 202.  St Irenaeus is considered the first great Western ecclesiastical writer and theologian.  He emphasized the unity of the Old and New Testaments as well as Jesus’ simultaneous Human and Divine Nature.  Let us contemplate this week his words as we look at accumulating points for rewards:

“For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” - Saint Irenaeus

May God’s Grace and Blessings Always be with you and yours!!  Our Lady of Guadalupe – Pray for us!!

Yours in Christ,

Deacon Bob

St. Clare of Assisi

Houston, TX

P.S.

+ No public Mass due to the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in our areas

+ PLEASE don’t forget St. Clare’s live-stream Mass schedule for this weekend:

Saturday 4:30 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM. www.stclarehouston.org, Looking forward to welcoming y’all virtually!

+ I’m deeply grateful for your generous financial support during this difficult time. Without your financial support, we are unable to sustain our ministry during this crisis. Here are options for Weekly/monthly giving: 

(1) ONLINE (preferably and make sure to choose St. Clare of Assisi) please visit:

https://www.archgh.org/ways-to-give/parish-offertory-support/ 

(2) Mail in your envelope, and 

(3) drop box at church.