What's new
Symbianize Forum

Most of our features and services are available only to members, so we encourage you to login or register a new account. Registration is free, fast and simple. You only need to provide a valid email. Being a member you'll gain access to all member forums and features, post a message to ask question or provide answer, and share or find resources related to mobile phones, tablets, computers, game consoles, and multimedia.

All that and more, so what are you waiting for, click the register button and join us now! Ito ang website na ginawa ng pinoy para sa pinoy!

God's Message For You Today

Your Forty-Day Retreat Begins Today. Today is Ash Wednesday. Enter fully the Lenten Forty-Day Retreat confident that God will pour His powerful love upon your life. He will meet you.


God will never leave you. This Wednesday is no different.

P
9
March
Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

LENT

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

When I was a child, I used to dread Ash Wednesday. It usually meant more than a month of not being able to eat meat on Fridays, giving up something I really like — chocolates, colored drinks, TV — as a sacrifice for the season. Holy Week was even more grueling: no good TV shows, I wasn’t allowed to stay out late to play, and all our Holy Week traditions.
But as I grew up and got to know God better, I found myself learning to appreciate Lent more. I used to think Advent and Christmas mattered more, but now I know that Christmas is just the start of the story. Lent, with Holy Week and Easter, is not only the climax, but the ending as well. What we remember and celebrate during Lent is the crux of our belief. Lent reminds us of how much God loved us by letting His only Son die in our place to save us from our sins.
Today is Ash Wednesday and it marks the start of the Lent. May this season be a meaningful one for all of us. Tina Matanguihan ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“Ash Wednesday is our reminder to celebrate the mysterious mercy of a God who would love us this much.” (Liz Kelly)

Lord, help me to see You in this Lenten season.

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

1st READING

The first reading for the beginning of a season of penance is one that gives us reason to embrace the penances of Lent – namely, hope in the promises of God, which are made available to us through the resurrection of Jesus, the season’s ultimate focal point.

Joel 2:12-18
12 Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 13 rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. 14 Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for the LORD, your God. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; 16 gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, and say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ” 18 Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

P S A L M

Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always. 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R)

2nd READING

The Season of Lent is one of penance and reconciliation. We should have an eye to these goals as we travel the next seven weeks to Easter and thus prepare ourselves well for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Penance and suffering are given meaning through the sacrifice of Jesus. Lent is a time when we are taught this truth in an intensive way. Let us seek to meditate daily on the upcoming Passion of Jesus and thus be drawn more deeply into the life of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
20 Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 6: 1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

G O S P E L

The best penances are the ones no one else knows anything about! Jesus teaches us that the only thing that matters in this regard is that God knows what we are doing and why. There is no virtue in parading our good works before others; this will gain us nothing at all. Penance is an important aspect of the spiritual life as it recognizes our need to repair the damage we have caused through sin.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

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

my reflections
t h i n k : T he Season of Lent is one of penance and reconciliation. We should have an eye to these goals as we travel the next seven weeks to Easter.

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


BEING AMBASSADORS FOR GOD
It is a tremendous honor to be appointed as an ambassador of your nation to another country. How much more should we treasure our role as ambassadors for Christ? Admittedly, when we are ambassadors for Christ we do not get the perks that go with the job for our nation, but we do get to know that we are well and truly firming up our entry into the gift of eternal life. The earthly perks and privileges may be nice, but nothing is worth more than eternal life.
St. Paul reminds the Corinthian community of their duty to be ambassadors for Christ emphasizing that God speaks through our lives to the rest of the world. We carry within our own bodies, and within the life of our Christian communities,
a tremendous truth and blessing —the death of Christ that brings us salvation through the forgiveness of our sins (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:7ff). It is this truth, the Gospel of salvation, to which we are called as ambassadors. Let us seek to acquit ourselves in this role as well as we possibly can.
It is as though God is appealing through us because we can interpret this in at least two very different ways. The first is that God is speaking from within us in the spirit of Galatians 2:20 where Paul tells us that it is no longer he that lives but Christ who lives within him. The second is that it is through the general witness of our lives as both individuals and the Christian community that the Gospel goes forth into the world. Either way, it is a privilege to be involved. That there are at least two interpretations indicates the flexibility of the Gospel and the variety of ways in which we can fulfill our roles as ambassadors of Christ.
However we want to interpret it, let us be mindful of our role as ambassadors and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us along this path.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
How do I understand my role as an ambassador for Christ? Is there anything more I could do to fulfill it more than I have in the past?

Jesus, help me to be faithful to my Christian calling so that my life will truly shine forth the message of the Gospel for all to see.

St. Anthony, pray for us.
 
Follow Him all the way this Thursday.

10 March
Thursday

YOUR CHOICE

“Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.” – Deuteronomy 30:15

Someone who belonged to a conservative church once asked a guest preacher, “Brother, how much makeup should a Christian woman wear on her face if she really loves the Lord?” The preacher answered, “I don’t know, it depends on her face.”
One thing I’ve learned about giving advice is — as much as possible — we’re not supposed to tell the person what to do outright. We give them choices, explain the options, help shed light on what may happen if they choose this or that, and let them decide in the end. Ultimately, the choice is theirs.
God has made it very clear: the price of sin is death; following Him leads to eternal life. When we obey His commands, we are simply walking the path that leads to heaven — the path set for us in the first place. But when we choose sin, we step off that path and take another road — one that leads to death. He longs so much for us to be with Him that He set it up this way. But He also respects our free will and won’t force us to choose Him. Ultimately, it’s our decision. George Tolentino Gabriel ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Are you faced with a choice today? Which option leads to life, which one leads to destruction?

Lord, open my eyes to the possible consequences of my future actions. Help me to always make the best decision.

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

1st READING

Fasting is one of the common penances advocated by the Church. The symbolism of fasting is very important as we take authority over one of the most insistent of our appetites (for food) and regulate our intake thereof. This helps us to understand the dynamic of overcoming sin and temptation in our lives, teaching us that denial, while a little uncomfortable at first, will neither kill us nor is it an impossible goal.

Isaiah 58:1-9
1 Thus says the LORD God: Cry out full-throated and unsparingly, lift up your voice like a trumpet blast; tell my people their wickedness, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 They seek me day after day, and desire to know my ways, like a nation that has done what is just and not abandoned the law of their God; they ask me to declare what is due them, pleased to gain access to God. 3 “Why do we fast, and you do not see it? afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?” Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. 4 Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high! 5 Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance that a man bow his head like a reed, and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; 7 sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am!

P S A L M

Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19
R: A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 16 [18] For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 [19] My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)

G O S P E L

There are right times and sensible times to fast and do penance. Basically these are determined by common sense. If you have a day of heavy work before you, it is unwise to fast. However, we must be careful that we do not excuse ourselves from all obligation to do penance. I am sure that once we get into the habit of doing penance for our sins we will very quickly experience the benefits for our spiritual lives. As the old saying goes: There is no gain without a little pain.
Judges 13-16
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord will be with you.

Matthew 9:14-15
14 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Once we get into the habit of doing penance for our sins we will very quickly experience the benefits for our spiritual lives. As the old saying goes: There is no gain without a little pain.

----------

PROSPERITY OR DISASTER: YOUR CHOICE?
Like so many things in life, both prosperity and disaster rest to a large degree upon the choices we make. No one becomes wealthy by complaining of their plight and doing nothing. There are a multitude of rags to riches stories of people who refused to accept the fact that having been born poor, they were destined to remain poor. I am not saying that all who are poor are destined to become rich. This simply will not happen. Jesus Himself tells us that we will always have the poor with us. At the same time, the rich cannot simply ignore the plight of the poor with the attitude that it is the latter’s fault or that it is their destiny to be poor.
It is the choices we make in life that will determine, first, our attitude towards poverty and wealth, and second, our capacity to improve our own economic situation. It will not be without hard work or a brilliant idea, but mostly the former.
The other aspect of this question is the relation of wealth and poverty to the gift of eternal life. Jesus clearly implies that it is easier for the poor to enter heaven in His teaching about wealth where He states that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Should we then desire to be rich? Well, it is up to you. What Jesus reminds us is that there are far more pitfalls when we are wealthy than if we are not as wealthy. Of course, there is probably a sensible middle road where we have sufficient for a reasonably comfortable life but not so much that the responsibility of riches weighs so heavily upon us. However, there are very few people I know who are satisfied with the wealth they have — there always seems to be a desire for a little bit more and more.
All in all, we should aspire to lift ourselves from poverty if that is our situation. Conversely, the rich have a responsibility to do what they can for the poor. If they fail in this they will not enter heaven. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What is my attitude towards wealth and riches? Do I have a good and balanced attitude or does my attitude need some work?

Father, You will judge harshly those who do not share their wealth with the needy. I pray that all people learn to share better all they have with another.

St. Sedna, pray for us.
 
May you be guided by His directions this Friday!


11 March
Friday

TRUE FASTING

“The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice and let the oppressed go free.” – Isaiah 58:6

When I was younger, I used to dread the season of Lent. People seemed sad and sometimes irritable, perhaps a result of hunger pangs. As I grew mature in my faith, I started to look forward to Lent and saw how beautiful a time it truly was. It is a special time to draw closer to God and get to know Him more deeply. Controlling our physical desires creates the space and time we need to be with Him in prayer.
In truth, Lent is a spiritual feast, a time to receive special graces and to grow in virtue as we spend more time with the Lord .
I also realized that the money we save from fasting from things or food we like should be used to feed the hungry, to share with those who are in need, to bring them closer to God by caring for them so that they may know that God loves them, too.
Indeed, God is clear in the kind of fasting that He desires from us: “Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear and do not refuse to help your own relatives.” (Isaiah 58: 7). Lent, like Christmas, is a time to love! Marjorie Ann Duterte ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Does my fasting lead me to love God and my neighbor?

Jesus, as we journey with You in Your suffering, help us to love the Father and our brother like You do. Amen.
--------------
1st READING

Repentance is a matter of life and death. If we fail to repent of our sins we will end up in hell. Penance is also important as it demonstrates our commitment to change our past sinful ways. In and through penance we both teach ourselves the way of holiness and seek to repair some of the wrong we have done through our sins. We can never repair the wrong fully and thus are always reliant upon the grace of God, but that does not excuse us from doing what we can to right our wrongs.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15 Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. 17 If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, 18 I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy. 19 I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, 20 by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

P S A L M

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

G O S P E L

One of the ways we lose our lives in order to save them is by doing penance. Any penance we undertake ought to be directed towards a spiritual goal, including something like overcoming a particular sin we may have found troublesome in our lives. During Lent we are encouraged to focus our attention on something like this so that we can grow closer to God and become a more faithful disciple.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Repent, says the Lord; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Luke 9:22-25
22 Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” 23 Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?

my reflections
t h i n k : In and through penance we both teach ourselves the way of holiness and seek to repair some of the wrong we have caused through our sins.

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

ON ASCETICAL PRACTICES
The question of asceticism is one that perplexes a modern world that is fixated on pleasure. Why on earth would anyone choose to freely embrace pain for no immediate and tangible reward? Yet, there is a history of ascetical practices in the Church that demonstrates otherwise. Jesus hints at this when He affirms that there will be a time for fasting when the bridegroom has been taken from them.
It is probably true that, to a certain degree, ascetical practices, and especially those that cause physical pain to one’s body, find their roots in the Manichaean belief that the physical body needs to be beaten into submission and that the spirit of a person is all that counts. The challenge of the Church is to teach against such error and try to remove it as a motive for any ascetical practice.
This causes me to ask myself what role asceticism plays in my life. Do I want it to have a role? The answer to the first question is, not a big enough role, and to the second, yes. Why? I have read enough of the lives of the saints to realize that there is a valid role for ascetical practices in the life of a Christian. We rarely question the sacrifices and ascetical practices of athletes, so why do we have such a problem when the saints employ such means to draw hemselves closer to God? There is an obvious double standard here and it is time to put an end to it.
Of course, any such practices must be used with moderation and due care for one’s body and general health. The Church teaches that any ascetical practices, particularly corporal ones, ought to be undertaken only with the supervision of one’s spiritual director. This will help guard against abuse and also keep in mind the overall health of the individual concerned.
Ascetical practices heighten one’s spiritual awareness as they teach us that our bodies are not in control of our choices — our minds are. Let us seek the mind of God on this matter and seek to follow His lead.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What place do I want asceticism to have in my spiritual life? Surely fasting is a possibility once in a while?

Father in heaven, You have given me a body with which to engage the world. Help me to respect it and keep its passions under control.

St. Amunia, pray for us.
 
This Friday, work with Him at your side.

18
March
Friday

DREAM EATER

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil… he shall die. – Ezekiel 18:24

In one episode of the cartoon series, Hello Kitty, there was a small creature whose mission was to eat bad dreams of children so they would have happy dreams. This creature knew that when he has eaten 100 dreams, he would become a grown-up. Since he couldn’t wait to become one, he devoured every dream. At first, he ate the bad dreams but later, he shifted to eating the good ones for he found that good dreams tasted yummy. Because of this, the children’s good dreams turned into nightmares. When the dream eater ate his 100th dream, he suffered from a severe stomach ache because he ate what he wasn’t supposed to eat.
In today’s first reading, the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel that the man who follows and lives by God’s statutes will live; otherwise, he dies. In my previous story, the dream eater initially did the right thing — eat bad dreams. But when he strayed by eating good dreams, he suffered.
We will be judged by God individually according to our actions. If we go against God’s laws, we suffer from spiritual death. But if we recognize our sinfulness, repent and turn back to God, then we will live. Judith Concepcion ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do you always want to have it your way? Don’t be selfish but be selfless.

Teach me, Lord, how not to be self-centered that I may always put others’ needs above my selfish desires.
--------

1st READING

Ezekiel tells us that the faithful disciple will persevere to the end and if he does not, then his salvation will be endangered. The other side of this coin is that the unfaithful disciple who repents and changes his ways will also be saved. We see clearly that the desire of God is that all be saved. However, we must learn to persevere in the gift of our salvation so that we will not allow the graces God has given us to be wasted.

Ezekiel 18:21-28
21 Thus says the LORD GOD: If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced. 23 Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live? 24 And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does, can he do this and still live? None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin; because of this, he shall die. 25 You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? 26 When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. 27 But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; 28 since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

P S A L M

Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7, 7-8
R: If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! 2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (R) 3 If you, O LORD, mark iniquities, LORD, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (R) 5 I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. 6 My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, 7 let Israel wait for the LORD. (R) For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; 8 and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (R)

G O S P E L
Jesus reminds us that surface conversion (making our lives look good from the outside) is not enough to attain eternal life. The Gospel has to penetrate the depths of our lives so that we will be transformed into the image and likeness of God. This is our destiny; this is what life in heaven consists of. Let us be faithful in continuing the work God has begun in us so that we will be found worthy (by the grace of God) on Judgment Day.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Matthew 5:20-26
20 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

my reflections
think: The Gospel has to penetrate the depths of our lives so that we will be transformed into the image and likeness of God.

----------

CONVERSION OF HEART IS ESSENTIAL

Today’s Gospel opens with an exhortation calling for true and lasting conversion of heart among the disciples of Jesus. There is no point knowing all about the gift of salvation unless we are willing to apply it to our lives and preach its essence to others. It is easier to know what to do than to do it. The challenge of conversion will be with us every living moment of our lives.
Karl Rahner, S.J., once wrote that it is harder today to know and do what is right than in any other age or time. Why? He argued that the multitude of influences and the pluralistic society in which we now live (if that was how he saw it in 1949, how much more would he be convinced of its truth today?) make it difficult for us to discern the truth from among all the opinions and outright errors that are placed before us as legitimate moral options. I believe he is correct. This difficulty also reaches into the spiritual realm and makes it more difficult for people to affirm and live the Christian way because there are so many different options available to us today. Having outlined the challenge, the only answer to it is to open our hearts to the truth of the Gospel and surrender in faith to the offer of salvation and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us through the moral maze in which we have to live our lives. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the magisterial teaching of the church in order to form our consciences well. Without a well-formed conscience, we will easily be led astray by the seductive attractions of the pleasurable life that assaults our senses in the mass media. All this means that there is an enormous amount of distractions as well as a lot of outright errors that vie for our attention and allegiance in today’s world. In former centuries, the choices have not been so numerous and society has not been as pluralistic as it is
today. All in all, it is a difficult time when it comes to making moral choices.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What do I do to form my conscience so that it will make the right moral choices when I need it to?

Father in heaven, help me to choose wisely when I seek authorities to teach me about the correct moral choices to make in my life.

St. Frediano, pray for us.
 
Be inspired with His message to you this Saturday!

19 March
Saturday

CARING FOR A GOD WHO CARES

Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man. – Matthew 1:19

Imagine with me if you can... let’s go back in time and travel to Nazareth.
Put yourself in the shoes (or sandals) of Joseph. Imagine you are the earthly father of Jesus.
The reason for all creation was born in your midst.
You are tasked to protect the very God to whom you pray for protection. You will be providing for the needs of the Great Provider.
As your son’s first teacher, you will teach Him everything you know. You will teach to the God who knows everything.
You will carry the one who carries the whole world in His arms.
You are going to play hide and seek with God who sees everything.
You will put to sleep someone you hope never goes to sleep.
You will be able to make God laugh.
These are some of the wonderful things
Joseph did to his Son, Jesus.
Think: Jesus says that you can do all this to Him if you do them to the least of your brothers. Arun Gogna ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What would you feel if you were given the chance to be the father or mother of Jesus?

May I never forget that whatever I do to others, I do it also to You, my Lord and my God.
--------

1st READING

Joseph is honored today as the husband of Mary. He freely takes on what must have been a most daunting task – caring for a son that is not his own –and he does so with commitment. We see this in the flight to Egypt to escape the murderous intentions of Herod. Joseph clearly demonstrates himself to be a faithful and worthy man of God.

2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
4 The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: 5 “Go, tell my servant David, 12 ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. 13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

P S A L M

Psalms 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
R: The son of David will live forever.
1 [2] The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. 2 [3] For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R) 3 [4] “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 [5] Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” (R) 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior.’ 28 [29] Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.” (R)

2nd READING

Abraham is presented as a prototype for faith and Joseph stands in this mold too. He gains nothing for himself in being obedient to God’s call. In fact, he loses much in that he gives himself over to a special sort of husbandship to Mary. In this very selfish and individualistic time, we will do well to contemplate the selfless example of Joseph as we seek to understand the meaning of discipleship for us today.

Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
13 Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. 16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. 18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

G O S P E L

Joseph’s faithfulness to God’s call is something we should all seek to imitate. He is not alone in being faithful to God’s call but his role in the life of Jesus deserves to be reflected upon so that we can draw any lessons in it that may be there for us. Let us never be satisfied with mere lip service to the will of God or the example of the lives of the saints.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL OR ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord; they never cease to praise you.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 (or Luke 2:41-51)
16 Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. 18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose
her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

my reflections
t h i n k : Joseph’s faithfulness to God’s call is something we should all seek to imitate.

-------

IMPORTANCE OF FATHERS

It is very easy to underestimate the role of a person in the life of another, particularly when it comes to that of our fathers. The role of the mother as important is a “given” as she carries her child in her womb for nine months before usually having a major role in the formative years of the child as well. However, there seems to be something that works against the roles of fathers in today’s society. So many of the pressures of society have a negative impact on the father’s role including the long hours at work and the pressures on men to be “one of the guys.”
It is important for us to recapture the essence of the role of the father if we want to give our children a well-rounded formation, particularly in their early years. I look back to my own childhood, which was not perfect, but the majority of my early memories are with my father: playing while he worked in the garden or did whatever he happened to be doing. I remember myself just hanging around, probably getting in the way more often than not, but having a great time doing it. As I got older the relationship evened out a bit, meaning I was able to contribute more to whatever we were doing up to the point of being considered an equal. I remember countless discussions about politics, morality, economy, sports and other issues that we had as we worked together. I recount this to say that I think it was all essential to my self-worth today. I am secure in who I am because of the acceptance I got from my father. Yes, others did the same, including my mother, teachers, close friends and relatives, but the multitude of memories I have indicate that it was my father’s acceptance and approval that I sought the most, and thankfully received as well.
As we celebrate Joseph’s life today, we honor the foster father of Jesus and the role he played in Jesus’ life. Let us pray that we can rediscover and be committed to the important role that fathers play in their children’s lives.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What was my experience of my father as a child? Do I feel that it was lacking? Is there anything I need to talk to someone about this?

Jesus, help me to be grateful for the gift of my parents. Help me also to be a good parent to my children should I have any.

St. Lactali, pray for us.
 
Thank God for your loved ones this Sunday.

20
March
Sunday

HAVE YO U BEEN WITH HIM?

“God … has called us to a holy life… according to his own design...” – 2 Timothy 1:9

My jaw dropped as I listened in awe to this man who was once UK’s ninth richest guy, before he even reached age 30! He was so rich he just had a BMW custom-built for him, a latest addition to his fleet of cars which included a Ferrari. He was so rich that he started asking why he had so much money. That mystery robbed him of peace and made him go around the world in search of something more real. Then a Filipina friend introduced him to Gawad Kalinga. What he expected to be the usual housing project for the poor put up by donors’ money turned out to be something that drove him to trade his life of luxury for something that he found in the slums of the Philippines.
Whatever went on in his heart that made him do these crazy things according to the world’s standard is something that only God and he can understand. I’m sure that you and I have our own stories of transformation that may not be as great as Dylan Wilk’s testimony. It may be giving up smoking, drinking, drugs, womanizing, dishonesty, lying. Whatever it is, there’s one thing that’s common — whenever a person has a close encounter with God, he can never be the same again. Ronna Ledesma ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
If you say you are a Christian and nothing has changed in you, then you probably have never been in His presence yet.

Let me encounter Your holy presence in my every waking moment, Lord.
------
1st READING

In Chapter 12 of Genesis, we begin the history of the Jewish people. (It is generally accepted that the first 11 chapters belong to the genre of protohistory). The important aspect of this text is to understand that the three promises given to Abraham form the basis of the rest of the Old Testament writings as they seek to follow the process of God’s fulfillment of them – promises of land, blessing and progeny.

Genesis 12:1-4
1 The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” 4 Abram went as the LORD directed him.

P S A L M

Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
4 Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

2nd READING

Any hardships and struggles we endure are part of our growth in holiness whether they are directly willed by God or not. The life of discipleship is a life of character formation whereby we are called to surrender our lives to a process under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, where we will be purified of sin and selfishness and called into a life of service and selflessness. May we all choose this as our path to life. After all, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

2 Timothy 1:8-10
8 Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 9 He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

G O S P E L

The Transfiguration reminds us of the holiness of Jesus and also that He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, represented by the presence of Moses (The Law) and Elijah (The Prophets). It is important for us to respond to this revelation through an act of faith and trust in Jesus - that He is truly the Son of God and thus we will surrender all to Him and follow His call on our lives.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Matthew 17:1-9
1 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Any hardships and struggles we endure are part of our growth in holiness whether they are directly willed by God or not.
------

GOD’S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM

The beginning of the “real history” of the Jewish people is a set of promises that, in many ways, underlies the rest of the Old Testament and arguably the New Testament as well when we consider the fact that it is Jesus who actually fulfills these promises. As D.A.J. Clines suggests, the Old Testament is the story of the partial fulfillment and thus partial nonfulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham.
These three promises can be summarized as promises of Land, Blessing and Progeny. God promises Abraham these three things even though they must seem almost laughable to Abraham given the situation. Abraham is a wealthy man and needs none of these promises (except the one about children), which makes it all the more astounding that Abraham actually responds to God’s call. Unless he is obsessed about having a child, it makes no sense at all for him to leave everything he has on the dim hope of a promise from a God with whom he is barely acquainted.
Yet, we know that Abraham did respond and the rest, as they say, is history. Abraham’s response has paved the way for a multitude of other people to make their responses to God’s call. This is the nature of faithfulness in that it more often than not will provide opportunities for others to deepen their relationships with God, not just the individual concerned. As Paul will tell us two thousand years later, “faith builds upon faith.”
The Jews see the fulfillment of these promises in terms of the land of Israel given to them by God for their own; recognition that they are a great people by other nations; and the understanding that the Jewish people are the sons and daughters of Abraham.
As Christians we believe that the Promised Land is in heaven, not on earth; the Blessings are those that come with the gift of Salvation; and we all become sons and daughters of God through faith in Jesus Christ.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
How do I see myself in relation to the promises God made to Abraham? Have I ever considered them in my own life?

Jesus, help me to open my heart and mind to the truth of the Scriptures so that I will be able to discern their true meaning and know how to apply them to my own life.

St. Martin of Braga, pray for us.
 
Don't be discouraged! God will be with you through this week.


21 March
Monday

What You Give is What You Get

“Give and gifts will be given to you.” – Luke 6:38

I love watching the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition where they award a deserving family with a major house renovation. Chosen families are usually those who have been selfless in giving, thus, making them an inspiration to their community. It’s no surprise then to see the heaps of people volunteering to help out in the show’s renovation project. It’s their way of thanking the family for touching the hearts of those around them. It’s so heartwarming to see boundless caring flowing freely through demonstrated generosity.
We live in a world that constantly tell us life is difficult, thus resulting to a mindset of wanting more, getting more and holding on to our possession. This further leads to a mentality that we would never have enough to share with others.
But this is so untrue. There are many ways we can give and help. God gave us a lot of resources like material wealth, time and talent which are meant to be shared. It is only when we learn to share that we can expect to be blessed with more because God is able to give us back much more than what we are capable of giving out.Jane Gonzales-Rauch ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Life’s deepest joy can only be accomplished when we learn to set aside self-interest to be of service to others.

Dear Lord, may I be generous in giving, knowing that I will be blessed so much more. Amen.

----------

1st READING

Humility is the beginning of repentance. One of the most difficult realities human beings face in life is admitting they have done wrong. We all know how hard this can be. It is important that we get into a habit of admitting our faults so that the sins do not build up to a point where they simply overwhelm us. Regular confession (the Church tells us we should confess our sins at least once a year) is a great help to the spiritual life.

Daniel 9:4-10
4 “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! 5 We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. 6 We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. 7 Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. 8 O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. 9 But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you 10 and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

P S A L M

Psalms 79:8, 9, 11, 13
R: Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R) 11 Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. 13 Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise. (R)

G O S P E L

Holiness will not happen unless we are willing to do away with sin and choose good over evil. We should remember that forgiveness always carries with it an element of compassion, a readiness to understand the reason why someone may have sinned against us. This in no way excuses their sin or makes it unimportant in the relationship. We cannot expect God or anyone else to have compassion on us when we sin against them if we are unwilling to be compassionate when others sin against us.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

Luke 6:36-38
36 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful. 37 Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Humility is the beginning of repentance.

-------

MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE, IS IMPORTANT

When Jesus challenges us to be compassionate as His heavenly Father is compassionate, it is the same challenge He posed to the Pharisees when He told them to seek mercy and not sacrifice. What does He mean by this? Let me suggest a possible explanation. I think Jesus is referring to the nature of our being a community. To make personal sacrifices and lead an ascetical life is all very good but it only affects the individual. To lead a merciful life requires that we be in relationship with others and that our sacrifices (having mercy) will necessarily impinge upon these relationships for the better.
Jesus is not really interested in a whole lot of holy individuals living separate lives. He wants the faith community to be a living and vibrant community that is interacting with one another all the time. He wants us to be in relationship with others; this will necessarily require us to grow in mercy as when we get into relationships with others it is possible that they will hurt us and we will hurt them. Healing these hurts will require mercy. Jesus tells the Pharisees to shift the focus from judging the rights and wrongs of people to fixing the broken relationships within the community. Jesus is an expert on community because He comes from the undivided Trinity where three persons share everything fully in a perfect way.
Jesus gives a perfect example of this when He calls a tax collector to be one of His disciples. Tax collectors are the scum of the earth as far as the faithful Jew is concerned because not only do they take money from a person; they are collaborating with the Roman occupier to do it! Rarely were they content with just the right amount of tax, too; they often took a bit for themselves on the side. Jesus does not allow this problem to stop Him from associating with tax collectors. How else can they be drawn back into the faith community unless someone seeks to develop a relationship with them to the point that he or she can speak the truth to them in love and mercy? Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
Do I have people in my life to whom I should be merciful but am not? What am I going to do about this?

Jesus, help me to grow in my capacity for mercy and to minister it to others.

St. Lupicinus, pray for us.
 
This Tuesday, never forget how important you are to God.

22 March
Tuesday

Save Me from Myself

Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may be white as snow. – Isaiah 1:18

It was 2009 when I wrote a song that tells of a personal struggle with habitual sinning. I wrote it at a time when I was in deep search of the very core of that issue that consumes me. That was very uneasy, I recall, because my mind flashed with things and people who I initially thought were the reason. Until I reached the dead-end of the less-than spectacular fact that I myself was to blame.
I realized that decisions I made are the reasons why I find myself in that ugly process. The flesh proved too weak than my willing mind to actually stay away from temptation that eventually leads me to sin. However, this realization made me recognize the only way out of that misery in my life — Jesus Christ. I decided to set things right. I reconnected with God through His words in the Bible and involved myself more in church activities. I mingled with others who made me see and feel the beauty of God’s salvation and grace.
Since then, I have learned to say a little prayer: that God save me from myself.Eugene Cailao ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
How many times have I denied myself of Your Amazing grace and forgiveness, God?

Today, Lord, allow me to bask in the light of Your love for me. Consume me with it until nothing is left of me but You alone.

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

1st READING

Good works do not necessarily come easily to us. Sometimes we have to work hard to choose that path over and above a number of much easier paths. This is all a part of growing in holiness, disciplining ourselves to choose the ways and things of God over and above merely allowing the values of the world to dominate our lives.

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
10 Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah! 16 Wash ourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; 17 learn to do good. Make justice your aim, redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. 18 Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD. Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool. 19 If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

P S A L M

Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
8 “Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offerings are before me always. 9 I take from your house no bullock, no goats out of your fold. (R) 16 Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you? (R) 21 When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it? Or do you think that I am like yourself? I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” (R)

G O S P E L

Making our words consonant with our actions is not an easy task but it is essential if we desire to be a living witness to the Gospel. Jesus reminds His listeners that they must always act on the truth whether or not the person speaking the truth acts on it. This is why integrity in preaching is so important. Jesus’ own ministry had a power all of its own as He always lived what He proclaimed.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.


Matthew 23:1-12
1 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Making our words consonant with our actions is essential if we desire to be a living witness to the Gospel.

----------

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF TRUE HOLINESS?

Jesus addresses some of the practices of the Pharisees in this passage in order to call them to a greater integrity of action and life. There is little doubt that no one appreciates hypocrisy and that it also turns people off when you are trying to attract them to a belief, way of life or community in general.
This includes calling attention to one’s practices and self-proclaimed holiness in order to grandstand one’s self-righteousness. It is not up to the individual to decide this status. It is a status conferred by others on the individual when they witness his lifestyle. Mother Teresa never sought to draw attention to herself, but gained her status from those who had seen what her life stood for and were impressed by it. In fact, all of the saints fit easily into this category, with a lot of them going to great lengths to avoid publicity.
For a truly holy person, attention is the last thing they desire as it will make their life of reflection more difficult to carry out. Attention is for superstars who rarely live reflective lives and thus are dubious examples for our youth to follow. The never-ending stream of scandals that comes from the world of entertainment and sports indicate clearly what I am saying. If we want our children to be influenced by worthy examples of holiness and reflection, we have a lot to do.
I believe it is time that prominent persons in our society are called to account for their less than ideal lifestyles. The culture of irresponsibility that they foster and promote is the worst possible example for our children and youth. It is up to parents, schools, the Church and other influential institutions to take action in this regard and assume a greater role in vetting the influences we allow into the lives of our children and youth.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What and who are the things and people I look to for inspiration in my life? Is the inspiration they provide going to be for good or bad in my life?

Holy Spirit, lead and guide my life in the way of truth and righteousness. Help me to grow in my capacity to love and serve my neighbor, and not focus upon myself.

St. Trien, pray for us.
 
See Him beside you this whole Wednesday!

23 March
Wednesday


Quid pro quo

Did good have to be repaid by evil...? – Jeremiah 18: 20

Mark led two lives. He had a public life where he was admired for his work and goodness, and a scandalous and sinful secret life.
Bea was Mark’s trusted friend. She accepted his dark past without passing judgment. Every time he stumbled with his own misdeeds, she would be there as his faithful support.
Yet over the course of their friendship, Mark in his self-centered ways would take Bea for granted. He repeatedly lied to her, broke promises and did things his way in his own time without the bit of consideration for her. But she would forgive, forget and start their friendship on a clean slate each time.
Mark is now a changed person, a true child of God free from his past and his sins. He thanked Bea for being with him in his journey.
Life doesn’t guarantee that the love, service and kindness we give will be recognized, much less reciprocated. But that shouldn’t stop us from loving and being good because in the end, these are our only weapons to battle evil.Marie Franco ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
For all the love and many blessings that God has bestowed on me, why do I still sin and cause Him great pain? Did God ever stop loving me because of my sinful ways?

My Lord, You are my inspiration. You continue to love me even if I am an ingrate and undeserving of Your love.


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

1st READING

The people persecute Jeremiah – they even seek to kill him – simply because he speaks the truth to them. His message is a call to repentance outlining the nature of the sins of the people. Not many of us would welcome such a message, but the wise among us will not only welcome the message — they will also act upon it!

Jeremiah 18:18-20
18 The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said, “Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word.” 19 Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say. 20 Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.

P S A L M

Psalms 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R: Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
4 [5] You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. (R) 13 [14] I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side, as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life. (R) 14 [15] But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 [16] In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. (R)

G O S P E L

Being a disciple of Jesus will necessarily involve an element of suffering. There would have been no gift of salvation without Jesus’ own suffering. We will not experience the fullness of salvation without first suffering the purifying fires of God’s love. It is in the pangs of suffering that character is forged. It is men and women of character who will have the strength to live the will of God.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Matthew 20:17-28
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and hand him over to theGentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21 He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” 23 He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. 26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28 Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

my reflections
t h i n k : The wise among us will not only welcome the message of repentance — they will also act upon it!


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


CHOOSING A LIFE OF SERVICE

One of the questions we have to answer throughout our lives is to what degree we are going to choose to serve others rather than just ourselves. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, are seeking the places of honor on either side of Jesus at the table in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is not interested in who sits at His right or left; what interests Him is whether or not James and John are willing to serve the Gospel.
The challenge that Jesus gives to James and John is the same one that we all have to face if we are going to take on the life of a disciple. The other disciples are no better than James and John as their indignation indicates. This indignation could be seen as a sign of their disapproval of the request of their colleagues but it is probably a little more than that as it also implies that they have just as much “right” to those seats as James and John. Perhaps they are more annoyed by the fact that James and John got their application in first.
Anyway, Jesus is not buying any of this and immediately shifts the focus to an exhortation on discipleship, service and true leadership. Leadership in the Church is all about the delivery of the services that the Gospel demands the people of God have a right to receive. A leader must be willing to lay down his life in the service of the People of God, not seek places of honor at parties and society events. Yes, honor does often accompany good leadership, but a good leader will never be influenced by it. As soon as honor becomes the focus of the leader, that is the day that corruption begins its insidious growth in the life of the society in question.
Let us pray for all the world leaders that will focus on service, not honor. I am sure that if this happens, the world will become a far better and fairer place to live in. The choices we make as individuals will support the movement of leadership in one direction or the other. Let us not underestimate the power of our choices. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What are the traits I look for in a good leader? Do I reflect these values in my life or do I have a way to go in being a witness to good leadership?

Holy Spirit, help me to seek the gifts that matter and will contribute to my capacity to lead well when I come before God in prayer today.

St. Victorian, pray for us.
 
Follow Him all the way this Thursday.

24 March
Thursday

are you Insured?

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord... He is like a tree planted beside waters... It fears not the heat when it comes... – Jeremiah 17: 7, 8

For the longest time, I was not a believer in having insurance. I thought having one — whether for life, health or car purposes — was a sign of a weak faith in God. But as I grew in financial literacy and in my faith as well, I learned that having an insurance means preparing for the future and not being a burden to my loved ones — something which is congruous to our Christian faith.
So, I began to buy insurance. Now, if the Lord calls me home, my little kids will inherit a tiny fortune e. When I get sick and need to be hospitalized, I don’t have to dip into our family savings to pay for the bill. If my car gets bumped or stolen, it’s covered.
To a certain degree, as some people say, insurance gives us peace of mind. But for me, it doesn’t replace the peace that passes all understanding, the kind that can only comes from knowing who my Savior is.
Insurance companies can only do so much. Even the best of them have toppled during financial crises. But Jesus? He’s the Immovable Rock upon which I stand. With Him, come hell or high water, I’m safe. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
In whom do I trust?

Dear Jesus, I cling to You. No matter what trial, hardship or misfortune I go through, You are my Savior.

-----------

1st READING

And don’t we all know how true the statement that the human heart is more devious than any other thing? The prophet got it right when he said this. What can we do about the deceptiveness of our hearts? Simply, we need to form our minds and hearts according to Gospel truth. When we have the truth of Jesus inscribed in our hearts through faith, it will be next to impossible for the devil to take this away from us.

Jeremiah 17:5-10
5 Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. 8 He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. 9 More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? 10 I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.

P S A L M

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

G O S P E L

Anyone who is rich or comfortably well off among us needs to reflect upon this parable often to remind ourselves of the moral imperative to share what we have with the poor. Many men and women, children included, are poor through little or even no fault of their own — they were simply born into poverty. Even if people have become poor through bad choices, we still have a responsibility to care for them, though
perhaps not as great.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.

Luke 16:19-31
19 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. 20 And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ 25 Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 27 He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

my reflections
think: When we have the truth of Jesus inscribed in our hearts through faith, it will be next to impossible for the devil to take this away from us!


-----------

WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY HERE?

It never hurts to ask ourselves the question whether or not we have any responsibility in a given situation. Generally speaking, we will have limited responsibility, yet many ways in which we can help in the situation. On the other hand, there will be times when it is up to us to make a move and we will have significant responsibility at these times. At still other times, it could be quite ambiguous if we have any responsibility. And perhaps the duties that are attached to wealth fall into this last category.
At first thought, we may not think too much of the responsibilities wealthy people have to those less well off. This is a mistake as the occasion of wealth is filled with many responsibilities. This fact is derived from the reality that none of us owns absolutely anything we may have. Everything we have is a gift from God. Yes, you may have worked hard and long to earn enough money to buy the things you have but this does not change the situation. Everything good we have in our lives is a gift from God and thus carries with it a label, usually unwritten, that says, “Share me with those who need me the most.”
The wealthy people of this world have a responsibility to care and provide for the poor to at least a limited degree. This means that their wealth must be used for the purpose of trying to uplift the standing of the poor. A wealthy person who hoards his wealth and fails to use at least the excess to help the poor will be judged heavily like the rich man in today’s parable. I cannot see any other way to read and understand the parable than this. I am not saying that wealth is bad or that people cannot enjoy their fairly earned wealth. However, wealth carries with it a set of responsibilities that the wealthy person ignores to their own peril. There is no point in dying as the richest person in the world because you cannot buy a place in heaven. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What do I do with the wealth, however big or small, that I have at my disposal? Do I share what I have with others or do I tend to be selfish and guard what I have very jealously?

Holy Spirit, open my heart bit by bit so that I will become a more generous person. Help me to be able to happily share all that I have with others.

Sts. Mark & Timothy, pray for us.
 
May you be guided by His directions this Friday!

25 March
Friday

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38

A boy from the Kids Ministry handed me a picture and asked, “Tito, where is Mama Mary in this picture of the Last upper?” “Hmmm… I guess she’s not there,” I replied. “She’s there! She’s a mom and follows Jesus anywhere!” he insisted. The kid was a theologian! “I give up!” I said. He replied, “She took the picture.”
Makes sense. Mary as a mom is willing to work behind the stage. She’s the wind beneath Jesus’ and our wings. Let’s use the acronym M-A-R-Y to spell that out:
Mary is Ministering. After the Annunciation, she visited her cousin Elizabeth and served her. Mary just loved to serve. Mary is Affectionate. She loved God, prayer, God’s Word, silence, meditation, people, Jesus… the list is unending.
Mary is Responsive. Obedience delayed is disobedience. Upon receiving the angelic message, she prevailed over internal obstacles (her pregnancy) and outer obstacles (the hill country of Judah), just to obey the Lord.
Mary is Yielding. She had forgone the call to virginity and accepted Motherhood for Jesus; comfort for service; silent contemplation to passionate praises in her Magnificat. Obet Cabrillas ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Is my devotion to Mama Mary a fanaticism or imitation?

Mother of Christ, I’ll pass the stormy sea... When the tempest is o’er, you will stand on the shore. And show Him at last to me. (Mother of Christ song)

-----------

1st READING

This prophecy of deliverance has both an immediate and interpreted (or future) fulfillment. In its immediate sense it refers to Jerusalem being besieged by the Assyrian armies and God promising deliverance within nine months. It was the Fathers of the Church who applied this prophecy to Mary regarding the birth of a Savior. Such is often the nature of prophecy and we should seek the guidance of the Lord for our communities in this way even today. God will speak to us if we are open to hearing and responding to His Word.

Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” 13 Then he said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, 8: 10 “God is with us!”

P S A L M

Psalms 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
6 [7] Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come”; (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. (R) 10 [11] Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. (R)

2nd READING

As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation we celebrate the beginning in flesh of the most decisive intervention in worldly affairs that God ever made. The sending of the Messiah changed the world forever! In fact, the grace that Jesus unleashed from the cross will actually penetrate into both the future and the past – that is how powerful it is! Let us all seek to live under the grace of God in honor of this Feast in which we hear Mary say, “I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to Your word.”

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

G O S P E L

The story of the Annunciation is one that captures our imagination as children as it has all the elements of a great drama: angels intervening in people’s lives, scandal with the pregnancy of an unwed mother; the drama of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents; an emergency birth in a stable; and the main characters are all unremarkable, ordinary people like you and me! If God can do this then, He is equally capable of using all of us for another significant task in His Kingdom.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL OR ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 1:26-38
26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

my reflections
t h i n k : God will speak to us if we are open to hearing and responding to His word.


-----------

COMMITMENT BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY

People rarely seriously complain about having to do something they know is their duty to do. Yes, there are some who do, but hopefully they are in a very small minority. However, when it comes to doing things that are above and beyond the call of duty, then we are probably all liable to complain every now and then. One of the most impressive things about the life of Mary is that she seems to almost embrace her call as a duty. Wow! Is there anything we can complain about given that we have not been asked to do anything as significant or seemingly impossible as this? I think not, at least not with any good excuse.
Jesus also demonstrates not just an extraordinary level of obedience but selflessness as well when He dies on the cross to free us from our sins. We have no excuse when it comes to trying to argue our way out responding to such an enormous grace. How can we be so selfish that we would not consider at least a few acts of selflessness and self-sacrifice in the course of our life as disciples of Jesus? If you can think of an excuse for me, please let me know.
The next time we find doing something for someone else difficult, we should reflect upon what Jesus has done for us. We will find that our procrastination will be very difficult to justify and that we should just get on doing what we know we should be doing out of love for others. This is where the example of the lives of the saints can also be very helpful because, generally speaking, they lived lives similar to that of Jesus. We cannot excuse ourselves from their example, as they are not divine like Jesus is.
We are generally very good at looking for excuses to avoid certain duties and optional sacrifices in our lives. Let us use some of that energy to be more proactive and do these things without making a fuss. I think we will be pleased with the result.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
Are there duties in my life that I am not fulfilling faithfully? How can I turn this lack of faithfulness around?

Jesus, help me to open my heart more fully to the graces You give, particularly those that will help me to be faithful to my duties as Your disciple.

St. Kennocha, pray for us.
 
This Saturday, follow the Spirit of God leading you.

26 March
Saturday

THE FORGIVENESS PROJE CT

“Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance?” – Micah 7:18

Anne Gallager was a young nurse during the Troubles, Northern Ireland’s violent civil strife. Her father and three brothers were interned without trial and when they retaliated, her brother Dominic was shot dead.
But Anne couldn’t find it in her heart to bear a grudge. In the hospital’s ICU, she could see the pain and suffering of the victims from both sides of the divide. “Seeing them lying there, naked and attached to life support machines, I didn’t see a uniform. I just saw their hearts, their pain,” she recounted.
She founded Seeds of Hope, an organization that facilitates storytelling based on the Troubles. They encourage people to listen to each other’s stories without judging them. Anne explained, “The idea is that when you hear my story and I hear your story, it becomes our story, and seeds of hope are sown. There is healing in that.”
Our world has been wounded by too many conflicts. Like the father in Jesus’ parable, may we learn to focus on the importance of the people instead of judging them by their actions. Only then can healing and reconciliation begin.Cecil Lim ([email protected])
26
REFLECTION:
“I’m beginning to realize that no matter which side of the conflict you’re on, had we all lived each other’s lives, we all could have done what the other did.” (Jo Berry)

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

--------

1st READING

Father, You want nothing whatsoever to do with sin. If we repent You are never interested in reminding us of our sins. Each of us needs to develop a similar attitude toward sin and then practice it in our relationship with others. This is not as easy as it sounds as it will involve acts of service and humility that may not be all that attractive to us.

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, that dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; 15 as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. 18 Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, 19 and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; 20 you will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.

P S A L M

Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R: The Lord is kind and merciful.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) 3 He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. 4 He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. (R) 9 He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. 10 Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. (R) 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. (R)

G O S P E L

The story of the prodigal son turns into a story about the prodigal father. Let us take time out once in a while to reflect upon the more obscure and often overlooked element of this parable. The son’s conversion would be treated far more skeptically if the father was not so loving and forgiving. And this father’s love and mercy are nothing compared to that of our God.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 11 “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, youare here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

my reflections
t h i n k : If we repent the Lord is never interested in reminding us of our sins.

----------

WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH OUR SIN?

The above question is a very interesting one to contemplate; the answer is very satisfying to hear. God cannot abide the presence of sin at all so we can know for sure that He will be banishing all sin from His presence. The next question concerns what is meant by banishment. Well, this is where the news gets even better. The Scriptures use a number of metaphors to describe what God does to our sin. Here Micah talks about sending it to the depths of the sea; you cannot get any deeper than that. The psalmist speaks of casting our sins as far as the east is from the west; there are no two distances further apart than this. Isaiah tells us that God takes our scarlet sin (obvious for all to see) and makes them white as snow. You cannot get a bigger transformation than that. Do you get the story here?
God is not at all interested in harboring judgment or unforgiveness against us; God is never petty and unforgiving. God wants us to be free from all the powers and effects of sin so that we can fulfill our potential as men and women created in His image and likeness; God is not threatened by our potential for holiness in any way as He is the source and fountain of all that is good so it is impossible for us to surpass Him.
We see these attributes in the life of Jesus who reveals to us the love of God the Father. We do not have to go anywhere to find the love of God because He is the biggest beggar in the universe and has come to us in the person of His Son, Jesus. We could not ask for any greater incentive to repent of our sins than this. God has done all that it is in His power to redeem us while still respecting the gift of free will that He has given us. It is up to each person how to respond to His generosity.
In today’s Gospel of the Prodigal Son we have an image of a father’s love. Let us sit with it awhile and reflect upon how much our Father in heaven loves us. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
When was the last time I took the opportunity to repent of my serious sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Letus seek to use the sacrament more often.

Holy Spirit, help me to embrace the call to repentance in an ever deeper way. Inspire me to entrust my life into the loving
hands of the Father through repentance every day of my life.

St. Theodore, pray for us.
 
Celebrate God's love through His Word for you this Sunday!

27 March
Sunday

No Strangers

The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) – John 4: 9

My friend Toto was stranded at the Kia Branch along Sumulong Highway during the Ondoy flooding in 2009. He was with around 20 people, stuck amidst the raging flood, all worried — and terribly hungry. No one had anything to eat for hours.
At around midnight, a man braved the waters and went out across the street for food. He brought with him a pack of crackers that he distributed around. Seeing that it was not even enough for all, he gave up his share and let the others relieve their hunger pangs.
Toto didn’t even know what the man’s name was. And it seemed that the man didn’t know anybody there either. Yet, he went out of his way to help, even giving up his share of biscuits.
The unknown man’s example of giving didn’t depend on his being friends with people or even just knowing them. He knew what was right and did it. He even sacrificed his share to those who needed it, not thinking about his own needs but the needs of others.

There are no strangers to this man.Jun Asis ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do I choose to love and serve only those I know? Do I intentionally not see the strangers who need my help?

Lord, open my eyes and my heart to see You in all the people I meet. Let me love them as You have loved me. Amen.

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

1st READING

It is hard to blame the people for grumbling about their situation – wandering through the desert without much water is not an enjoyable task. Yet, at the same time, faith is all about submitting our lives to God’s will with trust. While we may question what God is doing, ultimately it is an act of entrusting our lives into the hands of our merciful God.

Exodus 17:3-7
3 In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” 5 The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. 6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. 7 The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”

P S A L M

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
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


There can be no substantiated doubts about God’s love for us. Any struggle or experience we may have of doubts ought to be immediately reconciled and cancelled out by reflecting upon the fact that God chose to send His Son to die for us while we were sinners. This ought to be sufficient and inscrutable evidence of the depths of His love for us.

Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
1 Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

G O S P E L
The story of the Woman at the Well reminds us that Jesus did not come to judge us but to free us from the power of sins so that we are capable of judging ourselves and thus repenting of our sins. Let us take time out today to reflect upon our lives and the sins we have committed. Then, let us all resolve to confess our sins before Easter so that our celebration of Easter will be a celebration of freedom from sin.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again.

John 4:5-42
5 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” — For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. — 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” 17 The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ 18 For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.” 27 At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 They went out of the town and came to him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving his payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” 39 Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” 40 When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more began to believe in him because of his word, 42 and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”in one
year
my reflections
t h i n k : Ultimately faith is an act of entrusting our lives into the hands of our merciful God.


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

DRINKING LIVING WATER

The story of the meeting of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well is worth reading in its entirety as there is a lot to reflect upon. I want to focus upon the line where Jesus tells us that His food is to do the will of the one (His Father) who sent Him. I think the reason I like this text is that it mentions food, something that is quite dear to all of us. In fact, without food, we die. And here, Jesus tells us that His food is to do His Father’s will.
We need to reflect upon this idea often. If we do, dare I say that we will find ourselves drawn into a deeper and deeper walk of discipleship. We live in a world that extols individualism and self-sufficiency. This is not what the Christian life is all about. The Christian life is all about realizing that we have to place our lives in the hands of God and that if we desire fulfillment, then the only way we will gain it is through obedience of the Father’s will. Whether we like it or not, this is the reality that we are forced to accept if we want to be disciples of Jesus. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that anyone who drinks the water drawn from the well will have to come back for more water at a later time. If they drink from the water He provides they will never be thirsty again. It is quite obvious that Jesus is speaking of our spiritual thirst for truth and God. This is something the ordinary world will never be able to satisfy and hence we will have to keep coming back to the well to draw some ideas. However, if we embrace God’s will for our life, things can and will be very different.
Furthermore, Jesus hints that His Father’s will is more often than not focused upon evangelization. The talk about harvest has nothing to do with literal food; it is a metaphor for evangelization. The sooner we realize this, the better, as we will be more easily drawn into the service of the Gospel that God requires of all who believe in Him. Let us pray that we will be able to let go of the attractions of the world and embrace the will of God — the only thing that can fulfil our empty lives. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What is the focus of my life? Am I living for myself or do I have a healthy level of service in my life?

Jesus, help me to know Your will for my life so that I can pursue it and seek to satisfy the longing in my heart for Your love.

St. Augusta, pray for us.
 
Carry the Lord in your heart this Monday!

28 March
Monday

SERVANTS OF GOD

But his servants came up and reasoned with him. – 2 Kings 5:13

I had second thoughts about undergoing hysterectomy, but Manang Fely aptly echoed the advice of friends and family that it was necessary. Citing the pros and cons from her wide collection of experiences, I mellowed.
This is only one of the many times I heeded her advice and never regretted it. Since mom left me, I had to hire a helper to attend to the house. My ministry keeps me in the field and I need someone to help me with house work among others. Her joining my household made it so easy to serve God fully. Older than me and full of wisdom, she doesn’t just take care of the house; she also attends to me and my needs.
That’s why I can relate with Naaman’s experience. His servants, as if intentionally planted by the Lord to take care of him, were God’s voice of wisdom to melt his pride and his second thoughts in allowing the Lord to heal him. Cristy Galang ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Are there people in my life whom I consider too low or too young to know better than me? Could I have curtailed God’s grace to me by ignoring their wisdom?

Humble me, Lord. Humble my spirit and open it wide to anyone You want to use for my wellbeing. Amen.

----------

1st READING

Today’s story reminds us that no one group has exclusive access to the blessings of God. Even groups that we know have patent errors in their doctrines are at times seemingly blessed by God. That this is true ought to be self-evident when we consider that God uses sinners (all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) to accomplish the work of His Kingdom.

2 Kings 5:1-15
1 Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had captured from the land of Israel in a raid a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife. 3 “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,” she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 “Go,” said the king of Aram. “I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments. 6 To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed, “Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!” 8 When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 The prophet sent him the message, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. 12 Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left. 13 But his servants came up and reasoned with him. “My father,” they said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.” 14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.”

P S A L M

Psalms 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
R: Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

1 [2] As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. (R) 2 [3] Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? (R) 43: 3 Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. (R) 4 Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus applies the story of Naaman to present-day (for Him) Israel. This application emphasizes for us the need to be faithful to the graces that God bestows upon us or He will shift His attention elsewhere and we will be without the grace of God. This ought to inspire in us greater faithfulness and attention to the grace of God.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
I hope in the LORD, I trust in his word; with him there is kindness and plenteous redemption.

Luke 4:24-30
24 Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. 25 Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. 26 It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. 29 They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

my reflections
t h i n k : God uses sinners (all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) to accomplish the work of His Kingdom.

-----------

WE ALL NEED A FOCUS IN OUR LIVES


One of the requirements for a good moral life is that a person needs to be committed to some long-term goals in their life. It is these goals that will provide the foundational meaning to their lives. It is also important, within the context of our commitment to certain goals, that we remember things can simply appear and demand our attention as well, even to the point of having to modify our long-term goals.
Jesus was sent to proclaim the Gospel primarily to the Jews. This does not mean He favored the Jews over the Gentiles; it is merely a reflection of the fact that God had been preparing the Jewish people to receive His Son for the last 2,000 years and so the Gospel was going to have a better chance to take root and flourish in the Jewish culture than anywhere else. Yet, from time to time in the Gospel, we see Jesus ministering to the Gentile people just as was the case in the times of Elijah and Elisha. The main goal is still the same, but there should always be room for limited accommodation of other ministries and missions as well.
As regards the Gospel, it is important for us to see Jesus ministering to the Gentiles as it gives credence to the mission to the Gentiles that the Early Church will discover being thrust upon it by people such as Paul and Barnabas. If Jesus had refused every opportunity to open His ministry to the Gentiles, then it would be very difficult to justify the mission to the Gentiles that so captured the imagination of the Early Church and led to the rapid expansion of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.
Jesus lays the ground work for the Gentile mission when He ministers to the Canaanite woman, the Roman centurion and others during His primary mission to the Jews. These cannot escape our attention as they were unexpected and also caused a great stir among the Jewish leaders at the time.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What am I committed to in my life? Or do I just wander from day to day without any real focus or goal?

Holy Spirit, help me to set my life on a firm footing and grant me the grace to have a goal in my life so that I can work towards it with perseverance and commitment.

St. Stephen Harding, pray for us.
 
God has a great plan for your life?including this Tuesday.

29 March
Tuesday

Tale of the broken fish

“Unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” – Matthew 18:35

I saw the tail of the fish lying on the table, broken and separated from its body, with the scotch tape that held it together. My heart fell along with the fish, and I could not believe that one of the pair of beautiful fishes that adorned our center table had been broken. And even worse, someone had actually tried to conceal it from me.
Neither our daughter Trina nor my husband Raul was aware of how it happened. This left me with our two household helpers as suspects, both of whom denied having anything to do with it. No amount of praying could keep me from controlling my rising temper and frustration.
In today’s readings, “Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matthew 18:21-22).
It is not easy to be a follower of Christ. In the grand scheme of things, this is just a minor incident in life. But the same amount of forgiveness is expected of us just the same. It is only by God’s grace that we are able to forgive others from our hearts. Mari Sison-Garcia ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)

Lord, give me the grace to forgive those who have offended me. I cannot do it on my own.

--------

1st READING

Daniel’s prayer is both a prayer of humility and a prayer of truth. This is the soundest basis a prayer can have and it is doubtful that God will be able to resist answering it in full. Whenever we approach God for anything it is good to remember this little tip. The other side of the coin, however, is that once we receive graces from God, He expects us to remain faithful to them. If we do not, it is obvious that the next time we ask for something we may have some convincing to do before getting it.

Daniel 3:25, 34-43
2 [Dan 3:25] Azariah stood up and prayed aloud: 11 [Dan 3:34] “For your name’s sake, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant. 12 [Dan 3:35] Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, 13 [Dan 3:36] to whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea. 14 [Dan 3:37] For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. 15 [Dan 3:38] We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. 16 [Dan 3:39] But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; 17 [Dan 3:40] as though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. 18 [Dan 3:41] And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. 19 [Dan 3:42] Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. 20 [Dan 3:43] Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

P S A L M

Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: Remember your mercies, O Lord.
4 Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R) 6 Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old. 7 In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD. (R) 8 Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (R)

G O S P E L

When it comes to things like forgiveness and generosity, how many times we should forgive and how much should we give? We should not really be counting! Jesus tells us that we are required to forgive however many times someone sins against us. This is not just for their benefit, but also for our own. If we fail to forgive, we will be caught up in the bondage of unforgiveness and resentment. This is never a healthy state to be in!

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.

Matthew 18:21-35
21 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. 23 That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 25 Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. 26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ 27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. 28 When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. 32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ 34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

my reflections
t h in k : Once we receive graces from God, He expects us to remain faithful to them.


--------

AZARIAH STANDS IN THE FIRE

Read the prayer of Azariah again. His prayer is not about himself but about the Lord. Here is one of the most inspiring prayers or passages of Scripture. A man has been thrown into a specially heated fire and his prayer focuses on the glory of the Lord and not a cry for help. His prayer is a prayer of trust and faith and not an expression of fear about the present moment.
Herein we find a wonderful example of how we should live our lives. Azariah knows where his focus should be; he knows where the real power is and he certainly knows what his redemption consists of — faith in God and trusting Him in all things. This prayer is an inspiration for all who are going through suffering and trials. It is an inspiration to those who do not know where to turn in times of need.
For Azariah it is all about the goodness and glory of God. It is irrelevant to him whether he deserves to be saved. He knows he is a sinner and deserves no favour from the Lord. He knows that deliverance can only come from God reaching out to him in mercy. This is why the second half of the prayer affirms that it does not matter how many sacrifices or holocausts he performs – what matters is whether or not he has faith in God. It is only through the hand of the Lord that the fortunes of Israel can be restored.
We will do well to learn the basic thrust of this prayer and apply it in our lives. As Christians, we are totally dependent upon the grace of God and His good will. There is nothing that we can do to deserve salvation; there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. These two truths are important — let us seek to embrace them with the humility and trust they require. We may be able to accept this truth initially but the challenge we face is to maintain it with consistency every day of our lives.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What is the focus of my life? Do I desire to learn how to surrender everything to the Lord or am I still fighting to be my own redeemer?

Holy Spirit, open my heart to Your grace of surrender and help me to submit to it every moment of every day.

St. Firminus, pray for us.
 
This Wednesday, may you hear His voice in your heart!

30 March
Wednesday

The Goliath Slayer

“For what great nation is there that has God so close to it as the Lord, our God?” – Deuteronomy 4:7

There was a proverbial sword of Damocles over their heads for the last nine months. Anytime, our employees could lose their jobs because the equipment that we had been renting was being auctioned. Our employees were not young and would have limited job opportunities after this employment. We had led them to pray that the banks approve our huge loan and that the owner decide to award the bid to us as the incumbent operator. But they added something more to their prayers.
They had foregone a summer outing, the budget of which had already been approved at the start of the year. They had offered it as a form of fasting for God to overcome our mammoth obstacle. When the announcement came that there was a failure of bidding and that their employment would not be affected, they decided to spend their “outing” budget to attend a spiritual conference.
At the Kerygma Conference, they met the Giant that faced and overcame their Goliath-like obstacles. The conference reinforced their belief that God is bigger than any problem in their lives.Rolly España ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do you have insurmountable obstacles in your life? Defer to God and mountains become ant hills.

You are the God of the Impossible and I pray to You in all circumstances of my life.

---------

1st READING

The Commandments are really negative prescriptions that tell us how to avoid wrongdoing. However, there is more to discipleship than not doing the wrong thing – we are called to act out of love for God and one another. This means that we are called to be active in living out the positive tenets of our faith as regards our care for others and our service of the Kingdom of God. It is time we recognized that we can sin by failing to love someone in the Christian way.

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
1 Moses spoke to the people and said: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 5 Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the LORD, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. 6 Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? 8 Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today? 9 However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.

P S A L M

Psalms 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
R: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
12 Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. (R) 15 He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! 16 He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus is not an anarchist; He did not abolish the Law! Jesus fulfills the tenets of the Law and invites all of us to do the same. There is no doubt that the Law of Moses remains as valid today as it did 3,800 years ago. What is different is that we have the Holy Spirit in a far more explicit manner to help us fulfill the commands of the Law. Only when we surrender fully to His grace will we understand the extent of the grace God makes available to us.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

Matthew 5:17-19
17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Only when we surrender fully to His grace will we understand the extent of the grace God makes available to us.

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

IS JESUS AN ANTINOMIAN?

One of the questions theologians and Scripture scholars ask themselves is, “What is Jesus’ attitude to the Law of Moses?” Well, in today’s Gospel we have at least part of the answer. Jesus is not an antinomian, that is, he is not anti-law. Jesus does not say that the Law is irrelevant to our lives as His disciples. In fact, He tells us that we must fulfill the Law or we will fail in our duty to it and in our duty to love as He has first loved us. Then He goes one step further and warns us against leading others astray or we will be judged very harshly, thrown into a lake with a millstone tied around our necks.
The Law is not something that is bad. God gave the Law to Moses so it must be good and helpful to our lives. Yet, it can also be used to develop bad attitudes and thus place psychological pressures upon people that they should not have to deal with at the best of times, let alone when they are struggling. The law is there to guide us and help us discern the difference between right and wrong. Of itself it is incapable of salvation (see Philippians 3:7ff). The Law really comes to the fore when we are trying to form our consciences and to decide what we should do or not do in a given moral situation.
Paul’s experience can be helpful here. As a Jew, he was a man of the Law. He even claims to be blameless according to its stipulations. Yet, he counts everything as loss in comparison with knowing the power of Christ’s death and resurrection at work within him (Philippians 3:7ff). Paul realizes that the Law or, more correctly, “doing the Law” was not going to save him; then he experiences an enormous grace of God that does save him and sets him on a new path in life. Paul knows and has experienced the power of the grace of God to save him. He spends the rest of his life calling others to faith in the same God.
Christ, through His death and resurrection, fulfills all that the Law requires of us and so sets us free to live by grace and not under the shadow of the Law.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
What role does the Law play in my life? How faithful am I in forming my conscience judgments according to the Law of Christ?

Holy Spirit, come into my life with a new power to help me be faithful to the will of God and so fulfil the Law in my life.

St. Pastor, pray for us.
 
Be blessed by His Creative Word this Thursday!

31 March
Thursday

31AUDITION

But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” – Luke 11:15

Let’s call him Jitters, my friend who used to tremble and sweat big time in front of crowds. His hand would sweat so much when he held the microphone, he needed a hanky for him not to get electrocuted.
He knew he could speak, host, sing, dance and act. One day he went to an audition for the sake of conquering his stage fright but had no intentions of joining the sing-actdance group. With that pressure off, he gave his all and enjoyed the process. He passed!
The others who made it have been in showbiz since birth. They’ve done albums, movies and TV shows. Jitters considered it a miracle. Some didn’t believe in him and didn’t see what was in front of them. Years later, he went on to record an album, appeared and hosted TV shows and made commercials.
In today’s Gospel, the crowd saw a miracle happen right in front of them: Jesus driving out a demon. But some, instead of seeing and believing, chose to look the other way and convinced themselves Jesus was in cahoots with the devil.
Big and small “miracles” happen in front of us every now and then. With big faith, let’s recognize them and be God’s witnesses. Carlo Lorenzo ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
When good things happen to other people, do I choose to be happy for them or do I put malice in the situation?

Open our eyes, Lord, to see Your greatness in situations when others are exalted. Take away the dirt in our hearts that poison how we see the big and small miracles already in front of us.

-----------

1st READING

There is no excuse for hard-hearted stubbornness and refusal to listen to the Word of God. This is particularly true for Christians as we know that it is the Word of God that brings us life and that anything else is less than what God desires for us. The crazy thing is that we continue to settle for less with our refusal to entrust all to Him. Why do we think we know better than God? It sounds silly when I put it like this but it is the reality of what sin does to us.

Jeremiah 7:23-28
23 Thus says the LORD: This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. 24 But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me. 25 From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day, I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets. 26 Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers. 27 When you speak all these words to them, they will not listen to you either; when you call to them, they will not answer you. 28 Say to them: This is the nation which does not listen to the voice of the LORD, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.

P S A L M

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
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 greet him 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)

G O S P E L

Jesus has complete power over the devil. He has given us this power in Baptism, at least in part, such that we are no longer in any way under his influence. The power of Satan has been broken and the reign of sin is ended, thanks to the victory of Jesus on the cross. Let us seek to implement this power by ignoring temptation and choosing the path of holiness. When the devil tempts us let us double our efforts to be holy so that he will stop tempting us as we are becoming too holy for him!

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.

Luke 11:14-23
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed. 15 Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” 16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. 18 And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. 19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

my reflections
t h i n k : The power of Satan has been broken and the reign of sin is ended, thanks to the victory of Jesus on the cross.

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

OH, THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING!

You have two ears and one mouth. This is an indication that you should do at least twice as much listening as speaking. Maybe this is true, maybe not. What I do know is that if we want to be disciples of Jesus then we had better get used to listening and to listening well. One of the hardest challenges we face in today’s world is finding the time, space and silence to listen to the Word of God in our lives. The world is super busy; it is noisy with all sorts of different ideas, suggestions and doctrines; it is becoming more and more connected, leaving less and less space for the individual. Somehow, as Christians, we need to overcome these difficulties and listen to God’s Word in the midst of the noise and busyness.
The world is an expert at distraction and sin is as much, if not more, an expert, at amplifying the distractions of the world such that they become almost irresistible. If this happens in your life, you will find it next to impossible to both see and hear what God is saying to you. As soon as we give in to the agenda of the world for us, it becomes impossible to escape its clutches.
The Holy Spirit wants to help us to create a place of silence within our beings where we can always be in touch with God and His Word. This is essential for our spiritual health as without the constant diet of God’s Word, our spirit will dry up and eventually die. It is the silence in our lives that gives God the opportunity to speak to us more clearly than if He constantly has to overcome all the other voices we are listening to at the time.
Socrates tells us that we have to learn to reflect (a process that needs silence) or our lives will lose their meaning. It is only God who can give meaning to our lives that will endure and sustain us. Let us seek to listen to what He has to say to us today, tomorrow, the next day.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
How much time each day do I spend in silence, waiting on God to speak to me?

Holy Spirit, help me to open my heart to the Word of God by teaching me how to cultivate a place of silence at all times in my being.

St. Balbina, pray for us.
 
This Friday, work with Him at your side.

1 April
Friday

1st READING in one year

Assyria was the super power of that day and Isaiah reminds the Israelites that not even Assyria’s power comes close to God. In fact it is totally ineffective in terms of salvation. It is only God who can forgive their sins and restore them to good standing in His sight. There is no other way of living that will please the Lord other than following His law and example of love.

Hosea 14:2-10
2 Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. 3 Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. 4 Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion.” 5 I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. 6 I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, 7 and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. 8 Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 9 Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. “I am like a verdant cypress tree” — Because of me you bear fruit! 10 Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

P S A L M

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

G O S P E L
Love is the first of all the commandments. This tells us something of the nature of love – it is a choice. Yes, our emotions and feelings can be inspirations for our love but this does not necessarily have to be the case. We either choose to love God or someone else, or we do not. It does not matter what the situation might be; we are called to love all people at all times. Love is a free gift we offer to all men and women, and God as well!

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Repent, says the Lord; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 12:28-34
28 One of the scribes, came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” 29 Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ 33 And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

my reflections
think: It does not matter what the situation might be; we are called to love all people at all times.

-----------

1st READING in one year

Assyria was the super power of that day and Isaiah reminds the Israelites that not even Assyria’s power comes close to God. In fact it is totally ineffective in terms of salvation. It is only God who can forgive their sins and restore them to good standing in His sight. There is no other way of living that will please the Lord other than following His law and example of love.

Hosea 14:2-10
2 Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. 3 Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. 4 Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion.” 5 I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. 6 I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, 7 and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. 8 Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 9 Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. “I am like a verdant cypress tree” — Because of me you bear fruit! 10 Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

P S A L M

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

G O S P E L
Love is the first of all the commandments. This tells us something of the nature of love – it is a choice. Yes, our emotions and feelings can be inspirations for our love but this does not necessarily have to be the case. We either choose to love God or someone else, or we do not. It does not matter what the situation might be; we are called to love all people at all times. Love is a free gift we offer to all men and women, and God as well!

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Repent, says the Lord; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 12:28-34
28 One of the scribes, came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” 29 Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ 33 And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

my reflections
think: It does not matter what the situation might be; we are called to love all people at all times.

-----------

OMG!

Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. – 1 John 4:7

Two years ago, I went on a short trip to the US. I met with a very special man — a spiritual mentor to presidents, kings, prime ministers and other leaders. Each month, this spiritual giant holds 30 plus face-to-face meetings with high-level officials, guiding them how to lead their country using the Bible. For three days, I sat around his table (we were just four students) to learn one thing: how to disciple heads of states. It was mind-blowing.
So on my way home, I felt very important, too. But the moment my plane landed in Manila, everything became clear to me. I knew the first Heads of States I would meet. Upon arriving from the airport, I spent time with the two Kings who’ve conquered my heart since I saw them: my two boys. Together, we did very high-level, critical, world-changing, life-altering work. We drew robots and airplanes, played with little cars and video games (I lost, as usual).
Why did I spend the entire day with them? Because before I’m a preacher, writer, leader and businessman, I’m first a father.
So it is with God. Before He is supreme judge and King of the universe, He’s a Father. Your Father and mine!Bo Sanchez ([email protected])
1
REFLECTION:
God wants to be Your Father. Will you allow Him to?

God, our Father, help me to see You as You want me to — a Father who loves me through and through.
 
Be filled with God's joy this Saturday.

2 April
Saturday

Memorial of Immaculate Heart of Mary

Mommy and Yanthy Moments

And his mother kept all these things in her heart. – Luke 2:51

Two years have passed since I got pregnant and left my full-time job. My son is now more than a year old, but I continue to be a stay-at-home mom.
God has given me so much reason for rejoicing in giving me this child. He has doubled my joy by enabling me to witness his milestones firsthand. Moreover, God has gifted me with many memorable moments with Yanthy.
I remember when he was just 13 months old and could barely reach our dining table. He’d rush to help me set the table by getting the placemats one by one. Then, he’d tiptoe to put the placemats on top of the table. One time also when I had a fever and was wrapped in a blanket, Yanthy walked up to me and gave his sweater. What a helpful and sweet little boy! These are just a few of my treasured moments with my son.
Like Mary, I cherish and keep these moments in my heart. I thank God for this special privilege of being a mom and for the many lessons I learn as I raise my son. Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag ([email protected])
2
REFLECTION:
What personal experiences do I keep in my heart? What is God teaching me through them?

Lord, help me to be sensitive to Your voice as You speak through my daily experiences.

----------

1st READING

inspired enough to climb out. Sometimes we have to watch family members or friends go lower and lower and lower before they are ready to listen to reason and begin the task of climbing out of the pit of their sins. Why are we like this? The human person is a very complicated creature and sometimes we simply have to wait until the person is ready before they accept our help.

Hosea 6:1-6
1 “Come, let us return to the LORD, it is he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. 2 He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. 3 Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming, and his judgment shines forth like the light of day! He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.” 4 What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away. 5 For this reason I smote them through the prophets, I slew them by the words of my mouth; 6 For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

P S A L M

Psalms 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21
R: It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 16 [18] For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 [19] My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R) 18 [20] Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem; 19 [21] then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices, burnt offerings and holocausts. (R)



If we are going to boast about our good works let us be honest about it and give the credit where it is due — to God and not ourselves. Someone who is always boasting about their good works becomes very painful to be with. It is quite clear that they do not really know the truth that every good deed is accomplished with the help and inspiration of the grace of God. St. Paul tells us that we should always be thankful (to the Lord) for His goodness to us. Let us then boast in the Lord and not in ourselves.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
in one year
Luke 18:9-14
9 Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. 10 “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ 13 But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
1 Kings 17-19
my reflections
think: St. Paul tells us that we should always be thankful (to the Lord) for His goodness to us. Let us then boast in the Lord and not in ourselves.

-----------

CONQUER OUR PRIDE

Pride is a killer, do you agree? It is pride that caused Satan and his angels to fall from the heights of heaven and it is pride that we are called to conquer in this Lenten season. Pride is all about selfishness, making the self number one. Both readings in today’s liturgy speak about pride. The Israelites in the first reading were patting their back and congratulating themselves on the recent victories they had won in war. The Pharisee is boasting to God of all the wonderful things he has done.
Jesus, the great storyteller, illustrates for us the effects of pride. Pride raises its ugly head in all kinds of circumstances. The two men He mentions are faithful Jews in their own ways but there are striking differences.
Firstly, the Pharisee takes his position, stands up front and prays to himself. The tax collector stands at a distance, not even raising his eyes, and prays to God.
Secondly, the Pharisee reminds God of the things he has done. The tax collector simply tells God what he has not done.
Thirdly, the Pharisee makes a judgment of the rest of humanity. The tax collector asks God for mercy and pardon.
Jesus tells His audience that the tax collector returns to his home more justified because of his humility. God turns His eyes and shuts His ears from the so-called self-righteous. They are always boasting about what they have done. Moreover, they make you feel you are the worst person on the face of the earth because of their mighty deeds.
In the Lenten prefaces (Lent III), the priest prays that we would master our sinfulness and conquer our pride. This is challenging and hard work indeed. Everyone wants to be seen as Mr./Ms. Right. Everyone wants to be in the top position. What a difference the life of Jesus teaches us: He who came not counting His equality with God but emptying Himself. This is the kenosis (selfemptying) of God through the death of His Son. Through this self-emptying of Jesus, God was able to exalt Him and give Him a name above all other names. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

Reflection Question:
Where does pride reveal itself in my life?

Help me, Lord, to master my sinfulness and conquer my pride with the grace and mercy of Your love. Amen.

St. Theodosia, pray for us.
 
3 April
Sunday

FAITHFUL TO THE END

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. – Ephesians 5:10

God’s will. When I got renewed in 1991 and started my personal walk with the Lord, I learned of those two words and how I should strive to live according to them. It wasn’t easy at the start. When I would pray about a situation and try to submit my will to Him, there would be butterflies in my stomach. What if He wants me to do what I don’t want to do? What if it will be something terrible?
As time went on and I got to know Him more in prayer and Scripture, I learned that God’s love for me is so great that I don’t have to be afraid about His will — it will always be for my eternal good. That paradigm shift has helped to always want to seek His will and to accept whatever happens.
What I learned and continue to learn, however, is that I have to discipline myself so that I will be constantly open to that will. For it is so much easier to just follow what I want, to choose the comfortable way, and not to take time to listen to Him or to love.
By His grace, I pray that the Lord will enable me to be faithful to Him until the end. Joy Sosoban ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do you strive to do God’s will?

Dearest Lord, I surrender to You my will. Enable me to do Yours. Amen.

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

1st READING in one year

The oil used for anointing a king or priest is merely a symbol of a far greater reality, the actual anointing by God of the person for a particular task to which he has been called. The interesting thing here is that the anointed one, David, is the least of all the candidates. This tells us that God does not necessarily think or judge in the same way that we do.

1Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13
1 The LORD said to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” 6 As Jesse and his sons came to sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” 10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” 12 Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, “There-anoint him, for this is he!” 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

P S A L M

Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. (R)

2nd READING

The image of being in darkness and coming into the light is a very powerful one. I remember once when I was walking through Hezekiah’s tunnel (a passage for water into Jerusalem) it was pitch black. I was feeling my way with my hands and feet! When I went down a couple of wrong ways, a fear arose within me about whether or not I was going to find the right way and it was worse because of the dark. The relief I experienced when I saw the first pin-prick of light that slowly got bigger and bigger was amazing. The fear lifted and I knew I was OK once again.

Ephesians 5:8-14
8 Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, 9 for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

G O S P E L

It is totally perplexing that people would want to do away with Jesus after He has performed such an amazing miracle. What is wrong with the Pharisees? Perhaps it is jealousy; perhaps it is that they see Jesus as a threat to their power base. If we want to be a part of the Kingdom of God we will
have to learn to work with the gifts that God has given us and rejoice over the gifts He has given to others. Anything less than this is unacceptable to the Holy Spirit.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.

John 9:1-41
1 As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —. So he went and washed, and came back able to see. 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “So how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” 13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.” 24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. 32 It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. 35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshipped him. 39 Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.”

my reflections
t h i n k : God does not necessarily think or judge in the same way that we do.

---------

LIVE IN THE LIGHT

The Gospel reveals to us an interesting reality that unfolds as the story goes on. These 41 verses are loaded with intrigue, cultural sensitivities and controversy. The man blind from birth receives his sight and believes in Jesus. The Pharisees, who claim to see, end up blinded by their own ignorance.
The characters seem to be at a tug-of-war between belief and unbelief, tradition and culture, light and darkness. Light and darkness is a common theme throughout the Gospel of John, emphasized here in the story between the belief of the man born blind and the unbelief of the Pharisees. The story is delightful, matter-of-fact and an easy read for those who enjoy a tale of intrigue. Who is the good person? Who is the bad person? Will the good person win in the end?
Each of us can identify with the characters in the story. Sometimes we are like the Pharisees struggling to believe, caught up in the blindness of our own ignorance and rebellion. On the other hand, sometimes we are like the man who begins to see the Lord and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life.
As we move closer to the celebration of our faith and life in the Easter victory, let us ask the Lord to fill us with His wisdom and light, to see plainly that He is the Lord of our lives. May He remove the blindness of pride, ignorance and sin in our lives as we look to Him and worship Him in spirit and truth. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

Reflection Question:
What areas of my life are in the darkness and that I’m not willing to expose in the light?

Lord, I give You all the darkness that dwells within me. I expose them to the light of Your goodness and mercy. Help me to live as a child of light. Amen.

St. Agape, pray for us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

dwightver
Praise and Worship songbook
Replies
0
Views
61
dwightver
dwightver
dy_mands28
  • Article
Poem A Message For Denise
Replies
0
Views
52
dy_mands28
dy_mands28
sonraffae888
BASIC DELIVERANCE MANUAL
Replies
0
Views
134
sonraffae888
sonraffae888
januaryanne
The Idea of You Epub
Replies
0
Views
106
januaryanne
januaryanne
8
Symbianize is back...
Replies
3
Views
170
poiqwe
P
Back
Top Bottom