Matthew 17,22-27

August 14, 2023 (Monday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gospel Matthew 17,22-27
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human
hands, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were greatly distressed.
When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your
teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first,
asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their
children or from others?” When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free.
However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that
comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.”

Reflection:
St Maximillian Kolbe put into practice the two challenges from our readings today. In 1941, he was
arrested by the Germans and sent to Auschwitz, where in terrible circumstances he continued to work as a
priest and offer solace to fellow inmates. When the Nazi guards selected 10 people to be starved to death
in punishment, he volunteered to die in place of a stranger. He took the heart the words of Jesus, “Greater
love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). No doubt he would
have reflected regularly of the words of the Shema Israel, the Jewish prayer that serves as a centrepiece
of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require
of you, but that you fear the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord your
God, with all your heart, and with all thy soul.” In a sense this is what we do as teachers, we give our lives
for our students and do our best to serve them with all our hearts. The story of the transfiguration
recounted in today’s Gospel is a call to time each day in prayer. As our Founder reminds us, “Devote
yourself very thoroughly to prayer in order to succeed in your ministry.” (Br. Mark Mckeon, FSC)

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, the spirit of faith is a “spirit that allows one to discover God’s active presence in his Word,
in men and women, in the poor, in nature, in history, and in ourselves.” in my inner being. Therefore, De La
Salle always insisted on the presence of God and I can do this, because the Lord is not only there, but he
also leads me in my own history and in the history of human kind. (Sofia S. Ferre)

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.

https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle