Faith From Hearing

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/113015.cfm) reminds me how important it is to talk about God.

They say that a good way to study Is to read aloud. They say it is similar to studying twice, because if you read aloud, you not only read it, but hear it as well. Hearing something, aside from reading it, has a great impact on the memory retention and on understanding things. This is similar to what God is telling me today in the readings.

A lot of us ask for faith. Today, we see one concrete action how we can have faith.

Faith comes from hearing the WORD of God.

In the first reading, we see the importance of responding to God’s call to preach his word. No one will be saved if no one responds to God’s call to preach. Someone should preach, should talk about God, for people to hear about God. Hearing about God eventually leads to believe in him, and call on him. in the latter part of the reading, we see how faith is attained – from hearing the WORD of God. This goes for both the doer and receiver. OF course, the receiver hears the word of God which can be the entry point of God in his life. Then the doer actually hears what he is saying, so he is doubly blessed as well.

In the gospel, we see people who were saved because of hearing God’s word. Jesus called them, they heard his voice, and followed his call. This is how powerful hearing God’s word is. This is why we are all sent to spread his word.

We need not be missionaries to do this. Wherever God placed us, we can proclaim him. We can preach about him by the words we speak, by the way we live our lives, by the way we treat others, and by how well we do our work.

May we be reminded of the importance of talking about God, and the power of hearing about it. May not only our faith increase, but that of others as well.

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 another time off. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, help me remember this. Help me remember the importance of talking about you and of hearing you. May I be willing to proclaim you to others. and I ask that you use me and my words to brings faith to myself and others. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 30, 2015

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
Lectionary: 684

 

 

Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18

 

Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11

 

R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

 

Alleluia Mt 4:19

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Mt 4:18-22

 

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him

Be Ready and Prepare

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112915.cfm) reminds me of the need to always be ready and prepared.

The readings for the past few days have been talking about the judgment, Christ’s second coming. Today, we are again reminded to be ready and prepared - not just for the second coming, but for something we know when – Christmas. As we usher in the happiest season of the year, as we usher in advent, we are reminded to prepare to commemorate Christ’s birth.

We should prepare our hearts for Christmas.

We now officially start the advent season, and this first Sunday of advent should set us in the mood just not of Christmas as the world knows is – with all the lights, parties, gifts and food, but to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming that we commemorate on Christmas day.

Some say that this season, Christmas season, is not just happy, but a very busy, and sometimes can be stressful. There are a lot of things going on – from the yearend reports and quotas, the get together and parties, relatives and friends coming home to the province or from abroad, the bazaars and gift shopping, and of course, the extra special traffic we expect even during the wee hours of the morning. Yes, it can be stressful. IT can be busy. And unfortunately sometimes with all of these, we forget the reason for the season. We forget what Christmas is all about.

Looking at our lives and at our hearts, a lot of us can say that we are not ready to welcome him. We are not yet prepared. There are a lot of issues, concerns and even sins that make our hearts unworthy of God’s visitation. There are a lot of things going on in our lives. Good thing is that we have 4 weeks to prepare. We have 4 weeks to clean our hearts. We have 4 weeks to remember him and focus on him. We are reminded to hear mass more often, to partake of the sacraments, to pray more, and to love others more as we prepare our hearts for Christ.

May we take this opportunity and make the most out of the time we have to prepare for Christ’s visitation, so that when he comes, we will be ready.

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 another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, my heart is not clean. I am not ready for you. There are a lot of things distracting me. There are a lot of things on my mind. I have a lot of excuses. Lord, help me do my best and prepare for you in this season of advent. Be with me in this journey. May this be a special one, a memorable one. May I get to know you more and experience you more as I prepare. May I be more and more like you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/11/heaven-is-near.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2014/11/ready-and-prepared.html

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November 29, 2015

First Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 3

 

 

Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16

 

The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

 

R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

 

 

Reading 2 1 Thes 3:12—4:2

 

Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

 

Alleluia Ps 85:8

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, Lord, your love;
and grant us your salvation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Vigilant

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112815.cfm) reminds me that we should be vigilant and be ready for God’s coming.

For the past weeks, we have been reminded to prepare for God’s coming. Today, we are again reminded.

How easy it is to be tangled up with the demands and troubles of our daily lives. It's easy to be distracted from the things that really matter. We give up a lot of things for work, business, or things needed to make a living. We sacrifice our time with family, friends, and even time to rest for ourselves. Sadly, we may also tend to sacrifice time for God. We should make a living so we can live, not live to make a living.

Jesus warns us about this in the gospel. It is very easy to be distracted with the things of this world, so we should be extra vigilant. We should always be ready and prepared for his second coming. We should not allow the enemy to distract us from doing what we should, to distract us from serving our one true God. Our focus should remain on God, not on things of the world. These things, no matter how innocent and harmless they seem, should not prevent us from serving God, from working for God.

Given this, it will not be always easy. When you are working for God, you are not of the world, and the world will hate you like it did Jesus. As we see in the first reading, there were kingdoms, powerful yes, and they made war against the holy ones, the ones working for God. They were victorious only until the Ancient One arrived. Until we meet Christ again, life will not always be easy. However, we should have faith in Christ, and follow what Jesus said

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the many times I ignore you. Sorry for letting myself get distracted by things of this world. Sorry for letting myself be tricked by the enemy to focus on this world and not on you. Help me remember what is important. Help me always be vigilant. Help me be wise and know where to put you in my life. May I always live knowing your place in my heart. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/10/ready.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/11/he-will-come.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/08/stay-awake.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/11/focused-and-strong-till-end.html

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November 28, 2015

Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 508

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 7:15-27

 

I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,
and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.
I approached one of those present
and asked him what all this meant in truth;
in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:
“These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms
which shall arise on the earth.
But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,
to possess it forever and ever.”

But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,
so very terrible and different from the others,
devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,
and trampling with its feet what was left;
about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,
before which three horns fell;
about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,
which appeared greater than its fellows.
For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones
and was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;
judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,
and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
He answered me thus:

“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth
different from all the others;
It shall devour the whole earth,
beat it down, and crush it.
The ten horns shall be ten kings
rising out of that kingdom;
another shall rise up after them,
Different from those before him,
who shall lay low three kings.
He shall speak against the Most High
and oppress the holy ones of the Most High,
thinking to change the feast days and the law.
They shall be handed over to him
for a year, two years, and a half-year.
But when the court is convened,
and his power is taken away
by final and absolute destruction,
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the holy people of the Most High,
Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:
all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87

 

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

 

 

Alleluia Lk 21:36

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:34-36

 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Everlasting

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112715.cfm) reminds me that God’s dominion is everlasting.

Sometimes, we do not feel God is powerful. We get scared of the devil, of how scary he is portrayed or what he can do. However, we should remember that God is more powerful. In the first reading, we see scary creatures. Yes they were powerful, but they do not absolute power. However, Jesus being the Son of God is not scary in appearance, but he has absolute power. His dominion is forever.

God may be silent, but his dominion is forever.

Just because God is allowing bad things to happen do not mean he does not have power in this world. His dominion is forever. His power is eternal. We can see it in the first reading and the psalm. In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples about this, about His second coming, about the end of the world.

May we never forget that God’s dominion is everlasting, and his kingship is forever. Nothing can change that. As we live our lives, may we never let the distractions and lies of this world get our focus away from Him.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Friday. Lord, help me to always be reminded of your dominion, of your kingship, and of your power. Sorry for the times I let myself be tricked by this world. Sorry for not focusing on you and allowing myself be lost in this world. Help me live right. Help me live for you. Help me live a life pleasing to you always. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.sg/2015/08/transfiguration-2015.html

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November 27, 2015

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 507

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 7:2-14

 

In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.”
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,

Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw

One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

 

R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!

 

 

Alleluia Lk 21:28

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:29-33

 

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”

Powerful

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112615-weekday.cfm) reminds me how powerful God is.

There are situations wherein we feel it’s a dead end. We sometimes think God cannot do anything about it anymore. There are times we know and feel that the only way to get out is a miracle – something that we think we will not experience. However, God is all powerful, and what we consider miracles are just normal things for Him. This is what Daniel experienced.

He was faithful to God, and that led others to have him punished. They envied him and his situation with the king, so they wanted him out. And they forced the king to have Daniel thrown in the lion’s Den. However, Daniel kept his faith, and God rewarded Hm. God sealed the mouth of the lion so Daniel was unharmed.

God is powerful, and his plans cannot be destroyed by the enemy.

What the enemy intended for evil, God can turn into something good. The people intended evil for Daniel, but God turned it into something great - an event which saved Daniel and gave glory to God. Because of that event, people were converted because the king himself witnessed first-hand God's power. This shows that when we really trust in God and do our part in praying and getting closer to Him, he will reward us. He will take care of us. Daniel continued to pray and had great faith in God in the midst of facing death. And when he was saved, he glorified God.

May we take courage, knowing How powerful God is. And be inspired that miracles can really happen in our lives.

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. Lord, sorry for the times I feel you are powerless and you cannot do anything. Sorry for the times my faith is low and I feel I won’t experience something great from you. Sorry for the times I doubt you. Help me have faith like Daniel. May my faith be strong and firm. Use my to glorify you. use me for your purpose. May I be able to spread your kingdom through my life and my testimony. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.sg/2011/11/stronger-than-lion.html

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November 26, 2015 - Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 506

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 6:12-28

 

Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel’s home
and found him praying and pleading before his God.
Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition:
“Did you not decree, O king,
that no one is to address a petition to god or man
for thirty days, except to you, O king;
otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?”
The king answered them, “The decree is absolute,
irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law.”
To this they replied, “Daniel, the Jewish exile,
has paid no attention to you, O king,
or to the decree you issued;
three times a day he offers his prayer.”
The king was deeply grieved at this news
and he made up his mind to save Daniel;
he worked till sunset to rescue him.
But these men insisted.
They said, “Keep in mind, O king,
that under the Mede and Persian law
every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable.”
So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions’ den.
To Daniel he said,
“May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you.”
To forestall any tampering,
the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords
the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den.

Then the king returned to his palace for the night;
he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers.
Since sleep was impossible for him,
the king rose very early the next morning
and hastened to the lions’ den.
As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully,
“O Daniel, servant of the living God,
has the God whom you serve so constantly
been able to save you from the lions?”
Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever!
My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths
so that they have not hurt me.
For I have been found innocent before him;
neither to you have I done any harm, O king!”This gave the king great joy.
At his order Daniel was removed from the den,
unhurt because he trusted in his God.
The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel,
along with their children and their wives,
to be cast into the lions’ den.
Before they reached the bottom of the den,
the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language,
wherever they dwell on the earth: “All peace to you!
I decree that throughout my royal domain
the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared:

“For he is the living God, enduring forever;
his Kingdom shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be without end.
He is a deliverer and savior,
working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth,
and he delivered Daniel from the lions’ power.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

 

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

 

 

Alleluia Lk 21:28

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:20-28

 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Surprise

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112515.cfm) reminds me that God will surprise us when we least expect it.

In the first reading, we see a powerful man in the sense of the world. King Belshazzar gave a banquet. He is powerful and influential, and he is enjoying it. He is having the time of his life when suddenly, God surprised him. He saw a vision, and he was disturbed. Eventually he had Daniel interpret it.

God will come when we lease expect us – and we cannot deny the state of our hearts when he sees it.

We eventually see through Daniel that the king was not living right. The king has rebelled against God. He disrespected God and worship worldly possessions – gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. All things that are in the world. Beautiful but useless. We see this in action when he told Daniel that he will be given gifts, money and power if he can interpret the dream. This shows that these things are really important for him. and he thinks these are the things other people consider important as well.

Sometimes, we feel that God is silent, but his silence does not mean his approval. He is always watching.

The king may have been able to live wickedly for a while. He may have thought he is unstoppable. However, God sees us. And in his perfect time, he will come. And he will catch us doing what our heart contains and not what we project to other people. He may be silent, but that does not mean he allows wickedness. Sometimes he is just giving us a chance to repent and come to our senses. But when we refuse to, if we continue to ignore him, then he will come and judge us.

May we never equate God’s silence to his approval, and be aware that when God surprises us, we cannot deny the state of our lives. And we will be punished, or rewarded, as we deserve.

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 another reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I think your silence means your approval. Sorry for the times I try to get awy with bad things and think it’s okay since you seem to be silent. Sorry for all my excuses. Help me always live right. Help me listen to your small voice. So that when you come to surprise me, it will be a happy occasion – the start of eternity with you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.sg/2014/06/when-god-seems-silent.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.sg/2011/11/hes-got-your-back.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.sg/2014/11/protected.html

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November 25, 2015

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 505

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28

 

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,
with whom he drank.
Under the influence of the wine,
he ordered the gold and silver vessels
which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
to be brought in so that the king, his lords,
his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.
When the gold and silver vessels
taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,
and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers
were drinking wine from them,
they praised their gods of gold and silver,
bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,
the fingers of a human hand appeared,
writing on the plaster of the wall in the king’s palace.
When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;
his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,
and his knees knocked.
Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.
The king asked him, “Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,
whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?
I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,
that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;
if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,
you shall be clothed in purple,
wear a gold collar about your neck,
and be third in the government of the kingdom.”

Daniel answered the king:
“You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.
You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,
so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,
might drink wine from them;
and you praised the gods of silver and gold,
bronze and iron, wood and stone,
that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

“This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67

 

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

 

 

Alleluia Rv 2:10c

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:12-19

 

Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

Don't Be Deceived

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112415.cfm) reminds me that we should not be deceived by impostors.

There are a lot of criminals. In the Philippines, one of the modus being used is called the "Budol Budol" wherein people, usually house help, are tricked into believing that their master got into an accident and needs money. They are told to break in to the house vault or forcibly take jewelry and precious items supposedly for their master's use. When they give it to the criminals, who pretend to be friends of their master, they will eventually find out they have been victimized. They were deceived in believing the impostors.

This is similar to what the devil will try to do. The devil will always try to deceive us and take us away from God.

In the gospel Jesus says that there will be people who will come in his name and deceive others. We are warned not to be deceived. There are a lot of people and groups who claim to be the true group, true religion, or have divine origins. Whatever they say, no matter how other people may take it, we should not believe it. We should not be deceived.

Jesus will come back, Yes, but not in the form of another person. He will come back as Jesus. When he comes back, there will be no question. We will know it is him. This is why we should only believe in Him and guard our faith against those who try to distract us and keep us away from God.

May we guarded and careful as we follow only God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for always providing for me. Thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, help me be vigilant of my faith. Help me always keep my focus on you. May I never be deceived by others, no matter what they say, do and how the people react to them. Help me keep my eyes and my heart to you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 24, 2015

Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 504

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 2:31-45

 

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:
“In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.

“This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king’s presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter’s tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61

 

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.

 

 

Alleluia Rv 2:10c

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Lk 21:5-11

 

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

Only on God

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112315.cfm) reminds me that we should put our faith only on God.

They say that in Philippine politics, there are only results – those who won, and those who were cheated on. There are a lot of reasons people give for losing. They do not want to accept the fact that they indeed lost. This is also sometimes how we generally are. As the saying goes, kung gusto madaming paraan, kung ayaw madaming dahilan. IF you want it, there are many ways how to do it, but if you don’t want it, there are many excuses. However, with our spiritual life, this should not be the case. Excuses should not be given.

There are no valid excuses for not standing up for the faith.

In the first reading, we see that Daniel and his friends trusted only on God. They had faith that God will bless them and keep them healthy, despite not getting the usual food allotted to them. They stood up to their faith. They did not give excuses for not standing up for the faith – that they are forced to eat unclean food, that they need energy the food gives to do their work and glorify God, that they had no choice but to eat unclean food. They stood up for the faith. They trusted only on God. And they were rewarded.

Sometimes, we think too much. Sometimes we analyze too much. We think that our faith, that our service to God is dependent on so many things. We sometimes think we need to be rich to be able to give to God’s kingdom. The gospel shows us otherwise, and how much God values our giving, no matter the amount. We think we need connections to work for God’s kingdom. We justify not serving the poor by saying we need rest to do our work well. There can be many excuses for not doing God’s work, for not standing up for the faith, but we are reminded today that none of these is valid.

God is all powerful. His power is not dependent on anything or anyone. And as we work for him, as we serve him, as we put our faith in him, we should remember that we too should not focus on other things. Our service to God and the effectivity of our actions are not dependent on worldly things. We just need to focus on God and trust in Him, and he will do the rest.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I give a lot of excuses for not standing up to my faith and not doing your work. Sorry for the times I forget that you are all powerful and all glorious. Help me remember to just put my faith in you as I do your work. Give me the strength to always be brave for you. Give me the wisdom to always focus on you, no matter what happens in this world. May I live only for you. May I focus only on you. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/11/two-small-coins.html

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November 23, 2015

Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 503

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 1:1-6, 8-20

 

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came
and laid siege to Jerusalem.
The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and some of the vessels of the temple of God;
he carried them off to the land of Shinar,
and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god.

The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,
to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal blood
and of the nobility, young men without any defect,
handsome, intelligent and wise,
quick to learn, and prudent in judgment,
such as could take their place in the king’s palace;
they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;
after three years’ training they were to enter the king’s service.
The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine
from the royal table.
Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.

But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself
with the king’s food or wine;
so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.
Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy
of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel,
“I am afraid of my lord the king;
it is he who allotted your food and drink.
If he sees that you look wretched
by comparison with the other young men of your age,
you will endanger my life with the king.”
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain
had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
“Please test your servants for ten days.
Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men
who eat from the royal table,
and treat your servants according to what you see.”
He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;
after ten days they looked healthier and better fed
than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.So the steward continued to take away
the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency
in all literature and science,
and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.
At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation,
the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.
When the king had spoken with all of them,
none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah;
and so they entered the king’s service.
In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them,
he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

 

R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!

 

 

Alleluia Mt 24:42a, 44

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

Gospel Lk 21:1-4

 

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

He The King

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112215.cfm) reminds me that God is King

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe, we are reminded through the readings that he indeed is king. In the first reading we see his dominion, kingship and glory. The second reading also reminds us of God’s eternal glory, and the love and power of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. In the gospel we further see that Jesus is indeed the King, though not of this world.

God is the king of the universe, but his kingdom does not belong in this world.

God is the all mighty, all powerful and ever living God. The king of kings. However, Jesus in the gospel says that his kingdom is not on this world. The ruler of this world is the devil, thus we can see his evil works active in this world. However, it does not mean God has no power here.

In as much as we are reminded of Jesus’ kingship, he does not want us to end there. In the gospel he says that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice. That is a challenge and a reminder to us. Are we hearing his voice? Are we listening to his voice? Are we obeying his voice?

We should not only proclaim that Jesus is king, we should live is.

God is the universe, but He also wants to be the king of our hearts. He is all powerful, but he does not have power over our hearts and our decisions. God wants to also be the king of our lives. That is what we should work on.

With our everyday decisions, with our everyday words and actions, we tell him who our king is. We tell him who we are – are we of this world, or of God. May we be one with the psalmist in proclaiming that God is the king – not just of the universe, but most importantly, of our lives as well.

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. Lord, I proclaim that you are the king of the universe, the eternal and all powerful God. And I proclaim that I will do my best to make you the king of my heart, to make you the king of my life. I will do my best to live for you. To proclaim you to others. To spread your message and your love to others. Help me live my faith and love for you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/11/christ-my-king.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/11/christ-king-2013.html

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November 22, 2015

The Solemnity Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 161

 

 

Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14

 

As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5

 

R. (1a) The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.

 

 

Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8

 

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

 

 

Alleluia Mk 11:9, 10

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Jn 18:33b-37

 

Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice