God's Message For You Today

[kerstinne25]

19
October
Friday



UNCONSCIOUS BETRAYAL

“Be on guard against… hypocrisy.” – Luke 12:1b

In one small group sharing session I attended, the topic zeroed in on was “betrayal.” Everyone had an experience to share. If we had had more time, some would even have shared two or more experiences of betrayal. Truly, with so many Judases in the world, one would be lucky to survive life without a taste of betrayal.

Reflecting on their sharing, I feel there are two kinds of betrayal. One is when someone was really a traitor to you – like your husband having an affair with another woman. Another is when you choose to brand someone a traitor out of anger and condemnation.

By the latter I mean, the hurt person is guilty of not clarifying with the person involved what really happened. He was so angry that the events turned out the way they did, he interpreted and sided with the version of another. The “supposed traitor” never gets a chance to defend himself – and does not know why so much wrath is experienced from a “former” friend.

That’s how cunning hypocrisy is.

Sometimes we feel we’ve been so betrayed when in fact we were really the one guilty of betraying – by our rash judgement! Cristy G.

REFLECTION:

Have you been a betrayer yourself?

When I feel like I have been betrayed, give me the grace to first validate instead of accusing right away.

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GOD IS OUR HOPE AND REFUGE

In the first reading Paul cuts right to the point of his letters to the Romans and in fact his whole ministry. He writes; “Abraham believed God and this credited him as righteousness”. It was because of his faith in the promise of God that Abram was the most blessed and becomes the greatest example to the Jewish people of faith in God. Abraham was a wanderer, a sojourner. He kept no law, rendered no service, performed no ritual, yet because of his belief in God, was credited as righteous.

“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteous”. This verse has its origin in Genesis (Gen.15.6), whereby Abram is visited by God in a vision. Abram is worried that the land promised him will be given to another because he has no heir to inherit the land. God promises him a son, the fruit of his own body. God reminds Abram that God alone is his shield and reward. God looks kindly on Abram. Abram is to look at the stars in the sky and the promise is given him. “See the heavens and count the number of its stars.” It is a fact that in the Near Eastern sky more than 8000 stars are visibly clear – God promises so shall be the offspring of Abram.

Thus Abram is to be the father of many nations, the father of all who believe. God rewards the just man who believes in Him. Elsewhere in the letter to the Romans Paul writes, “if you confess with your lips, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. Our faith in God seems so simple. All we need to do is accept that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. We need only repent of our wrong doing and return to the Lord who will gladly accept us, for He sees and loves in us what He sees and loves in Jesus. When the Father looks upon us he sees Jesus. He has loved us and records our sin no more. Jesus has saved us from the penalty of sin, it has been cancelled and we are credited as righteousness in the sight of God. This is due to the faith of the Son of God who has loved us and given His life for us. Our life is a life in the faith of the Son of God. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: God rewards the just person who believes and has faith in him. Often our faith can be tested; we become confused and lose faith. Do I trust and have faith in God as Abraham did? Ask the Lord for the gift of faith.

Lord increase my faith. Lord, often I have the tendency to fail in my belief that You are truly with me. I ask You to bless me with the gift of faith that I might truly believe in you. Amen.

St. John de Brebeuf, missionary and martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING

Romans 4:1-8

Abraham is presented to us as a man of faith. This is undoubtedly true as there is little else that could have led him to forsake the comfortable life he had established in Ur and travel to the unknown land of the Jordan River and ultimately Haran. His story is quite simply extraordinary. The only way to make sense of it is if he is a man of faith. Likewise, Paul wants us to model our lives of faith on Abraham’s example.

1 What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. 3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due. 5 But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.”

P S A L M

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11

R: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

1 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) 11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:1-7

Sometimes I think that we believe that the worst anyone on earth can do to us is take away our earthly life. This is not the case! The worst they can do is lead us into sin that can deprive us of our heavenly reward. The latter is far worse than the former! We need to be on guard against the lies of the devil that seek to deprive us of the gift of salvation. We know that God is on our side and that He will do all He can to help us. However, the final choice is ours! How will we choose to live our lives?

1 Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. He began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven“— that is, the hypocrisy — of the Pharisees. — 2 “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. 5 I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. 7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”

my reflections

think: Paul wants us to model our lives of faith on Abraham’s example.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 21-22

 

[kerstinne25]

20
October
Saturday



WORDS

“The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” – Luke 12:12

“Don’t say it. Don’t say it!” The Spirit commanded me urgently. But in the heat of anger, I said it anyway and, boom! I just started off another world war.

Believe me, I’ve had more than my share of trouble because of my words. Even as a little girl, I’ve been disciplined at home and in school because of words I shouldn’t have said. As I grew up, I learned that words could destroy friendships, sever the closest relationships and literally, put nations at war with each other.

But I also learned that there’s another side to words. When spoken out of love, kindness, cooperation, understanding or compassion, they can soothe, console, pacify anger and even heal.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who make it a friend shall eat its fruit.”

With words, I ended the world war that I started.

“I’m sorry,” I began my attempt at reconciliation. And after an exchange of more words, kind ones, this time we patched things up. Rissa S.

REFLECTION:

“Who will set a guard over my mouth, and upon my lips an effective seal, that I may not fail through them, that my tongue may not destroy me?” (Sirach 22:27)

Holy Spirit, give me the words to speak.

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TRUST IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the themes that one can notice through the Gospel of Luke is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God, the promise of the Father, who is with the disciples until the end of time. The disciples are to trust and put their faith in the Holy Spirit, the guarantee that they are not abandoned nor left alone to complete the work Jesus gives to His disciples.

There are many times when I am asked to speak at a seminar, give a homily or counsel someone and I don’t have a clue what to say! Have you ever experienced this? You may have been invited to give a speech or a talk on a given topic and you wonder what on earth I am, going to say. It can be a daunting experience. How often do we forget that we have assistance readily available? The Holy Spirit dwells within us and we are not left unaided or to our own devices as we struggle to find the words to say.

Jesus in the Gospel today mentions to His disciples that they should never be afraid to give a defense. Luke is writing to a community who are being persecuted for the sake of the gospel and their defense of their faith. They are comforted by the words of Jesus: “For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say”. At that moment, but you and I say, “ Lord I want to know now!” It is a great act of faith on our part to trust in the Spirit and to trust in the promise of the Lord. The Lord doesn’t lie and doesn’t joke with us these words we hear in the Gospel. They are a promise to us. Jesus can say this because He has gone before us. He understands the trials that will befall us. He Himself faced trial and tribulation. Remember the time He was placed under trial before Herod and Pilate. Often His witness was silent but when He spoke he spoke as the Father wanted Him to speak.

The next time you are asked to give a defense, talk, or some kind of exhortation turn to the Lord who fills you with wisdom and insight. Many times I have found it a great consolation to ask the Lord what is it He wants to say – after all He knows best! Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I trust in the Holy Spirit? Do I call upon him to help me and guide me in my words and actions?

Lord, thank You for the gift of the Spirit that dwells within me. I place my life under the anointing of Your Spirit. Holy Spirit lead me and guide me in all my ways. Amen.

St. Artemius, pray for us.

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1st READING

Romans 4:13.16-18

It is interesting to contrast the lives of Abraham and Jacob. The former is a man of faith; the latter a man of action. The two extremes are found in the grandfather and grandson. It is not that they are opposed to one another but that they represent the two poles of faith – Abraham relies on faith and waits for God to act; Jacob has faith that God will bless his actions. I believe that the most healthy path is somewhere in the middle. This should help us avoid the dangers of the extremes, fideism and activism.

13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written,“I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. 18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.”

P S A L M

Psalm 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43

R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

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) 42 For he remembered his holy word to his servant Abraham. 43 And he led forth his people with joy; with shouts of joy, his chosen ones. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:8-12

Jesus clearly tells us that we have to make a choice about whom we are going to make the Lord of our lives. We can be sure that if we choose Him, He will stand by us no matter what happens. However, if we choose the way of sin, then we will open our lives to all sorts of powers that will draw us away from Him. Put in this way, the answer to the choice seems pretty obvious to me! Let us pray for the grace to choose wisely and to persevere in making God the Lord of our lives.

8 “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. 10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

my reflections

think: Let us pray for the grace to choose wisely and to persevere in making God the Lord of our lives.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 23-24

 

[kerstinne25]

21
October
Sunday



I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

“But when the son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:8

For the longest time now, I’ve been accusing God of having favorites. You see, my husband and I haven’t been blessed with a child and I recently had to undergo a total hysterectomy. The next unfortunate event was that I lost my job and it was during the time we were building our house.

Is that fair? I serve in our Catholic community.

I do God’s will but still...

After spending many sleepless nights crying, it dawned on me that indeed God allows these things to happen for a reason.

These trials can help build my faith if I allow them to, if I don’t allow them to kill me first.

And indeed, as sure as the sun rises every day, so are God’s blessings and perfect timing unveiled. As a result of the operation, the Social Security gave me pension for two years.

And we were able to finish our house through the separation pay I got from my previous company.

Another blessing was a new job in the food industry as an industrial engineer.

I see clearly now. God indeed plays favorites.

He favors those who are in need and who need Him most. Such as those He will find when the Son of Man comes. Annette AF.

REFLECTION:

What is God unveiling before you now?

Our needs are great, You know them all. I believe that You favor those who trust in You. I trust in Your love for me.

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THE POWER AND GRACE OF PRAYER

Prayer is a wonderful gift that God has given to his people. What a wonderful opportunity we have in relationship with God as one who provides in our needs. The Gospel today teaches us the value there is in prayer and the need to be persistent in prayer.

The widow is the poor one in the story. She has no one left to defend her cause; she is helpless and vulnerable. She must be bold and persistent towards the judge so that she can receive her just rewards. Note the contrast in that of the judge. The successes and wealth that his profession have brought him has tended to make him unaware of the needs of the poor widow. Jesus tells us that the judge has no concern for men nor fear of God. The judge is uncompromising and unwilling to give in to the plea of the widow. In a fortunate kind of way the judge finally becomes bothered and attends to her need. he attends to her not out of concern for the widow but rather to keep his sanity! There is a selfish agenda behind this giving in – so that she–won’t eventually wear him out with her coming! The Lord concludes the parable by stating the fact that if the unjust judge meets the need of the widow (for his own sake), how much more will God see justice done to those who call out to him?

The catechism of the Catholic church teaches three principles of prayer, (i) to be urgent in our prayer – ask and you shall receive, (ii)–the quality of patience - patience of faith (as in the gospel today), and (iii) humility of heartabandoning oneself to the Father.

We are to pray constantly, never giving up. This is always the temptation and the enemy has won the battle if that is ever the case. Then why does not the Lord answer us straight away in our desperation? Perhaps He is testing our faith, or maybe we are asking the wrong thing for misguided motives or perhaps God knows that what we ask really isn’t His will. I believe the Lord always answers the prayers of those who call out to Him. Sometimes they may not be answered according to our expectations. Nevertheless, the Lord will answer our prayers. To quote a Church Father who speaks on the values of prayer, “Do not be troubled if you immediately receive from God what you ask Him; for He desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to Him in prayer”. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I patient in my prayer to God? Do I persist in patience of faith? Where do my motives lie when I pray to the Lord?

Lord, teach me to pray. Give me the grace to be humble, patient and faithful in prayer. Thank You for the way that You do answer my prayers Amen.

St. Ursula, pray for us.

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1st READING

Exodus 17:8-13

What is the meaning underlying such an incredible story of military victory? The answer is simple: it is the Lord who won the victory for the Israelites against Amalek. This is to teach the people that with God anything is possible and without Him disaster is the inevitable result. The raising and falling of Moses arms and all that accompanies this simply demonstrates that the armies have nothing to do with the end result.

8 At Rephidim, Amalek came and waged war against Israel. 9 Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,“Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him he engaged Amalek in battle after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur. 11 As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. 12 Moses hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

P S A L M

Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R: Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

1 I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me? 2 My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (R) 3 May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he slumber not who guards you: 4 Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps, the guardian of Israel. (R) 5 The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. (R) 7 The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. 8 The LORD will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever. (R)

2nd READING

2 Timothy 3:14—4:2

The Scriptures, along with our faith, are the trustworthiest weapons in the battle against sin and the struggle to grow in holiness. The Scriptures contain all the necessary truths for our salvation. They are also the enduring repository of the revelation of God to His people. Along with the Tradition of the Church, the Scriptures form the twofold source of revelation.

14 Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, 15 and that from infancy you have known [the] sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 4: 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: 2 proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

G O S P E L

Luke 18:1-8

The justice of the courts of humanity will often be lacking. This is not to say that we should disregard them – but that we should recognize that sin has an effect upon the way that we issue justice in the world. With God this is never the case. He is absolutely just and merciful at the same time. We can always be sure that He will deliver an impartial and just judgment. If this is the case, we do well to ensure that we have nothing that might prejudice our judgment on the last day!

1 Jesus told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” 6 The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

my reflections

think: Armies have nothing to do with the end result.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 25-26



SABBATH PAUSE

My weekly time with God

THANK YOU LIST

Things to be grateful for from the past week

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SPECIAL NEEDS

Things to ask God for in the coming week

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HIDDEN TREASURE

Most important word God told me this week

 

[kerstinne25]

22
October
Monday



WHAT YOU DO

Empowered by faith... – Romans 4:20 I run a web discussion group

([email protected]). It’s been going on for two years now. Almost every day, I send out a Catholic-related question like: Why confess to a priest? What’s a scapular for?... And I accompany it with the easy-to-understand answer. My audience is about 700 curious people all over the world.

It’s hard to count, though.

Notice I said I send messages “almost” every day. That’s because, some days I forget to or am too burdened by work that I never get to do so.

One day, someone emailed me, “Father Jomar, please subscribe me again to your group. I changed emails and I want to keep reading your insightful Q&A.”

I am not a priest, okay? So this was funny and also a wake up call. What I do – it does matter to some people. I want to believe that it matters to God too, that’s why I continue to do it. Jomar H.

REFLECTION:

What do you do that matters to God?

Guide my thoughts, words and deeds, Lord, that my life may glorify You.

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GIVE GOD THANKS IN ALL THINGS

Have you ever noticed the behavior of the spoilt child? They tend to have everything to their hearts content yet they are not satisfied. They want more!

Unfortunately they carry this attitude into their adult years and beyond.They expect things to be given to them when they want it and that means now. Their life can be a miserable mess if they let it come to this. The spoilt child can have a tendency to frustration, anger and rebellion. They realize they are no longer in control and they will put a fight for it.

I think we can all suffer from this “spoilt child syndrome” at times in our life. We want something and yet we also realize that we cannot have everything that we see and want. The rich man we hear about in the Gospel, I believe is suffering from a “spoilt child syndrome”. He has everything to his heart’s content. Actually, he has done well in his harvest. He is to be commended on the hard labor and work he exerted to receive such abundance in goods. Yet he faces a dilemma. When he realizes he hasn’t enough room to store his bountiful harvest, he decides to tear the smaller ones to make room for larger ones. That’s OK. But then he goes on to say, “Look at me, I can sit back and relax”. He feels he is made for life. Notice the attitude.He knows his wealth; he is aware of his success however pride settles in whereby he becomes complacent.

What happens if he is to die, where will all the produce go? We too can be likeminded whereby we sit comfortably with all that we have. Just as the rich man never mentioned his gratitude for God, so too can we forget that all we have is of God’s gracious giving. I am reminded of Job’s trials and difficulties yet he was able to remain faithful to the Lord, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised.” He is aware of the Lord’s goodness in his life and his faith is in God. So strong is this that when calamities befell he could resolutely give all to God. Everything is given to him by the Lord in the first place. The example of Job is an example for all of us. We have received many things from the Lord. Do we give glory to God for what we have? Do we share our resources with others or keep it to ourselves as the rich man did in the Gospel. What a sad existence if we didn’t share with others all that God has given us. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: What are the things we find ourselves attached to in some way. Are there any things that I have to surrender to the Lord that I may be possessive about?

Take, Lord, and receive all that I have and possess. You have given all to me; now I return it. Give me Your love and grace – that is enough for me Amen.

St. Philip, bishop and martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING

Romans 4:20-25

St Paul presents Abraham as a man whose life was governed by his faith in God. This is perfectly true when we consider that Abraham left the comfort of his life in Ur as a response to God’s call and embarked on a journey that would take him way to the north to a place called Haran and even as far as the Jordan River where there would be little security for him. This was a journey of faith. It should inspire us to entrust our lives to God as well.

20 He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God 21 and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do. 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 But it was not for him alone that it was written that “it was credited to him”; 24 it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.

P S A L M

Luke 1:68-69, 70-72, 73-75

R: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

68 He has come to his people and set them free. 69 He has raised up for us our mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. (R) 70 Through his holy prophets he promised of old 71 that he would save us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. 72 He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. (R) 73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us 74 free from the hand of enemies, free to worship him without fear, 75 holy and righteousness in his sight all the days of our life. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:13-21

The demands the Gospel makes on our lives in terms of holiness and justice ought to be enough to ensure that no one will ever have the need to go before a judge or authority figure to demand justice from us in terms of earthly belongings. The parable Jesus tells only to clearly spell out this obligation and the consequences if we do not heed it. Let us reflect carefully on the way we live and the way we treat others.

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” 14 He replied to him, “Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” 15 Then he said to the crowd, “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. 17 He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ 18 And he said, “This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods 19 and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ 21 Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

my reflections

think: Let us reflect carefully on the way we live and the way we treat others.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 27-28

 

[kerstinne25]

23
October
Tuesday



PREPARED

“Be ready for whatever comes. Be dressed for action.” – Luke 12:38

For the first time, I was tasked to be in charge of all the candidates for confirmation. I became one of the speakers in the seminar. All the papers were submitted to me. Though I delegated the task of monitoring the payment and issuance of official receipts, I was still responsible for it.

Many snags occurred. Our parish priest grilled the catechists for it. He bluntly told us we were disorganized. We were nervous that the ceremony would be in chaos for there were 150 candidates.

Not to mention their parents and godparents.

Hours before the confirmation, I knelt down and prayed from my heart, “Lord, please send your Holy Spirit to these candidates. I may be disorganized but only you can put everything in order. I entrust to you the candidates and the ceremony. Be with us this afternoon.”

God heard my prayer.

Silence reigned as the bishop anointed oil on every candidate. Only the beautiful voice of the soloist singing hymns could be heard.

Photographers did not crowd the main altar.

Everything was in order. The bishop, our parish priest and all the people were impressed by the solemnity of the ceremony.

God taught me that as his soldier, I must always put on the best armor – prayer. Rosann J.

REFLECTION:

God taught me that as his soldier I must always put on the best armor – prayer.

Though I am ready for all that may come my way, I am only so because I put my trust in You.

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GRACE OVERFLOWS TO MANY

I once heard the phrase that we are all “fallen image bearers”. We are icons of God that reflect to one another the beauty and wonder of God because God dwells within us through the grace of the Holy Sprit. Yet we have fallen. Unfortunately, we have been distorted somewhat in our humanity through the sin of our first parents. But, Jesus has restored us to that dignity that once was ours in the beginning Our first parents disobeyed God and since then we have become fallen image bearers. The image we bear remains, that of being created in the image and likeness of God, yet we have fallen. We are grateful to God because it is through Jesus we have been redeemed. However, we still bear the wounds of our fallen human nature and we have the tendency to sin – the power of concupiscence – that drive within that causes us to sin.

Jesus, the obedient one, Son of God, has undone the disobedience of man - Adam. Grace and mercy has flowed to us through the obedience of one man Jesus who died on the cross for us. Paul states in his letter to the Romans that the “gracious gift of Jesus Christ overflows for the many”. Paul tells of the contrast between life and death. One man brings death through one act of disobedience and one man brings about life through one act of righteousness. “For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of one, many will be made righteous”. Have you ever noticed that when you sprain an ankle the whole body stoops with the agony? The ankle is a small bone yet the whole body seems to become affected. This can serve as a clear insight on the way sin affects many, that is the whole of the Body of Christ. We have been speaking of obedience versus disobedience and sin versus grace. The sore ankle is like the sin that enters in to the world. The whole body that stoops down under the weight of the pain is the people that Paul talks about who have been affected. .Sin entered the world through death and thus death came to all men inasmuch as all have sinned. Yet as Paul writes in his letter, grace has overflowed all the more. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ His son. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: Some of the symptoms of our “fallen” nature are loneliness, broken relationships, miscommunication, and withdrawal, loss of innocence and purity of heart. What are those areas of your life where you need Jesus to redeem and restore what has been lost through our fallen human nature?

God, Redeemer and Creator, I thank You for having created me in Your image and likeness. Father, I thank You for allowing me to be a reflection of Your beloved Son. Continue to heal me and redeem my life that I may glorify Your name. Amen.

St. Oda, widow, pray for us.

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



1st READING

Romans 5:12.15.17-19.20-21

The power of the grace of God made available to us in Christ is far greater than the power of sin. This is the primary point that Paul is trying to make here. He is not really interested in how sin has been passed down from generation to generation but the fact that it has a malevolent presence in our lives. However, the power of sin is nothing in comparison with the grace that is made available to us through the Gospel.

12 Through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned. 15 If by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many. 17 For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. 18 In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous. 20 Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

P S A L M

Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17

R: Here I am, 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

Luke 12:35-38

There is no doubt that the Scriptures urge us to be alert and ready for any possibility in life. This is important for us to remember as we never know when it is that God will call us to himself and thus we will find ourselves having to give an account of how we have lived. We are but servants of God and like any employee or servant we are accountable to Him for the way in which we have used the gifts and resources that He has given us. Let us ensure that we prepare well for that day by being faithful in all we do.

35 “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.”

my reflections

think: We are accountable to Him for the way in which we have used thegifts and resources that He has given us.

_________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Mark 1-3

 

[kerstinne25]

24
October
Wednesday



DON’T BE A SLAVE

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey? – Romans 6:16

“Can I have some of your pulutan?” Rene, a poor teenage boy, asked a group of men who were having a drinking session. “Sure,” says one of the men, “but you have to take a shot first before you can have a taste of the pulutan.” Not having had a decent meal that day, he had no other choice but to give in to the request of the man. When he had his first shot, he was given the pulutan. Then one shot led to another. This happened several times until drinking became his vice.

Rene came from a very poor family. Being the eldest, he was forced to do odd jobs in order to provide food for the table. He wasn’t able to finish school but later he got his big break. Through sheer hardwork, his career flourished... and so did his drinking. Too much alcohol in his body took a toll on his health, which led to his early demise.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap your destiny.” Psychologists say that it takes 21 consecutive days to form a habit. So, whether it be forming a bad habit or a good one, the same process applies. It’s your choice. Which do you want to be a slave of? Judith C.

REFLECTION:

What vice is gripping your soul?

Help me to be free of any bondage, save the bondage of Your love.

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NO LONGER ENSLAVED TO SIN

As Christians we have an amazing freedom given to us in Christ Jesus. We now live in Christ and are no longer enslaved to the power of sin. Once it was the dominating force in our lives but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ we have new life in Him.

There is a story told of a Negro woman brought to the slave market.

The woman is brought in chains and is nervous as she awaits for the highest bid in the slave market. Stories from others who have been in her situation before flood her mind. All of a sudden the shouting stops and a man approaches her. He is the winner of the bid and now her master. Holding the key in his hand, he unlocks the chains and tells her she is free. She is amazed and can not believe what she hears. She runs and runs and runs until finally out of breath realizes her freedom. The woman is no longer enslaved to the heavy chains of oppression and slavery but is now free to live again. We are like that woman. The chains of sin that have weighed upon us are no more. Jesus has freed us from the chains and we are free to love him and serve God. As Paul says today in the first reading, “Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.”

It is a truly liberating experience to know our sins are forgiven. They are no longer the torment of our lives. Imagine what it is to live without sin. Hard to imagine, but that was the original intention of God when He created us as it was in the beginning. We are encouraged by Paul to “present ourselves to God as raised from death to life and the parts of our bodies to God”. We belong completely to God, so we are not to let sin reign over our bodies. Herein lays a tremendous challenge because the temptation will always be there to be enslaved to sin. However, that is the old, which has passed and we are now a new creation, the handiwork of God. Let us ask God to help us in our new life to live in obedience to “the pattern of teaching to which we have been entrusted.” Let us look always to him who frees us and loves us with the grace and life of the Spirit given to us. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. What are the areas of our lives, of our bodies that need to be presented to God?

Lord, free from me the sin that so easily entangles me and binds me. Loosen me from the heavy weight of sin that I may present myself to You, a living sacrifice of praise. Amen.

Martyrs of Nagran, pray for us.

-----------



1st READING

Romans 6:12-18

We no longer have any excuse as to why we so often succumb to the powers and temptations of sin. Jesus’ life marks a turning point in the history of humanity in that before his death and resurrection sin reigned and after it the grace of God reigns over the powers of sin and death. This is what the obedience of one man accomplished for all. This is what salvation is all about – the possibility of living our lives free of the powers of sin.

12 Sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. 13 And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin is not to have any power over you, since you are not under the law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Of course not! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

P S A L M

Psalm 124:1-3, 4-6, 7-8

R: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

1 Had not the LORD been with us, let Israel say, 2 had not the LORD been with us — when men rose up against us, 3 then would they have swallowed us alive. When their fury was inflamed against us. (R) 4 Then would the waters have verwhelmed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 over us then would have swept the raging waters. 6 Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us a prey to their teeth. (R) 7 We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare; broken was the snare, and we were freed. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:39-48

We who have heard the Gospel will be more accountable to God on Judgment Day than those who have not heard it. Is it better then to have never heard the Gospel? Of course not! The Gospel gives us the power to know with greater certainty the truths of salvation and the moral life. Even without the Gospel, the latter are available to humanity, though in a less convincing form. Thus all will be held accountable. I believe those who know the Gospel are in an advantageous position due to the certainty that comes through faith in Christ as to the moral demands on our life.

39 “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” 41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute [the] food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

my reflections

think: This is what salvation is all about – the possibility of living our lives free of the powers of sin.

_________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Mark 4-6

 

[kerstinne25]

25
October
Thursday



ABLAZE

“I have come to set the earth on fire.” – Luke 12:49

“What are you passionate about?”

It was a seminar on empowerment and the facilitator asked the participants, who were grouped into pairs, to share with their partners what it was about their lives they felt most passionate about. People’s faces began lighting up as they began to share. They were beaming, their eyes alert, their body language posed in enthusiasm as they spoke about what it was in their lives they valued and loved doing the most.

What activities put you in your element?

What kind of work engages you so much you don’t feel tired doing it? What are your motives for doing what you do? What are your most cherished dreams? What are your most intense longings? Sigmund Freud once said, “We are our desires.” Perhaps he said that because he recognized that our desires determine so much of who we are. They fuel our actions and propel our lives to move in a certain direction.

As Christians, our all consuming desire is God. However, many times we falter in the attempt, doing so many “right things” for all the wrong reasons. Let us pray that the fire of Christ purify our motives and longings so that they will all become holy desires for Him. Cotics C.

REFLECTION:

What “right things” do you do for the wrong reasons?

Lord Jesus, purify me that I may burn only forYou.

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



THE FIRE OF HIS LOVE

We read in the Gospel today something of the extraordinary passion in the heart of Jesus as He lived upon the earth. He passionately brought about the Kingdom of God and we know that many lives were changed by His ministry. The one who surrenders His life to the Lord Jesus Christ can never be the same again.

Think of the fire that blazes and rages through bush land or forest. Whatever is in its path the fire will consume until all has been burnt to a “crisp.” Nothing is left standing, depending on the extent of the damage of the fire. The land looks bare. Once where there were trees and vegetation what remains are a few shrubs, charred wood and a grave memory of the terror of the fire that once swept through that land. Noticeably, however, after a few years, new life seems to sprout. There is a sense of revival and regeneration as seedlings sprout and begin to produce new life. The same insight can be observed after the eruption of a volcano. At first there is much devastation and loss. Yet after a few years the ground has become so fertile and new life can begin.

Jesus uses the analogy of fire in today’s gospel to illustrate the power of His love for all people in all the earth. The fire He desires to bring is a purifying fire, one that affects new life and the regeneration of our lives. The baptism of which He speaks of is the baptism of His death so that all may receive life and have it to the full. As we proclaim in Mass the mystery of faith, “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life, Lord Jesus come in glory.”

St Ignatius once noted the Incarnation as the day of fire. Another Church Father states that every time we eat the bread of the Eucharist we eat fire and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples seemingly as tongues of fire. Moses met the Lord God on the mountain amidst wind, and thunder fire and smoke, a theophany, manifestation of the glory of God. The Lord led the Israelites by a pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. St John of the Cross uses the analogy of fire consuming the wood as an illustration for us of the fire of God’s Love. Once consumed by the fire, the wood is set ablaze, so too with God. We are consumed into the love of God and become God’s. Hence, fire serves as a powerful image of God and the action of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: Jesus said, “I have come to set the earth on fire and how I wish it were already blazing”. What is the “earth” in your life where the Lord needs to bring about the fire of his Spirit. The “earth” can be family affairs, work situations, struggles in life, habits of sin, etc.

Lord send the fire of Your Spirit into my heart. Enflame me with a deep hunger for prayer and an enduring desire to do the Father’s will. Amen.

St. Hilary, bishop, pray for us.

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



1st READING

Romans 6:19-23

The choice we have to make is quite simple. It does not need a genius to explain or understand it. St Paul tells us that the wages of sin is death. It could not be any simpler than that! The question remains, though: why do we give in to temptation when we know that the result is death? If I could answer that, then I would be a genius! The Christian life demands we fight this temptation for the rest of our lives. Let us call upon the help of God in this battle.

19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature. For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness for lawlessness, so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. 21 But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

P S A L M

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. (R) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:49-53

Jesus is not interested in peace for the sake of peace. If the basis of peace in a community is a lie or some sort of compromise of the truth then it is not true peace at all and thus worthless. If someone wants to insist on remaining in sin then we do not have a choice – we must renounce their decision. This does not mean that we condemn the person, but we have a responsibility to make it clear to them that we cannot accept their decision as a good one, even if the person is immediate family!

49 “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

my reflections

think: Jesus is not interested in peace for the sake of peace.

_________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Mark 7-9

 

[kerstinne25]

26
October
Friday



FORGIVENESS

I know I am rotten through and through... – Romans 7:18

I’ve always had this problem about forgiveness.

No, I don’t have a black book stowed away somewhere handy where I can note down other people’s transgressions towards me. As far as I can remember, I’ve never protractedly harbored any resentment against anyone. I’m always one who believes that everyone deserves a second chance.

So what’s my problem? I’m hard on myself.

It takes days, even weeks, for me to bounce back from a slump after I’ve committed a sin.

I always find it hard to forgive myself.

I’ve read our reading several times in the past and each time, I thought I was fully identifying with Paul whenever I lashed out against myself. Yet reading it this time around made me realize this: No matter how I progress in my spiritual life, my humanity will always tend to lure me back into sin. That is why I always have to be mindful of it. And thank God, my humanity is inadequate to deal with all this. I don’t have to beat myself up whenever I fall.

I have Jesus — who lifts me up and gives me the power over my humanity — who forgives me. Roy M.

REFLECTION:

Nothing you do will make God love you less.

For Your unending patience and everlasting forgiveness, thank You.

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



LORD TEACH ME YOUR WAYS

In his letter to the Romans, Paul speaks so empathically on the misery and struggles of human life. He understands the tensions one is involved with when we seek to follow the ways of the Lord.He reminds his readers that we are not alone in our journey of life but Jesus will see us through.

We all understand that our lives are new through the grace of the Holy Spirit that dwells within. We all understand the command of Jesus to love another as He has loved us. We have the assistance in our journey with brothers and sisters who support us in our faith. So much is on offer for us, yet how often are we burdened like Paul by the power of sin. Paul knows all about it when he states in his letter – “For I delight in the law of God in my inner self, but I see in my members another principle at war with my mind...” He is talking about the tendency we have to sin; we don’t want to but we do! This tendency has a theological term, namely, concupiscence – that is the drive within to do evil. Paul says on this “For I do not do the good that I want but I do the evil that I want”. And we cry oh what wretched people we are. We go to confession stating the same failures and we say we are wretched. We make the same mistakes and we say we are wretched. We said the wrong thing, we told a lie and we do this and that and we say what a wretched mess. However, before the pit of depression becomes too deep a pit to fall into, let us look to God who has given a way out of this wretched mess. As Paul shouts in triumph so do we, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ.” Yes it is God who has the final say on sin. It is accomplished as Jesus said on the cross.

We know within ourselves the willingness to do good, yet it is true that there is another “principle” at work. The enemy absolutely despises us and he will do anything to persuade us from goodness. We are aware of the temptations to speak against someone or to take revenge, or to act in a particular way – this is the evil at hand. Often it comes in subtle and unassuming disguises. Hence there is a need to be vigilant. Call upon the Lord where He will come and bring salvation, He is our Savior. Yes thanks be to God through Jesus Christ who gives us the Holy Spirit to walk the walk of faith. Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: The battle of the mind is often the worst battle we must conquer. So much can begin here if we are able to seek the Lord to anoint our minds. Pray the prayer of Ephesians 6:13-17 for God’s protection over our lives and the lives of the members of our family.

Lord, grant me the gift of Your Spirit and help me to be patient, kind and gentle in all I do. Help me to avoid evil and do good in all my affairs. Amen.

St. Rusticus, bishop, pray for us.

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



1st READING

Romans 7:18-25

St Paul is honest with us. He tells us of the struggle he has with sin – the difficulty he has in doing what he knows to be right. I am sure that we can all identify with this struggle. Perhaps we are in the middle of it at the moment. The only way to overcome it is through a deeper surrender to the grace of God in our lives. On our own we will ultimately lose this battle – sin will prevail. However, with Christ by our side, we are destined for victory. Let us ensure that we walk always with Him.

18 I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand. 22 For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self, 23 but I see in my members another principle at war with the law of my mind, taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

R: Lord, teach me your statutes.

66 Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust. (R) 68 You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes. (R) 76 Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants. (R) 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. (R) 93 Never will I forget your precepts, for through them you give me life. (R) 94 I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 12:54-59

It is unseemly for members of the same community to take a dispute to a secular court to have it resolved. It is much better if they can resolve it internally. There is a far greater chance of an amicable settlement in this context rather than the secular one. The secular context is merely interested in the issue of the law; at least within the community there may also be a sense of mercy and commitment to one another that may come into play. There is also the question as to whether scandal might arise from seeking a purely secular solution to the disagreement.

54 “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain — and so it does; 55 and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot — and so it is. — 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 57 Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. 59 I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

my reflections

think: On our own we will ultimately lose this battle – sin will prevail. However, with Christ by our side we are destined for victory.

_________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Mark 10-11

 

[JenG]

Reflection - Oct 26

Perfect Hatred
READ: Psalm 97

You who love the Lord, hate evil! —Psalm 97:10

Tell me what you hate and I can tell you a great deal about yourself. Hatred can be the strong side of righteousness, but it needs a sign written on it with large red letters: Handle With Care.

Olive Moore, the 19th-century English writer, put words to this warning: "Be careful with hatred. . . . Hatred is a passion requiring one hundred times the energy of love. Keep it for a cause, not an individual. Keep it for intolerance, injustice, stupidity. For hatred is the strength of the sensitive. Its power and its greatness depend on the selflessness of its use."

We tend to waste our hatred on insignificant slights and differences. Comments made by a political opponent may draw our venom. Angry letters written to the editor often raise trivia to the level of significance because of the pathology of our misdirected hatred. Churches fracture and split when hatred is directed at people and not at the forces around us that destroy life and hope.

The old Methodist circuit riders were described as men who hated nothing but sin. They took seriously the admonitions of the psalmist, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" (Psalm 97:10), and of the prophet Amos who urged his hearers to "hate evil, love good" (Amos 5:15). — Haddon W. Robinson

Dear Father, help us to handle hatred
with utmost care. Help us to direct our hatred
only at the things You despise. Teach us
what it means to hate the sin and love the sinner. Amen.

If you can't hate what is evil, you can't love what is good.

 

[arjay]

mahilig po pla kayo sa ganyan.. ako din poh Eh server ako sa amin.. But konti lang nalalamn ko about kung panu mg search sa gospel everyday.. Tnx po dito buti ma inspire din ang ibang tga SB!

 

[JenG]

Reflection - Oct 28

A Place To Grow
READ: Matthew 6:1-18

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. --Matthew 6:18

"I'm limited," you say. You are frustrated by the cramping restrictions of age, illness, a difficult child, or an uncooperative spouse. Perhaps you are housebound or bedridden and feel you have no place to serve.

Your limited place need not limit you. Embrace it as a place to grow. Don't worry about what people around you may think. God sees what is done "in secret" and He will reward you in due time (Matthew 6:18).

In fact, our restrictions are part of God's plan to mature us—to draw us away from our preoccupation with being seen and heard by others. If we pray, give, or fast to increase others' estimation of us, we will miss God's blessing. If we are concerned about enhancing our reputation, we lose the good that God has promised to give us.

God always rewards hidden spirituality. He hears every private prayer; He recognizes every secret gift; He notes and richly rewards each unseen act of devotion. You will be strengthened, and the Lord will make you all that He wants you to be.

The bottom line is this: The things that are done for God's eyes are the things that matter. So, settle into that secret place where God alone sees and knows. — David H. Roper

Jesus has called me to be at my best,
Living for Him when at work or at play;
He knows my heart, and in that I can rest—
Why should I worry what others may say? —Hess



To know that God sees us brings both conviction and comfort.

 

[blueangel]

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better or happier .
be the living expression of GOD's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.

FAITH, HOPE and LOVE


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

BLuEAngEL

 

[eumanoid]

inner peace may not be impossible for a man who lost everything

 

[kerstinne25]

4 January
Friday



NOTHiNg bEATS bEiNg THERE

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” – John 1:39

It’s a world unlike anything you’ve seen on earth. No matter how well your friends describe it or books chronicle it with pictures in full color, they never come close enough. And when you see stickers that say, “I’d rather be diving,” you really won’t get what all the hoopla is about.

Unless you’ve been under the sea. There where you can hear yourself breathe like Darth Vader. Where animals and plants are colored unlike anything you’ve seen on land. Where you will continually be in awe of the beauty that God took so much pains to create only to submerge it in water, away from plain view.

No, no description ever comes close. You

have to personally experience diving yourself to understand what I mean.

Maybe that’s why Jesus invited His disciples to “come and see” His home for themselves. Because it wasn’t so much His address that was important. It was the experience of Himself that He wanted them to have.

Have you seen Jesus for yourself? Don’t be satisfied with second-hand testimonies of what He’s done to others. Come and see for yourself. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

REFLECTION:

“Make no conditions, let Jesus be everything, and He will take you home with Him not only for a day, but forever.” (Oswald

Chambers)

Lord, I come to You today. I want to experience You.

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

1st READING

1 John 3:7-10

Generally speaking, it is easy to know the difference between what is right and wrong. Sometimes, though, we do have doubts. I wonder why, then, do we find ourselves so often in a state of sin rather than in a state of grace? It seems that we often choose the wrong course of action.

7 Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. 10 In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6

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. (R) 3 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)

G O S P E L

John 1:35-42

Knowing what you are committing yourself to before you do it is an important principle in life. We see today some of the future apostles of Jesus spending time being with Jesus as they discern to follow Him as their Rabbi or Master. Each of us makes a similar decision as regards our faith walk and the only real way to get to know Him is through prayer, the Scriptures and reading about others who followed Him in the past.

35 John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” 37 The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” which is translated Christ. 42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” which is translated Peter.

my reflections

think: The only real way to get to know Jesus is through prayer, the Scriptures and reading about others who followed Him in the past.

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



Christ’s invitation

It always makes me sad when somebody turns away from the Church. here are so many complaints about the Church. Some feel there are too many restrictions and commandments, too many “don’ts” that kill freedom and joy. The more permissive our society becomes and the more relativism spreads, the more a wrong notion of freedom pervades, and people turn away from the Church.

Last year, Pope Benedict XVI said in an interview, “Christianity, Catholicism is not a collection of prohibitions — it’s a positive option... We have heard so much about what is not allowed that now it’s time to say: We have a positive option to offer…”

These words of the Pope are illustrated by today’s gospel. Jesus did not force anybody to follow Him. He asked the two young men the most fundamental question, “What are you looking for?” He asks us the same question today. It’s a good question, we will never know where to go and what to do if we don’t know what we are looking for.

A bit later, Jesus invites Andrew and his friend, “Come and see.” There is no force, no arm-twisting; there are no great promises of an easy life. There is only a kind invitation. What they have seen must have impressed them. For Andrew cannot but run to his brother Simon to invite him to meet Jesus, too.

Jesus invites us to come and see. As long as we do so without any bias and prejudice, we would come to the conclusion that Jesus offers positive options. We are invited to share these options with others.

Be glad t h a t you received Jesus’ invitation to be a part of His community. Be glad that you accepted the invitation. Be glad that a wonderful future lies ahead of you in the company of Jesus. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

Do I see my Church in a positive light? Am I ready to defend the Church and present Her positive options to those who criticize Her?

Lord, thank You for these insights. They will help me when I am carried away by the negative attitude of people around me who only see Your Church as a dictatorial institution of the past. No, Lord, Your Church is alive, and I will help Your Church remain alive by being positively involved in Her activities and by defending and spreading Her positive options.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, holy woman, pray for us.

 

[genius_am14]

Thanks for this.

 

[kerstinne25]

7 January
Monday



ON A MiRACULOUS bOAT

“the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light… – Matthew 4:16

St. Raymond was on a missionary trip with the king at Majorca, Spain’s largest island, when he discovered that the monarch was having an affair with one of the ladies of his court. Raymond admonished him but the ruler refused to listen to him.

Raymond wanted to abort the mission and leave but the king threatened to kill whoever would transport him. So Raymond spread his cloak on the water, set his staff as a mast and tied a corner of his coat to make a sail. On his miraculous makeshift boat, he sailed to Barcelona, 140 miles away, arriving there six hours later!

Numerous conversions took place among the big crowd that welcomed him at the shore. The king also repented.

How many of us would be as bold as St. Raymond under the same circumstances?

God doesn’t ask us to do the impossible, like sail the seas on our coats. But He does ask us to be a light in this dark world where sin and compromise reigns.

Will you be that light in your world? Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

REFLECTION:

“Paul says he is gripped by the love of God, that is why he acts as he does....

There is only one thing he is living for, and that is to persuade men of the judgment seat of God, and of the love of Christ.” (Oswald Chambers)

Lord, let me be the salt of the earth and the light of the world in the way I live my life for You every day.
*****************

We and the KinGdoM of heaven

After the Feast of Epiphany, the Christmas decorations are taken down. We prepared so long for Christmas, celebrated so much, that our human nature urges us to go “back to normal.” Work has to be done again, and after one week back to work, the mood for Christmas decorations is gone and we even don’t miss them. But the Church continues to reflect on the mystery of the Son of God becoming one of us human beings.

In today’s gospel passage, Jesus has grown up and leaves Nazareth to begin His public ministry in Galilee. Galilee was a Palestinian province in the north of the land, surrounded by pagan countries. If Jesus had started His ministry in ultraconservative Jerusalem, His ministry would have been short lived. Jesus did not come into this world for an exclusive group of people, the Jews, but that He came for all humanity. The stage is set for the very last words of Jesus in this gospel: “Go, make disciples of all nations…” But He cannot do this alone — He needs our cooperation.

Jesus has done the main part in our reconciliation with God when He offered His life and died for us on the Cross. Now we have to do our part — ongoing conversion, turning away from sinful ways of life and doing what Jesus teaches us throughout His ministry. The Kingdom of God has been established on earth by Jesus, and it will grow and expand in the hearts of those who experience true conversion and live out Jesus’ teachings. The Kingdom of God will never be fully established in the world — this full coming of the Kingdom will only happen at the end of time when God will win His final victory over Satan. The more the Kingdom grows and expands in this world, the more the forces of evil will be pushed aside. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

Am I aware that through changing my life, I can contribute so much to the spread of the Kingdom of God and counteract evil in the world?

Lord, You came to establish and spread the Kingdom of God in this world. Much has been done but often I have failed to contribute to the spread of the Kingdom by avoiding to repent and to change my life. Lord, make me always aware that I have a responsibility in spreading good in the world.

St. Raymond of Peñafort, priest, pray for us.

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

1st READING

1 John 3:22 -4:6

John exhorts us to “test the spirits.” What does he mean by this? I think that he is basically telling us to “look before we leap” that is, not to enter into anything without first trying to discern or understand where it will take us. Too many people get involved in groups or activities that they would never have entered if they had looked at them more carefully in the beginning.

22 We receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. 24 Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us. 4: 1 Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, 3 and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. 4 You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

P S A L M

Psalm 2:7bc-8, 10-12a

R: I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

7 The LORD said to me, “You are my son; this day I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. (R) 10 And now, O kings, give heed; take warning, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him; with trembling 12 rejoice. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25

Repentance always has been and always will be one of the foundation stones of a good Christian life. True repentance indicates a desire to leave behind a life of sin and indifference, and marks the rise of a desire to live according to the will of God. It can take a while to put everything in place but if one’s desire to repent is true then there will be no obstacle too big that will stop it from happening.

12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” 17 From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 23 He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. 24 His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. 25 And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

my reflections

think: What sins do I need to repent for today?

________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR John 19-21

 

[kerstinne25]

8 January
Tuesday



AND MORE

Those who ate the loaves were about five thousand men. – Mark 6:44

It was the third day of mourning and people kept coming to pay their respects to the family for the loss of their beloved father and husband. It was an unexpected death and the family had nothing prepared. But food kept coming to feed the friends and relatives who filled the room day and night, and even spilled out to the hall outside.

There was also the bill for the five days stay in the funeral parlor: P90,000.00. From an initial fund of P1,000, the family was able to pay for everything, and more.

From an initial count of five loaves of bread and two fish, five thousand men were fed. God is great! Chelle Crisanto

REFLECTION:

“When you focus on being a blessing, God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance.” (Joel Osteen)

Lord, You are my Provider. Help me to always remember this so I do not lose sight of Your provisions.

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


the Good shepherd offers spiritual nourishMent

A week before Christmas, I went to Makati and walked through Glorietta. How I wished to be out of the chaos as soon as possible! All those rushing and running people, some doing window-shopping, others with heavy shopping bags and all the restaurants so full that I could not find a place for a cup of coffee. I began to think about whether these people are really happy. Some looked so tired, so stressed while others rushed aimlessly through the mall. Suddenly, the first sentence of the Gospel of Mark today flashed through my mind: “Jesus saw a large crowd, and He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus came into the world because He knows how pressured and stressed we are. He knows how aimlessly we often rush through life. He knows that many have lost track of their goals in life. He knows that many of us are “like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus is the Good Shepherd who wants to give us rest and nourishment, and to lead us safely through the confusing times and periods of life.

Adoration chapels in churches are wonderful places of rest where you can come in the presence of the Good Shepherd Who knows how harassed you are by the worries and problems at home or at work.

Mark also tells us that Jesus nourished the crowd — He took the loaves, praised God, broke them and satisfied the hunger of all. This event foreshadowed the Eucharist. Today, priests continue to do what Jesus did then in the Consecration during Mass.

The Second Vatican Council proclaimed: “The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life.” It is here that Christ enters our very being and strengthens us. It is here that the Good Shepherd, continues to lead us through the turmoil and frenzy of daily life towards our goal: eternal life in the presence of His Father forever. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

What can I do this year to find more peace and strength in the Lord who offers me all this for free?

Lord, in our hectic life You offer rest. Why do I not make more use of it? Lord, often I feel spiritually dry, empty and hungry – why do I not accept You, Who are present in the Eucharist? You are there for me, for all of us. Thank You, Lord.

St. Thorfinn, bishop, pray for us.

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




1st READING

1 John 4:7-10

John tells us that love is central to the life of a Christian. There can be no shortcuts taken here as love is something that does not know the meaning of the word “shortcut.” Paul tells us that love is patient and all-enduring. This can be very difficult at times but the long-term benefits are out of this world. God has shown us what it means to love in the commitment of Jesus to our salvation. Let us seek to imitate that commitment in our love of both God and neighbor.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. 8 hoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. 10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

P S A L M

Psalm 72 : 1-2 , 3-4, 7-8

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) 3 The mountains shall yield peace for the people, and the hills justice. 4 He shall defend the afflicted among the people, save the children of the poor. (R) 7 Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (R)

G O S P E L

Mark 6:34-44

A true leader will never abandon his flock and will always lead from the front. This is one of the reasons why I have little respect for leaders of armies who make their decisions from the comfort of boardrooms and who are never out in the front lines with the troops. There is nothing that can give a greater boost to the morale of a body of people than the close living of its leaders.

34 When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 35 By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. 36 Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” 38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” 39 So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. 41 Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to [his] disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. 44 Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

my reflections

think: God has shown us what it means to love through Jesus’ commitment to our salvation. Do we seek to imitate that commitment in our love of both God and neighbor?

________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 1-3

 

[kerstinne25]

9 January
Wednesday



bEST OF TiMES

They had all seen him and were terrified… “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” – Mark 6:50

“The worst of times, the best of times.” Those were my thoughts as 2006 came to a close. After almost being shot twice by a relative, having to change jobs so I won’t have to compromise my beliefs, moving from city to city and place to place, I had low moments when I thought nobody wanted me.

But I realized that I didn’t only have the worst of times that year. I also had the best of them. People who cared for me took me into their homes, helped me, prayed for me. I now have a job I really love. I learned important lessons. I got to know a wonderful man. And I’m back on speaking terms with my relative.

Sometimes, circumstances appear scary to us. And we start to think of God fearfully, wondering what He is doing in our lives. But His ways are always good though they may not always be clear to us, or in the way that we expect. Let us be assured of that as this New Year unfolds. Let us entrust ourselves to Him in confidence and hope. Let us not be afraid. Joy Sosoban

REFLECTION:

Can you see God’s hand in your circumstances now?

Lord, help me to trust You even when I don’t fully understand. My life is in Your hands, Jesus!

********



our life - a storMy CrossinG

Today, the gospel shows the disciples of Jesus struggling against a strong wind. Jesus had remained at the shore to be alone with His Father in prayer. St. Mark describes in the scene the Christian community, in the boat of the Church, struggling to cross over to eternity. “The wind was against them.” The wind was, is and always will be against all that Christ and what His Church stands for.

The disciples in their boat – far out on the dark, stormy lake — felt abandoned and lost. Where was Jesus? The whole day He had preached and healed; He had fed the crowds. And now, when His closest friends were in trouble, He was not there. It is the same feeling we experience when we are in trouble. He seems absent, we feel lonely and abandoned. When we need Him most, He seems to be far away and our prayers are seemingly not heard. This “silence” of God is a common spiritual experience. Even the greatest saints had to go through it. It is a test of our faith. Is our faith strong enough for us to trust, that even in those dark moments, God knows what we are going through and that He is near to us?

When St. Mark writes, Jesus “could see they were worn out with rowing,” he indicates that even though Jesus was not physically present, He was spiritually present and knew about the difficult situation of His friends. He cut short His prayer and showed Himself to His disciples to assure them of His constant presence, concern and care for them.

My friend copied today’s gospel passage and always carries it with him. He reads it especially in moments when he feels troubled, alone and lost. The story of Jesus consoling and helping His friends always gives him the strength to cling to His faith in God’s loving care and presence. Why did God become man? Jesus became our Emmanuel , our “God with us. ” Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

Do I often doubt God’s presence in my life? Is my faith still too weak to face stormy times without feeling God’s presence? Lord, I thank You for reminding me once more of Your constant presence. Strengthen my faith, especially in moments of difficulties to trust in Your presence, even if for some time, You may seem to be absent. You are always there. I trust in You.

St. Adrian, abbot, pray for us.

*********



1st READING

1 John 4: 11-18

Fear is ultimately a destructive thing if it goes unchecked. The antidote to fear is love. As John says, “perfect love casts out all fear”. This is why we should always be wary if fear arises in our lives. Where does it come from? Why is it there? Let us seek to address the fears in our lives with the truth of God’s love for us. If we do this, I am 100 percent sure that we will be transformed for the better.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. 13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. 14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. 15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. 16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

P S A L M

Psalm 72: 1-2, 10, 12-13

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) 10 The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. (R)

G O S P E L

Mark 6:45-52

The presence of Jesus with them in the boat ought to have been enough to give the apostles peace. However, what we have is a lesson in the way fear can lead us to make an irrational response to a given situation. The apostles have seen the power Jesus has over the natural world in the multiplication of the loaves and fish. They ought to have been free from fear in this situation but they were not. Why? They allowed fear in and it began to take over. Let this be a sobering lesson to us all.

45 Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. 47 When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. 48 Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. 50 They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” 51 He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were [completely] astounded. 52 They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

my reflections

think: Fear is ultimately a destructive thing if it goes unchecked. The antidote to fear is love.

________________________________________________________


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 4-6

 

[kerstinne25]

10 January
Thursday


LikE MOTHER, LikE SON

“Isn’t he the son of Joseph?” – Luke 4:22

Our youngest son, Paolo, graduated from college with honors. “Just like me,” I boasted to my husband.
A few months after his graduation, Paolo found a job. When he received his first salary, he declared, “I’m saving my money!”
“Just like me,” my husband boasted to me, grinning from ear to ear.
My husband and I like to tease each other about our children’s traits. I claim the honors when they are doing well, and throw the blame to my husband when they misbehave. My husband is also quick to claim the credit when the kids are doing A-OK, and attributes some of the children’s follies to me.
In today’s Gospel, the people in the synagogue could hardly believe that a carpenter like Joseph could have such an eloquent child as Jesus. The rest of the Gospel narrates that the people of Nazareth eventually rejected Jesus. Of course, we know now that they were all dead wrong!
My husband and I, biased as we are, could be dead wrong about our presumptions about our children’s traits. I pray, though, that we will be correct about Who should get the credit when we all turn out all right. Cynthia Santiago

REFLECTION:
How well do you know Jesus?

Lord, I honor you as the True Prophet, my Messiah, my Savior and my God. All glory and honor belong to You!

***********



Jesus’ proGraM is our proGraM



Jesus is back in Nazareth and attends the Sabbath service in the synagogue. He is asked to read one of the readings. Was it accidental or intentional that He read the 66 long chapters of Isaiah? Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit who appeared upon Him during baptism. Jesus was so Spirit-filled that nothing was accidental in His life.

The passage Jesus reads contains the program of His ministry. In His life and ministry, Jesus fulfills what the prophet wrote centuries ago. Luke answers our question about Jesus clearly: He is the fulfillment of the prophecies of old. He did not come without having been announced centuries ago. The prophets actually spoke about their time and the imminent future; they did not think of Jesus Christ yet. But they were inspired by God’s Spirit so that the oracles they uttered turned out to have a

much more profound meaning and would be fully fulfilled only in Christ.

Jesus came to proclaim the Good News. He came to free us from the captivity of sin. He opened our eyes and freed us from our spiritual blindness. He saw to it that people would be reminded of Isaiah’s prophecy and recognize Him as the One mankind was waiting for. Jesus started the fulfillment with His ministry.

As Jesus’ disciples, we are challenged to continue proclaiming the Good News. He needs us to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blind. He needs us to bring those bound by sin into His presence to liberate them. This effort even goes beyond spiritual liberation. In Latin America, the Church has contributed much to a social and political liberation of the poor and oppressed.

The Holy Spirit we received in baptism and confirmation is upon us. St. Paul goes a step further and speaks of us Christians as “temples of the Holy Spirit,” meaning the Spirit is in us. This enables us to continue the great work of Jesus. His program has become ours. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

Am I aware that I am called to make Christ’s program my program in life? How can I do this effectively?

Lord, You have given us a great task, the task to continue Your work on earth. With the Holy Spirit in us, we are able to do this. Make us more aware of this great responsibility and enlighten us to make Your program our own.

St. William of Bourges, bishop,pray for us.

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

1st READING

This is perhaps one of the most difficult texts to accept and live in all of the Scriptures. Love and hate cannot co-exist – it is as simple as that. As Christians, we make a commitment to drive out all hatred from our lives and to take on a life of love no matter what the cost. Let us pray for the grace to take this call upon ourselves with enough determination to see us succeed.

1 John 4: 19-5:4

19 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, 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

In today’s corporate and individual potential development mentality and lingo, perhaps we would interpret this quote from Isaiah as a personal mission statement for Jesus. But it is so much more than that. This text underlies the very meaning and reason for the Incarnation. Our spiritual nature is so much deeper than any glib answers given by the personal development gurus. All we need is a simple life statement along the lines: I am committed to seeking out and doing God’s will for my life.

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:As Christians, we make a commitment to drive out all hatred from our lives and to take on a life of love no matter what the cost.
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 7-9

 

[kerstinne25]

11 January
Friday



MY SECRET

Jesus stretched out his hands, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.”– Luke 5:13

When I was still courting my wife, I had a secret that I kept from her for almost five years because I thought it would scare her, or worse, make her change her feelings towards me.

But one day, she took a good look at me and discovered my secret. You see, I have a skin disease. (For those who know me — no, it’s not the pimples on my face. That’s not a disease; that’s what I call “Gogna givens.â€&#157 I had psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition. When she saw the red scaly patches on my skin, she casually asked, “You have psoriasis? Is it itchy?” There was no trace of fear in her face. She even assured me that it wasn’t contagious. I was relieved. I was loved for who I am!

In our Gospel today, Jesus knew that the greatest desire of a leper was to be touched. That’s why He gave it. And I believed it wasn’t just a simple hand contact. It was an embrace.

Now, imagine that you are that leper. You are longing for an embrace from anyone because you haven’t felt it for a long time. And here is Jesus, God in the flesh, stretching His hand to touch you. Then He pulls you for an embrace. Embrace Him back. As you are locked in that embrace, He whispers, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Arun Gogna

REFLECTION:

Do you allow Jesus to embrace you each day?

By Your touch, O Lord, I am healed.

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Good neWs and ChallenGes

During my first weeks in the Philippines, I visited a leprosarium. It was a shocking experience and I understood why lepers during the time of Jesus were ostracized. They lived outside villages in colonies. They were banned from attending the synagogue services and when they walked on a road, they warned other travelers with loud cries to keep away. It was a miserable life, not only because they were decaying while still alive, but also because they were considered unclean.

The leper in today’s gospel courageously approached Jesus. And Jesus must have shocked the onlookers when He did something strictly prohibited: He touched the leper. According to the religious laws, He became ritually unclean, too.

The healing of a leper shows that Jesus came into the world not only to preach the Good News with power and announce the coming of the Kingdom of God— He also came to care for those who suffer physically. Wherever He met sick people He healed them. His mission was to reach out to all people, including the outcasts of society, to those the law cannot cleanse and help, to people at the margins of society.

Jesus came into the world to heal us from our sinfulness. Sin had opened a wide gap between God and man. Jesus came to bridge this gap — He came to reconcile us sinners with God. The moment we approach Jesus like the leper and ask humbly for healing, He will forgive, cleanse and heal us. The mercy of God flows through the hands of His Son and makes us pure and holy again. There is nothing that would hinder us, except stubbornness and refusal of repentance.

The story challenges us to break down divisions and barriers, reach out to the marginalized and help them return to our community. The second challenge is to be more forgiving. Forgiveness heals old wounds and hurts. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:

Am I hesitant at times to ask God for forgiveness because I have committed the same sins again? Do I forgive others as Christ forgives me?

Lord, You came into this world to reconcile us with Your Father. You touch and heal us in the sacraments and so enable us to proceed on our journey to Your Father’s house. Continue to forgive us when we fall and help us to be as generous and forgiving to others as You are to us.

St. Alexander, bishop and martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING

One of the sources of temptation is the world in which we live. Through the centuries, the world has exerted a strong influence upon humanity but I think that influence is stronger today than it has ever been. The attractions of the world today are very seductive. So much of our lives are spent in the name of advancing civilization. But what is God’s mind regarding progress? Is it progress that there are more people starving today even though we have more food than ever before?

1 John 5:5-13

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. 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

We should never believe anything other than that God desires the very best for us. This is the most fundamental truth of human existence. Without this truth, humanity would have ceased to exist a millennia ago as we would have self-destructed due to the overwhelming power of sin. It is God who chose to redeem us from our sin and rebellion and offered us the chance to be reunited with Him. Could we have asked for any greater demonstration of His love than this?

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: It is God who chose to redeem us from our sin and rebellion and offered us the chance to be reunited with Him. Could we have asked for any greater demonstration of His love than this?

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Matthew 10-12