Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Gospel: Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man named Zaccheus lived there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see him because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today.” So Zaccheus climbed down and received him joyfully.
All the people who saw it began to grumble, and said, “He has gone as a guest to the house of a sinner.” But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “Half of what I own, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for he is also a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Lectio Divina
READ: “Salvation has come to this house today,” is a wonderful declaration from the mouth of Jesus in the gospel today. The first reading speaks about second chances for our lives to turn around, to re- nounce evil and to trust in the Lord.
REFLECT: The Lord desires that we all be saved. But time and again we fail and our lives miss turning around for God. The good news is that God is compassionate and he does not will that any of us perish. He gives us second chances to understand how much we have allowed evil and wickedness to run our lives. He is giving us another time to show repentance and return to his embrace. This was how he blessed the life of Zaccheus.
PRAY: Disturb my life, Lord and help me see that being with you is what truly matters in life.
ACT: List all your sins (they keep us away from God) and then make a firm resolve to heal them one by one.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 6:37-40
Yet all those whom the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me, I shall not turn away. For I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me.
And the will of him who sent me is that I lose nothing of what he has given me, but instead that I raise it up on the last day. This is the will of the Father, that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall live eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Reflections
“Whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall live eternal life.”
Many people are afraid of death. In most cases this is be- cause many of us think that death is loss. But our Christian teachings provide us with courage by telling us that death is but a passage to life, to the real life where all of us are destined to reach. Of course I also understand that the source of fear may be the teaching that there are two possibilities of the life that awaits us after death: life in eternal bliss (heaven) or life in eternal punishment (hell). But then, this fear can be mitigated. While we are still living today, let us make sure that we will reach heaven tomorrow. And instead of fearing death, we should always be ready for it. One beautiful line from the film “Dr. Strange” said: Death is a beautiful thing. It’s when we know that our days are numbered that we begin to live life better.
Today we pray for all of those who have gone ahead of us in death, that through God’s mercy they will receive the reward of eternal life with him. We pray for ourselves too that when our time comes, we will share in the same reward.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them:
Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are those who mourn; they shall be comforted. Fortunate are the gentle; they shall possess the land.
Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. Fortunate are those with pure hearts, for they shall see God. Fortunate are those who work for peace;
they shall be called children of God.
Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause
of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you
in God. For that is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Reflections
“Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit.”
Saints are people like us, of flesh and blood. They came from all walks of life: John Paul II and John XXIII were popes; Ezekiel Moreno was a priest and bishop; Thomas More was a lawyer and statesman; Margaret of Scotland was queen, wife, and mother of 10; Therese of Lisieux was a nun; Tarcisius was an altar boy; Francis of Asissi was a deacon; Pedro Calungsod was a catechist; Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman; Isidore was a farmer; Louis and Zellie Martin were husband and wife, etc. They were very much like us. But what makes the difference? The difference lies in the fact that their Christian Faith dictated and gave direction to their way of life. The difference is that they lived the Faith they em- braced, and the Gospel they believed. They were totally devoted to Jesus. They had their own weakness, and like us they had to struggle with human inclinations and temptations, but they triumphed in their pursuit of holiness; they were Christians in and out. They took to heart not to stain their identity as children of God.
“Be like saints” is our battle cry today. It will indeed be a great rejoicing when someday we will find each other counted and numbered among the saints, among those who will be marked and sealed as children of God (Rev. 7:3; 1 Jn 3:1,2).

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and gave him this warning, “Leave this place and go on your way, for Herod wants to kill you.” Jesus said to them, “Go and give that fox my answer: ‘I drive out demons, and I heal today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my course!’ Nevertheless, I must go on my way today, and tomorrow, and for a little longer; for it would not be fitting for a prophet to be killed outside Jerusalem. Alas for you, Jerusalem
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you slay the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I tried to bring together your children, as a bird gathers her young under her wings. But you refused! From now on, youwill be left, with your temple. And you will no longer see me until the time when you will say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Reflections
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Two outstanding traits in the personality of Jesus evident in the gospel are courage and determination. He knew that there was a threat against his life and yet he was not deterred from doing his work. He could just have postponed things and allowed the heat of controversy to cool down as most of us are inclined to do. But most important was the accomplishment of his mission. And greater than the preservation of his life and assurance of security was doing God’s will. I don’t believe that he didn’t value his own life, but he was well aware that he needed to spend it for the glory of the Father.
We were not born into this world by accident. Our existence has a purpose. And according to the 1941 Baltimore Catechism whose contents are basically in consonance with the 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church, the purpose of man’s existence is to know, to love, and to serve God. This is our duty. This is our mission. May we learn from the courage and determination of Jesus that we too may not be discouraged by hardships and difficulties and face the risk even when our life is on the line.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019