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Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Powerful


The WORD today reminds me that God's word is very powerful, especially when we get to digest it.

For those who went to Catholic schools, and those who grew up in catholic families, it is very common to be exposed to different prayers. Especially in school, students are asked to memorize it. They should know it by heart. Unfortunately, memorizing it and knowing it by heart do not mean we understand and internalize it. It is easy to memorize it, but takes a lot of effort to understand and digest it. However, the effectiveness of these prayers is related to how well we understand it. 

In the first reading, we see that God's word is powerful and will do to accomplish its purpose. Yes, I believe this is true. But i also believe that the rate it will accomplish its purpose or how powerful it will be is affected by how much we know and understand the prayer. 

Like food, the better we digest the prayer, the more effective and powerful its effects are. 

In the gospel, Jesus teaches us the Lord's prayer. Probably almost all of us memorize it. But not all of us digest it. If we take the time to digest snd study it, we will see a different beauty in it. We will see it's power. And we will understand more why this short prayer is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples (see related reflection). 

How do I see prayer? Do I spend time in prayer? Do I give it the importance it deserves? How Is my relationship with God? 

May we go beyond superficial level memorization of prayers, and take time to understand it, to dig deeper and digest it. 

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, help me make the extra effort for you. Help me understand deeper the prayers. Help me understand the real meaning and what you indented me to know and reflect on with the prayers. Guide me and talk to me, so I may get to know you more. May I digest it well enough, snd may it strengthen me in my life of faith. Amen. 

Blessed Day!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflection:


Daily Readings

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Lectionary: 225

Reading 1 

Is 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm 

PS 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. (18b)  From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears. 
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Verse Before the Gospel 

Mt 4:4b
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel 

Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

"This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

"If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."




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Monday, February 27, 2023

Loving God Through Others


The WORD today reminds me that we should love God through others. 

A lot of people say they love God, however not all can say they love the least, the last, the lost, the faithless, the unchurched. A lot say that they want to serve Jesus, but not all say they want to serve the poor, those in prison, the sick. Some say they don’t deserve service, because those in prison are criminals, or the poor may be part of a syndicate, of the sick did not take care of themselves. However, in today’s gospel, we are reminded that Jesus is not a statue in the church that we profess our love to, but is alive on others living with us.

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
…
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life

Love for God is concretized through love for others. 

God is not contented with mere profession of love and service. Talk is easy. God wants us to act. And we can tell him we really love him and we really want to serve him, if we love and serve others. Doesn’t matter if other people don’t see the action. Doesn’t matter if we don’t get acknowledgement or affirmation. God sees everything we do, and God sees what we do and not do unto others. 

The first reading emphasizes who God is. It expounds on the gospel. We see God teaching us how to act, how to treat others. And at the end of each set of orders, we see God reinforcing who he is. I AM THE LORD. It is a reminder to treat others good, to show love to others, to love God through others because the command is coming from God.

Do I love God? How do I live that love? Do I merely say I love him, or do I live it by loving and serving others? Do I only serve people who I feel deserve it, or am I willing to love others as God commanded me to? What is he telling me today? How can I make my love for him more alive and concrete today? 

May we live our love for God by expressing it to others.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week! Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the blessings in life. Lord, and thank you for the opportunity to serve and share these blessings with others. Sorry for the times I keep them to myself. Sorry for not loving others the way you asked me to. Sorry for holding back. I pray that I may be able to show my love for you as I love others. Help me be sensitive to the needs of others, and help me be willing to step out of my comfort zone to love and serve others. May my actions make your love more alive and more real in the lives of others and in this world. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps see related reflections:


Daily Readings

Monday of the First Week of Lent

Lectionary: 224

Reading 1 

Lv 19:1-2, 11-18
The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:
Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

"You shall not steal.
You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.
You shall not swear falsely by my name,
thus profaning the name of your God.
I am the LORD.

"You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf,
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God.
I am the LORD.

"You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake. 
I am the LORD.

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. 
Though you may have to reprove him,
do not incur sin because of him. 
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. (John 6:63b) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Verse Before the Gospel 

2 Cor 6:2b
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel 

Mt 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. 
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you? 
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."




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Sunday, February 26, 2023

WORD as a SWORD


The WORD today reminds me how important it is to know God's WORD so I can use it against the enemy. 

There is a story of a man who was having troubles with sins of the flesh. He talked to a priest during confession, and asked what he should do to avoid sin. The priest told him that when temptations come, he should not entertain them, so he would not be led into sin. The man said, “Father I don’t entertain them, they entertain me!”

Everyone gets tempted. 

In the gospel, we saw that even Jesus was tested. He is like us in every way, except sin. Jesus shows us that it is what we do with temptation that sets us apart. We have the option to give in to temptation, like  Adam and Eve who gave into temptation, or be like Jesus who fought it with God’s help. Temptation brings us to a crossroad, and gives us a chance to choose what we want to be - a sinner or a saint. 

Lent is a season of fasting. When we fast, when we are weak, just like how we are right now with our lenten sacrifices, it is when it is easiest for the devil to tempt us. It is when we are most vulnerable. That is why the devil tempted Jesus while he was fasting. And Jesus showed us how we should fight it. He showed us what we need. This is the period where we need to hold on to God all the more. 

Knowing God's word gives us a powerful weapon against the enemy. 

When Jesus was tempted, he used God’s WORD. In Ephesians’ Spiritual Armor, the sword of the spirit is the Word of God. We also know that the Word of God is powerful and effective, sharper than any two edged sword. This shows we need to be familiar and to continuously grow in knowledge and love of God’s word so we can have an armor when we are faced with the devil’s temptations. Not only that, we need to really know what it means so we would not fall in one of the devil's trap. In the second temptation, the devil quoted a bible verse. But knowing what it really means, and being able to distinguish the reason and purpose of things should guide us as we are faced with such temptations. 

The first and second reading reminds us that God is faithful. He is powerful, merciful, and just. He saves those who trust in him. He saves those who call on him. We should pray as the psalmist, trusting in and calling on God. 

What temptations do the enemy always use on me? How do I respond? Do I call unto God to help me fight these temptations, or do I entertain them and be led to sin? Am I growing in knowledge and love of God’s word that would enable me to fight the enemy better?

May we be reminded of the importance and power of God's word, and be inspired to immerse ourselves with it. 

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for your Word that is powerful. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I am sorry for not making the most out of your word. Sorry for not spending time basking in it, in not spending time reading and understanding it. Help me live right. Lord, I ask that you give me a heart that would long to know you, that would devote quality time to study your word. May I always come to you in prayer and call on you for strength when faced with temptations. May I act and respond like Jesus, especially when faced with temptations.  Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,
-g-


Daily Readings

First Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 22

Reading 1 

Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7
The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground 
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, 
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, 
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow 
that were delightful to look at and good for food, 
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden 
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals 
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
"Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman answered the serpent: 
"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 
it is only about the fruit of the tree 
in the middle of the garden that God said, 
'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
But the serpent said to the woman:
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods 
who know what is good and what is evil."
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, 
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it; 
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, 
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, 
and they realized that they were naked; 
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

Responsorial Psalm 

Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2 

Rom 5:12-19 
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, 
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses, 
even over those who did not sin 
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, 
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, 
how much more did the grace of God 
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ 
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; 
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one, 
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification 
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression 
condemnation came upon all, 
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners, 
so, through the obedience of the one, 
the many will be made righteous.

Or 

Rom 5:12, 17-19
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death, 
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

For if, by the transgression of the one, 
death came to reign through that one, 
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification 
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression 
condemnation came upon all, 
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners, 
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before the Gospel 

Mt 4:4b
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel 

Mt 4:1-11
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him, 
"If you are the Son of God, 
command that these stones become loaves of bread."
He said in reply,
"It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God."

Then the devil took him to the holy city, 
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Jesus answered him,
"Again it is written, 
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, 
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."
At this, Jesus said to him,
"Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve."

Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.



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