Children of God

The WORD today reminds me that we can all be children of God if we want to. 

There are people who blame their situation for the way their life turned out. Some feel they are at a disadvantage because of their family, because of their surroundings, or because of their environment growing up. They did not have the resources, the connections, and the proper atmosphere for learning and growing. In one of Tupac Shakur’s songs, he mentioned this: “…but if I had a better life, I would have lived a good life and did more things right…” it may make sense in this world. However, we cannot say this with God. His ways are not our ways.

We can all part of God’s family if we really want to.

In the gospel, Jesus said that his mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it. Relationship with him is not just by blood. Family with him is not just by blood. We are not at a disadvantage with God. We just need to hear and act on His word for us to tell him we want to be his family. We just need to live right for us to tell God we really want to be his children. And we will.

As we hear God’s word and act on it, we slowly become children of God. We slowly allow God to transform us to be more and more like him. We slowly tell him how much we want him and how much we want to be with him. That’s family. And as we continue to do that, we are slowly preparing our place in eternity. As we slowly choose him and act upon his word, we are preparing our final resting place with him. Family. 

Do I have issues and concerns about my family and my environment? Do I feel like I am at a disadvantage because of my situation? Is there anything I am doing about it? Do I realize that with God’s family, I am not at a disadvantage? Am I willing to do my part to be part of God’s family? 

May we be inspired by Jesus words. He welcomes everyone. May we take on his call to listen and act on his word, and enjoy all the benefits that come with being God’s family.

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 all the blessings. Lord, I thank you for your love and the opportunity to be your family. Thank you that I am not at a disadvantage no matter what situation I was born in. Sorry for forgetting this. Sorry for forgetting you and focusing on the world. I promise to act and do my part to be your family. I promise to not only listen but more importantly to act on your word. Help me live my love for and faith in you. amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 24 2019

« September 23  |  September 25 »

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 450

Reading 1 EZR 6:7-8, 12B, 14-20

King Darius issued an order to the officials
of West-of-Euphrates:
“Let the governor and the elders of the Jews
continue the work on that house of God;
they are to rebuild it on its former site.
I also issue this decree
concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews
in the rebuilding of that house of God:
From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates,
let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.
I, Darius, have issued this decree;
let it be carefully executed.”

The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building,
supported by the message of the prophets,
Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo.
They finished the building according to the command
of the God of Israel
and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius
and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar,
in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
The children of Israel–priests, Levites,
and the other returned exiles–
celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
For the dedication of this house of God,
they offered one hundred bulls,
two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs,
together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel,
in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.
Finally, they set up the priests in their classes
and the Levites in their divisions
for the service of God in Jerusalem,
as is prescribed in the book of Moses.

The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion,
sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles,
for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5

R.(1)  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia LK 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

More Will Be Given

The WORD today reminds me that we should be generous because God cannot be outgiven. 

The gospel does not seem to make sense at first glance. Why give more to someone who has a lot. Sounds like what corrupt people do. However, we should take a second look. 

To anyone who has, more will be given,

and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away       

I think the famous line from spider man, with great power comes great responsibility, is similar to this bible verse from the gospel. To whom much is given, much is required. An uncle of mine always mentions this bible verse to us, as a reminder of our responsibility not only to our family, but more so to others who do not have the capacity to pay us back for helping them out. A dear lasallian brother told us before his take on this verse. To whom much is given, much is expected. Nobody will force us to share, but as Christians, this is what is expected of us.

Giving comes not only in financial form, but more importantly in spiritual one. Yes, we are required to help our brothers in need by financially sharing what we have, but there’s more to that. Spiritual giving is just as important. Loneliness, hopelessness, depression, and spiritual dryness are some things that may not be easily seen, but just as serious, or even more serious, than poverty. Being children of God who are starting and continuing to know Him, we should also give this knowledge, this hope, this faith and this love we have received, to others who may need it. This would take up time, energy, and entail sacrifice, but as mentioned, we are given much, and much is expected from us.

God expects us to not delay giving help to others. We are asked to give not just when it is comfortable to, or when we feel like it, but when others need it, regardless of our state

Am I willing to give back to others what I have received from God? Am I doing something to give back to others? Am I willing to give of myself, not just financially, to others? When I give, do I expect words of thanks, affirmation or gratitude, or do I give without expecting anything in return?

May we never hold back expressions of love on others, and be generous in giving and sharing what we have to others. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for blessing me with so much - much more than I ask for and definitely much more than I deserve. Sorry for the times I do not appreciate it. Sorry for the times I do not share with others. I know the best way to thank you is to give it back to others. Today, I ask that you use me to be a blessing to others as well. I open up myself for your taking. Use me to fulfil your purpose, use me to spread your love to your children here on earth. Amen. 

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 23 2019

« September 22  |  September 24 »

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest
Lectionary: 449

Reading 1 EZR 1:1-6

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"

Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.

Responsorial Psalm PS 126:1B-2AB, 2CD-3, 4-5, 6

R.(3) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R.The Lord has done marvels for us.

AlleluiaMT 5:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Wise With Wealth

The WORD today reminds me that I should be wise in using my worldly wealth. 

When we say someone is wise with money, we usually associate it with good businessmen and investors who can make more with what they originally have. They are wise and know how to handle and increase their wealth. That is how the world looks at it. However, today I am reminded of something more. A wiser use of wealth. 

A wise use if earthly wealth is to create heavenly ones. 

A few years back, I read a book called “The Law of Rewards” and one of the main point it says is that we should invest in eternity. The book puts it that we are just travelers in this world, and heaven is our real home. We will just stay in this earth for a short time. That being the case, we should be wise and use whatever we have on earth to build our home for eternity. We should use temporary resources on earth to build our house in heaven, instead of holding on to it and enjoying it here.

God wants us to use our worldly blessings to prepare for eternal ones.

In the gospel, we see the story of a dishonest steward. It was said that during that time, the stewards get a certain amount or percentage from the money the owners get. They have an automatic cut from the payments of the people. That is why when the steward found out he will be dismissed from work, he actually did not “cheat” the master to gain favour from the people. What he actually did was to take off his “cut” or his share in the amount, and just asked the people to pay exactly what will be given to the master. In that way, he found favour in the eyes of the people, and the master commended him for using his resources (or letting go of it) in preparation for his being fired from the job.

God has given us resources on this earth. And to live decently and comfortably, we don’t actually need a lot. What we spend is sometimes above and beyond the actual basics that we need. This is what God wants us to realize – that we should not enjoy too much that we forget other people. We are given resources not only for ourselves, but for us to help others as well. In doing so, we are not only doing good, but being wise as well. Money and everything in this earth will pass away. They will gather dust, and will be left in this earth when we die. We need to be prudent and wise with how we use what we have. As we use our resources to help others and build God’s kingdom, we are being wise and use these temporary resources to build our eternal home in heaven. We should also not resort to doing evil and compromising our values just to get earthly resources. Everything worldly is temporary, so we should not compromise our souls just to get them. The first reading warns us that God sees the evil done, and will bring justice in his time. 

How do I view worldly riches? Am I so focused on accumulating these? Do I compromise my values just to have more? Do I share my blessing with others? How can I be more generous with my blessings? What is God telling me to do? 

May we live by the quote – live simply, so that others may simply live. And be wise stewards and prepare our eternal place in heaven by the temporary riches on earth.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live and to serve you. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the very important reminder. Sorry for the times I focus too much on myself and my wants. Sorry for forgetting that there is eternity.  Lord, help me use my resources properly. I thank you for providing for me and my family, and I make the decision to share whatever I have to others. I do not need a lot of things. I have more than enough, so I will share your gifts and blessings to others. Help me be generous not only with my material resources, but with my time and prayers as well. Create in me a heart that would always be sensitive to others, that would always be willing to be in pain as I be of service and blessing to others. May I be a happy giver for your kingdom. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 22 2019

«

 September 21  |  September 23 »

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 135

Reading 1 AM 8:4-7

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
 and destroy the poor of the land!
 "When will the new moon be over," you ask,
 "that we may sell our grain,
 and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
 We will diminish the ephah,
 add to the shekel,
 and fix our scales for cheating!
 We will buy the lowly for silver,
 and the poor for a pair of sandals;
 even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!"
 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
 Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Responsorial Psalm PS 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
 praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
 both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
 above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
 and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
 from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
 with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 TM 2:1-8

Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
     the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle
— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Alleluia CF. 2 COR 8:9

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,
"A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
'What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.'
The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.'
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said,
'How much do you owe my master?'
He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.'
He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.'
Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?'
He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.'
The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.'
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
"For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Respond to the Call

The WORD today reminds me that I should respond positively to God’s call. 

Not a lot of people would volunteer to something. I am one of them. I will not usually volunteer to do a task or participate in an activity. However, when someone calls me and invites me, I usually follow. Good thing God does not always expect us to volunteer and initiate things. He calls us. 

Today, we celebrate the feast of St Matthew, an apostle and evangelist, and one of the writers of the gospels. In the gospel we see how Matthew started in his ministry. He was a sinner, a tax collector. However, when Jesus passed by and called him, Matthew not only followed Jesus but welcomed him to his home – where other sinners came as well. I believe this signifies Matthew was just looking for an opportunity to repent and do good, from being a sinner, a tax collector, he wanted to change. He wanted a new start. And him inviting Jesus to his home and preparing his home to host lunch for Jesus, is a symbol of he preparing and accepting Jesus into his life.

God tirelessly calls us in different ways. 

Jesus just passed by and called Matthew, and it started the change in him. In the same way, I believe God calls us in different ways, most of which are seemingly normal and accidental. He continues to use other people to reach out to us, to invite us to come to him, change our ways, and love and serve him. He calls us by situations, wherein we are reminded that only God can help us out. He calls us by the poor people around us, reminding us we need to help others and be Jesus to others. He calls us through heartaches and pain, reminding us that it is only he who could heal and make us whole.

When God calls us, all he needs is for us to say yes - no matter what state we are in. Matthew was a sinner, a tax collector, yet he was used mightily by God. And he was just doing his usual ways when he was called. God does not need preachers and talented people to serve Him. He will provide for the means and ways we can serve him for who we are. The first reading says that we are all different, we have different talents and purposes, but the important thing is we serve God, that we use whatever we have for God’s purpose and God’s kingdom

How is my relationship with God? Do I wait for him to call me? In what ways does he call me? What circumstances does he use to call me? Who are the people he uses to get my attention? Do I recognize when he calls me? How do I respond to his calls?

We may not experience Jesus passing by and calling us personally like Matthew, but he calls us everyday using different yet personalized ways. May we be inspired by Mathew to let him come in, not only to our homes, but our lives as well.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend. thank you for the beautiful reminder and the challenge. Lord, sorry for the times I ignore your call. Sorry for the times I don’t recognize your call. Sorry for the times I focus on other things that I miss you calling me. Lord, help me be like Matthew. Like him, I am sinful. Like him, I am just waiting for an opportunity to come back to you, to do things right. Give me a humble and contrite heart that would readily say yes to your call, and will welcome you in my life and in my heart. And as I do my best to respond to your call and serve you, use me like Matthew to bring people to you and glorify you. Amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 21 2019

«

 September 20  |  September 22 »

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
Lectionary: 643

Reading 1 EPH 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one Body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

Responsorial PsalmPS 19:2-3, 4-5

R.(5)  Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R.Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R.Their message goes out through all the earth.

Alleluia See Te Deum

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Root Of Evil

The WORD today reminds me that the love of money is so bad and devastating, that they say it is the root of all evil. 

A lot of people are caught up in the world. We see people stealing money from other people through the taxes and anomalies in the government and in different agencies. Billions of money. We see people killing each other because of competition in illegal businesses. We see people abusing the poor and doing everything to get in power, and to remain in power. They do whatever they can to accumulate power and wealth in this world. This is sad, especially if it is done at the expense of their souls.

I was struck by the first reading – that we brought nothing into this world, and we will take nothing from this world. It makes a lot of sense, and it puts things in perspective. 

We can take nothing from this world. all our fame, power, influence and money will only be good in this world, and while we are still alive – which is only a very short time compared to eternity. The first reading says that  the love of money is the root of all evil. Money – and power, fame and influence. Money in itself is not bad. Jesus had many rich friends as well. So it is not bad to be rich. But we should now how to handle money. We should know how to use it to build God's kingdom. What's bad is if we do evil things for these things, just to get our hands on more money, on greater influence, on absolute power. They forget their values. They forget other people. They forget God. These things can become God in their lives, and they get so corrupted in the system.

God provides.

I believe that God always takes care of his people. We may not have a lot, we may not have so much, but I believe that we always have what we need to survive and to serve God. We always have the essentials in life. It is the extras in life, the things in life that we do not really need, but want to badly, that causes unhappiness, that causes us to sin.

In the gospel, we see how we should use money to build God's kingdom. We see that there are people who supported Jesus with their resources. They may not be able to be with Jesus as they proclaim God’s kingdom, but they helped through their resources. This is how God wants us to use his blessings. Our resources should bless not just us and our families, but others as well – others who cannot repay what we give them. 

How do I see money and earthly wealth? Am I so focused on accumulating it at the expense of anything? Do I give it much importance? Do I realize that God always provides what I need? Am I generous to share my blessings with others? 

May we be more aware of material things, their validity, and their proper use.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another Friday. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I forget these things. Sorry for the times I work so hard and compromise my health, my values, and my relationship with others and with you just so I can get ahead and have material things. Sorry for wanting a lot of things, and for working for things I do not really need. Sorry for choosing to love myself first, to buy things for myself, rather than using my resources for your kingdom. Help me improve myself. Help me improve my heart. Help me love you through others. help me give generously of my resources to others in need. I know that you bless me so I can be a blessing to others. and I want that to happen. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 20 2019

«

 September 19  |  September 21 »

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
Lectionary: 447

Reading 1 1 TM 6:2C-12

Beloved:
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

Responsorial Psalm PS 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Alleluia SEE MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

Love Him More

The WORD today reminds me that I should love God more, especially as I realize how much he loves me. 

Jesus tells us in today’s gospel that those who felt great love and mercy gives more love and mercy to others. The parable in the gospel says: 

Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;

one owed five hundred day’s wages and the other owed fifty.

Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.

Which of them will love him more?”

Simon said in reply,

“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”

He said to him, “You have judged rightly.

...

So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven

because she has shown great love.

But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

God loves everyone equally. He loves us despite of our sins and shortcomings. However, naturally, those who are aware of our shortcomings and sins and who experience God’s love and forgiveness tend to love God more, tend to love others more. It is because they are aware of how difficult they are to love, so it means God loves them so much. In the gospel, it does not necessarily mean that the Pharisees had less sin. Maybe they were just unaware of their sins, or too proud to admit they had sins too – thus they did not feel the need to be forgiven, and did not feel the impact of God’s love In their lives, because they felt that they were okay on their own. On the other hand, the sinful woman was so sorry and repentant that she would do more to get forgiveness. She would give her best to God just to show she is sorry. And she got that. 

All of us sin and fall short of God’s grace. However, God is a God of love. God is love. And he will always be ready to forgive us our sins as long as we humbly come to him. And if we are aware of our situation and we allow God to love us and we experience his love, it will cause us to love more, because we experienced first hand God’s love and mercy in our lives.

Do I realize how sinful I am? What are the instances I sin and hurt God? Do I know that as I sin and hurt God, I am choosing to love myself and my desires rather than loving God? Have I asked God for forgiveness? How bad do I want to be forgiven by God? Am I more concerned on getting forgiveness from others than from God? 

May we be aware of our sins and our need for repentance… and as we ask God’s forgiveness, may we allow Him to love us as well and be moved by his love and forgiveness, and pass it on to others.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and experience your love. Lord, sorry for hurting you. Sorry for choosing to sin. Sorry for choosing myself over you. Help me repent from the heart. Help me live right. Help me love you more. Lord, I allow you to love me. I ask that you fill me and that you transform me, Lord. Make me more like you. Help me love you the way I should. Help me love others the way you want me to. Lord, may we all allow you to love us, and as we experience your love, may it move us to pass that love to others, especially those who need it, and even to those who don’t deserve it. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 19 2019

« September 18  |  September 20 »

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 446

Reading 1 1 TM 4:12-16

Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.

Responsorial PsalmPS 111:7-8, 9, 10

R.(2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!

Alleluia MT 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Vindicated

The WORD today reminds me that God will vindicate me in due time. 

Sometimes, the values of others makes us re-think our own values. I have a friend who has good values, however, her officemates have different and more liberal values. They sometimes tease her for being too conservative. And she shared that sometimes it makes her think if she is indeed too conservative, especially with the changing world. Good thing she realized that the values and beliefs of other people should not have an effect on your own values. You may not be able to change their views, but at least you should be able to keep your values intact. 

In the gospel, Jesus is telling us that we should not benchmark on how other people react. Some say John the Baptist is crazy for living in solitude. They say he is possessed by a demon. And others say Jesus is a glutton, drunkard and friend of sinners for eating and drinking with people. The two did not get people’s approval, but they both got the approval of God. In God’s perfect time, he vindicated them.

God fights our battles with us.

We cannot control what people would say, think or do about us. We cannot force them to see our good intentions for our actions. People may try to speak bad of us, or think negative thoughts about us. This is why we should not work for their approval. We should not change just to accommodate and make them happy. Their approval is different from God, and at the end, it is God’s approval that matters. Jesus and John the Baptist knew this, so they continued what they were doing no matter what other people say. They continued doing God’s work in their own different ways. And in the end, God rewarded and vindicated them.

How important do I consider the approval of others? What do I feel when other people don’t get the approval of others? Do I focus more on getting the approval of God, or approval of others? Do I give more importance on the approval of others than of God? Why is God’s approval not enough for me?

May we learn to focus on God, especially when we find out people are saying bad things about us. God’s ways do not change, so we should not change just because people want us to. 

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 chance to experience your love. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I let others influence me and my values. Sorry for being weak and concerned about their opinions. Sorry for wanting their approval. help me to always focus on you and not on others. When I feel tired and beaten, I ask that you strengthen me. When I doubt my own actions, remind me of your love, of why I am doing these things for you. May I be a faithful servant especially when things are tough, for I know this makes you happy and I know you are fighting the battle with me. amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Readings

September 18 2019

 September 17  |  September 19 »

Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 445

Reading 1 1 TM 3:14-16

Beloved:
I am writing you,
although I hope to visit you soon.
But if I should be delayed,
you should know how to behave in the household of God,
which is the Church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of truth.
Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion,

Who was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed to the Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.

Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.(2) How great are the works of the Lord!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!

Alleluia SEE JN 6:63C, 68C

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life,
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
"To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.'

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."