August 19, 2025 Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Judges 6:11-24a; Matthew 19:23-30
Vocation stories baffle the human mind. It is difficult to comprehend the mind of God and how He chooses people for His mission. Gideon is busy in his wine press when the angel of the Lord appears to him and addresses him as a mighty warrior. Finding the angel trustworthy, Gideon pours out his heart and laments, questioning the absence of God in the life of the people of Israel. The Lord commissions him to defeat the Midianites and deliver Israel.
Gideon acknowledges that he is from the weakest clan of Manasseh and is the least in his family. His problem is that he sees himself as the most insignificant person. He feels the entire responsibility is on his shoulders. The Lord assures him of His presence, but Gideon asks for a sign. The angel instructs him to prepare a meal and place it on a rock, and then brings forth fire to consume it. At that moment, Gideon realizes that he has seen the angel face-to-face and pleads with God to spare his life. He then builds an altar and calls it, “The Lord is peace!” This is how the Lord prepares those He chooses for His mission.
In the Gospel episode of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man, we learn that some wealthy people find it difficult to renounce their possessions in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus used a striking image: it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom. The rich man’s inability to prioritize God over his possessions cost him eternal life. God is our first, most reliable, and eternal possession. While everything is possible for God, He still seeks human collaboration. His grace is always available, but one must respond to it. Jesus promises that those who renounce their families and possessions for His sake will receive a hundredfold in this life and, above all, eternal life in heaven.
Call to Action: There are many philanthropists who use their wealth to care for others. Can I be counted among them?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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