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God's Message For You Today

28 September
Tuesday

BIG PROBLEMS?

“After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.” – Job 3:1

The story of Job puts me to shame. Here was a man blessed with power, wealth and a good family. He was considered the greatest man among the people of the East until Satan played a cruel joke on him. To test his faith, everything was taken away from him and he was reduced to extreme misery. But not once, even at the prodding of his wife, did he accuse God for doing him wrong.
I recall the period in my life when my marriage disintegrated, I became a single mom, lost my job and was in court fighting for custody and labor cases. To cap it all, Mommy, who was my anchor, died of cancer. “Why me?” I asked. I led an obedient and upright life. I didn’t deserve this fate! I was angry and lost. I abandoned the Church. My faith was tested and I caved in. Shame on me. To think that my experiences didn’t even come close to what Job went through. And it’s not even a fraction of what others go through.
Now I’m back and I’m stronger. And whenever hard times come, I remember Job. Who am I to complain?Marie Franco ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Big problems? I have a bigger God!

To those who are troubled and thinking of ending their life, Lord, fill their hearts with Your loving presence. Let them turn to You.

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1st READING

Job has a way of putting his predicament that is very illuminating of his inner struggle. Job’s cry makes it clear that he is all but desolate; there is nothing left for him to cling to but God. And ultimately this is the lesson that the story of Job teaches us. The ways of God and the nature of evil are ultimately beyond our understanding. What we can cling to without doubt is the love and mercy of our God. This is what we must do no matter how bad the circumstances of our lives become.

Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
1 Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. 2 Job spoke out and said: 3 Perish the day on which I was born, the night when they said, “The child is a boy!” 11 Why did I not perish at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? 12 [16] Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth, like babes that have never seen the light? 13 [12] Wherefore did the knees receive me? or why did I suck at the breasts? 14 [13] For then I should have lain down and been tranquil; had I slept, I should then have been at rest 15 [14] With kings and counselors of the earth who built where now there are ruins 16 [15] Or with princes who had gold and filled their houses with silver. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. 20 Why is light given to the toilers, and life to the bitter in spirit? 21 They wait for death and it comes not; they search for it rather than for hidden treasures, 22 rejoice in it exultingly, and are glad when they reach the grave 23 men whose path is hidden from them, and whom God has hemmed in!

P S A L M

Psalm 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
R: Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
1 [2] O LORD, my God, by day I cry out; at night I clamor in your presence. 2 [3] Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my call for help. (R) 3 [4] For my soul is surfeited with troubles and my life draws near to the nether world. 4 [5] I am numbered with those who go down into the pit; I am a man without strength. (R) 5 [6] My couch is among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no longer and who are cut off from your care. (R) 6 [7] You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into the dark abyss. 7 [8] Upon me your wrath lies heavy, and with all your billows you overwhelm me. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus has a mission and we read about the seriousness with which He takes His mission today. Jesus sets His eyes on the road to Jerusalem and starts walking. To understand the significance of this text we need to know that Jerusalem is seen as the place of the persecution of the prophets. In other words, Jesus knows that He will die in Jerusalem, but this fact does not stop Him from proceeding there. Herein lies the example for all who desire to be a disciple of Jesus: the will of God is more important than any of the consequences for following it.

Luke 9:51-56
51 When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, 52 and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, 53 but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” 55 Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they journeyed to another village.

my reflections
t h i n k : What we can cling to without doubt is the love and mercy of God, no matter how bad the circumstances of our lives become.

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I am a Hero

If you drive along EDSA, I’m sure you notice the countless humongous billboards that assault our senses on a daily basis. I’m sure you notice, too, that almost all of these billboards bear the familiar faces of famous personalities that also daily assault our senses through TV, movies and print.
One time as I was driving, I was intrigued by this billboard that showed a very unfamiliar face adorned with a very familiar pair of eyeglasses. The ad showed an anonymous face wearing the famous Ninoy Aquino eyeglasses. At the bottom of the ad it says, “I am Ninoy.” It means every anonymous citizen can make a difference. Every anonymous, common man or woman is called to make a difference. I smiled when I saw that ad. It was a refreshing change in the midst of our celebrity-worshipping culture.
I may sound like a total borecbut come to think of it, we don’t really need celebrities. We already have an oversupply of them. What we need are heroes. And heroes are not celebrities. In fact, heroes do not want to be celebrities. Their “celebrity” status is only a byproduct of their noble pursuits. If Ninoy is now a “celebrity,” it is only because he is first and foremost a hero.
Today, we celebrate the feast of the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz and his companion martyrs. His blood nourished the Christian faith in Japan where he was martyred. He was a common man, an anonymous man who became a hero. He did not want to be a celebrity. He was not a celebrity. But he made a difference. I’m sorry to contradict Tina Turner but “we DO need another hero,” not another celebrity.Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:
When was the last time you did a noble thing in anonymity? How did it make you feel?

Lord Jesus, I dedicate myself today to be “light of the world and salt of the earth.” Help me discover the many little ways I can live up to this Your challenge. Amen.

St. Wenceslaus, pray for us.
 
29 September

Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, archangels

Do you believe in angels?

Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. – Revelation 12:7

This was exactly what Jaime, the man who delivered my Wheeler’s Club membership card, asked me. This is his story.
Jaime dreamed of a barefoot creature with wings beckoning to him. This image never left his mind so he wondered what his dream meant. Until one day, as he was about to cross the street, he was almost hit by a speeding car. He could not explain it but he felt a hand holding the back of his shirt and abruptly pulling him back to the sidewalk. The image of the creature in his dream flashed in his mind. A few weeks later, while working in a construction site, he lost his balance and fell off the building. He could not understand how he landed in a wooden plank just a few feet from where he fell off, which certainly saved him from hitting the steel bars underneath. It then dawned on him that it was his guardian angel, protecting him from harm.
Jaime believes that God has sent us angels, not only to protect us from harm but also to guide us to the right path that leads to Him.Bay Cabrera ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
God has entrusted us to our guardian angels to guide and guard us. Our fellow human beings may also stand as our guardian angels. Do we see God’s guiding hands in the people we meet?

Lord, help us to see Your guiding hands in our daily encounter with our fellowmen, who give flesh to our guardian angels here on earth.

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1st READING

The angels, not even the Archangels, would want the focus to be shifted off the Lord and onto them. They are God’s messengers and are quite happy performing their tasks. Let us respect this and call upon their intercession and aid in the battle to be free of sin and to serve God. This is how they can help us best.

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (or Revelation 12:7-12a)
9 As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. 10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. 13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, 14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

P S A L M

Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
R: In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 4 All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth; 5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD: “Great is the glory of the LORD.” (R)

G O S P E L

The realm of the spiritual is very mysterious. Exactly how God gives directions to His servants is not really known. These words of Jesus serve only to assure us that God is in control and that nothing will escape His attention. Let us ask Him for a deeper trust in His provident care of us. Let us be like the apostles by following wherever Jesus leads us.

John 1:47-51
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

my reflections
t h in k : Let us be like the apostles by following wherever Jesus leads us.

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To believe is to See

At Mass we usually recite the Apostles’ Creed. There is another version of the same creed and it is called the Nicene Creed. This is much longer and much more precise. At the beginning of that Creed we say, “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of all things seen and unseen.” We know that man enjoys a unique place within the sphere of creation: with his body he belongs to the visible world, to what is seen. To the unseen, according to the Creed which the Church professes in the light of Revelation, belong other beings, purely spiritual, therefore not proper to the visible world even though present and working therein. The Catechism teaches us that the angels belong to such sphere.
Today, I would like to dwell not so much on the reality of angels as on the tendency of modern man to deny, ignore and consider irrelevant things that are unseen. The existence of spiritual beings, which Sacred Scripture usually calls “angels,” was denied already in Christ’s time by the Sadducees (see Acts 23:8). Today it is denied by materialists and rationalists but, as a modern theologian rightly observes, “if one wishes to get rid of the angels, one must radically revise Sacred Scripture itself, and with it the whole history of salvation.”
We will miss out on a lot of things if we become too visually-oriented. A wise spiritual writer puts it, “Not all things that can be counted truly count. And the things that truly count cannot be counted.” Well said. To this may I add: the best things in life are not things. Enough said. Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:
“From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united to God.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 336. How would you characterize your basic approach in life? Are you missing out on the things that truly count because you search only for those things that can be counted?

Let us pray that the angels may guide us to value the unseen dimensions of our life as we say, “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

St. Gabriella, pray for us.
 
30 September
Thursday

MY LIFE AS A TOOL

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” – Luke 10:2

Our country is the only Catholic nation in Asia. We, Filipino Catholics, number so many, our voices can be heard in the whole region if we sang all together simultaneously! In my town’s parish church alone in Las Piñas City, it’s humbling to witness hundreds of parishioners turn out at each service, filling the structure up to the balcony.
However, it’s sad to note that many Catholics do not adhere to true Christian values. While our chuches are full on Sundays, many more lack the understanding of why it’s a must to hear Mass and go to confession. Even “practicing” Catholics do not heed our Church’s teaching on adultery and fornication. This reality mandates a call for all “servants of Jesus” to reach out and do the part of the workers in the fields, in the most meaningful way.
My take on that challenge is this: The simple testimony of how much God is at work in my life can speak heaps more than any verbal explanation. I decided that since I work for Jesus, my life must be a sharp and sturdy “tool” I can use to cultivate the soil so that others may grow and bear fruit from it. Eugene Cailao ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What talent or skills do I possess, which I may use to impact my community in accordance to Your will for me, Lord?

Father God, grant me the grace to glorify You with my life, that I may be an able servant to my community. Amen.

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1st READING

Job finds that his friends are of little or no comfort to him and all that he can turn to with certainty is God. This is the truth we must embrace in order to be saved — an utter dependence upon the mercy and love of God. It is only in traveling this journey that we will arrive at the truth of our helplessness in the face of sin and the lifeline of faith that is thrown to us by Jesus.

Job 19:21-27
21 Job said: Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! 22 Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me? 23 Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record 24 That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; 26 [27] whom I myself shall see my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.

P S A L M

Psalm 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
R: I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

7 Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. 8 Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks. (R) Your presence, O LORD, I seek. 9 Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off. (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 stout-hearted, and wait for the LORD. (R)

G O S P E L
St. Jerome had an inspiring love for the Scriptures. Much of the Latin Vulgate translation is attributed to his work as are numerous commentaries on various books of the Bible. If we had half the love for the Word of God as he had, we would not even need a Bible; we would know it all by heart. Maybe that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but I do not think it is too far from the truth. We all need to spend more time reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures.

Luke 10:1-12
1 Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples 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.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Our friends are of little or no comfort to us and all that we can turn to with certainty is God.

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Friends in the Lord

It is interesting to note in our Gospel today that Jesus appointed a further 72 to help the apostles preach the Kingdom of God. The Gospel also says that Jesus sent them out in pairs. They were not to be lone rangers. They are to be team players.
Having a friend and companion is important in life. In the spiritual life, having a co-journeyer is a necessity too. The practice, for example, of having a spiritual director is an assurance that I can monitor my spiritual growth with someone other than myself. Catholic communities would have mentors, shepherds, elders who journey with particular individuals in their spiritual life. An important criterion however in the choice of having a co-journeyer is the latter’s capacity for objectivity, to see and evaluate things without subjectivity, i.e., without the color of emotional attachments.
For several years in the seminary and even after I have been a priest, I have had a spiritual director. My spiritual director is not necessarily my best friend but I love speaking with him because I know he can be objective. I know he will not tolerate or water down my faults for the sake of not ruining our “friendship.” When I meet him, I know I have to be accountable. He is my accountability partner.
The Gospel did not say the 72 grouped themselves into pairs. If this were the case, we could easily surmise that they would have chosen their best buddies. The Gospel says, it was Jesus who sent them out in pairs. I could almost see a sense of objectivity here. Could it be that Jesus sent them in pairs not only as a support but also as an accountability partner? They are called to support one another. They are to affirm one another in their successes. But they are to be accountable to one another, too.Fr. Joel O. Jason

Reflection Question:
Besides friends and buddies, do you have people in your life who you can consider to be accountability partners? Can you go beyond friendship and criticize an erring friend?

Lord, I thank You for the gift of friends. Surround me with friends that will comfort me when I am disturbed but will also “disturb” me when I have become too comfortable. May I also be that kind of friend. Amen.

St. Gregory the Enlightener, pray for us.
 
1 October
Friday


SHOW IT OR COVER IT?

…which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness… – Job 38:19

One day, I went to Mass, looked at the altar, and smiled. The priest was as bald as my son’s marbles. Next to him was his sacristan. He, too, was bald but you won’t notice because he wore a toupee. I whispered to my wife, “In front of you is a vision of my future. What do you want — option A or option B? Option A is show it off in all its glorious splendor. Or option B: cover it up.”
She giggled and slapped me. “Shhh! Attend Mass!” But I really was attending Mass. The Eucharist is the center of our faith — but when you think about it, it’s a celebration of the greatest defeat — Jesus hanging dead on a cross. Our faith doesn’t hide our blackest spot. Instead, it throws a party.
Life is always a choice between exposing our weakness or covering it up, going into the light or remaining in darkness. And only those who have accepted their own humanness can expose it to others. People who haven’t accepted their brokenness will always cover it up.
It is only when you celebrate your limits and expose your brokenness do you also open yourself to your own healing. The choice is yours.Bo Sanchez ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Are you still trying to hide something? Celebrate it and open yourself to healing.

Lord, grant me the courage to accept my woundedness, to be open about it, so that Your healing power can take place in me.

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1st READING

God asks Job what he has achieved on his own effort without any help in his life. The honest answer to this question is: nothing but sin. And that answer is just as true for you and me as it is for Job. We have no right to question God’s role in our lives; we ought simply to be thankful, for His mercy and love — whatever way God chooses to bring them to us.

Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
1 The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: 12 Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place 13 for taking hold of the ends of the earth, till the wicked are shaken from its surface? 14 The earth is changed as is clay by the seal, and dyed as though it were a garment; 15 but from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered. 16 Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? 17 Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? 18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all 19 which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, 20 that you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? 21 You know, because you were born before them, and the number of your years is great! 40: 3 Then Job answered the LORD and said: 4 Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5 Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more.

P S A L M
Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R: Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
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) 7 Where can I go from your spirit? from your presence where can I flee? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. (R) 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast. (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)

G O S P E L

The supreme act of ingratitude would be failure to recognize and thank God for the gift of salvation won for us through the death of His Son. Unfortunately there are many people who both refuse to listen to and/or accept the gift of salvation. This saddens the heart of God and makes all the more urgent the proclamation of the Gospel in power so that people may be brought to their senses.

Luke 10:13-16
13 Jesus said to them, “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, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’” 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

my reflections
think: 4- The supreme act of ingratitude would be failure to recognize and thank God for the gift of salvation won for us through the death of His son.

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Simplicity is Perfection

We celebrate today the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus whose following was considered one of the most impressive and significant religious phenomena of contemporary times. She was known for her “little way” (i.e. disposing her duties with perfection no matter how small they were). In our present times, she would be a perfect advocate for Pondo Ng Pinoy, which promotes that no matter how small an action may be, as long as it is good and made a habit, it will lead to salvation and perfection.
That was not the case with the Galilean towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida. Jesus lamented their blindness to and rejection of the words He spoke before them and the miracles He worked. Those words and deeds were more than enough for them to recognize His power, authority and person. And yet, their appreciation of Him was limited to marveling on the newness and radicality of His Word, and the spectacle of His miracles. They failed to understand and accept the full importance of His ministry. Their expectation for the spectacular made them miss the simple and true. This attitude is prevalent in most of us. But St. Therese gave us a very good example of the beauty and effectiveness of simplicity. She discovered the “little way.” By doing little good deeds, we are perfecting ourselves, whether it is mopping the floor, washing the dishes, cooking, sewing, cleaning etc. The Lord Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of your brothers, you do unto Me!” For the world, small things may be small, but for God, everything you do is big!
The Good News is that salvation is attained by doing simple good deeds; that perfection is attained by having small, holy successes; that eternal life is reached through a series of obedience to God.
Forget about perfection, if you will. But always do good things as best as you can. Before you know it, perfection is attained. Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
What were the small, good things that you had done in your life? What were the small, good things that had been done to you by others? Do you value them as God values them?

Lord, may we always take joy in doing little good deeds that glorify You. May we never forget to value the good deeds done to us by our neighbors.

St. Ralph Crockett, pray for us.
 
2 October
Saturday

Memorial of the Guardian Angels

LIKE CAIRO

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3-4

His name is Cairo. He was a six-year-old who played the role of Joseph’s son in the Trumpets Production Joseph the Dreamer in 2006 at Megamall.
Once, I asked Cairo for a massage. My co-cast members were joshing me that I should pay him for it. Then my friend pulled out a P100 bill from my wallet. However, I was hesitant to give it to Cairo because I wasn’t sure if his parents would approve. So I said, “No. Cairo loves me. I don’t need to pay him.”
Later on, I saw him looking and playing with a P100. My friend pulled it out of my wallet and gave it to him. Or so I thought. I asked Cairo if he got the P100 from my friend. But before he could answer me, I seized it from him. Upon putting it in my wallet, I saw my P100 still there. I asked Cairo, “Where did your P100 come from?”
He answered, “My dad gave it to me this morning.” Oops. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked him. His answer floored me: “I thought you needed it.”
Sigh… to be like a child, indeed. God, make me like Cairo.George Tolentino Gabriel ([email protected])

REFLECTIONS:
What childlike qualities have you lost and wish to regain?

Lord, make me like a child today.

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1st READING

Guardian angels have been a part of Catholic piety for centuries. We see the basis for belief in them in this text and others from the Scriptures. It is reasonable to assume that God blesses us with an angel to help take care of us. Perhaps God sees it as a type of insurance policy that He gives us to demonstrate His love for us.

Exodus 23:20-23 (or Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17)
20 Thus says the LORD: “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. 22 If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23 “My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.

P S A L M

Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4ab, 4c-6, 10-11 (or Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130)

R: The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 3 For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler, from the destroying pestilence. 4 With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you shall take refuge. (R) His faithfulness is a buckler and a shield. 5 You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day; 6 not the pestilence that roams in darkness nor the devastating plague at noon. (R) 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, 11 for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. (R)

G O S P E L

Just as a little child has the innocence and purity of an angel — this is how our faith is supposed to be. We need to have a faith in God that embraces Him with the innocence and trust of a child. This is the way the angels in heaven respond to their mission to protect and guard us from the snares of the enemy. Hopefully we listen to their words of guidance.

Matthew 18:1-5, 10 (or Luke 10:17-24)
1 The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child over, placed it in their midst, 3 and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

my reflections
think: We need to have a faith that embraces God with the innocence and trust of a child.

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Guardian Angels

One late night, when I was still a seminarian doing my summer apostolate in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, I accompanied the parish priest to a remote place in the parish. While we were navigating the highway, we saw some broken pieces of glass. A car accident had just happened but there were no cars in sight. We decided to stop and look around.
Suddenly, we heard children crying and people moaning in pain. The jeep they were riding turned turtle from the main road to the rice field on the side of the road. We went to them and saw that the adult passengers were either unconscious or crying in pain. The children, about three of them, were lying on the ground near the jeep crying but were miraculously unhurt. We called for help and they were all brought to a nearby hospital. It was startling to see that the children were all right. No one, much more a child, could have escaped that accident unhurt. We could not believe it. In the end, we both attributed it to the children’s guardian angels. By faith we believe that God assigned to each of us a guardian angel. They are spirits serving as messengers of God. They are God’s presence to us. By presence we mean that God communicates Himself to us and makes His presence felt. Because of angels, we are never alone. They save children from accidents, guide adults in determining what is right and wrong, help us discern where the Spirit leads, allay our fears in the face of danger, give us courage against a spiritual challenge, etcetera.
At every moment in our lives, we must remember that we have angels ready to guide us. They have been working for us since we were born. They will continue to work for us until we die.
On this feast day of the Guardian Angels, let us not only remember their presence but renew our belief and commitment to them. Our Catholic prayer is very appropriate on this occasion: Angel of God,My guardian dear, To whom God’s love Commits me here, Ever this day, Be at my side To light and guard, To rule and guide. Amen!Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
When was the last time you felt God’s care through the presence of your guardian angel? How do you express your recognition of God’s messenger to you? Do you receive their guidance as direct guidance from God?

Guardian Angel, thank you for guiding and protecting me as I journey through this life.

St. Theophilus, pray for us.
 
3 October
Sunday

mustar d seed faith

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” – Luke 17:6

Gloria cried when her American doctor-fiancé returned to the States after finishing his studies in the Philippines. But he promised her that as soon as he lands, he’d file his petition to claim her and her six-year-old son by another man.
Months passed without a word from John. Gloria didn’t stop praying. Six months later, she received a call from the US embassy informing her that the petition for her and her son was approved. All she had to do was to report to their office and sign some papers.
Fifteen years into her married life with John, and having a 14-year-old daughter with him, I visited her in her beautiful home in California. Very honestly, she spoke of the doubts she had that time when John left her, but after a while, she corrected herself and declared that God had given her John, so that she may live a new life with him and their children.
Gloria shared how life for her was a constant day-to-day bliss since the time she left the Philippines to the present. Her husband loves her and her two children, providing for them well. She couldn’t ask for more.
Gloria had faith as big as a mustard seed. Chelle Crisanto ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Is there something in your life right now that’s calling you to a deeper faith?

Lord, help me to trust that You are at work in every area of my life, even if I sometimes don’t see Your hands.

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1st READING

God assures Habbakuk and then Habbakuk assures the people that God sees what is going on and that justice will be forthcoming. He reminds the people to reflect upon the vision that they have for their lives as the Chosen People of God. This is because herein lies the measure of God’s judgment — namely, that we will be judged according to our willingness to take up our responsibilities as His sons and daughters. The same is true today as it was 2,500 years ago.

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
2 How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene. 3 Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. 2: 2 Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. 3 For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. 4 The rash man has no integrity; but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.

P S A L M

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)
R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalm to him. (R) 6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (R)

2nd READING

Use the gifts God has given you to build up the Kingdom of God. Never be afraid to do this because this is our calling as disciples of Jesus. Look to the traditions established by the Church and follow the wisdom they contain and you will not be disappointed. The message of the Gospel never changes; all we have to do is adapt it to the culture of the present age without compromising its message.

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
6 Beloved: I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. 8 So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 13 Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

G O S P E L
When Jesus tells His apostles that it is not the size of their faith that matters — faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains — what He is really saying is that it is the quality of our faith that counts. Do we really trust in God for all that we need or are we still self-sufficient in many things? Are our lives truly given over to the will of God or do we still insist on our own will? The answers you give to questions like these will indicate the depth or quality of your faith. Let us seek to grow in depth, not size.

Luke 17:5-10
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 8 Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? 9 Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’ ”

my reflections
t h i n k : I t is the quality of our faith that counts.

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Call of Duty

Today’s Gospel gives us a deeper understanding of God and our service to Him. Commonly, when we do something for somebody, we expect something in return. That somebody owes us. We call it “utang na loob.”
It is a very powerful position against somebody. Unless what we did was part of our responsibility and duty to the other. In that case, the other does not owe us anything at all.
After asking the servant to serve him, the master did not owe the servant anything because the servant just did his job. At most, that servant should just tell himself that he was an unprofitable servant because he only did what was expected of him.
We should see public servants in the same way; they should see themselves in the same way. When they were elected into office, they were expected to fulfill the responsibilities and duties to the people. Unfortunately, many of them make it seem that the people owe them for the services they have rendered.
There is nothing we can do that God will owe us for. No matter how great the deeds are, intended even for God, we can’t do more than what is expected of us. Remember that the very life that we have, which is the source of everything we possess, came from Him. Therefore, when we have fulfilled our duties, all we can say to God is that we have been unprofitable. We simply did what we were expected to do.
This is very relevant to those who think that God owes them because they prayed, sacrificed, fasted, did acts of charity, forgave, understood, exercised patience and even offered their lives for Him. God is perfect and complete. He does not need anything from us. It is we who need Him.
Humility is about knowing our true place before God: We are His creatures and He is our Creator. He calls and we respond. Everything we are had been formed by Him for a purpose. It is our life to hear the call, live the call, and realize the call. In the end, we may not be profitable, but we would have done what God expects of us. If we had satisfied God’s expectations, who needs profit? Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
With the immense gifts God has given you, do you still ask for favors after you have done what He asks you to do? Do you see those good deeds as services that need reward, or ways of thanking God for what He has already given?

God, teach me to serve You wholeheartedly, without expecting anything in return.

St. Widradus, pray for us.
 
"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." (Proverbs 18:8). Share lang ..
 
20 October
Wednesday

THE INSIDE MAN

…in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in Him. – Ephesians 3:12

I have a friend who happens to be well connected. One time we needed to get a pass into a restricted area in the airport. He immediately volunteered, “I know someone who can get us in.” One phone call and we were granted full access all the way, just like V.I.P.s.
It’s the same when we come before the Father through Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus personally gives us the confidence to enter into His presence and ask for anything in His name.
I believe God offers us all the same blessings. He loves us all equally. What makes the difference is how open we are to receiving them.
And one factor in being open is our believing — our confidence that we deserve the blessings as His children.
When we are confident, we can spread our arms wider and say, “Lord, bless me abundantly!”
But when we don’t know anyone on the inside, we might just settle for a small amount because we feel we’re standing on the outside, unconnected. George Tolentino Gabriel ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do you feel you deserve God’s blessings? Or are you standing on the outside?

Lord, grant me the joy of having a personal relationship with Your Son, Jesus.

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1st READING

The creation of the world rests in the hands of God. We are mere custodians of that creation and to a small degree share in the ongoing work of creation through begetting children and the work and toil of our hands. It is a privilege to share in this work and so we ought to choose carefully the work that we do so that it is always in accord with the values that God desires in His creation. The world has become contaminated with sin and so we must ensure that we act for good and not evil.

Ephesians 3:2-12
2 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. 4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power. 8 To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him.

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

G O S P E L

We are called to be prepared for whatever the Lord may ask us to do. This means that we have to be ready at all times for anything. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the life of the Church. One that we should never rule out as a young single person is that God may be calling us to priestly or religious life. Let us be open to that call and ready
to respond if necessary.

Luke 12:39-48
39 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” 41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Sirach 36-40
my reflections
t h i n k : We are called to be prepared for whatever the Lord may ask us to do.

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With God, We Have Everything

After stressing the need to be vigilant, the Lord continued to speak about the price of vigilance or non-vigilance. Here we find that we cannot take for granted the Lord’s command to anticipate His coming actively. We have so much to do, and our acts — what we have or have not done — have a corresponding consequence.
This is very clear in the Gospel today. Those who knew God’s Will but did not act on it will suffer severely. Those who did not know yet still did things worthy of severe punishment will be given lighter punishments. And those who prepared and responsibly acted on His Will will be fully rewarded. These are good incentives and just arrangements that reflect and prove God’s everlasting love. He does not want us to be left outside the Kingdom. If threatening us would make us vigilant, then so be it.
But vigilance must not be based on reward and punishment. Our relationship with God must rise to the level of a loving relationship — a love of God and obedience to His will that is not based on the graces we will be worthy of receiving. The best servant does not work because of the reward. Instead, he sees his service to His master as its own reward. We must not be content with receiving graces from God because God Himself is Grace. When we have God, we have everything. Being vigilant for the sake of avoiding punishment does not merit us fullness of life; it is merited by an honest and pure love of God regardless of the consequences.
This is very tangible in everyday life. Children relate to their parents on a reward and punishment basis — they obey their parents to get a reward or to avoid punishment. But parents hope that their children would see their reminders and commands as expressions of their love for them.
Jesus saw that if the fear of consequences of being lax and non-vigilant will make us aware of what we will lose, then it is good enough. He also saw that receiving good rewards can inspire us to go back on the right track. But He also hopes that our acts would be based on having a good relationship with God. When we are one with Him, our every act is inspired by the experience of God’s presence.Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
Do you follow God because you are afraid of His punishment? Or is it because you await His reward? Is following Him not enough a reward for you?

Make me see, Lord, that You are all I need. I want to serve You with gladness always.

St. Martha, pray for us.
 
"Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge." (Proverbs 19:25).
 
26 October
Tuesday

YES, DEAR! YES, LORD!

“Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. ” – Ephesians 5:22

I have to be honest, it is much easier to submit to the Lord than to my husband. As I write this reflection, I come to realize why I feel so.
I never considered that God uses my husband to guide me in doing His will. Don’t get me wrong, my husband is a loving person and a wonderful father. But when I have spiritual questions, I always think I can find the answers in other people that I do not know or in situations where others are involved. I often solicit confirmation for my actions from friends and ask for my husband’s views last.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. God has given me a partner in life to fulfil His plans. I should value my husband’s sentiments. Mae Ignacio ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
How often do I put aside my husband’s opinion when I need to make a major decision?

Dear Father, please give me the strength to always stand by my husband.

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1st READING

Obedience to rightfully exercised authority is what we are talking about here. No one has the responsibility to obey abusive authority. There may be a blurred line where people disagree upon how exactly we should define the abuse of authority. So be it, things in life are rarely clean cut all the time. We have to work together as responsible adults in this area to ensure that no individual is abused by anyone and abusers are challenged and reformed.

Ephesians 6:1-9
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise, 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, 6 not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, 8 knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 9 Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14
R: The Lord is faithful in all his words.
10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R)

G O S P E L

We live in a world that does not even believe there is a door to enter the Kingdom of God — it believes we have a right to be there no matter how we live. We know differently. The path to God’s Kingdom is the path of holiness, a path of obedience to the word and will of God for our lives. Unless we are willing to take on this discipline we may well find ourselves separated from the Kingdom of God come Judgment Day.

Luke 13:22-30
22 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrowgate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. 25 After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ 27 Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

my reflections
t h i n k : The path to God’s Kingdom is the path of holiness.
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YESTERDAYS MAKE OUR TOMORROWS!

The parable of the mustard seed may refer to anything, anyone or any situation that credits successes or achievements to simple and tiny beginnings. Here, Jesus was referring to the Church He was building that would journey towards the Kingdom of God. Beginning with the Apostles, He planned to proclaim the Good News to all the world. He likened the Christian community that He was establishing to the tiny mustard seed that has all the potential to grow at an unimaginable size.
Saints are not saints because of one act of martyrdom or charity. No one becomes a martyr overnight. The martyrs, before that critical moment of decision, first lived a good life and developed a faith and love for God. So much so that when the time came, they were led to that decision to offer their lives in faith. Even Mary, the Mother of Jesus, did not say, “Thy will be done!” out of the blue. She was graced by God, but she also disposed herself for that grace. God prepared her for the big moment, but she prepared herself by living her faith.
The stair analogy is very appropriate here. A high staircase is impossible to climb with one big step. It is easiest to climb it if you take one step at a time. The impossible and the difficult may be conquered by small steps, small victories, small deeds or small actions. Life works in the same way. We are able to hurdle difficult moments in our lives because we were triumphant in the small ones. That is why we must welcome little challenges. And when we are able to hurdle small challenges, the big ones look smaller!
The Lord Jesus saw that His Church will encounter a lot of challenges from the enemy. The parable is a reminder to the early Christian community that there is nothing they could not defeat. Not only because the Spirit will be with them, but that they had been gradually fortified by their daily triumphs of faith. The long history of the Catholic Church will show that. For the Church, it was not always laurels and roses. There were also thorns, failures and dark times. There were lots of small and big challenges to a life of faith. But every time, She would rise up in faith. Her destiny is the Kingdom. Jesus made sure it would be so. Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
How do you see the difficult challenges that come your way? Do you see them as obstacles or as stepping stones to the Kingdom of God? Do you prepare yourself to face them victoriously in Christ?

I can never overcome without Your guiding grace, Lord. Help me keep growing in my faith in You.

St. Lucian, pray for us.
 
27 October
Wednesday

GOOD ENOUGH IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Willingly serving the Lord and not human beings . . . – Ephesians 6:7

Excellence is one thing my late friend, Greg Caro, taught me by example. We worked on numerous advertising projects, oftentimes working until the wee hours of the morning. Once, he asked me to listen to the mix of a jingle he was finalizing. Feeling tired after a long day’s work and longing to sleep, I said, “Puwede na ‘yan.” (That’s good enough.) He smiled and told me,“Hindi puwedeng ‘pwede na.’” (Good enough is not good enough.)
His statement has stayed with me to this day. It’s a good reminder that mediocrity can never lead one to excellence.This, among others, should also guide our acts of service — in the workplace, family, community or parish. For what good is service if it is not done wholeheartedly and excellently?
Our God is not a mediocre god. He is perfect. When He blesses us, He doesn’t give us blessings that are just good enough; He gives us the best! Thus, we must also give our best to Him, and serve our fellowmen the way we should serve the Lord.
Strive for excellence in everything that you do, and do it wholeheartedly. Nova Arias ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Was there a time in your life that you didn’t do something excellently? What consequences came out of it?

O God, You are the author of perfection. Fill me with the Holy Spirit that I may do Your work perfectly so that You may be glorified.

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1st READING

Obedience to rightfully exercised authority is what we are talking about here. No one has the responsibility to obey abusive authority. There may be a blurred line where people disagree upon how exactly we should define the abuse of authority. So be it, things in life are rarely clean cut all the time. We have to work together as responsible adults in this area to ensure that no individual is abused by anyone and abusers are challenged and reformed.

Ephesians 6:1-9
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise, 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, 6 not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, 8 knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 9 Masters, act in the same way toward them, and stop bullying, knowing that both they and you have a Master in heaven and that with him there is no partiality.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14
R: The Lord is faithful in all his words.
10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R)

G O S P E L

We live in a world that does not even believe there is a door to enter the Kingdom of God — it believes we have a right to be there no matter how we live. We know differently. The path to God’s Kingdom is the path of holiness, a path of obedience to the word and will of God for our lives. Unless we are willing to take on this discipline we may well find ourselves separated from the Kingdom of God come Judgment Day.

Luke 13:22-30
22 Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. 25 After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ 27 Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

my reflections
t h i n k : The path to God’s Kingdom is the path of holiness.

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God Recognizes The Repentant

The one who asked the Lord regarding how many people will be saved was on the right track. Salvation is anyone’s foremost concern. But he missed the point when he became more concerned about the number of people who would be saved. Jesus did not answer the question. Rather, He dwelt on the more important question: How can one be saved? For indeed, what can the knowledge of our chances of being saved do if we do not know the way to be saved? This will not effect what we want to achieve.
The Lord said that the gate is narrow. The way to salvation is not easy. But if we do right, we can inch our way in no matter how hard it is. Jesus corrected the thinking of some who believed that by being associated with Him, salvation is guaranteed. In our present context, He refers to those who worship on Sundays, do acts of charity, make sacrifices, but are unrepentant. It is incongruent but it is true. There are people who can do pious acts but are internally not in union with God. We have heard of people who gave donations to charities but you wonder where the money came from; people who join religious activities but do not extend them to their families, friends and clients; people who know the Bible well but fail to put it into action with the right intention. The Pharisees were the perfect examples. Jesus called them hypocrites, which means “to act out” or “to play a part.” Particularly, it means “to preach a certain belief but, in fact, not holding those beliefs by oneself.”
The surprise will come when they meet the Lord for judgment. He will not recognize them. He will deny even their origin. To be recognized by Him, we must have a repentant heart. Repentance is the “how” of salvation. When all that we do comes from a sincere and repentant heart, then we have gained the key to the door of the Kingdom. Responding to the grace of humility and repentance is the apple of God’s merciful eyes.
Zacchaeus, Matthew and Peter were all sinners who repented. Judas Iscariot, had he repented instead of hanging himself, could have gained salvation, too. Jesus might have said that the last will be first and the first will be last, but the bottom line is, all who repent will make it.Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
Do you complement your prayers with corresponding actions? Are you sincere in doing good deeds to others or you just do them out of recognition of God’s goodness to you?

Bless me with a contrite heart, O God. I long to be with You in Your Kingdom. May my deeds of goodness come from the sincerity of my heart.

St. Namatius, pray for us.
 
9 November
Tuesday

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

TRIM AND FIT

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16

I felt very awkward trying to follow the fast-paced hiphop dance steps in the exercise video I had committed to in order to stay trim and fit. Meanwhile, the men and women in the video with drool-worthy bodies smiled at me as they sweated their way to even flatter abs and more sculpted bodies.
Of course it’s not wrong to exercise or to keep our bodies trim (otherwise I wouldn’t have made the effort, would I?). The problem is that the world focuses so much on the physical that it has become almost a religion to some. They have replaced the things of the spirit for things that they can see.
Even as we strive to keep our bodies healthy, are we developing our souls as well? Or have we forgotten about it? Do we pray, read the Bible and strive to become more holy? Or are our efforts all geared towards the physical?
As Christians, we need to build up God’s Spirit who lives within us. No earthly glory could ever compare to keeping our souls fit. Joy Sosoban ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“While physical training is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future.” (1 Timothy 4:8)

Keep my spirit healthy, oh Lord.

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1st READING

This ancient text describing the beauty, glory and fruitfulness of the Temple of God is a model for Christianity. Our churches, communities and even each individual is supposed to be a replica of this vision of Ezekiel. We certainly have a lot to live up to. Lord, help us by Your grace to be living witnesses of Your beauty, glory and life.

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
1 The angels brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. 8 He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. 9 Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. 12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

P S A L M

Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R: The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.

1 [2] God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. 2 [3] Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea. (R) 4 [5] There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. 5 [6] God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn. (R) 7 [8] The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 8 [9] Come! behold the deeds of the LORD, the astounding things he has wrought on earth. (R)

2nd READING

With God the Father as the architect and Jesus as the cornerstone, how could each of us fail to be temples of the Holy Spirit? Easy; the answer is sin. The greatest enemy you will ever fight is sin and Satan, the master of sin. Lord, help us to exercise Your victory over sin so that we will truly be temples of Your Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
9 Brothers and sisters: You are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, 11 for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

G O S P E L

It is possible to express anger in a good way. We should be furious at the work of sin in our lives and act accordingly when we discover its presence. Let us pray for the grace to live according to our true dignity as sons and daughters of the Father, free of sin and on the path to the Kingdom of God.

John 2:13-22
13 Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. 15 He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, 16 and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” 17 His disciples recalled the words of scripture , “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
Matthew 25-28
my reflections
t h i n k : It is possible to express anger in a good way.
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Being Church

Why do we here in the Philippines celebrate the dedication of a church in faraway Rome? What is so special about the Lateran Basilica?
Many do not know that popes started to reside in the Vatican only in the year 1308. Before that time, popes lived in the Lateran Palace, and the bishop of Rome celebrated Mass at the Lateran Basilica. Emperor Constantine donated the place to the Pope to make it the headquarters of the Catholic Church. Even now, the Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of the archdiocese of Rome.
After a new Pope is installed, he goes to the Lateran Basilica where he is installed as bishop of Rome. In a way, the Lateran Basilica is of greater importance than St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Four ecumenical Councils have been held in the Lateran Basilica, and 28 popes are buried there.
The dedication of the Basilica and our going to Church to attend Mass can lead easily to the misconception that the “Church” is a building. St. Paul and other early Christian writers used the word “church” to refer not to buildings but to communities. They did not speak of “going to church” but of “being church.”
Author Josef Krempa wrote, “The Church of Christ is basically made, not of buildings, but of people.... The connecting links over the centuries are not buildings but the people who transmit a life and a tradition.... Church buildings help to focus the presence of the mysterious and divine that surrounds us and in which we live.... Our church building is special not because of its size or artistic decoration, but because people gather here to celebrate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord. Here is where the Lord is present with power among his people.”
Sometimes we also speak of the Church and mean the Pope or bishops. We seem to distance ourselves from the Church of which we are a part.
Our real vocation as Christians is “being Church.” Once we become more aware of this, we will surely feel more responsible for the growth and well being of our Mother Church. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I criticize the Church at times when I see negative things, forgetting that I am part of it?

Lord, thank You for reminding me that I am part of Your Church, and that I must uphold the image of Your beloved Church by living an exemplary life.

St. Orestes, pray for us.
 
14 November
Sunday

A Word from Above

”For I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” – Luke 21:15

Adolescence: the transitional stage of human development when teenagers believe they have instantaneously acquired all cosmic wisdom and they now have more knowledge than their parents.
That’s not from Wikipedia, just what I felt when my boys were in their teens. My elder son must have inherited lawyer genes from my father. I lay down the law. He objects. I have an opinion. He disagrees.
Walking with me to church one day, he started complaining about his brother on some matter that siblings normally disagree about. I rolled my eyes heavenward and silently said, “Lord, you take over this one. I’m sure he’ll argue with whatever I say.” Out loud I told him to be patient and treat his brother with love. The objection came fast, “Why should I do that? He doesn’t treat me that way.” Simply I answered, “Because you’re the kuya, you should set the example on how to act.” I waited for him to retort and was surprised when he didn’t have an argument for that one. Now, that’s what I define as divine intervention. Lella Santiago ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“The one who has wisdom in his head and heart does not need to shout at others.” (Spiros Zodhiates)

Lord, give me the right words to say at the right time.

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1st READING

Thought of eternity without God’s presence is not a happy thought. The saints who saw glimpses of hell speak of just seeing it as a traumatic experience. Let us pray that no one ever goes there, that justice will become the way of life here on earth, as it is in heaven.

Malachi 3:19-20a
19 Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. 20 But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
R: The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
5 Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. (R) 7 Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; 8 let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy. (R) 9 Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth; he will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. (R)

2nd READING
Luke 1-4
Justice works in many ways. We have to be aware that our actions have consequences and sometimes we only learn this the hard way. Jesus, teach us to think before we act in order to live more just lives. Help me to recognize that the world does not revolve around me, but that I am one person in the midst of many sharing this world’s resources.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
7 Brothers and Sisters: You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, 8 nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. 9 Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. 10 In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. 11 We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. 12 Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.

G O S P E L

This world in which we live is passing away. It will be in existence for a mere blink of an eye in comparison with eternity. This may be hard for us to grasp, but it can help us keep things in the right perspective. The saints were able to recognize the passing nature of this life and thus focus their energies and attention on the things that related most closely to the next. Lord, help us to learn from them.

Luke 21:5-19
5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 6 “All that you see here — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. 12 “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of
my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Thought of eternity without God’s presence is not a happy thought.

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Doomsday Prophets and Jesus —Whom do you Believe?

People never get tired of predicting the end of the world. For my classes in Apocalyptic Literature, I have a 50-page list of such predictions. The earliest one dates from circa 2800 B.C., while the last on the list mentions 2040 as the year of final doom. Founders of various “Christian” churches have foretold the end of the world, missed their mark, predicted it for other days and missed again. These constant failures do not surprise me since Jesus Himself had confessed that He knew neither the day nor the hour (Mark 13:32).
Whenever we hear news about wars, earthquakes, tidal waves and other calamities, “prophets” have a great time predicting the end of time. But all these calamities happened in every century since Christ, worse ones even before Christ and even before human beings lived on earth.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to remain sober. He tells us that these calamities are bound to happen; they are natural occurrences but not signs of the imminent end. He admonishes us not to be frightened and not to listen to those who predict the end.
We don’t have to wait for a cosmic, spectacular end of the world, because each one of us will face our end of life sooner or later — but we don’t know when. But this can easily lead us to live as if there’s no end and we would never have to appear before our Lord. What Jesus wants to tell us, therefore, is not to forget that an end is coming, that we be prepared for that moment by living responsibly.
Jesus also speaks about difficult times that His disciples will have to go through, which is true for us as well. We see around us rampant corruption and criminality; morals and family life are threatened; personal problems, especially financial, weigh us down. But Jesus gives us today the assurance that God knows and is close to us. He ends with the beautiful words that encourage us and give us hope, “Your endurance will win you your lives.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Am I easily tempted to probe into the future by reading horoscopes and predictions about the future?

Lord, thank You for your very realistic and encouraging words. Make me avoid and ignore all sensationalism that accompany doomsday predictions but rather, let me put all my trust in You and Your loving providence.

St. Modanic, pray for us.
 
15 November
Monday

REAL VISION, REAL LIFE

“Lord, please let me see.” – Luke 18:41

In college, I thought that fraternity life was “the” life! When “barbarians” (men without frats) say, “When I’m 30, I’ll be… And at 40, I’ll be the... of this big company,” I snicker and say, “Wake up, weirdos!” Yet when they graduate and visit me donned in professional outfits and driving new cars, I turn green with envy.
Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. And Helen Keller said that the blindest people in the world are those who have eyes but do not have vision.
So I painstakingly examined my life and realized that I was living a “blind” hedonistic lifestyle. I prayed, “Lord, I want to see.” He healed my life through my mission-vision statement:“To give myself fully into the work of the Lord by being:

• A loving husband and father;
• A devoted friend and brother;
• A tenacious researcher and educator;
• A productive asset to my company;
• A proactive entrepreneur;
• A passionate man of arts; and
• An anointed witness and proclaimer of the Gospel.
Today, I solemnly declare all these are fulfilled through the grace of God! Amen. Obet Cabrillas ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost and now I’m found, was blind but now I see…”

Lord, I want to see.

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1st READING

Repenting of our sins is the starting point of God’s work in our lives. What point is there of Him working within us to make us holy if we do not already desire to be done with sin? None, or at best very little. Let us always seek an attitude and heart of repentance and sorrow for our sin and pray that we will never neglect the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near. 4 John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne. 2: 1 I heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write this: “‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this: 2 “I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. 3 Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. 5 Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

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

G O S P E L

I wonder what your blindness is? We are all blinded by certain sins and events in our lives. It is up to us to choose to place ourselves under the grace of God and allow Him to heal these hurts and areas of our lives so that we will be able to see properly again. Let us trust that our God is merciful and loving and ready to heal us so that we can better follow Him and know His love and will for us.

Luke 18:35-43
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, 36 and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 39 The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” 40 Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” 42 Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” 43 He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.


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Remember! Repent! Do!

For the next two weeks, the Church offers as first reading passages from the last book in the New Testament, the Book of Revelation — probably the most misunderstood and misused book in the whole Bible. Many are scared of its horrible images and scary symbols and avoid reading it. Written during a time of Christian persecution, John aims to strengthen the faith of his fellow Christians by telling them to remain faithful to the Lord and resist all attempts of the pagan government to lure them away from their faith in Christ. The reward for such endurance is beyond imagination.
Today’s first reading is mainly taken from the message to the community at Ephesus. It was where St. Paul had established a community decades ago, where the Blessed Mother appears to have spent the last years of her life. John was very familiar with the situation there. He has the Lord praise the community at first but later on expresses regret that the community has lost the love and enthusiasm it used to have.
That’s very common. Think of marriage or religious life. In the beginning everything seems so easy and enjoyable but when the routine of daily life takes over, enthusiasm, fervor and love begin to fade. John tries to help his friends in Ephesus with three commands: Remember, repent, do (the way you used to)!
When everything becomes routine and boring, it is good to remember our enthusiasm at the beginning. How happy we were in our faith when we had our first communion, our happiness after getting married, our enthusiasm when we started a new job! Remembering this initial happiness, we ask: What happened to us? What went wrong? How and why did our enthusiasm begin to fade?
Having identified the cause of our present situation — perhaps during a retreat, or during a marriage counselling session, or a quiet time of reflection — we repent and decide to start anew. But this is not enough. John urges a third recourse: “Do as you used to at first.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Has my life become boring? Have I lost enthusiasm in one or more areas of my life? Am I ready to take John’s advice?

Lord, I have to admit, much of my life’s activities have become routine, even going to Church on Sundays. The lesson You gave me today through Your servant John will surely help me to improve my life. Thank You, Lord.

St. Leopold, pray for us.
 
17 November
Wednesday

YOU INVEST...

“…he called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ “ – Luke 19:13

Late 2004, I joined the Light of Jesus Family. I was a baby Christian. In 2005, I joined the Intercessory Ministry. There I learned much about communicating with God and deepening my relationship with Him.
Then I joined the Service Team where I learned about teamwork, administrative work and organizing activities. After this, I joined the Training Ministry. I also learned to make training modules and conduct workshops. Later, I became the servant head of the Intercessory Ministry and a group of single women. Since 2007, I have been Intercessory Committee head of the Kerygma Conference. I used to write my reflections and just share them with friends. Now, I was given the opportunity to write for Didache. As you read this, my first book may be out in the market.
I never imagined that I would be doing all these, considering that I am inexperienced and I have a physical handicap. But God, by His grace, gave me a gold coin and said, “See what you can earn with this…” As He assured me and increased my faith, He helped me gain and bless others with my gold coin. Ma. Luisa dela Cruz ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What gold coins has God given you? How can you enhance and use them?

Dearest God, help me to develop and share the time, talents and treasure You have entrusted to me.

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1st READING

The four creatures mentioned in verse 7 are those assigned to the four Gospels as symbols for them in the Tradition of the Church. The eagle is assigned to the Gospel of John, the man to Luke, the ox/bull to Mark and the bear to Matthew. When we see these animals depicted in stain glass windows, this is usually what they are referring to.

Revelation 4:1-11
1 I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpetlike voice that had spoken to me before, saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.” 2 At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat 3 one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. 4 Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. 7 The first creature resembled a lion, thesecond was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a human being, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. 8 The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming: 11 “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were
created.”

P S A L M
Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
R: Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
1 Praise the LORD in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his strength. 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign majesty. (R) 3 Praise him with the blast of the trumpet, praise him with lyre and harp, 4 praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipe. (R) 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals, praise him with clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Alleluia. (R)


G O S P E L

The grace of God cannot exist in a vacuum. This means that we have to respond to the grace He offers us if we want it to have a lasting effect upon our lives. Aquinas tells us that the grace of God builds on nature. Thus we have to provide the fertile ground of our lives and open will if His grace is going to flourish and bear fruit in us. Let us remember to always cooperate with God’s grace no matter what this might mean.

Luke 19:11-28
11 While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would appear there immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; 23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26 ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ” 28 After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

my reflections
t h i n k : Grace builds on nature.
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Our Image of God

In his controversial 2007 book which topped the New York Times Bestseller list, author Christopher Hitchens claims that man is not made in the image of God, but that God is made in the image of man. A look at various religions seems to support his statement. For example, the Greeks and Romans described their gods as quarrelsome, promiscuous, envious and in love with good food and wine — an image that reflects their own character and way of life.
Many readers are shocked when they open the Old Testament and read about God as a fierce warrior, a punishing God and a revengeful God. It was only Jesus, the Son of God, who taught us what God is really like: a loving Father, just, merciful and forgiving.
In spite of what Jesus has revealed about His Father, however, many still have a distorted image of God. The third servant in today’s Gospel passage had such a distorted image of his master that he was afraid of him, thinking he was a strict and cruel man. But the master’s generous treatment of the two other servants reveals that he was a just man who did not exploit his servants but gave them more than what they had expected. The third servant’s distorted image of the master brought about his downfall.
What is your image of God? Our image of God was probably shaped during our childhood days. Parents, teachers, catechists, as well as holy pictures have contributed to how we see God. A cruel father can cause lifelong damage in his child’s relationship with God. An overly strict priest who always scolds people can cause the same harm. If, on the other hand, we see God as one of our barkadas, we would not take Him that seriously that we are tempted to just pat His shoulder when we have done something wrong and say, “Hey, you understand.”
It is crucial that we develop the proper image of God, based on the teaching of the Church which mirror the words of Jesus about Himself and about His Father. The more we read the New Testament and reflect on the words of Jesus about God, the closer we will get to God’s real image. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
What image do I have of God? Do I fear Him?

Lord, thank You for helping us find our way to God. You became one of us to show us through Your life and teaching who God really is. Lord, You are the best image of God!

St. Hilda, pray for us.
 
accept god as your savior and you been save in hell because HELL is real! :pray:
 
Luke 10: 19-20
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:23-24
Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

:salute:
 
Last edited:
Luke 12:32
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Love in Christ,
McJal :salute:
 
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