The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021817.cfm)
reminds me that as God fills me, I should be ready to give back to
others.
When we experience great
moments, we want to stay there forever. Major accomplishments and achievements.
Happy moments. Family celebrations. Graduation. Promotion. Wedding. Surprise
party. Retreats. These are moments we wish we could stay in forever. However,
it is not possible. We have to go back to reality and continue with life. This
is probably the three felt in the gospel.
In the gospel, we see an
account of Jesus’
transfiguration.
Jesus chose to reveal a glimpse of his glory to three of his closest friends,
the big three of the apostles – Peter,
James and John.
They saw Jesus transfigured, and saw Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and
the Prophets, with him. What an amazing sight it must have been. Then to cap it
off, they heard God’s voice – “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” Probably they were thinking
that Wow! this Jesus is indeed the real thing.
We see how great and powerful God
is. We see how anointed and glorious Jesus is. This should lead us to remember and
be thankful to Jesus and God. God loves us so much that
he sent his only Son to be separated with him in his glory and become one like
us. How special we really are!
However, this should not end
here. We cannot freeze that moment. We have to get back to reality. We have to
get back to life and act, and get our hands dirty. Knowing how great God
is, knowing how glorious Jesus is, is not enough. In the latter
part of the gospel, the three wanted to build tents and stay in the mountain.
Of course, it was such a glorious sight, a spiritually high moment. But Jesus
said no. Jesus asked them to come down the mountain. What does it tell us? Just
as Jesus told the three to go down, we too should go back to reality. We should go back into the
world and live the gospel. Preach the gospel. It is not enough that we know and experience how great God is.
We should also go back and proclaim him to
other people. That’s the challenge. That’s the work we need to do.
The
work is hard. It may be challenging. But it is worth it. We should take comfort
in the first reading. We should have that faith - to realize what you hope for,
and believe in things our eyes cannot see. We just need to have faith that as
we do our part, as we work for God's kingdom, God uses us and our actions to
bring glory to him. That it will all be worth it.
Do I believe God is really all
powerful, all glorious? Do I know and appreciate how much God loves me? When do
I experience God in a special way? Am I willing to go back to reality and work
to proclaim his greatness? Where is he calling me to preach? How? Do I have
faith in Him?
May
we always remember how great God is, and may this lead us into serving him by
proclaiming him to others.
Father God,
Thank you
today. thank you for giving me another day to live and to serve you. Thank you
for reminding me of how great the God I am serving. Sorry for the times I get
contented with just knowing you. Sorry for the times I am unwilling to act for
you. Lord, help me respond to your call. Alam ko mahirap, minsan gusto ko
nalang magdasal mag isa, or masaya na ako sa experience ko sa iyo, or I just
want to live right and not care about others. But Lord, I know you want me to
act. I know you want me to move. I know you want me to make disciples for you.
So I ask you Lord to give me faith to step out of my comfort zone and do what
you want, so I can do my part in building your kingdom. Bless my work. Bless my
actions. Amen.
Blessed
weekend!
In
Christ,
-g-
February 18, 2017
Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 340
Reading 1 Heb 11:1-7
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,
so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.
By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain's.
Through this, he was attested to be righteous,
God bearing witness to his gifts,
and through this, though dead, he still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death,
and he was found no more because God had taken him.
Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him,
for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who seek him.
By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen,
with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household.
Through this, he condemned the world
and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Alleluia Mk 9:6
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 9:2-13
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
then from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, the disciples no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Then they asked him,
"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
He told them, "Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things,
yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man
that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?
But I tell you that Elijah has come
and they did to him whatever they pleased,
as it is written of him."
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