Humbling Myself to My Father! God's Word Brings Me My Faith and Peace!

What words from the mass readings this week! God's word is all that really matters in this life! Humans always disappoint. God never does. We need to follow His word, obey, and trust in Him always! We need to humble ourselves to God! He is our Father! We need to pray to Him! In you, Lord, I have found my peace! What a blessing! God is so merciful to us! It is shown here in the readings. We just need to humble ourselves. Jesus is pretty rough on the priests and pharisees that is for sure in Matthew this week. He points out there hypocrisy. We have seen this firsthand from our old priest. He did not act at all like Jesus nor a priest. Many priests today are hypocrites, but they are human nonetheless. They don't walk their talk like Jesus did. We need to pray for all, even priests. The Psalm reminds us that we are like small children on the lap of our mothers nursing, saying "Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, so is my soul within me." I love this Psalm, it is so poetic and beautiful. We certainly do have a loving God and Father who is always there for us, being merciful, forgiving, and bringing us so much peace! Christ is our master and example given to us in how to live our lives here on this Earth School. "Turn to Jesus" as the signs all say around here where I live in Indian River County, we need to put all our trust in Him. We have one instructor, one master, Jesus! Humble ourselves to God and trust in Him with great faith, He is the one who can bring true peace! We are called! 

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10
A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts,
and my name will be feared among the nations.
And now, O priests, this commandment is for you:
If you do not listen,
if you do not lay it to heart,
to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts,
I will send a curse upon you
and of your blessing I will make a curse.
You have turned aside from the way,
and have caused many to falter by your instruction;
you have made void the covenant of Levi,
says the LORD of hosts.
I, therefore, have made you contemptible
and base before all the people,
since you do not keep my ways,
but show partiality in your decisions.
Have we not all the one father?
Has not the one God created us?
Why then do we break faith with one another,
violating the covenant of our fathers?

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 131:1, 2, 3
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

Reading 2
1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13
Brothers and sisters:
We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery.
Working night and day in order not to burden any of you,
we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly,
that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us,
you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God,
which is now at work in you who believe.

Alleluia
Mt 23:9b, 10b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have but one Father in heaven
and one master, the Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."