WHAT IS OUR MOTIVATION IN LIFE? - 10/31/22 (Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time)

Luke 14:12–14

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/103122.cfm

Blessed Monday! Jesus Christ is not telling us that it's automatically wrong if we invite our friends and family members in a party. Rather, our Lord sees the motivations behind the Pharisees when they were inviting those whom they knew and the rich people to their dinner. It's for vainglory, for the sake of getting approval from these people. What is our motivation in life? This is a question that no one can escape. Even if a person doesn't answer this question directly, everyone of us has our motivation in daily life whether we are aware of it or not. For some, it may be seeking positive praises from other people. Some are motivated by their riches because they think that worldly things can give them contentment. And yet, when we reflect on the reality of death and everlasting life, we will see that some of the things which motivate us may not really help us at all. 

Our main motivation or purpose in life is to love God. Everything should be centered on doing God's will in our lives. We won't be able to see what is right and wrong in God's perspective if we are allowing ourselves to be influenced by the lifestyle and opinions of other people that are contrary to the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church. What is the sense of accumulating too much wealth for the sake of simply being rich if we do not use these blessings from God for His glory and for helping the poor? The desires of our hearts can only be fully satisfied by God. God is Infinite Goodness and Love. We may have recognized our worldliness in the past. If we see this, even today, let's have hope in Jesus that He is giving us a message today. If we are disturbed because of thinking of many things or focusing on things that do not lead us to God, we are invited by Him to be detached from these things and seek Him in prayer. True peace comes from prayer and doing God's will because our minds and hearts are created for God. Today is also the eve of All Saint's Day. This day is also known as "Halloween." May we remember that this day is meant to glorify God, not the demonic spirits, witches and others. Let's not be swayed by the opinions of others who say that there is nothing wrong in dressing up with evil costumes. It's better and more pleasing to God if children and adults will dress us as saints or other costumes that do not glorify evil. Let's pray to God that He may direct our thoughts, words and actions for His glory and be freed from sin because through this, we have the hope of everlasting reward in heaven and in the general resurrection of the dead. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/