St. Cornelius, pope & martyr 

St. Cyrian, bishop & martyr 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 12:31 – 13:13

Be that as it may,

set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way. If I could speak all the human and angelic ton­­gues, but had no love, I would only be sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

 If I had the gift of prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and had faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing. If I gave ev­erything I had to the poor, and even give up my body to be burned, if I am without love, it would be of no value to me.

 Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest. Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge dis­appear. For knowledge grasps something of the truth and prophecy as well. And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away. 

When I was a child I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I gave up childish ways. Likewise, at present we see dimly as in a mirror, but then it shall be face to face. Now we know in part, but then I will know as I am known. Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

 

Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 12 & 22

Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 7:31-35

 And Jesus said,

What comparison can I use for this people? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain: ‘We piped you a tune and you wouldn’t dance; we sang funeral songs and you wouldn’t cry.’

Remember John: he didn’t eat bread or drink wine, and you said: ‘He has an evil spirit.’  Next came the Son of Man, eating and drinking, and you say: ‘Look, a glutton for food and wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But the children of Wisdom always recognize her work.”

 

 Gospel Reflection：

The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky writes: “There are people on whom even clean linen looks indecent.” The Jews cannot allow their faith and practices be taken cheaply.

In an effort to raise the bar of how to act as children of God, however, they end up putting malice even on God’s plans and ways. Their faith concerns, not anymore about God – only about them and their standards.

Even God has to conform to them. But Jesus cannot waste time justifying His work. The burden is on us to see God in different ways He can re-gather His people. Jesus does not come to the world to set up a fixed moral order.

He comes to give people access to God in their different conditions and struggles. He shows to us what is in the mind of God when He encounters sinners, non-believers, and outcasts. God comes to them without malice.