Ask and Receive

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010515.cfm) reminds me what we should do if we want to receive what we ask God for.

God tells us through the psalm that there is no limit to what God can give us. And in the gospel, we see that Jesus healed and cured all who came to him. It did not matter what their sickness are, or what condition they are in. As Jesus was preaching God’s kingdom, he cured every disease and illness, as well as lunatics, possessed and paralytics. He did this not to show off, but to show the people how great the God he is serving. Even though this happened thousands of years ago, it can still happen today, and the first reading tells us how we can get God to give us what we ask – to keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

God is not a vending machine where we put coins to pay for what we want, or collect points until we have enough for what we want. We cannot collect points for good deeds and prayer, and expect God to give us anything we want as when we have enough credits. It actually is the opposite. As we pray, as we do good, we become more and more like him. And as we become more like him, our prayers will be his prayer for us. As we become more like him, we will surrender to him, and we submit our plans for him. As we do this, the things that we ask are actually the things he want to give us, so he will actually give those as we ask.

May we remember what to do to get what we want, and to be more and more like God

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for my work. Thank you for this first day of new year. Things may not be looking great at work, I may have doubts and concerns, but I ask you Lord to help me give my best everytime. May my work be my prayer to you. Help me and transform me to become more and more like you, Lord. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 5, 2015

Memorial of St. John Neumann

Lectionary: 212

Reading 1 1 Jn 3:22–4:6

Beloved:

We receive from him whatever we ask,

because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

And his commandment is this:

we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and love one another just as he commanded us.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,

and the way we know that he remains in us

is from the Spirit whom he gave us.

Beloved, do not trust every spirit

but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,

because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

This is how you can know the Spirit of God:

every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh

belongs to God,

and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus

does not belong to God.

This is the spirit of the antichrist

who, as you heard, is to come,

but in fact is already in the world.

You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,

for the one who is in you

is greater than the one who is in the world.

They belong to the world;

accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,

and the world listens to them.

We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,

while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.

This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Responsorial Psalm PS 2:7bc-8, 10-12a

R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

The LORD said to me, “you are my Son;

this day I have begotten you.

Ask of me and I will give you

the nations for an inheritance

and the ends of the earth for your possession.”

R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

And now, O kings, give heed;

take warning, you rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;

with trembling rejoice.

R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

Alleluia See Mt 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom

and cured every disease among the people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 4:12-17, 23-25

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,

he withdrew to Galilee.

He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,

in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet

might be fulfilled:

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles,

the people who sit in darkness

have seen a great light,

on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death

light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,

“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He went around all of Galilee,

teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,

and curing every disease and illness among the people.

His fame spread to all of Syria,

and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases

and racked with pain,

those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,

and he cured them.

And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,

and from beyond the Jordan followed him