God's Message For You Today

[kerstinne25]

Conquer this new week with God's Word in your heart!

16
May
Monday

pricey restaurant

“There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” – John 10:16

We were invited to dine at a pricey restaurant. Our nine-year-old daughter, Mac, asked me why there was only one table occupied. I raised my shoulders and gave her a blank stare. It was also my first time to dine in that place so I had no idea.
Since Mac was hungry she immediately ordered spaghetti. She assumed that spaghetti was the easiest to order and prepare. She was surprised when the waiter asked her what type of pasta, sauce, side dish and meatballs she wanted.
Mac pulled me aside as the waiter left our table. “Now I know why only a few eat here,” she said in her soft voice. “The food is expensive and it’s too hard to order.” Sometimes, we evangelize like those waiters in a pricey restaurant. We make it difficult for the person we want to invite. We recite to them all the Bible verses we know or tell them how big our community is. We show them all the pasta combinations but all our friend wants is a simple dish.
Evangelization is a lot of work. But it can be more effective if we let others experience God’s love through us first.Alvin Fabella ([email protected])

16
REFLECTION:
Prepare a list of persons you want to evangelize. Pray over them every day and take specific actions to show them God’s love.

Lord, help me to keep things simple, especially when I’m sharing the Good News with others.

----------

1st READING

Practices in the life of the Church may change, but the underlying doctrines will always stay the same. This can be a very difficult lesson to learn in that we can get so attached to various practices and even understandings that we do not want to let them go. This is what is happening in the life of the Church as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit is making it progressively more apparent that the Gospel is meant for the Gentiles as well as the Jews.

Acts 11:1-18
1 The apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him, 3 saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.” 4 Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying, 5 “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when in a trance I had a vision, something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. 6 Looking intently into it, I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir, because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time a voice from heaven answered, ‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky. 11 Just then three men appeared at the house where we were, who had been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying, ‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as it had upon us at the beginning, 16 and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

P S A L M

Psalms 42:2-3; 43:3, 4
R: Athirst is my soul for the living God.
1 [2] As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 [3] Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? (R) 43: 3 Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. (R) 4 Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! (R)

G O S P E L

The image of the Good Shepherd always invokes comfort and security in me. However, it is also true that the Good Shepherd will not hesitate to discipline an unruly sheep and there will be times when the Shepherd must lead His flock through dangerous paths because the alternative is disaster, or even worse, danger. Let us pray for the grace to be “willing to be led.” There is little more frustrating to a leader to know that those following him or her are doing so reluctantly.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 10:11-18
11 Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. 13 This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us pray for the grace to be “willing to be led.”

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LIFE-GIVING REPENTANCE

One thing about getting old (or should I say experienced?) is you get to look back at all the young people you had a hand in educating. And now, with them as fully grown adults, you see individuals you never thought would make it to the top and succeed — with or without what the world calls necessary talents!
Success is obviously not the monopoly of the talented, the wise, the moneyed and the learned. I guess this is true about most everything in life, then as well as now. It was true during the times of the early Church, when Christians of Jewish extract would not know how to integrate with Christians who were not of Jewish descent. But as the telling lesson of Peter in the first reading shows us, salvation, repentance and justification were never to be the monopoly of a certain group of people. Being at peace with the God of all was never meant to be a closed issue for Gentile unbelievers (of the Jewish faith then). “God has granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles, too.”
It never occurred to me that repentance could be equated with life-giving. But that is precisely the point of the first reading. From the Biblical viewpoint, God, who raised Jesus from the dead, is seen and known as a God of life — a God of the living primarily, and of the dead. He has sent His Son “that we might have life, and have it to the full.”
A memory I can never forget as a child is the experience of being sick. I remember the sense of helplessness, the feeling that everything you eat tastes bitter and unpalatable, the impression that you are barely alive – that you are actually half-dead, like a walking zombie even before Michael Jackson popularized it.
And this is exactly what wallowing in sin is all about: being half-dead spiritually. But the good news of the Lord’s saving passion, death and resurrection is one of impartial and unconditional love, with only one condition: that we be open to God’s gift of life-giving repentance. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
How open am I to receiving and giving God’s unconditional love?

Lord of life, free me from my sins and let Your love flow through me.

St. Andrew Bobola, pray for us.

 

[redeemed]

Love not the world neither the things that are in the world.
The Lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.

 

[kerstinne25]

Reflect God?s love to every person you meet this Tuesday

17 May
Tuesday

never hopeless

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” – John 10: 27-28

My friend has a problematic son named Rigor. She keeps saying, “I have been praying for him for years. I have grown old but my son remains like a boy who refuses to grow up, lost in the ways of the world.” Her son started taking drugs when he was 15. He would combine drugs with alcohol which made things even worse. Every time he gets picked up because of the fights and the noise he creates, he would promise not to do it again. But after three days, Rigor would go back to his old ways.
My friend could no longer count the money she had spent paying off owners of cars or house windows broken by Rigor’s flying bottles, and hospital bills for his gashes and wounds from fights.
And just as Jesus said, we must believe that He has given us eternal life and we will never perish, my friend always ends her prayers with, “Lord, I know that You will change him, pick him up from the gutter where he has sunk, clean him up and make him a new man. Because Rigor is Your son and no one can take him away from You.” Chelle Crisanto ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
Never give up on the love and mercy of God.

I believe that You alone create miracles. Give me the miracle that I need in my life, that I may be released from the murk and dirt that envelop me. Free me, Lord. Love me, Lord. Keep me by Your side.

---------

1st READING

Barnabas decides that now is the time to bring Paul back onto the scene as it has been established that the mission to the Gentiles is valid. Barnabas obviously believes that Paul has a central role to play in the mission to the Gentiles. He and Paul have been waiting about 15 years for this moment. As we will see in the rest of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul is indeed the man of the moment, the man for the job at hand.

Acts 11:19-26
19 Those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews. 20 There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, 24 for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. 25 Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

P S A L M

Psalms 87:1-3, 4-5, 6-7
R: All you nations, praise the Lord.
1 His foundation upon the holy mountains 2 the LORD loves: The gates of Zion, more than any dwelling of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God! (R) 4 I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those that know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, “This man was born there.” 5 And of Zion they shall say: “One and all were born in her; and he who has established her is the Most High LORD.” (R) 6 They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled “This man was born there.” 7 And all shall sing, in their festive dance: “My home is within you.” (R)

G O S P E L

It is impor tant for us to learn to distinguish the voice of Jesus from among all the other voices that clamor for our attention in the busy world in which we live. There are many voices that will lead us astray if we follow them; we need to find the few voices of truth and listen to them and where they want to take us.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 10:22-30
22 The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. 23 And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

my reflections
t h i n k : It is important for us to learn to distinguish the voice of Jesus from among all the other voices that clamor for our attention.

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

HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP US IN SUSPENSE?

Last year, the Scorsese movie Shutter Island, starring Leonardo di Caprio, was finally shown. It was a thriller, albeit a little abstruse, for those who were not too familiar with psychopathological issues. A little long, the movie kept people in their seats (unless they got bored and gave up midway through). I remember asking myself, “How long is this movie going to keep us in suspense?”
The Jews in today’s Gospel had a similar question. They could not wait. They could not understand why the Lord did not tell them who He really was, point blank. They were seeing wonders, but they were not hearing it from Him about His true identity as the much-awaited Messiah. And so they complained.
But there are seekers and there are seekers. There are those who pay lip service to being in search, but who never really want to know the truth. And there are those who seek and find, for they are already open to the truth that stares them in the face. “I have told you, but you would not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.”
Sometime through the film, those who patiently followed the story, saw the handwritings on the wall. The actions of Edward Daniels (di Caprio) betrayed who he was – someone being haunted by his own demons of unaccepted reality.
We need to see more such handwritings on the wall. We need to see the works that God, in Christ, does. The poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, complains about people who, despite the fact that the world is filled with the glory of God and “every bush aflame with His love,” see nothing. She ruefully writes, “Only he who sees takes off his shoes and worships. The rest sit around and pluck blackberries.”
How long is God going to keep us in suspense? It all depends on who is searching and looking. Ignatius of Loyola had a one-word advice for us who are in search: “Mira!” Look! And he who seeks, finds… for “the world is charged with the glory of God.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
Do I still search for God’s presence and action in my life?

Lord, grant me eyes that see and hearts that feel Your love for me.

St. Cathan, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

This Wednesday, may you hear His voice in your heart!

18 May
Wednesday

ALWAYS ON CALL

Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission…. When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God. – Acts 12:25, 13:5

I heard someone say that a person is expected to change careers five to seven times in his lifetime. I believe that this is true also in God’s service.
When I joined the Light of Jesus Community in 1995, my first service was as a greeter. It didn’t take long when I joined the Intercessory Ministry. After several years, I was invited to serve in the Service Team. Later, I was appointed to leadership positions like Caring Group Head, Ministry Head, Assistant Chapter Head and Chapter Head. I was also tasked to lead worship and give talks. As of this writing, I do not hold any leadership position but I am involved in the ministry of the written word by writing for Kerygma and Didache.
Barnabas and Saul came from a relief mission. Later, the Holy Spirit set them apart to proclaim the Word of God in Salamis. In God’s service, we cannot say that we are only called to one ministry for the rest of our life. We must be open to His leading and not get attached to any ministry or service. We must be ready and willing to be uprooted anytime and be planted elsewhere. And where we are planted, there we must bloom. Judith Concepcion ([email protected])

18
REFLECTION:
Do you feel that God may be calling you to another service or ministry? Do not resist but yield to the Spirit’s leading.

Lead me, Lord, to where You want me to go. I come to do Your will.

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

1st READING

We see in the ministry of Paul that he works closely with a very limited number of collaborators. I am sure there were probably others who travelled with him and served in one way or another. However, his key collaborators or missioners are few – Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, John, Mark and Luke. I wonder why there were not many more? Perhaps simplicity is essential to the successful proclamation of the Gospel.

Acts 12:24-13:5
24 The word of God continued to spread and grow. 25 After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark. 13: 1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. 4 So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

P S A L M

Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
R: O God, let all the nations praise you!
1 [2] May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. (R) 4 [5] May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. (R) 5 [6] May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 7 [8] May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! (R)

G O S P E L

When we proclaim the Gospel it is important to remember that we are not speaking under our own authority but with the authority of Jesus. Not only this, the words we use are His as well. We do not have the power to change the essence of the Gospel; only God can do that. And let me let you in on a not so big secret: I do not think He is about to change anything!

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
John 12:44-50
44 Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, 45 and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. 48 Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, 49 because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

my reflections
t h i n k : We do not have the power to change the essence of the Gospel; only God can do that.

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SET APART FOR THE WORK FOR WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED

Being purpose-driven has become a byword in the recent years on account of a popular book by a well-known writer, Rick Warren. The idea, however, is by no means new. By nature, humans act purposefully. We always do things for a reason. What some of us often do not know, however, is the implicit purpose why we do what we do. More often, people are not even aware of the real motives behind their actions.
Today’s first reading speaks about the purpose-driven new life of Barnabas and Saul. But hold it, they did not attend a seminar given by Warren or any of our local religious gurus. It was not about them making their priorities. No. They were “called,” “set apart,” and tasked with some work — a work that they did not opt for.
We seldom hear people nowadays speak of vocation. That is just the Latin fancy name for “call.” In the world that we know, we choose jobs, professions, careers. We decide to become journalists, engineers, doctors or lawyers. That is not vocation, but avocation. But in biblical tradition, apostles did not decide to become apostles. Like Barnabas and Saul, they were set apart to do work for which they had been called.
“Work” in Latin is called “munus,” roughly translated as “office” or “task.” That is the root word of ministry. And the ministry of those who were called to the priestly office is one that necessitates a “call” from God, who chooses and sets apart men for His work of salvation.
Now, who represents the best example of this priestly ministry? The Gospel today tells us that. Jesus Himself claims His munus and priestly office: “I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”
People choose and decide to be lawyers and teachers. As a priest, I also decide to be a writer, a counsellor and a teacher. But priests did not just choose to be priests. They were “set apart for the work for which they have been called.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan,SDB

Reflection Question:
What has God set me apart to do?

Lord, grant me the spirit of discernment so that I may be able to know Your call for my life.

St. Elgiva, pray for us.

 

[coolit217]

The Bible reveals
Jehovah's personality to
us. It shows that his
outstanding qualities are
love, justice, wisdom, and
power. (Deuteronomy
32:4; Job 12:13; Isaiah
40:26; 1 John 4:8) The
Bible tells us that he is
also merciful, kind,
forgiving, generous, and
patient. We, like
obedient children, should
try to imitate him.—
Ephesians 5:1, 2.

 

[kerstinne25]

Never lose sight of Jesus this Thursday.

19 May
Thursday

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH


“I tell you the truth…” – John 13:16

Have you fallen for these lies before?
“Of course I love you.”
“Don’t worry, he has never bitten anyone.”
“I will call you later.”
“I am here to help you.”
“You look great.”
Because we are prone to respond to emotions rather than facts, we are easily deceived.
Be careful of liars who will tell you what you want to hear.
Years ago, I received a phone call from a military general. Apparently, he was throwing a grand party and said that I was invited. The party was to support poor children by giving them free education. He told me that I was a very helpful person that’s why he called me. Believe it or not, I said yes.
But by God’s grace, when I put down the phone it hit me. What if this was a hoax? So I searched the Internet about this group and, true enough, it was a fake organization out to extort money from “kind,” naïve individuals.
I realized I almost donated to the education of criminals. Arun Gogna ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
What are the lies that you easily believe in?

Lord Jesus, You are the Truth. Teach us to listen only to You.


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

1st READING

Paul is well and truly off on mission now. For the next 15 or so years he will rarely rest as he proclaims the Gospel from modern day Turkey in the East until Rome in the West. He even harbored ideas of going to Spain. It is important that we do not limit the power of the Holy Spirit through our unbelief. Let us trust that what God wants to do with us is best for us as well and so be willing to surrender to His call.

Acts 13:13-25
13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, “My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.” 16 So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out of it 18 and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20 at the end of about four hundred and fifty years. After these things he provided judges up to Samuel [the] prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; 25 and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’”

P S A L M

Psalms 89:2-3, 21-22, 25, 27
R: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
1 [2] The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. 2 [3] For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R) 20 [21] “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 [22] that my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” (R) 24 [25] “My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’” (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus is the Master and we are His disciples. Nothing will ever change the fundamentals of this relationship. Yes, Jesus will call us His friends but that will not change the fact that He is the lead and we are to follow wherever He goes. There seems to be something in the vast majority of all people, if not all people, that wants to be a leader. Well, when it comes to our faith there is only one leader and His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 13:16-20
16 When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. 18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.’ 19 From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us trust that what God wants to do with us is best for us.

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

I KNOW THOSE WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN

When I was a young priest and principal of a big school many years ago, my assistant principal was someone who had been at his job for decades. He started as a classroom teacher (when I was a student), adviser, department head, and then eventually became assistant principal. In retrospect, I felt so small and unworthy before his towering, experience-filled presence in the school. But that was not what I remember him mostly for.
He had the knack of matching names and faces. He knew everyone by name, including alumni whom he had taught decades before. During morning assemblies, he would call by name anyone who happened to be misbehaving or fidgeting in the line, or not wearing the prescribed uniform.
I was impressed by the fact that he knew his students. For even if I could not do this feat, I knew that people appreciated being called by name, being known by their mentors and treated as unique persons. I must tell you that my most favourite passages in Scripture refer to the fact that God knows us personally, that our names “are written on the palms of his hands,” and that He knows us even more than we know ourselves.
Today, the Lord reinforces this truth for us, not just by words but more so, by deeds. After washing His disciples’ feet, after calling them “friends,” He reassured His disciples with words that are as comforting as they are heart-warming: “I know those whom I have chosen.”
I held on to these words during the lowest moments of my life, when I thought that everything good I ever did in my young and most productive years all went down the drain, thanks to certain influential individuals who went against me. I am sure my readers have their own share of similar pain, when one feels alone against a hostile world. For whatever reason, whether justified or not, your feelings can never be wrong. In such moments of utter aloneness, the words of the Lord can be more than just words of comfort, but words of salvation: “I know those whom I have chosen.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
When things get rough, do I trust in God’s words and promises to me?

Dearest Lord, teach me to always trust in You.

Blessed Peter de Duenas, pray for us.

 

[coolit217]

Jehovah
A God Worth Knowing
COULD it be that you are
missing out on something
important in life? If you
know little about God,
then most certainly you
are. Why? Because, as
millions of people have
discovered, getting to
know the God of the
Bible brings major
benefits in life. These
benefits start
immediately and last into
the future.
Jehovah God, the Author
of the Bible, wants us to
get to know him. The
psalmist wrote: "That
people may know that
you, whose name is
Jehovah, you alone are
the Most High over all
the earth." He
recognizes that it is in
our own best interests
for us to know him. "I,
Jehovah, am your God,
the One teaching you to
benefit yourself." How do
we benefit from knowing
Jehovah God, the Most
High?—Psalm 83:18;
Isaiah 48:17.
One real benefit is that
we get guidance in the
face of everyday
problems, a firm hope for
the future, and peace of
mind. Furthermore, being
well-acquainted with
Jehovah moves us to
develop a different
attitude on the most
vital issues that face
people all over the world
today.

 

[kerstinne25]

Get empowered by His message to you this Tuesday!

24
May
Tuesday

wasting time

Then they spent no little time with the disciples. – Acts 14:31

We don’t have regular Sunday family lunches but when we do, we sure make up for lost time. After a protracted meal consisting of appetizers, soup, salad, main course and dessert, we proceed to an even longer course of chatting. After all, we are four loquacious sisters with endless stories to tell.
Long before we’ve moved on from dessert to merienda, you’ll notice that our husbands and Dad have retreated to their own peace and quiet. Dad will be upstairs snoozing on his La-Z-boy. A brother-in-law will be dozing on the sofa and my husband will be doing his best to keep his yawning to a minimum. All the while, the sisters keep the stories rolling.
This is my favorite part of our lunches. It’s what I call “wasting time” with each other. For me, it’s where relationships are cemented. And it doesn’t apply only to the family.
This was discipleship, Jesus’ style. He never taught in a classroom or had scheduled conferences with His followers. Instead, He picnicked, took boat trips and went mountain climbing with them. And as He “wasted time” with them, He taught them lessons that they would remember for eternity. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng ([email protected])
24
REFLECTION:
Take the time to know the Lord.

Jesus, I want to abide in You 24/7.

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1st READING

Preaching the Gospel is not for the fainthearted. Today we hear about the stoning of Paul. I wonder what it was that the people objected to that led them to want to kill Paul? The Gospel seems to me to be harmless enough such that if you do not want to accept it, then you can ignore it. If others want to accept it, then that is their prerogative to do so. I do not have a right to stop them from doing it.

Acts 14:19-28
19 In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. 21 After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. 22 They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” 23 They appointed presbyters for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. 24 Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. 25 After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. 27 And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 Then they spent no little time with the disciples.

P S A L M

Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 21

R: Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) 21 May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD, and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (R)

G O S P E L
It is interesting to reflect upon the fact that Jesus could have called a stop to what He was doing at any stage of its progress. After all, He is the Son of God! At the same time it is almost impossible to conceive of Him making that choice because I know that His entire being is united with the Father’s will and we know that the Father desires our salvation. It makes sense that Jesus will do anything to bring about His Father’s will!

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead and so enter into his glory.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 14:27-31
27 Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. 30 I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

my reflections
think: Jesus will do anything to bring about His Father’s will!

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PEACE, NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES

Emperor Augustus brought about “peace” in the first two centuries A.D. It was, of course, a peace that the world gives, a peace that meant absence of military conflict for the simple reason that the greatest military power had succeeded to keep everyone at bay. It was peace achieved at a great cost. It was peace that was negative but deceptively attractive to most people who don’t know any better.
Curiously and paradoxically enough, the Lord has claimed in a hyperbolical manner that He “has come, not to bring peace, but war.” Today though, He says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
There you have it. It is not the deceptive and artificial “pax romana” imposed by Augustus. It is not the peace that the world gives, but His own brand of peace. It is the peace that reigned in the heart of the martyrs. Though they were victims of extreme violence, they were at peace with God and harbored no hatred for their persecutors. For this, the Lord calls them blessed.
It is the peace that was etched in the face of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Though a victim of false accusations and a humiliating punishment from people in high places, he kept his sense of inner truth and inner peace.
It is the same peace that made St. Benedict Menni endure the ordeal of exile, again, because of envious clerics who made life miserable for him. That peace brought out the best in him as shown by his beautiful lifetime motto: “rogar, trabajar, sufrir, amar a Dios y al projimo, y callar!” (Pray, work, suffer, love God and neighbor, and keep silent).
I spoke some days back about a particularly low point in my life, when I got more than my fair share of pain owing to something similar. It was tough. But by God’s mercy, I experienced peace after I read the biography of St. Benedict Menni. I then knew that God was calling me to pray, endure, suffer, love Him and neighbor, and keep silent. It was peace, not as the world gives, but Christ’s own. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
Can you honestly say now that you are at peace? What kind of peace do you have?

Lord, grant me Your peace as I walk through life.

St. Jessica, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

25
May
Wednesday

THE TRUTH

“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you”. – John 15: 3

How do I lie to Thee? Let me count the ways:
• As a five-year-old, I convinced my playmate to plant coins on the soil because they will grow into a money tree with lots of paper-bill leaves.
• I told Tatayit was “fun” living in my aunt’s house during my elementary days when it was very difficult! My grades plummeted and I became one of the untidiest pupils.
• In one mountain climb, I denied that I threw a big rock downhill that almost killed a fellow hiker if he didn’t duck.
• I fooled my family that I was vice-free and was studying well. Truth: I was a drunkard, smoker, addict, a pusher and a war freak.
• I denied the subpoena declaring that I was charged with “illegal possession of a deadly weapon.” It was telling half the truth though, because it said that I was caught with 10 Molotov bombs. Wrong! I had 20 Molotov bombs, the others weren’t confiscated.
Then I encountered the one who said that He is Truth. I embraced the Truth and He changed me: I now live and proclaim the Truth! I am set free! So shall you be! Obet Cabrillas ([email protected])
25
REFLECTION:
What lies have you told in the past that affected people?

Lord Jesus, You have set me free and I am free indeed!

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1st READING

This disagreement and its solution demonstrate to us what should happen when we come across similar struggles in our own communities. Splitting to form another community when there is a disagreement seems to me to be antithetical to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been sent to us to bring unity. This does not mean that all Christians have to be “cut from the same cookie cutter” so to speak, but it does mean that we should be one in proclaiming the Good News.

Acts 15:1-6
1 Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” 2 Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and presbyters about this question. 3 They were sent on their journey by the church, and passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, as well as by the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them. 5 But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.” 6 The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

P S A L M

Psalms 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5
R: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
1 I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” 2 And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. (R) 3 Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. 4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD. (R) According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5 In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. (R)


G O S P E L
Venerable Bede, whose feast it is today, and his companions thought up some spectacular feats of penance and then performed them. One was to stand in the middle of the North Sea in the middle of winter for as long as they possibly could! Today we would immediately call the psychologist if we caught someone doing this. Tradition has it that the monks of England would compete with those on the Continent in devising penances and then see who could endure them the longest. This was for them a measure of who was holier.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 15:1-8
1 Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

my reflections
think: The Holy Spirit has been sent to us to bring unity.

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EVERY BRANCH THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT

More than two decades ago, a beautiful movie entitled Dead Poets Society capitalized a whole lot on Henri David Thoreau’s extended essay “Walden Pond,” which reports his love affair with nature and his extended retreat to the countryside. A memorable and quotable line still rings clear in my ears: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front the essential facts of life… and to put to rout all that is not life.”
All of us have things in our closet that we need to get rid of. All of us have bad habits to shed off and new habits to learn. Some of those items or habits drag or weigh us down, like smoking, drinking or the propensity to stock up on things that we really do not need.
On the spiritual plane, all of us have what spiritual writers of old used to call the “predominant tendency” or the sin that we often fall into, repeatedly, predictably.
My father, who was a farmer by interest and vocation, but an accountant by necessity, introduced me long ago to the idea of pruning. Back when coffee cultivation was still lucrative in my hometown, I learned early on that unless one knows how to prune the coffee trees, they could not be expected to bear much fruit. One needed to “take away every branch that does not bear fruit.” One needed to do away with what does not lead to life, to wholeness.
If this is true of plant life and our earthly physical life, all the more so is this true with regard to our spiritual life. One curious thing in the world of nature is the fact that one sees no birds flying when it rains. Their wings get wet and soggy, and therefore heavy. They cannot afford to carry all that extra weight. They cannot soar when bogged down with all that weight.
Pruning, giving up, cutting down, denying oneself… they all have to do with the same thing — putting to rout all that is not life and cutting away “every branch that does not bear fruit.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
What habits or things weigh me down?

Lord, help me to cut off the habits, things and relationships that bog me down in my journey to You. Amen.

St. Madeline Sophie Barat, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-26

AN APOLOGIST WANNA BE

“God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith.” – Acts 15:9

When Protestant friends realize I’m a devout Catholic, they pepper me with a barrage of preaching. While I do try to answer their relentless questions, I have to admit that my knowledge only goes so far.
My failure to answer convincingly burned a fierce desire in me to know more, to help me express my passion and defend the Church that propagated Jesus’ teachings from two millennia ago.
So I read. I asked questions. I prayed. But the more I learned, the more I realized that the knowledge may make me better at answering questions, but it doesn’t necessarily make me a better Christian.
No matter how much I studied, it is the message of God’s all encompassing love that moves me. It transformed my desire to defend and win debates into a yearning to show God’s love and mercy to others. It made me judge my brothers less and led me to see God’s image and likeness in everyone, even if they are of a different religion or opinion.
What a wonderful world it would be if we could all stop bickering and just remain in His love!Cecil Lim ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

Lord, may everything I do shine the light of Christ and decrease the darkness.

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1st READING

God’s plan for His people is dynamic and just because it began in a particular way is no guarantee that there will be no developments later on. This is true of any organization that wants to survive generational change. The basic tenets of our faith will not change but the structures and even the ideologies that support these tenets can and must change with the times.

Acts 15:7-21
7 After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts. 10 Why, then, are you now putting God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” 12 The whole assembly fell silent, and they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them. 13 After they had fallen silent, James responded, “My brothers, listen to me. 14 Symeon has described how God first concerned himself with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as is written: 16 ‘After this I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; from its ruins I shall rebuild it and raise it up again, 17 so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord, even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked. Thus says the Lord who accomplishes these things, 18 known from of old.’ 19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but tell them by letter to avoid pollution from idols, unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. 21 For Moses, for generations now, has had those who proclaim him in every town, as he has been read in the synagogues every sabbath.”

P S A L M
Psalms 96:1-2, 2-3, 10
R: Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. 2 Sing to the LORD; bless his name. (R) Announce his salvation, day after day. 3 Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. (R) 10 Say among the nations the LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. (R)

G O S P E L

This text is very commonly used as the Gospel for weddings as it speaks of the reciprocal nature of love. It also teaches us that love is an empowering reality – when we know we are loved by someone this can empower us to love, not just that person, but others as well. Love is an empowering reality, indeed it may well be the most empowering reality in the world as love can conquer even death as Jesus demonstrates through His Passion and the Father through raising Jesus from the dead.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 15:9-11
9 Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
Ester C-7
my reflections
think: Love is an empowering reality.

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SAVED THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORD

The year 2009 was memorable, but not in a good sense. Our country was visited by twin typhoons that ravaged a big portion of the Philippine archipelago. The live media coverage of the hapless —and slowly growing hopeless — residents of the affected areas where water seemed to have simply surged in hours, threatening so many lives, was simply heart-rending. The live calls for help from panicking people atop roofs was too much to bear for someone like me who lived so many miles and so many hours away from the Philippines.
I felt so helpless. I wanted to do something on my end, but there was, of course, nothing I could do except pray. As I watched in horror, all I could utter to myself was, “It could have been me. It could have been anyone of us who were then on high and dry ground. It just so happened that we were someplace else.”
What I felt then, was not so much sympathy as empathy — the capacity to stand in the shoes of another human being; the ability to feel “for” others and understand up to some point what they are going through. In a very real sense, I felt that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.”
The disciples had to go through some kind of soul searching in this regard. For some time, they didn’t quite know how to deal with converts who were not formerly practicing Jews but Gentiles. One group believed they should all go through the rituals prescribed for Jews, but another group thought otherwise. The voice of Peter shines out in today’s passage — the voice of empathy and compassion. He basically told his hearers, “they have been saved through the grace of the Lord in the same way that we are.” The capacity for empathy is something we all could have more of. Given the so many tragedies and catastrophes that happen in many places all over the world, we can grow callous and indifferent to all that we see. But empathy is born of a common understanding of this reality: We were all saved through the grace of the Lord. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
How do I treat the people who seem to be living without God in their lives? Is it with scorn or with empathy?

Lord, grant me a compassionate heart so I may be able to respond to people and situations as You would want me to. Amen.

St. Mariana de Paredes, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-27

Living for Another

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

There are many people who have “died” for me. “Died” in the sense of forgetting oneself for another’s benefit.
My brother Duds supported me through college when he could have used the money for his own needs. My grandmother, Inang Luring, “died” for her children and grandchildren — taking care of us, even providing financial support. She could have said, “I deserve to take it easy. I have done enough.” Yet she chose to serve until the very end.
Someone once told me that if you die saving someone’s life, like when you savea drowning person and end up drowning yourself, you will go directly to heaven. This will probably never happen to you.
Instead of waiting for that moment, our attitude should be “living for another person” — dying to our preferences and comfort — to serve, to comfort and to support. This, too, is laying down your life for another, just as Jesus commanded. Jun Asis ([email protected])
27
REFLECTION:
In a world where the “me first” mentality reigns, have I given thought about living for others?

Lord, grant me the grace to put others first before my selfish interests. May I live for the people You have entrusted to me and not just for myself.

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1st READING

The Early Church learned very early on that to maintain unity it was necessary to have a central authority to decide on matters concerning the unity of the Church — those matters of doctrine and morals. History has borne out the truth of this in that where groups have split from the Church and thus developed a practice of further splintering, eventually unity of doctrine and morals disappears in disagreements and differing interpretations of basic Scriptural texts.

Acts 15:22-31
22 The apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole church, decided to choose representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers. 23 This is the letter delivered by them: “The apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some of our number who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind, 25 we have with one accord decided to choose representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas who will also convey this same message by word of mouth: 28 ‘It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, 29 namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’ ” 30 And so they were sent on their journey. Upon their arrival in Antioch they called the assembly together and delivered the letter. 31 When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.

P S A L M

Psalms 57:8-9, 10-12
R: I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
7 [8] My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast; I will sing and chant praise. 8 [9] Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn. (R) 9 [10] I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O Lord. I will chant your praise among the nations, 10 [11] for your mercy towers to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the skies. 11 [12] Be exalted above the heavens, O God; above all the earth be your glory! (R)

G O S P E L

What does it mean to lay down one’s life for his friends? I think it is an ideal of degrees. What I mean by this is that we can “lay down our lives” in many different ways and degrees. We can be a martyr for another person (for example, Maximilian Kolbe), or we can simply spend our lives in the service of one another. It is evident from this understanding that the call to “lay down one’s life for one’s friends” is universal and has many expressions. Let us pray that as we do this for our friends, they will be doing the same for us.
Ester 8-F
ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 15:12-17
12 Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: love one another.”

my reflections
think: The call to “lay down one’s life for one’s friends” is universal and has many expressions.

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IF YOU DO WHAT I COMMAND

The social networking site explosion has not only redefined relationships but has redefined certain words that we thought everyone in the world understood. Not anymore. Take the word friend. Parents who are friends with people in their own network are not necessarily “friends” with their teenage or young adult children. Members of the same religious congregation, who are meant to be “brothers” are not friends with one another in those sites.
Sociologists now distinguish between “digital natives,” “digital migrants” and “digital refugees.” Digital natives take to cyber world like fish to water, while digital migrants like me, though enjoying some of the convenience of the newfound digital world, keep on pining for the good old times of the analog world, replete with vinyl records, magnetic tapes and the clunky but reliable phonographs. Some are left on the wayside of the digital highway and are hapless and sometimes Clueless “ digital refugees,” unwilling and unable to get back to the old, yet not completely at home or downright lost in the new.
Friendship in social networking sites is as easy as pushing the “confirm” or “accept” button. In the same way, “unfriending” anyone is just as easy as pushing the “ignore,” or “reject” button (which, by the way, is not a button at all!). Being friends now is highly dependent on what technology you have or have not. Wireless G routers have given way to N or N+ routers that spell the difference between nimble, quick and super fast — or hopelessly slow.
Today, friendship comes to the fore in our liturgical celebration. Analog or digital did not matter yet when the Lord taught us about friendship that is not the digital kind but one that is based on love that knows no limits. This love didn’t have to ride on any wi-fi contraption but was communicated, signed, sealed and delivered to us all. And yes, He declares us His friends, and friends we surely will be if we obey His commandments. Are we on “friend” status with Christ?Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
If Jesus were on Facebook, would you accept His invite to be your friend?

Thank You, dear Lord, for Your friendship and love that knows no limits.

St. Melangell, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-28

CAREFUL PLANNING

They transmitted to the people for observance the decisions which the apostles and presbyters had made in Jerusalem. – Acts 16:4

In 2008, our bishop and his priest ministers embarked on an in-depth assessment and evaluation of the diocese. They came up with a diocesan pastoral plan for the next three years clearly defining their five-point priority agenda. This was launched and “transmitted to the people for observance.”
I’m writing this article in 2010 when much of the goals laid out have already been achieved. During vicariate and diocesan meetings, it was noted that the parishes were concerted in their activities and moving in the same direction towards building the Church. And it has to be.
We cannot be slipshod about building the Kingdom of God, which deserves nothing less but the best from each one of us.
As the congregations in Derbe and Lystra “grew stronger in faith and daily increased in numbers” (verse 5) with close guidance from Paul and the Apostles, I’m optimistic our diocese is headed in the same direction. Cristy Galang ([email protected])
28
REFLECTION:
Am I serving the Lord and His Church? Do I have a laid-out plan, vision, mission, goals and objectives?

Lord Jesus, I want to serve You with my all and I know I can only do this if I leave no stone unturned. Send me Your Holy Spirit, Lord, that He may be my guide in all I do for You. Amen. St. Accidia, pray for us.

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1st READING

Paul readily responds to an invitation to preach the Gospel in a new area. I believe that he trusts that if the Holy Spirit does not want him there he will raise obstacles to Paul’s intentions and lead him elsewhere. I call this the “open door policy.” If the doors open and remain open then that is a sign that God wants you to pass through them; conversely, if a door shuts then it could be a sign that this is not the path for you. We have to be careful to test whether the door is locked and not just shut for a period of time or else we could miss the opportunity at hand.

Acts 16:1-10
1 Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him, 3 and Paul wanted him to come along with him. On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from city to city, they handed on to the people for observance the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem. 5 Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number. 6 They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them, 8 so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we sought passage to Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

P S A L M

Psalms 100:1-2, 3, 5
R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; 2 serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song. (R) 3 Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. (R) 5 The LORD is good: his kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus faced all sorts of trials and opposition when proclaiming the Gospel. Let us never be discouraged to the point of giving up when trials and sufferings engulf our lives. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and on the goal of eternal life and face them. We need never be afraid that Jesus will desert us as His promise is to be with us until the end of time. With this truth in my heart I know I can endure any trial the devil might raise against me.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 15:18-21
18 Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.”

my reflections
think: We need never be afraid that Jesus will desert us as His promise is to be with us until the end of time.

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ON ACCOUNT OF CHRIST’S NAME

A young priest and a bishop were traveling from Siuchow to Linchow on February 13, 1930. With them was a group of young catechists on their way to a mission outpost. At some point in their river journey, some Bolshevik pirates commandeered the boat and took interest in one of the young female catechists. The bishop and the priest defended the hapless girl with all the strength they could muster.
But the group of pirates would brook no opposition to their evil plans and they murdered the bishop and the priest. By God’s grace, the two heard each other’s confessions before they died.
The two men of the cloth, Bishop Luigi Versiglia and Father Callistus Caravario, both Salesian missionaries from Turin, Italy, were beatified by Pope Paul VI and canonized by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000.
They died, as they lived, true to their youthful dream of following the footsteps of Christ as taught them by St. John Bosco, father and teacher of the youth. Though uneducated men, they rose up to tell the story of Christ after He died and rose from the dead. The authorities did what the powers-that-be usually do to people they fear. They persecuted them, true to what their Lord and Master prophesied: “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name.”
Last year, in the run-up towards the national elections, tension ran high between and among the electorate. The electing public was sorely divided between so many candidates. Each group rallied behind a particular name. But in not a few cases, they rallied behind someone because they stood to gain, because their interests were at stake. They were supporters of a particular candidate, but they were never followers or disciples, like the first Christians and martyrs were… like Sts. Luigi Versiglia and Callistus Caravario were, along with thousands of others. The difference? They suffered on account of Christ’s name! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
For what cause are you willing to stake your life on?

Lord, to follow You more closely and to love You more dearly are what I desire each day.

St. Accidia, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-29

healing ministers

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. – Acts 8:17

I always feel a sense of excitement whenever my husband, Raul, and I are asked to serve as healing ministers in the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community. I never know how the Holy Spirit will choose to manifest His power through us. On our own we are nothing, but by God’s power we are transformed into His instrument of healing during our community worship on the last Wednesday of the month at the Santuario de San Antonio parish in Forbes Park. We are awed at how He can use us to restore health among His people through simple prayers spoken from the heart.
The gift of healing is just one of the many spiritual gifts bestowed upon us during our Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS). They are given freely by God to whomever He wills and are not something we can earn or deserve on our own. Neither are they given in proportion to our holiness. They are gifts of grace, referred to as “charismatic gifts,” i.e., freely given by a gracious God.
Spiritual gifts are meant for everyone. How would you like to become a channel of the Holy Spirit to minister to His church? Mari Sison-Garcia ([email protected])
29
REFLECTION:
“He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.” (John 14:16)

Lord, thank You for the spiritual gifts You have lavished upon us. Give us the wisdom to recognize them and the grace to use them as You please.

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1st READING

It is clear from the evidence in the Acts of the Apostles that there were many people talking about Jesus and proclaiming the Good News of salvation, some of whom perhaps were not sanctioned by the “official” Apostles. It is interesting to see here that Peter and John did not seek to stop the preaching of Philip but followed him and completed the work he had begun with prayers for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is a good example of what Jesus affirms in the Gospel: If someone is not against me, then he is for me.

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. 6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. 8 There was great joy in that city. 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

P S A L M

Psalms 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
1 Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, 2 sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. 3 Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds! (R) 4 Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” 5 Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among children of Adam. (R) 6 He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot; therefore let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules by his might forever. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. 20 Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness! (R)

2nd READING
We should all be prepared to share the Gospel with others. Peter puts it in terms of “giving an account for the hope we have in our hearts.” However we want to describe it, it is essential that we have reflected on why we believe what we believe so that we are ready and able to share the truth of the Gospel and how it has changed our lives with those who are interested.

1 Peter 3:15-18
15 Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.

G O S P E L

The Holy Spirit is a gift given to us to draw us deeper into relationship with Jesus and the Father. Some theologians see the Holy Spirit as the essence of the relationship between the Father and the Son. Let us open our hearts to the work and grace of the Holy Spirit so that He will be our advocate and help to improve daily our relationship with God. We cannot do this by ourselves; we need the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 14:15-21
15 Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

my reflections
t h in k : Let us open our hearts to the work and grace of the Holy Spirit.

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BETTER TO SUFFER FOR DOING GOOD

Philosophers, theologians and literary giants have said the same thing over and over again, in a million and one different ways. Suffering is part and parcel of the human condition. We actually share this with the rest of the animal world. We can’t have it all. Our nature as limited, finite beings entails with it the truth of necessary pain, what philosophers call “existential pain.”
The second reading today curiously refers to this reality of pain but connects it with two possible sources. Either way, St. Peter seems to say, one will suffer. But he reminds us of what the Lord Himself, in His righteousness and holiness, underwent… suffered and died for a good cause: our salvation.
In other words, we can suffer because of evil deeds and we can suffer on account of good deeds. The former is suffering that enslaves; the latter is suffering that liberates. Suffering for the good that is part of our human condition of finiteness is, therefore, salvific and redemptive, like that of Christ.
I have shared this with you in earlier reflections. I am an avid fan of the late Pope John Paul II for many reasons. But the top in my list has to do with precisely this: the great suffering he endured for doing good, simply for claiming his right and duty to teach and preach in season and out of season. He suffered exceedingly in life, just as Pope Paul VI suffered greatly in the aftermath of Vatican II, especially after he released his encyclical Humanae Vitae.
But this is the way of discipleship. This is the way of faith, hope and love. Peter counsels us to be “prepared to answer for the hope that is in us.” When we do, when we begin to remind people of the world that goes beyond this earthly reality, we will inevitably get some flak for it. He connects this readiness to proclaim the Gospel with pain, just as the Lord did when He said, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Take it from Peter and his Master: “It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
Make an inventory of the sufferings you experienced in your life. Is it because of evil deeds? Or on account of good deeds?

Lord, purify me through my sufferings.

St. Votus, Felix and John, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-30

The Transformer

“The Spirit of Truth that proceeds from the Father and will testify to me. ” – John 15: 26

The Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways. We attended a wedding in the province, where the Spirit prompted us to give a short spiritual pep talk to both families of the wedded couple.
There, the movement of the Spirit became more evident as one of my wife’s nephews tearfully talked about his newfound religion in Mormonism. We sensed something was wrong as he shared his faith. While we didn’t agree with his faith, we felt his belief was being scorned by his siblings.
That evening, we gathered the clan for a meeting and we discovered that there was indeed a deep chasm among the brothers. But what the Spirit started and revealed, He completed. We ended the heart-to-heart talk among the brothers with a reconciliation, as they sobbed and joyfully embraced each other.
The Holy Spirit is truly the Advocate and Transformer. He brings out truth, joy and reconciliation if we welcome Him in our midst. Rolly España ([email protected])
30
REFLECTION:
What prompts you to action — your human spirit or the Holy Spirit?

O Holy Spirit, be our guide in our day-today activities.

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1st READING

Paul goes to where the people who are most likely to respond to the Gospel will be, namely those who are already praying and in an active relationship with God. We also need to devise strategies for the successful proclamation of the Gospel so that we spend our energies and resources wisely. Of course, the most important consideration is to go where God leads us but there will be no harm in suggesting a few places for His approval either.

Acts 16:11-15
11 We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some time in that city. 13 On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. 14 One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home,” and she prevailed on us.

P S A L M

Psalms 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9
R: The Lord takes delight in his people.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. 2 Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. (R) 3 Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. 4 For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. (R) 5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; 6 let the high praises of God be in their throats. 9 This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. (R)

G O S P E L

We have been warned that difficult times lie ahead of us in our faith. We are wise if we heed this advice and prepare as well as we can by being as obedient as we can to God’s Word. Obedience to the truth (God’s Word is truth) will always serve us well as a preparation for whatever lies ahead of us. Obedience to the truth also gives us experience of living our lives outside our own world of influence as it will lead us to places where we have no choice but to trust in God’s power to achieve our goal as on our own we cannot do it.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 15:26-16:4
26 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 I have told you this so that you may not fall away. 2 They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”

my reflections
think: Obedience to the truth (God’s Word is truth) will always serve us well.

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WHEN THEIR HOUR COMES, REMEMBER!

Last year, the two catastrophic earthquakes that struck Haiti and Chile, just a little over a month apart from each other, sent shivers across the world, principally all around the Pacific rim. Tsunami warnings were issued in Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Australia and even Russia, and sirens blared in Hawaii, rousing people from their Sunday night’s restful sleep, making people scamper to higher grounds.
The worst was the idea of the dreaded “hour” at which the potentially destructive waves were projected to hit shores all over. Twitter and Facebook accounts, text messages and radio and TV announcements played up the “hour” projected, to tell people to be prepared.
The thought of the “hour” led many to “remember.” They prayed. Their thoughts were raised to the Lord, even as they prepared for the worst.
We Christians are a people of remembrance. Remembering is what we do best, especially in the Church’s official prayer, the liturgy.
The word “hour” stands for a multiplicity of meanings. The Lord Himself spoke about His “hour” not having come. He also referred to His “hour” of glorification.
Lorenzo Ruiz, who initially had a “selfish” motive to go far from Manila, eventually met his appointed time, his hour of martyrdom. So did the catechist Pedro Calungsod who died together with Blessed Diego de San Vitores in the island of Guahan (Guam). But at their “hour” they also “remembered.” Their hearts and minds were focused on God who is Master and Lord of time, of history, and of human destiny.
People who work at cross purposes with the Lord of history may have their own “hour” of infamy. Evil men may have their temporary moment of triumph and victory. Today, when our society seems to boast of nothing else but the triumph of corruption and sin on all fronts, the Lord reminds us, “I have told you this so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you.”
Believe. Remember. Celebrate. God’s hour is sure to come.Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
Are you ready when your hour comes?

Lord, when my time comes, grant me the grace to remember You, to celebrate with You and to thank You.

Blessed Thomas Cottam, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

2011-05-31

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

THE CHOSEN ONE

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you...” – Luke 1:42

A friend was being eyed as the next news anchor. We were both TV hosts then. When the network called for auditions, he got the part and became a regular news anchor-reporter. I didn’t. I was classified as pinch-hitter anchor instead.
I was happy for him. But modesty aside, I thought I also had what it took to be a news anchor. It had been my dream to regularly anchor a news program for the past 10 years I’ve been with the network. Yet, I was resigned to the fact that we had bosses above us who have their own tastes and personal standards. They didn’t owe us any explanations for their decisions and their wisdom is beyond mine.
In today’s Gospel, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb recognized Mary as the chosen one. Why was Mary chosen?
She was favored even before she said yes to God. In fact, she was chosen before she was born, before she had an opportunity to become worthy of being the mother of Jesus. So why was she chosen? I don’t know. I submit to the wisdom of the Lord. But just like Elizabeth, I hope to feel the joy and excitement for those who have been chosen.Carlo Lorenzo ([email protected])

REFLECTION:
We are all chosen for something. Let’s choose to be humble, happy and great.

Lord God, allow the Holy Spirit to work wonders in our lives. If the role we desire does not become reality, fill us still with joy and gratitude for us to continue to give our best with happy hearts all the time.

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1st READING

In the Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady we remember her selflessness in traveling to help her cousin Elizabeth, whom she has just learned from the angel that spoke to her, is with child. Mary’s life is a model for service and hence a model for discipleship. Too often we approach her only through the many devotions the Church has developed. Let us look more closely at her life and seek to imitate it.

Zephaniah 3:14-18 (or Romans 12:9-16)
14 Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. 16 On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! 17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, 18 as one sings at festivals.

P S A L M

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

G O S P E L

Devotions are a good starting point but we should never be satisfied with having just prayed a certain novena or whatever it might have been. Prayer and devotions must lead to concrete actions whereby our faith is expressed in our service of the Church’s mission. Without actions our faith is meaningless. Mary’s holiness would be empty if she had not answered positively to the angel’s request. Let us seek to be more faithful in living out our faith today.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 1:39-56
39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed. 49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. 51 He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. 52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. 53 The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, 55 according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us seek to be more faithful in living out our faith today.

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HUNGER FOR THE AUTHENTIC

In my many travels through Narita airport, I have often seen people being accosted by authorities on account of one and only one recurrent reason. They carry fake signature items like bags, or other personal items that steal the thunder from real products that fetch mighty sums from the real well-to-do people from around the globe.
No matter what the ultimate reason for that, there seems to be something that all of us can understand. We all long for the authentic. We hunger for the real, the true, the unalloyed truth in everything.
Matthew Kelly (2002) writes that “our age seems to be governed by illusion and deception.” He says “We have built a whole culture based on appearance.” I could not agree more. All the fake products that we see are really based on the value people attach to the real stuff.
We all hunger for the authentic, the tested and true.
One story that I remember an old Indian missionary kept telling us as kids was about the hunger for authenticity of the great Mahatma Gandhi. He would often quote the Gospels and talk about Jesus Christ. When asked why he did not become a Christian, his answer was as pithy as it was soul-searching: “If I had met one, I certainly would have become a Christian.”
The implication was clear. For all that statement was worth, it reminds us just how far we all are from genuineness and authenticity. I see the story of the visitation of the Blessed Mother to Elizabeth as one of authenticity. One who herself was visited by God, who was then most likely still reflecting on the reality that just hit her at the archangel Gabriel’s annunciation, went in haste to visit a cousin in need.
Mary was authentic in her need for complete understanding as well as in her desire to help a relative in need, though needy herself. And her authenticity and simple and humble attachment to a God of promises led her to a declaration of authentic faith, hope and love for the same God who fulfills His promises: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

Reflection Question:
Are my actions reflective of who I am as a Christian?

Dearest Father, help me to be true to my identity as Your child.

St. Crescentian, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

See Him beside you this whole Wednesday!

1 June
Wednesday

WHO ’S TELLING THE TRUTH?

“He will guide you to all truth.” – John 16:13

One day, I was preaching about the power of our words. I asked my audience to say out loud, “I’m beautiful!” After the talk, I saw a young beautiful woman waiting for me at the foot of the stage. But I sensed deep sadness in her eyes.
She asked me, “Bro. Bo, if one says I’m beautiful but I feel ugly, isn’t she lying?” I asked, “Why do you think you’re ugly?” She told me her story. When she was a little child, her father would tell her, “Dorothy, you’re ugly.” And he’d laugh the meanest laugh. She said, “Since then, I’ve always felt ugly.”
I asked her, “Define lying.”
“When I say something that’s not true.”
“We’ve got a problem here. You say you’re ugly. Your father said you were ugly. But today, I announce to you that God says you’re beautiful. Who is telling the truth? You, your father or God? Only one of you claimed, ‘I Am the Truth.’” She broke down.
Dorothy allowed the words of her father to create ugliness in her life. She jumped from one lover to another, searching for someone to tell her that she was beautiful.
But the truth is in God — who created all of us beautiful. Bo Sanchez ([email protected])
1
REFLECTION:
Are you allowing lies to rule your life?

Lord, help me to always trust in Your truth.

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1st READING

The argument that Paul uses here to try to convince Athenians to believe the Gospel is somewhat disingenuous, but if it works, what does it matter? Some believe him, but because we do not have mention of an Athenian community, I think we can conclude that the Gospel failed to take root there in a strong way. We will not necessarily succeed every time we proclaim the Gospel – there will be times when people are simply not interested even though we know what we say is the truth!

Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
15 After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 22 Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, 27 so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ 29 Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. 30 God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent 31 because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” 33 And so Paul left them. 34 But some did join him, and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 18: 1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.


P S A L M

Psalms 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14
R: Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
1 Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights; 2 Praise him, all you his angels, praise him, all you his hosts. (R) 11 Let the kings of the earth and all peoples, the princes and all the judges of the earth, 12 young men too, and maidens, old men and boys. (R) 13 Praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. (R) 14 He has lifted up the horn of his people. Be this his praise from all his faithful ones, from the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia. (R)

G O S P E L

Sometimes God has to break the truth to us slowly so that we are not frightened or receive too much in one go. Let us always have anopenness to learning something new from the Holy Spirit so that we will readily accept new directions in the way that He leads us to eternal life.

John 16:12-15
12 Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
my reflections
t h i n k: Sometimes God has to break the truth to us slowly so that it is not too much for us to receive in one go.

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CUTTING-EDGE AND FAITHFUL AT THE SAME TIME

Our first reading today narrates the well-known incident of Paul preaching in the Aeropagus of Athens. He boldly proclaims — somewhat diplomatically so as not to offend the Athenians with their many philosophies and ideologies, their gods and goddesses — the Resurrection of the Lord. The results were mixed, meager for the most part.
The Gospel, on the other hand, speaks of still another proclamation or announcement. As Jesus carries on with His farewell discourse, He somewhat concedes, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” Nevertheless, He assures us that “the Spirit of truth... will announce to you the things to come.”
Such an announcement is not necessarily a new revelation. It is really more of making the revelation of Jesus Christ relevant for each future age, which is, come to think of it, what Paul does in the Aeropagus.
The freshness of our faith truly consists not so much in novelties or in a fanatical adaptation of the latest fads and gimmicks. As society surely evolves and meanders through trends and tendencies, we are continuously challenged to “repackage” time and again the timeless Gospel message. Why, also catechists and youth ministers can and should be cutting-edge in their methods and approaches, for instance. All this, while remaining loyal to God as the very Source of that message.
Through it all, the Holy Spirit is the one who will accompany and assure us. We cannot even be sure if our Gospel proclamation will automatically produce positive results. But with the Spirit right behind us, we will be certain that the centrifugal force of our proclamation will be stably anchored on the centripetal force of our fidelity to God. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
How confident am I in proclaiming the Good News to the people I meet?

Give me, Lord, the boldness and the courage to proclaim Your message not just through my words, but most importantly through my actions.

St. Eneco, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

Follow Him all the way this Thursday.

2
June
Thursday

comfort in tragedy

“I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” – John 16:20

My good friend Jopet was a straight “A” student, an athlete and a health buff. He didn’t smoke or drink. He was a loyal friend and a dutiful son. He dreamt of studying and working in the US. He was close to fulfilling this when, in his early 20s, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and was given a slim chance of survival. He prayed for the chance to live a full life, and with great faith in the Lord, he won his battle with cancer. He went to the US. I thought from then on, all would be well.
But at the age of 38, Jopet collapsed and died of a heart attack. The news of his passing shocked me. I asked, “Why would the Lord heal him, only to allow him to die at the prime of his life?” His wife wrote something that gave peace to my heart: “Jopet was given the opportunity to live a full and abundant life in the little time that he had.”
In the 12 years he had after conquering cancer, he lived with great purpose and passion. He served tirelessly in community. He married and had a godly, loving family.
I grieved, but looking at how he lived for the Lord, I rejoiced. The Lord answered his prayer and blessed him with a full and abundant life. Jay Catral ([email protected])
2
REFLECTION:
In the Lord’s loving plan for us, the sadness of a tragic event is always surpassed by the Lord’s comfort and the joy of His promise fulfilled.

Lord, I pray, in the midst of sadness and confusion, help me to faithfully see Your promise of peace and joy in our lives. Amen.

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

1st READING

It seems that the Corinthians are far more ready to accept the Gospel than the people of Athens. Paul begins his mission in Corinth in the synagogue and continues there until thrown out by the Jews who do not believe Christ is the Messiah. He then goes somewhere else to preach and to continue the work of evengelization.

Acts 18:1-8
1 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them 3 and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. 8 Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

P S A L M

Psalm 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4
R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

G O S P E L
Jesus prophesies that there are times of hardship and suffering ahead for His disciples and indeed all people. When we encounter suffering and trials let us not lose heart but remember these words of the Lord, reflecting the sentiment of the psalmist, that eventually our sorrow will turn to joy! This is the promise of the Lord to His people, one that we can rely upon forever, that He, Jesus, will ultimately vindicate our faithfulness to His will and the Gospel.
1 Maccabees 11-12
ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 16:16-20
16 Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ [of which he speaks]? We do not know what he means.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
my reflections
think: Jesus will ultimately vindicate our faithfulness to His will and the Gospel.

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

A RIDDLE OF SORTS?

It’s as if our Lord Jesus is giving us a riddle of sorts with His statement to His disciples in today’s Gospel: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” (Note that in the entire passage, this is even repeated three times — and once also partially. Such a repetition seems to only add more to the enigma.)
No wonder, they couldn’t figure it out at all. In any case, Jesus assures them. Not with a solution or explanation to the riddle, mind you. Instead He solemnly promises His disciples that their “grief will become joy.” Notwithstanding the opposite stance of the world (“you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices”), in the end everything will be settled and put straight.
How often do we also fail to grasp Jesus’ inscrutable words to us? Surely, it is not something intentional on the part of Jesus anyway. Perhaps He just wants us to use our intellect. After all, it has been given as a gift to us by God, and using it always honors the Giver. Apart from that, it is also like a reminder from our Lord that He, as always, is the one who “calls the shots,” the one who is in control of everything. To grasp everything fully and completely (as though it was just like a simple 1+1=2) would leave no room anymore for God to act.
No, His is a “style” that allows even for misunderstanding perhaps and, of course, for reflection and discussion. Actually, as we often find it indicated in the Gospels, like in the “Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him...” of today, the Lord already knows way ahead man’s thinking. And He will surely be there to console us, to assure us, to comfort us.
“A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” In that case, we say to the Lord, “Go, O Jesus, do as You please. We await Your ‘little while’ with much longing, for we know that our grief will eventually be turned into joy.”Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
Do I try to get help from a spiritual elder when I encounter difficulties in understanding passages in the Bible?

God of wisdom, enlighten me with Your Word.

St. Blandina, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

This Friday, work with Him at your side.

3 June
Friday

LIKE GOING TO HEAVEN

“But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy.” – John 16:21

I have been the Secretariat head of Kerygma Conference since it started in 2007. It means dealing with the minute as well as the conceptual details of the conference.
It means coordinating with many of the 500- plus people who would staff the conference. It means making sure everything is moving at the right pace, and that every possible scenario has been covered. In short, it means a lot of pressure.
So why am I in it? Because when I see the enthusiasm of the thousands of people who come, read and hear about their reactions to the talks and entertainment numbers, and learn about the positive results of the conference, every sleepless night and every tear that I shed seems all worth it. So I sit during the height of these conferences, look at the crowds and offer to God thanksgiving for being a part of it.
Perhaps it is a principle in God’s kingdom — that the best things entail a lot of hard work, sweat and even tears, but in the end, it will all be worth it.
Perhaps it is just like going to heaven. Do you think you’re up to it?Joy Sosoban (jsosoban@ gmail.com)

REFLECTION:
Do you like it easy and comfortable, or are you willing to work hard to get the best?

Strengthen me, O Lord, to rise up to the challenges that You allow me to go through.

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

1st READING

Charles Lwanga and his companions were so convinced of the truth of the Gospel that they were willing to give their lives for it. In their martyrdom they stand forever as Ugandans willing to pay the highest price for their faith possible. Would that at least some of that conviction and commitment could be mine! Lord, help me to avoid the pitfalls of compromise and mediocrity as I seek to follow Your will.

Acts 18:9-18
9 One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision, “Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 He settled there for a year and a half and taught the word of God among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him to the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud, I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews; 15 but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles and your own law, see to it yourselves. I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.” 16 And he drove them away from the tribunal. 17 They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official, and beat him in full view of the tribunal. But none of this was of concern to Gallio. 18 Paul remained for quite some time, and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow.

P S A L M

Psalms 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R: God is king of all the earth.
1 [2] All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, 2 [3] for the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. (R) 3 [4] He brings peoples under us; nations under our feet. 4 [5] He chooses for us our inheritance, the glory of Jacob, whom he loves. (R) 5 [6] God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts. 6 [7] Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. (R)

G O S P E L
The only way we will be weeping and in sorrow while the world rejoices is if sin is the basis of the world’s rejoicing. Unfortunately this is often the case – the world rejoices over certain pleasures or achievements that have nothing to do with the truth and that are far from the will of God for our lives. We weep for the world while it rejoices in its sin! Ironic, maybe, but what we have to ensure is that we remain very clear about how the Lord is calling us to live so that we can avoid the errors of the world.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 16:20-23
20 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

my reflections
think: We weep for the world while it rejoices in its sin!

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

THE JOY THAT COMES AFTER THE HARDSHIPS

Perhaps we notice by now that for the most part during this Easter season, we have been reading from the Acts of the Apostles in the first reading of the weekday liturgies. Whereas for the Gospel readings in these last weeks of Easter, they are from Jesus’ so-called Farewell Discourse (Chapters 14-17 of the Gospel according to John).
Today’s pair of passages is interesting for the connection we can make between them. In Jesus’ very tender and consoling words in the Gospel, He speaks of the post-Resurrection joy by using the metaphor of a woman’s birth pangs. He assures His disciples (and us, too), “You are sad for a time, but I shall see you again; then your hearts will rejoice with a joy no one can take from you.”
These words seem to find an excellent application and fulfillment in the adventure of Paul, narrated in today’s episode from the Acts of the Apostles. The Lord, in a vision, spoke to him, assuring and encouraging him to go on preaching without fear. It turns out that Paul stayed in that place (the notorious dock city of Corinth) for 18 months, with the help of supportive laypersons such as Priscilla and Aquila. Moreover, what immediately follows is the incident of Paul being accused before the Roman proconsul Gallio. Strangely (and, we should say, fortunately for Paul), the case is at once dismissed.
We can only imagine Paul’s joy — an interior joy, surely, for it is not without trials and difficulties. Nevertheless it has with it a deep contentment coming from the fulfillment of God’s will.
Yes, there may be hardships left and right, but if deep within we believe and we know that we are heeding God’s holy will, then we can look forward to that joy that no one can take away from us. Whatever pains and sufferings besetting us will certainly give way to the happiness that God assures us. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
In the midst of suffering, do I easily give up? Or do I hold on to the promise of God that He is with me always and that He is leading me to joy at the end of my trials?

Lord, strengthen my faith that You will turn my pain into joy when the tough times are over.

St. Gonzaga Gonza, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

This Saturday, follow the Spirit of God leading you.

4 June
Saturday

PAIL ON THE LEDGE

“You have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive…” – John 16:24

We ran out of water this morning. Our regular water supply wasn’t sufficient and would take 24 hours for our tanks to fill up. Until then we’d have to stretch three pails of water for all our morning chores.
Around mid-afternoon, I noticed that it was getting cloudy. A fog came in. Then it rained.
It was frustrating not to have water from our faucets while it was raining cats and dogs outside. So I got a pail, put it out on a ledge and collected rain water. It was raining so hard, the pail soon overflowed.
My story about water also happens in my faith walk. Sometimes, my funds are so low, I’m on panic level. And I really, really worry.
But God’s perspective is different from mine. Panic level for me is miracle time for God. He provides. He has never let me down. And I know He never will.
Coupled with hard work and an expectant faith, I know that the Lord wants me to ask from Him during my time of need and trust in His provisions. Just like the pail on the ledge, if I put my needs before Him, He will fill me up to overflowing.Marisa Aguas ([email protected])
4
REFLECTION:
Do we always rely on ourselves to solve all of life’s problems?

Dear Lord, in the hustle and bustle of life, oftentimes I forget You. Grant me the grace to always seek You first in my life.

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

1st READING

The Church is a messy reality – it is not as organized as we would like it to be at times. Here we encounter a man who has heard only a part of the Gospel; he has not heard about the Holy Spirit. Paul sets this right and we presume that his preaching became even more powerful now that he had the full truth to proclaim, not to mention the power of the Holy Spirit to help him.

Acts 18:23-28
23 After staying in Antioch some time, Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence through the Galatian country and Phrygia, bringing strength to all the disciples. 24 A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus. He was an authority on the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and, with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wanted to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. After his arrival he gave great assistance to those who had come to believe through grace. 28 He vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.

P S A L M

Psalms 47:2-3, 8-9, 10
R: God is king of all the earth.
1 [2] All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, 2 [3] for the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. (R) 7 [8] For the king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise. 8 [9] God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. (R) 9 [10] The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For God’s are the guardians of the earth; He is supreme. (R)

G O S P E L

In order to ask anything in the name of Jesus, we have to know that it is according to His will. Jesus is not going to put His name to anything that is contrary or irrelevant to the Gospel. Therefore forget about asking for the next set of lotto numbers or the winning ticket in a car raffle unless you have specific knowledge that it is God’s will for you to win such things. This is why it is so important to discern the will of God for our lives. We will know what God asks us and we can ask Him to provide for our needs.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
I came from the Father and have come into the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
John 16:23-28
23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. 25 “I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

my reflections
think: This is why it is so important to discern the will of God for our lives. We will know what God asks us to do and we can ask Him to provide for our needs.

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

THE JOY THAT COMES AFTER THE HARDSHIPS

Perhaps we notice by now that for the most part during this Easter season, we have been reading from the Acts of the Apostles in the first reading of the weekday liturgies. Whereas for the Gospel readings in these last weeks of Easter, they are from Jesus’ so-called Farewell Discourse (Chapters 14-17 of the Gospel according to John).
Today’s pair of passages is interesting for the connection we can make between them. In Jesus’ very tender and consoling words in the Gospel, He speaks of the post-Resurrection joy by using the metaphor of a woman’s birth pangs. He assures His disciples (and us, too), “You are sad for a time, but I shall see you again; then your hearts will rejoice with a joy no one can take from you.”
These words seem to find an excellent application and fulfillment in the adventure of Paul, narrated in today’s episode from the Acts of the Apostles. The Lord, in a vision, spoke to him, assuring and encouraging him to go on preaching without fear. It turns out that Paul stayed in that place (the notorious dock city of Corinth) for 18 months, with the help of supportive laypersons such as Priscilla and Aquila. Moreover, what immediately follows is the incident of Paul being accused before the Roman proconsul Gallio. Strangely (and, we should say, fortunately for Paul), the case is at once dismissed.
We can only imagine Paul’s joy — an interior joy, surely, for it is not without trials and difficulties. Nevertheless it has with it a deep contentment coming from the fulfillment of God’s will.
Yes, there may be hardships left and right, but if deep within we believe and we know that we are heeding God’s holy will, then we can look forward to that joy that no one can take away from us. Whatever pains and sufferings besetting us will certainly give way to the happiness that God assures us. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
In the midst of suffering, do I easily give up? Or do I hold on to the promise of God that He is with me always and that He is leading me to joy at the end of my trials?

Lord, strengthen my faith that You will turn my pain into joy when the tough times are over.

St. Gonzaga Gonza, pray for us.

 

[kerstinne25]

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

5 June
Sunday

Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension

HERE I AM, LORD

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20

To party and outing invitations, a fast and resounding “yes” is what we hear. To spiritual activities, often we hear, “Aaaaaaah, wait. Aaaaaaah… OK!” But to this command of the Lord to go and make disciples, the usual reply is, “C’mon Lord, this is different! This is difficult to do!”
The NAB Serendipity Bible asks: What holds you back from passing on the Good News to others? (a) I don’t know enough; (b) I don’t have time; (c) Others are better at it; (d) Just ignoring it.
Whatever our reasons may be, we can’t escape the fact that God sends us forth. He wants us to be ambassadors of His love, joy and peace. And He knows that in our own simple way, sinful as we are, we can still be effective living witnesses to others.
Start in your family, in your workplace, in your community. How? Be a good person and live a good life. Share your time and resources whenever needed. Study the Scriptures. Live God’s Word. Serve joyfully. Invite them to join you in your activities where you gain spiritual nourishment. Live simply. Love generously.
Then, you’ll produce good followers of God. Amen! Sol Saura ([email protected])
5
REFLECTION:
In what ways can we fulfill the “commission” of Jesus?

Here I am, Lord. Lead me that I may hold Your people in my heart and proclaim Your goodness to them.

============

1st READING

A number of times during His ministry, Jesus prepares His disciples for this day when He will return to His Father. I wonder what it would have been like to stand there and watch the Son of God, the Messiah, return to His rightful place? There is no doubt in my mind that I would be wondering what is going to happen next! Jesus has had a way of doing the unexpected all through the last three years of His life and there is still one more act to play in the drama – Pentecost.

Acts 1:1-11
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.” 6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

P S A L M

Psalms 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
R: God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

1 [2] All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, 2 [3] for the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. (R) 5 [6] God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts. 6 [7] Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. (R) 7 [8] For the king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise. 8 [9] God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. (R)

2nd READING

It seems a little ironic that a moment of desolation (the loss of the physical presence of the resurrected Lord) is turned into one that looks with hope to the future but this is precisely what the second reading encourages us to do. In fact, whenever we encounter difficulty or trial in our lives we ought to remember the lesson of the Ascension and believe that there is always a new Pentecost around the corner.

Ephesians 1:17-23
17 Brothers and sisters: May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, 20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, 21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

G O S P E L

The Ascension of Jesus into heaven is accompanied by a commissioning and empowering of the disciples. It is only after Pentecost that the disciples will truly take on their new and empowered identity as ministers of the Gospel, but we clearly see here that this is precisely the intention of Jesus in doing what he does before He departs. Let us believe that the power given to the disciples is also given to us in good measure.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 28:16-20
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age .”

my reflections
think: Let us believe that the power given to the disciples is also given to us in good measure.

==========

THE DUMBFOUNDING EFFECT OF THE ASCENSION

We who have somehow become accustomed to the ascension of Jesus into heaven tend to miss its full import or impact. After all, it comes automatically — the second Glorious Mystery naturally succeeds the resurrection of our Lord. But when you really think of it, the ascension certainly does have its “dumbfounding effect.”
That was exactly the reaction of the disciples on the day Jesus ascended: “like children who have lost their parent,” as author Philip Yancey puts it. Two angels are sent as though to calm them down. They asked the obvious question, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the skies?” The sky was blank and empty, just as they themselves were, in their dumbfounded looks.
And so we ourselves also ask, why in the first place did Jesus Christ have to ascend? Wouldn’t it have been better if He stayed on with us until now, for Him to continue guiding and assisting us? If He continued to stay here on earth, He could answer our questions, solve our doubts, mediate our disputes of doctrine and policy. Why did Jesus leave us alone to fight the battles? How can it be good that He went away?
But our Lord did prepare us for His departure, at least. It’s enough to go through His Farewell Discourse at the Last Supper for us to understand the necessity of His going back to the Father, as He justified it. And now we also realize the necessity of our “taking over” Him in some strange way.
For indeed, we now are the “extensions” of Christ. In His lifetime here on earth, Jesus brought healing and the Good News to a few (come to think of it). We now can bring those to more people. This is precisely the so-called Great Commission of our Gospel today.
Hopefully, we now will not be dumbfounded anymore with this, and indeed face up to Jesus’ challenge.Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB

Reflection Question:
When somebody leaves you behind, do you fear being alone?

May Your ascension, Lord Jesus, give me courage to go on and believe in the power of God to do what is impossible for man.

St. Waccar, pray for us.