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God's Message For You Today

31
January
Sunday



LOVE HAS NO HOLIDAY

So faith, hope, love remains, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

The long holiday at the end of 2008 nearly emptied Manila streets of its usual inhabitants. So on that day, I should have reached the church quicker. But the driver of the jeepney I was riding decided to meander in the almost silent streets, stopping at every corner like he had all the time in the world. Since I was running late, it frayed my nerves. In my mind, I was commanding the driver to hurry. But he continued on his slow and merry way.
I was almost hyperventilating with impatience as I alighted from the jeep. That’s when the Holy Spirit spoke to me. Love does not take a holiday.
I went to church chastened that day. It’s almost automatic for us to think that others should treat us well and kindly. But do we do the same to others? As that simple yet deep message says, there’s no holiday when it comes to loving. Joy Sosoban ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“Love is patient, love is kind.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)

Dear Lord, make my love untiring and indiscriminate — just like Yours.

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

1st READING

God is never far from our lives no matter how significant or insignificant a particular event may be. He is always there, and He always brings with Him the full complement of His love. Jeremiah will be a prophet who struggles to accept God’s calling on his life but generally chooses to obey God’s Word. It is easy to relate with his struggles. Expect to be comforted when you read through this book of the Bible.

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: 5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. 17 But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; 18 for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people. 19 They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

P S A L M

Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17
R: I will sing of your salvation.
1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me. (R) 3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 15 My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. (R)

2nd READING

Here is the great Pauline sermon on the nature of love. All I want to add to it is that love is a decision — a decision that we are going to have to make countless of times if we are to be faithful to the Gospel. Feelings may or may not help us in making the decision to love; what is critical is that we realize that whenever we make a moral choice it is a choice to love or reject as the basis of our lives.

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
31 Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. 13: 1 If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, 6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. 13 So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

G O S P E L

Jesus does not “pull any punches here.” He says it simply as He sees it. This is the best way to make the truth known. Jesus needs to let people know what His mission is from the beginning so that they cannot accuse Him of deception later on. Whether people understand Him or not is not the issue at the moment. What is critical is that the Gospel is proclaimed in its fullness and that everybody has the opportunity to respond to it in its fullness as well.

Luke 4:21-30
21 Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” 23 He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’ ” 24 And he said, “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 : What is critical is that the Gospel is proclaimed in its fullness and that everybody has the opportunity to respond to it in its fullness as well.

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JEALOUSY IS SUCH A WASTE OF TIME

Jealousy is much worse than simply a waste of time. It also has the potential to waste an enormous amount of energy and resources. Time and energy that we spend competing with one another over usually a trivial matter could be far better spent working together to ensure that the Gospel is proclaimed to the ends of the earth.
In the Gospel today the leaders of the Jewish people get angry because they are jealous of Jesus’ popularity and also because Jesus is implying that they are no different from their faithless forebears who wearied the patience of God. From their reaction, it seems to me that Jesus has pretty much got it right. Before we become too judgmental, it might be good to reflect upon our own lives to see whether or not we have fallen into the same trap as the leaders of the Jews did in Jesus’ time.
We need to learn to rejoice in the gifts and powers that God has given to others, and not see them as competition for the attention of the people. Normally if this is the case, we are focused incorrectly in at least two ways. The first is that we are not working together with others to proclaim the Gospel — we want the glory for ourselves. The second is that we are focusing on gaining the attention of those already evangelized and we are not putting our energy and efforts into evangelizing those who have not or need to hear again, the Word of God. Jesus was never interested in any attention the people wanted to give Him — His sole concern was to live and proclaim the Gospel as best as He could.
It is this example that we must seek to follow. Otherwise, we will become distracted from the things that should be our focus and we will fail to achieve what we could have achieved, if only we had been wholly obedient to God.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
Do I live my life in accordance with the will of God? Do I rejoice in the gifts God gives to others?

Jesus, help me to see that I am only one aspect of the work of the Kingdom of God; help me to know how to work with others in proclaiming the Gospel.

St. Marcella, pray for us.
 
Prepare For Love! Valentines is coming in two weeks and your special someone (parents and friends too) will be happy you remembered. Make reservations. Prepare a surprise. A tiny gift. A little extra. I'm sure it'll show big love.

Don't be discouraged! God will be with you through this week.
----------

1 February
Monday

NOT DESPERATE ENOUGH

In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains… – Mark 5:4

For a long time, I tried to hide my sins and addictions — the result of being sexually molested when I was a young boy. But the more I denied that I had a problem, the more I remained in darkness.
Why? Because I didn’t like to face the pain within me. I just wanted to go on with life and forget the past. Just love God and do the right thing, I told myself.
But my bondages, like a hidden monster, which was a result of not facing my inner pain, were getting bigger and stronger. As I tried to bury the dull throb of my hidden wound, and ignored it as though it wasn’t there, I did not feel my desperate need for God.
But when I faced the pain squarely, and entered fully into the emotions of my grief, my anger and my shame because of what happened, I saw God in a totally new way.
He was big enough to heal me. And only then did my real healing start.
Friend, you can’t heal what you don’t feel. Face your pain today and get started on the road to healing. Bo Sanchez ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Is there a wound in your life that’s keeping you in darkness? Bring it to light and allow God to set you free.

Father God, set me free from my bondages. Grant me the grace to face my inner pains so I can move on to the healing that You want for me.

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

1st READING

David encounters resistance and opposition from within the people of Israel but he never loses faith in the Lord. He refuses to condemn these people. Maybe this mercy is a result of his awareness of his own sinfulness and how, if judgment is made, he, too, would be condemned for all of his transgressions. This is something we should understand as we are all sinners. As Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “Let he who is without sin be the first one to throw the stone,” when the people accused Mary Magdalene of adultery.

2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13
13 An informant came to David with the report, “The children of Israel have transferred their loyalty to Absalom.” 14 At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.” 30 As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. ll those who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went. 16: 5 As David was approaching Bahurim, a man named Shimei, the son of Gera of the same clan as Saul’s family, was coming out of the place, cursing as he came. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the king’s officers, even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard, were on David’s right and on his left. 7 Shimei was saying as he cursed, “Away, away, you murderous and wicked man! 8 The LORD has requited you for all the bloodshed in the family of Saul, in whose stead you became king, and the LORD has given over the kingdom to your son Absalom. And now you suffer ruin because you are a murderer.” 9 Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, please, and lop off his head.” 10 But the king replied, “What business is it of mine or of yours, sons of Zeruiah, that he curses? Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David; who then will dare to say, ‘Why are you doing this?’ ” 11 Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants “If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so! Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. 12 Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day.” 13 David and his men continued on the road, while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside, all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.

P S A L M

Psalm 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R: Lord, rise up and save me.
1 [2] O LORD, how many are my adversaries! Many rise up against me! 2 [3] Many are saying of me, “There is no salvation for him in God.” (R) 3 [4] But you, O LORD, are my shield; my glory, you lift up my head! 4 [5] When I call out to the LORD, he answers me from his holy mountain. (R) 5 [6] When I lie down in sleep, I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. 6 [7] I fear not the myriads of people arrayed against me on every side. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus’ power stretches from the natural to the supernatural — there is nothing that does not come under His lordship. In recognizing this, we also acknowledge that through Baptism we share in this power. Thus we are called to give witness to it in our lives. How do we do this? By rejecting sin and temptation, and living under the grace of the Holy Spirit and not according to the ways of the world or the devil.

Mark 5:1-20
1 Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. 2 When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. 3 The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. 4 In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. 6 Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, 7 crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” 8 (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) 9 He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” 10 And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. 11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. 12 And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” 13 And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. 14 The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. 15 As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. 16 Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. 17 Then they began to beg him to leave their district. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. 19 But he would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” 20 Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

my reflections
t h i n k : Jesus’ power stretches from the natural to the supernatural — there is nothing that does not come under His lordship.

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

An Eerie Story

Imagine if you had been there. Jesus and His disciples had taken a boat in the evening to cross the lake. He had calmed a violent storm and now they land at the opposite shore. It’s night and there, from the tombs, comes this violent man, possessed by demons. “No one had ever been able to bind him with a chain,” Mark tells us. Would Jesus be able to? He had just shown His power over wind and waves by saying, “Quiet now! Be calm!” But demons?
One brief command by Jesus was enough to shoo away these 6,000 unclean spirits: “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”
There are many people today who say the devil does not exist. The devil must be happy when they say this. Why? Because then they don’t fear him, they don’t resist his tricks and attacks and so fall into his trap. Pope John Paul II once said, “One who doesn’t believe in the devil doesn’t believe in the Gospel.” It could not be said more succinctly.
Now, many are afraid of the devil and his power. Being afraid makes one weak and vulnerable. And here comes today’s Gospel passage. It demonstrates Christ’s tremendous power over evil. If we, therefore, remain close to Him, we have nothing to fear.
In this connection, let me share what Fr. Amorth, the exorcist of the archdiocese of Rome, said about the Virgin Mary as Satan’s great enemy: “On one occasion an exorcist friend of mine asked the devil what most hurt him about Our Lady, what most annoys him. He responded, ‘That she is the purest of all creatures and that I am the filthiest; that she is the most obedient of all creatures and that I am the most rebellious; that she is the one who committed no sin and thus always conquers me.’”
With Jesus Christ and the powerful Mother of God on our side, what do we have to be afraid of in this evil world? Nothing! Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
How do I react to evil in me? Do I try to conquer my evil inclinations by turning to Christ? What do I do about evil in my environment?

Lord, often I am not only bothered but scared of evil in me and around me. Thank You for reminding me once more that with You and the intercession of Your Mother I have nothing to be afraid of. Help me to conquer with You what is evil in me so I can be with You one day for ever.

Blessed Anthony Manzi, pray for us.
 
2 February
Tuesday

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Strong Presence

But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? – Malachi 3:2

Mr. Williams is someone you would rather not have for a professor. He is known for giving his students a hard time during class recitation. But it’s actually for the benefit of his students. He asks a lot of questions and makes sure that his students understand not just the theory but the full concept of the subject matter. Most often, the students are not able to prepare well for his class so they would try to avoid going to his class or they would all agree to boycott it just so they would be spared from the recitation, at least for that particular day.
Our knowledge of the Lord and the kind of relationship we have with Him will determine how we receive Him on the day of His coming. Many of us desire to have a life free of pain and suffering but we do not welcome the idea that God may come anytime soon to render His judgment on us. There is nothing to fear if we live our lives in union with God. But if we live in a wayward manner then maybe it’s time we set things aright with Him so that we may receive Him with love and confidence when He appears before us.Jane Gonzales ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
If God appears before us now, would we be happy to face Him or are we going to tremble in fear?

Lord, lead me away from the things that offend You, and bring me to an understanding of behavior that will make me fit for heaven. Amen.

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

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

1st READING

Purification is something we all have to endure. There is no place in heaven for sins. Thus we all must be purified of them and their effects before we enter heaven. The Prophet Malachi speaks of this purification in terms of vessels being made fit for the worship of God. This is you and I. The more purification that happens in this life, the less will have to take place in Purgatory. Let us seek to be holy because the Lord our God is holy.

Malachi 3:1-4
1 Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. 3 He will sit refining and purifying [silver], and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. 4 Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old, as in years gone by.

P S A L M

Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10
R: Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
7 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) 8 Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. (R) 9 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) 10 Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory. (R)

2nd READING

Jesus’ identification with human suffering by becoming like us in all things enables Him to redeem humanity. He knows what it means to live here on earth because He has experienced it, and all that He has experienced is redeemed. Let us be eternally grateful for the generosity of Jesus’ love and do our best to remain worthy of it as we journey here on earth towards eternal life.

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

G O S P E L

Jesus fulfills the dictates of the Law concerning the birth of a firstborn son. He demonstrates that He does not want to abolish the Law but fulfill it so that we too might live by it as His disciples. It is important that we respect the law of God in all its mystery, even if we cannot fully understand it. God has created us; surely He knows and desires what is best for us and would not command us to do something that would be detrimental to our well-being.

Luke 2:22-40
22 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” 24 and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. 27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, 28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: 29 “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted 35 — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

my reflections
t h i n k : God has created us; surely He knows and desires what is best for us and would not command us to do something that would be detrimental to our well-being.

________________________________________________________



Parents ’ Day

Every year we celebrate a Mothers’ Day and a Fathers’ Day. But why don’t we have a Parents’ Day where we celebrate father and mother together as a couple? February 2 would be a good occasion for such a Parents’ Day, as we see both parents of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. In obedience to the Law, they journeyed together to Jerusalem to present their firstborn child in the Temple. In the picture of Joseph and Mary in the Temple, we have a great model of husband and wife united in practicing and raising their child in the faith.
Luke stresses several times that they are doing this “as it is written in the law of the Lord.” Joseph and Mary are presented as people who faithfully keep God’s laws — together. Husband and wife are supposed to be companions in the journey of life. We see this as we contemplate Joseph and Mary together in the Temple.
Let me reflect on another point in today’s Gospel passage. Some Catholics argue that baptism has no value until a child reaches the age of reason and then is able to decide for oneself. But this is not the example that Mary and Joseph are giving us today. In biblical times, people saw the whole family as one entity. The question of husband, wife and child belonging to different religions was unthinkable because religion was supposed to play a role in strengthening family unity.
Parents provide their children with the basic necessities of life. What is more basic than one’s faith in God? Parents — the “first catechists” as Pope John Paul II once called them — and not catechists, nuns, priests or teachers, have the responsibility to initiate their children into their faith. As parents, they have the duty and privilege of raising their children in such a way that they grow up to become responsible citizens as well as committed children of God. The example of Joseph and Mary shows us that the best way to achieve this is by leading the way through the example of our own lives. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I see married life as a common journey of husband and wife together — and until death will part them? Do I recognize that parents are the first catechists of their children?

Lord, bless all Christian parents and make them aware of their great responsibility and privilege to lead their children to You.

St. Theodoric, pray for us.
 
* Only in God we are truly safe & secure.
Anything else is false security. Wether you are surrounded by mighty walls of stone, a comfortable home,
or asecure job, NO ONE can predict what tomorrowmay bring.
Our relationship w/ God is the ONLY SECURITY that CANNOT be taken away.
 
3 February
Wednesday

FAITH LIKE A CHILD

He was amazed at their lack of faith. …. – Mark 6:6

Teena lost her husband to leukemia in 2008. When his body was about to be cremated, she told this story to her five-year-old son: “Daddy will now go to heaven. His body will be placed in that box which will be his ride. Once the box is closed, it will enter that chamber where it will stay until we hear the bells ring. You should clap when you hear the bells because that means that the angels already took Daddy to heaven.”
When the bells rang, a complete silence descended on the crowd. The hush was broken by an applause of one. Following his mom’s instruction, the young boy celebrated the special moment.
A child’s faith is always admirable. Once they believe something, they will hang on to that idea with full conviction. Let’s pray that we may have a child’s faith as we grow in our Christian life.Alvin Fabella ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“The childlike faith that asks not sight, waits not for wonder or for sign, believes, because it loves, aright, shall see things greater, things divine.” (John Keble)

Lord, I pray that I may have faith like a child, for You have said that I need a child’s heart to enter Your kingdom. Amen.

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1st READING

This story probably repels us in that it seems that God is doling out punishment on all the people because of the sin of David alone. However, we must remember that the ancient understanding of morality and punishment is very different from the one we have today. We have received far more revelation of the mercy and love of God than David or any of his contemporaries have known. What we learn today is that the decision of David to place his and Israel’s fate in the hands of God was indeed vindicated when God spares Jerusalem from destruction.

2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17
2 King David said to Joab and the leaders of the army who were with him, “Tour all the tribes in Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the people, that I may know their number.” 9 Joab then reported to the king the number of people registered in Israel, eight hundred thousand men fit for military service; in Judah, five hundred thousand. 10 Afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people, and said to the LORD, “I have sinned grievously in what I have done. But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant, for I have been very foolish.” 11 When David rose in the morning, the LORD had spoken to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the LORD says, I offer you three alternatives; choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you.’ ” 13 Gad then went to David to inform him. He asked, “Do you want a three years’ famine to come upon your land, or to flee from your enemy three months while he pursues you, or to have a three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider and decide what I must reply to him who sent me.” 14 David answered Gad, “I am in very serious difficulty. Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man.” 15 Thus David chose the pestilence. Now it was the time of the wheat harvest when the plague broke out among the people. The LORD then sent a pestilence over Israel from morning until the time appointed, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba died. 16 But when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD regretted the calamity and said to the angel causing the destruction among the people, “Enough now! Stay your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 When David saw the angel who was striking the people, he said to the LORD, “It is I who have sinned; it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong. But these are sheep; what have they done? Punish me and my kindred.”

P S A L M

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R: Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
1 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) 6 For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him. (R) 7 You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. (R)

G O S P E L

We choose what we focus upon when we look at the person of Jesus. If we do not want to be challenged, we will avoid looking at the demonstrations of His power and miracles so that they will not call us to a deeper allegiance and surrender to His will and grace. It would be foolish to do this, but that does not stop many from doing so. Let us meditate today on our faith in Christ and His power to change us.

Mark 6:1-6
1 Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! 3 Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” 5 So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us meditate today on our faith in Christ and His power to change us.

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Wrong Atmosphere

Jesus had it coming. He had grown up in Nazareth. He had eaten with His neighbors the same simple bread and drank with them wine. He was one of them, so much so that the people could not take it that He now moved around as a revered teacher, sometimes telling things that hurt and that people did not like to hear. I think you know very well that most people want to hear how good they are, that God is so good and merciful that He will easily forgive when they do something wrong. “God is good — always good,” they love to shout. Nothing wrong with this. God is good, but it can easily lead to ignore the harsh words of Christ.
The great British convert and writer G. K. Chesterton once wrote, “I don’t want a church that tells me when I am right. I want a church that tells me when I am wrong.” Unfortunately, there are not enough “Chestertons” in our Christian communities who want a prophetic church, who want preachers to make them face their wrong ways.
In such an atmosphere, the truth cannot prosper — as in Nazareth where prejudice had put Jesus into a certain frame: He is nothing but one of us, a simple craftsman, who now plays the prophet. In a wrong atmosphere no preaching will be successful.
Maybe we can ask ourselves: What’s my attitude when I go to church on Sunday? Am I expecting that the Word of God will hit me? Or am I indifferent? If we come to Mass and refuse to understand, we will misunderstand everything. If we select a preacher because of his jokes only, we have already created a wrong atmosphere because we will remember the jokes but not the message. Then we have created a wrong atmosphere for the Word of God to penetrate us, to change us or even to give us guidance for the next days and weeks.
Only when we create an atmosphere of openness, of expectancy in ourselves, that even the poorest sermon can put us on fire.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Am I open during homilies even when the preacher hits me with the truth? Or do I just want to hear how good I am — when actually I am not that good?

Lord, give me more openness toward Your Word and toward those who proclaim it. Save me from being selective when it comes to preachers. Let me not become so insensitive that I cannot accept a word that confronts me with my weakness and failure.

St. Laurentinus, pray for us.
 
4 February
Thursday

THE PRIEST EXORCIST

They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. – Mark 6:13

To many, ghosts, witches, dwarfs and vampires are just fictional characters. But you’d think twice if you’ve read Exorcism: Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult, the bestselling book of Fr. Jose Francisco C. Syquia, director of the Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism.
Published by Shepherd’s Voice Publications Inc., the book reveals the truth about the hidden, dark world of demons and how they intersect our daily world.
The teachings in his book were first part of Fr. Jocis’s research for a technical book on exorcism and deliverance. But he says he decided to come out with a simplified version to inform people about the spirit world, the world of the paranormal and the occult, and the realm of extraordinary demonic activity to help the people know how to view and confront them through the teachings of the Catholic Faith. He adds, “The devil is afraid of the Christian who knows his identity as a precious child of the all-powerful God and knows also how to use the many varied spiritual weapons of the Church.”
Are we the kind of Christians that make the devil tremble?Cynthia Santiago ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
A believing, practicing Christian is the devil’s worst nightmare.

Lord, teach me, strengthen me to fight evil.

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1st READING

Verse 4 contains an ominous blessing. There is a requirement for the descendents of David in order to retain the blessing of God upon their dynasty. Unfortunately, we will discover that they were not faithful in keeping the Law. Following the death of Solomon (David’s son and successor), the kingdom will split and corruption will be rife on both sides.

1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12
1 When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: 2 “I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. 3 Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, 4 and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, ‘If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.’” 10 David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 When Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, with his sovereignty firmly established.

P S A L M

1 Chronicles 29:10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd
R: Lord, you are exalted over all.
10 “Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.” (R) 11 “Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory.” (R) “LORD, you are exalted over all. Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all. 12 “Riches and honor are from you.” (R) “In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.” (R)

G O S P E L

When we serve the Lord we are to be totally dependent upon Him for everything. Our faith demands that we let go of any reliance upon the things of the world as they are all passing away. This is why a life of faith is at the heart of discovering the fullest meaning of our humanity and reason for living.

Mark 6:7-13
7 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick — no food, no sack, no money in their belts. 9 They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. 11 Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” 12 So they went off and preached repentance. 13 They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

my reflections
t h i n k : Our faith demands that we let go of any reliance upon the things of the world as they are all passing away.
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A Critical Look into Ourselves

Visiting a friend who was in charge of a certain retreat house, I was surprised to see the whole parking area filled with luxury cars. I asked my friend, “Are businessmen from Makati having their retreat here?” He shook his head sadly and answered, “No, it is another group of retreatants... these are the cars of the clergy from ‘X’ diocese.”
And a lay person told me sarcastically: “Priests in ‘N’ Seminary are very service-oriented... They all have their own ‘service cars’.”
How different this is from what Jesus said when He sent out His disciples with the instructions not to take anything for the journey except a staff. No wonder that many faithful are scandalized by the lifestyle of some priests. But why focus on them? Why not focus on the many priests and nuns who live a simple life, who are ready to serve their flock even in the middle of the night, who do not demand exuberant stipends but refuse what is too much?
Once sent by Jesus, the disciples went and preached repentance. It was the main message of Jesus: Repent! Repentance is not a sentimental sorry. Real repentance means a radical change in one’s life. That’s why repentance is so difficult; it disturbs and hurts. But remember that Jesus once said, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” We don’t have to point at certain people and make sarcastic remarks about their apparent scandalous attitude. We all need to change. We all need to repent. We all need to change our hearts and minds and actions. We all have or do something that might scandalize others.
Two weeks from now, we enter once more the holy season of Lent, a time we are invited to repentance, to a change of heart and a change of life. Are we ready?Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Am I easily scandalized by what others do? Do I talk about it to others? Am I aware of my own mistakes and need to change?

Lord, it is so easy to be a hypocrite. It is so easy to look at others and be scandalized. Today You remind me to look first into myself and detect where I have to repent and change my life. Thank You, Lord, for this very important reminder.

St. Andrew Corsini, pray for us.
 
5 February
Friday

GOOD RIDDANCE

Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him…. – Mark 6:19

Carl and Sarah Collier forbade their teenage granddaughter Holly Anne to see her lover Sandra. Holly’s grandparents were staunch Christians who wouldn’t allow this lesbian relationship to continue. Holly was not used to such strict rules for she grew up under the lenient rules of her mother. When Holly’s mom was imprisoned due to drug charges, she lived with her grandparents. After four months of living with them, she decided she had had enough. Together with Sandra, Holly plotted the murder of her grandparents.
On the evening of August 2, 2004, Holly and Sandra succeeded in killing the Colliers by stabbing them with kitchen knives. In today’s Gospel, Herodias harbored a grudge against John the Baptist for charging Herod and her of adultery. Because of this, she plotted to kill John, which eventually led to his beheading.
When people confront us with our sins, faults, or weaknesses, how do we react? Do we admit our mistakes and resolve to change our ways? Or are we like Herodias and Holly who, instead of getting rid of their sin, got rid of those who confronted them?
Let’s choose wisely and remove sin from our lives. Judith Concepcion ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
When someone points out your faults, are you bitter or do you resolve to get better?

O Jesus, help me see my faults. Grant me the grace to change my ways.

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1st READING

We have here a sort of eulogy to the greatness of King David. Even in his greatness we know of his sins and the suffering they caused. Let this be a lesson to us. Sin is never far from any of us, no matter how holy or great we may be in the eyes of God and the world. Let us live sober and watchful lives so that sin will not find a foothold in our lives. Let us give witness to the total victory Jesus shares with us over sin.

Sirach 47:2-11
2 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was David in Israel. 3 He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock. 4 As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people’s disgrace, when his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath. 5 Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm to defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people, 6 therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled 7 and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day. 8 With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung; 9 he added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year with string music before the altar, providing sweet melody for the psalms 10 so that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound. 11 The LORD forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; he conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.

P S A L M

Psalm 18:31, 47, 50, 51
R: Blessed be God my salvation!
30 [31] God’s way is unerring, the promise of the LORD is fire-tried; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him. (R) 46 [47] The LORD live! And blessed be my Rock! Extolled be God my savior. 49 [50] Therefore will I proclaim you, O LORD, among the nations, and I will sing praise to your name. (R) 50 [51] You who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed, to David and his posterity forever. (R)

G O S P E L

John the Baptist dies a martyr’s death because he will not be silent in the face of sin. He chooses to speak the truth even though he must have known that to do so would be to imperil his life. This demonstrates for us what it takes to follow Jesus as a disciple — this is a call that will embrace both good times and hard times. Let us pray for the grace to follow Jesus regardless of what the consequences for ourselves may be.

Mark 6:14-29
14 King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” 17 Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. 18 John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. 20 Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. 21 She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 Herodias’s own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” 23 He even swore [many things] to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 27 So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. 28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us pray for the grace to follow Jesus regardless of what the consequences for ourselves may be.

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Two Heroes of Faith

Two years ago I traveled with a pilgrim group through the area where the fortress Machaerus stood, the place where John the Baptist had suffered. It was built in the most desolate place you can imagine — a lonely grey desert, surrounded by deep ravines, overlooking the Dead Sea. Here, John did his last and finest act of witnessing: He gave his life for standing up for the truth. He had dared to tell the ruler Herod Antipas, “It is not right for you to have your (half-)brother’s wife.” Tell today a president, “What you are doing is not right,” and you know what will happen to you. It was worse in ancient times. And yet, John spoke out. After all, his King was God and for his King and God he was ready to give his life.
Incidentally, the Church honors today another hero of faith, better a heroine: St. Agatha. She was a young Christian woman who gave her life for her King in the year 250. She died after horrible tortures for her faith in Christ. Oh boy, I can only exclaim. Where have all the heroes gone? We don’t like to be laughed at or called “conservative” or “out of touch with reality”— even though that is far from being beheaded or tortured. Two years ago, when the so-called Reproductive Health Bill was discussed, where was the majority of the faithful?
The Church was strong in times when faithful followers of Christ dared to rebuke those in power. The Church was strong when the faithful were ready to give their lives for Christ. The Church until now is strong where she is persecuted. Our churches are still full but our faith has become a weary, weepy, cowardly caricature. We are not what Pope John Paul II expected the Philippines to be: a beacon light of faith for Asia. Who in Asia converts to Christianity because of our witness?
Sorry, folks, these are hard words. But they have to be said. John the Baptist and St. Agatha should not be ashamed of us.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I have the courage to stand up for my faith and the values of Christ and the Church when they are attacked or ridiculed?

Lord, through the heroic examples of John the Baptist and of St. Agatha, You have made me aware of my cowardice when it comes to witnessing to You and to our faith. May their example and that of the countless martyrs strengthen me and make me more courageous.

St. Abraham, pray for us.
 
6 February
Saturday

Wise Discernment

“Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” – 1 Kings 3:9a

The group of companies I worked for was closing down and I was about to lose my job. Some people with whom I had former business dealings offered me more than double my salary to manage their company. Upon closer scrutiny, I learned that this company didn’t pay minimum wages and didn’t pay the right taxes. But I desperately needed a better job then and lifted my cause in prayer to God. Through my wife’s prayer, God told me not to take the job.
A few years later, a multi-billion tax scandal landed on the front page of the papers. At the center of the scandal was this same company. Its owner, who had offered me the job, was on the run. If I had taken the job, I would have been his fall guy and taken the raps. I thanked God for the wisdom that he had given me not to take on that employment.
When we’re on the side of integrity and honesty, our discernment will always be a wise one!Rolly España ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Do you put your trust on what the world tells you or what God’s Word tells you?

Lord, thank You for the grace to discern what is wise from Your perspective.


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1st READING

Solomon prays for the gift of wisdom with which to govern the people. This pleases God and He rewards Solomon not only with wisdom but great power and wealth as well. It is sobering to reflect on how wealth corrupted Solomon. This is something of which we must be aware as we live in a world where the trappings of riches are very seductive. There are so many things we desire to have and they easily distract us from the one desire that we should focus on, namely being disciples of Jesus.

1 Kings 3:4-13
4 Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the most renowned high place. Upon its altar Solomon offered a thousand holocausts. 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” 6 Solomon answered “You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David, because he behaved faithfully toward you, with justice and an upright heart; and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today, seating a son of his on his throne. 7 O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. 8 I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?” 10 The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have asked for this — not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right — 12 I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you. 13 In addition, I give you what you have not asked for, such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”

P S A L M

Psalm 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
R: Lord, teach me your statutes.
9 How shall a young man be faultless in his way? By keeping to your words. (R) 10 With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands. (R) 11 Within my heart I treasure your promise, that I may not sin against you. (R) 12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes. (R) 13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. (R) 14 In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. (R)

G O S P E L

We live in a world that thinks it knows what it means to lead people to a better life. The world’s answer is to offer more things to make our lives more exciting and more comfortable — or so the advertising slogans will tell us. The truth of the matter is that fulfillment will come only through faith in Christ and living according to His will. This is the way to eternal life, not accumulation of numerous possessions.

Mark 6:30-34
30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 33 People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. 34 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

my reflections
think: There are so many things we desire to have and they easily distract us from the one desire that we should focus on, namely being disciples of Jesus.

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What Kind of Wisdom to Pray For?

Young King Solomon prays for wisdom. Are you surprised? You should be. Look around and find out what young people usually pray for (if they pray at all). I ask you: Who among our young people today would pray for wisdom? Even among older persons, it is rare. After all, who admits to lacking wisdom? Often the reality is that the more foolish one is, the more clever one thinks of himself.
Could it be pride that hinders our praying for wisdom? Or is it simple foolishness? Or is it because of the vast amount of information available to us today? But information is not wisdom. And wisdom does not fall from heaven like rain, as the prayer of Solomon shows. Wisdom, real wisdom, is a gift from God one has to pray for. But be careful, there are different kinds of “wisdom.” “Greeks look for ‘wisdom,’ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and an absurdity to Gentiles,” St. Paul wrote.
Yeah, that’s a problem, it is the “wisdom of the cross” we should pray for. Again, today’s saints — the Jesuit Paul Miki and his 25 companions who were killed in 1597 in Nagasaki, Japan help us to understand this paradox. They were all crucified by being attached to crosses with ropes and chains before they were killed with a lance. An eyewitness wrote: “Our brother, Paul Miki, saw himself standing now in the noblest pulpit he had ever filled. To his ‘congregation’ he now began by proclaiming himself a Japanese and a Jesuit. He was dying for the Gospel he preached. He gave thanks to God for this wonderful blessing and he ended his ‘sermon’ with these words: ‘At last, I come to this supreme moment of my life. I am sure none of you would suppose that I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way.’”
Hmm, the “foolish ness” of the wisdom of the Cross? For which kind of wisdom would you pray? What would be your word of wisdom from a cross?Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Have I ever prayed for wisdom? What kind of wisdom should I pray for?

Lord, I never prayed for wisdom, for I thought I know a lot. The examples of young Solomon and the Japanese martyrs humble me. Give me the wisdom I need to serve You in the right way.

St. Dorothy, pray for us.
 
7
February
Sunday

GIVING UP

“ Master, we have worked hard all night...” – Luke 5:5

It was 3:00 a.m. and I was still in the office. “What in the world am I doing here?” I asked myself. Just a few nights ago, I had a meeting with my boss at 1:00 a.m. to work on a problem in our area and prepare a presentation for our meeting with the president at 9:00 a.m. I inherited all these responsibilities from a guy who was relieved of the responsibilities because of health problems.
Something was terribly wrong. I was running a big department with a secretary, a big office, a staff, good pay, the best company benefits in the industry and a brand-new company vehicle but I had a lot of personal stress, negative environment, no time with my wife and no life! To top it all, my direct boss’s favorite hobby was to exercise his vocal chords by shouting at people when things go wrong.
Man, I needed sleep and some peace and quiet… to say the very least. So I called out to God. Every lunch break, I delayed my eating to hear Mass and gaze upon the Lord. I wanted to give up and call it quits.
Sometimes, it is OK to give up, especially when it’s to surrender to the Lord. That’s when He acts. When I “gave up,” great options arrived, and with it, a lot of wisdom. Ariel Driz ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What are the stresses in my life lately? Have I given them up to the Lord?

Lord Jesus, I recognize my problems and difficulties. I thank You for them as I place them all in Your hands. Amen.

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1st READING

The original Temple must have been a truly magnificent building. Down through the ages, men have built churches and cathedrals that have also been, and still are, magnificent edifices built to the glory of God. However, we should not forget that the true Church is not really the building but the people who comprise the community of the Body of Christ. Let us put people first and never lose sight of the dignity of the person.

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
1 The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the princes in the ancestral houses of the Israelites, came to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from the city of David [which is Zion]. 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month). 3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark; 4 they carried the ark of the LORD and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels that were in the tent. (The priests and Levites carried them.) 5 King Solomon and the entire community of Israel present for the occasion sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen too many to number or count. 6 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the holy of Holies of the temple. 7 The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the ark and its poles from above. 9 There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites at their departure from the land of Egypt. 10 When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD 11 so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the LORD’s glory had filled the temple of the LORD. 12 Then Solomon said, “The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud; 13 I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever.”

P S A L M

Psalm 132:6-7, 8-10
R: Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. 7 Let us enter into his dwelling, let us worship at his footstool. (R) 8 Advance, O LORD, to your resting place, you and the ark of your majesty. (R) 9 May your priests be clothed with justice; let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy. 10 For the sake of David your servant, reject not the plea of your anointed. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus was becoming famous — people came from all around to have Him address their concerns. As we reflect upon their faith in believing that Jesus could truly make a difference in their lives, let us be challenged to examine the depth of our own faith and ask whether or not we believe this, too. If not, let us pray for a deeper faith, one that will trust that Jesus can change our lives for the better if we trust in Him.

Mark 6:53-56
53 After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. 54 As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. 55 They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us pray for a deeper faith, one that will trust that Jesus can change our lives for the better if we trust in Him.

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When God Calls


When God calls, it’s often weird. Read about the way young Isaiah was called by God to be His prophet. Then, in the second reading comes St. Paul who, until the end of his life, wondered why Christ called him when he was a persecutor of the early Christians.
Finally, let me invite you to the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret. Simon Peter is tired and irritated. The whole night he and his companions tried to catch fish — nothing except some plants. Peter wants to go home, have a good breakfast prepared by his wife and then sleep. Now comes this preacher from Nazareth who wants to use his boat as pulpit. Not only that — the sermon is too long. Finally He finishes but instead of leaving the boat He asks Peter with a sweet smile: “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch!” Oh no! What does this craftsman from Nazareth know about fishing? Preach and leave the fishing to us seasoned fishermen, he must think. At least these thoughts are written on his face. Jesus continues to look at him, smiling at the inner struggle Peter’s face reveals. That breaks him. “OK, if you say so, I will lower the nets.” The rest of the Gospel passage then talks about the grand catch, about Peter’s surrender to Jesus and his leaving everything to follow Him.
God calls, He invites, He doesn’t force anybody. Luckily, Isaiah, Paul and Peter were able to recognize the divine call and responded spontaneously. But being called by God does not mean that from now on life would be a stroll in the park. Being called by God for a special task means to take up the cross – but never alone, always with Christ at our side if we allow Him to help us carry our cross. I do not think only of a vocation to priesthood or religious life. Married couples, too, are called by God. Peter’s answer should become ours: “If you say so, I do it!” This trust in His Word prepares for the great miracle of success in the God-given task. And don’t forget Jesus’ command, “Put out into the deep!” That means: Don’t remain in the shallow water. Go with Him into the deep!Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I dare to do seemingly useless things I feel God wants me to do? Do I realize that answering a call from God might lead to difficulties in life?

Lord, thank You for reminding me to be more open to Your call and dare to do things You tell me which seem to be useless. You know better. And trusting in Your Word will lead to great surprises in my life.

St. Tressan, pray for us.
 
8 February
Monday

Fanatic or Fai th-Filled?

They laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed. – Mark 6:56

Alma is an avid movie fan who follows her idol wherever she goes — no matter how far and inconvenient it is for her. When asked what she gets out of being an avid fan, Alma simply said, “The joy of seeing my idol and being with her, even if she does not notice me in the crowd but I am able to at least touch her hand, brings me much happiness. It’s enough to brighten up my day and take away the tiredness of following her around.”
God does not require much from us for Him to pour His blessings upon us. It is not a matter of how many novenas we recite, how much time we spend in church or how much of our resources we have offered back to God.
All He asks is for us to have faith in Him and obey Him. Then everything else follows. What matters most to God is not what He sees from the outside but the sincerity and love hidden in our heart. God listens to all those who call upon Him in faith. Jane Gonzales ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
There is no one insignificant in the eyes of God that He would not extend His mercy and love.

Forgive me, Lord, at times when I doubt that You hear my cries. Help me to realize that You are by my side and love me unconditionally all the time. Amen.

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1st READING

Isaiah’s calling is a good one to reflect upon. It captures an element of truth about our lives, namely that we are all men and women of unclean lips and we do not deserve to be in the service of God. This does not mean that God does not want our service but that we need to have our hearts, minds and tongues purified before we can fully serve in the Kingdom of God. Maybe we will not have to experience a coal being put to our lips like Isaiah, but perhaps that is an easier purification than what we will have to undergo.

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
1 In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. 2 Seraphim were stationed above. 3 They cried one to the other. “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” they cried one to the other. “All the earth is filled with his glory!” 4 At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

P S A L M

Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8 (1c)
R: In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 4 All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth; 5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD: “Great is the glory of the LORD.” (R) 7 Your right hand saves me. 8 The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)

2nd READING

We stand in a line of tradition as the servants of the Gospel. This means that we do not have a choice as to what we proclaim, only as to how we proclaim it so that the Gospel will truly speak to the hearts of the people of today. The kerygma, or content of the Gospel, is unchanging; it is the truth that today’s world needs to hear in order that people will turn from their materialistic ways and be brought back to following the Gospel in all its simplicity and truth.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
1 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Kephas, then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

G O S P E L

Jesus calls 12 men to have a special role and place in the proclamation of the Gospel. They will be taught and formed by Jesus Himself before being entrusted with the task of bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. They have a privileged place in the history of salvation. However, we, too, have a similar responsibility to them, namely to live and proclaim the Gospel to the world. Each of us has a network of family and friends in which we live and love. How well do we witness the life of the Gospel to them?

Luke 5:1-11
1 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 9 For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, 10 and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

my reflections
t h i n k : Each of us has a network of family and friends in which we live and love. How well do we witness the life of the Gospel to them?

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The “Bellboy God”

What do you think after reading these few verses in today’s Gospel passage? Impressed? Awed by Jesus’ success? Amazed by Jesus’ healing touch? Wishing you had been there, begging Him to touch you and heal you, too?
I cannot blame you for your impressions. Grand success in Galilee, that’s how Mark describes it. He doesn’t even enumerate the places or count those who came to be healed and were healed. But I urge you to think a few months ahead. The same Jesus who experienced a hero’s welcome wherever He went is suddenly alone. His disciples were gone. The crowd was observing and turning hostile towards Him. Nobody stood by Jesus, nobody supported Him. You know what was going on in today’s Gospel passage? It is not about a grand success but about Jesus being used by the people. Yes, they conveniently used Him for their own purposes. They were there to get something from Him but never thought of giving Him something. Unfortunately, that’s human nature.
Have you not experienced something similar? No letter, no phone call, no text from a person until he/she needs something from you.
How many people go to church for baptism and for a funeral? But when invited to contribute to the parish by joining an organization, they are too busy. How many turn to God only when they need Him?
In good hotels, you find bellboys. You ring the bell and they come to carry your luggage or do what you ask him. Is God our bellboy? The Good News is that Jesus healed and healed and gave and gave even though He knew He was being used. And that continues until now. But would it not be nice not to approach God always with requests (or even demands) but to offer God more devotion... more love in return for His blessings? And don’t forget, you love God best when you love your neighbor. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Am I one of the crowds that enjoy God’s help and healing but shy away from returning His favors with more service and love of neighbor?

Lord, I am ashamed to approach You because I have discovered myself among those who use You but do not offer something in return for Your graces, blessings and help. Forgive me and remind me more often of this weakness.

St. Cuthman, pray for us.
 
9 February
Tuesday

GOD’S Law is above Huma n Law

Yet you say, “If a person says to father or mother, ‘Any support you might have had from me is qorban’” (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. – Mark 7:11-12

Jesus stresses the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who make up their own laws that were contrary to God’s and impose them on people.
Today, we may easily see how wrong the Pharisees were at that time but we may also be falling into the same behavior if we are not careful.
Do we give alms to the less fortunate or say state laws prohibit it? Do we share our treasure to the victims of calamities or say corrupt people will simply take advantage of it? Do we help the church in building the kingdom of God or say the church is rich enough to stand on its own?
God’s law is love. It is better to commit an error in loving than obeying laws which take away the opportunity to love. Jess Santos ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
When was the last time we chose to obey a certain law but lost an opportunity to share the love of God?

Dear God, grant me a generous heart that I may never pass up any opportunity to share Your Love, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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1st READING

The Jews believed that God made Himself present to them in a special way in the Temple — probably something similar, yet different, to our understanding of the Real Presence of God in the Eucharist. We need to believe this is true as we carry out the mission of evangelization. God goes before us to prepare the hearts of those to whom we will proclaim the Good News; He is the power in the proclamation and He is also the one who will walk with them in the Holy Spirit following their conversion.

1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30
22 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of the whole community of Israel, and stretching forth his hands toward heaven, 23 he said, “LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of kindness with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart. 27 “Can it indeed be that God dwells among men on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built! 28 Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. 29 May your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place. 30 Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer in this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.”

P S A L M

Psalm 84:3, 4, 5, 10, 11
R: How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
2 [3] My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) 3 [4] Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young — your altars, O LORD of hosts, my king and my God! (R) 4 [5] Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. 9 [10] O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of your anointed. (R) 10 [11] I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R)

G O S P E L

There is little more disturbing and detestable than a hypocrite. The thing with hypocrites is that they generally know of their hypocrisy but are totally unwilling to do anything about it. This fact is enough to annoy anyone with even half an ounce of justice in them. Let us pray that as Christians we will always live to the full the faith we profess in the saving work and love of Jesus.

Mark 7:1-13
1 When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, 2 they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles [and beds].) 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” 6 He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’ 8 You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” 9 He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ 11 Yet you say, “If a person says to father or mother, ‘Any support you might have had from me is qorban’ ” (meaning, dedicated to God), 12 you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”

2 Corinthians 9-13
my reflections
think: God goes before us to prepare the hearts of those to whom we will proclaim the Good News; He is the power in the proclamation and He is also the one who will walk with them in the Holy Spirit following their conversion.

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Rules that Paralyze Love

No community can live without rules. So it does not come as a surprise that religious communities have developed many of them. So do Judaism and Christianity. But in spite of all laws, attributed often to the gods or to God, most religions have split into different schools, denominations and sects. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the necessity and benefit of laws and rules. Reading today’s Gospel passage we cannot help but ask, what then made Jesus so angry in His discussion?
What is the essence of true religion, we may ask first. It is supposed to be a loving relationship between God and human beings. Especially Judaism and Christianity believe that God has initiated this relationship out of love for His creatures. A proper response to this divine initiative would be a loving attitude towards God, expressed in praise and thanksgiving and in doing what God asks His people to do. The Old Testament and Christ then made it clear that this love of God is expressed best by showing concern, compassion and love towards fellow human beings, especially towards the poor and marginalized members of the society.
It now becomes clear why Jesus was so upset — the religious leaders of His time understood as essence of their religion the proper performance of rituals, ceremonies, laws, rules and regulations. Gratitude to God was not expressed by love of God and neighbor but by strict observance of man-made rules which paralyzed or even “killed” love.
I was told a story about a very pious elderly lady. One Sunday her neighbor, a woman with an infant, complained of severe stomach ache and needed to see a doctor. She asked the pious lady to come over and take care of her infant. But the lady answered, “I really pity you. But I am very sorry, it is Sunday and I must go to Mass.”
Just reading today’s Gospel we know how harsh Jesus reacts in such situations. Keep the laws and rules by all means but do not allow them to paralyze your love. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I have the tendency to excuse myself from active love and care by hiding behind a rule or a law?

Lord, Your harsh words hit me, too. Give me the wisdom to discern always when I have to keep a law and rule and when I have to transgress it in order to help a needy person.

St. Alexander, pray for us.
 
10 February
Wednesday

WISDOM FROM ABOVE

… the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom…. – 1 Kings 10:4

So you think you are wise? Take this test I received from the email and see how you fare.
Several children play on two railway tracks. One child is on the inoperative track while the rest of the kids are on the operational track. The train is coming and you are just beside the track interchange. You can make the train change its course by diverting it to the inoperative track or let the train go its way. What will your decision be?
If you are like most people, you may choose to divert the train and sacrifice only one child. But have you ever thought why that track is inoperative? It is probably not safe to use. Diverting the train to that track endangers not only the life of that child but also the hundreds of people on board that train.
There are times in our lives that we have to make tough decisions. Remember, hasty decisions may not always be the right one. In situations like this, we can ask God for wisdom to help us make the right choices. God gives freely to those who ask Him. Judith Concepcion ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.” (James 1:5)

Lord God, grant me wisdom that I may judge rightly.

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1st READING

The glory of Solomon is unsurpassed in all the world during his time. Even the foreign kings and queens come to pay tribute to him. However, it will not be long before the destructive seeds of sin will take root and bring disaster on Israel. In fact, they are already there in the many alliances and marriages of convenience that Solomon has made. Let us learn that faithfulness to God is more important than wealth and the world’s glory. How difficult it is for someone caught up in the business of the world to enter heaven.

1 Kings 10:1-10
1 The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon’s fame, came to test him with subtle questions. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a very numerous retinue, and with camels bearing spices, a large amount of gold, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subject in which she was interested. 3 King Solomon explained everything she asked about, and there remained nothing hidden from him that he could not explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom, the palace he had built, 5 the food at his table, the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters, his banquet service, and the holocausts he offered in the temple of the LORD, she was breathless. 6 “The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king. 7 “Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes, I have discovered that they were not telling me the half. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. 8 Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.” 10 Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents, a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

P S A L M
Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40
R: The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.
5 Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. (R) 30 The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom and his tongue utters what is right. 31 The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps do not falter. (R) 39 The salvation of the just is from the LORD; he is their refuge in time of distress. 40 And the LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (R)

G O S P E L

Today is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. There are not too many families that have attained the state of grace, that they have multiple canonizations of their members. As we reflect upon today’s Gospel, let us realize that it is what we do with our lives that will make us saints; it is our heart’s motivation that is all-important.

Mark 7:14-23
14 Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” 16 17 When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 “But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. 21 From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. 23 All these evils come from within and they defile.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Faithfulness to God is more important than wealth and the world’s glory.

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Once more , Love versus Rules
Yesterday we said that laws and rules are necessary but they should never paralyze love and charity. Today’s saint, St. Scholastica, provides a good illustration of this.
Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict and became abbess in a convent near her brother’s monastery. Following the strict monastic rules, they kept away from each other but met one day a year somewhere between their monasteries to praise God together and talk about spiritual matters. One year (not knowing it was three days before Scholastica’s death) they met as usual. When dusk fell, Scholastica begged her brother to extend their meeting and “talk until morning about the joys of life in heaven,” as St. Gregory the Great writes in his Life of St. Benedict. Her brother refused because this was against the rules of his monastery. Gregory tells that Scholastica simply bowed her head and prayed in silence. Immediately there was thunder and heavy rain that it was impossible to leave the house. Ruleloving Benedict was horrified, “May almighty God spare you, sister. What have you done?” Her answer was simple, “I asked you but you were unwilling to listen to me. I asked my Lord and He listened to me.”
St. Gregory writes, “They spent the whole night awake and had their fill of talk about spiritual matters. As John says, ‘God is love,’ and she justly overcame him by the greater strength of her love.”
It is a beautiful story about love of neighbor versus love of rigid rules. Love of neighbor won. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus points out that nothing that enters the body can make us unclean before God. Persons become corrupted through their actions which are products of their hearts. Taking a bath five times a day does not make me clean before God but the struggle against evil thoughts, attitudes, inclinations and habits help me, climaxed by the supreme means of spiritual cleansing: the Sacrament of Reconciliation.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I focus only on physical hygiene and cleanliness and neglect spiritual hygiene?

Thank You, Lord, for opening my eyes to some very important areas in my spiritual life that I have to address. May my love for neighbor and my fight against what is evil in me free me from selfishness and bring me a giant step closer to my goal: heaven.

St. Aponius, pray for us.
 
11 February
Thursday

CHILDREN FIRST

“Let the children be fed first.” – Mark 7:27

My eyes popped out and my jaw dropped when I opened my birthday gift from our 26-year-old daughter, Trina. It was a Louie Vuitton speedy bag. It was the real thing, not just a Korean knockoff.
I had mixed feelings. Part of me was regretful knowing how much money she had spent on me. But part of me was also joyful knowing how precious I must be to her to merit such a totally unexpected present. Trina is a new lawyer, a much-deserved reward after many years of hard work and sleepless nights in law school. Since she became a junior associate in a law firm, she has lavished us with treasured gifts including a large screen LCD TV and an LCD desktop computer.
Her birthday card said it all, “For all the times you put us first.” It suddenly dawned on me that indeed, my husband, Raul, and I have always put the needs of our children Peevee and Trina before our own. If this is the case with us mortal parents, how much more for our heavenly Father
above? Mari Sison-Garcia ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“Let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy” (Psalm 5:11).

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1st READING

The marriages of convenience of Solomon are coming back to haunt him. His wives begin to introduce worship of alien gods into his household and into the nation of Israel. It is a lesson to us that our lives need to be kept pure from anything that might contaminate our faithfulness to God. We live in the world but we are not of the world. This is a critical distinction that easily gets blurred if we are not ruthless in dealing with spiritual errors.

1 Kings 11:4-13
4 When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God, as the heart of his father David had been. 5 By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites, 6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done. 7 Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab, and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites, on the hill opposite Jerusalem. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 (for though the LORD had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods, Solomon had not obeyed him). 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is what you want, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I enjoined on you, I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant. 12 I will not do this during your lifetime, however, for the sake of your father David; it is your son whom I will deprive. 13 Nor will I take away the whole kingdom. I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

P S A L M

Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37, 40
R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. 4 Remember me, O LORD, as you favor your people; visit me with your saving help. (R) 35 But they mingled with the nations and learned their works. 36 They served their idols, which became a snare for them. (R) 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 40 And the LORD grew angry with his people, and abhorred hisinheritance. (R)

G O S P E L

The pagan woman has more faith than most of the Jewish people. This is a scandalous situation that immediately challenges me to ask whether I have as much faith as she has. Sometimes I think the answer is in the affirmative but other times it is not. If the same is true for you, join me in working on the times our faith is weak and seek to strengthen it by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 7:24-30
24 Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

my reflections
t h i n k : Our lives need to be kept pure from anything that might contaminate our faithfulness to God.

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Lourdes : A Place of Light and Love

In September 2008, Pope Benedict XVI visited Lourdes. One of the most impressive moments there is the candlelight procession held every evening. The Pope participated and spoke at the end to the pilgrims. I just selected for today’s feast some passages from his homily: “On 11 February 1858, in this place known as the Grotto of Massabielle, a simple young girl from Lourdes, Bernadette Soubirous, saw a light, and in this light she saw a young lady who was ‘beautiful, more beautiful than any other.’ This woman addressed her with kindness and gentleness, with respect and trust: ‘Would you do me the kindness of coming here for a fortnight?’ she asked her.... It was in this conversation, in this dialogue marked by such delicacy, that the Lady instructed her to deliver certain very simple messages on prayer, penance and conversion....”
“ Countless people have borne witness to this: when they encountered Bernadette’s radiant face, it left a deep impression on their hearts and minds.... The daily life of the Soubirous family was nevertheless a tale of deprivation and sadness... rejection and poverty. Even if there was no lack of love and warmth in family relationships, life at the cachot was hard. Nevertheless, the shadows of the earth did not prevent the light of heaven from shining....Lourdes is one of the places chosen by God for His beauty to be reflected with particular brightness, hence the importance here of the symbol of light.... Lourdes is a place of light because it is a place of communion, hope and conversion. Jesus says to us: ‘keep your lamps burning’ (Luke 12:35); the lamp of faith, the lamp of prayer, the lamp of hope and love!”
“In this shrine at Lourdes... we are invited to discover the simplicity of our vocation :it is enough to love. May the Virgin Mary and Saint Bernadette help you to live as children of light in order to testify... that Christ is our light, our hope and our life! Amen.” Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I pray the Rosary mechanically or — as Pope John Paul II taught — in a meditative way, gazing at Jesus through the eyes of Mary?

Lord, thank You for giving us Your beloved Mother as our Mother, too. May I not just venerate her in an emotional way, but “sit in her school” and so learn more about You.

St. Severinus, pray for us.
 
17 February
Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

PRIVATE PRAYER

“But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:6

Jhen brought her son Rafael to enroll in another school. But he was asked to join the nursery class even if he was almost six years old.
The principal told her that the boy still had difficulty with basic concepts like counting and reading. This made Jhen sad. She knew that having her son repeat nursery would mean an extra year of tuition fees. Being a single mom, any form of savings would have been a big help to her family of four kids. But left with no options, she agreed.
Jhen was surprised when Rafael ended up in the top 5 after the first half of the school year. By the end of the third quarter, he ranked number 2.
When she visited the school, the principal told her she was very happy with his improvement. Jhen was also touched when the principal revealed that she would pray regularly for Rafael’s improvement and was thankful to God for granting her request. Praying for a concern is more effective when it’s done in private, with God as your only witness. Alvin Fabella ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Find an isolated place today where you can have an intimate time with Jesus.

Lord, I want to know You in a deeper way. Reveal Yourself to me. Amen.

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1st READING

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the most important period of penance and preparation in the Church’s calendar. We begin our preparations for Easter with a text that encourages us to seek true conversion of heart and soul. God wants our change to be one that is wrought from within, that which will last, not something that is here today and gone tomorrow. Let us seek true conversion of heart this Lent.

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

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 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

Let us not wait another moment before we repent. St. Paul tells us that the time is now, not tomorrow, not next week. It is important for us to realize that no matter how uncomfortable repenting of our sins may be, it is not something that we can afford to delay. Sin destroys our capacity to both receive and give love. The longer we refuse to repent, the more difficult it will become. Please do not put this principle to the test.

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

Seasons of change are good for us once in a while. Fasting and prayer, as well as almsgiving and other penitential practices, help us sharpen our spiritual skills and attention to God’s Word. Fasting is not just about denying the body food. It is also a means to becoming more attentive in prayer. Giving up television for Lent or putting aside the money we would have spent on ourselves each week and giving it to the poor is all about standing in solidarity with those who do not have as much as we do.

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 : Fasting and prayer, as well as almsgiving and other penitential practices, help us sharpen our spiritual skills and attention to God’s Word.

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Now
The black dot or cross indicates that you have gone to church today. Unfortunately, there are many who just pass by the church to receive the ashes because everybody does so, but do not attend the Mass and don’t listen to the readings. I hope you are not one of them. The ash is a sacramental that should be received after listening to the Word of God and a short homily. At least that’s what the liturgical rules say. And it makes sense. Receiving a sacramental is not magic or superstition. A sacramental “works” only when the receiver has the right disposition. And what is the right disposition for receiving the ashes? The priest says while imposing the ashes, “Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel.” (Or, “Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return.”)
Both words have profound implications. To turn away from sin I must take my time and acknowledge once more that I am a sinner. Something I cannot do in two minutes when I line up to receive the ashes and then run home or to the office. And I cannot believe in the Gospel if I do not even take time to listen to it on a day like Ash Wednesday. The readings chosen for today are excellent. Joel’s passage begins with, “Now, now…come back.” And St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Well, now is the favorable time.” Three “nows.” That leads us to think, right? We tend to postpone and say, “tomorrow” or “next time na lang.” Be careful when you catch yourself postponing a good resolution. It makes the devil very happy.
And Jesus tells in the Gospel that what good we do, we should do in secret and not for show. If the ash on your forehead is only for show — you know what the Lord thinks of it. “Now is a favourable time….” We might have missed this chance more than once. But please, not this year. I don’t like to be morbid or scare you, but the reality is that there might be no tomorrow, no next week, no next time. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I tend to postpone changes in my life? Do I tend to “forget” resolutions? Why? Am I afraid of changing?

Thank You, Lord, for giving us once more the holy time of Lent, a time to turn away from our sins and turn to You. Send Your Spirit to open our hearts so that we listen attentively to Your Word and have the courage to practice what we learn from You.

St. Benedict of Cagliari, pray for us.
 
20
February
Saturday

A HASTY DEPARTURE

And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. – Luke 5:28

Twenty-four years ago this week, the Marcoses fled Malacañang Palace in the midst of the People Power Revolution. Just hours before that historical moment, the dictator had been sworn in for his fourth term and had vowed that he would never resign.
The family left in such haste that when rallyists overran the palace, they found the Marcoses’ dining table with an unfinished meal in its silver service and a half-eaten banana at the bedside of the former first lady. Empty jewelry boxes littered the floor of Imelda’s bedroom while soiled disposable adult diapers were found in the dictator’s bathroom.
This scene gives us a clear picture of what it means to “leave everything behind.” That’s what Levi did when Jesus invited the tax collector to follow Him. Imagine, Levi was at his customs post when the Lord called him. He had tasks to do, maybe even some ill-gotten cash in his table drawers. But the minute he heard Jesus’ invitation, it was so compelling that he didn’t even bother to pack up his desk. Levi simply got up and followed Jesus.
When the Lord calls us to do something, do we respond with equal haste?Rissa Singson- Kawpeng ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Are you quick to obey, whenever the Lord makes known His will?

Lord, give me the boldness to follow You without fear or procrastination. Amen.

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1st READING

We should always be on the lookout for those who are unable to care for themselves. These are the Anawim or Little Ones of God. If we do not care for them, who will? If we do not care for them, then we will be judged on this lack of love and care for our brothers and sisters in need (see also the Parable of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25).

Isaiah 58:9b-14
9 Thus says the LORD: If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10 if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; 11 then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails. 12 The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; “Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you, “Restorer of ruined homesteads.” 13 If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice — 14 Then you shall delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

P S A L M

Psalm 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R: Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
1 Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor. 2 Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God. (R) 3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to you I call all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. (R) 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you. 6 Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my pleading. (R)

G O S P E L
Jesus never gives up on anyone. He always has hope that His grace can change a person’s life and bring him to repentance and conversion. Levi, the tax collector, would have been considered a hopeless case by the Jews. He was a traitor and collaborator with an occupying power and, on top of that, was corrupt and self-serving. There was no hope for him. But Jesus chooses him to be a disciple. Let us never lose hope that anyone is beyond conversion.

Luke 5:27-32
27 Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us never lose hope that anyone is beyond conversion.

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Become Physicians !

Let’s join Jesus on that specific morning. He had a good breakfast, prepared lovingly by Peter’s mother-in-law. We approach with Jesus one of the most hated places in town – the office of the tax-collector. With the disciples we try not to come too close, even though we are not Pharisees who would see to it that not even their clothes would come in contact with a tax collector. “Hey, Jesus,” Peter shouts alarmed, “what are you doing?” For Jesus is approaching the table of the tax collector Levi whose head goes down in fear to hide between his shoulders. But then, to his and our surprise, Jesus smiled at him and said, “Come, Levi, follow me!”
Read the rest in today’s Gospel passage how Jesus accepted the invitation to eat and drink with Levi and the whole bunch of his colleagues. Read the expected outrage of the pious ones and Jesus’ beautiful answer. For Jesus, sinners were not criminals; they were sick people who needed healing.
Why does the Church give us this reading today, on the fourth day of Lent?
It has become clear already during the past three days that the Church has selected very carefully passages that will help us to make Lent a spiritually fruitful season. “But there are no tax collectors we can call to be our friends,” you may say. You are right. The point is that in today’s society there are a lot of people who are ostracized, marginalized because they are considered to be “sinners” or “bad people.” They have been judged (often misjudged) by prejudice or by lack of knowledge about them. These are our “Levis,” our “tax-collectors” who are avoided for one reason or another. So, as a disciple who is called to continue what Jesus began long time ago, what are you to do?
It’s only too clear, I think. Become “doctors” (without studying medicine), become physicians who do not just prescribe medicine but who give the best medicine to them: understanding, compassion, acceptance and love.Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Who in my environment needs my loving, healing touch most? To whom is Jesus sending me to heal?

Lord, Divine Physician, You have healed me so many times with Your love and compassion. Thank You. Today You made me aware that what You have done for me I should do for Your brothers and sisters in need of healing. Help me, please, in this difficult task.

St. Amata, pray for us.
 
21 February
Sunday

Costly Procrastination

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from Jordan and was led into the desert for forty days to be tempted by the devil. – Luke 4:1-2a

One time, Satan called his devils to a conference. The demons were asked to present their strategies on how to make their temptation techniques more effective and bring more people to hell. One devil told the conference that he would deceive people by saying that there is no God and that it was alright to do anything you want and not be accountable. Satan was happy.
A second devil told the congregation, “I will tell people that there is no heaven and hell, and that they should not fear about their final destination.” Satan was delighted to hear this. Finally, another devil said, “I will tell people to go ahead and repent and be renewed.” Satan was furious upon hearing this. But the devil told Satan to let him finish. He said, “But I will tell people to repent and be renewed, not now but later.” To this, Satan applauded profusely.
Procrastinating on matters pertaining to our spiritual lives is one of the devil’s most effective tools. Let us decide and act now to focus on the things that will bring us closer to God and heaven. Rolly España ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Are you in the habit of putting off the good things that you should do? There might not be a tomorrow.

Father in heaven, strengthen my resolve to act on things that would please You always.

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1st READING

The Jews will always celebrate and remember what God has done for them with great joy. Their fervor and faith in God ought to be a reminder to us of how grateful we should be for the greater gifts we have received through Jesus. It is so easy to allow ingratitude to become a part of the way we relate to God and we thus begin to presume upon His goodness and mercy. This is a terrible sin as it begins to put us before God in the order of importance, something that should be anathema to us just as it would be to the Jews.

Deuteronomy 26:4-10
4 Moses spoke to the people, saying: “The priest shall then receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the LORD, your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as an alien. But there he became a nation great, strong and numerous. 6 When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us, 7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. 8 He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders; 9 and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me.’ And having set them before the LORD, your God, you shall bow down in his presence.”

P S A L M
Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
R: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, 11 for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. (R) 12 Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the lion and the dragon. (R) 14 Because he clings to me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and glorify him. (R)

2nd READING

No one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame. This is a truth of the Scriptures, one that we must learn to trust with our lives. If we make being a disciple of Jesus the foremost priority of our lives, we can be assured that God will stand by us every step of the way. This is good news for us because we all need every bit of help we can get.

Romans 10:8-13
8 Brothers and sisters: What does Scripture say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” — that is, the word of faith that we preach — 9 for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 For the scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

G O S P E L

Jesus rejects all the attempts of the devil to seduce Him away from His allegiance to God and His will. The example of Jesus here is very instructive because we see that He rejects each temptation by standing on the truth and the promises of the Scriptures — the Word of God. We need to learn how to do this — to call to mind the Scriptures appropriate to our situation so that we will not be seduced by the devil away from the purposes of God.

Luke 4:1-13
1 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert 2 for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ” 5 Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. 6 The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. 7 All this will be yours, if you worship me.” 8 Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’ ” 9 Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and: ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ ” 13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

my reflections
t h i n k : We need to learn how to do this — to call to mind the Scriptures appropriate to our situation so that we will not be seduced by the devil away from the purposes of God.


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Valuable Temptations
The Church offers us every year on the first Sunday of Lent the Gospel passage about Jesus’ temptation to prepare us for the many temptations that threaten our Lenten spiritual exercises.
What happened to Jesus? He had been baptized by John in the waters of the River Jordan where God had proclaimed Him as His beloved Son. Then Jesus went into the wilderness where He was tempted — similar to what the Israelites, the “sons of Yahweh” experienced more than a thousand years ago. They crossed the waters of the Red Sea, went into the wilderness where they were tempted in many ways and proved to be quite disobedient “sons of Yahweh.” Do you see the parallels between the two stories? Yes, there are striking parallels but there is one major difference. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded by remaining obedient to His Father, who had sent Him not to do spectacular signs for His own glory but to save humankind from the power of Satan.
That brings us to ourselves. Have you ever said in a Confession: “Father, I experienced temptations”? Many do so. But temptations are not sins. The publishers of the New American Bible put as title above the first part of the Letter of James, “The Value of Trials and Temptation.” Yes, you have read correctly: the value of temptation, it says. Temptations are valuable and important. They are tests that will show whether we love God, whether we are able to show our love by loving obedience. They come, especially when you least expect them to come. Jesus experienced
them after His baptism and after a long retreat in the presence of His Father. So don’t be surprised that temptations often come after times of spiritual “highs,” after a retreat, after a good Confession, after feeling very close to God. How we handle temptations shows which grade we deserve in the School of Love of God. Jesus passed the exam with flying colors. What about you? What about me? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I seek occasions which I know will cause temptations? Do I see temptations as a testing ground for my love of God?

Lord, since You have experienced temptations You know very well how difficult such situations can be. Give me the strength to follow Your example and reject always what is contradictory to Your teaching.

St. Valerius, pray for us.
 
22 February
Monday

The Weed

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” – Matthew 16:15

“They’re just wild flowers, Jane. We actually call them weeds.” My friends were laughing at me as I tried to take a picture of dandelions while we were hiking up a mountain. I didn’t know then that dandelions are considered weeds but I find them real pretty so I focused my lens on a flower and took a picture of it. “Hmm, that turns out real nice,” commented my friend after seeing the picture I took. I replied “I guess it’s all a matter of perspective.”
God, just like the weeds, can be found anywhere and everywhere and our knowledge of Him determines the kind of relationship we have with Him. Sometimes it can go to the extremes. Either we know so little about Him that we do not even know how to relate with Him, or we think we know much that we take Him for granted and focus on something else. It’s all a matter of where we put God in our lives and what takes most of our attention. It’s all a matter of what we prioritize and what we set aside. Jane Gonzales ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
To walk closer to Him each day is the reason why God made us. It is the best way to know Him.

Oh God, ignite a flame of passion in my heart that burns with desire to know You more and to understand Your ways more fully. Amen.

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1st READING

Leaders in the Church have a tremendous responsibility. They will be judged on their performance by God and not by any earthly authority. We might think that this is a good thing, as we know our God is loving and merciful. However, He is also just and true. Scriptures are clear that those who fail to exercise the gifts they have been given and do not remain true to their responsibility as leaders will be severely judged. We have recently witnessed in the Church around the world the failure of leadership in many scandals. Let us seek to reverse these by praying that our leaders will truly exercise their authority according to the grace and example of Christ.

1 Peter 5:1-4
1 Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. 2 Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. 3 Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

P S A L M

Psalm 23:1-3a, 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) 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)

G O S P E L

Jesus entrusts the leadership of the apostles, and consequently the Church, to Peter. Whether we like it or not, the Church has a human and fallible leader. However, this is clearly the structure that Christ willed to establish so we trust that the Holy Spirit will work through it as we all do our best to support and strengthen it. Let us pray for our Pope that he will always be a holy man and lead us closer to Jesus through his example and teaching.

Matthew 16:13-19
13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

my reflections
t h i n k : L et us pray for our Pope that he will always be a holy man and lead us closer to Jesus through his example and teaching.

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A Holy Chair?

Somebody asked me once on February 22, “Father, since when did we venerate chairs as saints? Isn’t that idolatry?”
Don’t laugh! It’s a very good question. Does a chair become holy because St. Peter used to sit on it? Did he in his time actually have a special chair? Probably not. So, what is today’s feast all about?
The ancient Romans celebrated on February 22 the festival of “Parentalia.” It was a day when the ancestors were remembered — as we do today on November 2, All Souls Day. During the celebration, usually a meal, a chair was decorated to represent and honor the dead. In other words, not the chair was honored or venerated but the deceased person(s) the chair represents. For the Christian community in Rome, Peter was without doubt the most important ancestor and so this feast became part of the liturgical calendar.
As you know very well, Peter was not a hero from the beginning even though he was able to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, which Jesus saw as a special inspiration from God. But he denied Jesus. Peter also was not near the Cross. And when we read the Acts of the Apostles carefully together with the letters of St. Paul, we can see that Peter had difficulties to stand up for what he believed in.
There is a nice legend about Peter and a small church in Rome commemorates the event. During the persecution Peter got scared — again. So he left Rome and outside the city he met the Lord. “Quo vadis, Domine?” he asked, “Where are you going, Lord?” And Jesus answered, “I go to Rome to be crucified in your stead.” Ashamed, Peter turned around and was arrested. When he was about to be crucified he asked to hang there upside down because he did not feel worthy of dying the same way his beloved Master died.
It is never too late to become a hero of faith. It might not be death that makes us finally heroes; it may be a situation when we have to stand up for our faith, for our Christian values and convictions. May we not miss that most important moment – as St. Peter did not miss it. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Do I pray regularly for the successor of St. Peter? Do I prepare myself in prayer for that moment when courage is demanded from me to defend my faith?

Lord, today I pray for the successor of St. Peter, our Holy Father. May he have the strength and courage to guide Your Church through difficult times and guide us without fear. Amen.

St. Elwin, pray for us.
 
23 February
Tuesday

TAKE TWO

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” – Matthew 6:12

Back when I was in college, I was excited to join organizations or clubs. I felt that one organization would not be enough to keep me busy so I decided to join three. I also assumed active roles in two of the three organizations.
These eventually backfired as most of my time was spent on club meetings rather than on my studies. At the end of that semester, I failed a subject for the very first time.
Fortunately, the subject I failed was offered the following term. I was able to pass it and catch up with my original classmates.
Similar to re-taking a subject, confession gives us the opportunity to ask forgiveness and renew our relationship with God. It’s like re-enrolling in a class where the teacher himself gives you all the answers and even pays for your tuition fee. It’s a pity that we sometimes take the sacrament of reconciliation for granted.
When was the last time you went to confession? Let’s take advantage of this great privilege and come clean before our Lord. Alvin Fabella ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Confession costs us nothing because Jesus already paid the price.

When was the last time you went to confession? Why not insert confession in your to-do list this week?

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1st READING

The Word of God has a power that we will never be able to fully understand. Isaiah tells us that God’s Word always returns to Him after accomplishing its purpose. Let us pray for the grace that we will never be a hindrance to the fulfillment of God’s Word in our lives, so when we hear it, we will be quick to obey and follow where He leads.

Isaiah 55:10-11
10 Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

P S A L M

Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R: From all their distress God rescues the just.
3 [4] Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 15 [16] The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry. 16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. (R) 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. 18 [19] The LORD is close to the broken-hearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. (R)

G O S P E L

Let us pray for the grace to forgive those who have sinned against us. Sometimes the sins of others against us seem to be unforgivable in that they cause disastrous things to happen to us. Nevertheless, we are still obliged to forgive. If we fail to forgive those who sin against us, not only do we remain in bondage; it will also jeopardize the justice of God’s ability to forgive our sins against Him. I certainly do not want that to happen.

Matthew 6:7-15
7 Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. 14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”


my reflections
t h i n k : If we fail to forgive those who sin against us, not only do we remain in bondage; it will also jeopardize the justice of God’s ability to forgive our sins against Him.

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A Dangerous Prayer
A visit with a pilgrim group to Jerusalem always includes a moment of reflection on the Mount of Olives where the “Our Father Church” commemorates that moment when Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples. On the walls inside and outside the Church, you can find the Lord’s Prayer in more than 60 languages, including Tagalog. We usually sit down there and think about this profound prayer. Then I read a text I got years ago, I don’t know anymore from whom. And this text makes us aware how dangerous a prayer the “Our Father” actually is. Here is the text:
“Do not say FATHER if every day you do not behave like a son or daughter.
Do not say OUR if you live isolated in your egoism.
Do not say WHO ARE IN HEAVEN if you think only of earthly things.
Do not say HOLY BE YOUR NAME if you do not honor Him.
Do not say YOUR KINGDOM COME if you confuse Him with material success.
Do not say YOUR WILL BE DONE if you do not accept it when it is painful.
Do not say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if you are not worried about the people who are hungry, who are without culture and means to live.
Do not say FORGIVE US OUR SINS if you bear your brother a grudge.
Do not say AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if you intend to keep on sinning.
Do not say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if you do not take position against evil.
Do not say AMEN if you do not take the words of the OUR FATHER seriously.”
A dangerous prayer, don’t you think so? The next time you recite it, take note of what you are actually saying. Otherwise it becomes what Jesus calls in today’s Gospel passage: a “babbling of the pagans. ”Fr . R u d y Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Has my prayer become a routine? Do I realize what I say when I repeat the prayer Jesus taught us?

Lord, my prayer is often a babbling, a saying of words without thinking what I say. Prayer has become a routine. May my prayer become more honest and a loving conversation with You.

St. Peter Damian, pray for us.
 
24 February
Wednesday

CHILD TERROR

“This generation is an evil generation.” – Luke 11:29

A couple of weeks before I received this assignment to write for Didache 2010, I attended a media forum, the Bulong Pulungan held at the Hotel Sofitel, where the guest was Edu Manzano, chair of the Optical Media Board, whose mandate is to confiscate pirated CDs or DVDs. Edu showed samples of DVDs he has confiscated — showing what he called “appalling, stomach wrenching” pornography involving girls in their puberty.
A week after that, I received an invitation to attend a press conference on human trafficking. The guest was Kristie Kenny, United States Ambassador to the Philippines. She called on everyone to make the fight against human trafficking “the fight of our lifetime.”
Then, a couple of weeks later, Rey Ortega, founder of Tahanan ng Pagmamahal, an orphanage supported by the Light of Jesus, gave me an article where he wrote about the wards of Tahanan. One of them was a rape victim.
Yes, children are being attacked by adults who are supposed to nurture and protect them. Indeed, as the Gospel today points out, evil lurks in our midst. Let us pray for the victims, let us pray for strength for those who are working to save the children, and let us do what we can to fight this evil. Cynthia Santiago ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What can you do to assist those who help victims of child terror?

Lord, grant that I may give — my time, my talent, my resources — to support the advocacy against human trafficking and child pornography.

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

1st READING

Jonah is sent on a seemingly impossible ministry — convert the city of Nineveh. Yet this is not what causes Jonah concern. His success at his mission would bring him greater worry.

Jonah 3:1-10
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” 3 So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” 5 when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. 7 Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. 8 Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. 9 Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” 10 When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

P S A L M

Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 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) 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) 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

The sign of Jonah that Jesus speaks about is repentance and conversion. This is essential for all of us. Without conversion, our lives will become assimilated into the culture of the world which is far from godly. If we are truly serious about doing God’s will, then we have to be serious about rooting out all the patterns of worldly thinking and behaviour that have seeped into our lives.

Luke 11:29-32
29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. 32 At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

my reflections
think: If we are truly serious about doing God’s will, then we have to be serious about rooting out all the patterns of worldly thinking and behavior that have seeped into our lives.

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

Fishy Jonah

The first time God had sent Jonah to Nineveh, he tried to escape from God. Now he is back to square one and he’d better go to Nineveh, known in the ancient world as the most cruel and horrible city. He went and, wonder of wonders, he did not have to preach for three days. One day of a brief announcement of disaster was enough to turn these pagans from their evil ways to God. The author exaggerates, of course, when he writes that even the poor animals had to fast and were deprived even of water — he wants to emphasize the unbelievable seriousness of these people. Please take your Bible and read the fourth chapter where Jonah is very angry with God for not punishing that wicked city. He was a strange prophet. In the New Jerusalem Bible, I found the following comment: “All the characters in the story are likable, the foreign sailor, the king of Assyria, the populace of Nineveh, even the animals of Nineveh, all except the only Israelite on stage — and he is a prophet!”
We have here a humorous but critical short story about Israel — and about us. God had sent prophet after prophet but the Israelites would not repent. Finally, both their kingdoms had been destroyed. And yet, they still didn’t repent. They still wanted the pagans to be destroyed. What about us? Not only prophet after prophet, saint after saint, the Son of God Himself was sent to us to call us to repentance. Now we understand the harsh word of Jesus, “On Judgment day, the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
May these words of Jesus not apply to us! Lent is given to us as a time to turn away from sin, as we were told on Ash Wednesday. One week of Lent has passed already. Ask yourself and answer honestly: Have I turned away from sin already? Have I repented? May we not be put to shame by the people and animals of Nineveh. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

Reflection Question:
Have I turned away from sin already? Have I repented?

Lord, yes, I feel ashamed when I read about the seriousness of the people of Nineveh. I feel ashamed because I have let so many days of Lent pass without doing much about my spiritual life. Please forgive me. And as You have given Jonah a second chance, so do with me.

St. Adela, pray for us.
 
25 February
Thursday

THE GOLDEN RUL E

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” – Matthew 7:12

“Don’t rely on people too much. When you have nothing to give, they will desert you,” my dad told me. During his better days, my dad was generous to his friends and workmates. But when the restaurant where he worked closed down, leaving him jobless and with a house amortization, his so-called friends avoided and abandoned him.
I also had my better days and I became a blessing to many people. But when I retired early to pursue my dreams, my finances started to dwindle because I had to build my new career from scratch. For some time, I kept my real financial situation from people and even my friends for fear that they might abandon me too. But I was wrong.
My friends did not desert me. They extended help, even without me asking for it. They treated me out for lunch, gave me cell phone load, or shared in my gasoline expense and parking fee. For them, these were probably ordinary acts of kindness. The cost may be immaterial but, for me, it was priceless because they gave their heart with it. Thanks to my friends, I have witnessed the golden rule in action. Judith Concepcion ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
How are you living the golden rule? Do you help because you expect something in return?

Lord God, engrave in my heart the desire to be always of service to my neighbor. Bless me more so I can bless others more.

-----------

1st READING

One of the challenges that we face in repenting of our sins is true honesty with ourselves. This means that we have to face the truth about our lives which, many times, is not all that attractive when we are dealing with sin. Sin is ugly and horrible and its consequences are often seemingly worse for others than they are for us. We have to do our best to repair the wrong we have done, if possible, once we realize it.

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
28 [C:12] Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, likewise had recourse to the Lord. 30 [C:14] She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said: Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, 31 [C:15] for I am taking my life in my hand. 32 [C:16] As a child I was wont to hear from the people of the land of my forefathers that you, O Lord, chose Israel from among all peoples, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, as a lasting heritage, and that you fulfilled all your promises to them. 39 [C:23] Be mindful of us, O Lord. Manifest yourself in the time of our distress and give me courage, King of gods and Ruler of every power. 40 [C:24] Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish. 41 [C:25] Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.

P S A L M

Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
R: Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 7 Your right hand saves me. 8 The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)

G O S P E L
God will not hold back His gifts from us if we ask according to His will. It is important that we are not asking for something that is selfish. If that is the case, I doubt God will give it to us. What God promises in texts like this is that anything that will bring about His will that all people be saved is probably going to be on His gift list for us. What are the desires of my heart? Do they coincide with God’s desire for the salvation of all?

Matthew 7:7-12
7 Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 12 “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

my reflections
t h i n k : What are the desires of my heart? Do they coincide with God’s desire for the salvation of all?

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

“I have No One but You ”
Queen Esther had been informed that on the 13th day of the month, all her fellow Jews in the empire would be massacred. She was asked to appear before her husband, the king, and intercede for her people. But to appear before the king without being summoned could become the cause of her execution, so strict was it in old Persia. This is the context of today’s first reading. It is one of the most beautiful prayers we find in the Bible. It is a prayer that can become a model for our prayers.
Why is it such a beautiful prayer?
Esther, even though she is a queen, is humble. She knows that without God she cannot do anything. “I am alone and have no one but you,” she said at the end.
Her prayer is honest. She does not pretend to be humble, no, she is humble. And what does God love more than humility and a humble prayer? Remember Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector going to the Temple to pray? The Pharisee brags and tells God how good he is. The tax collector, on the other hand, does not dare to look up but just says, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” And Jesus praises him and his humble prayer.
It takes courage to be humble because pride lurks in all our hearts. No, humility is not weakness. Humility is strength. It is the self-emptying of our hearts, the spiritual “undressing” until we stand naked and empty before God and can only say with Queen Esther, “I am alone and have no one but you. I am standing before you with empty hands. I totally depend on your fatherly love, compassion, mercy and generosity.”
That’s the prayer that touches God’s heart because it reflects the attitude of God’s Son. He humbled Himself, saying, “I am meek and humble of heart”; He did not come to be served but to serve; and, in the words of St. Paul, He emptied Himself to become one of us. It would be good to begin our imitation of Christ by imitating first and foremost His humility. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD


Reflection Question:
Is my prayer humble? Do I tell God how good I am or do I stand before God empty-handed?

Lord, the humble prayer of Esther has touched me profoundly. May I be able to pray in future like her. Because who and what am I without You?

Blessed Constantius, pray for us.
 
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