June 28, 2026: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42
Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person because that person is righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple – amen, I say to you, they will surely not lose their reward.”
Reflection
This week’s Gospel is filled with many recommendations, perhaps we might call them instructions, for living life wisely and within God’s will. Some are difficult to understand, some seem difficult to live by, and most will take all our lives and all our prayer to learn to follow.
The core teaching, it seems to me, is that we are to put God first place in our lives, and that includes loving both God and our neighbors.
This is how another Bible interpretation (“The Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language,” by Eugene Peterson) phrases these instructions for living:
“If you don’t go all the way with me, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.”
I find these words easier to understand but just as challenging to live by. How can we really forget ourselves? In many ways, it’s learning to trust in God’s Providence, practicing each morning giving ourselves to God, and asking for the awareness to stop throughout the day and remember to discern God’s will in our thoughts and actions.
Here’s how “The Message” relays this directive:
“This is hard work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t love out on a thing.”
Action
What small acts might we do this week to continue our work as apprentices within God’s “Kindom?”
