The WORD today reminds me that God loves me, especially because of my
imperfections.
People
learn from their mistakes. Well, we should. When we experience a setback, we do
our best not to experience it again. We adjust. We improvise. We improve. This
is true with regards to people as well. When someone does not deliver on what
is expected, we stay away from the person or get someone else who we think can
deliver. To avoid further setbacks, we sometimes do not give another chance and
instead look for someone else. We look for someone better. This is
usually true for human beings, but not for God.
God loves us so much, that despite knowing our
weaknesses, he still has faith in us.
In
the gospel, we see that Jesus knew Peter will deny him three times. This was
also part of the gospel yesterday. However, he still entrusted the keys
of heaven to Peter. He still trusted in Peter. He still gave responsibilities
to Peter. He had faith in Peter, that he can change and can become better. And
we know that because of that love and faith of Jesus, Peter really became a lot
better and served God until death.
God sees us not for what we are right now, but for what
we can become.
We
too are very imperfect, weak and sinful like Peter. However, God loves us so
much nonetheless. His love will not be
stopped by our weakness. He sees beyond our weakness and sees what
we can become when we just allow him to love us. His love can transform. His
love equips. His solution to our imperfections is not to scold us or get mad at
us, but to love us more. When we allow him to love us, when we feel his love,
we will be transformed – not magically, but because his great love cannot go
unnoticed. As we feel and experience his love, it will move us and transform us
to be better individuals. When we allow him to love us, when we allow him to
live in us, we too can do great things for God – for all great things are done
out of love for God, which we want to do to thank him for loving us.
How
do I treat other people who have wronged or failed me? Do I give second chances
or am I very strict? How do I make God feel? Do I try my best to live well for
him? Do I know and realize that despite all my sins and imperfections, he loves
me so much?
May
we always remember how special and loved we are, and may we allow God’s perfect
and transforming love to be in us.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I thank you for loving me so much, despite
all my sins and weaknesses. I thank you for seeing the goodness in me,
especially when I cannot see them in myself. Thank you for having faith and
believing in me, especially when I find it hard to believe in myself. Lord, I
allow you to love me. I allow you to use me. I allow you to transform me. As I
feel and experience your love, I know I become closer to the person you created
me to be. As I experience your love, I know that in my own little way, you can
use me to share that love to others and make you more alive in this world; especially with the covid situation we are in. amen.
Blessed Holy TuesDay!
In Christ,
-g-
April
07, 2020
Holy
Week - Tuesday; St. John Baptist de la Salle
FIRST
READING
Hear
me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from
my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and
concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his
quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I
show my glory.
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
RESPONSORIAL
PSALM
R.
(see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
VERSE
BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Hail
to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like
a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
GOSPEL
Reclining
at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen,
amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one
another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom
Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find
out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
“Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel
after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to
Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered
him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of
those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that
since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the
feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at
once. And it was night.
When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”
When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”
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