Great Through Him

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010615.cfm) reminds me that God makes simple things great.

In the gospel, we see the familiar story of Jesus feeding five thousand men. With just 5 loaves and two fish, he was able to feed thousands of people. This not only shows the great power of God, but his invitation to us as well. Jesus did not just make food appear for everyone. He took what was available and made a great miracle out of it.

Jesus invites us to be part of something great.

In the way he asked the disciples what they had, what they were willing to let go of and did something great with it, he too until now constantly invites us to take part of his mission, to be co workers with him and he will turn into something great whatever small part we can give him.

I believe that no good deed is futile. And no work done for God will ever be futile. May we be willing to give our share, no matter how small it may seem, and allow God to turn it into something great.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love you. Thank you for the reminder Lord that you can do great things through simple things from me. Help me to surrender to you, to let go and serve you, no matter how small my talent or contribution may seem, I know you can easily turn it to something great for your purpose and glory. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 6, 2015

Tuesday after Epiphany

Lectionary: 213

Reading 1 1 Jn 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another,

because love is of God;

everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

In this way the love of God was revealed to us:

God sent his only-begotten Son into the world

so that we might have life through him.

In this is love:

not that we have loved God, but that he loved us

and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,

and with your justice, the king’s son;

He shall govern your people with justice

and your afflicted ones with judgment.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

The mountains shall yield peace for the people,

and the hills justice.

He shall defend the afflicted among the people,

save the children of the poor.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in his days,

and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Alleluia Lk 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor

and to proclaim liberty to captives.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 6:34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,

for they were like sheep without a shepherd;

and he began to teach them many things.

By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,

“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.

Dismiss them so that they can go

to the surrounding farms and villages

and buy themselves something to eat.”

He said to them in reply,

“Give them some food yourselves.”

But they said to him,

“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food

and give it to them to eat?”

He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

And when they had found out they said,

“Five loaves and two fish.”

So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.

The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.

Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,

he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples

to set before the people;

he also divided the two fish among them all.

They all ate and were satisfied.

And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments

and what was left of the fish.

Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

Ask and Receive

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010515.cfm) reminds me what we should do if we want to receive what we ask God for.

God tells us through the psalm that there is no limit to what God can give us. And in the gospel, we see that Jesus healed and cured all who came to him. It did not matter what their sickness are, or what condition they are in. As Jesus was preaching God’s kingdom, he cured every disease and illness, as well as lunatics, possessed and paralytics. He did this not to show off, but to show the people how great the God he is serving. Even though this happened thousands of years ago, it can still happen today, and the first reading tells us how we can get God to give us what we ask – to keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

God is not a vending machine where we put coins to pay for what we want, or collect points until we have enough for what we want. We cannot collect points for good deeds and prayer, and expect God to give us anything we want as when we have enough credits. It actually is the opposite. As we pray, as we do good, we become more and more like him. And as we become more like him, our prayers will be his prayer for us. As we become more like him, we will surrender to him, and we submit our plans for him. As we do this, the things that we ask are actually the things he want to give us, so he will actually give those as we ask.

May we remember what to do to get what we want, and to be more and more like God

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for my work. Thank you for this first day of new year. Things may not be looking great at work, I may have doubts and concerns, but I ask you Lord to help me give my best everytime. May my work be my prayer to you. Help me and transform me to become more and more like you, Lord. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 5, 2015

Memorial of St. John Neumann

Lectionary: 212

Reading 1 1 Jn 3:22–4:6

Beloved:

We receive from him whatever we ask,

because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

And his commandment is this:

we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,

and love one another just as he commanded us.

Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,

and the way we know that he remains in us

is from the Spirit whom he gave us.

Beloved, do not trust every spirit

but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,

because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

This is how you can know the Spirit of God:

every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh

belongs to God,

and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus

does not belong to God.

This is the spirit of the antichrist

who, as you heard, is to come,

but in fact is already in the world.

You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,

for the one who is in you

is greater than the one who is in the world.

They belong to the world;

accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,

and the world listens to them.

We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,

while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.

This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Responsorial Psalm PS 2:7bc-8, 10-12a

R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

The LORD said to me, “you are my Son;

this day I have begotten you.

Ask of me and I will give you

the nations for an inheritance

and the ends of the earth for your possession.”

R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

And now, O kings, give heed;

take warning, you rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;

with trembling rejoice.

R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.

Alleluia See 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 4:12-17, 23-25

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.”

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.

His fame spread to all of Syria,

and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases

and racked with pain,

those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,

and he cured them.

And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,

and from beyond the Jordan followed him

God Of All

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010415.cfm) reminds me that God is God of all.

God does not play favorites. He is fair to everyone.

Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. It is the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles (non-jews) as represented by the magi or three wise men. During that time, it was believed that the Jews were the only chosen people. They have favor with God. But Jesus coming revised that. We see in the second reading that Gentiles (non Jews) are also coheirs now.

Jesus coming reminds us that God is not just for the Jews. God is for all.

As we start the year, it is good to be reminded of this. Sometimes, when we feel that our prayers are not answered, we feel that God loves us less, or that God probably is not hearing our requests. We ask other people who we think might have favor with God. But we are reminded today that God Is for all. God is for you and for me.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the first Sunday of the year. Thank you for being a God for everyone. I pray that I would always remember that and I would always feel how special I am to you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 4, 2015

The Epiphany of the Lord

Lectionary: 20

Reading 1 Is 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,

the glory of the Lord shines upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth,

and thick clouds cover the peoples;

but upon you the LORD shines,

and over you appears his glory.

Nations shall walk by your light,

and kings by your shining radiance.

Raise your eyes and look about;

they all gather and come to you:

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,

your heart shall throb and overflow,

for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,

the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.

Caravans of camels shall fill you,

dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;

all from Sheba shall come

bearing gold and frankincense,

and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.R. (cf. 11)

Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,

and with your justice, the king’s son;

He shall govern your people with justice

and your afflicted ones with judgment.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in his days,

and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;

the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.

All kings shall pay him homage,

all nations shall serve him.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,

and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.

He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;

the lives of the poor he shall save.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

reading 2 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6

Brothers and sisters:

You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace

that was given to me for your benefit,

namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.

It was not made known to people in other generations

as it has now been revealed

to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:

that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,

and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Alleluia Mt 2:2R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod,

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.”

When King Herod heard this,

he was greatly troubled,

and all Jerusalem with him.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,

He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,

for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly

and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said,

“Go and search diligently for the child.

When you have found him, bring me word,

that I too may go and do him homage.”

After their audience with the king they set out.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,

until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

They were overjoyed at seeing the star,

and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother.

They prostrated themselves and did him homage.

Then they opened their treasures

and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,

they departed for their country by another way.

Good Plans

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010315.cfm) reminds me that God has good plans for us, and they will come into fruition.

Early on in the year, it is nice to be reminded that God has good plans for us. A lot made new year’s resolutions. A lot have plans and dreams they want to concretize and accomplish within this year. And as we do so, it is reassuring that God has great plans for us as well.

In the first reading, we see God telling us what he told through John – what we shall be has not yet been revealed, but we know that when it is revealed, we will be like him. So affirming, and so inspiring. We may have a lot of plans, worries and concerns right now. We may have a lot of questions in our minds. But we are assured by God that when we finally understand things, when we see the plans of God come together, it will be great!

In the gospel, we see someone experiencing God’s plan come into fruition. John the Baptist was preparing the way for Jesus. Probably they have not seen each other yet. But John knew what his purpose was, and he was faithful in doing it, despite people saying stuff about him and others persecuting him. He was faithful to God. He trusted in God’s plans. And in the gospel, we see God’s plan come into fruition when Jesus came to John to be baptized. The one he was preparing the way for came to him.

God knows what he is doing, we just need to trust in Him.

What are my new year’s resolutions? What are my plans and goals for this year? Do I have worries or fears? What is God telling me today?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for the beautiful reminder that you have things under control and you have great plans for me. Lord, sorry for worrying too much and for taking things into my hands. Help me trust in you, your plans and your timing. As I start the year and make plans and goals, may I always remember to surrender to you and trust in you, knowing that your plans are always better than mine. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

-------------------------------------------------

January 3, 2015

Lectionary: 206

Reading 1 1 Jn 2:29–3:6

If you consider that God is righteous,

you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness

is begotten by him.

See what love the Father has bestowed on us

that we may be called the children of God.

Yet so we are.

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is.

Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,

as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness,

for sin is lawlessness.

You know that he was revealed to take away sins,

and in him there is no sin.

No one who remains in him sins;

no one who sins has seen him or known him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6R. (3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

break into song; sing praise.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,

with the harp and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Alleluia Jn 1:14a, 12aR. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.

To those who accepted him

he gave power to become the children of God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

He is the one of whom I said,

‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me

because he existed before me.’

I did not know him,

but the reason why I came baptizing with water

was that he might be made known to Israel.”

John testified further, saying,

“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky

and remain upon him.

I did not know him,

but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,

‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,

he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

All About God

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010215.cfm) reminds me that life should be all about God.

As we start another year, it is good to be reminded early on who this year, and our life, should be all about.

A lot of people want attention. They want focus on themselves. There are people who would join a conversation and always relate the topic to themselves, thus eventually shifting the attention to them. While this is not inherently a sin, it may lead into sin. If we focus too much on ourselves, if we always want attention to ourselves, then we may forget God and his will.

Life is not about how great you are as a person, but about how great you are because of God.

In the gospel, we see a good example of how we should act. John lived his life preparing the way for Jesus. He did not want attention, and he did not succumb to the temptation to enjoy the attention and take it away from God.

It is not bad to achieve a lot of things. In fact, God created us in his own image and likeness, and therefore we are destined for great things. However, these accomplishments should not make us proud. We should remember that no matter how many achievements we have, or how much people compliment us, everything came from God, and thus we should always bring the glory and attention back to Him.

What are my greatest achievements? Do I remember to thank God for them? How do I respond when people praise me for my achievements? What goals do I have for this year? Where does God stand in reference to my goals?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another Friday. Thank you for another opportunity to get to know you more. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I am sorry for the times I become proud and forget you. Sorry for thinking that my own effort, skills or talents got me where I am. I pray that I always be reminded of you, of your love, and your blessings in my life. May I always glorify you and bring back all the praise and acknowledgement to you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 2, 2015

Lectionary: 205

Reading 1 1 Jn 2:22-28

Beloved:

Who is the liar?

Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.

Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.

Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,

but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you.

If what you heard from the beginning remains in you,

then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.

And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.

I write you these things about those who would deceive you.

As for you,

the anointing that you received from him remains in you,

so that you do not need anyone to teach you.

But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false;

just as it taught you, remain in him.

And now, children, remain in him,

so that when he appears we may have confidence

and not be put to shame by him at his coming.

Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4R. (3cd) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

The LORD has made his salvation known:

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

break into song; sing praise.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Alleluia Heb 1:1-2R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 1:19-28

This is the testimony of John.

When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him

to ask him, “Who are you?”

He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,

“I am not the Christ.”

So they asked him,

“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”

And he said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

So they said to him,

“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?

What do you have to say for yourself?”

He said:

“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,

‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’

as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Some Pharisees were also sent.

They asked him,

“Why then do you baptize

if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”

John answered them,

“I baptize with water;

but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,

the one who is coming after me,

whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,

where John was baptizing.

God Bless 2015!

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010115.cfm) reminds me that God always blesses us!

The first reading and psalm gives us a very beautiful blessing and prayer. And I believe that just as God asked Moses to bless the Israelites with this, he is also reminding us that this blessing is for us as well. As we start the year, it is good to be reminded of this blessing from God:

The LORD bless you and keep you!

The LORD let his face shine upon

you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and

give you peace!

God has concretized this blessing in the second reading. The reason for this season. God sent his only Son to save us from our sins, because he loves us. Because of this, we too can call God our loving and almighty father.

God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

crying out, “Abba, Father!”

So you are no longer a slave but a son,

and if a son then also an heir, through God

Just as we start the year, we also celebrate the Solemnity of Mama Mary, Mother of God. This is one of the three Holy Days of Obligation in our country (Aside from Dec 8 Immaculate Conception and Dec 25 Christmas). It is fitting that as we start the year, we remember Mary, a loyal and humble servant of God. We again see a glimpse of her in the gospel. After saying Yes to God, she bore a Son and named him Jesus. At this point, she does not understand yet God’s plans as she kept all things in her heart, but still she continues to be faithful to God and does her part as the earthly mother of Christ. It is a good reminder for us, that even if we do not know and understand yet God’s plans, we just have to be like Mary and submit to God and do what he asks us to do.

May we always remember that God will always bless us, and may this lead us to be like Mama Mary, who trusts and surrenders to God, despite not knowing his plans for us yet.

What is God telling me today as I start the year? What are my fears and worries as I enter another year? Financial concerns? Health issues? Family matters? What can I learn from Mama Mary?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another year! Thank you for all the blessings in 2014, and I look forward to receiving more blessings and more love from you this 2015. Lord, I do not know what this year would bring, but I do hope that it would bring me closer to you. May the challenges and hardships, as well as the blessings and triumphs this year bring me to loving you more and may they strengthen my faith in you. I ask Lord that you hold my hand every step of the way. Never let go of me, and as you hold my hand, may I radiate you to others I encounter. Amen.

Blessed year!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 1, 2015

The Octave Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

Lectionary: 18

Reading 1 Nm 6:22-27

The LORD said to Moses:

“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:

This is how you shall bless the Israelites.

Say to them:

The LORD bless you and keep you!

The LORD let his face shine upon

you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and

give you peace!

So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,

and I will bless them.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8.R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us;

may he let his face shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth;

among all nations, your salvation.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the nations be glad and exult

because you rule the peoples in equity;

the nations on the earth you guide.

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us,

and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R. May God bless us in his mercy.

reading 2 Gal 4:4-7Brothers and sisters:

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,

born of a woman, born under the law,

to ransom those under the law,

so that we might receive adoption as sons.

As proof that you are sons,

God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

crying out, “Abba, Father!”

So you are no longer a slave but a son,

and if a son then also an heir, through God.

Alleluia Heb 1:1-2R.

Alleluia, alleluia.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,

and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,

they made known the message

that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed

by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,

reflecting on them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God

for all they had heard and seen,

just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,

he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel

before he was conceived in the womb.