In today’s first reading, we are reminded that church leaders must be of noble moral standing. After all, they must be Godly men and women after the heart of Christ. I would go so far as to say they should be sanctified, holy, and full of integrity. For they represent Christ, body, mind, and spirit. Believers and unbelievers alike will see them as the light of Christ.
How would it be then if, by their immoral behaviors or hidden agendas, they lead people astray? The scandal of it all! That’s why Saint Paul emphasizes the need for church leaders who must rise above it all to be true men and women after the heart of Christ.
In today’s Gospel, we not only see the compassion of Christ Jesus, our Lord, but perhaps a prefiguring of his own death and resurrection. For by His death, Mother Church was left in pain and sorrow. But God, our Father, raises Him from the dead to new life, reconciling Mother Church with the Son of the living God
For me, the greatest takeaway is that, in all things, through Christ our Lord, we must be life-giving. Amen.
Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Pray for us…
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First reading
1 Timothy 3:1-13
The president must be of impeccable character
Here is a saying that you can rely on: To want to be a presiding elder is to want to do a noble work. That is why the president must have an impeccable character. He must not have been married more than once, and he must be temperate, discreet and courteous, hospitable and a good teacher; not a heavy drinker, nor hot-tempered, but kind and peaceable. He must not be a lover of money. He must be a man who manages his own family well and brings his children up to obey him and be well-behaved: how can any man who does not understand how to manage his own family have responsibility for the church of God? He should not be a new convert, in case pride might turn his head and then he might be condemned as the devil was condemned. It is also necessary that people outside the Church should speak well of him, so that he never gets a bad reputation and falls into the devil’s trap.
In the same way, deacons must be respectable men whose word can be trusted, moderate in the amount of wine they drink and with no squalid greed for money. They must be conscientious believers in the mystery of the faith. They are to be examined first, and only admitted to serve as deacons if there is nothing against them. In the same way, the women must be respectable, not gossips but sober and quite reliable. Deacons must not have been married more than once, and must be men who manage their children and families well. Those of them who carry out their duties well as deacons will earn a high standing for themselves and be rewarded with great assurance in their work for the faith in Christ Jesus.
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Gospel
Luke 7:11-17
The only son of his mother, and she a widow
Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.
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