Follow Agad

The WORD today reminds me that I should immediately follow God when he calls me.

People react differently when being summoned. Whatever the situation is, wether it is a superior calling regarding work, or your parents telling you to do something, the reaction differs. Some would take their time and wait until the person is mad before heeding the call. Others wait two to three times of being called before following. While others follow and respond to at once. This is similar to how we react with our faith. And God reminds us to respond and follow immediately.

We should immediately respond and follow when God calls us.

In the gospel, we see Jesus calling Peter, Andrew, James and John – the first four apostles, and Jesus’ closest ones. They all immediately said yes to him when he called them. No questions asked. It might be hard to imagine this. They were fishermen, what do they know about being fishers of men? But when Jesus called them, they immediately left everything to follow Him. Yes, siguro iba talaga pag si Jesus physically, personally, ang tumawag sayo. Siguro hindi rin alam ng apostles bakit sila nag yes agad. But they did, and it changed their lives forever

Jesus may not be with us physically right now, but he never ceases to call us. He always gives us a chance to serve Him, to follow Him. It’s just up to us how we would respond. There are so many reasons preventing us from giving God our Yes. Like a lady having qualifications or characteristics waiting to be met before giving her yes to a suitor, minsan ganun din tayo. We are sometimes waiting for the perfect time to serve or give our yes to God. Pag mas madami na akong time. Pag mas may pera na ako. Pag may na accomplish na ako sa career ko. Kapag mas magaling na ako… Unfortunately, these can easily trap us. It’s not easy to be contented, so sometimes we have the tendency not to realize that we have more than enough already. More importantly, Jesus doesn’t need these things. These self-imposed things are sometimes just our excuse for not serving Him. Jesus just wants our Yes to him

Jesus just needs our availability, he will provide the ability.

We should not ignore his call. We should not wait multiple times before we respond. We should immediately follow Him. We should respond to Him. We should learn how to trust in Him. Things may not be perfect. We may feel unprepared.  The situation may be ugly. We may still be doing and taking care of things. But we should be ready to follow Him. We should be ready to leave everything behind for him. And we should have faith in him that as he calls us, he will help and equip us.

In what ways does God call me? Am I aware of his ways of calling me? How do I respond to his call? Do I say yes immediately, or do I give excuses?

May we be ready and willing to immediately respond and follow God as he calls 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 another Sunday. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I do not immediately follow you. Sorry for the times I prioritize doing my things over following you. Sorry for waiting until I have free time before I do things for you. Increase my faith in and love for you. Help me have that faith in you that would be willing to drop everything for you. As I follow and serve you, I know you will equip me, guide me, and help me. Amen. 

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

January 26 2020

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 January 25  |  January 27 »

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 67

Reading 1 IS 8:23—9:3

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali;
but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,
the land west of the Jordan,
the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:
for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom 
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm  PS 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. 
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Reading 2 1 COR 1:10-13, 17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree in what you say,
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,
by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.
I mean that each of you is saying,
“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” 
or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”
Is Christ divided
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Alleluia MT 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 4:12-23 OR 4:12-17

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people