Life

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060516.cfm) reminds me that God brings life even when there seems none. 

We have all experienced our own little 'AHA' moments in our lives. Times when we thought there is no way out, or that we are trapped, then AHA - we suddenly think of something or something happens that saves us, that gets us out of the situation. Sometimes we call these 'saved by the bell' moments. This happens in real life, and in our faith life as well. The readings today show us a couple of examples. 

Both the first reading and gospel present a similar situation. A widow mother. During that times, women are second class. They get their identity and worth from their husbands and children. Since these are widows, their only son means a lot. Not only for society standards, but in their lives as well. Yung anak kang nila ang kasama nila sa buhay. Then the only son died. Imagine the pain and the fear. Nothing is left for them. Widow. Childless. Seems like a hopeless situation. But God, through Elijah and Jesus, brought life and hope back into the mothers' lives. 

God can bring hope and life in situations where there seems none. 

God's blessings changed their lives. And He can do it to us too. What's more inspiring is that in the gospel, Jesus gave life to the son even without the woman asking for it. He just had pity on her because he understands her situation. And God is acting the same way with us as well. Sometimes he acts even without us asking for it. Sometimes even without us knowing or acknowledging it. 

God is powerful. He cannot be limited by time and space. He cannot be limited by the situation we are in. We just have to trust in Him. We just need to ask Him. And sometimes, we don't even have to do something. Out of his own goodness and love, we will just experience it. 

May we be inspired, and thankful, for God's power and goodness. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience you. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for your great love. Thank you for your great power. I am sorry for the times I limit you. For the times I think you cannot do anything about my situation. Sorry for the times I do not even acknowledge your love and your help on my life. Lord, today and always, I will just trust in you. i will have faith in you, no matter what the situation is. I expect surprises from you. And as I do, as I experience these things, I will be one with the psalmist in praising you. Amen. 

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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June 5, 2016
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 90

Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:17-24

Elijah went to Zarephath of Sidon to the house of a widow.
The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,
and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.
So she said to Elijah,
“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?
Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt
and to kill my son?”
Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.
Elijah called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying
by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times
and called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”
The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah;
the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.
Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house
from the upper room and gave him to his mother.
Elijah said to her, “See! Your son is alive.”
The woman replied to Elijah,
“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God.
The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2 Gal 1:11-14a, 15ac, 16a, 17, 19

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race.
But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to talk with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.

Alleluia Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has risen in our midst
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, “
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.