Ready to Serve

The WORD today reminds me I should be ready to serve whatever situation I may be in. 

When we look at the players in the NBA, we are amazed at their skills and talents. We feel that they are superior. However, I was struck when I saw the article about an NBA superstar, and he mentioned that it is very rare that he is 100% coming into the game. There will always be injuries, pain and difficulties coming into the game, but he just focuses on the game, gives it all he has, and when he plays, you will not think that he is playing hurt. That’s how God wants us to serve.

We should serve God no matter what situation we are in.

In the gospel, Mama Mary just found out she was pregnant. Things were not clear yet. she did not know what will happen, and who will be the “earthly father” of the child she’s bearing. She did not know the details. And she is already pregnant, so she could have just rested since she’s carrying God’s son. However, she did not. Instead, despite her situation, she still served God as she travelled to serve her cousin Elizabeth. That’s the kind of service God wants.

We will never be 100% okay in life. 

There will always be challenges. There will always be problems. This is why we should not wait for these things to be over before we serve God. We should not wait until work settles down, or that we are financially stable before we serve God. There will always be something that will prohibit you from being 100% okay. We should serve God right now.

God is not asking that we reach a certain level in work or in life achievement before we serve him. what he wants is for us to simply serve him, to simply do his work and do what we can – no matter how simple we think it may be. As we serve Him, He will use us and our actions and magnify them to give glory to his name. 

This is a good reminder as we go through this Advent Season. We are still in a pandemic. A lot of people still need help. And we should. It does not matter how much we help. As long as we do. God multiplies and uses whatever we can give for him. We just need to do out part and trust in him. 

Do I serve God right now? In what way? Do I wait for the perfect situation or condition before I serve God? What prevents me from serving God? What is he telling me today? 

May we never wait for the perfect situation to serve God, but serve him where we are right now.

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 reminder. Thank you for Mama Mary who constantly inspires me. Lord, I am sorry for the many times I give a lot of excuses for not serving you. Sorry for focusing on my challenges and the imperfections instead of on you. Sorry for letting myself be distracted. Sorry for being weak. I ask that you give me a heart like Mama Mary. Give me a heart that would always want to serve you no matter what situation I may be in. give me a heart that would love you more than I love myself. As I do my best to serve you where I am now, I ask that you bless my actions and glorify your name through it. Amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/08/serve-despite-of.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/07/servant.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/10/serviam.html

December 12, 2020

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Feast

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FIRST READING

Zechariah 2:14-17

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

or:

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.”

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Judith 13:18bcde, 19

R. You are the highest honor of our race.

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the LORD God, the creator of heaven and earth.

R. You are the highest honor of our race.

Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God.

R. You are the highest honor of our race.

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ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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GOSPEL

Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

or:

Luke 1:39-47

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Follow Him

The WORD today reminds me that it is both wise and rewarding to follow God. 

In the movie Dr Strange, he found his way to the Ancient One who told him that if he would follow her and her ways, he could learn a lot of things. This is somehow similar to what God reminds us in the first reading today. 

I, the LORD, your God,

teach you what is for your good

and lead you on the way you should go.

If you would hearken to my commandments,

your prosperity would be like a river,

and your vindication like the waves of the sea;

Your descendants would be like the sand,

and those born of your stock like its grains,

Their name never cut off

or blotted out from my presence.

The psalmist also reminds us this - Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

God is willing to lead us. And following him has great rewards. 

However, more than the earthly rewards of following God, what we should look forward to are the eternal rewards. Rewards that no moth can destroy. God is willing to lead us, but it is not very easy to follow him. It is more fun staying in this world, living by this world. The world loves its own. But rewards here are temporary. In the gospel we are reminded that wisdom is vindicated by her works. The rewards and ways of God may not be attractive in the sense of the world, but in his time, we will be vindicated by choosing Him. 

We can only know where God leads us if we take time to know him. If we take time to recognize his voice through prayer, reading the bible, and reading about him. Then if we are dedicated enough to submit and surrender to his will, if we are dedicated enough to follow him, then we will be rewarded. Not because we deserve it, but because as we pray and submit to his will, as we surrender, he can change us to be more like him. And we will be ready to receive and handle blessings from Him.

Following him may not be easy and rewarding in the sense of the world. However, as we do so, especially during this pandemic, we are sure that we gain something. We gain by becoming more like him. We gain by preparing our eternal dwelling. We gain by working on our eternal reward. 

Do I take time to know God more? Do I recognize his guiding voice in my life? Am I willing to do what he asks me to? Do I live my life following his ways? 

May we take time to know God's voice and his will, and decide to follow Him. 

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 the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times, for the many time I do not follow your will. Sorry for not spending enough time knowing you. Worse, sorry for the times I know what you want but still decide to go against your will and do what I want. Help me surrender always. Help me focus on you. Help me submit to your will always, not to mine, no matter how hard it is to submit to you. No matter how earthly-rewarding doing my will is. Transform me and make me more and more like you. Amen. 

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

https://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/12/follow-and-be-blessed.html

December 11, 2020

2nd Week of Advent - Friday; St. Damasus I

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FIRST READING

Isaiah 48:17-19

Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. If you would hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river, and your vindication like the waves of the sea; Your descendants would be like the sand, and those born of your stock like its grains, Their name never cut off or blotted out from my presence.

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

---

ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord will come; go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

---

GOSPEL

Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

In The Background

The WORD today reminds me that God recognizes what we do for Him, even if we work silently in the background. 

The world recognizes loud people. People who brag their accomplishments are recognized and looked up to. However, those work and accomplish things silently and in the background often remains there. They are not noticed and recognized. This is usually how the world reacts. Good thing God does not work that way. 

In the gospel, we see Jesus telling people how great John the Baptist is. Among those born of women, no one is greater than John. Wow. Lakas! That's how important and special John was. That's how God recognizes work we do for Him. John worked in the background, silently preparing the way for Jesus. He did not want attention to himself, but humbled himself and focused people on Jesus. The world did not really reward him, he did not have a lot of followers and did not get attention and recognition for his work for God. But God saw his love and work, and recognized and rewarded him for it.

God sees what we do for Him silently in the background. 

We need not worry about affirmation and recognition of others for the work we do for God. As we see with John, the world did not recognize and affirm him. Still, God who sees everything, rewards and recognizes everything. The lack of affirmation from others should not discourage us. We should not look for those things. We just need to focus on God, do his work, and have faith that he sees everything. And will reward us. 

Do I seek human praise and affirmation to what I do for God? Do I give more importance to human recognition or to the approval of God? How can I improve my attitude? 

May we be willing to work for God silently, regardless of how the world sees or treats us. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I look for affirmation from others. Sorry for wanting others to see and recognize my good works for you. Help me be like John the Baptist. Help me just focus on you. Give me a heart that would be willing to work silently for you. I know you see everything and you know everything. I have faith that even if the world does not see and recognize it, you do, and that is what's important. Amen. 

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/12/gracious-and-merciful.html

December 10, 2020

2nd Week of Advent - Thursday; St. John Roberts

FIRST READING

Isaiah 41:13-20

I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. I will make of you a threshing sledge, sharp, new, and double-edged, To thresh the mountains and crush them, to make the hills like chaff. When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off and the storm shall scatter them. But you shall rejoice in the LORD, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain, their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the broad valleys; I will turn the desert into a marshland, and the dry ground into springs of water. I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab

R. (8) The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might.

R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Let them make known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. 
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations.

R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.

ALLELUIA

See Isaiah 45:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Rest in Jesus

The WORD today reminds me that I should always rest in Jesus.

Some say that sleep is for the weak, that it is a waste of time. I believe that’s not true. We need to sleep. We need to rest. We need to recharge.

All of us feel tired from time to time - be it from working, studying, serving, or whatever we do. It's normal to feel tired. And the readings remind us what to do, where we can get rest, and strength to carry on. 

The first reading says that God gives strength to the fainting, that he gives energy to the weak. We are further assured that those who hope in God will renew their strength. We see how powerful and loving God is. Then in the gospel, Jesus invites us to come to him for us to have rest.

God can give us rest if we come to Him.

God is all powerful and can do anything. Aside from rest we get from coming to him, it can also enable us to do great things if we allow ourselves to be used be him, to be refreshed by Him.

Jesus is inviting us to come to Him because he will give us rest. He will not solve our problems then and there. He will not make all our concerns and fears disappear. Rather, he will help us put things in perspective. He will help us feel the love of God, and that it is what matters most. He will give us the peace and the strength to go on – focusing on him and not on the world. He will help us realize that things and concerns of this world are not as important as we think they are, because everything will eventually disappear. What’s important is how we prepare for eternity with Him. He will carry our burdens and share the pain we are experiencing. Then, despite all our problems, fears and concerns, we will find rest, we will find true peace, knowing that God loves us so much and that He is always there to help us.

However, coming to Christ alone is not enough. We have to subject ourselves to Him. He is not an ATM we can get money to get by, then go our way and forget about him. When we come to him, we should do so in humility, allowing him to change us, to mold us, to make us into the persons he wants us to be, the persons we are destined to be. Then, we can find the rest and strength only He can give.

We are probably really tired by now. Our lives have not been normal since March. We have problems. Concerns. Fears. These tire and weigh us down. We are reminded to come to Jesus. Rest in Jesus. Trust in him. Things may not necessarily improve, but we get strength from him. We hope in him. 

What am I feeling in life? Am I tired? Do I have a lot of worries and concerns? What are the things that bothers me? How do I feel about God’s invitation to come to him, surrender to him, and rest in him? 

Tired? You know what to do. May we find courage and strength to come to Jesus, surrender to him, and rest in him. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, as the year comes to a close, things get busier. Year end deadlines. Project requirements. Quotas. Reports. Plus Christmas shopping, gifts, gatherings. Things can get tiring. Things can get stressful. And in the middle of everything, there’s a big chance I might forget you. I might forget the reason for all of these. Thank you for reminding me of what I should do when I am tired. Help me surrender to you. Help me focus on you. I ask that you refresh me so I can continue living for you. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2019/12/come-and-surrender.html

December 09, 2020

2nd Week of Advent - Wednesday; St. Juan Diego 

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FIRST READING

Isaiah 40:25-31

To whom can you liken me as an equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things: He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing! Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know or have you not heard? The LORD is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10

R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R. O bless the Lord, my soul!

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ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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GOSPEL

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Fiat 2020

The WORD today reminds me to always submit and say yes to God. 

When I was new to community, my shepherd would always tell me that whenever I am asked to do things, to serve, or to take on responsibility, the answer should always be yes. “Yes lang ng yes”. Always say yes, even if you don’t know how you would do it. Just say yes even if you have concerns. Just say yes even if you doubt if you can do it. Say yes even if you do not know what it will take to do it. 

This is what Mama Mary did as we see in the gospel. 

Mama Mary’s Fiat, her “yes” to God was the start of her powerful life of service to God. It became the start of God using her intensely for His purpose.

Mama Mary was surprised when the angel visited her, much more when the angel addressed her as “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” She was even more surprised when the angel told her God’s plan. Yes, she asked a question, but eventually said yes. She may not know what she’s getting herself into. She probably knew the consequences of saying “yes” during that time, being pregnant outside marriage is a grave offense. She would be stoned for it. But she still said yes to God’s plan. She trusted in God so much, that even if there were doubts, even if there were questions, even if there were possible consequences of her yes, she still gave it to God. That’s faith. That’s grace.

Always saying Yes is a sign of great faith in God.

As we commemorate and celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Conception today, may we also rejoice, not just because Mary was conceived without original sin, but because God loves us so much. In the first reading we see how sin entered this world. However, Mama Mary changed that. She was conceived without original sin. Immaculate conception. God wanted Jesus’ earthly mother to be pure, because God wants to show us what we can become when we come to Him. Jesus died to save us from our sin, a sin that he, or his mother, did not have. That’s pure love. And the bible tells us that we are new creations if we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The second reading affirms that “God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.”

We should feel extra blessed because Mary, our mother, was so special to God and to Jesus. We should ask for God’s grace so we could be like Mary, who consistently said Yes to God and gave her life for God. Let us also remember the words of Pope Francis: “Every time we give in to selfishness and say no to God, we spoil his loving plan for us.”

Do I always give my “fiat” to God, even if I don’t fully understand what He is asking of me? What is hindering me from always saying “yes” to God’s call? Do I trust God completely with my life, knowing that He loves me so much? Do I have faith that like the angel said in the gospel, nothing is impossible with God?

May we always be inspired by Mama Mary's great faith in God, and in our own ways, always give our yes to Him. 

Father God,

Thank you today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the beautiful reminder. Thank you Lord for loving me so much. Thank you for giving me what I do not deserve. Thank you for Mama Mary, Jesus’ earthly mother, for you used her to bring salvation to us. Thank you for her example. Sorry for the times I make up excuses to say no to you. Sorry for the times I let my fear and concerns win over my faith in you. Sorry not having enough faith in you. I ask that you help me be like Mama Mary. May I open up myself and my life and allow you to use me for your purpose, for your glory. Lord, I know how powerful a spoken word is, and I ask that I give my “yes” to you, so you can use me for your purpose too. May I live my life like Mary, submitting my will to yours, and trusting in you completely. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

December 08, 2020

Solemnity of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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FIRST READING

Genesis 3:9–15, 20

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me— she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”

Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4 (1a)

R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

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. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

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. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

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. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

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SECOND READING

Ephesians 1:3–6, 11–12

Brothers and sisters:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

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ALLELUIA

see Luke 1:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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GOSPEL

Luke 1:26–38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Would You Do The Same?

The WORD today makes me think if I am always ready to step out of my comfort zone for others.

Helping is more than just giving something. Helping is not really the amount given. As Jesus said in one of the parables, those who gave from their surplus did not feel the pain of giving. However, a widow who gave two small coins felt the pain of giving, and Jesus told that she gave more than the rest. 

You need to step out of your comfort zone to help others.

In the gospel, we see a familiar story. It is inspiring how people (four people in other translations) which may or may not be friends of the paralyzed man, had the will, the faith, and made the effort to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus. It was not easy since there were a lot of people already, but these guys went the extra mile to bring the paralytic to Jesus, in hopes of healing for the person. They were willing to step out of their comfort zone for the man. They brought him down through the roof. Really so much effort for them. 

I don’t know if I would have done the same.

Sometimes compassion is not translated to action. Yes, you may feel sorry for the person, but actually doing something to help a person is a whole different thing. But these guys did not just act, they acted in a different level. Probably others will try to bring him to Jesus, but after seeing the house full, will say to the person – Sorry, a lot of people already. Maybe you’re not meant to be healed today. But not these guys. These guys went all the way to the roof, and brought the man down, resulting to him being healed.

It is not always easy to serve God. It is not always easy doing things for others. Sometimes God gives us challenges not to dishearten us, but to inspire, encourage and strengthen us. We just need to be firm and have faith, and be willing to do things out of our comfort zones. 

How is my faith in God? When things are difficult, how Do I react? Do I give up, or do I still have faith like the people in the gospel? Is my faith strong enough to bless other people as well? Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone for other people? 

May we be inspired by the men, whose love, faith, will and determination to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus, despite the challenges brought healing to the man, and glory to God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for the inspiring message and challenges to start the week! Lord, I ask that you give me opportunities to strengthen my faith. I have been praying for an increase in faith, and may i have it. I also ask that you help me bring others to you, no matter how difficult or challenging it may be. Give me the will and determination to help not only when it’s comfortable, but more importantly when it is difficult to. Help me to be ready to step out of my comfort zone to help others, to bring them closer to you, and to serve you. It may not always be easy, but it is worth the effort to bring others to You. As I live my faith, may I not be dishearten by challenges, but take it as it is – challenges to build and develop my faith. Amen

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

https://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2018/12/faith-of-others.html

December 07, 2020

2nd Week of Advent - Monday; St. Ambrose

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FIRST READING

Isaiah 35:1-10

The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.

Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; The abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. A highway will be there, called the holy way; No one unclean may pass over it, nor fools go astray on it. No lion will be there, nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it. It is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (Isaiah 35:4f) Our God will come to save us!

I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.

R. Our God will come to save us!

Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Our God will come to save us!

The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps.

R. Our God will come to save us!

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ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth, and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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GOSPEL

Luke 5:17-26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”