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God's Message For You Today

A very merry Christmas to all!

here's God's message for today:
25 December
Thursday

Solemnity of the Lord’s Nativity

tO bE WIth thE ONE YOu LOvE

But you shall be called “My Delight…” – Isaiah 62:4

Back in college, I courted this girl. We got stuck in heavy traffic for more than 30 minutes in one spot. She asked me if I was alright because I was driving. I replied, “Yes, I’m OK. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if this traffic jam didn’t end… because I’m with you now.”
What can I say? I was in love.
An officemate of mine used to commute four hours to work — one way — every single day. She’d go home late to let the rush hour pass. She’d arrive home at midnight, stay for about two hours, and then it would be time for her to go back to work.
I asked her why she didn’t just rent a place somewhere in the area. It didn’t seem worth it to travel all the way to stay home for such a short time. She said, “It’s worth it. At least I get to see my family.” I said, “Yeah, but aren’t they already asleep by the time you get home?” She replied, “That’s OK. I peek into their room when I get home. That’s enough for me.”
What can I say? She loves her family. Dearly.
Today we celebrate the bizarre act of a God who abandoned the comfort and majesty of His throne and traveled all the way from heaven to be one with us.
What can I say… George Gabriel

REFLECTION:
Have you thought— really thought about how desperate God is to be with you?

Lord, may I always delight in You as You delight in me.


*************
1st READING

Let us be committed to walking in the light of the Lord. This may sound a somewhat clichéd statement but I do not apologize for this. There is a very important truth at stake here. We either believe that God wants us to live in the light of His truth without compromise or we do not. The only test of our decision in this matter is the witness of our lives. Do we witness to the victory of Jesus over the powers of sin in the way we live, or are our lives so compromised it is difficult to see how we are any different to the rest of the world?

Isaiah 52:7-10 (or Isaiah 62:1-5 or Isaiah 9:1-6 or Isaiah 62:11-12)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” 8 Hark! Your watchmen raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. 9 Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem. 10 The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation
of our God.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 (3c) (or Psalm 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29 (2a) or Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 or Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12)
R: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. 2 The LORD has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. 5 Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

2nd READING

Whether anthropologists or students and teachers of comparative religion and the followers of other faiths like it or not, the Christian Gospel has a level of truth that is fundamentally different to any other religion that makes it superior to them if it is lived to the full. This is nothing to have pride or grow arrogant about. It is a responsibility to be grasped and lived as a witness to the Good News. This is not only our duty as Christians but a privilege for which we have been chosen.

Hebrews 1:1-6 (or Acts 13:16-17, 22-25 or Titus 2:11-14 or Titus 3:4-7)
1 Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, 3 who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”? Or again: “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”? 6 And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

G O S P E L

Jesus’ beginnings are far from auspicious. He is born to a woman who is not yet married. He is born in a manger or cave where the domestic farm animals shelter. He is laid in a feeding trough for a bed. None of these truths give any indication as to His real identity. Perhaps Jesus is the master of humility because He is born into it. As we reflect upon His humility, let us ask God for the grace to grow in humility ourselves.

John 1:1-18 (or Matthew 1:1-25 or Luke 2:1-14 or Luke 2:15-20)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

my reflections
think: As we reflect upon Jesus humility, let us ask God for the grace to grow in humility ourselves.

***********


RECOGNIzE THE CHILD JESUS IN ALL CHILDREN

We have finally reached the birthday of Jesus. We stand in front of the manger and look at the peaceful scene: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the Infant Jesus at the center. The birth of Jesus is not a fable. It is a story that really happened in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Faith brings us to recognize in that little Child the true Son of God who, out of love, chose to become man. In the face of the little Jesus, we contemplate the face of God, which is revealed in weakness and in the fragile constitution of a child. He reveals all the goodness and infinite beauty of God, the faithfulness and tenderness of the boundless love with which God surrounds each of us. For this reason, we rejoice at Christmas, reliving the same experience as the shepherds of Bethlehem. We celebrate because with Jesus’ birth the Father has responded to our desire for truth, forgiveness and peace. And He has responded with such enormous love that He astonishes us. No one could have imagined it if Jesus had not revealed it.
When I visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for the first time, I was puzzled by the huge church. It has only one entrance, so low that only a child can walk straight through it. We adults have to bend down in order to pass through it. How appropriate to approach the place where God humbled Himself and became a child.
It is said that the entrance was made so low in ancient times to prevent soldiers from entering on their horses and Bedouins on their camels. It was kept that way until today to make all pilgrims aware: If God came down from heaven, we cannot but come down also from our pedestals to live as brothers and sisters, to climb down from our “camels” in order to approach the place where God appeared as a child. May we, therefore, see in every child the humble Child Jesus who invites us to “become like little children” in order to enter one day the Kingdom of God. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:
What are the pedestals from which I lord it over others, the “camels” I must come down from to be worthy of what Christ has done for me?

Lord, thank You for coming and for becoming one of us. Kneeling at the manger and looking at You as a helpless infant, I feel weighed down by my pride. I pray that this Christmas will change my attitude. I pray that every child I see will remind me of You and of my task to become small and humble.

St. Anastasia III, martyr, pray for us.
 
27
December
Saturday

Feast of St. John, Apostle
mIssIONARY ANYWhERE

… so she ran and went to Simon Peter… – John 20:2

Marjorie Dorr, a known executive in the health care industry, listed in Forbes magazine as one of America’s top business leaders, and a committed Christian, once shared that she underwent a crisis of searching for fulfillment. Prompted by her desire to move from success to significance, she went back to her roots by devouring God’s Word and joining a Bible sharing group. In the process of her introspection, she flirted with the idea of going back to school to take up Divinity and be a missionary. Suddenly it struck her. “I am a missionary! Corporate America needs missionaries!”
It’s a wonder for me why I would somehow get close to popular people who are in active or even fulltime service of the Lord. They’ll be my cell group buddies or even barkada. This has somehow planted the idea in me that someday I will quit my job to do fulltime service for the Lord — an event that has yet to happen! Like Marjorie, it occurred to me, I am in fulltime service! I am a corporate and business missionary. Anywhere I go is my mission field!
Just like Mary Magdalene who proclaimed about Christ’s resurrection, may we persevere in our service knowing that it is Jesus whom we serve. Ariel Driz

REFLECTION:
Am I conscious of the fact that anywhere I go, I represent Jesus?

Lord Jesus, may I always be reminded that anywhere I go,You expect me to be Your ambassador to men. Grant me the grace to be a missionary for You. Amen.

---------

1st READING

The Gospel of John and his three letters all reveal to us something of the depth of God’s love for His people. We discover that in John, or the community to which he belongs, there is a deep and profound understanding of the call to receive God’s love into our lives, and then to share it with others. It will be very difficult for us to share God’s love with others if we have not first received and experienced it ourselves.

1 John 1:1-4
1 Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life — 2 for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us — 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

P S A L M

Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
R: Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
1 The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. (R) 11 Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. 12 Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name. (R)

GOSPEL

John obviously holds a special place in the heart of Jesus. Each of us has special relationships that go a little deeper than the rest of the relationships in our lives. I am sure the same was true for Jesus in His humanity. We draw strength from our relationships with one another, just as we ought to draw strength from our relationship with Jesus. He is not an impersonal being distant from His creation. He is a God who became one with us in the Incarnation.

John 20:2-8
2 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.

my reflections
think: It will be very difficult for us to share God’s love with others if we have not first received and experienced it ourselves.

-------------------

IN THE SCHOOL OF THE APOSTLE JOHN

As a teacher of Sacred Scriptures, I had some difficulties in writing today’s reflection. The Church celebrates the feast of St. John and presents a gospel that tells about the Beloved Disciple who runs with Peter to the tomb of Jesus. The feast goes back to a time when it was thought that the apostle John, the evangelist of the Fourth Gospel and the Beloved Disciple, were one and the same person. But Bible scholars give us convincing reasons to come to the conclusion that there were probably three different persons. Nevertheless, let’s try to approach the mystery from a point that avoids scholarly discussions.
John’s name means “God is gracious.” He belonged to the restricted group of Peter and James that Jesus took with Him on certain occasions.
More important than scholarly debates is that Jesus chose John, and that he followed the Lord for the rest of his life. There is an ancient apocryphal book called Acts of John that tells us about what happened to the apostle after the ascension of Christ. He is not presented as the founder of churches, not even as the leader of a Christian community, but as a missionary, constantly on the road to bring the faith to as many people as possible.
We are disciples of Christ in the 21st century. The main task of a disciple of Christ is to follow the Lord and make Him known to others. We can do this by trying to live out what Christ taught us. This has to be learned, as John had to learn it. Jesus called him and his brother James “Sons of Thunder”; obviously they were quite hot tempered and needed to become “meek and humble” as their Master. They were also very ambitious when they asked Jesus to get them the honor seats in His Kingdom and had to learn Jesus’ virtue of humility. John and his brother could do it, why not we? John continued to learn from his Master, why not we? We just have to start. The New Year begins in a few days. This would be a good opportunity to become “Johns” for the 21st century.Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:
In which area of my life or character do I not project Christ and Christian values? What can I do to improve?

Lord, like the young John, I have many weaknesses. People would not always see You and Your teachings in me. But with Your help and the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin again to become a better disciple.

St. Nicarete, virgin, pray for us.
 
8
January
Thursday

yOUR PlaNS

“And to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” – Luke 4:19

There are 357 days left for the year 2009. That’s still a lot of time. Have you set aside some moments to write down your goals or resolutions for 2009 as some people do? Would your list look something like this? Quit smoking, drinking and watching TV too much. Stop gossiping. Resolve to break off the habit (or maybe a disease) of buying on impulse?
Or maybe something written in a more positive way such as: Save 10% of the monthly income. Travel to another country for leisure. Get promoted. Exercise three times a week. Read for 30 minutes a day. All of these are good goals, and putting down your New Year promises or planning for what you’ll do for the year is good practice. But before you start thinking of what you want to do, take the time to pray and ask what God wants for you.
So before you go on conquering the whole world with your dreams, get your marching order from Him.Jun Asis

REFLECTION:
Have I sought God’s plan for me in calm, unhurried silence and reflective prayer?

I offer the year 2009 to You, Lord. Direct my plans and guide all my undertakings. Your will, O Lord, not mine.

*************

1st READING

The only reason we are able to love anyone at all is that we have first been loved by God. The Fathers of the Church constantly remind us that without God’s love for us, we would simply cease to exist. The sin within us would literally shred our being to pieces and we would be destroyed. What a wonderful thought to contemplate! However, we should reflect on it at least a little as it will help to give us the inspiration
necessary to surrender all to the grace of God and His love.

1 John 4:19–5:4
19 Beloved, we love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. 5: 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the father loves also the one begotten by him. 2 In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

P S A L M

Psalm 72:1-2. 14 and 15bc. 17
R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
1 O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; 2 he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) 14 From fraud and violence he shall redeem them, and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15 May they be prayed for continually; day by day shall they bless him. (R) 17 May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain. In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus begins His ministry in Luke’s Gospel with a firm statement of intent as to His own understanding of what He is called to do. Nothing can substitute for belief in what a person is doing as the firm basis upon which to live one’s life. This is why it is so important for us to discern what it is that God wants us to do with our lives. If we can discover this truth, so many other questions will be answered.

Luke 4:14-22
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read 17 and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” 20 Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21 He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

my reflections
think:The only reason we are able to love anyone at all is that we have first been loved by God.

**************
god’S word iS alwayS inTeracTiVe

The wonders of multimedia have made it possible for us to be present to people in various places, and in various time zones on “real time.” In this new culture of communication — through written texts, SMS or short texts, MMS or hypertexts, chatrooms, video conferences, VoIP — we become present at the same time to different places. In all of these, our words (at least) carry our presence.
In our Gospel today, Jesus also tried to educate the people that God’s Word is a “living word” that communicates His presence to whomever it is proclaimed. The people referred to God’s Word as “the scroll.” In fact, thrice in the Gospel narration, God’s Word was called “the scroll” — some kind of an archaic, dilapidated, historical document. Jesus amazed the crowd when He said: God’s Word is not just a historical manuscript… it continues to have life. He also said: “Today this scripture (this written scroll) is fulfilled (is acted upon)….”
We should read Scriptures, then, not only to know how God worked in the past with Israel and with the early Christians. We should read Scriptures to let us contemplate God’s face now. The foremost value of Scriptures is to enable us to fix our gaze on God, on Jesus… and then, to lead us to enter into “real time” conversation with God who becomes present to us not in abstract thought, but through a real story. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What is your purpose in reading the Bible? Try this out: Read a Gospel story. Imagine the story. Contemplate on Jesus as He is revealed in the story. Enter into the story by taking on the role of one of the characters in it. Then dialogue with Jesus.

Lord Jesus, inspire me to read Your Word daily and allow it to take root in my soul. May Your Word be my guide in life.

St. Severinus of Noricum, Hermit, pray for us.
 
this is a good one.:D:D
it brightened my day.:thumbsup:
 
9
January
Friday

NO HOPElESS CaSE

“Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.” – Luke 5:12

“I am only human” is a favorite line we conveniently put up as a defense whenever we make mistakes, as if being human is our passport to do bad. So we go on with the cycle of misbehaving then dish out that line. Then the evil one, scheming in his ways, makes it more and more enticing for us to remain in our sinful condition. Before we know it, we have already sunk deep into sin and have become a hopeless case!
These days, even as I choose to live my faith, I humbly admit that there will always be moments when I will fail Him. But as I recite the line at Mass, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed,” I know that human as I am, I, too, sometimes make wrong choices that would displease my God but He will bestow on me His mercy as I choose to return to His fold. In His eyes, no one is a hopeless case. Marie Franco

REFLECTION:
Are we ready to be humble enough to admit our sins and be sorry for them? As soon as we are, believe that He will make us clean and free us from our bondage.

My God,my Salvation and my Deliverer!

**********

1st READING

As I read newspapers or articles in magazines or books, I sometimes wonder about the lies that are propagated in the name of truth. God is the only person who has been faithful to all His promises throughout history. Yet so often we place our trust in the promises of human beings who often fail to deliver on them. And then, the more perverse reality is that we are willing to trust them again even after they have proven to be unreliable. Yes, we will always have to place a degree of trust in other people, but why are we so unwilling to place our trust in God? Why do so many popular writers dismiss faith in God as nonsense? I do not know the answer to this question other than to say that is their choice.

1 John 5:5-13
5 Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 7 So there are three that testify, 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. 9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

P S A L M

Psalm 147:12-13. 14-15. 19-20
R: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
12 Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. (R) 14 He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you. 15 He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. (R)

G O S P E L

Miracles and physical healings are merely by-products of Jesus’ ministry. His focus is to proclaim the Good News of our salvation through faith in what He will do on the cross. This is why we must be careful not to preach a ‘sugar-coated’ Gospel that fails to focus upon the call to take up our own crosses and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. It is not easy to be a disciple of Jesus, so any preacher who says otherwise is either a liar or does not know what he is talking about. Look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the many thousands who have been martyred for their faith in Christ and the lives of asceticism lived by millions more!

Luke 5:12-16
12 It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where he was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. 14 Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 15 The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, 16 but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

my reflections
think: Why are we so unwilling to place our trust in God?

*********

we wiSh… god willS…

I am drawn to reflect on the different ways of talking that the leper and Jesus manifested in the Gospel passage. The leper, feeling timid and with a self-confidence that was possibly eroded by his illness and his disfigurement, came to Jesus and, with an air of tentativeness, said: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” In contrast, Jesus stretched out His hand with deliberateness and He proclaimed: “I do will it. Be clean.”
Indeed, human nature is flippant, always changing, unsure, tentative… because we are not only taken aback by our faults and sins. Our view is rather restricted and limited. Therefore, when we speak, we speak with consciousness about tenses – past, present, and future. God is eternal, all-knowing, and is therefore firm and absolute. He moves not with wishes, whims or caprices but with a will.
In our life, plans and decisions, we may have our wishes and wouldn’t… but it is always very important to be guided by the Divine Will. The Divine Will may not always be pleasant and agreeable for us. It may include certain things which we want least to happen. This Divine Will, however, is rock. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Reflect on instances in your life when your wishes were contrary to what finally happened. How did you take the turn of these events? Were you able to transcend your negative feelings? What Divine Wisdom did you discover behind each turn of events?

Make this your prayer-word today: “Your Will be done.”

St. Adrian of Canterbury, Abbot, pray for us.
 
11
January
Sunday

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

COMPlIMENTS

“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” – Mark 1:11

I have a confession to make. I don’t know how to handle compliments. I know I’m supposed to say “Thank you” whenever someone says something good about me, but I feel like it’s inappropriate. I feel like I should always disagree with the person (in a nice way, of course), deflecting the compliment. Like if the person said, “You look good today,” I’d say, “No, it’s just because of what I’m wearing.” I know compliments are not bad, as everyone needs to hear them to have an ego-boost now and then. I guess at the back of my mind, I’m afraid that the compliments I get would go to my head and make me forget why I’m receiving it in the first place: because of God’s goodness.
Then again, I guess these compliments given by others are also ways of God affirming us of His love. And though it’s right not to let it get to my head, it’s also right to acknowledge it.
So the next time I receive a compliment, I will say “Thank you,” keeping in mind that it is one of God’s affirmations for me, and the only reason why I got the compliment was because of Him.Tina Matanguihan

REFLECTION:
What did you say the last time you received a compliment?

Lord, may I always be thankful with the compliments I receive from others, remembering that it also came from You.

St. Victorian, Abbot, pray for us.

***********

1st READING

The will of God will prevail in the end insofar as we understand it as He has given us the ability to choose freely for ourselves. We know God’s will is for our salvation but there is a certain level of contingency to this in that God has also given us free will and thus we can choose to reject His offer of salvation. This is not a wise thing to do, but it is possible. Therefore, God’s will will prevail so long as there is no logical inconsistency in the situation we are considering.

Isaiah 55:1-11 (or isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7)
1 Thus say the Lord: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! 2 Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. 3 Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. 4 As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, 5 so shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. 7 Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9 As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. 10 For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

P S A L M

Isaiah 12:2-3. 4bcd. 5-6 (3) (or Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 9-10)
R: You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
2 God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. 3 With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation. (R) 4 Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name. (R) 5 Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth. 6 Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel! (R)

2nd READING

With God all things are possible. We can even overcome all the powers of this world. Herein lies the power of the witness of a Christian life. We have all experienced our inability to overcome certain sins and negative traits in our lives. Well, the Good News is that we have the power to overcome them through faith in Christ Jesus. It is simply a matter of appropriating the grace of our baptism and allowing the Holy Spirit to show us how to overcome the sin!

1 John 5:1-9 (or acts 10:34-38)
1 Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the father loves [also] the one begotten by him. 2 In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. 5 Who [indeed] is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 7 So there are three that testify, 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. 9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son.

G O S P E L

The Baptism of Jesus marks a new stage in His journey here on earth. It is now that we begin to see a definitive change in Jesus’ attitude as His life begins to be directed upon a path of ministry and proclamation of the Good News. This direction will lead Him into conflict with many of the powers of His day, but never once is He deflected from His goal. Let us pray for the same steadfastness and perseverance as we seek to follow His example.

Mark 1:7-11
7 This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.” 9 It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. 11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

my reflections
think: Let us pray for the same steadfastness and perseverance as we seek to follow Jesus’ example.

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Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

SecuriTy in The faTher

I am the only son in a family of three siblings. I am also the eldest and my father’s junior.
My father passed on to me a lot of his practical skills. When I was young, he encouraged me to learn these and learn them fast. My father taught me basic things, such as crossing busy streets. He taught me to first survey the street – left and right – then make a careful decision: Can I cross the street faster than the speed of the approaching vehicle?
My father also taught me how to flag down a taxi. He advised me to sit next to the driver so I could direct the driver where to turn. Later, my father let me do carpentry work with him. Then, he also coached me as I was learning how to balance myself in a bicycle. My father was the source of my great confidence while growing up and I thank God for giving me such a wonderful man to grow up with.
Jesus, in His whole earthly life, also got a lot of His strength and confidence from His “Heavenly Father.” In fact, this was a radical part of His life and His teaching: revealing to everyone that God is not just “Yahweh” but “Abba.” Before He embarked on His three-year public ministry of preaching and healing, He sought baptism at the Jordan and there the Father affirmed Him as the “beloved Son.” Later on, before Jesus made His final ascent to Jerusalem, He went up the mountain where again the voice of the Father is heard: “This is my Son on whom I am well pleased…”
On the cross, Jesus would hang on in unquestioned fidelity as He again called on God as “Father…”
Many people these days miss their fathers which has become a handicap. Some are missed because they work abroad to make both ends meet. Others are missed because they have neglected their role as fathers, preferring instead to be with friends and with some other women. As a result, many children of this age have very poor self-image and very low tolerance for challenges and pain. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What fond memories do you have about your father? What good things have these memories done to you? Take the time to thank God for the gift of your father.

Slowly pray the “Our Father” (Lord’s Prayer). Then just sink into prayer with the phrase – “Our Father.” At this point, lift up to God all your cares and anxieties, and allow His peace and strength to envelop you.

St. Victorian, Abbot, pray for us.
 
12
January
Monday


lET’S GO FISHING!

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Mark 1:17

After listening to Bo Sanchez’s encouragement during The Feast, our weekly prayer meeting, Ispent the whole afternoon making a mind map of my dreams and goals for the year. At a quiet spot at a nearby cafe, I took my computer and typed away my plans while sipping freshly brewed coffee. I painted a picture of how my finances, business, personal, spiritual and family life would look like. Wow! It got me fired up.
Then I read an article by American pastor Greg Laurie. It reminded me that everything I do on this earth will be “tested by fire” to expose my heart and my intentions, and will be measured against God’s will for my life. Andrew and Peter were doing their daily chores and pursuing their plans but their life changed forever when they heeded Jesus’ call to follow Him and become fishers of men. The Lord’s plan to save souls, to rescue men, was a pressing reminder for me at that very moment.
Reading this message broadened my view on my mission as I continued with my planning. It became godly, meaningful and it compelled me to act on it even more. Yes! I’m going fishing! Ariel Driz

REFLECTION:
Am I participating in the biggest fishing expedition in the world?

Lord, I know You have a plan. I am part of that plan! Alleluia!

St. Benedict of Biscop, Bishop, pray for us.

**********

1st READING

The author of Hebrews tells us at the beginning that what he wants to present to us is an account of how Jesus fulfills all the promises of God. The revelation we receive through Jesus is definitive and final. It is Jesus who reveals the fullness of the glory of God to us. The challenge for us is to open our hearts to this revelation and thus allow the truth of God’s love for us to begin the process of our salvation.

Hebrews 1:1-6
1 Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, 3 who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”? Or again: “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”? 6 And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

P S A L M

Psalm 97:1 and 2b. 6 and 7c. 9
R: Let all his angels worship him.
1 The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. 2 Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) 6 The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. 7 Let all his angels worship him. (R) 9 Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods. (R)

G O S P E L

I always find it interesting to go back and look at the original sources of an idea or movement. Today we are invited to reflect upon the origins of the Gospel as Jesus begins His ministry. What is essential to the proclamation of the Gospel? It seems that the texts today tell us that there are two essential responses that we should look for in the lives of people — namely, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ or belief in the Good News. This must always be the focus of the Church’s and our presentation of the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-20
14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. 20 Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

my reflections
think: It is Jesus who reveals the fullness of the glory of God to us.

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god’S weird SenSe of Time

Consider the details of the Gospel passages: John the Baptist is arrested and imprisoned… Jesus disturbs Simon and Andrew while the brothers cast their nets into the waters… Jesus walks and calls James and John away from their father and the hired men. All these, Mark says, signify God’s best time — “the time of fulfillment.”
The Bible contains many other references to God’s strange sense of time: Abraham and Sarah finally had their own son when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was past the normal child-bearing age. Moses was allowed to waste 40 years of his life in the court of Pharoah while Israel languished in forced labor. He was later to spend another 40 years on the run in the desert. Then at the age of 80, Moses finally leads Israel out of Egypt. After Malachi, God sent no prophets to Israel for around 400 years, and when John the Baptist came, his mission was cut short by Herod’s sword. Finally, Jesus came – as the awaited Messiah. He spends 30 years of hidden life, and He dedicates just the last three years of His earthly mission for preaching about the Kingdom.
I believe that this is one great challenge about following God: to synch with His plans and timetable, we need to have either patience (lots of patience) or a never-ending sense of humor. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Go back to your adventures of time and timing with God. What are your unforgettable experiences in this regard? In what ways have you experienced that God’s time — no matter how it initially appeared strange — always turns out to be the “best time” for you, for your work, for your relationship?

Lord Jesus, make me sensitive to Your time, to be always aware that my time isn’t necessarily Your time. Grant me patience to wait for the perfect time for the unfolding of Your plans in my life.

St. Benedict of Biscop, Bishop, pray for us.
 
13
January
Tuesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

HEy, THaT’S My BOOK!

For he taught them as one having authority. – Mark 1:22

A few years ago, my friend and I spied Scott Hahn’s book, The Lamb’s Supper, in a bookstore. It was all about the Mass. I read his first book Rome Sweet Home and knew that this guy could explain Catholic doctrines well. So I wanted to buy the second book but the P1,000 price tag made me hesitate.
Suddenly, my friend took it and purchased it, saying, “I don’t regularly go to Mass so maybe this book could help me understand it.” She explained further, “Just because I don’t understand the Mass doesn’t mean it’s wrong. A lot of people stop going to Mass or leave the Catholic Church because it’s ‘boring.’ Instead, they would cite the lively worship sessions at another born-again or Protestant church and consider attending there.”
I nodded in agreement.
When Jesus started His ministry, it was far from being boring. His authoritative preaching and effective exorcism made His fame spread.
My friend just gave me an example of how I must approach the Church and the Mass — with the desire to understand more. The Mass is said to be the highest form of worship. I think it’s time I discovered why. How? I borrowed her book.Jomar Hilario

REFLECTION:
What special out-of- the-way thing have you done to deepen your understanding of the Mass?

Lord, teach me to love You in the Eucharist.

******

1st READING

Yes, it is a wonder that God bothers with humanity. From one point of view, we have done little but disappoint Him. Yet, even in the midst of our sin and rebellion against His will, God chooses to persevere in relationship with us. I do not think we will ever fully understand the depth of His love for us until we meet Him face to face in heaven. The least we can do now is attempt to gain some sort of understanding of His love so that we can respond to it as best we can.

hebrews 2: 5-12
5 It was not to angels that he subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 Instead, someone has testified somewhere: “What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, 8 subjecting all things under his feet.” In “subjecting” all things to him, he left nothing not “subject to him.” Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,” 9 but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers,” 12 saying: I will proclaim your name to my brothers, in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.

P S A L M

Psalm 8:2ab and 5. 6-7. 8-9
R: You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
1 [2] O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! 4 [5] What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. (R) 7 [8] All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 [9] the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. (R)

G O S P E L

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus does not allow the demons to reveal His true identity. Perhaps this is because He desires that all of us come to the knowledge or revelation as to His true nature and identity in our own time and at our own speed. Sometimes the best way to learn something new is to learn it bit by bit rather than just be told the answer. One of the challenges we’ll always face in proclaiming the Gospel to others is allowing them the freedom to respond in their own time and own way.

Mark 1:21-28
21 Jesus came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

my reflections
think:Even in the midst of our sin and rebellion against His will, God chooses to persevere in relationship with us.


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True auThoriTy comeS from auThenTiciTy

I believe that God’s great gift for persons are also persons who inspire, teach, correct and empower. One person whom I consider as God’s gift in my walk as a priest and as a religious was a Pauline nun, Sr. Lucina Sarmiento. Before she died of cancer, she was one of those considered an authority in the field of Catholic mass media apostolate. It was, however, noteworthy that her being referred to as an “authority” happened even if she claimed she never had any formal education on media apostolate. In the course of one of our light conversations, she even said that there were other nuns in her community who had better training in television, in cinema and other media technology.
Jesus Himself is referred to as a “different authority” compared to the scribes and the Pharisees. These people had formal and arduous training, and many of them even descended from a bloodline of and were ordained to be scribes and Pharisees. Jesus was self-made. Compared to many of them, Jesus was probably half their age.
So where does authority come? Some have authority because of their learning; others possess authority by virtue of their position and office. Some have authority because of relationships or connections with those in power; others are perceived to be an authority because of their practical wisdom and experience. But the strongest authority flows from integrity and uprightness: one that flows from the convergence of one’s words and actions. Others refer to this as credibility. This is marked by a combination of deep qualities — such as passion, authenticity and dedication. This authority is earned, not bought; freely bestowed and recognized by others, not simply claimed for oneself. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Reflect on persons whom you consider to be authorities. Why do you see them as authorities?The Bible speaks of three authorities: priests (religious authorities), prophets (moral authorities), kings (political leaders). The renowned Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner says, “Christians have to be, above all, prophets.” In what way can you be a moral leader in your own circle of friends and sphere of influence?

Lord Jesus, may my words and actions be rooted in You, the True Authority of my life.

St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor, pray for us.
 
14
January
Wednesday
TODAY'S READINGS:


STOP!

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35

Which of these don’t belong: (a) Heal the sick (b) Drive out demons (c) Preach God’s Word (d) Stop! The answer? None. They all belong. More specifically if God orders all of them.
Has the100-meter-dash pace become the rule rather than exception in your ministry? Has your PDA short-circuited because of your overloaded schedule of service? Have all the dead people in the world risen back to life because you prayed over them, and consequently, your blood pressure is skyrocket-high each day?
I look at Jesus. After all the explosive and cinematic scenes of healing the sick, driving out demons and the unceasing demand for pity from weary souls, He stopped and “went to a solitary place and prayed.”
Why? Because Jesus loves the God of the service, and not the service of God. To Him, “service” takes on value only if it puts a smile on the Father’s face. Friend, if you are doing more than what you can handle for the day, you are doing things that God doesn’t want you to do. STOP! “Stopping” in the presence of God gives Him better pleasure than frantic, ego-boosting ministry busyness. Jon Escoto

REFLECTION:
Have I been too busy serving, too tired to enjoy the gift of ministry? Who do I really love: the Lord of the service or the service of the Lord?

Lord, let me remember that I serve because I want to give You pleasure. If I’m doing my ministry with other motives in mind, disturb me and lead me back to Your smile.


*****************

1st READING

Jesus’ humanity is a necessary aspect of the means by which God chose to redeem us. We need a redeemer like us in order that what He does can be applied to our human nature. Jesus also ‘needs’ to be divine as He has to rectify the infinite damage our sin has done to our relationship with God. Jesus is both divine and human. How these two natures are brought together in one person is part of the mystery of the Incarnation. We can seek to understand it as best as we can but should realize that there is always going to remain at least a little bit of mystery.

hebrews 2:14-18
14 Since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. 16 Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; 17 therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

P S A L M

Psalm 105:1-2. 3-4. 6-7. 8-9
R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. 2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. (R) 3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! 4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

G O S P E L

One of the signs that Jesus used to demonstrate His divinity and authority was to cure the sick. Healing is always something close to our hearts as we all know people who are seriously ill. We know the feeling of powerlessness when confronted with cancer and other incurable illnesses; despair is often the response of those without faith. With Jesus by our side, we know that there is the possibility of healing but that this does not always occur. In those cases, we are forced to rely even more deeply on our faith as we seek to discover the deeper lessons that God is teaching us through suffering and even death.

Mark 1:29-39
29 On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. 35 Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” 39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

my reflections
think: When healing does not occur, we are forced to rely more deeply on our faith to discover the deeper lessons that God is teaching us.

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liSTening cannoT Be unlimiTed

As Jesus entered the house of Peter, He manifested His great sensitivity to the family of His disciple. He emphatized with them, and this led Him to go and heal the mother-in-law of Peter. Jesus’ humanity made Him feel the pains and discomforts of the sick people who came to Him and so He went on healing everyone who came with various diseases even when it was already evening. When He woke up the next day, though, He found His quiet place with “Abba” and when Peter came to Him with the words “Everyone is looking for you,” Jesus responded by telling him that it was time to stop and move on to other places.
Jesus teaches us that it is good to listen, to have a heart, to empathize. It is good to be open to people’s groans and to hear out their complaints. However, we should also know how to discern and discriminate: when to stop and listen, and when to move on; where to listen, and where not to listen; whom to listen to, and whom not to listen to. The disciples seek one approval: God’s and not men’s.
As we prepare to meet different persons every day, let us make it a part of our morning prayers to ask for God’s wisdom in all our encounters. Yes, we should have a preferential love for the poor and the needy, but we should also know that the poor and the needy can be manipulative, demanding and unreasonable. Our charity should not create in us and in them a culture of dependency. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What practical measures do you use to put limits to your involvement with people’s concern? Do you maintain a healthy balance between your public and private lives, between your ministry and your need for solitude?

Lord Jesus, help me to be sensitive to my own need for solitude and self-care. Help me to find my own nourishment in You because only then will I be able to effectively care for the people You send to me.

St. Felix of Nola, Confessor, pray for us.
 
15
January
Thursday

HE WaITS

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” – Mark 1:41

When I casually invited a friend to the Kerygma Conference 2007, he replied, “Masusunog ako do’n” (I’ll burn there). He’s not the churchgoing type, you see. And even when I told him that it was going to be a fun and inspiring event, he simply laughed and begged off.
I used to give the same reply years ago. I always got invited to join prayer meetings and religious communities but I begged off because I wasn’t ready to “return” to God. I was convinced that those things were only for people whose paths were straight. And much as I knew how merciful God is, I felt that I wasn’t fit to serve.
One day, I said yes just for the heck of it, and that was all it took for me to experience His love and mercy. It was life-changing. God tirelessly awaits for us with open arms, ready to purify us once more. All we need to do is ask Him to. Nova Arias

REFLECTION:
What hinders you from going back to the Father? Give Him the chance to cleanse you.

Father, You are the greatest Healer. Make me like new.

*********

1st READING

We read an exhortation not to harden our hearts. Hardness of heart can occur in many different ways. It can simply be the refusal to listen to the word of God either in prayer or in reading the Scriptures. It can also be the deliberate refusal to follow God’s will even though we know what it is He wants us to do! The life of true discipleship is one whereby we are always seeking to discover God’s will and implement it no matter what the consequences may be for us.

Hebrews 3:7-14
7 The Holy Spirit says: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works 10 for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.” 11 As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter into my rest.” ’ ” 12 Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. 13 Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. 14 We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.

P S A L M

Psalm 95:6-7c. 8-9. 10-11
R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works. (R) 10 Forty years I wearied of that generation; I said: This people’s heart goes astray, and they know not my ways. 11 Therefore I swore in my anger, they shall not enter into my rest.” (R)

G O S P E L

I believe Mark gives us this individual account of a healing in order to bring the healing miracles of Jesus into clear focus. We are not just speaking of some sort of general healing whereby Jesus ‘waves His hand in blessing’ and everyone is healed. No! Jesus takes the time to work with us as individuals and addresses each of our problems with respect for each of our uniqueness. God is a personal God and not some sort of general ‘goodness’ that permeates our lives and the world.

Mark 1:40-45
40 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

my reflections
think: Jesus takes the time to work with us as individuals with respect for each of our uniqueness.

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The workS of The SPiriT are SuBJecT To uS

Personal choice and reason are two wonderful gifts that God never cancelled out in our human person, even after the fall of the first man and woman. This shows how much God loves and respects our human individuality, even when the first man and woman used their gifts of reason and choice to go against Him. Authentic life in the Spirit of God sustains every man’s freedom and intellect. The Holy Spirit, even as He possesses us, does not cripple our being. In fact, true giftedness in the Spirit of God enhances human freedom and understanding. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his first letter to the Corinthians (14:32.33.37): “Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the prophets’ control, since he is not the God of disorder but of peace… If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he should recognize that what I am writing to you is a commandment of the Lord…”
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and it blooms in persons truly touched by God’s presence. The leper in the Gospel surely had his joy overflowing. He was not just restored to a handsome human appearance. The leper, long separated from society and from his family because of the skin disease (cf. Leviticus 13:46), now goes back to normal interaction with family and friends. But Jesus wants the healed man to contain his joy. Biblicists say Jesus did not want to be known as just a wonder worker. His wonder works were meant to authenticate His greater mission: that He has come as the Messiah. Further, Jesus wanted to be able to move around freely to preach and teach. Jesus did not want to be recognized simply on His own merit. He wanted to be known as the Yahweh’s ambassador.
Genuine and sound spiritual life is not built on sporadic and instantaneous healings, miracles or visions. We need to nurture everything with constant prayer, patient endurance and everyday faithfulness. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Have you experienced the over f lowing and overwhelming touch of God’s Spirit? How did you manage yourself and the event? Are you one who easily reacts to spectacles of cure and miracles?

Lord Jesus, may my eyes remain focused on You rather than the wonders that You do in my life.

Blessed Arnold Janssen, pray for us.
 
16
January
Friday

IN FRONT OF THE ElECTRIC CHaIR

“Your sins are forgiven.” – Mark 2:5
It was my very first assignment for a weekly magazine: to go with one of the magazine’s veteran writers to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa and assist him in covering the execution of the convicted rapists of a popular actress.
It was sensational news so the place was crowded with media people. I wanted to impress my boss, so I was determined not to bungle in this job. Thus, I doggedly obeyed everything the veteran writer told me to do. “Go to the front, go to the front,” he barked at me, so I squeezed through the thick line of media people to get right in front— just a couple of meters away from the electric chair where the convicts would be executed.
My heart was thumping, my knees were shaking but I stayed put, even if I could hardly bear to look at the gory details of the execution.
If I could do that just to impress my boss, today I ask myself, would I be so determined to get to Jesus for His forgiveness, just like the sick man in today’s Gospel? My heart says, “Yes!”Cynthia Santiago

REFLECTION:
When was the last time you came to Jesus for His forgiveness?

Lord, grant me the grace to come to You, especially when I have sinned and need Your forgiveness.

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1st READING

The truest and most satisfying rest is the rest of the just. This is the rest of the just person who knows that he has done all that he has been asked to do. This is the rest of the person who can honestly stand before God and say, “I have done all that you have asked me to do. It is accomplished!” Why is Jesus content to go to the cross? Because He knows that this is His Father’s will and that therefore this is not the end but the beginning of something new that His Father is doing.

Hebrews 4:1-5. 11
1 Let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. 2 For in fact we have received the good news just as they did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. 3 For we who believed enter into [that] rest, just as he has said: “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest,’ ” and yet his works were accomplished at the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; 5 and again, in the previously mentioned place, “They shall not enter into my rest.” 11 Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

P S A L M

Psalm 78:3 and 4bc. 6c-7. 8
r: Do not forget the works of the lord!
3 What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, 4 we will not hide from their sons; we will declare to the generation to come the glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength. (R) 6 That they too may rise and declare to their sons 7 that they should put their hope in God, and not forget the deeds of God but keep his commands. (R) 8 And not be like their fathers, a generation wayward and rebellious, a generation that kept not its heart steadfast nor its spirit faithful toward God. (R)

G O S P E L

And so we have another personal encounter with Jesus and miraculous healing. However, here we see recorded the great pains and efforts these men went through to get their friend into the presence of Jesus. How hard have we worked to share the Gospel we know so well with our family and friends? One of the greatest sins of our age is the sin of apathy. It is often tied in with complacency and laziness. Let us seek to be sure that we are not guilty of it.

Mark 2:1-12
1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. 2 Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” 8 Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” — 11 he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” 12 He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

my reflections
think:How hard have we worked to share the Gospel we know so well with our family and friends?

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Home for The diSciPle: no PermanenT addreSS

In the Gospel of Luke (9:58ff), Jesus the Master frankly tells a would-be follower who was eager to follow Him wherever He goes: “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Today’s Gospel narrates how, during the course of His Galilean Ministry, Jesus left the comforts of His nurturing home in Nazareth — the place of His hidden life for around 30 years — and He now spends His days moving around as an itinerant preacher and healer whose known “home” is Peter’s house in Capernaum. Later, when He goes to Jerusalem, He would lodge in Martha’s and Mary’s house in Bethany whenever He goes to the south. Jesus lived a restless life as He went about fulfilling the work of the Father.
The enthusiastic and committed follower of Jesus should be willing to have this experience, too.
I am particularly reminded about a number of foreign missionaries belonging to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM) whom I came to know when I was studying and growing up in Paco, Manila. These tireless missionaries — many of them Belgian — nurtured what are now the Parish of San Fernando de Dilao and Paco Catholic School. They generously gave of their time and treasures to develop the parish and the school. Most known among them was Fr. Godo, the founder of the school. Many of the CICM missionaries considered the Philippines as their country and the parishes that they served as their home. They easily learned Tagalog and the dialects of places they were assigned to. Fr. Godo, for instance, was well-loved by my maternal grandmother because he could hear her confession in Ilocano.
A good number of these CICM fathers died and are buried here. By the side of the old church in Pasig, they have their graves. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
How open are you to go to new places, to assume new assignments, to meet new people, to learn a new language and to adjust to a new way of life? Do you have the tendency to be attached to persons, places and things?

Lord Jesus, grant me a missionary heart so I may freely go to wherever You want to send me.
 
17
January
Saturday


GOd OF OUTCaSTS

Jesus was eating with these outcasts and tax collectors. – Mark 2:16

When I was in college, I thought I received a call to abandon my dreams of having a family in favor of a lifetime service to God. In my resentment, I abandoned God instead.
You can’t imagine the shame and self-condemnation that response brought. I made myself into an outcast, thinking that I could never face God again because of my weakness.
What made me return wasn’t a renewed strength or a conviction of faith. It was more from desperation born out of a hunger for light after living in prolonged spiritual darkness. After I hit rock bottom, I realized that there was no one else to turn to. So even with plenty of misgivings, I took Jesus’ invitation to join His table.
He accepted me, gently cared for me, and in His constant pampering I was healed. I looked into His eyes and saw a beautiful reflection, one that mirrors the image He has of me. I have never left since.
How about you? Are you condemning yourself for a terrible sin or loathsome weakness? Don’t. It is exactly to you that Jesus beckons to share in His banquet.
So what are you waiting for?Cecil Lim

REFLECTION:
God’s love is bigger than our sins.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:67-69)

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1st READING

Let us never doubt that the Word of God has the power to change our lives for the better. The Word of God will ultimately bring judgment to any sin we may commit because it is the truth of God. It is God’s truth alone that can set us free from the lies and passions of the world that lead us astray. We have a choice to make – namely, will we allow the Word of God to form our minds or will we leave this task to the ways of the world?

hebrews 4:12-16
12 The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

P S A L M

Psalm 19:8. 9. 10. 15
R: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
7 [8] The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. (R) 14 [15] Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (R)

G O S P E L

In the midst of the healings of Jesus, we have a very significant story of the call of a tax collector who comes to follow Jesus as His disciple. Tax collectors are the ‘scum of the earth’ to the Jews as not only do they take their money from them on behalf of the occupying Roman power, they are usually corrupt into the bargain! Yet Jesus chooses one of them to be His follower. This affirms to us that there is no one beyond the power of redemption in Christ. If we are willing to have faith, then God will do the rest for us.

Mark 2:13-17
13 Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. 14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 15 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

my reflections
think: There is no one beyond the power of redemption in Christ. If we are willing to have faith, then God will do the rest for us.

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The SimPle, The Sick, The Poor

February 23-24, 2008 — a weekend I will never forget. I did not finish the Mass for the priestly ordination of Fr. Lito Layug. Right after laying my hands on him as the Rite of Ordination prescribed, I left Makati to catch my 12:00 p.m. flight for Cotabato City. Upon arrival at the Cotabato City airport, I was fetched by enthusiastic parish lay workers of the Immaculate Conception Parish and brought to their place in Alamada, North Cotabato. For over a month, the entire parish had been preparing for the Healing Mass the next day, February 24 (Sunday). It was the first Healing Mass in the place, an idyllic town at the foot of the mountains. Fr. Ike, the pastor, told me that his parish covers 18 villages with 82 chapels, mostly accessible only by foot — by hiking, crossing narrow footbridges and climbing bamboo poles.
As early as 4:00 p.m. of February 23 (Saturday), many parishioners from upland villages descended to the parish church for the Healing Mass, bringing their old and sickly folks. They spent the night in the cramped parish facilities, bringing along their food provisions. As early as 5:00 a.m. of the next day, they flocked to the Church and patiently awaited for the Healing Mass, the only Sunday Mass that day. After the multilingual Mass, we started the individual pray-over and finished by noon. Most folks stayed on and joined the Rosary prayer and the 45-minute praise and worship that followed. Their faces lighted up. Many came to kiss me and talk to me in dialects I felt and sensed but never fully understood. I am sure they felt Jesus’ embrace for they came as they were — simple, unsophisticated, transparent, genuine and so easy to love.
I then realized why Jesus loved to spend more time with the simple and sinful flock — the tax collectors and those looked down upon by the Jewish authorities. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Who are the people you love to be with? Why? What makes them attractive to you? Do you also have a genuine human and Christian love for the sick, the sinners and the poor? What do you feel deep inside you when you are with them?

Lord Jesus, grant me a genuine love for the poor, the sick and the sinners in our midst. Help me to be Your presence to them.
 
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18
January
Sunday

Feast of the Sto. Niño

I aM JEJE!

“I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” – Mark 10:15

Jac, my five-year-old son, was playing with his three-year-old friend Jeje in the playground. Jeje was struggling to cross the monkey bars. He was having a difficult time catching up with Jac but he gave it his best. To catch his breath, he decided to stop halfway and hang on the bars tightly. Another kid approached Jeje. He must have noticed that Jeje was breathing hard because of fatigue, so he asked him “Hey, are you OK?” To which Jeje quickly retorted, “No, I’m Jeje!
Most of us are not like Jeje. We forget who we really are. In times of trial, we say, “I cannot overcome this problem, I am doomed.” When faced with temptation, we say, “This temptation is too much. I have to give in.” During sickness, we say, “I am weak. I was destined to get sick all the time.” When we lack resources, we say, “I don’t have the gifts to generate more funds.” We are God’s children and that title gives us special privilege to His kingdom. Let’s take time to focus on who we are and what our God can do for us. Trials of this world are nothing compared to God’s Kingdom. Alvin Fabella

REFLECTION:
In times of trial, we should say, “The Lord is my shepherd, He will not abandon me.” When faced with temptation: “With the Prince of Peace at my back, the devil has no power over me!” During sickness: “Jesus is the mighty healer, no need to fear!”

Lord, let me not forget who I am in You.

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1st READING

One of the challenges facing Christians today is ensuring that the Gospel has an impact upon our society. For this to happen, it will require each of us to appropriate the full teachings of the Church and live them. If we fail to do this, the Gospel or Good News will remain as an unrealized offer to us. We need to be committed to practicing the Gospel truths.

Isaiah 9:1-6
1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. 2 You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils. 3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have
smashed, as on the day of Midian. 4 For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. 5 For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him: Wonder-counselor, God-hero, Father-forever, Prince of Peace. 6 His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
R: All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) 5 Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. (R)

2nd READING

Paul wants the Ephesians to allow the Holy Spirit greater freedom in their lives so that they will more fully reflect the Gospel to those who have not yet accepted it. Devotional practices in the Church are good but they need to go beyond set prayers and impel us to act as a community for the betterment of society and the lives of others.

Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, 4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love 5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, 6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. 15 Therefore, I, too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones.

G O S P E L

No one is excluded from having a role in the proclamation of the Gospel. It does not matter how young we may be, God can use us to make known the truth of His love and mercy. All we have to do is remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and ready ourselves to be obedient when He calls! Our first priority must always be obedience to God. Without this we will not prosper — at least not in terms of storing up treasures for eternal life.

Mark 10:13-16
13 People were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

my reflections
think:We need to be committed to practicing the Gospel truths.

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The STo. niño: a PoPular devotion wiTh a Social challenge

While on vacation in the United States, after attending the annual Religious Booksellers’ Trade Exhibit in Chicago, I enjoyed my late breakfast while viewing the Maury Show. It has a segment that features children whose biological links are put to question by the known father or mother. This situation developed as the men or women — in relationships that are without the blessings of a formal civil or church marriage — accuse each other of infidelity. The show tries to help solve the issue by subjecting the suspected “adulterous partners” to DNA tests that are later matched with the DNA of the children in question. Under the guise of helping regularize the situation, the program, I believe, has reduced the poor children into helpless pawns of quarrelsome, self-centered and irresponsible adults who are only after their own pleasure and comfort.
The Gospel today underlines the same thing: the children were regarded as “nothing” during the time of Jesus. They were considered as beings without any juridical rights. This bias conditioned even the manner with which the apostles responded to the presence of the children.
The Feast of the Sto. Niño invites us to reflect on the importance of the infancy of Jesus who, in becoming Incarnate, chose to grow in wisdom and in age as normal children do. As we celebrate with lavishness and clothe with extravagance the various images of the Sto. Niño, we should hear the echo of Jesus’ words: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me…” (cf. Mark 9:37).
Let us reflect on our response to the basic rights of children:
1. Children deserve homes with a true family spirit.
2 . The best gifts for children are fathers who truly love and honor their mothers.
3 . Children have a right to enjoy a wonderful world. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What personal value has the devotion to the Sto. Niño for you? What social problems and issues about children are you aware of? Take time to pray for children whose sad fate have come to your experience.

Lord, grant me compassion so I may care for children the way You do.

St. Margaret of Hungary, pray for us.
 
19
January
Monday

daMaGEd BUT NOT dESTROyEd

He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness. – Hebrews 5:2

I love going to confession, especially if it is with a priest like Fr. Arthur. Not only do I receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation but I am also inspired and encouraged by the confessor. Fr. Arthur is one of those priests who not only hear the long list of sins and give penance and absolution, but he also shares his own flaws as he gives counsel to people.
The best counselor is the one who can empathize, having gone through painful circumstances and has won over them. We all have defects and weaknesses; after all, we are God’s work in progress. We may have been damaged but it should not be a reason to be discouraged.
There is always a choice in times of afflictions. We can either choose to be buried in depression or we can use the situation to become a better person and be a good example.Jane Gonzales

REFLECTION:
No one is without a blemish and it is not something to be ashamed of. It’s a reminder of a wounded past that can be used to heal others.

Lord, help me to overcome my weakness and use it to uplift others. Amen.

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1st READING

Jesus’ offering of Himself to the Father is the perfect offering capable of taking away sin because Jesus is sinless. All other priests before and after Him are sinners. This is why those before Him had to offer new sacrifices each time in order to pay for the forgiveness of their sins and the sins of the people. It is why priests today only offer the sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass as it is the only efficacious sacrifice! At Mass we offer the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Jesus to the Father — we make it present in a sacramental way to the People of God.

Hebrews 5:1-10
1 Brothers and sisters: Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness 3 and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”; 6 just as he says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” 7 In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 declared by God high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

P S A L M

Psalm 110:1. 2. 3. 4
R: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
1 The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” (R) 2 The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion The Lord says, “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” (R) 3 “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” (R) 4 The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus makes it clear that He is not really interested in the incidental ‘rules of law’ the Pharisees have developed as a way of life. Jesus is interested in the response from within to His proclamation of the Good News of salvation. Jesus will not be drawn into arguments about this and that minutiae of the Law, and will, throughout His ministry, turn the argument around to one that is reflective of the state of faith of a person instead.

Mark 2:18-22
18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to him and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. 22 Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

my reflections
think: jesus is interested in the response from within to His proclamation of the Good news of salvation.

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PerSonS are mulTi-media

I think I have enough of so-called spiritual renewal speakers and priests who, in an effort to make their audience laugh, paint caricatures of simple people’s acts of religiosity. One priest makes fun of an old woman bent with osteoporosis who would approach the image of St. Roque after her daily Mass. She would reach out with her handkerchief, but succeed only in devoutly wiping the feet of the saint and his dog. Then in a very audible tone she would ask the saint’s help for her aching legs. I heard someone make fun of how a person lights a candle in Baclaran and then prays with moving lips and closed eyes while tinkling her rosary beads… while all the time, Mass was going on.
The point that Jesus raises in the Gospel today is simple. Fasting, prayers, almsgiving and all forms of religious acts are not meant to be carried out in precise, technical and mechanical ways. The Roman Missal, the big red book with ribbons that the priests and bishops use to guide them in the Eucharist prayers, has cues when and how the ordained minister ought to make his gestures. These cues on how the ordained minister must conduct himself are called rubrics. Now let me say this: God, for sure, is more interested in what goes on inside the human hearts than in the rubrics. Hence, fasting should not be a mere exercise of deprivation from food. It should focus more on the heart’s longing for something more than the physical food… and that is the presence of the groom: Jesus.
It is not our business to judge people’s expressions of faith and religiosity. For all we know, their acts, no matter how simplistic, really express what is deep within them. As such, their rather naïve ways of praying may mean more than our studied, theologized and liturgically-sound rituals and ceremonies. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What are your usual expressions of prayer and religiosity? What makes you do these “expressions?” What rites and traditions does your church have that prove to be a challenge or an obstacle even to your deeper understanding of God and true faith? Why?

Yes, Lord, I sometimes join the so-called “pious” ones and judge and condemn others. That is not what You want me to do. Help me to become a more compassionate healer than be a harsh, hypocritical judge.

St. Canute, King and Martyr, pray for us.
 
20
January
Tuesday
TODAY'S READINGS:


THIS SUNSET IS FOR yOU

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. – Hebrews 6:10

Years ago, I asked something special from God. As a favor from a son to a loving Father, I requested Him to show me an extraordinary sunset every time He would like to say, “Good job, son.”
“Lord, if what I did deserves a tap on the back, please show me our sunset….” Each time I marvel at one, I could hear Him whispering to me, “For loving my people….”
And let me tell you that I have seen countless of glorious sunsets. Not because we live in the Philippines where we have sunsets like nowhere else, but because truly, our God is a generous God.
One memorable sunset I saw was on a plane coming home after a talk I gave that touched thousands of people. Another unforgettable sunset caught my attention after I helped a poor lady on the street.
Indeed, God never forgets what we have done to His people. Whether we serve Him in big or small ways, He knows our deeds. God does not overlook even the simplest gesture.
If today you chance upon a sunset, listen to Him speak, “Good job, my child.” Arun Gogna

REFLECTION:
How am I at loving people lately?

Lord, may I not forget that I serve You in my brethren.

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1st READING

Jesus is the fulfillment of all that has been promised to the People of God in the Old Testament. It is the life of Jesus that is the interpretive tool by which we can understand the meaning of life. Without Jesus in our lives, there will always be something lacking in it. This is not an arrogant position to take. It is merely the statement of truth according to the revelation that God has made through His Word. The challenge we now face is to live it!

Hebrews 6:10-20
10 Brothers and sisters: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. 11 We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises. 13 When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, “he swore by himself,” 14 and said, “I will indeed bless you and multiply” you. 15 And so, after patient waiting, he obtained the promise. 16 Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. 17 So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, 18 so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. 19 This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

P S A L M

Psalm 111:1-2. 4-5. 9 and 10c
R: The Lord will remember his covenant forever.
1 I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. (R) 4 He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. 5 He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. (R) 9 He has sent deliverance to his people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name. 10 His praise endures forever. (R)

G O S P E L

Again, Jesus calls us to look to the heart of the matter and not the external incidentals. The Law is there to serve the People of God and not the other way around. It is easy to absolutize the Law but that will mean that we have the wrong view of it and thus our interpretations will err! This is the problem with focusing on something that is not at the focal point of the issue. The focus ought to be God and His eternal love for His people, not one of the means by which we express our love for Him!

Mark 2:23-28
23 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. 24 At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? 26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. 28 That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

my reflections
think:Without jesus in our lives, there will always be something lacking in it.

****************

The firST norm of moraliTy:
uPholding The digniTy of each PerSon

Pope John Paul II contributed greatly in the collapse of communist regimes in Poland, Russia, East Germany and other parts of Eastern Europe. A native of Poland, he came to know about the excesses of totalitarian regimes through his own hometown experiences. However, the 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated under his pontificate, teaches that “…the choice of the political regime and the appointment of rulers are left to the free choice of the citizens. The diversity of political regimes is morally acceptable provided they serve the legitimate good of the communities that adopt them…and… the fundamental rights of persons…” (#1902). In short, the Church espouses no specific political system. The evils of communism do not necessarily make democracy the best form of governance. The abuses of state-controlled economies do not make free capitalist states the ideal.
In whatever system, the important thing is to safeguard and enhance the dignity of the person, whatever may be the individual’s gender, creed, culture or party affiliation. Jesus underscores this in the Gospel today — that the authenticity of various religious traditions is measured in this: no religion can be true if its being truly God-centered is not coupled with a concern for the good of every person. In the Judeo- Christian religious movement, the creation story of the Old Testament stresses the creation of man and woman as the high point of the creation of heaven and earth. The New Testament underlines Jesus’ choice to be born as one among humanity.
Some religious associations (even Catholic ones) may become cruel in their teachings and practices if they do not keep this in mind. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Refection Question:
Do the prayerful traditions and religious disciplines of your group respect the uniqueness of each person’s capacities and needs, even as these underline the need for “oneness of mind and heart?” How compassionate are you with persons who may differ with their ways and rites?

Lord Jesus, guard my heart against being too judgmental of other persons. May my heart always see the value and dignity of each person.

Sts. Fabian and Sebastian, Popes and Martyrs, pray for us.
 
21
January
Wednesday
TODAY'S READINGS:


My WITHEREd HaNd

“Stretch out your hand.” – Mark 3:5

Almost every time I saw her, my blood would boil. And it didn’t help that I saw her every day.
She was our new helper. She was respectful and neat but I felt she rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t like her words and how she worked. It was difficult to relate to her and, one after the other, she quarreled with our other helpers who have been with us for many years. There was tension in our home and no one was happy about it, especially me.
A number of times, I couldn’t help but speak to her unkindly. My smiles to her were few and insincere. I felt terrible and rotten inside. Many times, I could have chosen to act more lovingly and I didn’t. This person was giving me a golden opportunity for growth and I blew it. I struggled to be good but found myself to be just the opposite.
Why am I telling you this?
Because impatience is my withered hand.
The Gospel today teaches that when I stretch it out to God in faith, I will be healed. Lallaine Gogna

REFLECTION:
At this time in your life, what is your withered hand?

Lord, show me the areas of my life where I have not allowed You in. Heal me of my physical diseases. Heal me especially of my indifference and unloving ways. Amen.


***********

1st READING

Melchizedek comes from nowhere and then equally mysteriously disappears after receiving a tithe from Abraham. And yet we treat him as a key figure in understanding priesthood. The practice of tithing is an important one for us to consider, not because it means that we should be giving a tenth of all we earn to the Lord and the work of the Kingdom of God, but that in this tithe we should see a call to be generous in the way we give to the Church and the Works of God. Under the New Covenant of love instituted by Jesus, all we have belongs to God so tithing as such is not really a relevant consideration. Are you and I willing to place all that we have in the service of God and His Kingdom?

Hebrews 7: 1-3. 15-17
1 “Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,” “met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings” and “blessed him.” 2 And Abraham apportioned to him “a tenth of everything.” His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace. 3 Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. 15 It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. 17 For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

P S A L M

Psalm 110:1. 2. 3. 4
R: You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
1 The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” (R) 2 The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion The Lord says, “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” (R) 3 “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” (R) 4 The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (R)

G O S P E L

This is at least the second time in Mark’s Gospel that we have encountered Jesus addressing the issue of the role of the Sabbath in the lives of the People of God. Surely this tells us that there was a problem in the peoples’ understanding of the role of the Sabbath at the time of Jesus. The focus of the Sabbath is not the day itself but what it ought to symbolize to us. And then the symbolic nature of the Sabbath, the call to rest with and in God, is something that we have to prioritize according to our own situation. Yes, Sunday Mass is a given for us, but each of us has to develop our own approach to learning to rest with God from our daily labors.

Mark 3:1-6
1 Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. 5 Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

my reflections
think:are you willing to place all that you have in the service of God and His kingdom?

***************

SilenT momenTS
are Sacred TimeS of reVelaTion

We live in a culture of communication. No generation has ever experienced leaps and bounds in the development of communications technologies than ours. Cellular phones evolved from analog models to GSM and 3G models, from dual band to triband with wi-fi capabilities. Our computer processors have turned from word processor models to high-speed gadgets for global interconnection. In a way, the speed with which communication has overtaken our world — from communication as essentially being technology, to communication as culture — has also trained our senses to process words, graphics, sounds and videos in an interactive rather than simply linear way of comprehension.
The Gospel today, however, makes us focus on another aspect of communication: the “space” called “silence.” The narration points out that it was after “they (the critics) remained silent” that Jesus healed the man with the withered hand. The silence of the critics communicated to Jesus that after they have said a lot of things against Him and His ways on the Sabbath, these people were mouthing words. But the essential meaning of Sabbath they did not grasp. The mandatory cessation from work decreed by Moses was for people to recover their health and strength for the morrow.
Silence is pregnant with meanings. It could mean submission and tacit agreement, or a state of deliberation and discernment leading to a final choice. It could be a moment of prayer, or an acknowledgment of guilt and surrender. It could mean emptiness and loneliness.
Let us respect the silence that persons may opt to have in their relationship with us. Let us learn to understand persons in their words and in their silence. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
How do you react when you encounter silence in groups or in persons? Do you tend to respect the silence? Or do you move to break the silence soonest? What makes you do this? Are there moments in life when you also turn silent? What personal feelings and experience do you prefer to communicate in silence?

Lord Jesus, teach me to love moments of silence so I can truly hear You.

St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us.
 
22
January
Thursday
TODAY'S READINGS:



HEalING HaNdS

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. – Mark 3:10

I used to watch healers on TV with much skepticism. To be honest, I found them a bit “over the top.” But I became a believer, so to speak, when I witnessed firsthand how the Lord powerfully used Fr. Joey Faller during the Kerygma Conference 2007. Through this humble instrument of healing, God cured the sick, made the lame walk, restored sight to the blind and gave hope to the poor in spirit.
As Fr. Joey walked around the area where the “special cases” were seated, he simply prayed, “Jesus is passing by.” Then he laid his hands on each of those who approached him.
One of the most moving scenes I witnessed was when Fr. Joey prayed over an old man in a wheelchair. This lolo in his 70s cried tears of joy as he stood up and took one step after another. As the conference ended, I saw the same old man, with two of his grandchildren beside him, walk out of the venue. His face was radiant while his grandchildren seemed awed by the miracle that now walked with them.
Through God’s countless anointed healers, Jesus continues to heal us and make us whole again. He reaches out to us and all we need to do is to touch Him.
And then we will be healed.Dina Pecaña

REFLECTION:
What areas in your life need to be healed? Humbly come before the Divine Healer and be touched by His healing love.

Jesus, my Divine Healer, I hold Your loving hand reaching out to me. Heal me as You will.


***************

1st READING

When the author of this letter says that the new covenant is enacted upon better promises than the old covenant, what he means is that the promise of fulfillment in the new covenant is already with us. That is, we are no longer awaiting the Messiah and have the opportunity now to begin to live the fulfillment of the promises God has made through Abraham. The Eucharist makes present the sacrifice of Jesus through which God’s promises are fulfilled. The old covenant rituals were purely symbolic – ours are sacramental – they are really with us!

Hebrews 7:25–8:6
25 Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. 27 He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever. 8: 1 The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. 3 Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For he says, “See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

P S A L M

Psalm 40:7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 17
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come.” (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. (R) 16 [17] May all who seek you exult and be glad in you, and may those who love your salvation say ever, “The LORD be glorified.” (R)

G O S P E L

The healings Jesus performs in His ministry are not designed to draw attention to His person per se but to the message He proclaims. We need to remember this principle in our own ministries as when we the ministers become the focal point of our ministry, it will only lead to the death of the ministry. However, if the focus remains on Jesus, because it is really all about Him, then we will move from strength to strength. This is the recipe for a ministry that will last and be successful in terms of bringing men and women into the Kingdom of God.

Mark 3:7-12
7 Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people [followed] from Galilee and from Judea. 8 Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. 10 He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. 11 And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” 12 He warned them sternly not to make him known.

my reflections
think: The Eucharist makes present the sacrifice of jesus through which God’s promises are fulfilled.

***************

Beware of The faiThful!

When I celebrated my first year in the priesthood, someone gave me an interesting gift: a white t-shirt printed with the figure of Jesus whose hands are shown stretching out. Underneath the icon of Jesus are words of supplication which read “Jesus, protect me from Your followers.” Whenever I wore that t-shirt, people asked me what the message meant. I had trouble trying to rationalize what the interesting words in the shirt meant.
This year, without me being too aware of it, I realize I have been a priest for 21 years. And the words printed on the t-shirt has become clearer. Danger in the priesthood does not come from outsiders or people who have no interest in priests. Danger in the priesthood is normally occasioned by people who are within the parishes and various Catholic organizations. It is they who quarrel over priests, often comparing their old favorite pastors with the newly installed well-intentioned ones. It is they who watch every priest’s move — with the zeal of being “vigilantes against sin.” It is they who are oftentimes unforgiving with the priest’s human imperfections. It is among them that avid fans also arise: persons who demand a lot of the priest’s time and affection, to the point of suffocation.
Meditating on the Gospel today, we find that Jesus — to a certain extent — felt the same way about the crowd around Him. The Gospel states that Jesus feared being crushed by the crowd, so He asked His disciples to provide Him the safety of a boat from where He could preach. Jesus appreciated the need to keep a healthy distance from the demanding horde. In fact, Jesus would many times escape from the crowd and spend moments of solitude in prayer. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
Have you ever experienced “being crushed” by people you minister to or people you minister with? What happened? How did you manage to rise from the experience? How is your relationship with priests and pastors? What are oftentimes your expectations of them? How do you show your support for them? Let your priest/pastor share about his experiences and try to empathize with him.

Lord Jesus, help me to understand other people’s need to keep distance some of the time.

St. Vincent, Deacon and Martyr, pray for us.
 
23
January
Friday
TODAY'S READINGS:
************

THE COvENaNT

Now he has obtained so much more excellent ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant… – Hebrews 8:6

In olden times, when a tribe wanted to strengthen its defense against its enemies, it would enter into a covenant with another tribe. They would choose the strongest to represent each tribe and the two would exchange cloaks. This meant a merging of identities.
Next, they would exchange weapons to signify that from then on, they shared the same enemies. Last was the “walk of death,” where they would walk between a sacrificial animal that had been cut in half. This meant that each tribe was willing to die for the other. The only way out of this covenant was death. If anyone violated any part of the covenant, the other tribe was obliged to kill off the erring tribe.
God made a covenant with man through Abraham. But man became unfaithful to the contract. He sinned against a holy God. So man must be destroyed. That’s the rule of covenant. But Jesus came. The sinless one took the penalty for all our violations against the contract. He was thus put to death. He traded with man his flesh (cloak), his strength (weapon) and offered his body as the sacrificial animal in exchange for our nothingness. Then he gave us His name in exchange for our worthlessness. Man, what a deal!Ronna Ledesma

REFLECTION:
“He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” Romans 8:32)

Lord Jesus, for those times I doubted Your love for me… please forgive me.

************


1st READING

The argument of the author here rests upon the understanding that Jesus fulfills the promises of God in a way that the Jews did not fully realize. It is as though the Jews were at least partially living in the hope of a misunderstanding of God’s promises to Abraham. That is not the case with Christians. We have received the definitive revelation of the life and ministry of Jesus and now know that the promises of God are primarily of the spiritual realities of being restored to eternal life with Him in heaven, and not so much focused on the earthly realities.

Hebrews 8:6-13
6 Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. 8 But he finds fault with them and says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord. 10 But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kinsman, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from least to greatest. 12 For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more.” 13 When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.

P S A L M

Psalm 85:8 and 10. 11-12. 13-14
R: Kindness and truth shall meet.
7 [8] Show us, O LORD, your mercy, and grant us your salvation. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus calls twelve men to accompany Him in His ministry in a particular way. Some argue that the fact they were all men is a result of the cultural conditioning of the text in later years. I do not accept this argument as if Jesus had chosen women to be among the apostles on the same basis as the Twelve, it would not have been glossed over that easily even over time as it would have been a radical departure from tradition. Also, if He had wanted to do that He would have done it as He did not balk at challenging other traditions and interpretations of the religious laws and traditions of His day.

Mark 3:13-19
13 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve whom he also named apostles that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons: 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
John 10-12

my reflections
think:We have received the definitive revelation of the life and ministry of Jesus.

******************


SalVaTion: noT SimPly an indiVidual
and PerSonal affair

Pope Benedict XVI’s second encyclical is entitled “Spe Salvi” (Saved in Hope). Ever reflective of the experiences of humanity the world over, the Pope observed that hope and the ability to hope are now a challenge for us. In our time, we realize how worldly things that made us hope — science, technology, medicine, socio-political structures — have their own limitations and bankruptcies. He teaches that more than ever, we realize there is no better hope than salvation: our personal belief in Jesus Christ who shows us God’s power over sin and death.
Strongly based on Jesus, salvation is not something that makes us individually devoted to Jesus. Jesus’ Gospel reveals to us that He lived and preached a life that is “being for others.” Jesus then rebuked the purely pietistic and deeply individual way of religiosity. The Holy Father, at one point of the encyclical, explained how St. Augustine, after his conversion, wanted to be simply a prayerful and repentant monk. Yet, he was prevailed upon to accept ordination which paved the way for him to serve the Christian community as a bishop. St. Augustine, obviously Pope Benedict’s favorite, could not ignore the fact that many people around him needed to be touched by the Gospel through his humble words and works. The hungry had to be fed, the ignorant needed to be taught and instructed and the lost needed to be guided.
In one instance in another Gospel, Jesus — while He is the true light — says that we are to be the light of the world. Discipleship fans club, but a mission partnership with Jesus who came to this world to bring us all back to the Father. His aim was not to save individuals but to call forth a people for the Father. The seed of the Kingdom is a community. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What needs of people around you challenge your way of Christian life? How do you respond to these needs? Make it a point to intercede for your community’s needs in your prayer time.

Lord Jesus, help me to live a life that includes a concern for other people and not just for my own and my family’s needs.

Blessed Henry Seuse, pray for us.
 
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