Bring Others to Christ

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/011418.cfm) reminds me that I should bring others to Christ. 

In sports, the crowd has a big effect on the performance of players. In Philippine basketball, especially in the collegiate level, the crowd plays a big part. Athletes gain extra energy from the cheering crowd, plus a pep squad/cheering squad to support and encourage them. This is why some schools really give away tickets to these games, to give their athletes extra support and energy while playing. Supporters and followers are valuable assets of a team, and each team would like to have as much as they can.

However, in the gospel, we see the opposite. John was very selfless – leading and allowing his disciples to follow Christ. Nevermind if he won't have disciples, because he knows that Christ is the one we should all follow. He was true to his mission to prepare the way for Christ, and is true to his word when he says that “He must increase and I must decrease.” He was not selfish of his knowledge of Christ, and brought others to Him even at the expense of losing his disciples. This act, in turn, was repeated by Andrew, John the Baptist’s disciple who followed Jesus, when he called Simon and brought him to Christ. 

We may have different ways of bringing others to Christ. We need not be missionaries proclaiming his word full time. We can do this by how we live. By how we treat others. If other people see God in us, alive in us, and if we live the gospel values and make other people feel God's love, mercy, forgiveness and peace, then we are doing our part in bringing other people to Him. 

Have I experienced God’s love and power in my life? How? Do I share this with others? Do I bring others to Christ, and magnify him in my life, or do I want attention to myself and not to Christ?

May we take his call and do what we can to bring people to God. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I do not bring people to you. Sorry for not bringing you to others. Sorry for not living my faith and love for you. Help me. Use me to make you more alive and more real in this world. In my own little way, may I bring you to others. And may I bring others to you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 14, 2018

« January 13  |  January 15 »

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 65

Reading 1 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."
"I did not call you, " Eli said. "Go back to sleep."
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
"Here I am, " he said. "You called me."
But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me."
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 

R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading II 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20

Brothers and sisters:
The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,
and the Lord is for the body;
God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.
Avoid immorality.
Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,
but the immoral person sins against his own body.
Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
For you have been purchased at a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body. 

Alleluia Jn 1:41, 17b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We have found the Messiah:
Jesus Christ, who brings us truth and grace.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God."
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
"What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" — which translated means Teacher —,
"where are you staying?"
He said to them, "Come, and you will see."
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
"We have found the Messiah" — which is translated Christ —.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
"You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas" — which is translated Peter.