The
WORD today reminds me that
I should always thank God, especially when my prayers have been answered.
They say that “desperate
times call for desperate measures.” And in times of desperate needs, we
would be ready to do anything to get through. We do whatever we can in our
human capacity to get by. We pray hard to God, and even make promises and
bargain with him. “Lord, just help me with this, I will stop
smoking, or I will give up by vices”. Or “Lord, if I get
through this, I promise to hear mass everyday” These are some things we tend to
say and do in times of desperate need. However, when situations change, when
prayers are answered, when we got by already, our attitude seem to change as
well. “Lord, it’s hard to give it up, I’ll just lessen it, okay?” or
“Lord, can I just hear mass twice a week, I can’t seem to do it everyday?”
This is similar to how the ten lepers
acted. They were all healed when they asked pity from Jesus.
Although they did not say they
will go back to Jesus or be good people if they get healed, only one of them
came back to Jesus to thank Him. only one of them remembered and made the effort
to look for and thank Jesus for hearing and answering their prayer – and this
one is a foreigner, similar to the good Samaritan.
Hindi dapat makalimot sa
Diyos.
Why did the other nine not go
back? Probably they were too excited with their healing that they forgot who
healed them. Probably they did not acknowledge it was Jesus who healed them. Or
probably they had a sense of entitlement that Jesus should heal them, because
they were his own, unlike the foreigner who came back and thanked him.
What’s important to note is
what Jesus told the man – “Your faith has saved you.”Yes, they were all
cleaned. Not thanking Jesus will not cause the other nine to be lepers again.
however, only one was saved, because only one acknowledged Jesus. only one had
faith that it was Jesus who saved him, only one searched for him, and only one
genuinely experienced God in his life – and will therefore be inspired to live
the remaining days of his life for Christ
Do I bargain with God? When I
have seemingly impossible requests or prayers, do I promise God something? How
do I react when God grants my prayers? Do I thank Him? Do I do my best to live
right and pleasing to him? Or do I go back to my old way of life, until the
next time I need him badly?
May we never forget to thank
God for answered prayers, and always acknowledge him as God in our lives.
Father God,
Thank you
for today. Thank you for another day to live! Thank you for the reminder. Lord,
sorry for the times I act like the other nine. Sorry for forgetting you when my
prayers have been answered. Sorry for not thanking you. Sorry for feeling
entitled to blessings. Lord I pray that I be like the one leper who came back to
you and remembered you. when my prayers get answered, may I not forget you and
may I always thank you. and as I continuously experience your love, I pray that
I may always live my life for you. Transform me and make me like you. Amen.
Blessed
Day!
In Christ,
-g-
November 13 2019
« November 12 | November 14 »
Memorial
of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Lectionary: 493
Reading 1 WIS 6:1-11
Hear,
O kings, and understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
Responsorial PsalmPS 82:3-4, 6-7
R.
(8a) Rise up, O God, bring judgment
to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: "You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince."
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: "You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince."
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Alleluia 1 THES 5:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 17:11-19
As
Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
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