Zec 8:1-8 Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23 Lk 9:46-50

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

We are God's children. He has already claimed each of us as his own. He has already saved each of us a spot in heaven, and he loves us unconditionally. An excerpt from the first reading today says, “They shall be my people, and I will be their God with faithfulness and justice” (Zechariah 8:8). He has always been and will always be. His love never fails. Proclaims today’s Responsorial Psalm, “But you are the same, your years have no end” (Psalm 102:28). Nothing of this world surpasses the unfailing perseverance of God's love.

We are called to love one another as God has loved us. However, being the flawed humans we are, these words are much easier for us to vocalize than to live by. As humans, we get a thrill from competition, and we think it is healthy to form rivalries with God's children. We naturally wish to form relations with those similar to ourselves and do not tolerate those who are different. We constantly compare ourselves to one another, wondering where we fall. Whether it be the social ladder, grades, or involvement, we are constantly battling with one another.

This is especially true in a perfectionist environment, such as a university. Our best friends become our worst enemies as we compete for jobs, executive positions, grades, and so forth. Caught up in the rivalry and competition, we lose sight of the importance of loving one another as God has loved us. Yes, it is vital for us to push ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves that we can possibly be, but to compare ourselves to others and to let them become our enemies is contradictory to love.

Today in Luke's Gospel, we are reminded that "The one who is least among all of you is the greatest...whoever is not against you is for you" (Luke 9:46-50). We are God's children. He has already claimed each of us as his own. He has already saved each of us a spot in heaven, and he loves us unconditionally. When competition becomes rivalry, our brothers and sisters become our competitors and we lose sight of God's command for us to love one another. It is our duty to fight the temptation to make enemies, and instead love our neighbor as God has loved us.