Shine Like the Sun

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/073118.cfm) reminds me that God will reward his faithful followers in his perfect time. 

Life is not a bed of roses. Life is unfair. In the gospel we saw that the good seeds were mixed with the weeds, pretty much like life here on earth. Even if we try to live righteous lives, we will still be surrounded by evil people - who would try to convince us to give up living righteous lives and be like them. Sometimes the situation doesn't help.  We see them prosper and have a good life on earth. We may question why they seem to be blessed, or if what we are doing is really the way to go. We may question if it really is worth it. Well, we should not. 

God is not the ruler of the world. 

The devil is - that is why many times, Jesus told his disciples to live in the world but not of the world. Naturally, the enemy loves his own, so he gives worldly things those who follow him. However, that’s all it is. Worldly. Nothing further. Nothing after. Even though the devil rules this world, God still provides and protects us, so we should just continue to remain faithful to Him. 

God’s followers will shine like the Sun.

Life is not easy, but we should continue to hang on to God and his word, knowing that he is true to his word. No matter how difficult or challenging life may be, he will still protect us and make sure we have everything we need to move forward. As we remain faithful to God, we are sure that when the proper time comes, we will shine bright like the sun. We just need to be faithful, for God controls eternity. 

Do I follow God at all times? Am I faithful to God? Or do I sin and falter, especially when I am influenced by the world? Do ai really believe God is all powerful , and he has great plans for me? How can. Be faithful to God and not be blinded by the world?

May we always remember how powerful and loving God is, and may it lead us to be faithful and expect reward from Him in his perfect time. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for the reminder. Thank you for knowing me. Thank you for speaking to me through different ways. Lord, sorry for not always being faithful. Sorry for choking and for being distracted by the world. Lord, as I live my life, may I always be reminded to focus on you, to remain faithful to you. It may not be easy, it may be tempting to do otherwise, but I know that no matter what I experience, you are always there watching, guiding and protecting me. And I know that as i remain faithful to you, I will shine bright with you in your kingdom in your perfect time. Amen

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 31, 2018

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Lectionary: 402

Reading 1 

JER 14:7-22

Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.

Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name's sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations' idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.

Responsorial Psalm PS 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13

R. (9) For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Let the prisoners' sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Alleluia 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.

You Started Small

The WORD today (see  http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/073018.cfm) reminds me that we all started small. 

They say that great things start from small beginnings. That is true. As we look in our lives, we know that we all started small. We were born a baby, knowing nothing on our own. Even Jesus, the Son of God, was born as a baby. It was God’s love and protection, through other people, that got us where we are today. No matter how much one achieves in life, that person started small. And it is by God’s love and grace, not by human power, intelligence, influence and connections, that one was able to achieve things.

In the gospel, we see Jesus telling us something similar. The mustard seed and yeast are small. Yet they eventually affected a lot. The mustard seed grew into a huge tree, and the yeast affected the flour. Whatever they accomplished, they started small. So we should not be proud.

We see in the first reading how God opposes the proud. God told Jeremiah that he took offense in the pride and hardness of heart of Judah – how they turned away from God. in times like these, it is good to remember what Job said “the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” Just because God is a gracious and generous God, does not mean he will not take away things. Just because he is loving does not mean he is not just.

God has blessed us with a lot of things. A lot of success and victories. A lot of accomplishments. However, we should not let these things get in our heads. We should remember how we started, and the role of God in ur loves. This should put things in perspective and remind us of God’s love, goodness and greatness. 

What is my greatest achievement? What things have I achieved in life? How do I treat these things? Do these things get in my head, or do I know God’s role in everything? Do I remember how great, generous and loving God is? Do I know and remember that I cannot achieve anything on my own, and everything was approved by and blessed by God? 

May we be warned by the psalmist to not forget God who gave us birth. Let us remember that we all started small, and remember that it was God who caused all the good things to happen to us.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I am sorry for being proud. Sorry for being too full of myself and focusing on what I have accomplished and gained in this world. Sorry for thinking that it was because of me – my attitude, my skills, my intelligence, my connections – that got me where I am and what I have. Lord, may I never forget that everything comes from you and you can take them away anytime. May I be humble with everything, and generous with your blessings. May I always remember this, and may I live knowing this. May this lead me to be grateful to you, and may it lead me to be more generous to others and share all I have with others. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 30, 2018

Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 401

Reading 1 JER 13:1-11

The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD's command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man's loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.

Responsorial Psalm DEUTERONOMY 32:18-19, 20, 21

R. (see 18a) You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you,
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"I will hide my face from them," he said,
"and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!"
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
"Since they have provoked me with their 'no-god'
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a 'no-people';
with a foolish nation I will anger them."
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

Alleluia JAS 1:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:31-35

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'"

He spoke to them another parable.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened."

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.

Food From God

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072918.cfm) reminds me that God takes care of our needs, physical and spiritual. 

Food is very important for human survival. For us Filipinos, food is essential. We not only eat to survive, we eat simply because we love to eat. I have friends whom I go out with to eat and try different restaurants. Friendships are formed and strengthened over meals. In the readings today, we see that God provides us food.

When we think of the miracle of multiplying food, Jesus feeding thousands is the first thing that comes to mind. However, we see in the first reading that a prophet did this already before the time of Jesus. Elisha was the student of Elijah. He was the one who asked a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. And we see in today’s reading he worked wonders. He had great faith in God’s word, and his anointing enabled God to use him mightily to feed people. He had great faith in God, and God made miracles through his word. And in the gospel, we see the popular story of Jesus feeding thousands with just five loaves and two fish. 

God takes care of our physical needs even without us asking him.

The people did not ask Jesus or Elisha for food, but they gave them food. God knows our needs before we even ask from Him. And he provides for us. Always.. however, sometimes what he gives is not what we want. The people may have wanted other food which God did not give them. He may not give us luxury or what we want in life, but he always gives us enough, and he always gives us what we need to survive and continue serving him, continue doing what we do.

God knows us so well, and loves us too much to abandon us. We should be inspired and strengthened by this love of God. He will take care of our needs, no matter how small or simple it may be. He is the great provider, so we just need to have faith in Him and continue to pray, but be humble enough to accept what he gives us, and be grateful for it.

Do I have faith in God? Do I believe that God has my interests in mind, that he will take care of my physical and spiritual needs? Do I come to Jesus in faith, knowing that he can and he will help me? What is my greatest intention that I want to bring God today? 

May we always remember God’s power and his love, and know that he will always provide for us. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, thank you for loving me and knowing me. thank you for knowing what I need. Thank you for always providing what I need. I am sorry for the times I don’t appreciate it, or don’t recognize it just because those are not the things I want. Sorry for not having that faith in you, in your love, and in your power. Give me a grateful and humble heart that would gladly accept anything you give me. Give me faith that would always trust in you. I know you will always take care of me. In a special way, I lift up my wife who is celebrating her birthday today. I thank you for her. I ask that you always tale care of her. Fill her up with your blessings and love. I know that you will continue to bless and take care of her as she spreads your love and your kingdom on earth. Amen. 

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 29, 2018

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 110

Reading 1 

2 KGS 4:42-44

A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God,
twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits,
and fresh grain in the ear.
Elisha said, "Give it to the people to eat."
But his servant objected,
"How can I set this before a hundred people?"
Elisha insisted, "Give it to the people to eat."
"For thus says the LORD,
'They shall eat and there shall be some left over.'"
And when they had eaten, there was some left over,
as the LORD had said.

Responsorial Psalm PS 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18

R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
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. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Reading 2 EPH 4:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

Alleluia LK 7:16

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

Gospel JN 6:1-15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

In Control

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072818.cfm) reminds me that God is always in control. 

In life, there are a lot if situations that catch us off guard. No matter how well and how intensive and exhaustive you plan and prepare, there are still surprises that can happen. Scenarios you did not think of. And during these times, reactions of people vary. We usually cannot think normally when these things happen. Good thing this does not happen to God. 

In the gospel, we see the enemy planting weeds in the farmer’s field, a field that was planted with good seed. However, when the farmer saw it, he did not had it immediately cut out, even if he knew it was from the enemy. He did not panic. Instead, he gave time for the weed and the wheat to grow, then when the time was right, he separated them from each other and burned the weed.

What a way to remind us that God is always in control.

God does not panic. When he saw the weeds, he knew it was the enemy’s work. However, he knew pulling them out at once might affect those wheat who are still growing their roots. It may look like he was not in control because the enemy was able to plant weeds which grew. For that instance, probably doesn’t look like it. However, we see that in the end, he was in full control, and he burned the weeds and the wheat were able to grow fully.

God is in control of our lives. Sometimes we may not feel like it. Sometimes we may only see the weeds. Sometimes we fail to focus on the growing wheat and only see the annoying weed and say that God is not in control. We may see evil people prospering, we may see them being rich and powerful. We sometimes focus on them, and fail to see God slowly working in people who are developing their roots, on people ready and willing to bear fruit for him. He gives us time to develop and serve him. however, when the time comes, he will come and separate the weed from the productive wheat. That is what we should look forward to.

Do I know that God is in control of my life and of everything? Do I focus on the enemy and the seemingly powerful weeds in my life and in the world? Am I afraid of them,? Do I lose faith on God? Am I willing to wait until I grow in faith and produce fruits for him? Am I excited when he comes to separate the weeds from the wheat?

May we always remember that no matter what the situation is, God is always in control. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for reminding me that you are in control, even if sometimes, it does not look like it. Lord, sorry for not always thinking this. Sorry if I doubt you, your love, and your power. Sorry for being easily overwhelmed. I ask that I always trust in you and that I always focus on you, even if there are seemingly powerful and annoying weeds around me. May I trust that you are allowing us to grow roots and enable us to withstand the weeds in our lives. Amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2016/07/tolerate.html

Daily Readings

July 28, 2018

Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 400

Reading 1 

JER 7:1-11

The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Stand at the gate of the house of the LORD,
and there proclaim this message:
Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah
who enter these gates to worship the LORD!
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
Reform your ways and your deeds,
so that I may remain with you in this place.
Put not your trust in the deceitful words:
"This is the temple of the LORD!
The temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD!"
Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds;
if each of you deals justly with his neighbor;
if you no longer oppress the resident alien,
the orphan, and the widow;
if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place,
or follow strange gods to your own harm,
will I remain with you in this place,
in the land I gave your fathers long ago and forever.

But here you are, putting your trust in deceitful words to your own loss!
Are you to steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,
burn incense to Baal,
go after strange gods that you know not,
and yet come to stand before me
in this house which bears my name, and say:
"We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again"?
Has this house which bears my name
become in your eyes a den of thieves?
I too see what is being done, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm PS 84:3, 4, 5-6A AND 8A, 11

R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia JAS 1:21BC

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:24-30

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?'
He answered, 'An enemy has done this.'
His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

Good Soil

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072718.cfm) reminds me that I should prepare my heart to be a good soil for God’s seeds. 

God created everything and he is all powerful. He has power over the weather and the circumstances in life. He allows things to happen, and prevents things from happening to protect his people. However, there is only one thing he does not have control over – our free will. God loves us so much that he gave us free will to decide what we want to do, how we want to live, what we want to happen.

You decide if you will accept God or not. 

In the gospel, we see that the sower went out to sow. He put out the same seeds to different kinds of soil. It was the same sower, and the same kind of seed. What was different was the kind of soil that received the seeds. This produced different results on the seed. The readiness and receptiveness of the soil determines what will happen to the seeds. 

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.

In the first reading, we see God calling us back. No matter how much we sin and hurt him, he is calling us back to him. Not only that, he will send us shepherds to guide us to remain faithful to Him. This is one thing we need to do to prepare our hearts to receive God. This is what we should do so our hearts would become good soils, that would accept God and produce fruits for Him. 

We all have the same bible. We all have the same God. We all experience the great, unconditional and forgiving love of God through Jesus. However, we receive it differently. Some chose to prioritize worldly riches over spiritual ones, some allow stress and problems overwhelm us and take the focus away from God, some allow the devil to take away what God gave us, while some keep everything in their hearts and lives and allow God’s seeds of love to bear fruit in their lives. 

What kind of soil am I? How do I receive God’s word? How do I treat it? How do I respond? What can I do to make my heart a good soil for God? How can I produce blessings and fruits for God?

May we be challenged and inspired by the fact that God gave us all his love, his word, his blessings and protection. May we prepare our hearts to receive him and allow him to bear fruit through us.

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 all the blessings you have been continuously giving me. Sorry for the times I let the world or the devil take your word away from my heart. Sorry for the times I worry too much or focus too much on worldly things that I keep you in the background. Sorry for not preparing my heart to be a good soil for you.   Help me prepare my heart to receive you Lord. Help me be good soil, that your word in my life may take effect. May I be able to absorb it, give it its due importance, and allow you to bear fruit through me. Use me to bear fruits for your kingdom and for your glory. Amen

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 27, 2018

Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 399

Reading 1 

JER 3:14-17

Return, rebellious children, says the LORD,
for I am your Master;
I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan,
and bring you to Zion.
I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart,
who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.
When you multiply and become fruitful in the land,
says the LORD,
They will in those days no longer say,
"The ark of the covenant of the LORD!"
They will no longer think of it, or remember it,
or miss it, or make another.

At that time they will call Jerusalem the LORD's throne;
there all nations will be gathered together
to honor the name of the LORD at Jerusalem,
and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.

Responsorial Psalm JEREMIAH 31:10, 11-12ABCD, 13

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Alleluia SEE LK 8:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:18-23

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Hear the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."

More Will be Given

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072618.cfm) reminds me that God will always give us more. 

The gospel does not seem to make sense at first glance. Why give more to someone who has a lot. Sounds like what corrupt people do. However, we should take a second look. 

To anyone who has, more will be given,

and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away         

I think the famous line from spider man, with great power comes great responsibility, is similar to this bible verse from the gospel. To whom much is given, much is required. An uncle of mine always mentions this bible verse to us, as a reminder of our responsibility not only to our family, but more so to others who do not have the capacity to pay us back for helping them out. A dear lasallian brother told us before his take on this verse. To whom much is given, much is expected. Nobody will force us to share, but as Christians, this is what is expected of us.

Giving comes not only in financial form, but more importantly in spiritual one. Yes, we are required to help our brothers in need by financially sharing what we have, but there’s more to that. Spiritual giving is just as important. Loneliness, hopelessness, depression, and spiritual dryness are some things that may not be easily seen, but just as serious, or even more serious, than poverty. Being children of God who are starting and continuing to know Him, we should also give this knowledge, this hope, this faith and this love we have received, to others who may need it. This would take up time, energy, and entail sacrifice, but as mentioned, we are given much, and much is expected from us.

This is probably what Sts Joachim and Anne did. This was probably how they lived. They wanted to serve God, and they were given a lot of opportunities to. They were given the blessing of being the parents of Mama Mary. They wanted to serve God, and God gave them more opportunities to serve Him. 

God expects us to not delay giving help to others. We are asked to give not just when it is comfortable to, or when we feel like it, but when others need it, regardless of our state.

Am I willing to give back to others what I have received from God? Am I doing something to give back to others? Am I willing to give of myself, not just financially, to others? When I give, do I expect words of thanks, affirmation or gratitude, or do I give without expecting anything in return?

May we never hold back expressions of love on others, and be generous in giving and sharing what we have to others. 

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 blessing me with so much - much more than I ask for and definitely much more than I deserve. Sorry for the times I do not appreciate it. Sorry for the times I do not share with others. I know the best way to thank you is to give it back to others. Today, I ask that you use me to be a blessing to others as well. I open up myself for your taking. Use me to fulfil your purpose, use me to spread your love to your children here on earth. Fill me and enable me to share you with others. Amen. 

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 26, 2018

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 398

Reading 1 

JER 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13

This word of the LORD came to me:
Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear!

I remember the devotion of your youth,
how you loved me as a bride,
Following me in the desert,
in a land unsown.
Sacred to the LORD was Israel,
the first fruits of his harvest;
Should any presume to partake of them,
evil would befall them, says the LORD.

When I brought you into the garden land
to eat its goodly fruits,
You entered and defiled my land,
you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
"Where is the LORD?"
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.

Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.

Responsorial Psalm PS 36:6-7AB, 8-9, 10-11

R. (10a) With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
O LORD, your mercy reaches to heaven;
your faithfulness, to the clouds.
Your justice is like the mountains of God;
your judgments, like the mighty deep.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
How precious is your mercy, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They have their fill of the prime gifts of your house;
from your delightful stream you give them to drink.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.
Keep up your mercy toward your friends,
your just defense of the upright of heart.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.

Alleluia SEE MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them.

"But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Love and Service

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072518.cfm) reminds me that I should love God by serving others. 

It is easy to say that we love God. It is easy to say that we serve God. However, applying it in our lives is another thing. We sometimes are not willing to concretely apply this love for God through other people. We sometimes think that we love God and want to serve God, but loving and serving people is different. However, it is not.

Love and service to God should be lived through other people.

In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they should serve others. Just as Jesus, the son of God, came to serve, they too as Jesus’ disciples should serve others. God’s kingdom is very different from the world. in this world, rulers and powerful people are being served by others. In God’s kingdom, it is actually the great ones who serve others. And if we want to be great in God’s eyes we should serve others. 

God is not physically present in this world, but people are. There are people God sends our way who need our love and service. They are God coming to us in different forms. They are actually opportunities for us to prove to God that we really love him. Sometimes we think that God will make a way, that God is mighty that he will send help to those in need. However, we sometimes do not realize that maybe that someone is us. Maybe God is sending us. Maybe we are the ones he wants to help others. We are and should be God’s arms and legs in this world – the physical manifestations of his love.

However, this doesn’t mean things will be easy if we decide to serve. In the first reading, we see St Paul telling us that it will be challenging. It will be difficult. But God knows what we are going through, and will continue to sustain us as we experience challenges. We should take courage that God is the same from then until now. he sees the difficulties we experience as we serve him. He sees the pain and hurt that comes with service. He sees the sacrifices we make, and the persecutions we experience as we serve him. And he will continue to equip us and give us what we need to continue serving Him. We just need to trust in him and have faith.

Do I love God? How do I express my love for Him? Do I love and serve him through other people? How do I treat others? How can I make God more alive and more real in this world? How does God want me to show and prove my love to him, especially to people around me? 

May we realize that we should serve others and be steadfast with the challenges that come with it.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another day to experience your love. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you to others. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I fail to love and serve others. Sorry for making excuses not to. Sorry for not living my profession of love and service to you. help me be like Jesus. Help me live my love for you by loving and serving other people. Help me make your love more alive and more real in this world. In a special way, as we celebrate our third year of being married, I thank you, and I will continue to see you in and serve you through my wife. I ask that you continue to bless us and be with us. I will continue to make my love for you real and alive in and through her. I also ask that you always equip me to love you and do your work. All this I ask in faith in the mighty name of your Son Jesus through the intercession of Mama Mary. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 25, 2018

Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Lectionary: 605

Reading 1 2 COR 4:7-15

Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 126:1BC-2AB, 2CD-3, 4-5, 6

R. (5) Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Alleluia SEE JN 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."