6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

02-16-2020Weekly Reflection©2020 Liturgical Publications, Inc.

People are not property. We cannot exchange them at will or simply use them for our own designs and purposes. What does the word "commitment" mean to you? We can begin to understand its meaning by looking at some synonyms: dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, and bond. Commitment is primarily about relationship, and Jesus is all about relationships. How our lives affect others, how we treat our brothers and sisters, how we resolve conflict, and how we view the vows of marriage. Jesus' teachings on obeying the commandments, murder, reconciliation, marriage, divorce, and adultery all stem from the sacredness of commitment. All of this has a God connection.

Some relationships can be hurtful, and God does not want us to live with abuse or pain. Also, how a relationship develops is sometimes out of our control, and we become the victim of someone else's decision. But we can't be self-focused in our relationships and see them exclusively as self-fulfilling ends. We are companions on life's journey with varying depths of relationships being enjoyed by all who are with us along the way. We have the freedom to choose. God asks us to do so wisely, with right judgment and thinking.

Ninguna ley divina o humana puede cubrir las decisiones correctas que debemos de tomar en nuestra jornada de vida y en la comunidad. Es preciso tomar decisiones que comprometan al bien común y al ejercicio de la justicia. Recordemos en términos bíblicos, justicia es ejercer la misericordia de Dios en los que nos rodean. Tanto la Primera Lectura como el Evangelio marcan el punto de lo que más se necesita para actuar con rectitud, "Confianza plena en Dios." Escoger lo correcto ayuda a profundizar en el corazón humano lo que Dios pide a cada uno. Decidir por las cosas buenas en la vida es cosa de todos los días. La Primera lectura del Eclesiástico dice así: "Si tú quieres, puedes observar los mandamientos; está en tus manos el ser fiel. Ante ti puso el fuego y el agua; extiende la mano a lo que prefieras. Delante de los hombres están la vida y la muerte; a cada uno se le dará lo que ha elegido." (Eclesiástico 5:14-17)