Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Tuesday of the 20th week in ordinary time, August 18, 2026

Pray for us in Flores Island, NTT, Indonesia, that we may remain in true faith under the fear of being hit by earthquake and tsunami.Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Ezekiel 28: 1-10; Rs psalm: Deut 32: 26-28. 30.35c-36d; Matthew 19: 23-30.YOU ARE NOT GOD Our meditation today has the theme: You are not God.There is one anecdote that perhaps familiar to us. A small plane was flyingvery high. Inside the plane there were four persons consist of a pilot andthree passengers, namely an old priest, a computer expert, and a teenager whowas a member of the boy’s scout team. The priest wore an old cassock, the boywas fully dressed in scouting clothes, and the computer expert was equippedwith all the latest computer and digital technology instruments. Suddenly the plane showed sign of problem to theengine. So the pilot announced that they must all prepare to save themselvesbecause soon the plane would explode. The pilot explained that there were onlythree parachutes on the plane. He used one of them, said goodbye and jumped inwith the parachute. Now there were only two parachutes for the three personsleft. The computer expert said that he was so important andneeded in the world. If he died, all industrial and digital operations wouldcollapse and cause huge losses to mankind around the world. He exclaimed tomock the other two: “Pastor, you are old. It's no longer useful for you tolive. Accept this fact. And you, little boy, you look good in your scoutuniform, but this world cannot live through scouting activities." Afterthat the arrogant expert immediately jumped in with his parachute. The priest explained something to the boy. "Look,son, don't worry. God is on our side. That arrogant man was too muchpreoccupied to downgrade everyone, and so he forgot to take care of himself. Hetook my backpack for he thought it was the parachute he needed. Now take theavailable parachutes: one for you and one for me, and let us jumptogether." That computer expert with his arrogance and spiritualblindness reveals to us a fundamental element of our faith, namely a beliefthat the prophet Ezekiel says today in his book: "You are not God."There is no perfect human person in this world. Someone might be great, smart,and genius in his field of profession, but he remains a human person withlimitations and weaknesses. He is not God. If a man devotes or dedicateshimself to the things of the world and for temporal gains only, he actuallyidolize things or persons other than the Lord. The prophet Ezekiel's prophecywas very firm in this principle when he reminded the Israelites of theirstubborness and arrogance for identifying themselves as God, and the peopleshould adore them. In today's Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the typicalarrogant person who does not see the weaknesses or shortcomings in him orherself, but he or she rather sees and condemns others for their weaknesses orshortcomings. Jesus's reminder about this certainly the same, namely: You arenot God. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O God, fill our Christian witness with Yourgrace of humility and generosity as You wish us to be. Hail Mary, full of grace... In the name of the Father ...