16 FRIDAY M A R C H
Hosea 14:2-10
Psalm 81:6-8, 8-9,
10-11, 14, 17
Mark 12:28-34

REFLECTION:
We enter
the kingdom of
heaven upon our
death, but the
kingdom of God
starts here on earth.
I love You, Lord.
Show me the way
to let others know I
love them, too.
St. Abban, abbot,
pray for us.


KINGDOM BUILT ON LOVE

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind and with
all your strength. – Mark 12:30

My dear friend Jed died at a young age from
a terminal disease. I wrote him a letter and
now I wish to share with you a part of it.
One of the things that I firmly believe in
since I became a Christian is that every single
thing that happens in life is part of God’s plan.
Do you know what the final goal of such a
plan is? He wants us to build a community
filled with love for Him and for each other.
Take your sickness, for example. It may be a
burden, but through it, what do you receive?
Not accusations or condemnations, but only
forgiveness, love and unconditional support
from your loved ones. Surprise! What you
actually have is heaven on earth! We might
not have the perfect conditions they have in
heaven, but we do have the perfect love to
transform us. You hold the key to making all
that possible.

Yes, even with all our imperfections, our
bickering, our hardships, and our sufferings,
we can still claim that we are living in God’s
kingdom. All it takes is for each of us to love
God and to show our love for each other. It’s
that simple. Really. Cecille L.

______________________

NO GREATER COMMANDMENT

What Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says is probably the most important
Scripture passage among the Jews. It states, “Hear, O Israel: The
Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
It is known as the Shema, literally “Hear!” from the first word of
the verses. These passages are so important that Jews write these
on small sheets of paper and roll them to fit in crevices on top of
windows and doors—to remind them of their obligation to love God
in every place they go to. They place those papers in tiny
phylacteries and hang them on their foreheads and sleeves of their
gowns to remind themselves that they need to always call to mind
those most important passages in the Torah.

Jesus, however, adds another dimension, that of love for
neighbor as one loves himself. He reiterates by saying, “There is
no other commandment greater than these.” Indeed these two
commandments should go hand in hand.

No one on earth has seen God. So how can this love for an
invisible God be made more concrete? By loving our neighbor.
We can never really claim that our love for God is true and real
unless we are able to love our brothers and sisters.
This is precisely the reason why in one of Christ’s teachings he
mentions how a man who is about to offer something to God in the
temple and who remembers that he has done something wrong to a
brother should first reconcile with that brother before he continues
with his oblation. His offering will be devoid of any meaning unless
he loves his fellow human being on whom God’s image is imprinted.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are our offerings pleasing to God?
Embrace me in Your love and may I learn to embrace others in the same way.

Fr. Sandy V. E.


_________________


The two fundamental bases of the life of holiness are love of God and love of neighbor.
Every other law is dependent upon these two. St. Alphonsus Ligouri even reduces it purely to love of God when he says, “Love God and do what you please!” This is perfectly good advice as
if we love God and allow that love to be the basis of everything we do, then all that we do
will be pleasing to God precisely because it is done out of love for Him!
Mark 12:28-34

G O S P E L
28 One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them
disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?” 29 Jesus replied, “The first
is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God is LORD alone! 30 You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater
than these.” 32 The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in
saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ 33 And ‘to love him with
all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to
love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and
sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that [he] answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one
dared to ask him any more questions.

Hosea knows the truth – it is only God who can save Israel from its enemies. The
same is still true today. God is the only one who can save us from our sins. There are
times when we look elsewhere for salvation and get caught up in various forms of selfhelp
and mere human techniques to manipulate our world. These can be helpful to a
point, but ultimately we must go back to the grace of God if we want victory over sin and
the devil.
Hosea 14:2-10
2 Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through
your guilt. 3 Take with you words, and return to the LORD; say to him,
“Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as
offerings the bullocks from our stalls. 4 Assyria will not save us, nor shall
we have horses to mount; we shall say no more, ‘Our god,’ to the work of
our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion.” 5 I will heal their
defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them.
6 I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; he shall
strike root like the Lebanon cedar, 7 and put forth his shoots. His splendor
shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
8 Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom
like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
9 Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I
will prosper him. ‘I am like a verdant cypress tree’ — because of me you
bear fruit! 10 Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is
prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just
walk, but sinners stumble in them.

P S A L M
Psalm 81:6-8, 8-9, 10-11, 14, 17
R: I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
5 [6] An unfamiliar speech I hear: 6 [7] “I relieved his shoulder
of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket. 7 [8] In distress
you called, and I rescued you.” (R) Unseen, I answered you in
thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. 8 [9] Hear, my people, and I
will admonish you; O Israel, will you not hear me? (R) 9 [10] There shall be
no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god.
10 [11] I, the LORD, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
(R) 13 [14] If only my people would hear me, and Israel walk in my ways,
16 [17] I would feed with the best of wheat, and with honey from the rock I
would fill them.” (R)

26
March
Monday


TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH










DIDACHE











Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord

FRIENDS?


Sacrifice and offering you did not desire...” – Hebrews 10:5

“They’re not my friends. They’re just my brothers and sisters.”
You can almost imagine a messy puddle forming quickly on the floor as sarcasm drips from every word that Harold spoke. Who was he referring to with such bitterness and scorn? His “leaders and co-members” in community.
You see, as most wounded souls go, Harold sought refuge in a community of men and women he believed would help him with his struggles. In his case, he wanted to pry himself from the grip of his homosexual activities. At the onset, he felt secure given the warmth and friendliness that the members showed during the open seminar. Yet as he slowly revealed to them his true self in the months that followed: his effeminate mannerisms, his preferences, his escapades – people gradually gravitated away from him. On several occasions, he even overheard some mimicking his manner of speaking. He ended up leaving the community.
Our Gospel today encourages us to be mindful of what we consider sacrifice and offering. When someone starts to consider us just as a brother or sister and not a real friend, we’re in trouble. We’re probably too focused on the externals and have forgetten to genuinely love. Remember, a brother or sister should care more than a friend. Roy M.

REFLECTION:
Who are the least of the brothers and sisters who need your support now?

For the times that I failed to show support and instead judged, forgive me, Lord.












>Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top










SABBATH










HEAVEN AVAILABLE AGAIN

Today, we commemorate the beginning of another chapter in the story of humanity—the moment when heaven was again made available to man. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed
to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. Thus the story begins. Now it goes on to say that after hearing the wonderful message of the angel, Mary allowed it to be done to her according to God’s word. Now man’s fate has been changed, the Redeemer has been made one like us and was conceived in the womb of Mary to eventually bring to completion the plan of the Father for humanity.
I just cannot imagine how elated Mary must have been at being chosen to receive such a wonderful privilege from God. That singular grace surely strengthened her faith in the benevolence of God—a lowly servant like her has been chosen to become a major player in man’s salvation history. Her constant communion with God and her life of perfect fidelity to His will truly made her life an exemplar in Christian living.
But Mary’s faith was put to test several times. The angel said that the Son that she would bear would be called the Son of the Most High. But that Son was born in a cave and was laid in a manger. The angel said that the Lord God would give to him the throne of his father David but he worked most of his life in a lowly village as a carpenter. The angel said that he would reign over the house of Jacob for ever but he was raised not on a magnificent and royal throne but on the cross of humiliation. Surely Mary struggled with all these realities that she had come to witness in her Son. But in all these she never wavered in her faith. She still believed in the words that the angel gave her and held on to them until the very last minute, even when her Son was laid on her lap after being brought down from the cross.
Life gives us a lot of things that will surely shatter our faith. But we need to know that our Blessed Mother has been through all those experiences even before us. She held on and did not flinch a bit. So must we do the same if we are to expect the same justification that Mary received in the hands of God. She has been called blessed by all generations then, indeed until now and forever. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: When things don’t go your way, do you persevere?

We look to Jesus and to Mary as examples, Lord, of endurance. Thank You for
giving them to us.

St. Margaret of Clitherow, pray for us.












>Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top










COMPANION










1st READING

Isaiah 7:10-14

God has always sought to bring salvation to His people in many and varied ways. Here we have the promise of deliverance from a besieging army within the next nine months. As such, the Fathers of the Church, as well as Matthew the Gospel author, have seen in this prophecy something foreshadowing the role of Mary in the work of salvation. Whether it is the literal or prophetic meaning of the text that we reflect upon, let us pray that we will have the faith of Mary to say, “Yes” to whatever God asks us to do for him.

10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” 13 Then he said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the LORD himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”

P S A L M

Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11

R: Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.

6 [7] Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts 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) 10 [11] Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. (R)

2nd READING

Hebrews 10:4-10

Obedience is far better than holocaust or sacrifice because true obedience comes from the heart and indicates that the work of salvation is in progress. It must have been difficult for the Jews to fully understand this given their focus on blood sacrifices in the Temple. In just the same way it can be difficult for us to accept that God offers us salvation as a free gift given our focus on earning respect and what we have. Let us pray for the grace to vercome our pride and arrogance of thinking that we could be able to save ourselves through our own actions.

4 It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. 5 For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in. 7 Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” 8 First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. 9 Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

G O S P E L

Luke 1:26-38

Mary is probably the best scriptural example of complete obedience. Other figures, David, Abraham, Moses etc, all have their moments of disobedience. Mary, however, is a picture of perfect surrender to God in every aspect of the meaning of the Word. Let us look to her life and seek to imitate her obedience and surrender as this will put us firmly on the path to eternal life.

26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

my reflections
think: Obedience is far better than holocaust or sacrifice because true obedience comes from the heart and indicates that the work of salvation is in progress.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 1 Kings 7-8


GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Matilda

Saint Matilda, born during the late ninth century, was the daughter of a German count. She was betrothed to a nobleman named Henry. When Henry became king, Matilda lived a simple lifestyle. The new queen devoted her time in daily prayer. She comforted and cared for the sick, helped prisoners, and reached out to those in need.

King Henry loved his wife very much. He allowed her to use the treasures of the kingdom for her charities. After twentythree years of marriage, the King died in 936. Saint Matilda grieved for her loss. Thus, she decided to live the rest of her life for God and in practice of charity and penance. To express her sincerity, the Queen gave the jewels she was wearing to the priest who celebrated mass for the soul of King Henry.

One mistake the Queen committed was when she favored her son Henry more than her son Otto in their struggle to succeed the throne. She was repentant. In consequence, Matilda whole-heartedly accepted the sufferings that came her way.

Saint Matilda died in 968. Her body was buried beside her husband.

http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/saintday/m3.html
< />


Saint Julian of Antioch

Julian of Antioch, or Julian of Anazarbus, was born during the early 4th century in Anazarbus, Cilicia. Julian served as a senatorial rank under Diocletian. He was one of the Christians who suffered under his persecution. According to reports, the saint was subjected to brutal punishments. For the entire year, he was paraded daily. And to end the torture, Julian was sewn up in a sack half-filled with scorpions and vipers, and was thrown into the sea to drown. Antioch claimed that the remains of the saint were recovered and enshrined in the city s basilica.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0316.htm

27 March
Tuesday

TODAY'S READINGS:

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

“We are disgusted with this wretched food!” – Numbers 21:5

The mere fact that we are able to wake up each morning is already such a blessing beyond compare; it is a miracle.
Just how blessed are we indeed to be able to bathe ourselves with hot and cold running water (while others have to fetch for it), to have food on the table during breakfast (while others still have to look for what to eat the next day), to have a car to bring us to our work place (while others have to walk a mile or two to reach their destination), to be in an airconditioned room while we work (while others have to toil amidst sunshine and rain), to have hot meals for lunch (while others have no choice but to eat whatever is available), to be able to take power naps and coffee breaks (while others don’t have this kind of luxury), to have dinner with the family and watch TV as we recline and call it a day (while others don’t even have a TV so they go ahead and sleep the night away to wake up to another day).
How blessed are we really. So, let’s count our blessings instead of complaining. Henry Y.

REFLECTION:
Have you counted your blessings today?

For the times we grumble and fail to praise You, forgive us.

__________________________________________________ _____________

JUDGING BY APPEARANCE

Remember John 3:18 where Jesus said, “Whoever does not believe has already been condemned”? Well, the truth is, Jesus doesn’t need to judge us anymore. By our rejection of His grace and love, and our refusal to be converted and to believe in Him as the Light of the World, we already bring judgment upon ourselves.
Jesus does not condemn. Even the Last Judgment scenario in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 25) shows this truth clearly. It’s our selfish acts that bring us judgment and condemnation. But Jesus came that we may have life, and have it to the full.
In order for us to attain this life, He provides us with means to find our way to his life that He offers. He bids us to walk in the light. But as the third chapter of John records, human beings love darkness. Even if the light came into the world, they preferred darkness because their works were evil (John 3:19). So again, it’s not Jesus but our acts that bring us condemnation.
In contrast, we, who by believing in Jesus are given a reprieve from the punishment due our sins, are prone to judging others. And not only do we judge them quickly, most of the time, we base our judgment on appearances. This happens when we continue to live in darkness.
But today, our Lord calls on us to believe in Him as the light of the world and the light of our lives. That means following Him and not walking in the darkness of sin, ignorance, selfishness and unbelief again.
This way, our lives would become living testaments to the life and the Gospel of Jesus, and to the One who sent him — His Father in heaven. Fr. Toni N.

REFLECTION QUESTION: In what way have I experienced Jesus as the Light of the World and the Light of life?

Lord, be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Let me never walk in darkness
again. Amen.

St. Amator, hermit, pray for us.

__________________________________________________ _____________

1st READING

Numbers 21:4-9

The Old Testament has a very simple message of reward and punishment for the things that we do or fail to do. Fiery serpents have been set loose in the Israelite camp because of their sin and grumbling – their lack of faith and trust in God. Moses, the great intercessor, has gone before God and received the promise that those who look upon the standard that he makes will be healed. This echoes the New Testament understanding that all who look upon Christ lifted up on the cross will be healed of their sins.

4 From Mount Hor they set out on the Red Sea road, to by pass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” 6 In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover.” 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

P S A L M

Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21

R: O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

1 [2] O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. 2 [3] Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily. (R) 15 [16] And the nations shall revere your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory, 16 [17] when the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; 17 [18] when he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer. (R) 18 [19] Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD. 19 [20] “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, 20 [21] To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”

G O S P E L

John 8:21-30

Jesus is in confrontation mode with the Jewish leaders. He is not going to take a step back and compromise what He knows to be true. Sometimes it is essential that we have the same fortitude as Jesus when it is a moral principle at sake. Giving in to something that we know to be wrong is never the right thing to do – it is a betrayal of the truth, a betrayal of all that Jesus stands for in the Gospel.

21 He said to them again, “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he? Because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. 24 That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. 28 So Jesus said [to them], “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

my reflections
think: Giving in to something that we know to be wrong is never the right thing to do – it is a betrayal of the truth, a betrayal of all that Jesus stands for in the Gospel.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 1 Kings 9-11

28 March
Wednesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

__________________________________________
DIDACHE

BIG MISTAKE

“So if the Son makes you free, you will really be free.” – John 8:36

A friend of mine — let’s call her Natasha — shared a secret with me. She made me promise not to tell anyone because she wasn’t ready to share yet. I gave her my promise, and I did keep her secret. For a while, that is. Because when a mutual friend of ours asked me about it, I automatically told him the truth because I assumed Natasha had told him too.
Big mistake.
At first I pretended that it didn’t happen. They were friends anyway, so I figured Natasha wouldn’t mind.
Another big mistake.
After a while, Natasha forgave me, but I was having a hard time believing that she had.
I always have the same reaction whenever I sin. I know all about the consequences of sin and yes, also forgiveness. However, when I sin, I feel only either apathy or guilt — two emotions I don’t like. And when time comes that I ask forgiveness from God, I still can’t shake the feeling of guilt or lose the echoes of “you should have known better” in my mind. I feel like God keeps a record of my sins up there and when I die, it would all be dished out on me.
That’s my biggest mistake. Tina M.

REFLECTION:
Do you know that the Son has set you free?

Help me learn to forgive myself more easily, because I know that You have forgiven me and set me free.

__________________________________________
SABBATH

TRUTH VS. LIE

Watch practically all of the TV commercials today and you’ll see just about every lie that the world dictates we should accept as truth. One commercial promotes a shampoo that would help one have shiny hair to look good. Another, a lotion for white flawless skin, again, to look good. And another one, a certain drink to have a lean body, then again, to look good. So how do those commercials make you feel as you look at yourself? They make you feel bad for they are actually telling you that unless you are not what the world wants you to look you are ugly. Now tell me if that is not a lie.
Jesus in today’s Gospel makes a connection between truth and freedom. He says that unless we know the truth we will not experience freedom. But what is the truth? Truth according to Jesus is abiding in God’s word. And we know that God’s word helps us see through the deceptions of the world. The world says that life is short so we need to enjoy it in any way we can, so we go partying and consuming our own lives with ephemeral things. But Jesus says life is indeed short but there is a life that awaits us in the next that is eternal so we need to make use of this life to attain that everlasting life. The world dictates that the only ones blessed are the beautiful. So we give in to all forms of vanity and pamper ourselves with all sorts of products to make ourselves look better. But God says everyone has an imprint of His image in him and as such all are beautiful in his eyes. The world says blessed are the rich, so we do just about anything, even step on other people along the way, to reach the top of the financial ladder. But God says that it would be easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The world dictates that the world is ruled over by the learned so we enrich ourselves with all the knowledge that this world can provide even if it means selling ourselves out. But Jesus says He is thankful to the Father that God’s wisdom has been revealed by Him to the dumb instead of the learned.
The world can provide illusions. Unfortunately some of us have been held captive in such illusory world. But Jesus offers us a way out of it. He gives us His word, and His words are truth. And indeed, only such truth shall set us free. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you beautiful?

I am beautiful, I am loved, I am forgiven by the mercy of God. – St. Catherine.

St. Conon, abbot pray for us.

__________________________________________
COMPANION

1st READING

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

The three faithful men are not about to throw away their principles for the sake of their lives. This is an extremely honorable position to take as death by fire cannot be a very comfortable way to die! However, God decides to stand beside the three in the midst of the fire and they are protected, leading to a semi-conversion of Nebuchadnezzar. It is in the fires of testing that our faith is purified; it is in the same place that our witness to God is the strongest!

14 King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.” 19 Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the whitehot furnace. 24 [91] King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. 25 [92] “But”, he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like an angel.” 28 [95] Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

P S A L M

Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R: Glory and praise for ever!

29 [Dan 3:52] “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” (R) 30 [Dan 3:53] “Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.” (R) 31 [Dan 3:54] “Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 32 [Dan 3:55] “Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 33 [Dan 3:56] “Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.” (R)

G O S P E L

John 8:31-42

The Word of God is the true home of a disciple of Jesus. The first place that we will look for answers to the questions of life should be the Word of God. The first place we turn for consolation should be the same. It is in the Word of God that all that is necessary for the sake of our salvation is revealed to us. Let us not ignore such a wonderful source of grace for our salvation.

31 Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. 36 So if a Son frees you, then you will truly be free. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. 38 I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” 39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father!” [So] they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

my reflections
think: It is in the fires of testing that our faith is purified.

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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 1 Kings 12-13

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Heribert of Cologne

Saint Heribert of Cologne was the son of Duke Hugo of Worms. He was born in Worms, Germany in 970. The young Heribert was educated in the monastery at Gorze in Lorraine. On his return home, he was given a canonry then was ordained priest. Heribert was active in both secular and church affairs, such that in 994, he became chancellor to King Otto III and in 998, archbishop of Cologne.

As imperial chancellor, he accompanied Otto III to Italy. He was with the king until his death at Paterno. Saint Heribert was not in good conditions with the successor of the throne, King Henry II. But in the end, the new king learned to acknowledge the saint s wisdom and uprightness that he too appointed him his chancellor.

As archbishop and pastor of his flock, Saint Heribert divided his income between the church and the poor, keeping only what was enough to provide for his own needs. The archbishop, even during his lifetime, was already looked upon as a saint. He was an active peacemaker and was known to have performed miracles.

It was reported that during a severe drought, the bishop invoked rain. This caused a heavy rainfall to end the drought. The archbishop also built the Benedictine monastery at Deutz and was reputed for maintaining a strict clerical discipline.

Saint Heribert died on March 16, 1021 in Cologne, Germany and was canonized in 1075 by Pope Gregory VII.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0316.htm< />
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainth16.htm

Saint Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy Israelite owner of tin mines during the first century. He was a disciple of Jesus but remained undeclared because of his fear of the Jews.

After the Lord s crucifixion, Joseph requested from Pontius Pilate that he get the Body of Jesus. With the help of Nicodemus, he wrapped His Body in fine linen and grave bands and laid it in his tomb.

The feast of Saint Joseph of Arimathea is celebrated by the Greek Church on July 31 and by the Roman Church on March 17.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintj36.htm< />
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08520a.htm

28 March
Wednesday

TODAY'S READINGS:



KEEPING THE FAITH

On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant... – Genesis 17:9

Way back in college, we had this requirement in Basic Accounting to submit a fully accomplished Practice Set. A Practice Set is a compilation of different accounting documents. We were tasked to perform an actual recording of transactions based on these documents and prepare financial statements. The Practice Set formed part of our final grade.
Doing the Practice Set was not that easy but it was manageable. I was able to finish it ahead of schedule and my classmates knew that. Some of them would ask for my help in solving the problems they encountered while doing the Practice Set. However, there was this one classmate of mine who wanted to copy everything that I did. I refused.
She resented me for that.
To be able to get a passing mark, one has to work for it. The professor cannot give us a good grade if we do not do our part. God made a covenant with the Israelites. He told them what He would do for them (Genesis 17:4-8) if they kept their part of the bargain also and that was to keep His covenant. Are we doing our part? Judith C.

REFLECTION:
What can you do today to make a difference?

May I not neglect to do my part and run the race.

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A LIFE ETERNAL

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death” (Jn 8:51).The guarantee of everlasting life for anyone who believes in Him is a constant theme in Jesus’ teaching. As Christians we all know that the moment we receive Christ we are already assured of life eternal. But life that has no end is not just something that can be confirmed when we pass from this life to the next. There are human experiences on earth that are clear proofs that when we keep the word of God we really gain life. Take the issue of forgiveness for example. Haven’t you noticed how those who refuse to forgive suffer some sort of “death”? I met a man who came to me after being released from prison a few years back. He said the first years inside the prison were the most difficult—not because of the seclusion, but because during all those times he had nothing in his heart but hatred and evil plans against the ones responsible for his wrongful incarceration. And that somehow made his life really miserable. Can you imagine living your life with nothing but hatred in your heart? That must really be very difficult—for the person himself and the ones around him. When his moment of conversion came—when he heeded Jesus’ exhortation, he said, “I started to live again when I decided to forgive.”
The same is experienced by someone who refuses to listen to Jesus’ words regarding storing riches on earth. A principle that is characterized by accumulation where one is out to acquire as much as he can get is a recipe for a difficult life. For much of his supposed life he would just find ways how to protect what he has stored for himself. Can you imagine living a life in constant fear of people who may be out to get what you say you have worked so hard to accumulate? There would definitely be sleepless nights just worrying about how to set your security measures. A wonderful and liberating life can only be possible if one goes by the norm of Christ whose principle is radical sharing “where no man dares to have too much while others have too little, where every man must get only to give away” (W. Barclay).
Jesus’ words provide us with ways how to attain life. Heed his commands and you will surely and really live. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you truly living?

Teach me Lord to live life to the full and to never experience death.

St. Gwynllyw, hermit, pray for us.

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1st READING

Genesis 17:3-9

The change in name of Abram to Abraham is already a sign that the salvation that God will eventually bring to the earth in His Son, Jesus, is not just salvation for the Jews, but salvation for all people. How do we see this? Simply by looking at the name change for ‘father of a (singular)’ nation to ‘father of the (many) nations’. It could not be any simpler than that!

3 When Abram prostrated himself, God continued to speak to him: 4 “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. 5 No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. 6 I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. 7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

P S A L M

Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

G O S P E L

John 8:51-59

The only true glory is the glory attached to the Kingdom of God. After all, if we are not ultimately members of the Kingdom of God, our life is going to be totally devoid of all glory that matters. So many people today seek the acclaim of others and the glory of the world. This is all passing away and ultimately meaningless. The only thing that matters is whether or not we are preparing ourselves for life in the Kingdom of God.

51 “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52 [So] the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

my reflections
think: The only true glory is the glory attached to the Kingdom of God.

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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 1 Kings 14-16

30 March
Friday

THROWING ROCKS

...picked up rocks to stone him. – John 10:31

I have thrown many rocks in my life. Worse, I have thrown them at Jesus and the people around me. And even at myself.
My big rocks include not trusting God enough during the hard times, dislodging Him from the driver’s seat of my life, not obeying His will, not loving and caring for my family as I should, and sometimes not trying hard enough to reach out to those who may be in need. Oh, yes, rocks of pride, too... lots of it. I have medium-sized rocks, too, like not being faithful to my friendship with God, or talking about other people behind their backs, being too critical and judgmental of them, or not being a good steward of God’s resources. Carelessly, I have thrown many tiny rocks, like telling white lies and not fulfilling my promises and commitments.
The rocks may be big, medium-sized, or tiny ones, but they can hurt the people they’re thrown at. I shudder at how much hurt I have caused Jesus. By now, He could be bruised all over with the great number of rocks I’ve thrown at Him. Still, He continues to endure them for the love of me, always waiting for me to offer Him a bouquet of good deeds instead of rocks! TessVA.

REFLECTION:
What are your rocks?

Lord, please help me to restrain myself from throwing rocks – at Jesus, at other people, at myself.

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SPEAK OUT!

Why do some Christians choose to remain silent while there are so many bad things happening around them? We are aware that the challenge for us is to speak against the evils of this world so that evil may not flourish. But most of us still find it difficult to do because we know what happens to those who choose to become prophets. Most of the prophets of old died a martyr’s death. And we just wouldn’t want to play along those dangerous lines.
A factory worker discovered an anomaly in their company. He was surprised to find out that some of his closest friends were involved in it. He immediately called the attention of his friends out of concern for them. But they took offense of him for his supposed holier than thou attitude. He was ostracized by his friends to the point of losing their friendship entirely.
A group of teenagers decided to have some clean fun. But one of them suggested that they ought to become more adventurous and daring that time. He suggested they go to a girly bar. Through that person’s prodding all of them agreed except for one who said it’s not right. Quite suddenly, although expectedly, he’s been regarded as “uncool” by his friends. Prophets have to put up with ill-treatments from others despite the fact that they are doing the good thing.
Jesus said to the Jews, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” (Jn 10:32). All of us know that Jesus did nothing but good works, but he was still persecuted. Nonetheless that did not stop him from pursuing still what is right. He kept on performing miracles and speaking against the iniquities of this world.
Looking at what Christ did, we know that even if he suffered for what he did that is still the right thing to do. The Father vindicated Christ. Like Christ, Christians need not be discouraged in engaging in works of a prophet. For we know that that is the essence of our faith—to reflect the light of Christ in our life that people may be drawn to a life of holiness. Persecutions may come but God will surely vindicate us in the end. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you ready to stand up for the truth?

Strengthen my resolve, Lord, to do Your will.

St. Zosimus, bishop, pray for us.

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1st READING

Jeremiah 20:10-13

Jeremiah struggled against many persecutors for much of his ministry as a prophet. He grumbled and complained about his lot in life but was always faithful to the command of the Lord. God is not really interested in whether or not we like what He asks us to do. He is interested in our obedience to His Word. Let us pray that we can overcome any reluctance to follow His will through knowing that it is through obedience that we will inherit the gift of eternal life.

10 I hear the whisperings of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. 13 Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

P S A L M

Psalm 18: 2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 7

R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

1 [2] I love you, O LORD, my strength, 2 [3] O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. (R) 4 [5] The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; 5 [6] the cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me. (R) 6 [7] In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried out to my God; from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (R)

G O S P E L

John 10:31-42

Jesus seems to be able to elude the Jews when He needs to. I think that this is part of John’s literary plan demonstrating that Jesus will submit to His Passion and Death when the time is right. This is not yet the case, so Jesus eludes capture and stoning. There are times and seasons of grace in our own lives. Let us seek to be attentive to them and embrace them when they come as the gifts from God that they are leading us deeper into relationship with him.

31 The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, I said, ‘You are gods’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. 40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 41 Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.

my reflections
think: God is not really interested in whether or not we like what He asks us to do. He is interested in our obedience to His Word.

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__________________________________________________ _______

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 1 Kings 17-19

Symbianizers,

Carry the Lord in your heart this Monday!

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

2 April
Monday


WOE IS MARTHA

…and Martha served… – John 12:2

I pity those girls named Martha. It’s not only Martha Stewart that has given them a bad name (no pun intended), but even the Gospel of today has given them the reputation of not being prayerful, of being petty, of being envious! Not to mention having chosen the lesser portion.
Well, I am a Martha. And happy to be one, I might add. I’m the type you’ll see more on her feet than on her knees. I’ll most likely be carving the turkey (or chopping the lechon, to be more Filipino about it) rather than being the hostess with the listening ear.
It doesn’t mean that I don’t pray. I find that the service that I do is my love language. And what is prayer if not a dialogue of love? However, I do know that being a Martha has its downside… just as being a Mary does, too. As a Martha I have to accept that my strength is in execution and that one of my weaknesses is being resentful of those who reap the glory of being in the limelight. More and more, though, I’ve begun to realize that if being in the background suits me more, then what have I to be envious for? Ever since, I’ve just been happy to have been created Martha. Victoria L.

REFLECTION:
Martha, Martha, Martha. Stop. Know who you really are and accept that person. Let Mary be Mary.

When the Martha in me screams for attention, Lord, calm me with a whispered reminder to stop… even just for a moment… to recall that I am happy to be doing what I do. That little rest is enough Mary for me.
_____________

EXAMINING OUR REACTIONS TO EVENTS

Sometimes the truest reaction we have to a situation, the one that reflects our attitudes and feelings the best, is the initial one. This initial reaction is often unreflected and indicative of our present state of heart. As such it can provide insight into where our heart is as regards our relationships with God and others. In today’s Gospel we see in Judas’ reaction (to the anointing of Jesus with a very costly ointment) an indication that his heart is far from where it should be as a disciple of Jesus.
Elsewhere in the Gospel Jesus tells us that where our hearts are, there we will follow, indicating the need to be attentive to the state of heart as it can easily lead us astray. Jeremiah the prophet confirms this when he informs the Israelites that our hearts are deceitful above all other things. We often hear in the common wisdom of many cultures of the fickle nature of the human heart.
We have begun our walk with Jesus in the final days of His life. It is important that we examine the state of our hearts in case they need purification through repentance and conversion in order that we may more worthily celebrate His resurrection from the dead on Easter Day. Holy Week should be a time of deep and honest reflection on the state of our relationship with Jesus and whether or not there are aspects of it that we need to change. Jesus Himself calls us all to a deeper conversion and commitment to the Gospel so that the grace of salvation He offers us will be let loose in our lives more fully to bring about deeper conversion and transformation. This process is at the heart of the Gospel and a necessary aspect of our lives. If we are not moving forward in our relationship with God, then we are neglecting the responsibilities of our faith. Let us choose to open our hearts more fully to God at this time and to surrender more deeply to Him our hearts, our dreams and our desires. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What area of my life do I need to surrender more deeply to Jesus?

Father, You sent Jesus to redeem me from my sins. Help me to turn away from sin and back to You this Easter.

St. Mary of Egypt, hermitess, pray for us.

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1st READING


Isaiah 42:1-7

One of the most admirable qualities in any person, if they have it, is mercy. Isaiah speaks about ‘someone’ who ‘does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame.’ He refers to the person, struggling in their life and faith, and tells us that the ‘servant of God’ will minister to this person respecting their fragility and ensuring that nothing is done to damage them further. This is the way that God ministers His love to us. It does not mean that He will not challenge us if necessary but that all He does will be for our ultimate benefit.

1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, 2 not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, 4 until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. 5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spreads out the earth with its crops, who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it. 6 I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

P S A L M

Psalm 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14

R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (R) 2 When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies themselves stumble and fall. (R) 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war be waged upon me, even then will I trust. (R) 13 I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. (R)

G O S P E L

John 12:1-11

There is never a time when we can legitimately say that we do not have an opportunity to put our faith into action. Jesus tells us that the poor are always with us. This clearly places before us the challenge to see that we exercise our faith in such a way that we recognize their cry for help. Faith without action is dead. Faith with action proclaims the truth of God’s love unequivocally to an unbelieving world.

1 Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. 3 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 Then Judas the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, 5 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” 6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. 7 So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 9 [The] large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, 11 because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

my reflections
think: Faith with action proclaims the truth of God’s love unequivocally to an unbelieving world.

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__________________________________________________ _______


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 2 Kings 4-6

Symbianizers,

Get empowered by His message to you this Tuesday!

Praying for you,
Kers

3 April
Tuesday



WHITE MARTYRS

Peter said to him, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” – John 13:37

I once had a framed cross-stitch work that hung above my office desk. It said, “Christ died for me. I live for Him.” It was a succinct testament to what my life should be. It was also a blatant reminder of how I should live day by day.
I came to the conclusion that it would have been much easier if it had said, “Christ died for me. I will die for Him.”
Dying is a one-time event. In fact, our faith teaches that “red martyrs”— those who shed blood because of their belief in the Lord — go straight to heaven. Few Christians in our day and age would be called to witness to our faith in this way.
Most of us are called to be “white martyrs”— to exchange our comforts for the cause of the Gospel. It may mean giving up a well-paying job to serve in a ministry full-time. It may be donating a large chunk to charity. Or it may be overcoming our fear of rejection or stage fright to talk to others about the faith. Whatever it is, it’s not a one-shot deal but something that we do day-to-day.
Peter didn’t fully understand what it meant to lay down his life for Christ. That’s why, not long after he had made his bold proclamation, he was denying that he even knew Him. But Peter was quick to learn. And in his lifetime, he made up for those times that he failed Christ. In the end, he even died a red martyr’s death. Rissa S.

REFLECTION:
How can I live for Christ today?

Dear Jesus, teach me to exchange my temporary comforts for Your eternal cause. Amen.

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WELL-MEANING INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH

We have all probably heard the old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” We would do well to reflect upon it for a moment this Easter. Far be it for me to accuse anyone of anything in this regard as I am probably among the biggest subscribers to the Association of Those Who Have Many Good Intentions but Fail to Carry Them Out!
It is all very well to intend to good, like Peter in today’s Gospel, but, as they say, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating!’ In other words, have we the courage and commitment to see the good intention through to the end in the right way?
The moral teaching of the Church is that for an act to be morally good there are three necessary requirements – if one of them is lacking then the action as a whole lacks moral goodness. The three requirements are that the act be objectively good; that intention be subjectively good and that the circumstances for the act be appropriate or suitable. For example, it would be entirely inappropriate to have a lavish birthday celebration in the midst of extreme poverty without giving proper attention to the plight of the poor first.
However, we want to focus here on the transformation of an intention into reality. It is easy to intend to do well; it is far more difficult to actually do well! It is in this process that we discover the level of commitment of an individual to his/her faith and their willingness to make the necessary sacrifices in order to see their intentions through to the end.
It was not easy for Jesus to accept that the Father was calling for Him to die on a cross. We will reflect upon Jesus’ anguish at the decision He had to make to submit to His father’s will on Friday. It is this sort of commitment that we are called to embrace every day as we seek to bring to fruition the call God has on our lives. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How committed am I to bringing to fruition my intentions and the plans God has for me in my life?

Lord Jesus, help me to walk with You in Your Passion to be able to draw strength from You when I need it most in my own struggles.

St. Nicetas, abbot, pray for us.

________________________



1st READING

Isaiah 49:1-6

Sometimes men and women of faith are the best-kept secret of the Church. What I mean by this is that many people find it difficult to give expression to their faith in such a way that it will be evangelistic. We should be seeking ways to unlock the power available to the Church in the lives of such people by encouraging one another to use the gifts that God has given us to build up the Kingdom of God. Are you and I doing all we can in this regard?

1 Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. 2 He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. 3 You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. 4 Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. 5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! 6 It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

P S A L M

Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17

R: I will sing of your salvation.

1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me. (R) 3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 15 My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. (R)

G O S P E L

John 13:21-33, 36-38

The words, ‘Night had fallen,’ seem to have an air of prophecy about them. Judas leaves the room and darkness descends outside. He goes off into the dark to do what he has to do in order to betray Jesus to the authorities. Then Jesus prophecies the denials of Peter. Things are closing in on Jesus. We get a heightened sense that something dramatic is about to occur. The scene is set for the climax of the ministry of Jesus. Let us allow ourselves to feel the tension as we travel with Jesus in His Passion.

21 When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. 23 One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. 24 So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. 25 He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and [took it and] handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. 27 After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 [Now] none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. 30 So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. 31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 [If God is glorified in him,] God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. 33 My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” 37 Peter said to him, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

my reflections
think: We should be seeking ways to unlock the power available to the Church in the lives of such people by encouraging one another to use the gifts that God has given us to build up the Kingdom of God.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______


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 2 Kings 7-9

Symbianizers,

See Him beside you this whole Wednesday!

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25


4 April
Wednesday

HOLY WEDNESDAY



WORDS TO LIVE BY

“The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.” – Isaiah 50:4

May you be uplifted by these words:
Are you...
...worried? You are big in God’s Eyes!
Matthew 6:25-26 says, “I tell you, do not worry about your life. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
...bankrupt? You are rich beyond measure!
John 15:5, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”
...tir ed? Find rest in Jesus!
Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
...afraid? You are loved!
1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”
...lost? Find yourself in Jesus!
Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his ways.”
...lonely? You are never alone!
John 16:32, “Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” Arun G.

REFLECTION:
Say this three or more times every day - “I am special, Jesus loves me.”

Holy Spirit, may I speak words of life to everyone I meet.
____________________________

ALL SIN IS A BETRAYAL OF GOD’S LOVE

There is always the ever-present danger that we become insensitive to the level of sin in our lives. One pointer to the existence of such an attitude in our hearts and minds is if we find ourselves using the reason, ‘well, everyone else is doing it, so I may do it as well!’ This is a subtle form of insensitivity to sin and it can only lead to greater and more serious sin in the long term.
Sin is an evil thing – it is unjust and it never plays fair. This is why we can never afford to give it any latitude in our lives. Otherwise, we will very uickly find ourselves in a position that is not only untenable morally speaking but outrightly dangerous to our spiritual lives, not to mention the lives of others.
We see in today’s Gospel Judas preparing for an act of outright betrayal of Jesus. Before we become overly judgmental of Judas, let us first look into our own lives and see what sorts of levels of sin exist in our hearts. We may not be deliberately setting out to betray Jesus but any act of sin is a betrayal of His love and forgiveness which He paid for so dearly through the cross.
As we journey with Jesus in His Passion, let us seek the sensitivity to be aware of our sin, so we can act against it and purify our hearts for the upcoming Feast of Easter. Jesus calls us all to holiness and repentance this week. Let us seek out a priest and cleanse our hearts through the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we will be better able to receive and appreciate the grace of salvation God offers us through the Easter celebrations. The essence of holiness is not found in our ability to achieve salvation on our own terms but in our willingness to surrender all to the grace of God and thus appropriate all that Jesus has won for us through His life, death and resurrection which we celebrate at this time. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How attuned am I to the celebration of Easter this year? Is my mind still caught up in the demands of the world around me or have I been faithful in putting time aside to truly reflect upon the Easter mysteries?

Holy Spirit, come and change my heart so that I will be able to go deeper into the celebration of God’s love for me this Easter.

St. Hildebert, abbot and martyr, pray for us.

________________________________

1st READING



Isaiah 50:4-9

Each of us has been given a disciple’s tongue. There is no doubt in my mind that all of us are capable of sharing the Gospel with others. It is not a matter of leaving evangelization up to the experts unless we are going to define an ‘expert’ as anyone who has faith. We have all experienced the power of God at work in our lives. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to share this truth with others.

4 The LORD GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; 5 and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. 6 I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. 7 The LORD GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. 9 See, the LORD GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

P S A L M

Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34

R: Lord, in your great love, answer me.

7 [8] For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. 8 [9] I have become an outcast to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons, 9 [10] because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me. (R) 20 [21] Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak, I looked for sympathy, but there was none; for consolers, and not one could I find. 21 [22] Rather they put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (R) 30 [31] I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving; 32 [33] See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! 33 [34] For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 26:14-25

So often the response of Judas to sin is our response. We deny that we are really in sin; we rationalize that what we are doing is not really ‘sin’ in the real sense of the word. This process is totally under the guidance of the devil. This is exactly what he wants us to do because if we do not recognize something as sin, when it is really sin, we will keep on doing it and consequently keep distance between ourselves and God.

14 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, 16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. 17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.’” 19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” 25 Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

my reflections
think: Each of us has been given a disciple’s tongue.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 2 Kings 10-12

Symbianizers,

Join Jesus This Holy Thursday. Today is Holy Thursday. May you learn from Jesus and wash the "feet of your friends" each day of your life through service and love.
This Thursday, remember that He knows you and loves you.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25


5 April
Thursday




HOLY THURSDAY

OUR WASHING OF THE FEET

“Unless I wash you...” – John 13:8

In our prayer community, we have a very special tradition that we call the “Washing of the Feet.” It involves someone being “washed” by words of affirmation and love, as the community members sit him on a chair, and one by one, tell him about his uniqueness as a person. How he has touched our life. How she has blessed us personally. It is always memorable to watch. There are always lots of tears. Looking at the object of the affirmation, you see so much love. Looking at the giver, you see so much humility. Anyone can live a lifetime on words of love.
I can only imagine the intense love Jesus must have felt that night of the Last Supper. As he rose and took off his outer garments, taking the towel and tying it around his waist... as he poured the water into the basin and washed every dirty foot... as he wiped them all dry, holding them, looking at them. “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand later....”
This set the stage for the ultimate act of love done to mankind.Words of Love. Acts of Love.
Let us dwell on how we can give more of these. Lallaine G.

REFLECTION:
How loving are my words? How loving are my actions?

Wash me clean Lord! May the River of Living Water flow through me and make me love more and more. Amen.
__________________________



HOLY THURSDAY

Let us reflect for a moment on the gift of the Eucharist as we celebrate its institution nearly 2000 years ago. The Vatican Documents teach us that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives as Catholics. As such, the Eucharist ought to be the wellspring from which we draw the strength to live our daily Christian lives. It is also the end to which we direct all our actions as it is the celebration of our salvation.
There is no mystery more profound than that of the Eucharist as meal where we eat Christ’s Body and drink His Blood. How can this be the case? It is part of the mystery of God’s gracious provision for the lives and strength of His people. Through the mystery of transubstantiation, what seems to be bread and wine takes on the reality or essence of the Body and Blood of Christ! We cannot explain this scientifically, but in faith we believe it and partake of it. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is made present to us in a sacramental form and we are able to enter into the mystery of our salvation in a way that is so profound that very few, if any of us, really understand its significance!
The challenge we face today is not so much the challenge to be able to explain this mystery but our willingness to surrender our lives to it. Here lies the essence of holiness: surrender to the grace of God and His power to transform us into His own image and likeness.
When I read the lives of the saints I rarely wonder at the intellectual profundity of their writings; I am far more in awe of their willingness to let their faith and trust in God do the talking and living in their lives. What I mean by this is that the grace of surrender to God in and through faith is a far more important and profound reality than the ability to be able to explain the same in words. In fact, I doubt the latter is even possible to the extent that such an explanation will fully capture the reality of what we mean by our faith response to God. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I struggle fruitlessly to try and understand the things of faith that are really only understandable through the submission of my mind and heart to my faith?

Lord Jesus, give me the grace to let go of the need to understand and a greater willingness to surrender to the gift of faith.

St. Zeno, martyr, pray for us.

_________________________



1st READING

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

The Passover of the Chosen People of God celebrates their deliverance from slavery in Egypt to becoming free citizens in their own land. Unfortunately we are all aware that the Jews continually fell back into all sorts of different slavery, the same as we do today with sin. I wonder when we will ever learn to deny sin a place in our hearts and lives? As we reflect upon the Jewish reality of Passover, let us honor the work the Lord did then, and pray that He will continue to draw the Jewish people to Himself.

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel, “On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. 4 If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. 5 The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. 7 They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. 8 That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. 12 For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every first-born of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt — I, the LORD! 13 But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. 14 This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”

P S A L M

Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

R: Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.

12 How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? 13 The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. (R) 15 Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. 16 I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. (R) 17 To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. (R)

2nd READING

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

St. Paul knows what it is to be entrusted with the Good News. He passes on to others what has been handed to him. This is the essence of tradition – the process by which we maintain what is essential to our faith and keep it alive in the hearts of the faithful. This is not an easy task and requires that we constantly attend to the call to submit our lives to the truths revealed to us and discerned by the Church to be authentic.

23 I received from the LORD what I also handed on to you, that the LORD Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the LORD until he comes.

G O S P E L

John 13:1-15

I believe that this is one of the most poignant and powerful teachings of Jesus. He demonstrates one of the essences of humility, namely the willingness to lay down His life in the service of others. This is a text that all in leadership should reflect upon often. Without service, leadership is prone to and very quickly becomes a dictatorship. Let us pray that the desire to serve others will always increase in our lives and that we will respond to it often.

1 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and’‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

my reflections
think: When will we ever learn to deny sin a place in our hearts and lives?

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______


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 2 Kings 13-15

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS



Blessed Pedro Calungsod

Pedro Calungsod, born in 1655, was a native from the Visayan region of the Philippines. As a young catechist, he joined the Spanish Jesuits in the Ladrones Islands to evangelize the Chamorros.

Many were converted in faith. This brought a Chinese quack, named Choco, to be envious of the prestige of these missionaries. He spread rumors that the water used by the group in baptism was poisonous. Since there were baptized infants who died, many believed Choco and apostatized.

This resulted in the martyrdom of Pedro Calungsod and Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores, the superior of the mission, on April 2, 1672. The two went to the village of Tomhom in the Island of Guam. They were told that a baby was recently born in the village. They asked the infant s father, Matapang, for the infant to be baptized. The man refused because of fear his daughter might die. He sought the help of another villager, Hirao, for them to kill the missionaries. While gone, Padre Diego and Pedro were given permission by the child s mother to baptize her baby. This made Matapang more furious. He and Hirao brutally assassinated the missionaries. Pedro was hit by a spear at the chest in protecting his Superior. Padre Diego, after giving the boy the sacramental absolution, was also killed. Their bodies were thrown into the sea and were never recovered. Pedro Calungsod was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000 at St. Peter s Square in Rome.

http://pcalungsod.keldesigned.com/bio.html

Saint Albert of Montecorvino

Saint Albert was born in Normandy in the late 11th century but his family moved to Montecorvino, where he became bishop. Later in life, Albert lost his sight. He was given a coadjutor who treated him with indignity and cruelty. The saint, however, bore all this with patience.

Before he died in 1127 in Apulia, Italy, Albert became known for his visions and miracles.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0405.htm

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintado.htm

Symbianizers,

Open Your Heart This Good Friday. This Good Friday, accept His love for you in a fresh way. Ask Him, "Lord, I receive Your embrace."
This Friday, work with Him at your side.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25



6 April
Friday



GOOD FRIDAY

DRINK JESUS’ CUP

“Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” – John 18:11

I thought that the opposite of love was hate. That when love is no longer there, hate will replace it. However, experience has taught me that even in the worst hatred, there lies a small spark of love somewhere within the person.
Thus the saying goes, “the more you hate, the more you love.” The author of The Road Less Travelled, Scott Peck presents a different but real opposite of love. For him, the opposite of love is not hate but laziness. When one is no longer interested to exert any effort to make another person grow, then that’s the full opposite of love – an act worse than hatred.
Uncaring people have this habit: “Enjoy now and endure later.” Conversely, I and my wife, Joie, claimed another principle in life: “Endure now and enjoy later.” Even if the “feelings” elude us, we continue and endure serving, listening to and caring for one another and our son Rob. At the end of each day (or month or year) that’s when we truly enjoy.
I agree with Dr. Peck when he said, “Our finest moments... occur when we are uncomfortable, when we’re not feeling happy, or fulfilled, when we’re struggling and searching.” One will have to choose daily: Is it the easy road of indifference or the hard road of committed love? Drink Jesus’ cup now! Cheers! Obet C.

REFLECTION:
Do we see glory beyond the cup of sorrow?

Not my will, but Your will be done, O Lord!
____________________



GOOD FRIDAY

Today is the most solemn day of the Church’s year as we reflect upon the death of the Son of God on a cross. This remarkable event signals for us the final act of the drama of our salvation as it is won for us by Christ. His death catapults the world into crisis – what have we done in crucifying the Son of God? Yet, too little attention is given to this question today. Where is our wonder and amazement at the birth of Christ in the midst of the materialism of Christmas? It seems we lose the mystery of the Incarnation in the midst of the busyness of tinsel and glitter, food and reunions, giving and receiving. And today the mystery is much deeper and far more profound in that it ushers in the reality of our salvation from sin! It would seem that there is little hope that we will properly reflect upon the significance of the event we celebrate.
Yet there are signs of hope. The Churches are packed for Palm Sunday as everyone seeks a splash of the holy water for their palm branch and their bodies. However, these external realities will not satisfy the hunger within that yearns for reconciliation with our Creator. The call to repentance and conversion must take center stage if we are going to satisfy that hunger; and if we do not satisfy that hunger, our souls will continue to cry out in travail for the mercy and redemption of our God. This is a time to stop what we are doing and ask ourselves whether or not we have our focus in life right. It is a time to ask ourselves about the meaning of our lives and whether there is anything there.
The celebration of the death of Jesus is an event that we should keep close to our hearts and reflect upon daily in our minds and prayer, says St. Alphonsus de Ligouri. He is right, as without the decision to keep the cross at the forefront of our thoughts, it will recede to the back and become one of the forgotten and defunct memories. Our faith demands a significant place. Today’s celebration more than any other is worthy of all the time and energy we can give to it! Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have I prepared well for the Easter celebrations this year or have I let other things in life govern my attention? Have I neglected my faith in the past year?

Lord Jesus, you are the Redeemer of the World and the Lord of my life. Help me to set aside the time necessary to nourish my relationship with You properly.

St. Winebald, hermit and abbot, pray for us.

__________________________

1st READING

Isaiah 52:13—53:12

Leaders are not only called to love those whom they lead but to suffer for them as well. I once read a book discussing the nature of leadership as a certain Orthodox Jewish sect understood it and this idea ‘jumped out of the pages at me.’ The true Tzaddik (literally righteous one) is someone who not just suffers with his people but also suffers for them. This describes Jesus’ life very well. He did not distance himself from us but entered as fully as possible into our existence and embraced some of the worst possible suffering any person had to endure – crucifixion. What greater love can one demonstrate than this?

13 See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted. 14 Even as many were amazed at him — so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals — 15 so shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it. 53: 1 Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. 3 He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom men hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. 4 Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. 6 We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. 7 Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. 8 Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away, and who would have thought any more of his destiny? When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people, 9 a grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. 10 [But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.] If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him. 11 Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear. 12 Therefore I will give him his portion among the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; and he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses.

P S A L M

Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25

R: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

1 [2] In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me. 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. (R) 11 [12] For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; they who see me abroad flee from me. 12 [13] I am forgotten like the unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken. (R) 14 [15] But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God. 15 [16] In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. (R) 16 [17] Let your Face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.” 24 [25] Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the LORD. (R)

2nd READING

Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews assures us that Jesus is truly human and knows what it means to live a human existence. It is this coming together of both the divine and the human that makes it possible for Jesus to redeem us. It is the fact that He, as God, willingly undertook the task of our redemption in the form of a human person, that His passion and Death and Resurrection can be applied to all humanity.

14 Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. 5: 7 In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

G O S P E L

John 18:1—19:42

Once again we reflect upon the Passion of Jesus. Let us not dismiss the text from our lives but allow the reality of what it portrays to sink in to our psyche as there it will have the opportunity to bring change to our lives – change so that we will be more perfectly conformed to the image of God. St Alphonsus Ligouri recommends that we meditate on the Passion of Christ daily in order that we never forget what Christ has done for us. This is a good thing to try and put in place in our lives.

1 When he had said this, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. 2 Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them,“Whom are you looking for?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.” He said to them, “I AM.” Judas his betrayer was also with them. 6 When he said to them, “I AM,” they turned away and fell to the ground. 7 So he again asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill what he had said, “I have not lost any of those you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” 12 So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus, bound him, 13 and brought him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was better that one man should die rather than the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus. 16 But Peter stood at the gate outside. So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire that they had made, because it was cold, and were warming themselves. Peter was also standing there keeping warm. 19 The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken publicly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, and in secret I have said nothing. 21 Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm. And they said to him, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately the cock crowed. 28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was morning. And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring [against] this man?” 30 They answered and said to him, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 At this, Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” The Jews answered him, “We do not have the right to execute anyone,” 32 in order that the Word of Jesus might be fulfilled that he said indicating the kind of death he would die. 33 So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” 37 So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this one but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. 19: 1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, 3 and they came to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him repeatedly. 4 Once more Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, “Behold, the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” 8 Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid, 9 and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him. 10 So Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered [him], “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” 12 Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” 15 They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered,”“We have no king but Caesar.” 16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. The Crucifixion of Jesus: So they took Jesus, 17 and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” 20 Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. 24 So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled [that says]: “They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” This is what the soldiers did. 25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. 28 After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” 29 There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. 31 Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, 34 but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35 An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may [come to] believe. 36 For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of it will be broken.” 37 And again another passage says: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.” 38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body. 39 Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds. 40 They took the body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. 41 Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. 42 So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by.

my reflections
think: Leaders are not only called to love those whom they lead but to suffer for them as well.

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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 2 Kings 16-18


GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Isidore of Seville

Saint Isidore was born in 556 A.D. to a brood of religious brothers and sisters — Leander and Fulgentius became bishops and saints, and Florentina, a nun, was also a saint. The young Isidore received a first-rate education. His brother Leander supervised and pushed him to study. He used this as sacrifice to the Lord. As a result, he later believed that every diocese must have a seminary and a Catholic school for advanced learning.

The saint succeeded the bishopric of Seville, Spain from his brother Saint Leander. He served the people and the Church for thirty-seven years. Among his accomplishments as bishop were the following — he and his brother led in the conversion of the Visigoths in faith; he directed two important Church Councils, leading to the Church s stronger union; he wrote a dictionary and numerous books on the history of the Goths and about Bible heroes and heroines.

Saint Isidore died in 636. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1722 by Pope Innocent XIII.

http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/saintday/m4.html

Saint Benedict the Black

Benedict the Black, also known as Benedict the Moor or Benedict the African, was born on 1526 at Messina, Italy.

His parents were slaves who were brought from Africa to Sicily. Benedict was released from slavery when he was 18. He worked as an employee of his former master. He joined a group of Franciscan hermits near Palermo where he served as a novice master and superior of the friars. At the end of his term, Benedict returned in the friary kitchen. He provided the people his gift of prayer and the guidance of souls. His humility and cheerfulness led to the order s reform.

When Benedict died in 1589, King Philip III of Spain prepared a special tomb for him. According to reports, the body of Saint Benedict the Black was found incorrupt when checked several years later. He was beatified by Pope Benedict XIV on May 15, 1743 and canonized by Pope Pius VIII on May 24, 1807.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb20.htm

Symbianizers,

Prepare Your Heart For Your Rising! Today is Holy Saturday. Spend a part of this day being quiet before God. Let Him speak to you.
This Saturday, follow the Spirit of God leading you.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25



7 April
Saturday

WOUNDED HEALERS

“Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” – Luke 24:5

It was my husband Obet’s birthday and our community had a joyful gathering. I was pregnant then. From there we got into a taxi homeward. Inside the cab, Obet was caressing my big tummy when he felt it move. “Is my baby kicking?” he asked. “Yes, I think your baby wants to greet you a happy birthday.” Obet was in tears enjoying the moment when he saw through the mirror that the taxi driver’s eyes were closed. He woke him up and the man apologized that he was so tired after a whole day of driving. Obet was angry but he was compassionate enough to understand. He used the occasion to share about Jesus.
Five days later, I sensed an urgency to have an ultrasound.We visited the clinic and the result shocked us: There was a placenta and amniotic fluid but there was no baby. The diagnosis: A blighted ovum. We felt devastated. Obet wept and questioned, “If there was no baby, what did I feel was moving in your tummy?” I just told him, “Our child moved just to save us from a sure accident.”
It was a miracle that saved us.
And the miracle continues because we became wounded healers. We rush to support friends who had miscarriages. We can help deeply because we know the feeling. Joie C.

REFLECTION:
Do I seek the living among the dead? Do I seek solutions by merely despairing?

O divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console.
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EASTER VIGIL

The Easter Vigil is the biggest celebration of the Catholic Liturgical Year. When celebrated well, it has the most magnificent music and symbolism designed to give us a taste of the heavenly existence of all the saints and angels. Yet it is also remarkably down to earth in that it relates to us through all the Readings the history of salvation, that is, the history of God’s work in human affairs. Listen carefully to the progression of the Readings and you will discover a subtle unfolding of God’s plan through His work with the Jewish people to the point where it climaxes in the mission of the Son of God.
When Jesus rises from the dead, the whole nature of the relationship between God and humanity is definitively changed – reconciliation is made possible and we are offered the gift of a new life – a life of grace ruled by the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, we all too often want the benefits of this new life without the prerequisite surrender of our lives and will to that of God! We are offered a new relationship with God that is infinitely better than our previous one but it comes only through faith and trust in God’s love for us. That is, we must be willing to place our lives under the grace of the Holy Spirit so that God will be able to direct our lives and keep us free from sin.
The New Covenant that Jesus inaugurates marks a new era of human history where humanity is no longer bound by sin but free to live a life of grace and truth under the Holy Spirit. This is what the prophets have longed for since the rise of Elijah and Elisha; it is what the whole earth has been awaiting in travail, and what each of us is offered through faith in Christ.
Let us open our hearts and minds tonight to the light and truth of the Spirit so that we will be transformed into messengers of the Gospel. Let us allow the Spirit into our lives in a new way so that we will carry the Good News with us wherever we go. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are there areas of darkness in my life that are yet to come under the Lordship of Christ? If so, what am I going to do about this?

Lord Jesus, You have risen from the dead. Help me to live the life of a redeemed
person proclaiming the Good News of salvation in all that I do.

St. Herman Joseph, pray for us.

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1st READING

Genesis 1:1—2:2 or Genesis 22:1-18; Exodus 14:15—15:1; Isaiah 54:5-14; Isaiah 55:1-11; Baruch 3:9-15, 32—4:4; Ezekiel 36:16-28

The seven readings (if all are read) for the Easter Vigil follow something of the history of God’s intervention in our world, beginning with Creation and ending with reflections upon the promise of a New Covenant, a covenant of the heart. It is important for us to realize that we have a God who did not just create the world and then leave us alone. He has constantly worked with us in order that we might realize the full potential of our humanity. This is still an unfinished business and so we are still challenged as to how we are going to respond to God’s call of love. As we celebrate the Vigil tonight, let us listen to the readings and try to deepen our sense of God’s calling us into relationship with Him.

1 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Thus evening came, and morning followed — the first day. 6 Then God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other.” And so it happened: 7 God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it. 8 God called the dome “the sky.” Evening came, and morning followed — the second day. 9 Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear.” And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared. 10 God called the dry land “the earth,” and the basin of the water he called “the sea.” God saw how good it was. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it.” And so it happened: 12 the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was. 13 Evening came, and morning followed — the third day. 14 Then God said: “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years, 15 and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth.” And so it happened: 16 God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. 19 Evening came, and morning followed — the fourth day. 20 Then God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.” And so it happened: 21 God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was, 22 and God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 Evening came, and morning followed — the fifth day. 24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.” And so it happened: 25 God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was. 26 Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” 27 God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” 29 God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seedbearing fruit on it to be your food; 30 and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. 31 God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed — the sixth day. 2: 1 Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. 2 Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.

P S A L M

Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 or Psalm 104 or Psalm 16; Exodus 15 Canticle; Psalm 30; Isaiah 12 Canticle; Psalm 19; Psalm 42 or Psalm 51

R: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD has struck with power. 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)

2nd READING

Romans 6:3-11

Paul reflects upon the nature of Baptism as an entry into the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ and all that that means for us who believe. There is no greater mystery than the one that tells us that the work/mission of Jesus here on earth, when it is applied to our lives through faith, brings to us the gift of salvation. Paul has experienced a monumental change in his understanding of his relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ (See Phil 3:7-15) and he wants us all to enter into a similar experience.

3 Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. 7 For a dead person has been absolved from sin. 8 If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. 10 As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. 11 Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

G O S P E L

Luke 24:1-12

‘Jesus has risen from the dead! The tomb is empty.’ In some ways this last line is the most fundamental record that we have of the resurrection. People discovered an empty tomb. The quantum leap from the ‘empty tomb’ (fact) to ‘Jesus has risen from the dead’ is accomplished by faith and faith alone. We cannot prove that this is the case. If we could, there would be no such thing as faith in the resurrection – it would be a proven fact that we are all forced to believe just like 2+2=4. As we celebrate tonight let us be filled with joy with this Good News of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1 But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. 5 They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? 6 He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” 8 And they remembered his words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. 10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, 11 but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

my reflections
think: It is important for us to realize that we have a God who did not just create the world and then leave us alone.

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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 2 Kings 19-21

Symbianizers,

He Lives In You! Especially When You Love. Happy Easter! Get out of the tombs of selfishness and live a new life of love!
Each Sunday is a Mini-Easter. Show that Jesus is alive today!

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25


8 April
Sunday

The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

TWO SIMPLE Y’s

...saw the stone removed from the tomb. – John 20:1

Ms. Prosti, Denial King and Mr. Hot Head. No, they’re not new characters in Disney’s circle of friends. Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, mga “Reyna at Hari ng Sablay” were the first to witness the evidence of the Most Important Cosmic Event of All Time.
Y1: Why them? I’m no theologian. Just a simple, handsome guy (Whoa! Why is my nose growing?), having the simplest and most handsome answer: They were first simply because they were there!
Jesus would have loved Pontius Pilate, Herod and Caiaphas to witness the evidence, but they weren’t there. Jesus could have assigned the angels as receptionists to the “empty tomb exhibit” to usher in the coming Pharisees, but they wouldn’t come. Had Judas waited a little longer, he could have heard Jesus saying, “I don’t care about your past, your failures and your sins, just be here!”
Y2: Why morning? Jesus made all things new! The Dawning of the New Day! The day that separates your shameful past and your glorious future. The stone at the entrance of the tomb of your failures and sins has been rolled away. Jon E.

REFLECTION:
Aren’t you here yet?

Lord, I’m dirty, guilty, ashamed, scared and hopeless. But I am here. Help me be born to this New Day! Let me believe that I can live life. I can overcome. And when I fail, I can come back and be here to hope in You.
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EASTER SUNDAY

I like to try and imagine what it would be like to encounter someone who has risen from the dead. What would it have been like for the apostles? They have just watched Jesus die a couple of days ago and now they are told to go to Galilee and wait for Jesus! They are told that some of the women have seen Him alive. I think I would be very skeptical of such
reports. However, on encountering the Risen Lord, I really have no idea what I would do, probably fall to my knees and worship though I doubt I would be able to speak a word!
To encounter someone who has risen from the dead would undoubtedly change a person’s life forever. There would be no excuses for not believing in the resurrection – you would have personally seen it happen. I think this is one of the reasons why the teaching and preaching of the apostles has a slightly different character to it when compared with those who did not personally experience the person of Jesus here on earth. Their conviction would be so much deeper than ours because they are not relying upon reported evidence; they are the witnesses to the very fact.
Personal experience is an essential aspect of our faith response to God because it gives the element of conviction to our proclamation of the Gospel. God wants us all to meet and experience His love personally so that we can be transformed by it into the sons and daughters the Father that we are meant to be. When we read the testimonies of the conversions of many of the saints of the first few centuries, we see that their faith is more than an idea or words – it is the lived experience of their daily lives. God is not just a distant figure somewhere in the heavens; He is an intimate friend who shares in every aspect of our lives except sin.
As we reflect upon the meaning of the resurrection for each of us, let us open our hearts more fully to the grace and truth He desires to bring into our lives to make us more like himself. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How can I be more faithful in reflecting upon the meaning
of the resurrection for me personally?

Holy Spirit, lead me deeper into the truth of God’s love and show me how to surrender my life to it.

St. Julie Billiart, pray for us.
____________________



1st READING

Acts 10:34, 37-43

Peter makes it clear to Cornelius that he, Peter, absolutely believes in the resurrection – he and Jesus have eaten together after Jesus died on the cross and was laid in a tomb. This is an absolutely amazing claim and Cornelius is obviously impressed by it as he and his whole household are ultimately baptized. Peter’s testimony is part of what brings salvation to Cornelius’ household. Each of us has our own testimony that God calls us to share with others to help them in their journey of faith.

34 Peter proceeded to speak and said: 37 “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and [in] Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 40 This man God raised [on] the third day and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

P S A L M

Psalm 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 “The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)

2nd READING

Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

It is only in Christ that we can have the fullness of life. This is not to say that those who have never heard of Christ are not alive – it is just that there is more for them to experience than they have yet had the opportunity. This leaves us, those who know and have experienced Christ, with the awesome responsibility of sharing the truth about Jesus with those who have never heard of Him. Let us always seek to do this with humility and never with any arrogance or superiority. Jesus came into our midst in humility. Let us continue His mission in the same way.

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

G O S P E L

John 20:1-9

Women are the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. Women are the first teachers of any child. God entrusted the birth and care of His Son to a woman named Mary. Women have always had an important role in God’s plan of salvation. Let us pause a moment in thanksgiving, not just for the gift of salvation that we remember today in a special way, but also for all the women who have played significant roles in our lives up until this point. Let us pray for them that God will bless them and continue to use them in His plan of salvation of the world.

1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

my reflections
think: Each of us has our own testimony that God calls us to share with others to help them in their journey of faith.

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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 2 Kings 22-25

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

__________________________________________________ ______________

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Symbianizers,
It's Summer! Schedule A Family Vacation! Better get out your calendar and look for a Family Vacation! Invest in your family. Invest in your relationships. See how you can have fun, fun, and more fun. But try to also include perhaps, "sharing" and "prayer" into the schedule.
Don?t be discouraged ? God will be with you through this week.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

9
April
Monday


TODAY'S READINGS:

BROWNOUT

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” – Matthew 28:10

My kids hate brownouts. They shiver in fear, their palms begin to sweat and they scream at the top of their lungs. Of course, I’m exaggerating. But the truth is, they never liked the idea that their world would be put to a halt even for a few minutes, especially in the middle of their favorite TV show or movie or while they’re reading their comics.
But here’s the best part – they would start shouting, “Mom! Where are you?” And as soon as they hear my voice it’s like magic to their ears. And as soon as they reach me, I grab their hands and hug them both very tightly and assure them that everything’s okay – Mom’s here. Ah! I love brownouts.
I can imagine what it feels like to be in heaven. We live in the light for the rest of our lives... and best of all, God embraces us tightly and assures us constantly – “It’s okay, I’m here.”
When Jesus rose back to life, He eradicated brownouts! Marissa E.

REFLECTION:
Take me out of the dark my Lord, ‘cause I don’t want to be alone; I don’t want to be there... (from the song “Take Me Out of the Dark”)

“O, send forth Your light and Your truth. Let these be my guide. Let Him bring me to Your holy mount, to the place where You abide.”
_____________________


KEEP IT SIMPLE AS THAT IS THE BEST WAY

As a student I loved mathematics. Even today I will read mathematical books for the pleasure of doing so – I will even work at mathematical problems for the fun of the challenge. It is a weird sort of reality that when you are a mathematician it is the simplest proof of a theorem that appeals to you the most. It would seem that something that is complicated and difficult would be more appealing but it is not. Apart from the fact that a simple proof will be more readily understood by many, it is simply more beautiful than something complicated and difficult to understand. It is similar to the fact that the greatest writers use a minimum of words to convey their ideas; it is much easier to write a 2000 word essay on a given topic than a 500 word one as you have to use your words more carefully and precisely.
Having said that, read through the proclamations of the Gospel that Peter and Paul and the other apostles make in the Acts of the Apostles. They are all the more remarkable and powerful because of their simplicity and clarity of ideas. What homilies, if any, do you remember well? I am sure they will have been quite short and with a limited number of ideas in them. In this way our minds are not confused by a whole lot of irrelevant detail.
As we seek to live our faith to the full, let us try to give a description of it in as few words as possible, yet not leaving out anything essential to its meaning. If we can do this well we will always be able to share the Gospel or our testimony with others when the opportunity arises.
Like it or not this is our responsibility as Christians! Through our baptism we are called to be witnesses of Christ, itnesses to His love for us and to the offer of forgiveness for our sins. If we who have received these things are not able to share them well, who will proclaim the Gospel to those who have never heard it?
Let us set aside some time over the next few weeks to work out what our testimony of faith is so as to prepare to share it when God asks us to. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: As we seek to live our faith to the full, let us try to give a description of it in as few words as possible, yet not leaving out anything essential to its meaning.

Father, You sent your Son, Jesus to redeem us from our lives of sin. Thank You for the gift of new life in Him and help me to live it every day of my life.

St. Acacius, bishop, pray for us.
_____________________________
1st READING

Acts 2:14, 22-33

The transformation from ‘men hiding in fear of the Jews’ to men boldly proclaiming the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is a result of opening their lives to the power of the Holy Spirit. The same can be true for us! It is important that we do this as we have a duty to proclaim the Gospel and without the Holy Spirit we will find that very difficult.

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 22 You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. 24 But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says of him: ‘I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. 26 Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, 27 because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. 30 But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured it forth, as you [both] see and hear.”

P S A L M

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

1 Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; 2 I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you. Apart from you I have no good.” 5 O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. (R) 7 I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. 8 I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; 10 because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. (R) 11 You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 28:8-15

There are many stories surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. When we piece them together we see that the fundamental truth, the one that is most important, is exactly that, namely Jesus has risen from the dead. We cannot fully understand how God did this and it does not matter. All we have to do is believe that it is true and live our lives in the grace and power God offers us through the resurrected life of Jesus.

8 [ the women] went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11 While they were going, some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. 12 They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy [him] and keep you out of trouble.” 15 The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

my reflections
think: Jesus has risen from the dead.

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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 1 Chronicles 1-3

Dear Symbianizers,
Reflect God?s love to every person you meet this Tuesday.

Praying for you,

Kerstinne25


10 April
Tuesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

SPREAD THE WORD

“But Mary (of Magdala) stayed outside the tomb weeping... (then she) went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord...’” – John 20:11,18

Of course I don’t buy Dan Brown’s crap about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Preposterous! But I do believe that she had a very special relationship with him. After all, he first appeared to her!
Why? Because she waited on him, stayed outside the tomb, weeping when everyone already went home (John 20: 10-11). And then, she spread the word! “I have seen the Lord!”
There are things that you should keep to yourself but there are things that you should tell others about!
“The Lord has immensely blessed me but I’d rather keep that to myself lest I sound like I’m bragging.”
“God performed a miracle in my life but they might think I’m crazy so I’d rather keep silent.” Whoa! Unless you’re really just bragging or a confirmed looney, it’s your duty to proclaim Jesus in your life. Yes, it’s a duty! Isn’t that in essence the Great Commission? Go tell the world about Him!
So like Mary Magdalene, if you want to see Jesus, wait on Him, stay on, and then spread the word – “I have seen the Lord. HE IS ALIVE!” Alvin B.

REFLECTION:
Are you afraid or hesitant to share what Jesus has done for you? Try telling one person about Him today.

Jesus, my Lord, grant me the grace to see You, and proclaim You to others. Amen.

__________________________________________

DO NOT CLING TO ME

These are rather strange words for Jesus to speak. I wonder what He meant by them. think the answer lies in understanding the reason for His ascension into heaven. We believe that Jesus ascended into heaven in order that, with the Father, He would send us the Holy Spirit. It is this promised gift of the Holy Spirit that will signify the real completion of Jesus’ earthly mission. It is only with the Holy Spirit that we have the power to sustain our Christian lives in the face of a hostile world.
Jesus does not want the women to get used to the idea that He is going to be with them in this resurrected form for too much longer. Jesus is aware that He will depart in a few days’ time. The clinging of the women is symbolic of the way in which we can cling to comforting things in an unhealthy way such that they stunt our growth as Christians. The nature of the Christian life is that God wants us to be always moving forward. He is not interested in us becoming comfortable in one way or another with our present faith experiences as He knows there is always so much more for us to receive from Him. The depth of God’s love and grace for us is unending and so we should always be seeking more of God in our lives.
Clinging is usually symptomatic of the desire to remain static and not to accept the challenge of letting go in faith and trusting that we will be able to make the next few steps of the adventure of life. Jesus experienced this in the Garden of Gethsemane when He cried out to His Father but ultimately let go and entrusted His life into the Father’s hands. It is this sort of ‘letting go’ that is essential to the life of faith if we are going to move into the realm of faith that is exhibited by the saints! Do you want to be a saint? I hope to become one eventually, but I know I will have to get better at letting go of the controls in my life and trusting that God will lead me to the right and best place for me. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Jesus calls us to surrender our lives more deeply to Him each day so that He can manifest His love for others through our lives. Are we willing to allow Him to do this?

Jesus, help me to become more like You in the surrender of Your life to the will of Your Father. Help me to trust that you really do have my best interests at heart.

St. Terence, martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING



Acts 2:36-41

Peter tells us that repentance is the beginning or foundation for the life of faith. Without turning away from our sins it is impossible to welcome Christ into our hearts as all sin is anathema to Him. Let us seek to grow in holiness each day by continuing to repent of our sin as we discover it in our lives and so demonstrate to Jesus our commitment to being true to His love.

36 “Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both LORD and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” 38 Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the LORD our God will call.” 40 He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

P S A L M

Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R: The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

4 For upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

G O S P E L

John 20:11-18

Jesus had only to speak Mary’s name and she knew who He was! This is a knowledge built on love. It is a little surprising that she did not immediately recognize Jesus but I suppose a resurrected body is more glorious and thus different from a nonresurrected one. Let us pray that we will one day share in the fullness of the gift of the resurrection when the Lord raises our bodies to be with Him on the last day.

11 But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my LORD, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the LORD,” and what he told her.

my reflections
think: Let us pray that we will one day share in the fullness of the gift of the resurrection when the Lord raises our bodies to be with Him on the last day.

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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 1 Chronicles 4-7

Dear Symbianizers,

His light is shining on you this Wednesday.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

11 April
Wednesday

TODAY'S READINGS:

CAN YOUR FAITH STAND?

“With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” – Luke 24:31

When my son was diagnosed with an incurable heart disease, I began to seek the Lord like never before. As a result, the Lord also began to reveal Himself to me in ways I’ve never imagined ever since I got baptized in the Holy Spirit 20 plus years ago. I was so confident that the Lord was going to work a miraculous healing in my son’s life that would truly bring glory to Him. After all, isn’t that the purpose of everything — for Him to be glorified?
Five months later, my son passed away. I was stunned. No, I was devastated. Actually, there is no word yet ever invented to describe how I felt. I felt like I was conned, cheated, etc. I thought He was Lord and Savior but how come He wasn’t Lord over this sickness. Why couldn’t He save my son? Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if He was really everything the Bible said He was. I got down on my knees and I told Him that I would not leave my room until I find out the truth about who He really is.
After struggling for one week, I woke up one beautiful morning with the truth. Yes, He is Lord and yes, He is Healer. No, He didn’t show up in my room. I just woke up one morning with so much peace in my heart and I knew with every fiber of my being that He is real. Ronna L.

REFLECTION:
Can your faith in Jesus survive the test of fire?

Lord, open my eyes to see You.
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JESUS APPEARS TO US IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS

When we read through the various resurrection appearances of Jesus as we do every Easter week, we discover that Jesus appears to His friends and disciples in many different ways. I cannot see any reason why this should not still be the case today! That is, I believe we are foolish to limit the ways in which we might think or expect Jesus to appear to us. I can easily imagine the disciples as they gather to share their experiences and marvel at the way Jesus has risen from the dead.
One of the things that is most effective at building up our faith is listening to how God is working in other peoples’ lives. Sharing our testimonies is a great way of encouraging one another to a deeper and more expectant faith. I find there is nothing more encouraging, when I am a bit down in my faith, than hearing an excited exposition of God working in someone else’s life. It is not a matter of worrying about comparing myself to others; I know that God has a plan for us all and it is a matter of trying to be faithful to what He wants to do in my life.
Jesus appears to His disciples to give them hope and to bolster their faith; He manifests His power in our own lives from time to time for exactly the same purposes. We can and should expect Him to show His hand once in a while if for no other reason than to support us in our walk with Him. This is His promise to us when He ascended into heaven – that He would not leave us orphans but would send us the Holy Spirit. Jesus is never far from us – any distance that grows is a result of our own neglect and sin. He will always hear and answer our prayers. However, the form of His answer may not always be what we want or expect. Let us open our hearts to Him anew this day and trust that He knows what He is doing with us. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: When was the last time I recognized the hand of God in my life? What was my response to that experience?

Lord Jesus, You are always faithful to Your promises to me. Help me to be more faithful in responding to Your grace and appearances in my life.

St. Antipas, martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING



Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John knew what is the most important gift they can give anyone including the beggar in today’s reading. The person of Jesus Christ can heal sickness and cure disease; he can raise the dead and deliver us from demons. It is Jesus who can save us from our sins and everything else for that matter. All we have to do is put our faith in Him and allow Him to work the miracle of salvation in our lives.

1 Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. 2 And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 4 But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.” 7 Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. 8 He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

P S A L M

Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R: Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

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

G O S P E L

Luke 24:13-35

Even two of the disciples of Jesus fail to immediately recognize Him as they walk and talk with Him. This is difficult to believe and a warning to us that Jesus can be in our midst in a form that may not be immediately obvious to us. In the Old Testament, people spoke of having entertained angels when they took in a stranger for a meal; perhaps today the stranger you meet will be Jesus looking for your love and helping hand?

13 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!” 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

my reflections
think: Perhaps today the stranger you meet will be Jesus looking for your love and helping hand.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 1 Chronicles 8-10


GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS


Saint Marcellinus of Carthage

Under the Roman Emperor Honorius, Marcellinus served as secretary of state of the Western Roman Empire.

In 409, he granted the heretical group Donatists the right to public worship. But the group grew in power, causing the oppression of the orthodox. As a result, the latter appealed to the emperor for protection. Marcellinus was appointed to judge on the controversy. Since the Donatists were heretics, he summoned them to submit to the control of orthodox bishops and priests. The judgment was implemented with violence and severity by the Roman army. It was a bloody persecution that Bishop Augustine protested.

The Donatists held a grudge against Marcellinus. They accused him and his brother for being involved in the rebellion of Heraclion. General Maricus thus ordered for the arrest and imprisonment of the two. The bishop intervened on their behalf. But Maricus remained firm, ordering for the execution of Marcellinus and his brother on September 12, 413.

http://shannon.nicheinformation.info/pages1/Marcellinus_of_Carthage

Saint Celestine I

Saint Celestine I, a Roman, was deacon in Rome when he was elected for the pontificate on September 20, 422 A.D., in succession to Pope Boniface I.

As pope, he sent a letter to the bishops of Vienne and Narbonne, ordering them that absolution should never be denied to the dying who sincerely asked for it. Celestine also called for a council in Rome to condemn Nestorianism. He threatened Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, with excommunication if the man did not stop from his heretical teaching. Thus, in 431 he appointed Cyril as president of the General Council of Ephesus, which formally condemned the heresy.

The pope fought against Pelagianism with Saint Germanius of Auxerre. He sent the latter to deal with the Pelagianism in Britain. In addition, he wrote a treatise against semi-Pelagianism and sent Palladius for the evangelization of the people in Ireland.

After nine years and ten months of his pontificate, Saint Celestine I died on July 27, 432 in Rome, Italy.


http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0406.htm

Dear SYMBIANIZERS,
Be blessed by His Creative Word this Thursday!

Praying for you,
KERSTINNE25

12 April
Thursday

TODAY'S READINGS:

A FATHER FOR ALL SEASONS

...and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached.... – Luke 24:47

Life is indeed a cycle.
We were yesterday’s students and today’s professionals.
We were the young ones of the “Yeah, Yeah Vonnel” generation.
Now we are the young once as we become parents or grandparents of this dot.com generation.
But no matter how old we have become, God is here to stay.
He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Yes, He was, He is, and He will always be our merciful and forgiving father as long as we go to Him with contrite hearts, to repent and ask forgiveness for our imperfections, inadequacies and sinfulness.
He will always forgive us our sins no matter how many times we fall.
Thank you, dear God, for forgiving us our trespasses. You are indeed A Father for All Seasons. Thank you, Lord. Henry Y.

REFLECTION:
How many times have I been deaf and stubborn not to listen to You when You called my attention?

Lord, forgive me for all the times that I have gone against Your teachings.

______________________________

HEIRS OF THE COVENANT

In a very real sense the Jewish people are still heirs to the covenant; it is just that they have not yet realized that the covenant has taken on a slightly different form to what they first expected. Unfortunately, they did not recognize the Messiah in the form that he came. However, this will not be the case when He comes again in all his glory; when this happens, everyone will see, believe and know that He is the Son of God.
The past 40 years following on from Vatican II, there has been a lot of dialogue between the Vatican and various leading Jewish figures. This new depth of relationship has given rise to such descriptions of the Jewish people as our older brothers and so on. As Christians we have much to be thankful for to the Jews in that they were the ones who for two thousand years developed the understanding of God and His dealings with humanity that we assumed with our faith in Christ. If it were not for them, we would not have the rich heritage of revelation present to us in the Old Testament! It is important that we do not divorce our understanding of Christianity from its Jewish roots. Likewise, it is important that we never forget that the revelation of Christ gives rise to a new tool with which to interpret and understand the Old Testament writings.
Like most tensions in life it is important to avoid the extremes while trying to walk a middle path. Jesus certainly knew and respected his Jewish heritage as Scriptures record His faithful following of the Law in terms of rituals and celebrations. As we seek to redefine Christianity for the third millennium, let us not lose sight of our roots while at the same time endeavor to speak into the lives of a very modern society. We are heirs to the Kingdom of God – let us never forget where we have come from and to where we are
going. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How well do I know the history of my Catholic faith? Perhaps I ought to do a little reading here in order to better understand from where the faith I profess has come.
Father, You carefully guide the Church through the difficulties of relating to a modern and often atheistic world. Help me to remain firmly rooted in the heritage of my faith so that I have a firm foundation upon which to build my life.

St. Vissia, virgin and martyr, pray for us.

_____________________________
1st READING


Acts 3:11-26

Peter is a transformed man! His faith is finally coming to the fore in the way that the Holy Spirit is able to use him to proclaim the Gospel. Let us seek to be like Peter, open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and open to responding to God’s will wherever it might lead us and whatever He might ask us to do. This is how the Gospel will be shared to all the nations.

11 As the lame man clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.” 12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? 13 The God of Abraham, [the God] of Isaac, and [the God] of Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. 17 Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; 18 but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, 20 and that the LORD may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Messiah already appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. 22 For Moses said: ‘A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. 23 Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.’ 24 Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. 25 You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

P S A L M

Psalm 8:2, 5, 6-7, 8-9

R: O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

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

G O S P E L

Luke 24:35-48

The disciples who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus recount their adventure to the apostles. It is in sharing our faith experiences with one another that we will encourage and strengthen each other’s faith. In this way we are all built up and our ability to evangelize grows. Let us never lose an opportunity to share what God has done for us and remember, we should always ensure the glory stays with God.

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them,“Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them,“Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them. 44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

my reflections
think: It is in sharing our faith experiences with one another that we will encourage and strengthen each other’s faith.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 1 Chronicles 11-13

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint John Baptist De La Salle

John Baptist de la Salle, patron saint of teachers, was born on April 30, 1651 to a noble family in Rheims, France. He was a devout Christian and was in the seminary when his parents died. While he was caring and teaching his brothers, John continued with his education, thus, he was ordained a priest.

He pitied the common people who had no chance to be educated. John opened schools and started a new order, the Brothers of the Christian Schools, to provide teachers. He taught in the language his students would understand, and not in Latin. He grouped them into classes, giving emphasis on the importance of silence during classroom discussions. More and more schools were opened, educating the sons of the working class and the nobility.

The priest's health was never good. He was in constant pain because of arthritis and asthma. At the age of sixty-eight, Saint John Baptist de la Salle died on April 7, 1719. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.

http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/saintday/m4.html

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Saint Celsus McAedh

Saint Celsus was born Ceallach mac Aedha in Ireland in 1079. He succeeded to the hereditary abbacy of Armagh in 1105. The year after, he was consecrated bishop. As bishop, he implemented reforms to achieve ecclesiastical discipline.

Celsus also played an important role in restoring the primatial see of Ireland in Armagh. His intervention was always sought in warring Irish factions.

On his deathbed, Saint Celsus appointed Bishop Malachy of Connor as successor of his see to end its hereditary succession. He died at Ardpatrick, Munster in Ireland on April 1, 1129.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0407.htm

Saint Ezekiel

Saint Ezekiel was one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament during 6th century B.C. According to old traditions, the prophet was put to death while he was in captivity in Babylon. He was buried in the tomb of Shem. His grave became a site for early Christian pilgrims.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0410.htm

Dear Symbianizers,
May you be guided by His directions this Friday!

Praying for you,

Kerstinne25


13 April
Friday

TODAY'S READINGS:

MOMENTS OF GRACE

Cast the net over the right side... – John 21:6

The team was tired; it was very late at night and our project presentation was far from acceptable. The manager of the group would review everything in the morning! I started rationalizing. “Why am I helping these guys?
My boss didn’t even ask me to!”
We were ready to throw in the towel.
Peter must have felt that way when he said, “I’m going fishing.”
To make matters worse, he and his buddies caught nothing—nada! He, too, was ready to throw in the towel.
Isn’t it funny that just before everything comes crumbling down, the Lord somehow gives us moments of grace— to calm down, relax and try again?
You read the story; the Lord told Peter not to quit but to try again. They had quite a catch. And more importantly, they had breakfast with Jesus and were assured of His continuing presence.
For me, the moment of grace came when I heard a teaching by Christian author Chuck Swindoll early the next morning. The result? Not only did we satisfy the team’s boss but our work also became an award-winning project within the company. More than that, the team felt it was the Lord’s favor. Ariel D.

REFLECTION:
When you are ready to throw in the towel, don’t quit. Turn to the Lord. He is ready to give you that moment.

Thank You, Father, for moments of grace.
___________________________________


A REPEAT PERFORMANCE

This event by the side of the lake reflects a similar story told at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. The disciples have spent the night fishing and have failed to catch anything. At a word from Jesus they throw out their nets one last time and the nets are filled to breaking point. It is quite clear to me that here we are being invited to reflect upon the consequences of obedience to the Word of God. If we follow His will, then our lives will be fruitful to an extent we can hardly imagine; if we are just acting upon our own wisdom, we may or may not bear fruit in our lives. We should never forget the power of the Word of God and, at the same time, always seek to put it into practice in our lives.
John recognizes the person on the shore as Jesus when he sees the extent of the catch. Perhaps he is remembering back to that earlier event three years before? Whatever is the case, it is a reminder to us to keep an open mind at all times as Jesus may appear to us in as simple an act as catching fish and manifest His glory for all to see. Peter the impetuous one cannot wait for the boat to get back to shore so he dives into the water to go and greet Jesus. It probably would have been quicker to stay in the boat than to swim with all his robes on to the shore, but then again, that is Peter for you!
They then share a meal with Jesus but they avoid asking Him who He is. This indicates a certain mystery surrounds the resurrected Jesus. There is enough of the same for the disciples to recognize Him, but there must also have been an ‘otherness’ to the appearance of Jesus. In the same sort of way, Jesus will appear to us in the daily events of our lives – both in forms we easily recognize and those that have a different quality to them. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I truly open to recognizing the hand of God at work in
my life or do I tend to be skeptical of such ideas?

Father, I know You love me and want to guide my life according to Your will. Help me to be open to your word and guiding hand so that I will recognize their presence each time you appear.

Blessed John Lockwood, martyr, pray for us.
___________________________


1st READING



Acts 4:1-12

Peter gets it right when he says that there is no other name than Jesus that is capable of saving us from our sins. It is Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that reconciles us to the Father. This is the heart of the Gospel proclamation. Let us never forget to be upfront with the truth that having a relationship with Jesus is the only way to be saved. How are those who have never heard the Gospel going to be saved? I do not know, but I am sure that God has a plan for them as well.

1 While they were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word came to believe and [the] number of men grew to [about] five thousand. Before the Sanhedrin 5 On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. 7 They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

P S A L M

Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27

R: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R) 24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. (R) 25 O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD; we bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. (R)

G O S P E L

John 21:1-14

It seems that remembering similar instances with Jesus is a trigger to their recognizing Him after the resurrection. Perhaps this is why memory is so important in ritual celebrations. Through the use of our memory we can be transported back to past encounters with God, even, in the case of ritual, to ones where we were not physically present but where the collective memory of the Church takes over for us. What a gift the Sacraments are to us when they help us to remember what God has done for us.

1 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2 Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6 So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. 7 So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. 9 When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

my reflections
think: What a gift the Sacraments are to us when they help us to remember what God has done for 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 1 Chronicles 14-17


GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Perpetuus of Tours

Perpetuus was born to a senatorial family during the 5th century A.D. He became bishop of Tours in 460. According to Saint Gregory, the bishop decreed that all people in his diocese should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as on several Mondays in the Christian year. This decree in the dioceses of Tours was observed until a century after his death.

The bishop was remembered even centuries after his death. He was so strongly remembered that during the 18th century, Perpetuus forged a will, declaring that he left all his pastures, groves, vineyards, houses, gardens, watermills, gold, and silver to the poor.

You, my dearly beloved brothers, my crown, my joy, that is to say, Christ s poor, needy, beggars, sick, widows, and orphans, you I hereby name and decree to be my heirs.

Saint Perpetuus of Tours died either on December 30, 490 or April 8, 491. According to reports, there were occasions when the sick were healed at his tomb or when his relics were carried in procession.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0408.htm

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Saint Michael de Sanctis

Saint Michael de Sanctis, a devout of the Blessed Sacrament, was born on September 29, 1591 at Vich, Spanish Catalonia. At an early age of six, he received a calling to become a monk. At 12, he joined the Trinitarian monastery at Barcelona. Finally at 15, he took his vows on September 5, 1607 at the Monastery of Saint Lambert at Zaragoza.

Soon after, he felt drawn to the more ascetic life of the Discalced Trinitarians; thus, he moved to Madrid and began his novitiate. He studied in Seville and Salamanca then took his vows as priest in Alcala. In the monastery at Valladolid, Michael was twice elected superior. He continued to live a life of prayer and sacrifice.

Saint Michael de Sanctis died on April 10, 1625 in Valladolid, Spain. He was beatified by Pope Pius VI on May 24, 1779 and canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintm78.htm

18 April
Wednesday

TODAY'S READINGS:

ALBERT

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. – John 3:17

He was his mother’s favorite and he played this role to the hilt. There was nothing he could do wrong in her eyes, even if he was blatantly guilty.
Albert married at the age of 17. The girl was 15 and pregnant when they marched to the altar. After three kids born successively every year after that, the marriage was ready to self-destruct!
Being a husband and father did not stop Albert from being with friends nightly and coming home at dawn drunk and violent. His wife would run to her mother-in-law, reciting a litany of her son’s sins. The mother of Albert would listen and sympathize, but in the end, would say, “He is a good man. Those friends of his should be condemned. Forgive him. Soon he will be a changed man because God loves him.” Twenty years have passed. The children have grown and have their own families now. Their parents’ marriage didn’t last more than five years. But today, Albert, their father, is serving God fulltime, preaching to people about how “God loved Him that He sent His only son to save him from a life of sin.” Albert’s mom was proven right. And God’s love, too. Chelle C.

REFLECTION:
Do you know anyone who needs to know that someone believes in his/her goodness?

Thank You, Father, for never giving up on me.

___________________________

JEALOUSY AND ENVY ARE DESTROYERS

Jealousy and envy are quite different as far as sins go, but their effects are the same – destruction of relationships. The high priest and the Sadducees are conspiring under the motivation of jealousy to arrest the apostles because of the success the apostles are having of winning converts to their way of understanding the life and ministry of Jesus. There are few motivators that are worse than jealousy and envy and the destruction of relationships that these two initiate is often very difficult, almost impossible to repair.
Think back in your life to an experience of jealousy where you were either the victim or the perpetrator. I am sure you will agree that no good came out of the actions prompted thus wise.
St. Francis of Assisi writes that such feelings are sins against the Holy Spirit as they are an outright refusal to rejoice in the good things that God is doing for others! This is a very sobering judgment but one that ought to give us food for thought and reflection. The heart of the Gospel message of salvation is a call to rejoice in the good things of God. If they are from God, they are always directed towards the building up of His Kingdom and thus we should all benefit from such gifts, even if they are placed directly in the stewardship of others. This of course means that we all have responsibility to use the gifts God has given us in such a way that we place them in the service of all and not just ourselves.
One final point is simply to remind us that the worst kind of envy and jealousy is that which is directed towards the results of another’s sin. If we are jealous or envious of corrupt gains, this is worse than if it is of just gains simply because there is the further sin here of not recognizing the unjust means used to acquire such gains. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I tend to be a jealous person or am I usually willing to rejoice in the good fortune of others?

Holy Spirit, help me trust that God will provide all I need for a good life here on earth and keep my focus firmly fixed on the promise of eternal life in heaven.

St. Wicterp, bishop, pray for us.

____________________________

1st READING



Acts 5:17-26

And so the persecution of the Christians begin, first in Jerusalem and later, in a much more systematic and brutal fashion, in Rome. I sometimes wonder how the Early Church survived when I read about the persecutions it underwent, but then I suppose if something is a true work of the Holy Spirit, then it will survive. In fact, it seems that the persecutions only served to increase the resolve of those who remained to be faithful. Let us be true to their witness in the way we live today.

17 The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, 18 laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, 20 “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” 21 When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the Israelites, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. 22 But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 When they heard this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. 25 Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them in, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor man called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 7 [8] The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the LORD is; happy the man who takes refuge in him. (R)

G O S P E L

John 3:16-21

We who have heard the Gospel have no excuse but to follow it. This is what Jesus is affirming in today’s Gospel. The Light of the Truth has come into our lives and thus we must live according to it. This is what the mission of Jesus is all about. He came to set things straight; so that there would be no more debate as to what God demands from His people. The simple answer is that He demands nothing less than complete obedience to His Will!

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the verdict, that the Light came into the World, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

my reflections
think: He demands nothing less than complete obedience to His Will! thank You Lord for:

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 2 Chronicles 6-10

19 April
Thursday

TODAY'S READINGS:


TO GET EVEN OR NOT?

“Better for us to obey God than men!” – Acts 5:29

A friend of mine had a “sorry” experience with her organization.
After their election of officers – she was not happy with the chosen ones – the elected president approached her and asked her to be the treasurer (this was an appointed position). Naturally, she refused. But upon the president’s persuasion, and for the sake of unity, she gave her yes.
But weeks before the oath-taking, the president approached her again, withdrawing his offer. He said his council members outvoted his choice.
Can you imagine how that came across to my friend?
She “survived” the insult after much prayer, support from friends, and spiritual direction. But now it’s oath-taking time and guess what? The president has not yet found a willing treasurer from the members. Would you believe he had the audacity to ask my friend again?
I advised her to pray and let God decide. Much as pride and sweet revenge are comfortable companions with the turn of events – it’s still best to listen to the Lord’s voice deep in our heart… and whatever He says, “goes.” Cristy G.

REFLECTION:
Who has humiliated you recently? Can you still love the person and do what is right?

May I hear Your direction, especially during times when pride and anger cloud my head and deafen my ears.

________________________________

OBEDIENCE TO THE AUTHORITY OF MEN OR GOD?

Down through history, this experience of the apostles will be repeated over and over again as men and women seek to proclaim the Gospel truths whether they are welcomed or not. Many men and women were martyred for their faith as they proclaimed the Gospel in lands and among people who were hostile to the message. Even today there are many places in the world supposedly ‘off limits’ to the proclamation of the Gospel. The biggest problem with this is that in a certain sense, if we are Christians and living our faith, we are proclaiming the Gospel precisely through the way we live without having to say anything. St. Francis of Assisi is reported to have once said to his brothers as he sent them out to preach, “Go and proclaim the Gospel; use words if you have to!”
If the lived witness of the Gospel is not present, then any words that are spoken, no matter how eloquent they may be, leave us open to the accusation of hypocrisy! The most powerful witness to the Gospel is always the life each Christian lives. When Christians publicly flout the teachings of the Church and Jesus, we do untold damage to the effectiveness of our Gospel witness. It is not just a matter of our own salvation that we are speaking about here; we are also damaging the opportunity of those who are not Christians have of seeing the Gospel in action in our lives. This can be a sobering thought, particularly when we remember that it is our lives that Jesus is relying upon to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
The apostles refused to remain silent and so they should have done. The question remaining is whether or not we will follow their lead today. Let us pray for the grace to be willing to speak the truth in season and out of season so that the name of God will be glorified as we proclaim it to the ends of the earth. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: When was the last time I had to take a stand on an issue because of my faith in Christ? Did I do this without hesitation?

Lord Jesus, grant me the strength to always stand up for You and the truth You have revealed to me. May I always trust that You will provide me with the words to speak no matter what the situation may be.

St. Alphege, archbishop, pray for us.

____________________________

1st READING



Acts 5:27-33

Here is one of the more controversial texts of Scripture as Peter argues that there is a higher obedience than the obedience we owe earthly authorities. This is not an excuse for anarchy. Peter is merely stating the simple truth that where a civil law conflicts with a law of God, we follow the latter and not the former. This is a relatively rare occurrence. It will rarely, if ever, be difficult to discern such an occasion. However, it may be costly to us to respond correctly. Let us pray for the strength to do so.

27 When they had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, 28 “We gave you strict orders [did we not?] to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put the apostles to death.

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2, 9, 17-18, 19-20

R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the LORD is; happy the man who takes refuge in him. (R) 16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. 19 [20] Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him. (R)

G O S P E L

John 3:31-36

God the father sent Jesus to reveal His love to us for precisely the reason His testimony would be all the stronger because of His Divinity. This is why the Father and Son have sent us the Holy Spirit on the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. The Spirit will remain with us as the divine witness and authority to God’s call upon our lives. We seem to live in a sort of netherworld, betwixt and between a life here on earth and the hope of eternal life in heaven.

31 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven [is above all]. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to Him. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.

my reflections
think: God the father sent Jesus to reveal His love to us for precisely the reason His testimony would be all the stronger because of His Divinity.

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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 2 Chronicles 11-16

Dear Symbianizers,

This Friday, work with Him at your side.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25



27 April
Friday

JESUS A-COURTING

“..and (in a vision) he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay (his) hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” – Acts 9:12

Our relationship with Jesus can be likened to a courtship between a man and a woman. The man tries to get the woman’s attention first. But when his efforts fail, he seeks the help of a go-between.
Jesus captured my attention when I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land many years ago. I was enamored by Him and marveled at His love for me through all the sites that we went to – especially in Bethlehem where He chose to be born out of His great love for me. It was such a strong love that I even wanted to be His bride – a nun. Alas, He didn’t really plan it to be that way.
My Ananias turned out to be an elderly nun – Sr. Mary James Wilson, RGS, who has remained my spiritual mother and friend to date. She helped me see my life with the eyes of faith. She helped me see God’s love for me by accepting me just as I am – no matter how wretched I felt back then.
Over the years, Jesus got my attention in different ways – at times dramatic, other times in gentle and quiet ways. But always – and I say always – He never fails to send me my Ananiases! TessVA.

REFLECTION:
Recall the first time Jesus got your attention. Likewise, recall who your Ananias was.

Lord, if at times I don’t seem to pay attention to You, nudge me strongly so I can see You.
_______________________________



UNDERSTANDING THE GIFT OF THE EUCHARIST

The more I reflect upon the gift and mystery of the Eucharist, the more convinced I become that we do not fully comprehend the magnitude and magnificence of the gift. As a means of remembrance and celebration of all God has done for us, it is without peer among all the religions of the world. Even the Jewish Passover Feast lacks the realism of the Eucharist. Yet we as Catholics often fail to recognize this.
I am not going to try and explain Eucharistic theology in 300 words or less; all I want to do is challenge us to reflect upon the passages in Scripture that can help us grow in our appreciation of what God has given us. Today’s Gospel speaks about the reality of the real presence and our call to receive it into our bodies by eating – by chewing on it. While we are literally called to chew, spiritually we are called to reflect often upon what God offers us in the Eucharist as a remembrance, celebration and reception of His gift of salvation. It is not enough to ‘attend Mass;’ we must participate in its celebration and actively seek and receive the graces God wants to pour into our lives. Mass should not be a passive experience but one where all our senses are at heightened alert in case God chooses to speak to us in whatever way or form He may choose!
The Eucharist is the remembrance of all God has done for us and is thus a call to rejoice and give thanks to God for His love and mercy in forgiving us our sins and calling us back into the ambit of His love and grace-filled existence. When we fail to stand in awe of God, bring Him down to our level and thus do not allow Him to be truly God of our lives.
Yes, God is our friend and brother but He is also God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth! Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How can I celebrate the Eucharist with greater awareness of the mystery I am celebrating and calling into my life?

Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of the Eucharist. I pray for the grace to remain in awe of this gift all the days of my life.

St. Asicus, abbot-bishop, pray for us.
____________________________
1st READING

Acts 9:1-20

I do not envy the task that God gave to Ananias in the conversion of Saul. He would have been well aware of Saul’s animosity towards Christians and thus I am sure very hesitant to go and find Saul, even if he happened to be blind. Yet, Ananias is obedient to God’s wish and seeks out Saul and lays hands on him. Thus marks one of the steps in one of the most extraordinary lives ever lived. It is good to note that Paul does not stand alone – he had many who helped him in his conversion and later in ministry; men such as Ananias, Barnabas, Mark, Luke, Gamaliel and so on.

1 Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. 9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank. 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, LORD.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, 12 and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias replied, “LORD, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.” 15 But the LORD said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites, 16 and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” 17 So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, 19 and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

P S A L M

Psalm 117:1, 2

R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R) 2 For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. (R)

G O S P E L

John 6:52-59

The food that Jesus feeds us with is food that lasts unto eternal life. The Old Testament marks a covenant and relationship with God that is not the final reality. This comes with Jesus and His offer of salvation through faith in His work. The forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers us is such that it actually works and is not just some sort of a symbolic action. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the once-and-for-all-time act that reconciles us to God. Let us eat the food that He offers and so partake of this truly heavenly banquet!

52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

my reflections
think: Jesus’ death and resurrection is the once-and-for-all-time act that reconciles us to God.

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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 Nehemiah 1-4

MAY 24, 2007
THURSDAY


FALSELY ACCUSED

...he was being accused... – Acts 22:30

My dad was the manager, cashier and incharge of catering services of a popular restaurant during the 50s and 60s. Using his innate management and marketing skills, he was able to run the operations of the restaurant smoothly and bring in a lot of good business to the company. That may be the reason why the restaurant owner entrusted him with great responsibilities.
One day, my dad was called in to the owner’s office. The owner told him that he received a report that my dad was referring customers to another restaurant where my dad’s brother was working as a cook. My dad denied the allegations and declared that he was innocent. But the owner remained suspicious of him.
My dad resigned. He found another job in a cosmetics firm.
But after a few months, his previous employer asked him to come back and work for him again.
My dad learned that when he left, the restaurant had been mismanaged because no one was capable of handling his job. Besides, everyone found out who had spread the malicious report about my dad. God was good and just. My dad was proven innocent and
got his job back. Judith C.

REFLECTION
Do you take care not to falsely accuse others?

When I am unjustly rated, be my justice, Lord.

_____________________
1st READING

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

Paul’s setting of the Sadducees against the Pharisees merely demonstrates to us, the readers, that the charges against him have no real basis. In fact, they are merely the result of jealous individuals who want to get rid of him. Paul knows that this ploy will only delay proceedings a short while; he is probably resigned to the fact that he will soon die.

30 Wishing to determine the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews, the Roman Commander freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. 23: 6 Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; [I] am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. 9 A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. 11 The following night the LORD stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

P S A L M

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

1 Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; 2 I say to the LORD, “My LORD are you.” 5 O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. (R) 7 I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. 8 I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; 10 because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. (R) 11 You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)

G O S P E L

John 17:20-26

It is our hope of sharing in the Glory of God that is one of the inspirations that impels us to keep on going in the Lord’s service. Let us never forget this and thus meditate upon His Glory often so that we will continually be strengthened by this hope. Jesus places a lot of store in the hope that He has instilled within us because He knows that there are always ‘troubled times ahead’– times when we will be tempted to give up and go another path.

20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, they are your gifts to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. 26 I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

my reflections
think: It is our hope of sharing in the Glory of God that impels us to keep on going in the Lord’s service.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today_______________________

__________________________________________________ _______

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ______________________________________

__________________________________________________ _____


_______________________

CHRIST’S PLEA FOR UNITY

We continue to listen to Christ’s prayer. And He opens here His heart with a fervent prayer for unity. Jesus knows only too well that the most destructive activity of the Evil One is creating disunity. A look into world history reveals that there was never a time without a war going on in several parts of the world. These were most of the time political wars. Then came the time of religious disunity. Jews were split into factions and sects. Next, Jews persecuted Christians, and then Christians persecuted the Jews. But why focus on other religions? Christianity splits again and again. Sects broke from the Church, the Eastern Church and the Western Church was and still remains divided. Catholics and Protestants have fought each other in the name of Jesus Christ. Even in our parish organizations we find too often disunity. How many sins against unity are committed within Parish Councils! Charismatic communities split into two or even three! And Jesus, in His last moments with His disciples prayed so hard: “May they all be one, Father, as we are one!” A genuine follower of Christ, therefore, can never accept or get used to it. Pope John Paul II wrote in 1995 a beautiful Encyclical about Christian unity. He reached out to other Christian churches and non- Christian religions. What can I do for unity? As Jesus had prayed for unity, we follow His example and continue His prayer. But this is not enough. It is our task as Christ’s disciples to avoid anything that might create disunity, be it in our families, in a Christian community, or at our work place. Instead of contributing to disunity by gossip and negative talk about others (as it happens sometimes even after Mass on the steps of the Church), we try to find something good in each other and build up each other with charity and respect. We try to become peacemakers where we sense disunity or even find it evident. St. Cyprian wrote in a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, “God does not accept the sacrifice of a sower of disunion, but commands that he depart from the altar so that he may first be reconciled with his brother. For God can be appeased only by prayers that make peace. To God, the better offering is peace, brotherly concord and a people made one in the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I in my environment a cause of unity or disunity? What do I do and what can I do for unity among people?

Lord, Your prayer has touched me and made me realize that I have not worked for unity the way You expect it. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of unity, I try again so that Your prayer will eventually find fulfillment.

St. Afra, martyr, pray for us.

Dear Symbianizers,
Don't be discouraged ? God will be with you through this week.

Praying for you,
kerstinne25


28 May
Monday TODAY'S READINGS:


BELIEVE

“All things are possible with God.� – Mark 10:27

One of the most challenging terms in my college years was when I had to take our thesis proposal subject for the second time. My groupmates and I had failed it the past term — miserably at that.
I was filled with insecurities, guilt and fear. Insecure because I felt like I wasn’t good enough to do what we were doing, guilt because I felt like I was the one who slowed down our group, and fear that we would not make it again.
The week before our defense, I went to Mass regularly because that was the only time I felt solitude. Every day during that week, the priest’s homily was always about having faith, on believing in God’s powers that nothing is impossible for Him. My friends in the community also said the same thing: That I should believe that He will bring us through
the defense.
Even if it was really hard for me, I asked God to strengthen my faith... and what do you know? We did not only pass our defense, but we got the highest possible score! Truly, nothing is impossible with God! Tina M.

REFLECTION
What impossible thing do you require God to make possible?

When I believe in Your power and not my own, things happen. Thank You, Lord.
______________________________

THE TRAP OF THE SIN OF OMISSION

Blessed Robert Johnson, martyr, pray for us.

Chapter 10 of Mark points out who the real disciples of Jesus are. There is first the rich man approaching Jesus full of enthusiasm and eagerness. He seems to be the best candidate. He is serious, he wants to be saved, he can say what many of us cannot say, that he has kept most of the Ten Commandments. Maybe he was too eager, too emotional. That is why Jesus had to pull him down first from the clouds. We cannot become good followers of Christ by being guided by emotions only. They easily evaporate. Jesus remains calm and tells him: Please, no flattery, calm down, think clearly! Then He points him to the Commandments. Jesus quotes mostly negative Commandments. In other words the man has done nothing wrong to others. But what good has he done? With whom did he share his riches? How many poor people has he helped? In the Gospel of the Hebrews (which is not in the Bible but is considered by scholars to contain many authentic sayings of Jesus) the story of the encounter is more vivid. Here is a quotation from that gospel: “But the rich man began to scratch his head, and it pleased him not. And the Lord said to him, ‘How can you say, I have kept the law and the prophets? For it is written in the law: You shall love your neighbor as yourself; and see, many of your brethren, sons of Abraham, are clad in filth, dying of hunger, and your house is full of many good things, and nothing at all goes out of it to them.’�
We discover here the danger of the sin of omission! When we don’t steal or commit adultery, we think we are good. Not harming anybody and not committing these sins is only a first step on the way to perfection. Not doing bad things is good, but not doing good things is worse in the eyes of God. Why did Jesus look at him with love? I think Jesus looked at him with love because next he demands from him the greatest sacrifice and the man needs all the love of God to say Yes to it. But the rich man was not able to escape from the trap – like so many of us. Here is a suggestion for your next Confession: try to confess all the omissions you can detect in your life. It will not be easy and will take a little more time for the examination of conscience. But in doing so you will discover that there might be more sins of omission in your life than actual wrongdoings. Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you ever confessed your sins of omission?

Oh, my God, how often have I fallen into this trap! I thought I am fine in your sight but was not aware of failing in what I should do. Thank you for this eye-opener.

_________________________

1st READING



Sirach 17:19-27

The Book of Ecclesiasticus was probably written when the Greek Empire was in the ascendancy. The author seems to be trying to demonstrate that the Jewish people have a history of wisdom like the Greeks. As such, the book is part history and part of the wisdom literature genre. As we read snippets from it over the next couple of weeks, let us remember these origins as it will help us understand the intention of the author in what we read.

19 To the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! 20 Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few. 21 Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes; 22 who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? 23 No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; they glorify the LORD who are alive and well. 24 How great is the mercy of the LORD, his forgiveness of those who return to him! 25 The like cannot be found in men, for not immortal is any son of man. 26 Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed. How obscure then the thoughts of flesh and blood! 27 God watches over the hosts of highest heaven, while all men are dust and ashes.

P S A L M

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

R: Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.

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) 6 For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him. (R) 7 You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. (R)

G O S P E L

Mark 10:17-27

This dialogue between Jesus and the rich young man is a classic as regards the nature of conversion. It is also highly relevant to society today where we are often rich in other interests that the Gospel call often seems to be in second or third place in our priorities. Do we think that this is suitable within the context of our faith? I think not, as God should have the highest priority. This is the constant challenge we face, namely to ensure that God is put first in our lives.

17 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?� 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’� 20 The man replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.� 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.� 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!� 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.� 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?� 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.�

my reflections
think: God should have the highest priority.

__________________________________________________ ______

__________________________________________________ _______

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 Psalm 45-51

Dear Symbianizers,

This Tuesday, never forget how important you are to God.

Praying for you,
kerstinne25

29 May
Tuesday

TODAY'S READINGS:


TO BRIBE OR NOT TO BRIBE?

“But offer no bribes...� – Sirach 35:11

“Can I see your driver’s license, please?� asked the traffic policeman as I rolled down my car window. “What was my violation, sir?� I inquired. “Ma’am, no left turn po dito.�
Honestly, I didn’t notice that there was a no left turn sign. Besides, I used to pass by there before although it had been months since I last passed that road, so the policeman could be right after all.
I tried to reason out with the traffic enforcer but he kept on asking for my license. I had no choice but to give it to him. I pleaded that he let me go. He went again to the back of my car. I looked at my side mirror to check what he was doing. He was holding the booklet but the pen wasn’t touching the paper. He only appeared to be writing something.
He eventually let me go without giving me a ticket. And I thank him profusely and uttered a blessing for him, I thank God too that I didn’t give in to the temptation to bribe him. Judith C.

REFLECTION
Trust in the Lord to get you out of situations that are not of your own doing.

You find the right way of doing things always, Lord. May I learn to trust more readily.

____________________________


DARE WITH GOD!

Ah, this Peter! He is so much like us! One moment enthusiastic, the next moment asking dumb questions! Unlike the rich man, Peter could proudly say, “Unlike that guy, we have left everything and followed you.� And surely in his mind lingered the unspoken question, “What do we get from it?� Kindly, Jesus seems to ignore this rude approach. He answers him and us in a very honest way. Nobody who gives up everything for the Lord will leave empty-handed.
I have experienced this many times. 38 years ago, I left my home country, parents, relatives, brother, and friends. It was a risk. What would happen to me? But looking back now I can say that I was never alone. First, Japan became a country so dear to me that it pained me when I had to leave. Now I am 23 years in the Philippines and I “fought� to get a permanent visa because it has become a place where I feel more at home than in Germany. In parishes where I worked, I found kind people who took so much care of me that I came to think of them as my parents. I have found many friends and real brothers who took the place of the one I left behind. Believe it or not, I never felt homesick! At this point I have also to remember my mother.
She had given me up when I entered the Seminary and then left Germany. My only brother left her also when he became a married deacon assigned in a different diocese. She spent her last years in a home for the aged. And “accidentally� an old priest who lived also in this home visited her moments before she passed away so that she, who had given her two sons to the Church, died in the presence of and with the blessings of a priest.
On December 8, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI exclaimed at the end of his homily: “Have the courage to dare with God! Try it! Do not be afraid of him! Have the courage to risk with faith!
The words of the Pope echo the words of Jesus to his disciples when he challenged them to leave everything. His reward comes in unexpected ways – but also sufferings. But that’s the topic for tomorrow’s reflection. Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION: When I feel that God asks me to give something or somebody up, am I ready to say Yes, like Mary did when she had to give up her plans of starting a big family?

Lord, often I feel that You demand too much. But I have not enough thought of Your promise. I know You are generous, but my trust in Your generosity is still weak. Give me the courage, Lord, to let myself fall into an abyss knowing that Your hands are there to catch me.

St. William Arnaud, martyr, pray for us.

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1st READING



Sirach 35:1-12

The Law and its understanding is the heart of the wisdom of the Jewish People. It is in their understanding and observance of the Law that we discover a lot about how they think and why they act in the ways that they do. The Law is also a means by which God reveals His nature to them and thus is still important to us today if we want to discover who God really is. Let us use all the means we have at our disposal in order to improve our relationship with God.

1 To keep the Law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. 2 In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise. 3 To refrain from evil pleases the LORD, and to avoid injustice is an atonement. 4 Appear not before the LORD empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts. 5 The just man’s offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High. 6 The just man’s sacrifice is most pleasing, nor will it ever be forgotten. 7 In generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of freewill gifts. 8 With each contribution show a cheerful countenance, and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. 9 Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. 10 For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. 11 But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion, 12 for he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.

P S A L M

Psalm 50:5-6, 7-8, 14, 23

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

5 “Gather my faithful ones before me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.� 6 And for the heavens proclaim his justice; for God himself is the judge. (R) 7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, I will testify against you; God, your God, am I. 8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offering are before me always. (R) 14 “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.� (R)

G O S P E L

Mark 10:28-31

I think each of us has a certain mercenary element in the way that we understand service and commitment to others. True love does not. However, I do not think that any of us has yet reached perfection and hence the expression of true love in our lives. Jesus’ life and ministry is a life and ministry for others. It does not add anything to Himself at all. This is the example we should seek to imitate. Let us pray for the grace to love and serve others in a selfless manner.

28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.� 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.�

my reflections
think: Let us pray for the grace to love and serve others in a selfless manner.

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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 Psalm 52-58

JUNE 12, 2007
TUESDAY

“LET’S DOH IT!”

“...if salt loses its taste...” – Matthew 5:13

I remember Dr. Juan Flavier saying, “Let’s DOH it” in that popular TV ad when he was still the secretary at the Department of Health.
That particular ad has stuck in my mind until now. Not only was it made funny by Dr. Flavier, its catch phrase was... well... catchy!
It always made me think of the proverbial saying, “Practice what you preach.” Indeed, we should do what we say in order for people to believe in us. In short, if you’ve promised it, then do it. Not practicing what you preach would be like picking up a packet of salt from the grocery shelf, only to find that when you use it in your food, it had been mislabeled — it’s not salt at all but sugar!
Give honor to your words. We should set good examples for others as the “salt and light” for all the mankind. Henry Y.

REFLECTION:
How many times have I broken my promise by failing to do what I said?

Lord, help me remember to do the things that I’m supposed to do according to Your will.
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INTRODUCING JESUS

One day a catechist started teaching his students. His lesson plan said that he was to teach them about Jesus that day. He began by saying, “Today, I want you to meet Someone you all should get to know. He loves you more than you know. He is always smiling at you and wants only the best for you. He is kind, generous, and forgiving. He is very thoughtful and is always concerned about how He can be of any help to you.”
As the catechist continued his introduction of the day’s lesson, a little boy could hardly contain himself in his seat. Just before the catechist mentioned the name of Jesus, the little boy excitedly raised his hand and shouted, “I know who he is! He lives next to our house across the river. He is our neighbor, Mr. de la Cruz!”
O, how I envy Mr. de la Cruz! But envy him, I should not. I should rather emulate him. He indeed served as light that shone across that river. He was what it means to be the kind of Christian Jesus wants us all to be.
When we introduce Jesus to those who do not know Him yet, we cannot convince them that we know Him unless they see Him in us. This is perhaps what Mohandas K. Gandhi meant when he gave this comment: “I believe in Christ but not in you, Christians.
If you were like Him, I would have been a Christian myself.” Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have I led anyone closer to or away from Christ?

Jesus, Light of the world, enlighten my life. Where there is darkness, let me bring Your light by allowing You to shine through me. Let all the light be Yours, not mine. And like salt, help me preserve the world from the corruption of sin. May my authentic Christian witnessing give flavor in the life of everyone I meet. Amen.

St. John of Sahagun, confessor, pray for us.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

Our witness as disciples of Jesus must be unequivocal; we cannot afford to send mixed messages to a world that is already very ambivalent towards faith in Christ! Paul makes it clear to the Corinthian community that this is what he expects of them – if they do not want to live the life of a Christian then, do not start to walk down that path. To be Christian means to follow Christ, no matter where He may lead us.

18 As God is faithful, our word to you is not “yes” and “no.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me, was not “yes” and “no,” but “yes” has been in him. 20 For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him; therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory. 21 But the one who gives us security with you in Christ and who anointed us is God; 22 he has also put his seal upon us and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135

R: Lord, let your face shine on me.

129 Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them. (R) 130 The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple. (R) 131 I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your commands. (R) 132 Turn to me in pity as you turn to those who love your name. (R) 133 Steady my footsteps according to your promise, and let no iniquity rule over me. (R) 135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 5:13-16

Our faith is that aspect of our lives that gives Christians a different focus from the rest of the world. Christ as historical figure is unique and so we His followers ought to be living lives that are equally unique when it comes to a comparison with the rest of the great religious faiths. Yes, there are some that are closer to our beliefs than others; however, the uniqueness of our faith comes from our desire to imitate Christ in our lives to the best of our ability.

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

my reflections
think: T be a Christian means to follow Christ, no matter where He may lead us.

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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 Proverbs 1-4

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JUNE 13, 2007
WEDNESDAY


LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

“You are our letter, written in our hearts…written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.” – 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

When applying for a new job, some companies require applicants to secure character references from previous employers, former teachers or other persons in authority.
This way, prospective employers will be given an insight into the applicant’s integrity, work ethics and overall performance.
So I began to wonder: What if God requires us to present to St. Peter a recommendation letter that will be the basis of whether or not we can enter the pearly gates of heaven? If so, who then would write a recommendation letter for me? In today’s first reading, Paul claims that the Corinthians whom they’ve been evangelizing are his “recommendation letter.” Like him, the divine recommendation we seek comes from the countless people whom Jesus has given us to love and serve. These people whom we may have helped, inspired or touched in big or small ways will testify on our behalf by the very lives they also live for the Lord.
There is, more importantly, Jesus who lovingly placed upon us His seal of approval. Striving to grow in His image and likeness is our best character reference of all. Dina P.

REFLECTION:
Do we strive to secure the best character reference by striving to become more like Jesus?

Lord, mold and recreate me that I may grow more in the likeness of Your Son.

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HELP OTHERS OBEY GOD


Today, let us be sorry for leading others away from God. Let us ask for forgiveness for causing others to sin. Let us repair the harm we have done them by leading them back to God and helping them obey His commandments.
Just as we lead others away from God by our words and actions, so too we must lead them back to God by our words and actions. We must be models for them to follow. Let us be examples of genuine Christian living. We lead others back to God by leading the way to Him. We lead the way to God by obeying what God commands us to do. Our prayers will bring others closer to God but our lives can also bring others far from Him if our prayers do not mold us unto the likeness of His obedient Son, Jesus. It is never enough to pray and live our lives in any way, we must pray and live our lives in the way of Christ Jesus.
We must always be conscious that we do not lead others to sin. We should always be vigilant never to give anyone a reason to disobey God’s commandments.
May we be like St. Anthony of Padua, whose blessed memory we celebrate today. He was only 36 years old when he passed away in 1231. Despite dying at a rather young age, he accomplished much as a Franciscan friar in leading many souls to God. He was an eloquent preacher. However, his eloquence was not merely in the use of words as he preached about God but equally also in his deeds as he showed love for the poor and for sinners. He is invoked today for lost things and even lost persons. No wonder — he labored so much so that no one may be lost from obeying God. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have I been the cause for others to sin?

Forgive me, Father, for causing others to sin, for leading others away from You, for giving others reasons to doubt You, to disobey You, and to disown You. Help me repair whatever harm I caused the eternal salvation of others for which Your Son, Jesus, shed His blood and gave His life from the cross. Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

St. Anthony of Padua and Lisbon, confessor, pray for us.

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1st READING



2 Corinthians 3:4-11

St. Anthony of Padua was one of the great minds of the Early Franciscans. As Doctor of the Church, his writings demonstrate supreme orthodoxy and a degree of originality in what they contribute to the teaching patrimony of the Church. In our own way, let us seek to plumb the depths of God’s love for us and allow His Spirit to lead us to a more profound and life-changing experience of God’s Word. Let us allow the glory of God to shine through our lives.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit for anything as coming from us; rather, our qualification comes from God, 6 who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life. 7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the Israelites could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, 8 how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory. 10 Indeed, what was endowed with glory has come to have no glory in this respect because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious?

P S A L M

Psalm 99:5, 6, 7, 8, 9

R: Holy is the Lord our God.

5 Extol the LORD, our God, and worship at his footstool; holy is he! (R) 6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, and Samuel, among those who called upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. (R) 7 From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them; they heard his decrees and the law he gave them. (R) 8 O LORD, our God, you answered them; a forgiving God you were to them, though requiting their misdeeds. (R) 9 Extol the LORD, our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for holy is the LORD, our God. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus is not an anarchist. He is a man of order and obedience. His attitude to the Law is probably best summed up in that He sees it as the beginning of a revelation of the mind of God for His people, but by no means the final word. As it turns out, Jesus Himself is the final word on the mind of God concerning His people. He is the fulfillment of the Law and all of the promises of the Old Testament. It is to Jesus we must turn for enlightenment about our human condition as it is in Him that “man is fully revealed to himself (Lumen Gentium).”

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the Law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

my reflections
think: Jesus is not an anarchist.

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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 Proverbs 5-8

JUNE 14, 2007
THURSDAY

REAL LEADERS

… but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. – 2 Corinthians 3:16

Who are those in your prayer group deemed “mature” enough to be future leaders?
Those you always see at the meetings?
Those who report having regular Scripture and prayer times?
Those who give tithes every month?
Those who volunteer for regular service?
Let me tell you about this great girl I know named Lia. She was never chosen to be a leader by her group. You see, her ailing mother prevented her from attending meetings and volunteering for service. She prayed every day and read the Bible too, though sometimes only for two to five minutes, when she had time to squeeze it in. As the sole breadwinner, she tried to tithe regularly but often found she had too little for her family’s needs. I believe she was picked a leader in the eyes of the Lord. She was a leading example of a Christian who persevered in spite of what life dealt her. She didn’t have the visible marks of a life of piety nor did she meet the “standards” set by the group she belonged to. But she met the Lord’s standards without difficulty.
If we strive to become scribes… working to keep the letter of the Law… we will please the Lord a lot. But if we strive to be more like Lia, then the Lord has lifted the veil and made us reach for something beyond the visible. Victoria L.

REFLECTION:
Are you ready to see beyond the visible?

Help me see that what You desire isn’t always what people dictate it to be. Lead me in the Law of Love.

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OUR OFFERING CAN WAIT

“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift,” said Jesus.
There is something strange about His words.
Do you notice that while the subject is “you,” the point of reference is “your brother”? Jesus did not say, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that YOU have anything against your brother...” We overlook this nuance quite often.
The Lord’s declaration immediately confronts us with a question: “Does my brother have anything against me?” The same declaration does not at all beg this question: “Do I have anything against my brother?” That my brother has anything against me is actually enough to make me unworthy to offer my gift to God.
How often we remember the hurts others inflict on us, but we tend to easily forget the hurts we cause them. We recall how others sin against us, but we take our sins against others quite lightly. Very often, we are quick in pointing an accusing finger on others but slow in striking our breast in admission of our guilt. Moreover, we regard the hurt we cause others as faults, weaknesses, or defects on our part, but we hold the hurt others inflict on us as sins, transgressions, or malice. We gloss over the truth and effects of our sins against others while we tend to magnify the faults others commit against us.
Jesus said in the Gospel today that unless our virtues do not go deeper than that of the scribes and the Pharisees we would never enter heaven, because the scribes and the Pharisees were guilty of hypocrisy. They considered themselves significant on account of their gifts on the altar but brushed aside their sins against others as insignificant. They had gifts to offer to God but no hearts to seek forgiveness from those they hurt. Because they did not give any serious thought about the hurt they inflicted on others, it was easy for the scribes and Pharisees to fall prey to hypocrisy. Hypocrites may be offering sizable amount of gifts to God but their gifts are never pleasing to Him.
Our offering can wait. Our hurting brethren cannot. God waits for us to remember.
Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Is there anyone who has anything valid against me?

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may see my brethren hurting because of me. Open my heart, O Lord, that I may reach out to them and seek reconciliation with them. Then open my hands, O Lord, that I may offer my gift to You. Amen.

St. Methodius I Patriarch of Constantinople, pray for us.


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1st READING

2 Corinthians 3:15—4:1, 3-6

The revelations of the Old Testament, no matter how glorious they may seem, are always lacking the fullness of the truth of who God is for us; it remains veiled, as if still covered by a shroud, until the person of Jesus takes away the veil and the glory of God is allowed to shine through in all of its brilliance. And yet we are still unable to conceive and perceive it all. The shadow of sin is constantly seeking to blind us to a lesser or greater degree as we seek to be His disciples. Let us first repent in order to be able to see more clearly as we try to respond to His grace in our lives.

15 To this day, in fact, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, 16 but whenever a person turns to the LORD the veil is removed. 17 Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom. 18 All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the LORD, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the LORD who is the Spirit. 4: 1 Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged. 3 And even though our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as LORD, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. 6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.

P S A L M

Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R: The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.

8 [9] I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD-for he proclaims peace to his people. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 5:20-26

The context of Jesus’ challenge to allow our virtue to grow deeper is that of the Last Judgment. We will all be called to give an account of our lives. There is nothing that we have done in the dark that will not be brought out into the light. It is clear that we must take seriously the call to holiness and see that we are responding to it daily. This is what living a life of virtue requires.

20 “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

my reflections
think: We will all be called to give an account 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 Proverbs 9-12

JUNE 15, 2007
FRIDAY

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

This hope does not disappoint us... – Romans 5:5

I was chatting online with a friend when I first read the Bible verse: “Hope does not disappoint.” It struck me as beautiful and I shared it with my friend.
“But it does! Hope disappoints! It causes you to have expectations and you get shot down,” she explained. And I realized we were talking about two different things. She was talking about hope in the things of this world; the line was referring to hope borne out of our experience of God.
I am no stranger to losing hope. For most of my life, I believed that the only way to survive was to avoid situations where I could get hurt. I put up near-insurmountable walls around me so I wouldn’t get too attached to anyone or anything. What I didn’t realize earlier on was that letdowns are part of life and should be accepted with an open heart. This conviction came during a particularly low day, when I was surprised by a sudden realization: No matter what happens to me, God will never allow me to be unhappy for too long. It is almost impossible to feel bad after a thought like that.
Hope – in a faithful God – does not disappoint. Anna dG.

REFLECTION
Is your faith still lacking?

Strengthen my hope; strengthen my faith.

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1st READING

Ezekiel 34:11-16

When we speak of a person’s heart, we are primarily referring to their love for another or others. This is true with today’s Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In fact, there is probably the least amount of doubt possible, that is, complete certainty, when we speak of God’s love for us. Jesus gave His Life on the cross for us; what more could we ask of Him in order to know His love? This is the love of a shepherd for his sheep that Ezekiel speaks of in the First Reading. Let us take time today to reflect upon this image and ask God to reveal His love for us through it.

11 For thus says the LORD GOD: “I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” 12 As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. 13 I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel [in the land’s ravines and all its inhabited places]. 4 In good pastures will I pasture them, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing ground. There they shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in rich pastures shall they be pastured on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the LORD GOD. 16 The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.

P S A L M

Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. (R)

2nd READING

Romans 5:5-11

Paul knows the power of Jesus’ love for him because he has experienced it in his conversion to Christianity from Judaism; he has also experienced it in the forgiveness of his sins and in the gifts that God has given him to contribute towards the work of the Kingdom of God. The same should be true for each of us – maybe in different degrees –but nevertheless the same dynamic is at work in us all. The biggest difference results from the degree to which we surrender to or allow the grace of God to do its work in our lives. Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

5 The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our LORD Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

G O S P E L

Luke 15:3-7

This is probably one of the simplest and most commonly known of the parables of Jesus. Let me just say that this does not mean that it holds any less meaning or significance for our lives. In fact, working on the biblical principle that simplest is best, it could be considered more important than the other parables because it gives more people access to the truth of God’s love for them. Let us never underestimate the power and simplicity of the message of the Gospel. Perhaps this is why it seems just as powerful today as it was 2000 years ago!

3 So to them Jesus addressed this parable. 4“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninetynine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”

my reflections
think: Let us never underestimate the power and simplicity of the message of the Gospel.

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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 Proverbs 13-16

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GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Norbert

Norbert of the late 11th century was born at Xanten in Germany. He was an ambitious man. He held various positions in the court of Emperor Henry V and thought only about his prestige. An incident made Norbert change his heart. While riding a horse, a flash of lightning scared the animal away. He fell on the ground and was left unconscious. When he awoke, the saint reflected on his life. Norbert entered the priesthood in 1115.
The priest worked hard to make people turn away from their evil ways. He set an example by selling all his properties, which profit he gave to the poor. He wanted to spread the Catholic faith, thus, he founded a congregation called the remonstratensians or the Norbertines.
Later in life, Norbert was chosen bishop of Magdeburg. The new bishop entered the city wearing very poor clothes and no shoes. The porter at the door did not recognize him and refused to let him in. When those who witnessed made him realize his mistake, the porter was apologetic. The bishop only replied, You judge me more correctly than those who brought me here.
Norbert fought heresy in the land. His defense of Jesus presence in the Blessed Eucharist inspired those to return to Christianity.
Norbert died in 1134 and was canonized in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII.

A Saint A Day (http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/saintday/m6.html)

Saint Getulius

Saint Getulius of the late first century was the husband of Saint Symphorosa. Under the reign of Emperors Trajan and Adrian, the man served as a Roman officer. When he publicly converted in faith, Getulius resigned from his commission. He and his brother Saint Amantius returned to their country.
Emperor Adrian was furious. He sent the Roman guards Caerealis and Primitivus to arrest the brothers. But instead, Getulius and Amantius converted the guards. The emperor was more infuriated. He ordered the judge Licinius for the execution of the four. The judge, however, offered them a delay in the execution provided that they renounce their faith. All declined.
In c.120, Getulius and his companions were clubbed to death at Tivoli.

Patron Saints Index: Saint Getulius (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintg18.htm)

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LOST BECAUSE LOVED

We lose only people we love. People we do not love, we do not notice when they are present or absent. Worse, to people we do not love, we sometimes say, “Get lost!”
It is love that gives value to people. Without love, no one and nothing has value. We do not lose people who, or things that, we do not consider valuable. This is the difference between Jesus and His critics today. The scribes and the Pharisees complain that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them because the scribes and the Pharisees have no love for offenders of the Law. The scribes and the Pharisees, instead, love the Law in itself. Jesus, however, loves the lawbreakers even as He loves the law. Jesus loses us because He loves us. When we sin, Jesus loses us because He loves us. That is why He comes looking for us. When He finds us, He carries us on His shoulders as a shepherd carries his once-lost-but-nowfound sheep.
Remember the people you lost? You feel the loss because you love them. Had you no love for them, you would not even notice that you lost them.
Are there people in your life now to whom you say, “Get lost!” Why? Love indeed is the answer to so many questions because it is love that gives value to all.
Do not let Jesus lose you. He loves you more than you know. Do not let Jesus lose the others too. He loves them as much as He loves you. For the love of Jesus, let us seek the lost. Let us be another “Jesus” to all. This is what it means to celebrate today the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is what we should mean when we pray every First Friday of the month: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.” Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How much have I become like Jesus?

Father, “we have received Your sacrament of love. By becoming more like Christ on earth may we share His glory in heaven, where He lives and reigns forever and ever” (Prayer After Communion of the votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). Amen.

St. Germaine Cousin, virgin, pray for us.

JUNE 16, 2006
SATURDAY


A MOTHER’S LOVE

When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. – Luke 2:45

Flora has not spoken to her son Andy for more than 10 years. For her, it was a matter of selfpreservation.
Every time Andy shouted at her, or shunned her attention, or rejected something she offered, she built up the wall around her heart to protect herself against the hurt. In time, the wall became impenetrable, and although they lived in the same house, they barely even looked at one another.
That is, until the day she received a call from the hospital saying that Andy was involved in a serious accident. Steeling herself against further rejection, she went inside his hospital room to find that he already had several visitors. When Andy saw her, he said to the others, “This is my mother,” and that was all it took to melt her hardened heart.
I realize that it’s not just Flora, but all of us who, in one way or another, choose to remember past hurts, false first impressions, malicious gossips, and various negative traits of others. May we learn to have a heart like Mary’s, treasuring memories that build up, rather than tear down, our relationships. Cecille L.

REFLECTION:
Are the treasures you keep in your heart making you rich, or are they weighing you down?

Mama Mary, teach us how to have a heart full of love for your Son and for each other.

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1st READING

Isaiah 61:9-11 or 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

It is not for us to question God’s Will. He has the power to do whatever it is that He wants to do. However, He gives us the option to cooperate with His Will. He allows us to determine, at least initially, whether or not we will cooperate with His Will. If we decide not to, He has to look elsewhere. In Mary, whose Immaculate Heart we celebrate today, God found a woman whose heart and mind were one with His and obedient to Him in all things.

9 Their descendants shall be renowned among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them as a race the LORD has blessed. 10 I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. 11 As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the LORD GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.

P S A L M

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8 or Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R: My heart exults in the Lord, my savior.

1 My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory. (R) 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. 5 The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes. (R) 6 The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts. (R) 8 He raises the needy from the dust; from the ash heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 2:41-51 or Matthew 5:33-37

One of the biblical images of the heart is that it is the place where we store the good things of our lives. The problem is that we can also allow regrets and resentments and hurts to dwell there as well. The choice is ours! Let us pray for the grace to be able to let go of all the things that hurt us and allow those that will help us to grow in love to abide and remain as the formative aspects of our hearts’ desires.

41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. 43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, 47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

my reflections
think: In Mary, whose Immaculate Heart we celebrate today, God found a woman whose heart and mind were one with His and obedient to Him in all things.
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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 Proverbs 17-20

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OUT OF SIGHT NOT OUT OF HEART

To think that the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph lost the Child Jesus sounds almost like a sin!
But the parents of Jesus lost Him because He decided to be left behind in the temple. The loss of Jesus was not the fault of either Mary or Joseph.
Neither was it the fault of Jesus. It was the consequence of Jesus’ mission to be busy in His Father’s “business”. In Jesus’ fulfilling the will of His Father in heaven, His parents here on earth had to endure many trials. The Gospel today tells us only one of the many. By enduring the difficult consequences of their Son’s obeying the will of God, Mary and Joseph shared in Jesus’ mission. The Father allowed Mary and Joseph to lose Jesus so that Jesus might find the lost.
In doing the mission that God has given each of us, there comes a time when the people closest to us, our loved ones and friends, are called upon to suffer. By their suffering, they come to share in our mission.
The Blessed Mother played this role in the life and mission of her Son, Jesus Christ. She was a sharer in His sufferings and many times had to suffer on account of His mission to redeem humankind from sin and death. She was able to participate in the mission of the Lord because she kept her heart free for Him. Her Son did not only belong to her; she belonged to Him.
As we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, let us remember
three ‘Ms’ to keep our hearts like that of Mary:
M – Meekness. Let us strive to be humble always, bowing low before the will of God even if it entails sufferings in this life.
M – Modesty. Let us struggle to be pure in every way, mindful that our hearts belong to Jesus, only Jesus, always Jesus.
M – Magnanimity. Let us learn to be generous, noble, upright, and loving in all things, doing everything as an act of love for God.
Mary, together with Joseph, once lost the Child Jesus but found Him again in the Temple because He never left her heart. For three days, Jesus was out of her sight, but not out of her heart. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: In what way can I share in the mission of others for God by my sacrifices?

Mary Immaculate, I consecrate my heart to you. I wish to be yours in life and in death. You are my life, my sweetness, and my hope. Take me into your loving care and mold me into the image and likeness of your Son. May I love Jesus with your heart and love you with the heart of Jesus. Amen.

St. John Francis Regis, confessor, pray for us.

This Sunday, remember that you are hidden in His heart.

Praying for you,

Kers?

17 June
Sunday



MY CHRISTIAN DIOR

She dried his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. – Luke 7:38

On our first Christmas together as husband and wife, Ed gave me a bottle of Christian Dior perfume as a Christmas gift. It was my favorite perfume. Not only was it an expensive brand, it really had this sweet, ritzy smell. I felt like an elegant, luxurious woman every time I wore it. I so loved my Christian Dior that I used it sparingly so it would last long, even as I read somewhere that you must use perfume as fast as you can because fragrances have a short shelf life.
When finally I used up the perfume—after a year or so — I kept the bottle because of its sentimental value.
As I read today’s Gospel about the woman who poured perfume on the feet of Jesus, I ask myself, would have I done the same? Pour out my Christian Dior on the Lord’s feet? In all honesty, my answer is yes. The Lord is much, much more valuable than my bottle of Christian Dior.
Now, I go through my other possessions, things and people I value most. I study them one by one and ask myself what I could give up if ever the Lord asks me to do so.
In all honesty, I pray the Lord won’t ask so much of me! Cynthia S.

REFLECTION:
What will you not do for the Lord?

Lord, make me a sweet smelling offering to You!

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UTANG-NA-LOOB

For Filipinos, the most painful comment anyone can give about anyone is “Wala siyang utang-na-loob�. Utang-na-loob has no direct and perfect translation in English. The closest translation perhaps is “debt of gratitude.� Thus, a person who is said to be walang utang-na-loob is a person who has no sense of gratitude. And for Filipinos, that sense is really a deep sense. You may call a Filipino anything, but never tell him, “Wala kang utang-naloob!� Doing so can spark a big and violent fight.
The woman who suddenly came in while Jesus was dining with the Pharisee and waited at His feet expressed her utang-na-loob to Jesus. The sins from which Jesus forgave her must have been great, for her sense of gratitude was deep.
This sense of gratitude, the Pharisee did not have. For all we know, the Pharisee perhaps even thought that it was Jesus who owed him much because he invited Him into his house and dined with him. But the truth is Jesus was, is, and will never be indebted to anyone. On the contrary, we are all indebted to Him. Jesus is God.
Everything is grace. We cannot boast of anything, for all have fallen short of the grace of God. But God’s response to our sins is merciful love. No matter how many and how grave our sins are, God readily forgives us when we beg for His mercy.
Our utang-na-loob to God is infinite because God, to whom we are indebted, is infinite. We cannot fully repay Him for His goodness to us. Only God can repay God. Jesus alone, who is truly God and man, who is the Son of God and the Son of man, can pay our debt to God. And He already did on the cross.
We can only rejoice with Jesus as He freely dispenses His mercy on sinners. If we cannot rejoice with Him because He forgives sinners, then we must have forgotten our indebtedness to Him. Wala tayong utang na loob. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What return can I make to the Lord for His goodness to me?

Thank You, Jesus. I cannot thank You enough, my Lord. But let my life be an offering of thanksgiving to You. As You always forgive me each time I sin and return to You with sincere contrition for my sins, may I forgive those who wrong me and ask for my mercy. Utang ko po sa Inyo ang lahat, Panginoon. Amen.

St. Gregory Barbarigo, bishop confessor, pray for us.

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1st READING

2 Samuel 12:7-10.13

Power and desire can be a very dangerous combination as David found out in relation to Uriah the Hittite’s wife. We need to be careful how we channel these two human realities especially if they are connected to one another. I am sure that I do not need to elaborate any further. Let us pray for moderation in all things and the grace to control our desires according to the Will of God. Let us pray that we will not allow ourselves to lose sight of our call to imitate Jesus in all that we do.

7 Then Nathan said to David “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel ‘I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more. 9 Why have you spurned the LORD and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’’’ 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.� Nathan answered David, “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin you shall not die.

P S A L M

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11

R: Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.

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. 7 You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. (R) 11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. (R)

2nd READING

Galatians 2:16, 19-21

Paul knows that mere obedience to the Law is not enough for salvation. Why? He has tried it as a Jew and found it lacking. It was only in his conversion to Jesus and embracing the Gospel of Love that brought true satisfaction and peace to his mind and heart. We can seek consolation in pleasure, the world, sin or any one of many other things, but we will be left unsatisfied. Augustine got it right when he said that it is only in the Lord that our hearts find true rest! Let us pray for the grace to come to this same conclusion.

16 We who know that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 19 For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the Law, then Christ died for nothing.

G O S P E L

Luke 7:36-8:3

The Scriptures tell us that love can cover over a multitude of sins, however, this should not lead us into any sort of complacency as regards sin. It is obviously better to avoid sin in the first place and thus have no need to cover over any sins. In this case, love will be for the sake of love and directly building something positive rather than having to first rectify a wrong. Let us learn to love with all our hearts as the woman ministering to Jesus in today’s Gospel. Love is never ashamed to express itself no matter what form it may be in.

36 A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.� 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you. “Tell me, teacher,� he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?� 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.� He said to him, “You have judged rightly.� 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.� 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.� 49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?� 50 But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.� 8:1 Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve 2 and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

my reflections
think: Let us pray for moderation in all things and the grace to control our desires according to the Will of God.

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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 Proverbs 21-24

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

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JUNE 18, 2007
MONDAY

BEING LIKE NICOLE

“Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” – Matthew 5:42

The teachers of Nicole, my precocious sixyear- old granddaughter, are all one in saying that she is the Ambassador of Peace in class. Here’s one clear example why.
One time, her two boy classmates were fighting over a toy. The bigger boy had the upper hand and was able to get the toy, not because he had bigger hands, but more because he had no qualms about hitting his opponent on the head with a book!
Nicole gently pulled the sobbing boy to a corner, and very quietly talked to him. The teacher overheard her saying, “It’s not good to hit him also. You just tell him not to do it again. Come, you shake hands so you will be friends again.”
Sometimes, kids are better followers of God’s Word! (Of course I mean kids like Nicole and not her troublesome classmates.)
Children often have a purer understanding of right and wrong, a fuller meaning of obedience and a simpler way of looking at chaos. We adults often complicate matters too much. We would be better off being like little children to enter the kingdom of God. Chelle C.

REFLECTION:
What kind of child are you?

You call us Your children. Teach us to be like the children that You will welcome into Your kingdom.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Paul exhorts the Corinthians not to allow the grace God offers them to pass them by in vain! The timing of God is always perfect; He knows what He is doing, even if we cannot fully understand. It is up to us to accept the grace He offers and allow the Spirit to lead us in the path that He desires. This is our best hope for a happy and fulfilling life.

1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2, 3, 3-4

R: The Lord has made known his salvation.

1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. (R) 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 5:38-42

The basic lesson here is that we must never return evil with evil. This will never bring about a good result. It may seem to be the answer at times but that is only if we disregard the effect of what doing something wrong actually does to us in our hearts and soul. To align ourselves with the devil by freely committing something we know is wrong is a very dangerous road to walk and one that will always have a negative effect on us in one way or another.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to Law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

my reflections
think: The timing of God is always perfect.

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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 Proverbs 25-28

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TAKE NO REVENGE BUT DO NOT BE A MORON



Sts. Mark and Marcellan, martyrs, pray for us.
One day, a man went to visit the wise man of the village. “Teacher,” the man said, “my brother hit me on both cheeks and so I fled. What should I do?”
The wise man looked at him and asked, “Were you able to count how many times he hit you?”
“49 times, Master,” the man answered. The wise man smiled at him and said, “Go back and tell him to hit you another time to make it fifty.”
“But what for?” the man shouted, surprised by the wise man’s advice.
“Well, my friend,” replied the wise man, “the 50th is for your stupidity, you, moron! Why let your brother hit you 49 times and never do anything about it?”
When Jesus said that we should offer our other cheek if anyone hits us on the right cheek, He did not mean that we have to stupidly submit our selves to violence. His point was that we should not take revenge for any wrongdoing done to us. Jesus, of course, does not want us to end up mangled and violated. He wants instead that the vicious cycle of violence cease. Taking revenge never ends violence; it aggravates it.
When someone strikes us on our right cheek, give him our other cheek. But when he aims for another round, would we be morons not to take cover, would we be vengeful and strike him, or would we be Christians enough to take his hand and start a dialogue to understand where he is coming from with the hope that reconciliation would be reached? The choice is always ours. We become what we choose to be. But Jesus never wants us to be morons nor vengeful. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: When hurt, do I react or do I respond?

Jesus, Prince of Peace, I pray for peace: Make me a peacemaker. Let peace begin with me. Let me be a peaceful person. Let me be a person who makes peace with everyone. Let me not react with violence. Let me respond with peace. Jesus, You are our Peace, please dwell in our hearts. Amen.

JUNE 19, 2007
TUESDAY



LOVE AND PRAYERS

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. – Matthew 5:44

After the demo of my lesson plan, my teacher started criticizing every step I took with gusto – blow after blow after blow. There was not one good thing she saw. Although she did not succeed in shattering my self-esteem, I felt a little peeved that she could not offer one word of encouragement.
The next class day, everything that the teacher said entered one ear and left the other. In one instance, I deliberately read something else quietly in my seat to keep from hearing what she was saying. I focused on my feelings – there was anger and hurt.
That night I prayed. I prayed for healing and, most of all, I prayed for my teacher. Before our next class I went to confession and settled with the Lord any grudge in my heart. But I also gave feedback to my teacher’s co-teacher in the class who was absent during my demo. I relayed to her that this teacher dealt with me the way she dealt with my two other classmates who had already stopped attending the class and had decided not to finish the course.
In our next class day, there was a marked change in my teacher’s attitude towards critiquing demo lessons! But most of all, I was able to smile at her again. The Lord’s formula for dealing with our “enemies” really works! Cristy G.

REFLECTION:
Who needs prayer most? You or your enemies?

I pray for my enemies today, Lord. But most of all I pray for myself, that I may be able to pray with genuine love in my heart.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

St. Paul encourages us all to be generous with everything we have when it comes to our service of God and His Kingdom. Some groups in the Church today talk a lot about tithing. This is okay insofar as it is a reasonable measure to begin with. However, Jesus gave everything for us and I believe that the New Testament call is to give all in the service of the Kingdom not just ten percent! No, I am not advocating some sort of socialism where everything is held in common but more like a form of Christianity where we are willing to help one another when a legitimate need arises.

1 We want you to know, brothers, of the Grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously, 4 they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part in the service to the holy ones, 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the LORD and to us through the will of God, 6 so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also complete for you this gracious act also. 7 Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. 8 I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. 9 For you know the gracious act of our LORD Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

P S A L M

Psalm 146:2, 5-6, 6-7, 8-9

R: Praise the Lord, my soul!

2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live. 5 Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD, his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. (R) Who keeps faith forever, 7 secures justice for the oppressed, gives good to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free. (R) 8 The LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up those that were bowed down; the LORD loves the just. 9 The LORD protects strangers. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus calls us to go above and beyond the minimal call of love of neighbor in order to reflect to the world that we are called to be perfect as God is perfect. This calling reflects the depth of the grace available to all Christians as anything Jesus asks of us must be possible or He would not ask us to do it. This is how high we are called along the road of holiness. We need to forget about anything less than perfection.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

my reflections
think: We need to forget about anything less than perfection.

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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 Proverbs 29-31

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HE CAN BE PERFECT AT 5FT. TALL OR LESS

St. Romuald, abbot confessor, pray for us.
When a friend of mine said that his son would someday play basketball very well, I agreed. My friend played basketball so well when we were in high school. Thus, that his son would become a basketball player was very probable. However, when my friend beamingly said that his son would grow 6ft. tall, I simply smiled. You see, my friend is 5’3” while his wife is 5ft. flat. That his son would grow 6ft. tall – you wish!
It seems at first that it is easier for my friend’s son to grow 6ft. tall rather than to be perfect as Jesus tells us to be. But truly, it is easier for us to be perfect rather than for my friend’s son to grow 6ft. tall. The reason is that God, our Father, is perfect. It is from Him that we can get the attribute of perfection. Moreover, we were created in His image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26-27), remember?
Because God is love (1 Jn 4:8), perfection means loving like God Himself. To gauge how perfect we are, we must examine how we love. If we love only those who love us, we are not perfect. If we love our friends but hate our detractors, we are not perfect. If we are not perfect, we are not true to our image and likeness.
To love is a decision. To be perfect, therefore, is a decision too. We have to decide to be perfect and love even the unlovable. We work on being perfect as we strive to love both friend and foe. We pray to be perfect as we pray for both friend and foe.
My friend’s son is, by the way, in the 7th Grade now. My friendand his wife are proud and happy about their son’s good character combined with good brains and good looks. I do not know if he plays basketball though. But I am very sure, by just looking at him and his parents, this kid will not grow to 6ft. tall. No big deal though, he can be perfect at 5ft. tall or even less. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I live according to God’s image and likeness?

O God, You are perfect. You are love. You are perfect love. You created me in Your image and likeness. I am meant to be perfect. I can only be perfect if I love like You. Please help me. I want to be just like You. Amen.

JUNE 20, 2007
WEDNESDAY



TO EACH HIS OWN

But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge.” – 2 Corinthians 11:5-6

I would always listen intently and watch in awe each time my favorite speaker, Lou, visits our branch. What’s not to like about her? She’s intelligent, an exceptional lawyer, a gifted evangelist, a prolific writer, a true servant of God. In short, she’s my “idol” (next to Jesus, that is) and I truly admire and respect her.
In all honesty, I wish it were only all good and positive emotions she evoked in me. There were moments when the Enemy sowed the seeds of envy and insecurity. The devil would craftily whisper how I can never be like her in any way, how I can never even come close to becoming as good a leader, a speaker and a writer as she is.
Paul’s vote of confidence in being an apostle of Christ reminds me that we all have been blessed by God with knowledge, skills, talents and every good thing we need to fulfill His will for our lives. Just like a sprinter who keeps on looking sideways at his opponents can slow him down and cause him to lose the race, so too can comparing ourselves with others cause us to lose sight of the mission He has set out for us. Dina P.

REFLECTION:

Stop comparing yourself with others. Instead, focus your energies on how you can become more like Jesus.

Lord, give me the grace to appreciate the gifts you have bestowed on me to fulfill Your will in my life. May I forever be thankful for these and use them to bring You glory. Amen.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

God has not placed a limit on the grace He has given us. We know this is true when we consider that the salvation won by Jesus overcame the infinite debt we had incurred to God through our sins. If God is infinitely committed to us, then we should at least be able to give Him everything in return. This is the least we can do in response to His love. This means that we should hold nothing back from Him and take the risk of entrusting everything we have and are and will be into His loving hands.

6 Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God.

P S A L M

Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 9

R: Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

1 Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. 2 His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. (R) 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. 4 Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. (R) 9 Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

God is not interested in the outward display of piousness that is all too easy to accomplish. He is looking for the internal conversion of our hearts and minds to His love and will. It is not so much the things we do, but how we do them that is important. Only if our motivation is right, that is, we act out of love for God and our neighbor, will our good works have any real value. The devil can imitate all that Christ does except His humility. The one sure way we can identify our good works is if they are done with humility.

1 “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 16 When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

my reflections
think: It is not so much the things we do, but how we do them that is important.

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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 Ecclesiastes 1-4

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ALL OUR HEART BUT NOT BOTH OUR HANDS



REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I noisy about my good deeds?

Lord, give me a generous heart but help me to be silent about it. Amen.

St. Silverius, pope martyr, pray for us.
Give with all our heart, but do not give with both our hands. Sounds weird, huh? But that s what Jesus is trying to tell us: “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what our right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). Giving does not need both our hands. All it needs is all our heart. Give wholeheartedly – that alone is enough. The point is, be quiet about our good deeds. Otherwise, we may win the approval of many but lose God’s.God does not approve of us trumpeting our kindness towards others. Those who announce their enevolence are soon to be found nowhere when the applause of the crowd dies down. In such a case, they are not really philanthropists but hypocrites. God hates hypocrisy more than anything.
Learn the art of silence. It is the utterance of the heart where our true motives cannot be hidden. Fr. Bobby T.

JUNE 21, 2007
THURSDAY

TO EACH HIS OWN

But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge.” – 2 Corinthians 11:5-6

I would always listen intently and watch in awe each time my favorite speaker, Lou, visits our branch. What’s not to like about her? She’s intelligent, an exceptional lawyer, a gifted evangelist, a prolific writer, a true servant of God. In short, she’s my “idol” (next to Jesus, that is) and I truly admire and respect her.
In all honesty, I wish it were only all good and positive emotions she evoked in me. There were moments when the Enemy sowed the seeds of envy and insecurity. The devil would craftily whisper how I can never be like her in any way, how I can never even come close to becoming as good a leader, a speaker and a writer as she is.
Paul’s vote of confidence in being an apostle of Christ reminds me that we all have been blessed by God with knowledge, skills, talents and every good thing we need to fulfill His will for our lives. Just like a sprinter who keeps on looking sideways at his opponents can slow him down and cause him to lose the race, so too can comparing ourselves with others cause us to lose sight of the mission He has set out for us. Dina P.

REFLECTION:
Stop comparing yourself with others. Instead, focus your energies on how you can become more like Jesus.

Lord, give me the grace to appreciate the gifts you have bestowed on me to fulfill Your will in my life. May I forever be thankful for these and use them to bring You glory. Amen.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 11:1-11

Paul did not always accept the board and keep offered to him by the communities he was working with in teaching and discipleship. In this way he could stand apart from them in an objective manner and challenge them to a similar generosity when it comes to their service of the Gospel. It is important that we do not allow the idea that grace can be bought or manipulated by various techniques to enter into our understanding of the Gospel. Yes, the workman deserves his keep; however, we should always offer the Gospel free of charge to others as that is how we have received it.

1 If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me! Please put up with me. 2 For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere [and pure] commitment to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough. 5 For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these “super apostles.” 6 Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 7 Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the Gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I plundered other churches by accepting from them in order to minister to you. 9 And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 By the truth of Christ in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

P S A L M

Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

R: Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.

1 I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. (R) 3 Majesty and glory are his work, and his justice endures forever. 4 He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. (R) 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; sure are all his precepts, 8 reliable forever and ever, wrought in truth and equity. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 6:7-15

Prayer should never become an optional extra for any day of our life. The first priority of our day should be to know when we are going to pray. Without prayer our spirits will be bereft of their necessary sustenance needed to maintain a good relationship with God. Lord, help me to order my life so that I always give you the best attention I possibly can in prayer. Let me never neglect this essential aspect of the Christian life.

7 “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

my reflections
think: Prayer should never become an optional extra for any day of our life.

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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 Ecclesiastes 5-8

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THE NOVICE WHO TEACHES NOVICE MASTERS

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, confessor, pray for us.
Born in 1568, Italy, Aloysius, whose blessed memory we celebrate today, was from the princely family of Castiglione. He became a page in the court of Medicis and of Philip II of Spain. However, he renounced his inheritance to enter the Society of Jesus and showed great devotion to the Holy Eucharist, interior prayer, and charitable service. Robert Belarmine, another Jesuit and saint, was his spiritual director. While nursing the plague-stricken in 1591, Aloysius contracted the disease and, while still a Jesuit novice, passed away at the young age of 23 years old.
Aloysius exemplifies for us the inseparable love of God and neighbor. One who professes love of God but does not love his neighbor is a handicapped lover. Real love of either kind is not complete without the other. Aloysius’ love for God found its expression not only in his intense devotion to the Holy Eucharist and to interior prayer, but also and simultaneously in his charitable service to his brethren who were victims of a plague. His charity towards the plague-stricken was such that he himself contracted the disease. He was a novice in the Jesuit order, but was indeed a master in the order of love. Today, even Jesuit novice masters learn from this novice. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: I may have lesser in years, but am I also lesser in love?

I love You, Lord. Let my love for You find its expression not only in pious acts but also in charitable deeds. Help me to see You when I serve my neighbors. Help me to see my neighbors when I see You. Amen.

JUNE 22, 2007
FRIDAY


THE RIGHT QUESTION

treasures... – Matthew 6:21

Something from an audio book by Jim Rohn made an impact on me. He said, “Ask the right questions — and you improve the quality of your life!” In today’s Gospel (Matthew 6:21), I ask, “What are these treasures in heaven? Are they heavenly points? Good graces with ‘Big Brother?’ Knowledge of the Bible?” I’m sure that it’s intangible.
Or is it?
Looking back, I realized that my early involvement in my Christian community enabled me to know what these treasures are.
They’re the people whom I’ve touched and somehow brought closer to God. It was the reason why I studied every week – even when there was no exam approaching – so I could participate in all the choir practices, prayer meetings, core group meetings plus all the gimmicks. It was to give time to anybody in need of a listening ear. Jomar H.

REFLECTION:
How about you, what takes up most of your time? What is your treasure?

Teach me to plant my roots in things that matter and are significant, Lord.

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1st READING



2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30

Paul’s list of sufferings and trials is impressive. I am pretty sure that there are probably others that he has not even bothered to include here. If a servant as great as Paul suffered for his faith, then I think that we can be reasonably sure that there will be some sort of suffering in our lives as well. The trick is to see that suffering can be redemptive if we embrace it with the intention to unite ourselves with the suffering Christ on the cross. In this way we grow in deeper love of Christ through suffering as well as see its value for the proclamation of the Kingdom.

18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 21 To my shame I say that we were too weak! But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. 24 Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; 26 on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fasting, through cold and exposure. 28 And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: From all their distress God rescues the just.

1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 6:19-23

Jesus encourages us to make our lives count in the wider scheme of things. This means giving over our time and efforts to good works. That will mean we are storing up blessings for ourselves in heaven and not here on earth. While there is nothing wrong per se with earthly blessings, they are of far less value than heavenly ones, as they will not carry over in any way into eternal life. Eternal life is where we are going to spend all (bar the next few years) of eternity, so it makes sense for our focus to be there rather than here.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

my reflections
think: Suffering can be redemptive if we embrace it with the intention to unite ourselves with the suffering Christ on the cross.

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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 Ecclesiastes 9-12


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TEN PESOS



Bishop Felix Perez was the former bishop of the Diocese of Imus, Cavite. He immediately preceded Bp. Emmanuel Sobrevias and, the current Local Ordinary, Bp. Antonio Luis Tagle.
Bp. Perez’s passing away was rather untimely. As far as I can recall, he was just found dead in his room one day. He must have succumbed to a heart attack.
When his belongings were collected from the bishop’s residence, it was said that those who did the collecting found nothing that belonged to the good and holy bishop except his clothes, a few books, and some personal effects. To the surprise of many, they discovered that the bishop had practically nothing in his name. He did not even have a bank account. In his wallet, he had nothing but ten pesos. “Ten pesos was all that he had?” many asked in disbelief. But still many easily believed that ten pesos was all that Bp. Perez had because, no doubt, Bp. Perez lived very simply when he was still around.
But ten pesos was not all that the simple and holy bishop had. He had more than a zillion pesos. He had Jesus. Anyone who came to know him personally easily saw where Bp. Perez’s heart was. Jesus was not only his treasure; He was his only treasure. His genteel disposition, simple lifestyle, and love for the poor also showed that Bp. Perez was Jesus’ priceless treasure. Ten pesos left in his wallet, and nothing more in his name, was all that he left behind because even that he did not need. His heart belonged to Jesus and Jesus belonged to his heart. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is in my wallet and what is in my heart?

Lord Jesus, I pray that I may always have You in my heart. But I pray even more that my heart be in You. May You always be my only treasure and may I be worthy enough to be Your priceless treasure, too. Amen.

St. Paulinus of Nola and St. Thomas More, bishop confessor and martyr, pray for us.

JUNE 23, 2007
SATURDAY


SIMPLE LOGIC

“Aren’t you worth much more than birds.” – Matthew 6:26

I lay on a mattress on the floor of my empty condo having “renter’s remorse.” Earlier that day, I had just signed a one-year contract to rent this one-bedroom unit. Alone in the darkness and spending my first night on my own, anxiety began to creep in.
What if I can’t sustain the expenses?
What if I get unforeseen costs that I wasn’t able to factor into my monthly budget?
What if I lost my other sources of income?
What if... ?
The questions were flooding like monsoon rain when an overpowering thought interrupted the barrage.
The Lord has never failed you even when you had other people you could depend on.
Why should He abandon you now when you’re on your own?
Immediately, God’s stillness invaded my heart and mind. And I fell into a peaceful sleep that first night.
When you’re afraid, uncertain, doubtful that the good you expect will indeed come to pass, just stop and think for a moment. If God takes care to feed the birds, why would He allow you to go hungry? It wouldn’t make sense, right?
Sometimes, faith is nothing but simple logic. Rissa S.

REFLECTION:
Are you glad to be human?

Your provision, Lord, knows no bounds.

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1st READING

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Paul knows that it is in our weakness that God’s strength and grace is most evident. This is because we know that we are out of our depth and that only God can see us through to the end in this particular situation. The challenge for us then is to grow in humility so that we can surrender our weaknesses to God and accept the fact that it is here that He will tend to work through us most powerfully.

1 I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the LORD. 2 I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter. 5 About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. 6 Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me 7 because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I begged the LORD about this, that it might leave me, 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 10 Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

P S A L M

Psalm 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

7 [8] The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. (R) 9 [10] Fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking to those who fear him. 10 [11] The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing. (R) 11 [12] Come, children, hear me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 [13] Which of you desires life, and takes delight in prosperous days? (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus sets it out in plain terms here: it is not possible to serve two masters. One will always dominate the other. It does not have to be a matter of money and God; it can be anything else that distracts us from the primary call of our lives, which is to serve God. If we find ourselves with constant conflicts of schedule between our secular and religious doings, then perhaps it is time to once again re-examine our priorities. Jesus ensured that His focus in ministry was always the Kingdom of God. This is the example we must follow.

24 “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

my reflections
think: It is in our weakness that God’s strength and grace is most evident.

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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 Songs 1-4

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DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE

Dr. Scott Peck, a renowned psychologist, wrote a book entitled, “The Road Less Traveled”. The first sentence of his book reads: “Life is difficult.” That first sentence is likewise the whole paragraph of the book’s first chapter. Life, indeed, is difficult. Jesus today, however tells us, “Worrying does not make it any less difficult.” On the contrary, worrying less makes our difficulties in life bearable. Faith in Divine Providence is the medicine for the endless worrier.
Worrying does not solve problems. It makes problems become even more complicated. Frequently, it even multiplies the problems already present.
Worrying does not correct mistakes. Many times, worrying causes panic and therefore more blunders that either aggravates mistakes already committed or create more mistakes or both. Worrying in itself is a big mistake.
Worrying does not add even a single say to one’s life. Instead, worrying kills. It causes heart ailments, ulcer, high blood pressure, and even cancer. Not a few die young because they worry about getting old.
But there is a legitimate worrying. The Lord certainly does not advocate a carefree life, much less a careless life. He wants us to plan for our future, to save for the rainy days, to have foresight so as not to end up in misery, to work for a decent and happy life. He wants us to take care of ourselves because He loves us. But He does not want us to worry to death because worrying to death is never taking care of our selves. We should never live carefree and careless lives. We should rather put all our cares in God because He cares for us. In our hands, life is difficult. In God’s hands, life is not impossible. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What are my worries in life?

Abba, I place my whole life into Your hands. I trust Your love for me. You will never abandon me. Yes, life is difficult, but we will go through it together. With You, all things are possible. Amen.

St. Joseph Cafasso, confessor, pray for us.

JUNE 24, 2007
SUNDAY




Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist

WHAT DRIVES YOU?

“What, then, will this child be?” – Luke 1:66

This is a true story. A young medical intern had the opportunity to observe an actual appendectomy procedure. This was performed by a doctor-surgeon who had been in the medical profession for a long time. After the surgery, the intern quizzically asked the doctor, “Doc, how come you removed the patient’s appendix when it didn’t look inflamed? It seems to me that this is not a case of appendicitis.” Not bothered by her question, the doctor replied, “You’re still very young and don’t know a lot of things. You need to learn the ropes regarding how to earn money in order for you to survive in this profession.”
When we were little children, we had our dreams of becoming somebody, someday. We dreamt of becoming doctors, nurses, lawyers, accountants, teachers, policemen and even the President of the Philippines. Some made their dreams come true. Others may have taken a different path but still became successful in their chosen fields.
Whatever we have become, the question still remains. Are we living up to our names and titles in our respective professions? Have we been faithful to our duties and our missions? Do we strive to be the exception rather than the norm? What drives you? Only you and God know the answer. Judith C.

REFLECTION:
Are your inner drives in tune with the Lord’s drive for you?

May I always remain true to Your calling for me.

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1st READING

Isaiah 49:1-6

We are all called to be prophets of the Word of God, the Good News of salvation. Each of us should be aware of this calling and always looking for the opportunity to put it into action. Isaiah reflects that his experience is that his mouth has become a sharpened sword that speaks the truth when God calls on him to speak. Let us pray that we will never tire of speaking the truth into a world so confused as it is by the lies of sin and the devil. Let us pray for the light of the truth to shine through the word of the example of our lives and not just the spoken words of our mouths.

1 Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. 2 He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. 3 “You are my servant,” he said to me, “Israel, through whom I show my glory.” 4 Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. 5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! 6 “It is too little,” he says, “for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

P S A L M

Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15

R: I praise you for I am wonderfully made.

1 O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; 2 you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. 3 My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (R) 13 Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. 14 I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. (R) My soul also you knew full well; 15 nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. (R)

2nd READING

Acts 13:22-26

Repentance is a crucial aspect of our conversion to Jesus Christ. There is no true or lasting conversion without repentance of our sins. It can be hard and even embarrassing to confess our sins to the priest. Perhaps this is a good thing in that if we thought about it a bit more often, this embarrassment might even cause us to take greater steps to avoid sin in the first place! Now that would be a very good thing, would it not?

22 Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; 25 and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’ 26 My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this Word of Salvation has been sent.

G O S P E L

Luke 1:57-66, 80

The signs around the birth of John the Baptist do indeed indicate that God has special plans for him. However, I believe that this is true of all of us. Every person is a miracle of the gift of new life and God loves us all and has plans for all of our lives. How committed are we to seeking out God’s Will for our lives? We cannot expect it to arrive as a text message or email from the Heavenly Center of God’s Will. No, I am not trying to be funny or silly! This is a life or death issue! It is important that we each take responsibility for discovering God’s Will for our lives.

57 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the LORD had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the LORD was with him. 80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

my reflections
think: There is no true or lasting conversion without repentance of our sins.
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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 Songs 5-8

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

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NOMEN EST OMEN

St. John the Baptist, martyr, pray for us.
Many Filipino fathers name their sons after them. When there is already a “junior,” they resort to “the third,” “the fourth,” and so forth and so on. My father was different. He did not want to name me after him. Funny but he reasoned out that if my name were similar to his and people badmouthed him, it would sound like they were badmouthing me.
Zechariah did not name his son after him. He named his son after God’s choice. “John” was God’s choice. It was not Zechariah who named his son after all. It was God who named his son. Zechariah simply wrote the name God gave his son. Very often, in the Bible, when God chooses a person for a special mission or a unique role, He gives that person a new name. Take for example, Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Levi became Matthew, and Simon became Peter. The mission or role is given in the name. As the Romans would say, "Nomen est omen ” (“The destiny is in the name”).
John’s name meant “God’s graciousness”. John fulfilled that role. He was God’s kindness to his otherwise old and barren parents. He was God’s favor upon the Jews, preparing them for the eventual coming of the Messiah. He was God’s compassion to the repentant sinners who came to him for baptism. He was God’s graciousness to us by testifying to the Christ in life and in death.
John’s mission was to bring about God’s graciousness. But what is ours? We may not be named “John” but we also go by the name “Christian,” do we not? Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I live up to my name “Christian”?

Lord, I ask You to not only bless me; please make me Your blessing to others. I beg You to not only answer my prayers; please make me Your answer to the prayers of others. Each day, may I live up to the mission and role You gave me at baptism. May I be a true Christian at all times, in all places, and to all people. Amen.

JUNE 25, 2007
MONDAY

PROJECTIONS

“Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3

“Projection, your honor!”

My friend, who works as a facilitator for psycho-spiritual seminars, humorously and teasingly drops this statement whenever he catches other friends venting about other people. You see, projection is one of those things we unconsciously do when we criticize those around us. Not in every instance, of course, but many times we “project” so many of our own insecurities on other people. At some level, what we don’t like about other people are what we don’t like about ourselves.
My friend calls perpetuating this kind of negativity as doing the “ABCs” – accusing, blaming and criticizing. These are common and easy scapegoats for the things that go wrong with our lives. It’s always easier to blame external circumstances than it is to realize that our lives are essentially the products of our choices. We point fingers at the traffic, the government, our bosses, our parents, our co-workers, the dog, the list goes on and on.... It’s always something or somebody else’s fault, and therefore somebody else’s responsibility. Let us remember that responsibility for one’s actions is a mark of a true Christian. Cotics C.

REFLECTION:
Have you been doing the ABCs? Your life is a product of your choices. Choose well!

Lord, help me know myself. Help me discover You by finding myself.

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1st READING

Genesis 12:1-9

With the proto-history complete, the redactor of Genesis seeks to begin the story of God’s Election of the Chosen People who would come to be known as the Israelites. Abram is called forth from Ur and told to place his life in the hands of a God who will lead him to a new place where he will have land, progeny and blessing. These three promises provide a framework within which to interpret the Old Testament. It is only in Jesus that they will be definitively fulfilled, and even then only to those with faith in Christ.

1 The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” 4 Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother’s son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.) 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel, pitching his tent with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there to the LORD and invoked the LORD by name. 9 Then Abram journeyed on by stages to the Negeb.

P S A L M

Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20, 22

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

12 Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. 13 From heaven the LORD looks down; he sees all mankind. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 7:1-5

Casting judgment on another is an inherently dangerous practice as such an act immediately sets the standard with which one invites judgment upon one’s own actions. Any understanding less than this is tantamount to hypocrisy. The challenge that faces us is one that can be placed in the following way: Be sure to see that one’s own life is free of sin before setting out to accuse others of sin. Or in the words of an old adage: “Practice what you preach” or else keep quiet.

1 “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

my reflections
think: “Practice what you preach” or else keep quiet.

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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 Wisdom 1-3

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NOT A CLOSED BOOK

It would be difficult to go about our day-to-day affairs without having an impression on things and people. We need to be able to somehow predict how things react and how people respond so that we may know how to react and respond ourselves as well Impressions are judgments. But Jesus today tells us that we should not judge others.
The kind of judging others that Jesus tells us to refrain from is the kind that considers anyone as a closed book. While we may have temporary judgment on others to be able to relate with them, we should never condemn any person to his past neither to his present. Every person deserves a future that may surprise us more than him. Past sins may be repented from and forgiven. Present mistakes may be corrected and learned from.
Each of us is a mystery. We continue to unravel our selves each day. I read a poster once that said, “Please be patient with me. God is not finished with me yet.” Each of us is God’s creation at work. Never close the book on anyone.
For Jesus, no one is a lost cause. Indeed, He is the Good Shepherd who searches for every lost sheep; and when even only one sheep is lost, He goes out of His way and leaves the ninety-nine to find the lost one. He does not say, “Well, it is the sheep’s fault why it is lost. I told it so. I told it so. But it disobeyed me nonetheless. Let it find its way back to the fold on its own.” No, these words can never come from the man we call “Christ.” Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have I judged anyone as a hopeless case?

Lord Jesus, You are our Good Shepherd, share with me Your steadfast optimism on the goodness of every man and every woman. May I never consider anyone as a
closed book. Teach me to appreciate everyone as a precious gift from You that unwraps himself each day. Thank You, Jesus, for I am Your precious gift to others too. Amen.

St. William of Monte Vergine, abbot confessor, pray for us.

JUNE 26, 2007
TUESDAY


LOT

Lot looked about and saw... – Genesis13:10

I remember having this discussion with a classmate in Social Sciences several years ago. We were grappling with how different groups “package” religion, its core message of salvation and its promises. Of course, Christianity was one of the more prominent topics.
He went on saying that, on one hand, there are poverty-fixated groups who advocate shedding yourself of all material things. These groups see money and wealth as evil and will do anything to smell filthy and identify themselves with the poor – given that heavenly rewards and riches await them in the next life.
On the other hand, you have the “prosperity preachers” who are so hung up on receiving God’s blessing that all they do is pray for it and do nothing. Lot obviously was a man who thought of himself first. Without considering how his valley choice would later be a bane given the lifestyles of his neighbors, he left Abraham with the rugged hill country. His greed and selfishness kept him from putting his family’s welfare and safety first. Let’s start focusing on what really matters – our family and our relationship with God. Once we have gotten this act together, a genuine desire for prosperity to enable us to alleviate poverty will come naturally. Then I guess the discussion on a rich or poor gospel will be rendered pointless. Roy M.

REFLECTION:

What really matters to you?

Make us wealthy, Lord, in the things that really matter.

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1st READING

Genesis 13:2, 5-18

Abram decides that generosity to his kinsfolk is a far better choice than disagreement and disharmony. This is a great example for us to consider particularly when family disputes arise. So much disagreement and bitterness in our experience of family life stems from very easily defused situations, particularly if one is ready to err on the side of generosity when a dispute arises. To paraphrase the Scriptures: ‘What will it benefit anyone to gain material wealth or fame if it costs us our family relationships?’

2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 5 Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. (At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were occupying the land.) 8 So Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are kinsmen. 9 Is not the whole land at your disposal? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.” 10 Lot looked about and saw how well watered the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar, like the LORD’s own garden, or like Egypt. (This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. Thus they separated from each other; 12 Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain, pitching his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the inhabitants of Sodom were very wicked in the sins they committed against the LORD. 14 After Lot had left, the LORD said to Abram: “Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the north and south, east and west; 15 all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted. 17 Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.” 18 Abram moved his tents and went on to settle near the terebinth of Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.

P S A L M

Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

R: He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

2 He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart 3 and slanders not with his tongue. (R) Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; 4 by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD. (R) 5 Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 7:6, 12-14

I suppose that there comes a time when we have to leave a person to their conscience when we run out of ideas on how to present the Gospel to them. We do not have an unending responsibility to persevere until we see conversion if the recipient is going to continue to reject our advances of the Good News. Enough is enough! Sometimes we have to turn away and direct our energy and efforts to more fruitful endeavors if we have come up against the proverbial brick wall.

6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. 12 Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14 How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”

my reflections
think: What will it benefit anyone to gain material wealth or fame if it costs us our family relationships?

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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 Wisdom 4-6

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ENTERING THROUGH THE NARROW GATE

What is beyond heaven’s gate? A totally whole new world. Not only a better world, but the best world.
The gate that leads to heaven is narrow though. If we want to enter through it, what should we do?
When the gate is narrow, we should not rush getting through it. We must pause and discern before we move. We must be able to stop from our busy lives and discern the ways of the Lord because we can enter through heaven’s gate only through the Lord’s ways.
When the gate is narrow, we must enter it alone. Of course, no one can enter the gate for us. We ourselves must enter through it. But entering heaven’s gate alone does not only mean that. Entering heaven’s gate alone means that we hold on to nothing and no one. Too much baggage and attachments hinder anyone from entering through heaven’s narrow gate. We need to learn the spiritual art of detachment as we strive to cling to the Lord alone.
When the gate is narrow, we may have to shed off some body fat. We may try sideways, but still we cannot enter it if our tummy bulges. The same is true with entering heaven’s narrow gate. Our body fat may symbolize our selfindulgences. We need to go on a spiritual kind of dieting that demands spiritual discipline.
Discernment, detachment, and diet – these three recommendations certainly help anyone go through a narrow gate. As far as heaven’s narrow gate is concerned, prayer, almsgiving or charitable works, and fasting may well take the definite forms of discernment, detachment, and diet. Discernment happens in prayer. Detachment means letting go and sharing with others what we have. Diet can be a spiritual discipline in the form of fasting that involves not exclusively and not always food.
Entering a narrow gate is indeed difficult but not impossible. Entering through heaven’s narrow gate is impossible for man but not for God. Heaven is always God’s gift; and it always pleases the Father to give us the Kingdom. But still, we must enter through its narrow gate. Fr.Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What have I been doing so far to be able to enter through heaven’s narrow gate?

Father God, it pleases You to give us the Kingdom. But You rather not force us to get beyond its gates unless we really want to. Because we want to live with You in Your Kingdom, please help us struggle our way through its narrow gate. For us, it is impossible. But for You, all things are possible. Amen.

St. Josemaria Escrova de Balaguer, priest, pray for us.

JUNE 27, 2007
WEDNESDAY

GOD IS AT WORK

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” – Matthew 7:19

“Are we going to have a prayer meeting on Monday, Ma’am Tess?” My officemates
asked. “Let’s just have a short prayer and then proceed with the business meeting,” I replied. It was a test.
They’ve been used to having first-Mondayof- the-month prayer meetings for more than three years now. But the number of attendees had been dwindling in the past months, despite the fact that the meetings are held during office hours. Participation of those who attend seemed lukewarm.
I conducted a survey, and the results revealed that majority still want to continue with the monthly prayer meetings. I organized ministries to handle the different functions. Many volunteered. There were suggestions on how to improve the quality of our prayer
meetings.
It was so clear that the Lord still had work to do in our office. “Lord, let your work bear fruit,” I prayed as I offered myself to be used as His instrument. Often, that’s all He asks of us. TessVA.

REFLECTION:
Even if things seem hopeless, God is at work. Just trust.

Lord, help me to always believe that You are present in everything and in everyone, doing Your work silently.

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1st READING

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

The ancient texts of all religions are often focused upon the begetting of children as it is only through descendants that one’s line can be assured for future generations. This is what the Old Testament is full of, and even two of the four Gospels begin with genealogies. This concern for continuity reveals to us the importance of remembering our roots and remaining faithful to them. The promises God makes to Abram form the basis of the faith of the Jews even up until this day.

1 Some time after these events, this word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O LORD GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” 3 Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” 6 Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 7 He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” 8 “O Lord GOD,” Abram asked, “How am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. 12 As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. 18 It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates.”

P S A L M

Psalm 105: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

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

G O S P E L

Matthew 7:15-20

We are never far from sin wherever we may be in our Christian journey. I am not saying that sin is inevitable, but that there are so many different views regarding life, right and wrong and so on in today’s world that it can be a very difficult journey to travel. The late Karl Rahner S.J. once wrote that he thought that “it is harder today than ever before to know and do what is right.” This may be a comforting thought from one perspective but more importantly it expresses the need we have for the help of the Holy Spirit to guide us through the maze of options out there in the world.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them.”

my reflections
think: We are never far from sin wherever we may be in our Christian journey.

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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 Wisdom 7-10

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DISCERN ALWAYS


In the Ignatian Discernment of Spirits, we are warned to be careful about attributing something to the bad spirit or good spirit. But St. Ignatius is quick to say that while the bad spirit may disguise itself to be a good spirit, the bad spirit can never produce anything good. Only the good spirit may yield something good always.
Satan is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also the Father of lies. He has the ability to disguise himself and appear good in the outside. He can certainly be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Come to think of it, how can Satan attract people to himself if he shows himself disgusting and evil? While he does sometimes reveal himself in his real monstrous appearance, more often than not his manifestations are subtle and even enticing. He is the master of deception, is he not?
We must be vigilant. Grapes do not grow in thorn bushes. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I discern what spirit governs my life each day?

Father, ignite the presence of the Holy Spirit in us so that He may help us discern what is good and what is evil, what is true and what is false, what is godly and what is mundane. May the fire of the Holy Spirit within us keep us vigilant and by His power may we never be led astray from the way of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord, now and forever. Amen.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop confessor, pray for us.

JUNE 28, 2207
THURSDAY



STILL LISTENING

“...anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man.” – Matthew 7:24
One of my favorite Christian bands, Third Day, sang a song called “Still Listening.” My favorite line in the song is “I thought I heard you shout, but then I figured out that all along You’re whispering to me... and I’m still listening.”
The song is about looking for God all over the place and not finding Him, until you listen to the quiet whisper in your heart to hear His voice. I like the picture that this paints — that God chooses to whisper more than to shout. Because I’m a loud person, I’m used to loud voices. I keep envisioning God as the God portrayed on TV — a big voice thundering from heaven, the kind that would make your knees tremble and cause you to obey at once. Imagining Him whispering is hard! God, can’t you just shout it out?
Maybe God chooses to whisper because He knows it would be hard to compete with all the loud things I’ve surrounded myself with. Maybe He knows that I need a lesson on listening. And maybe He knows that if He whispers to my heart, it would be the voice I would be obeying. Tina M.

REFLECTION
Let us learn to be silent enough to hear God’s whisper.

Today I will be quiet, just listening for Your whisper.

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1st READING

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

Ishmael is the human solution to the problem of a lack of children for Abraham. As we will see, it is not God’s solution. Again and again in the Old Testament we will see God intervene in the lives of His people to bring about miraculous solutions to the problem of the lack of progeny. God is all-powerful and we should never doubt His power. We should also be willing to entrust ourselves totally to His promises.

1 Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram: “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. Have intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.” Abram heeded Sarai’s request. 3 Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine. 4 He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain. 5 So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the LORD decide between you and me!” 6 Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her. 7 The LORD’S messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, 8 and he asked, “Hagar maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” 9 But the LORD’S messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. 10 I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’S messenger, “that they will be too many to count. 11 Besides,” the LORD’S messenger said to her: “You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard you, God has answered you. 12 He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; in opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.” 15 Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

P S A L M

Psalm 106:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD, or proclaim all his praises? (R) 3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. 4 Remember me, O LORD, as you favor your people. (R) Visit me with your saving help, 5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 7:21-29

The only foundation for our lives that will endure the test of time is faith. Faith in God is the only way we will ward off the attacks of the enemy and grow in our love of God and our fellow human beings. The Scriptures are abundantly clear on this point. We can choose to “go it alone” if we want to, but this is as good as choosing to commit suicide as regards our salvation. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we will be saved. None of us has the power or means to save ourselves.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

my reflections
think: None of us has the power or means to save ourselves.

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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 Wisdom 11-13

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LIFE LIVED FULLY IS GOD’S GLORY

“Gloria Dei vivens homo” – have you ever come across this expression? Literally translated in English, it is “The glory of God is man living,” but the same statement is more commonly rendered as “The glory of God is man fully alive.” These words came from a treatise against heresies written by St. Irenaeus whose blessed memory we celebrate today. The exact excerpt from the treatise reads: “Life in man is the glory of God, the life of man is the vision of God.”
Irenaeus was born around the year 130 and was educated in Smyrna where he became a disciple of the bishop of that city, St. Polycarp. In 177, at Lyons, France, he was ordained a priest and later on became bishop of the same diocese. Vigorously, he fought Gnosticism, the heresy of his time. Around the year 200, Irenaeus was martyred.
Aside from his defense of the Faith against the Gnostics, what is unusually important about St. Irenaeus? A lot.
Before Irenaeus, Christianity was more of a fluid movement rather than the form of Catholicism we know today. Every Christian community seemed to have its own theology prior to the emergence of Christianity as a universal religion.
There was no canon of sacred books. Many preachers wandered around. Irenaeus stressed on apostolic authority which means historical link with the Apostles; a creed which is a set of core beliefs; and a canon of Scripture. Apostolicity, creed, and canon of Scripture eventually became the defining marks of early Catholicism.
Irenaeus lived his life fully for God. He is indeed God’s glory. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do I live my life fully for God?

God, my Creator and Father, thank You for giving me life. In gratitude to Your infinite kindness and love for me, I offer You my whole life. With the help of Your grace, may I live my life always to the fullest. With Jesus living in me, may I give glory to You now and always. Amen.

St. Irenaeus, bishop martyr, pray for us.

JULY 3, 2007
TUESDAY

Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle

JESUS VISITS OUR HOME

So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” – John 20:25

Jesus visited our home for my mom’s birthday last year. We invited our parish priest, Fr. Leo Acierto, to celebrate Mass in the house because my mom was sick and could no longer go to church.
It was touching just to see us gathered around the sala —just the priest, his assistant, Dad, Mom, my sister, her three-year-old son and me. We were seated comfortably on the sofas and celebrated Mass that way. No standing. No kneeling. Just lounging in our living room as if the family had gathered to chat and hang out.
I had a guitar and led the small congregation in singing. Somewhere during the Mass, I couldn’t help but get misty-eyed. And when Fr. Leo raised the host and proclaimed, “This is my body which shall be given up for you,” I realized that the Lord had physically come into our home.
It’s not always that we have that privilege. But we can see and even partake of the Lord daily through the sacrament of the Eucharist. Don’t miss your chance to see the Lord today. Though He may not physically visit your home, His presence in you will be more than enough to carry you wherever you go throughout the day. Rissa S.

REFLECTION:
Do I recognize the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist?

Thank You, Lord, for giving Yourself to us in communion. Let me not take You for granted whenever I receive Your body and Your blood.

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1st READING

Ephesians 2:19-22

We may still be living in the world but through conversion and the decision to become a disciple of Jesus, we are also citizens of another world, namely the Kingdom of God. Here we are reunited with God and find ourselves in a relationship with our maker that is moving towards the ultimate fulfillment of our being when we will be united with Him in eternal life. There is still a journey to walk before this happens, but we are well on the way now. Let us pray that we will persevere through all things to our ultimate destiny of glory with the Lord our God.

19 You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. 21 Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; 22 in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

P S A L M

Psalm 117:1, 2

R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R) 2 For steadfast is his kindness for us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. (R)

G O S P E L

John 20:24-29

Thomas is the much maligned apostle of little faith. I think history has been a bit harsh in its judgment of Thomas. I like to think I would have believed on the word of the other disciples but I suspect I would have answered similarly to Thomas. What really matters is not his initial unbelief but his ultimate belief and commitment to God that then leads him to become the Apostle to India and, according to some reports, even China.

24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

my reflections
think: Let us pray that we will persevere through all things to our ultimate destiny of glory with the Lord our God.

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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 Sirach 10-13

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Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle

A MAN OF DOUBT, AND YET A MAN OF FAITH

Today we honor St. Thomas the Apostle. Rather unfortunately, this saint has ever since been the “target” of negative views, because of his wellknown incredulity and skepticism. His name has even entered the English vocabulary (“doubting Thomas”) designating an incredulous or habitually doubtful person. In Thomas was a blend of hard-headed rationalism and sulking pessimism.
And yet, “doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith” (Paul Tillich). Come to think of it, perhaps St. Thomas has done more to strengthen our faith than the others. In the first place, we identify with him to some extent. In the words of the Scripture scholar Fr. Nil Guillemette: “There is a Thomas in each one of us, if only we will admit it... Thomas’ example is most opportune, for I recognize myself in him.”
Faith, after all, always entails a risk, for it does not impose itself through experience or reasoning. Guillemette continues, “Difficult for Thomas, it is difficult for all of us; it teaches the unlikely; it also presupposes a constant going beyond oneself, for it is a growth and a progress toward Someone who will always be a stranger, who will always be surprising.”
And so, let us not be too harsh on St. Thomas. It was he, in fact, who courageously exhorted his fellow disciples (at a moment when the prospects of a sure death together with Jesus were high and clear). “Let us also go to die with him” (John 11:16). It turns out that these words of his were prophetic, with his eventual ministry and martyrdom in far-flung India. And it was he (according to Fr. Jerome Aixala) who formulated the most complete affirmation of Christ’s nature to be found on the lips of anyone in the Gospel: “My Lord and my God!” Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: We can be like Thomas in doubt. Can we be like him in faith?

Lord, help our unbelief.

JULY 4, 2007
WEDNESDAY

RUN TO GOD

“And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.” – Matthew 8:34

I give regular talks to young professionals in Makati. One time, as part of my presentation, I asked if anyone might have questions. A young man raised his hand, stood up and asked, rather intensely, “Is it all right to be angry with God?”
I’d been serving Jesus for 23 years, and finished my Masters in Theology with flying colors. I’d been a church leader for more than half my life. All these achievements came to my mind would help me answer him. So, I looked into his eyes, smiled a bit and confidently told the group, “Ok, let’s have our closing prayer, please.”
I did not know what to say! And in times like this, I’m sure of one thing only — prayer. So I prayed silently.
When I was granted an answer, I looked at this young man again, and said, “Bro, I cannot say that you are wrong for being angry with God. I do not know what you’ve been through. I only have one answer — if you are mad at Him, go to Him still. When you talk to Him, bring with you your remorse for He will always understand... because He is your God.”
If you happen to be angry with God now, don’t run away from Him. Go to Him. Go to your God. He is waiting for you. Arun G.

REFLECTION:
Have you been hurt in life? Where do you run to? Run to your God!

Lord, when I am hurting, I will run to You.

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1st READING

Even though Ishmael is a child born not according to the will of God, God
does not abandon him. He promises Hagar that Ishmael will prosper and become
a great nation as well. God is never stingy with His grace; we can never accuse
Him of abandoning us to our fate. The gift of Jesus as our Savior will forever
stand as a testament of God’s willingness and ability to care for us all.

G O S P E L

The demons are totally aware of the identity of Jesus and that they have
no choice but to obey whatever He commands them. We should pray we will have
the same certainty of faith in the power of Jesus to work miracles in our lives.
It is only then that we will see the extent to which God wants to work in our
lives. Let us invite Him in so that His grace will abound in our lives and draw
us into a deeper relationship with Him where His grace will abound even more.

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THE “PAGAN TERRITORIES” OF OUR LIVES

Today’s Gospel episode is surely a dramatic one, worthy perhaps of a being made into a horror movie replete with computer-generated special effects. And yet, for all the gripping suspense and drama, the narrative ends on a somewhat “strange” note: when word spread about what happened (particularly regarding the herd of swine), the entire town came out to meet Jesus, only to beg Him to leave their neighborhood.
Why was it so? In the first place, this particular miracle of demonic expulsion took place in pagan territory. Biblical geography indicates that Gadara, to the east of the Lake of Galilee, was an area occupied by pagans. The herd of pigs moreover confirms this fact, since pigs were considered as repulsive animals to Israelites.
Applying it now to our lives, we ask: Is it possible that there are still certain “areas” of our lives that are “pagan territory,” in which we would rather not have Jesus “meddling”? Perhaps He intends to purify and liberate us from the demons of our sinful habits, but we still prefer to “bargain” with Him. Or again, He wants to purge us from our penchant for New Age or neo-pagan beliefs and practices (horoscopes, feng shui, tarot cards, and whatnot), but we still do not want to let go of them.
How then can we call ourselves genuine Catholics, if we are given to such compromises? For such an authenticity in our Faith, surely there is no need for cinematic special effects, right? We just have to welcome Christ into our lives and testify to Him authentically in all that we do. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you know what you still haven’t submitted to God?

Examine, me, Lord, for my “pagan territories” and conquer them.

St. Bertha, widow and abbess, pray for us.

JULY 5, 2007
THURSDAY

WHO’S YOUR ISAAC?

“When they came to the place... he tied up his son Isaac...” – Genesis 22:9

Early in the Bible, we are given a story such as this.
It’s the story of a man to whom was promised a multitude of descendants, so many that they will be like the sands of the seashore and the stars in the heavens. All this in spite of the fact that he and his wife are past childbearing age.
The promise is fulfilled with the birth of a son. But then the Lord asks him to offer the boy as a holocaust!
What a twist, eh?
And we know what he did, right?
“Early the next morning, Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac... ”
He went “early the next morning.” No dillydallying regarding what the Lord commanded.
It was then that Isaac asked, “Father, here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?”
“Son, God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust,” replied Abraham.
Then they continued going forward.
What courage it took Abraham to take every step! What faith!
“Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar.”
Then God intervened. Lallaine G.

REFLECTION:
If you were Abraham, who or what would your “Isaac” be? Let the Lord speak to your heart.

Lord, teach me about the sacrifice of Abraham. How boldly he went to follow You! May I do the same today.

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1st READING

Genesis 22:1-19

This is a scandalous sort of a story from one point of view namely: How can God be good if He asks His beloved servant Abraham to offer Isaac, his son, as a sacrifice to Him? It is quite clear at the end that God was not going to let Abraham go through with the sacrifice but at the beginning it seems horrific. However, what about God’s own offering of Jesus for our salvation? From this retrospective point of view, the story takes on a whole new dynamic, which ultimately affirms that the depth of God’s commitment to us is way beyond the depth of commitment that He asks of us.

1 God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Ready!” he replied. 2 Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well, and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust, set out for the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar. 5 Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you.” 6 Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. 7 As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. “Father!” he said. “Yes, son,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?” 8 “Son,” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.” Then the two continued going forward. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. 10 Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 12 “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” 13 As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh; hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.” 15 Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven 16 and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, 17 I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, 18 and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing — all this because you obeyed my command.” 19 Abraham then returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer-sheba, where Abraham made his home.

P S A L M

Psalm 115: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

R: I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your kindness, because of your truth. 2 Why should the pagans say, “Where is their God?” (R) 3 Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. (R) 5 They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; 6 they have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not. (R) 8 Their makers shall be like them, everyone that trusts in them. 9 The house of Israel trusts in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus unequivocally demonstrates that He has absolute authority in this situation even to the point of being able to forgive a person’s sins. There is no argument and only awe among the people gathered at this demonstration of power. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God offers us this same power of the forgiveness of sins. It is so sad that so few people avail themselves of the sacrament as it ministers the grace of forgiveness to those who use it.

1 He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

my reflections
think: How easily can you forgive?
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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 Sirach 19-22

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS



Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

Saint Elizabeth, daughter of King Pedro III of Aragon and Constancia, was born in 1271. Since childhood, the princess exuded a life of piety, strict regularity and self-denial. She fasted, did penance and gave up amusement. At a young age of 12, Elizabeth was married to King Diniz of Portugal. The king was noted for being a good poet and a hard worker.

Unfortunately, his morals were extremely bad. For years, the queen tried to win her husband s affection through her gentleness and extraordinary forbearance. But it was only later in life when the king had a change in heart. Saint Elizabeth bore King Diniz two children, Constantia and Affonso. Affonso rebelled over the favors the king showed his illegitimate sons. Thus, in 1323 the son declared a war against his father. Elizabeth opposed the decision. She rode in between the two armies and made father and son reconcile. Two years later, King Diniz died.

Saint Elizabeth left the kingdom in the care of Affonso. She founded the convent of Poor Clares at Coimbra, where she retired as a Franciscan Tertiary. She continued her service to the poor and sick. In 1336, the former queen was made to go back. She settled a war between her son and his father-in-law, the King of Castille. She left the convent and made the two resolve in peace.

Not long after, Saint Elizabeth fell ill. She died of fever on July 4, 1336 at Estremoz. She was buried at Coimbra, Portugal where miracles were said to have taken place. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal was proclaimed a saint by Pope Urban VIII on June 24, 1625.

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GOD AS THE SOURCE OF TRUE AUTHORITY

Jesus narrowly escapes from a thorny and controversial predicament by carrying out a miraculous cure, which is actually a proof anyway of His power over evil and sin. It’s a relief to arrive at the conclusion: “At the sight, a feeling of awe came over the crowd, and they praised God for giving such authority to men.”
Truly it is God who is the source of such authority and power. The scribes of the incident thought that they were exercising their authority as guardians of the Law by passing judgment on Jesus: “The man blasphemes.” According to them, Jesus had no right in the first place to forgive sins. In the end, authority which is not at the service of the person becomes twisted, subject to the whims and caprices of human judgement. Our Lord Himself knows our innermost thoughts, just as he was aware of what the scribes were thinking, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?” He might be asking us also the same question now, with our tendency to cling to the comfort zones of our rigid categories.
Let us, instead, always seek God’s glory. Let us allow Him to intervene in our lives, even if He will go against our established ways of thinking and doing. He need not even prove to us His power and authority, for in the first place it is something we already acknowledge. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Why do you harbor evil thoughts?

I seek Your Glory, Lord. I acknowledge Your sovereignty.

St. Zoe, martyr, pray for us.

JULY 6, 2007
FRIDAY



GREAT PRETENDER

"Those who are well do not need a physician but the sick do.” – Matthew 9:12

I was Obet: the “great pretender.” I puffed up with pride when people admired me because I was strong, intelligent and talented. At day’s end when I removed all my masks, I couldn’t even look at the mirror. I dreaded to see the hypocrite staring back at me.
My self-definition was shaped by what others thought of me. But what they saw was just the tip of the iceberg. Below the façade of power were layers of ugliness: I had chronic asthma.
I was terribly lazy and irresponsible.
I was insecure and had poor self-esteem. When I couldn’t bear the emptiness any more, I surrendered. Then God moved and sent people as instruments of His truth and love. When I admitted I was sick, healing took place. Truth is beautiful.
St. Catherine’s song “I am Beautiful” best describes my experience. Every time I sing it, I am moved to tears reliving the moment of being immersed in His love. A priest friend was right when he said, “The church of Christ is not a museum for saints.
It’s a hospital for sinners like you and me.”
Who am I? I am Obet. I am beautiful, I am loved, I am forgiven by the mercy of God! Obet C.

REFLECTION:
Are you enjoying the lie? Afraid of the truth? Ask for His mercy and grace.

May I live in Truth O God that I may truly live. Amen.

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1st READING

Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67

Many of the events in the lives of the patriarchs have a very simple and human feel to them. I like the final line of today’s reading in that it demonstrates the humanity of Isaac. Sometimes we can tend to almost divinize those whom God works with powerfully to the point that it is almost impossible to relate to them as people like ourselves. Here we hear that Isaac is consoled for the loss of his mother through finding a wife. He is like us after all.

1 The span of Sarah’s life was one hundred and twenty-seven years. 2 She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham performed the customary mourning rites for her. 3 Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites: 4 “Although I am a resident alien among you, sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial ground, that I may bury my dead wife.” 19 After this transaction, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 24: 1 Abraham had now reached a ripe old age, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2 Abraham said to the senior servant of his household, who had charge of all his possessions: “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not procure a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live, 4 but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred to get a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant asked him: “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I then take your son back to the land from which you migrated?” 6 “Never take my son back there for any reason,” Abraham told him. 7 “The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my kin, and who confirmed by oath the promise he then made to me, ‘I will give this land to your descendants’ — he will send his messenger before you, and you will obtain a wife for my son there. 8 If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath. But never take my son back there!” 62 Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb. 63 One day toward evening he went out. . . in the field, and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching. 64 Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him, she alighted from her camel 65 and asked the servant, “Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?” “That is my master,” replied the servant. Then she covered herself with her veil. 66 The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done. 67 Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent; he married her, and thus she became his wife. In his love for her Isaac found solace after the death of his mother Sarah.

P S A L M

Psalm 106:1-2, 3-4, 4-5

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD, or proclaim all his praises? (R) 3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. 4 Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people. (R) Visit me with your saving help, 5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 9:9-13

There is no way around it! If we want to evangelize people, we have to spend time with them and often on their terms. Jesus goes to Matthew and invites him to follow Him. The Jews do not associate with tax collectors as they consider them as traitors to the Jewish people in that they are collaborating with the Romans. How else is Jesus going to call him to be a disciple if He does not go to him? It is as simple as that: if we want to be evangelists, we must be ready to meet people on their terms and often in their domain as well.

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

my reflections
think: If we want to be evangelists, we must be ready to meet people on their terms and often in their domain as well.

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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 Sirach 23-25


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MATTHEW’S “FAREWELL PARTY” AND HIS GUESTS

Was the dinner thrown by Matthew perhaps some sort of a despedida for his old profession, now that the Lord has called him to a new life of discipleship? The ex-tax collector’s main guests were those of his old profession, as well as those known as sinners. Was Matthew perhaps sending them a message that they were never outside Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness, and consequently they were never beyond repentance and conversion?
Sinners are indeed never too far beyond the reach of the Good News of Salvation. Even the attacker of St. Maria Goretti (the teenage martyr of purity whom we commemorate and honor today) was never distant from God’s saving grace: serving his jail sentence, Alessandro Serenelli repented of his heinous sin and was converted. He even begged forgiveness from the mother of Maria. In the first place, as Maria was dying from the stab wounds inflicted on her, she in fact whispered words of forgiveness for Alessandro.
When indeed love and forgiveness prevail, then there is no room for hatred and sin. And it is consoling that it’s precisely the “sick” people who are definitely in the market for God’s offer of healing, forgiveness and salvation — not the self-righteous who think they can already do everything for themselves.
Catholic philosopher-writer Peter Kreeft puts it nicely in his book— Making Choices: “The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners. To publicly profess to the world that you are a Christian, by going to church every Sunday, is not to say to the world that you are better than they are but that you are desperately ill.” And so, let’s bring on the “party” of the Eucharistic celebration! Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you allow love and forgiveness to prevail?

I am still a sinner, Lord, constantly in need of Your forgiveness.

St. Maria Goretti, virgin and martyr, pray for us.

JULY 8, 2007
SATURDAY



HERE-N-NOW MISSION SOCIETY!

...the Lord appointed... – Luke 10:1

I read about a group of evangelists who, after months of training, fund raising and preparation, were aboard the plane headed for a mission field in Africa.
The grand missionary trip ended even before it started. The plane crashed in the thick jungles, without a soul surviving.
I wondered, “Why the waste, Lord? How could you not even allow these eager hearts to be missionaries as they have dreamed?”
God told me “Jon, I did. They’ve been missionaries all their lives!”
A young German named Wolfgang never had even a streak of a TV evangelist’s flare.
He just read his Bible every lunch in his spot at the construction site. Amidst the jeering of his co-workers, he prayed for a way to demonstrate Christ’s love to them.
When the workers went home at night, they always left their muddy boots behind. Wolfgang began staying late after work to clean their boots. The men were puzzled at first but then realized that Wolfgang was the only one among them who would perform this humble service. Only eternity will reveal the full effect of Wolfgang’s shining life. He is Officer First Class for the ‘Here-n-Now’ Missionary Society. Jon E.

REFLECTION:
Your mission territory’s name is “Here.” Have you seen it yet?

Lord, help me see the nearness of my mission territory, and the urgency of its present need, and the simplicity of its strategy.

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1st READING

Isaiah 66:10-14

Sometimes it is hard to envision what a world at peace would really be like given the multitude of conflicts that seem to be raging at any time. Yet we must believe that this is what the Lord would want us to experience. The problem is sin in all its various forms and natures. If we want peace in the world, then we must first be willing to address the sins and injustices that militate against peace, because with them present, true peace is impossible. There is no reason to despair. If we all did the little bit that God asks us to do in working against sin, I am sure the world would rapidly become a much more peaceful place in which to live.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! 11 Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts! 12 For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; 13 as a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort. 14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bodies flourish like the grass; the LORD’s power shall be known to his servants.

P S A L M

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

1 Shout joyfully to God, all you on earth, 2 sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. 3 Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds! (R) 4 Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” 5 Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among men. (R) 6 He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot; therefore let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules by his might forever; his eyes watch the nations; rebels may not exalt themselves. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. (R) 20 Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness! (R)

2nd READING

Galatians 6:14-18

The power to change the world, the power to change our lives, is not something that we have in ourselves of our own abilities. It is a gift to us through the cross of Jesus. It is in and through Jesus that all transformation for the good will occur. This is why Paul exhorts us to crucify ourselves, that is get rid of all vanity and self-seeking, if we want to be able to access the power for transformation given to us through the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God. 17 From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

G O S P E L

Luke 10:1-12.17-20

Are you willing to be sent out to proclaim the Gospel to others? If not, why not? This is a part of the life of any follower of Jesus. Our willingness to become the evangelizer is a sign of a maturing faith that is seeking to bring to others that which we ourselves have received. It is the sign that I look for when trying to assess how well a person has internalized the teachings of the Gospel. It is the goal that I am praying for when I begin the work of evangelization in a group of people – that there will come the day when they will be taking the Gospel to others.

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy [-two] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. 3 Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4 Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. 5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 6 If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. 8 Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, 9 cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ 10 Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 11 ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town. 17 The seventy [-two] returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” 18 Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. 19 Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

my reflections
think: Are you willing to be sent out to proclaim the Gospel to 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 Sirach 31-35

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

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SENT AND EMPOWERED BY THE LORD

When it comes to following Jesus as His disciples, or in the carrying out of the ministry, we perhaps have a tendency to be pragmatic. We want to be well-prepared, with well laid-out plans and provisions as it were, plotting steps and foreseeing situations as much as possible. Can it be that such an attitude on our part betrays our lack of trust in Divine Providence? In today’s Gospel, Jesus, in fact, gives detailed instructions to the seventy-two whom He appointed. That is precisely the reason for what should be a selfless, determined confidence in the Lord as we follow Him: we are not just embarking on our own, but we are taking “marching orders” from Someone who even empowers us. That is also why we need not be encumbered by pragmatic provisions, for the Lord indeed will provide after all.
Jesus is not just calling us to follow Him, but He is also sending us to go out as His “advanced party” (note the first verse). It is always a dual action He intends for us: He tells us first “Halikayo,” and then also “Humayo kayo.” He wants us to be disciples (learners, followers — “taga-sunod”), as well as apostles (sent out, as “alagad”).
Later we shall return to Him from our outposts, “in jubilation” for the many wonders which will have taken place in the course of our mission. But Jesus himself sets the record straight when it comes to what should be the real reason for our rejoicing. Just like in cities of ancient times which registered their own citizens (thus enabling them to enjoy all the privileges offered by that city), we too are citizens of the New Jerusalem, we are registered in the Book of Life.
Indeed there’s no need for pragmatic preparations, after all! We exult that we are in fellowship with God. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you “gone out” as Jesus commanded?

Thank You, Lord, for entrusting me with Your great commission.

St. Kilian, monk, pray for us.

JULY 10, 2007
TUESDAY

WRESTLING WITH THE LORD

“I will not let you go until you bless me.”– Genesis 32:27

How could he? He knew he never had a chance. He knew it was always God who would prevail! How irreverent, above all, to “wrestle with the Lord!”

Ah, but this is Jacob – persistent, relentless, single-minded in his pursuit for blessing. Jacob never waited for his destiny. He made it happen. To Jacob, divine destiny should be met by human response. And he was named Israel!

Know what’s the most amazing of it all? The Lord allowing Jacob to wrestle with Him! It might have cost Jacob’s hip, but he surely developed some “inner muscles” in the process. My favorite talk as a preacher is on the topic of surrendering fully to God. “Let God, let go!” Yet, how can I disagree with Jacob’s wrestling with God when I too have been “wrestling with Him all my life”?

“I will not let you go until you bless me.” I pray hard and offer at the Lord’s altar my dreams and my goals. But I also work hard in pursuing them. Persistently. Relentlessly. Stubbornly. Even if I know that it is always He who will prevail!

And you know what’s the most amazing of it all? The Lord allowing me to wrestle with Him! So far, my hips are still intact, and I sure am developing some “inner muscles” too. Alvin B.

REFLECTION:

Do you feel guilty when you “wrestle with the Lord”? Do you see that sometimes, for some divine purpose, He allows you to?

O God, teach me when to submit fully to you, and teach me when You allow me to “wrestle with You.” Amen.


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1st READING

Genesis 32:23-33

Jacob is a determined character and is not going to lose this wrestle with God.He wants a blessing from his opponent. He wants to know his name as a sign of his victory over him. The stranger refuses to give Jacob his name and Jacob realizes that he has struggled with the Lord, hence the name Peniel. Let us not be afraid to struggle and wrestle a blessing from God. Who knows, we may become as great as Jacob.

23 In the course of that night, however, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 24 After he had taken them across the stream and had brought over all his possessions, 25 Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. 26 When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled. 27 The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” 28 “What is your name?” the man asked. He answered, “Jacob.” 29 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed.” 30 Jacob then asked him, “Do tell me your name, please.” He answered, “Why should you want to know my name?” With that, he bade him farewell. 31 Jacob named the place Peniel, “Because I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.” 32 At sunrise, as he left Penuel, Jacob limped along because of his hip. 33 That is why, to this day, the Israelites do not eat the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket, inasmuch as Jacob’s hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

P S A L M

Psalm 17:1, 2-3, 6-7, 8, 15

R: In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

1 Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 2 From you let my judgment come; your eyes behold what is right. 3 Though you test my heart, searching it in the night, though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me. (R) 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. 7 Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes. (R) 8 Hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 9:32-38

Jealousy is a wicked and destructive thing. We should all rejoice when a demon is cast out of our neighbor and he or she is freed to live a fruitful life as a son or daughter of God. The Pharisees are jealous of the power of Jesus and his popularity with the people. May this never happen to us. I pray that we are always able to rejoice in the blessings and gifts God bestows on others so that we can all work together to bring about the kingdom of God.

32 As they were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, 33 and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” 35 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; 38 so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

my reflections

think: Jealousy is a wicked and destructive thing.

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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 Sirach 40-43

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JESUS’ COMPASSION

The scene described in our Gospel today (that of the crowds “lying prostrate from exhaustion, like sheep without a shepherd”) continues to be replicated all over the world, across times and places. More than physical exhaustion or hunger, what is even sadder are the innumerable people fatigued by spiritual weariness and lostness — people slowly dying spiritually, perhaps because they lack someone to share the Good News of Jesus with them.

It’s really a pity. And that is exactly the point: in the first place was thevery compassion of Jesus himself — something highlighted by Matthew: “At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity.” And scripture commentator William Barclay both echoes it and elaborates on it: “He [Jesus] was not annoyed with their foolishness; he was not angry at their shiftlessness; he was sorry for them ... He did not see man as a criminal to be condemned; he saw man as a lost wanderer to be found and brought home. He did not see men as chaff to be burned; he saw them as a harvest to be reaped for God... He never regarded people as nuisance, but always as people whom he must help” (New Testament Words).

How would we react nowadays to similar scenes of misery, similarsituations of suffering? Better yet (granted that such situations are inevitable anyway because of the given lack of workers), how much have we prayed to the Harvest Master to send out more laborers indeed to help in the harvesting? And lastly, how do we let Jesus utilize our very own selves for this work? Fr. Martin M.



REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you make yourself available to be a laborer for the Kingdom?

Prepare us for Your work. Grant us hearts of compassion, ready to do the action.

Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz, martyr, pray for us.

JULY 11, 2007
WEDNESDAY

FAVORITE

In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations… – Genesis 41:57

We all know the story of Joseph. He was a favorite son, the only one who received a coat of many colors as a gift from his father. He was also the one sold into slavery byhis jealous brothers, the guy who was accused by Pharaoh’s wife of attempted rape, the guy who was imprisoned for most of his young life.

Well, it seems to me that his experience ofbeing loved from a very young age was enough to permanently take on the perspective that life is good. His terrible experiences never erased that from his heart and mind. And when times of famine came, he had enough in his storeroom to share with others.Enough even for the very same brothers who had caused him so much misery.

What a contrast to his bitter and envious brothers!

When famine time came, they only sawpunishment. Probably because guilt lurked in their consciousness of how evil they had been to their brother.

Is our experience of the Father’s love inour early Christian walk enough to take us through possible years of famine and deepen our faith maturity? Victoria L.

REFLECTION:

Is our experience of the Father’s love in our early Christian walk enough to take us through possible years of famine and deepen our faith maturity?

May we always have the experience of early blessings fresh in our hearts especially as we go through darker times.

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1st READING

Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7, 17-24

Through the advent of a famine, God brings together Joseph and his brothers and reconciles them. It is an important moment in the history of Israel as it is from this reunion that the people move to Egypt where after a few hundred years they become enslaved under a king who does not know Joseph. Egypt, a place that is initially a blessing, becomes a land of curse for the People of God.

55 When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he told them. 56 When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the cities that had grain and rationed it to the Egyptians, since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt. 57 In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain, for famine had gripped the whole world. 42: 5 Thus, since there was famine in the land of Canaan also, the sons of Israel were among those who came to procure rations. 6 It was Joseph, as governor of the country, who dispensed the rations to all the people. When Joseph’s brothers came and knelt down before him with their faces to the ground, 7 he recognized them as soon as he saw them. But he concealed his own identity from them and spoke sternly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked them. They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to procure food.” 17 With that, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them: “Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man. 19 If you have been honest, only one of your brothers need be confined in this prison, while the rest of you may go and take home provisions for your starving families. 20 But you must come back to me with your youngest brother. Your words will thus be verified, and you will not die.” To this they agreed. 21 To one another, however, they said: “Alas, we are being punished because of our brother. We saw the anguish of his heart when he pleaded with us, yet we paid no heed; that is why this anguish has now come upon us.” 22 “Didn’t I tell you,” broke in Reuben, “not to do wrong to the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know, of course, that Joseph understood what they said, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. 24 But turning away from them, he wept.

P S A L M

Psalm 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19

R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

2 Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. 3 Sing to him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness. (R) 10 The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations; he foils the designs of peoples. 11 But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations. (R) 18 But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 10:1-7

Jesus sends out the disciples to proclaim the Gospel. Today we celebrate the life of St Benedict, one of the greatest monks of the Western Church. As we pray for the Benedictine orders, for both men and women, let us also thank God for the lives of intercession they lead for the Church. I hate to think what a mess we would be in without the thousands of contemplatives who have dedicated their lives to interceding for the Church and particularly her leaders.

1 Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. 5 Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

my reflections

think: Let us pray for our contemplative brothers and sisters.

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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 Sirach 44-47

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GOD’S REIGN AS SOMETHING AT HAND

The calling and choosing of the Twelve Apostles, the list of their names, and the initial instructions given to them by Jesus all indicate a certain “constitutionality” in the Twelve. They are like a judicially established group, which nevertheless doesn’t mean that it is closed in on itself. The mission they have, in the first place, shows they are not at all for themselves alone. Although Jesus’ instruction to them is to start their ministry with “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” nevertheless theirs is an openness which launches them always outward. And moreover, the list of the Apostles goes on, as it were, across the centuries and until the present day.

The saints, in fact, are like such “extensions” of the Apostles. They have been raised by God, in response to definite times and situations in history. In the case of St. Benedict (our saint for today), he was the bright light in the midst of the darkness of the Middle Ages. Apart from his many experiences and enterprises, a remarkable example from his life was his relationship with his sister, Scholastica (who herself also became a saint). One incident (recorded and offered as the Second Reading in the Divine Office of February 10, Memorial of St. Scholastica) was their spending the night together (after some initial hesitation on the part of Benedict). It took some divine intervention, and they eventually passed the night talking about holy things and eternal happiness. The following morning they parted, and three days later Scholastica died. Benedict was at that time alone in his cell absorbed in prayer when, lifting his eyes, he saw his Scholastica’s soul ascending to heaven as a dove. Filled with joy, he praised and thanked God.

“Charity begins at home,” as we commonly say. Our Lord Jesus himselfinstructed his Apostles that they didn’t need to go far when it comes to carrying out their mission. So also we can start with the people precisely around us, those closest to us whether in our families, with our friends, or in our workplaces. To them, first and foremost, we make the announcement with our lives, “The reign of God is at hand!” Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How are you being a light in the darkness?

May I be glowing always with Your love and truth.

St. Cindeus, martyred priest, pray for us.

Dear Friends,

Reflect God's love to every person you meet this Tuesday.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

17 July
Tuesday


THE UNBELIEVING TOWNS

“Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven?� – Matthew 11:23

Jesus is fuming mad at the unbelieving townsof Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Jesus even implies Capernaum is worse than Sodom. Whoa!

I know Sodom was a city destroyed by firetogether with a neighboring city, Gomorrah, because of the sinfulness of the people (Genesis 18-19).

Sidon is the chief city of Phoenicia, an ancientregion of city states at the end of the Mediterranean in the region of present day Syria and Lebanon.

Tyre is a seaport in southwest Lebanon on the Mediterranean. In Ezekiel 28, the Hebrew prophet is saying that the Lord is angry at the king of Tyre because the king is so puffed up with pride; he claims to be a god, sitting on a throne surrounded by the seas.

So there. Pride. God was angry with thepeople of the ancient places because they were too proud to believe, much more follow Him. So Jesus was angry with the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum because they were a lot prouder than the generation before them!

Now I ask myself, what about Quezon City,Philippines where I live? Am I a lot worse than the people of the unbelieving towns Jesus was so mad at? Cynthia S.

REFLECTION:

Am I a lot worse than the people of the unbelieving towns Jesus was so mad at?

Lord, help me realize my sins and help me to confess them and make amends.

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A WELL-INTENDED SCOLDING FROM JESUS

Three towns bear the brunt of Jesus’ anger in today’s Gospel: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because of their lack of faith. To apply the Gospel lesson to ourselves now is easy enough: just try substituting your own name to that of any of the three. The effect of Jesus’ strongly worded denunciation is solid indeed.

Instead there are three other towns which Jesus also mentioned: Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. These were like a basis or point of reference with which Jesus contrasted the receptivity and faith of the people belonging to the first set of towns.

“I assure you, it will go easier for Tyre and Sidon [and for Sodom] than for you on the day of judgment.�

We should unhesitatingly ask ourselves, “To which town do we now ‘belong’?� Let us not wait until Judgment Day for us to wake up and be convinced of our lifetime task of renewal and conversion. How open and receptive are we then to welcome Jesus, to put faith in His miracles, and to reform our lives?

If ever Jesus will have to castigate us, let us remember that it is not so much from an outraged pride as from a broken heart on His part. We may be guilty indeed of hurting Him, and He will be angry with us — but even this is intended for our own conversion, for our own good. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: To which town do we belong?

Forgive us, Lord, for causing You anger.

Blessed Antoinette Roussel, pray for us.

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1st READING

Moses is miraculously saved and is ultimately brought up within the household of Pharaoh by his mother. Only God could bring about such an occurrence of grace. All this trouble for one little child tells us Moses must be destined for something truly great. In the Scriptures we often see miracles surrounding the birth of someone destined for greatness in the plan of God. This suggests to us that their mission is not just an accident.

Exodus 2:1-15

1 Now a certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 who conceived and bore a son. Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hidhim for three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket, daubed it with bitumen and pitch, and putting the child in it, placed it among the reeds on the river bank. 4 His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. 5 Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her maids walked along the river bank. Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it. 6 On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying! She was moved with pity for him and said, “It is one of the Hebrews’ children.� 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?� 8 “Yes, do so,� she answered. So the maiden went and called the child’s own mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you.� The woman therefore took the child and nursed it. 10 When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son and called him Moses; for she said, “I drew him out of the water.� 11 On one occasion, after Moses had grown up, when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor, he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen. 12 Looking about and seeing no one, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting! So he asked the culprit, “Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?� 14 But he replied, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge overus? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?� Then Moses became afraid and thought, “The affair must certainly be known.� 15 Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put him to death. But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian.

P S A L M

Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34

R: Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

2 [3] I am sunk in the abysmal swamp where there is no foothold; I have reached the watery depths; the flood overwhelms me. (R) 13 [14] But I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. (R) 29 [30] But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me. 30 [31] I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving. (R) 32 [33] “See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! 33 [34] For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.� (R) G O S P E L

Matthew 11:20-24

We should be careful that the chastisement given to Tyre and Sidon here cannotbe applied to our lives. God graces us all with many gifts and blessings. Let us be sure we accept them and use them well or we might find ourselves under the same judgment. Let us also pray that all who receive God’s graces use them wisely to promote both their own salvation and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

20 Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And as for you, Capernaum: Praise of the Father ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.�

my reflections

think: Let us also pray that all who receive God’s graces use them wisely to promote both their own salvation and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

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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 Isaiah 13-14

tnx mama kers, :pray:

JULY 18, 2007
WEDNESDAY


Dear Friends,

His light is shining on you this Wednesday.

Praying for you,

Kerstinne25

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DELIVERED

So the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them. – Exodus 3:9

December 11, 2005 was a red letter day for the Light of Jesus Community members. This was D-Day for the LOJ-Anawim-Gawad Kalinga project. As early as 7:00 in the morning, people kept coming to assemble at the covered court in Montalban for instructions before proceeding to the houses assigned to them. Their task: to install the front and back awning, finish the construction of the stairs to the loft, and paint the outside walls of the house.

Everyone was excited, though a little ignorant bout handling a paint brush or nailing wood, but the enthusiasm and sincerity was clearly evident.

As I went inside one of the houses, the resident, a pregnant woman with a one-yearold kid, started telling me how grateful her family was for being one of those chosen to resettle in this place. She used to dread the sound of the rain because of the rushing water that would rise up to 10 feet every time there was a storm in the city. As soon as she heard it, they would have to evacuate to the second floor and sometimes remain there for three days.

Yes, December 11, 2005 was the day God brought His people out of Egypt. Chelle C.

REFLECTION:

What miracle has the Lord performed in your life today?

Every day, You deliver me from Egypt. Help me to remember this truth.

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“HIDE-AND-SEEK� WITH GOD

If yesterday we saw the lack of faith of three towns of Galilee, today’s Gospel instead is a tender contrast: we have the humble faith of the little ones in God’s Kingdom.

This brings to my mind a simple cartoon of many years ago, wherein several theologians and religious experts (recognizable in their clerical garb) are depicted as frantically searching around, while Jesus was simply in a corner with two kids, gesturing to them to keep quiet about their whereabouts.

Actually the “learned� and the “clever� whom Jesus refers to are those who are already closed in their views about God and the world, unwilling to change them and to learn something new. They are convinced that they already know everything about God, that they possess the true doctrine.

They seem to forget that no one ever possesses the truth, because it is really the other way around: it is always the truth which possesses us. That is why the only thing that matters is that we surrender to God.

In this game of “hide-and-seek� with God, therefore, the real winner turns out to be the one who is “caught� by Him, not the one who has hidden himself very well by locking himself up in his own views. Let us allow ourselves to be “caught� by God — indeed, we can be among those “to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.� Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you allowing God to catch you?

My thoughts and self I bare to You. I no longer wish to hide from Your mercy and love.

St. Camillus de Lellis, pray for us.
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1st READING

P S A L M

The burning bush is perhaps one of the most famous epiphanies of the Bible. God appears to Moses and tells him He has a task for him to do. It must have been a pretty disturbing sort of experience – a bush blazing away and not getting consumed by the fire. In a way this is reminiscent of God’s love – the way it blazes in our hearts and only consumes the sin and leaves the rest of us purified and holy.

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12

1 Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. 3 So Moses decided, “I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned.� 4 When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!� He answered, “Here I am.� 5 God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father,� he continued, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.� Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 9 “The cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have truly notedthat the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.� 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?� 12 He answered, “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain.�

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) 3 He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. 4 He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. (R) 6 The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. 7 He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 11:25-27

Jesus knows that the heart of His Father is for those who cannot defend or look after themselves. We see this in the Law of Moses where there are laws that provide for widows and orphans from the temple treasury and thus the tithe of the people. Similarly we must see to it that the poor and outcast of society are not left outside the care of the Church Community or we will have failed in our Christian duty to love.

25 At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.�

my reflections

think: We must see to it that the poor and outcast of society are not left outside the care of the Church Community or we will have failed in our Christian duty to love.

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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 Isaiah 15-18

Just wanna share this verse to you, it striked my heart kse lalo na sa tym na doubtful ako..

"God will always give what right to His people who cry to him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them" Luke 18:7

19
July
Thursday

Dear Friends
This Thursday, remember that He knows you and loves you.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

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DEEP ENCOUNTER

“Come to Me….� – Matthew 11:28

“If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength.�

I think I know why Oswald Chambers said that. One of the most fulfilling times in my life is when I would run encounter groups… connecting emotionally and spiritually with broken people like me, people who least know that it is intimacy with God that beckons. They can sense their need for Him, but clouded by concerns about family and work and even vocation, they fail to identify what they are really hungry for.

I experience deep joy when participants of these sessions brighten up with the realization of what they really want. And I am conscious that it is the Spirit of the Lord moving… connecting… and eventually resting in our hearts and minds as we find Him and embrace Him and carry Him with us when we wrap up our sessions and return to our “back home� situation.

In spite of a hectic schedule these encounter weekends usually are on, I always feel energized afterwards. Even in my role as facilitator, I experienced with them the fruits of the spiritual encounter. Cristy G.

REFLECTION:

Do you nourish others’ spirits?

Strengthen me with more than physical strength. Equip me with the energy to spiritually nourish others.

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FAITH: HEAVY OR LIGHT?

Continuing yesterday’s Gospel passage, these verses today complete the message. Who can ever resist such a kindhearted invitation from Jesus? He beckons us to come to him, we indeed who “are weary and find life burdensome.� Furthermore, He instructs us to take His yoke upon our shoulders, and learn from Him. The prize for all this is, quite simply, a consoling rest.

Nil Guillemette’s explanation for this is both instructive and insightful: “The gentle yoke of Christ refers to the demands of Christian faith, of Christian duty: practicing the evangelical ethics of the Sermon on the Mount, faithfully obeying the decisions of the Church, accepting sickness and old age and death. This burden, far from weighing us down, gives our life its true meaning. Like the wings of a bird, our burden carries us whereas we thought we were carrying it� (A Kingdom for All ).

St. Augustine put it in another way: “Where there is love, there is no toil; or if there is toil, the toil is loved.� And so we ask, how “heavy� is the Faith for us now?

We have reason to wonder in case it is so. Perhaps we haven’t yet heeded Jesus’ invitation to us. What are we waiting for, then? Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How “heavy� is the Faith for us now?

Thank You for the rest You provide.

Sts. Justa &Rufina, virgins and martyrs, pray for us.

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1st READING

Exodus 3:11-20

God reveals His name to Moses, a name destined never to be uttered by the Jews out of respect for its holiness. Whenever the Jews come across the word for YHWH in their Scriptures they always substitute “The Lord� for it. Even some Christian scholars do the same out of respect for the Jewish faith. However, as Christians we believe that one of the results of salvation is that we have come to know God in a new way that allows us to use His name.

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?� 12 He answered, “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship on this very mountain. 13 “But,� said Moses to God, “when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?� 14 God replied, “I am who am.� Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites I AM sent me to you.� 15 God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. ‘This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations.’ 16 Go and assemble the elders of the Israelites, and tell them The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me and said I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; 17 so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three days’ journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God. 19 Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. 20 I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away.�

P S A L M

Psalm 105:1, 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27

R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (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) 24 He greatly increased his people and made them stronger their foes, 25 whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people, and dealt deceitfully with his servants. (R) 26 He sent Moses his servant; Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They wrought his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus tells us the yoke he offers is light and easy to bear, unlike the one of the Pharisees derived from a misinterpretation or misapplication of the Law. It is important for us to know that God does not want our faith to be a burden to us – it ought to be something that gives life and not trouble or depression. Let us open our hearts to Jesus and embrace the call He places upon our lives because we can be sure that it is the way of life for us.

28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.�

my reflections

think: God does not want our faith to be a burden to us

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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 Isaiah 19-22

wow ang taas2 nmn hehehe.... bsta lhat ng msg nya mabuti...;) kya lng may mga taong hnd xa nakikilala.,., pano kya ung mga taong un.... bsta god bless n lng s lhat

JULY 20, 2007
FRIDAY

Dear FRIENDS,
This Friday, work with Him at your side.

Praying for you,

KERSTINNE25

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COMPASSION VS. CORRECTION

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.� – Matthew 12:7

A young lady was venting out to her group of friends about how frustrating life had been for her and that she had stopped praying and was now angry with God. One of her friends suddenly blurted out and said, “Stop fretting. Those are evil thoughts. Grow up, get your act together and go to confession!�

It is astonishing how we find ways to judge one another. We set standards for acceptability and draw lines defining what is good enough and what is not. Thus, we fail to realize that an attitude can be as damaging as an unkind word or a forceful blow.

Sometimes we get too tied up in all sorts of technical religious issues that keep us from prioritizing the things that are on the Lord’s heart – that of reaching out with love. It is not just criticism that drags people down, it is also the force of judgment behind it.

Consideration and compassion are important Christian qualities. God does not want anyone to force their will on anyone else because God desires mercy and not harsh accusations. Jane G.

REFLECTION:

Are we the first to judge the wrongs of others, or do we reach out to them in love?

Lord, help me to see my brothers and sisters in the way You see them, through the eyes of unconditional love.



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THANK GOD IT’S SUNDAY!

Well, today is actually a Friday. Perhaps we are more accustomed to make the usual exclamation in gratitude for the weekend. But we, for our part, want to be more specific: we are grateful to the Lord most especially for the “sabbath,� for His day, for Sunday.

In our Philippine context, probably the only thing we don’t hold on Sundays are political rallies. For us, the malls and badminton courts are open; it’s a great day for family and friends, for visits and hobbies, for worship in church and recreation in sports.

Hopefully we are able to maintain, in the midst of all these, the primacy or the supremacy of the human person, and of course the primacy or supremacy of God as the “Lord of the sabbath.� This is precisely what Jesus Christ emphasizes, as we see in today’s Gospel episode.

Yes —laws, do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations, and so on: all of these are useful and even essential (can you imagine badminton without the rules?). But let us never forget that all these are at the service of the human person, and not the other way around. It’s a good point for selfexamination, therefore. For instance, is our Sunday recreation truly a “recreation,� in the sense that it relaxes us and restores us in our health? Or do we always end up even more tired and unprepared for the following day (no wonder, the “Monday blues�)? Also, are we already so caught-up in the corporate rat-race, often working overtime, always rushing to beat deadlines (formula for burnout!) — to the point of sacrificing family life and health?

May the Lord serve to prick our consciences. After all, even God rested on the seventh day (so to speak), and of course Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. Surely we can use some time to praise and thank God, to rest and recreate ourselves, most especially on a Sunday. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you keep the Sabbath day holy?

For Sabbath, the day of rest, thank You, Lord.

St. Flavian & Elias, bishop, pray for us.

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1st READING

P S A L M

Moses and Aaron do all they can to convince the Pharaoh to let the people go. God gives them power to work many miracles and yet still Pharaoh is unconvinced of the necessity to relent. The build up in the story is palpable. We can feel the tension rising. What is God going to do now? And then the tension eases a little as we learn about the prescriptions for the Passover Meal. This is the lull before the storm and what a storm it will be!

Exodus 11:10—12:14

10 Although Moses and Aaron performed these various wonders in Pharaoh’s presence, the LORD made Pharaoh obstinate, and he would not let the Israelites leave his land. 12: 1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. 4 If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. 5 The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. 7 They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. 8 That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 It shall not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole, with its head and shanks and inner organs. 10 None of it must be kept beyond the next morning; whatever is left over in the morning shall be burned up. 11 This is how you are to eat: eat it with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. 12 For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every first-born of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt — I, the LORD! 13 But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructiveblow will come upon you. 14 This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.�

Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

R: I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.

12 How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? 13 The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. (R) 15 Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. 16 I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. (R) 17 To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus will not bow down to rules that make no sense. The Sabbath is made for the people, namely to remind them of their religious obligations to God, not the people for the Sabbath. How silly can we get to deprive hungry people of food just because it is the wrong day to harvest food. Let us be sensible in the way that we follow the laws of God so that they are placed in the service of people and not the other way around.

1 Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.� 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, 4 how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? 6 I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.�

my reflections



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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 Isaiah 23-25

think: Let us be sensible in the way that we follow the laws of God so that they are placed in the service of people and not the other way around.

Dear friends,
Be filled with God?s joy this Saturday.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25
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21 JULY 2007
Saturday

REMEMBERING EGYPT
The time the Israelites had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. – Exodus 12:40

Do you remember the time when… … you stayed till the end of a drinking party because you were too shy to walk out since the person who invited you was an important client?

… you stuck it out with a boyfriend whotreated you like dirt because it was better to have a boyfriend than to be looked upon with pity as a single girl?

… you allowed yourself to get into creditcard debt because you wanted others to think you were richer than you really were?

The Israelites are not alone in getting stuckin Egypt. We are just as culpable. What keeps us in Egypt isn’t Egypt. It’s our motivations. Our comfort zones. Our self talk and failure to love ourselves the way God loves us.

What kind of Egypt are you rotting in right now? Get out.Let Him lead you. Victoria L.

REFLECTION:

What kind of Egypt are you rotting in right now? Get out. Let Him lead you.

Take me out of this place where I am stuck. I wish to grow and follow Your light.

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JESUS’ NON-VIOLENT STAND

The main bulk of today’s Gospel reading is a passage from the prophetIsaiah. It is a description of the Suffering Servant, which Matthew now applies to Jesus. One verse is particularly telling (with its details concerning vocabulary): “He will not contend or cry out, nor will His voice be heard in the streets.�

Some English translations have the word “brawl� instead of “contend,�and then the Greek word for what we have as “cry out� actually refers to the barking of dogs, or the loud voice of a drunken man, or the uproar of a mob. We are being told that Jesus is not going to do anything at all like these instances (brawling, or barking, or shouting). On the other hand, in a total contrast to Jesus’ meekness and kindness, the Pharisees instead “began to plot against Jesus to find a way to destroy him.�

In the midst of today’s violence, factionalism, and civil strife, we certainly have a lesson here. Jesus Christ’s non-violent stand, with its passive and radical position, sends a very strong message for us. There is hope in this, contrary to what is usually perceived as signs of weakness or disadvantage. While many nowadays would not hesitate to use brute force and savagery in order to advance their causes, Jesus’ option is a clear one which challenges us. Yes, he might have to withdraw from the public eye and to remain on a low profile. That, in any case, is really the way of our Lord. But hopefully we will not be so evil as to actually “plot� against Jesus by means of our un-Christian motives and methods. Whether it be in school, office, factory, home, or marketplace, let us be ready to stand fast for our Faith, even if it means a disadvantaged position for us. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you promote peace?

Let Your peace reign!

St. Wastrada, widow, pray for us.

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1st READING

God is about to deliver something in the order of probably more than two million people from slavery in Egypt. This is an enormous number of people. I do not know if it is possible that the Israelites would have numbered such around 1220 BCE. Numbers aside, it is truly a deliverance worth remembering and celebrating as the Jews still do today. It is still seen as a definitive moment in their history just as we Christians remember our deliverance from sin at the hands of Jesus.

Exodus 12:37-42

37 The Israelites set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children. 38 A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them, besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds. 39 Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened, they baked it into unleavened loaves. They had been rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity even to prepare food for the journey. 40 The time the Israelites had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date. 42 This was a night of vigil for the LORD, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the Israelites must keep a vigil for the LORD throughout their generations.

P S A L M

Psalm 136: 1, 23-24, 10-12, 13-15

R: His mercy endures forever.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; 23 who remembered us in our abjection, for his mercy endures forever; 24 and freed us from our foes, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 10 Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born, for his mercy endures forever; 11 and brought out Israel from their midst, for his mercy endures forever; 12 with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever. (R) 13 Who split the Red Sea in twain, for his mercy endures forever; 14 and led Israel through its midst, for hismercy endures forever; 15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for his mercy endures forever. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 12:14-21

From deliverance in Egypt to plots against Jesus; from one defining moment to the premonition of another. Jesus’ life and death will define our existence and being Christians in a greater way than the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt. The effect of the cross will change human history for all people and all time. It marks a new era of God’s grace.

14 The Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. 15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many [people] followed him, and he cured them all, 16 but he warned them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. 21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.�

my reflections

think: The effect of the cross will change human history for all people and all time. It marks a new era of God’s grace.

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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 Isaiah 26-28

Dear Friends,
God has a great plan for your life, including this Tuesday.

Praying for you,
Kerstinne25

JULY 24, 2007
TUESDAY

HOW TO SELL A MILLION BOOKS

“When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land ...� – Exodus 14:21-22

“The last thing the world needs is another self improvement manual.� This was what the publishers told Andrew Matthews, an Australian author, when he took the manuscript of his first book “Being Happy�. No publisher wanted his book. For one and a half years, all he got were rejections and sarcastic remarks until he found Media Masters, a publisher in Singapore.

Media Masters told him that the book market is extremely competitive and that the media have little interest in unknown authors.

They developed a strategy to get the people’s attention and penetrate the local market. The strategy worked and the book hit the bestseller list. Then they took the book to the international market.

When people asked Andrew, “What did you do to sell a million books?� His reply was, “I flew a million miles, gave five hundr ed speeches, a thousand interviews – and lost my baggage 23 times!� There are times when we are in difficult situations and we see no way out. But we need not lose hope for God can open up a way for us. Judith C.

REFLECTION:

What Red Sea do you need God to part for you?

Thank You, Lord, for making the impossible possible.

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A SPIRITUAL KINSHIP WITH JESUS



“God became man so that man might become God.� This very terse summary of the mystery of the Incarnation highlights the great “exchange gift� between us and God. In a similar vein, Nil Guillemette comments on today’s Gospel passage: “If Jesus was born of a mother and ent