He Needs You

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/012315.cfm) reminds me that God needs my help to proclaim his message and further his kingdom.

There are a lot of things in this world that seem unfair. We see poverty everyday. We see innocent people, especially children suffering from poverty, sickness and violence. We sometimes ask, why God is allowing these things to happen. Why is he not doing anything about it? Well, sometimes we fail to see that God did something. God created you and me, and we are supposed to do something about these situations. God needs our help.

In the gospel, Jesus chose twelve people to help him in his mission. Jesus cannot be everywhere and cannot heal everyone. That’s why he needs the help of his apostles to proclaim God’s kingdom and drive out demons. And we know that later on, he instructed everyone to be part of this great commission, to be physical representations of God in this world.

Just as Jesus called his apostles, he too is calling us to be with him in doing God’s work. Are we willing?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder that you need me and you are actually commanding me to do your work. Sorry for the times I blame you, or expect you to do all the work that need to be done in this world. Help and equip me Lord that I may be able to do my part, and do something about the issues that I see everyday. Amen.

Blessed Friday!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 23, 2015

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 315

Reading 1 Heb 8:6-13

Brothers and sisters:

Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry

as he is mediator of a better covenant,

enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless,

no place would have been sought for a second one.

But he finds fault with them and says:

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord,

when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of

Israel and the house of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers

the day I took them by the hand to lead

them forth from the land of Egypt;

for they did not stand by my covenant

and I ignored them, says the Lord.

But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel

after those days, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their minds

and I will write them upon their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying,

“Know the Lord,”

for all shall know me, from least to greatest.

For I will forgive their evildoing

and remember their sins no more.

When he speaks of a “new” covenant,

he declares the first one obsolete.

And what has become obsolete

and has grown old is close to disappearing.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:8 and 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (11a) Kindness and truth shall meet.

Show us, O LORD, your mercy,

and grant us your salvation.

Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,

glory dwelling in our land.

R. Kindness and truth shall meet.

Kindness and truth shall meet;

justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Kindness and truth shall meet.

The LORD himself will give his benefits;

our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before him,

and salvation, along the way of his steps.

R. Kindness and truth shall meet.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 3:13-19J

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted

and they came to him.

He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,

that they might be with him

and he might send them forth to preach

and to have authority to drive out demons:

He appointed the Twelve:

Simon, whom he named Peter;

James, son of Zebedee,

and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,

that is, sons of thunder;

Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,

Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;

Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,

and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him