LIVE CATHOLIC 11:30AM MASS |FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B|July 14, 2024

TODAY’S REFLECTION
Jesus Christ came into the world on a mission. This mission dominated his entire life and was the inspiration behind everything he did including his decision to choose his disciples. In the Old Testament God also chose and sent prophets to the people of Israel often to bring back the people to the right path. But there were false prophets as well who told the people, especially the leaders, what they wanted to hear and not what God wanted them to do. This is what happened in the case of Amos and Amaziah. The former was a prophet who, chosen by God, warned the people of Israel to change their ways and repent while Amaziah, the false prophet, was more interested in material benefits. He saw the task of a prophet as a profession instead of a vocation. Hence he tells Amos to go back to Judah and earn his bread there. Jesus understands this temptation and instructs his disciples on what is expected of a true preacher of the word of God - detachment. God has a purpose for humanity; and to discover it and be dedicated to it, a true disciple needs to cultivate the virtue of detachment from the material things and remain open to the Holy Spirit.