There is a movie, Play It Forward, that can be linked to the first reading today. In the story a young boy is moved to help other because he has saved some of the monies given to him. He goes out and selects three people. He gives them a gift to help them in their distress. However, he does not ask the gift to be returned whenever that might be possible. Rather the boy tells the recipients they are to "pay it forward." They are to give the same gift to another person.
In the first reading we hear again about the marvelous gift of redemption that has been given to us by Jesus Christ in his suffering and death. That sacrifice brought him back to the "sanctuary" (back to heaven with the Father). And his sacrifice was a gift not only to us but to the Father as well. He paid it forward to God the Father for you and me.
Like the movie, we, too, are asked to take care of others, to pay forward the gift that we have been given by Jesus in our redemption. So you might ask yourself today, have I paid forward the gift of redemption that is mine today? Have I taken time to reach out to someone?
