Blessed Virgin Mary 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Philippians 1:18b-26

But in any case,

Whether they are sincere or showing off, Christ is proclaimed and because of this I rejoice and have no regrets.  I know that all this will be a grace for me be­cause of your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Christ. I am hopeful, even certain, that I shall not be ashamed.

I feel as assured now, as before, that Christ will be exalted through my person, whether I live or die.  For to me, living is Christ, and dying is gain. But if I am to go on living, I shall be able to enjoy fruitful labor. Which shall I choose? So I feel torn between the two.

I desire greatly to leave this life and to be with Christ, which will be better by far, but it is necessary for you that I remain in this life. And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will stay and remain with you for your progress and happiness in the faith. 

I will surely come to you again, and give you more reason for being proud of belonging to Christ Jesus.

 

Ps 42:2, 3, 5cdef

My soul is thirsting for the living God.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 14:1, 7-11

 One Sabbath Jesus had gone to eat a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, and he was carefully watched.   Jesus then told a parable to the guests, for he had noticed how they tried to take the places of honor. And he said,   “When you are invited to a wedding party, do not choose the best seat.

It may happen that someone more important than you has been invited,  and your host, who invited both of you, will come and say to you: ‘Please give this person your place.’ What shame is yours when you take the lowest seat!

 Whenever you are invited, go rather to the lowest seat, so that your host may come and say to you: ‘Friend, you must come up higher.’ And this will be a great honor for you in the presence of all the other guests.   For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

St. Paul in our first reading confesses to the Philippians that he is torn between desiring to live and being ready to die. For St. Paul, dying was the better portion as it would mean his entering into the presence of the Lord.

His burning love for the Lord was driving him to embrace death. On the other hand, considering the Philippians who desired to see him again and to have him again in their midst, made St. Paul equally desirous to continue living.

But whether one be alive or dead, however, what matters is that one is IN CHRIST! St. Paul wanted the Philippians to become alive in Christ, to live life according to the Gospel. Life lived in accord with the Gospel makes one ready to live again after death.

There is life after death, or better still, there is LIFE after life! The true LIFE is the eternal life Christ gives to those who have loved as Christ has loved.