Lakas Mo

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102918.cfm) reminds me how much God loves me and what He would do for me. 

There are people who we know are in very good terms with others. If we need something with parents, we tend to ask someone who's in very good terms with them. A favorite child, or family member. Someone they cannot or won't say no to. Same at work, we tend to go through or include someone who we know is in very good terms with the boss so we can get support as well. Malakas. Well, This is how we are with God. 

Malakas ka sa Diyos. 

God will go out of his way for us. That’s how special we are to him.

In the gospel, Jesus could have ignored the woman. Or he could have just cured her by his words. However, Jesus loved her so much that he wanted her to feel a personal connection. After telling her she is free and cured, Jesus laid her hands on her. Jesus went out of his way to personally make her feel his love and healing. And when other people questioned him, Jesus defended his actions and the importance of the woman. He went out of his way for the woman. He was willing to go through to all the trouble for the woman, just so the woman would feel his personal connection and concern for her. This is also how God sees each one of us. Indeed, he goes out of his way for us.

There are times in life we feel our concerns are too shallow, or too complex for God. We may also feel God is too busy for us. Today, we are reminded that He will go out of his way for us. that’s how much he loves us. That is how special we are to Him. 

What are my concerns right now? What are bothering me? Do I bring these concerns to God? How much do I think God loves me? Do I know and realize that God loves me so much and will go out of his way for me?

May we always remember how special we are to God, be inspired to repay him with our love and service, just like the woman in the gospel who glorified God after being healed.

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 having issues. Sorry for being dramatic and not coming to you for whatever reason. Sorry for not having faith in you. Sorry for thinking you cannot do anything about my problems. Lord, as you went out of your way for the woman, I know you are telling me that you will also go out of your way for me. Thank you for loving me that much. I come to you in humility and faith bringing my concerns, and I have faith that you will take care of them. And as I come to you, as I experience your love, I will praise and glorify you with me life. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

October 29, 2018

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 479

Reading 1 EPH 4:32–5:8

Brothers and sisters:
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you,
as is fitting among holy ones,
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,
but instead, thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,
that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,
for because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
So do not be associated with them.
For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light. 

Responsorial Psalm PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6

R. (see Eph. 5:1) Behave like God as his very dear children.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.

Alleluia JN 17:17B, 17A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
"Woman, you are set free of your infirmity."
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
"There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."
The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?"
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.