Daily Reflection

July 10, 2018 Tuesday

14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)

Ps 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10
The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.

1^st Reading: Hos 8:4-7, 11-13

Without my approval they set up kings and without my blessing appointed leaders. With their silver and gold they fashioned idols to their own ruin.

To me, Samaria, your calf is loathsome; and my anger blazes against you. How long will you remain defiled? The calf is yours, Israel, a craftsman has made it; it is not God and will be broken into pieces. As they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind. Stalk without flower, it will never yield flower, or if they do, foreigners will devour it.

Ephraim built many altars; but his altars made him more guilty. I wrote out for him the numerous precepts of my law; but they look on them as coming from foreigners.

They offer sacrifices to me because they are those who eat the meat; but Yahweh does not accept their sacrifices, for he is mindful of their sin and remembers their wickedness. They will return to Egypt.

Gospel: Mt 9:32-38

As they were going away, some people brought to Jesus a man who was dumb, because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak. The crowds were astonished and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom; and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds, he was moved with pity; for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”

Reflections

When he saw the crowds, he was moved with pity

God loves us unconditionally. We do not merit this love by our virtuousness and good works. Rather, it is freely given to us — whether we are virtuous or not. And no matter our sinfulness, God’s love for us is never diminished.

But this does not mean that God is not hurt by our infidelity. Hosea proclaims that God is offended by our sins and is tempted to destroy us. However, the Lord proclaims that he will not vent his anger because he is God and not man. Paradoxically, there is nothing we can do to stop God from loving us.

Daily Reflection 2018

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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

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July 9, 2018 Monday

14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest
& Companions, martyrs
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green/Red)

Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
The Lord is gracious and merciful.

1^st Reading: Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22

So I am going to allure her, lead her once more into the desert, where I can speak to her tenderly.

Then I will give back her vineyards, make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There, she will answer me, as in her youth, as when she came out of the land of Egypt. On that day, Yahweh says, you will call me my husband, and never again: my Baal.

You will be my spouse forever, betrothed in justice and integrity; we will be united in love and tenderness. I will espouse you in faithfulness; and you will come to know Yahweh.

Gospel: Mt 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking to them, an official of the synagogue came up to him, bowed before him and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and place your hands on her, and she will live.” Jesus stood up and followed him with his disciples.

Then a woman, who had suffered from a severe bleeding for twelve years, came up from behind and touched the edge of his cloak; for she thought, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.” And from that moment, the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, he said, “Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!” And they laughed at him. But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.

Reflections

Your faith has saved you

For the Jews, blood is sacred, because it symbolizes life which comes from God alone. To shed one’s own or another’s blood was a serious offense against God. The woman hemorrhaged for twelve years, and so was deemed a grievous sinner. And because her defilement contaminated those around her, she was cast out of the village.

Her healing was a multi-dimensional experience of the coming of God’s kingdom into her life: physically, she was cured; socially, she was reconciled with her family and villagers; spiritually, she was forgiven by God; religiously, she could worship once more in the Temple.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

July 8, 2018 Sunday

14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)

Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
Our eyes are fixed on the Lord,
pleading for his mercy.

1^st Reading: Ez 2:2-5

A spirit came upon me as he spoke and kept me standing; and then I heard him speak, “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a people who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have sinned against me to this day. Now I am sending you to these defiant and stubborn people to tell them ‘this is the Lord Yahweh’s word.’

So, whether they listen or not, this set of rebels will know there is a prophet among them.

2^nd Reading: 2 Cor 12:7-10

However, I better give up, lest somebody think more of me than what is seen in me, or heard from me. Lest I become proud, after so many and extraordinary revelations; I was given a thorn in my flesh, a true messenger of Satan, to slap me in the face. Three times, I prayed to the Lord, that it leave me, but he answered, “My grace is enough for you; my great strength is revealed in weakness.”

Gladly, then, will I boast of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may be mine. So I rejoice, when I suffer infirmities, humiliations, want, persecutions: all for Christ! For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Gospel: Mk 6:1-6

Leaving that place, Jesus returned to his own country, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and most of those who heard him were astonished. But they said, “How did this come to him? What kind of wisdom has been given to him, that he also performs such miracles? Who is he but the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here among us?” So they took offense at him.

And Jesus said to them, “Prophets are despised only in their own country, among their relatives, and in their own family.” And he could work no miracles there, but only healed a few sick people, by laying his hands on them. Jesus himself was astounded at their unbelief.

Lectio Divina

Read: Ezra is called to be a prophet who will preach God’s message irrespective of people’s response. Paul does a plainspeak about his weaknesses which God gracefully uses for God’s own purposes. Jesus’ own townsfolk takes offense at his preaching and is astounded by their unbelief.

Reflect: It is interesting to note that Jesus is taken aback by the lack of faith among his own people. We, human beings, are normally astounded by the height of faith that some people have. Lack of faith seems a run-of-the-mill category, an everyday reality within and around us. But it looks like, for God, it is the opposite: For Him, faith is an everyday act and lack of faith is surprising. And how the lack of faith prevents even the efficacy of God’s own initiatives for human welfare: Jesus was unable to perform many miracles due to the hardness of people’s hearts. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have faith as an everyday presence in our lives! Then we would see even our weaknesses and tragedies becoming channels of God’s Grace, as Paul could.

Pray: Pray for the gift of deep faith.

Act: In humility, surrender to God your weaknesses, asking Him to transform them for His purposes.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

July 7, 2018 Saturday

13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Blessed Virgin Mary
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green/White)

Ps 85:9ab & 10, 11-12, 13-14
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

1^st Reading: Am 9:11-15

On that day, I shall restore the fallen hut of David and wall up its breaches, and raise its ruined walls; and so build it as in days of old.

They shall conquer the remnant of Edom, and the neighboring nations, upon which my name has been called.” Thus says Yahweh, the one who will do this.

Yahweh says also, “The days are coming when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes overtake the sower. The mountains shall drip sweet wine and all the hills shall melt.

I shall bring back the exiles of my people Israel; they will rebuild the desolate cities and dwell in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will have orchards and eat their fruit. I shall plant them in their own country and they shall never again be rooted up from the land which I have given them,” says Yahweh your God.

Gospel: Mt 9:14-17

Then the disciples of John came to him with the question, “How is it, that we and the Pharisees fast on many occasions, but not your disciples?”

Jesus answered them, “How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The time will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then, they will fast. No one patches an old coat with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for the patch will shrink and tear an even bigger hole in the coat.

In the same way, you don’t put new wine into old wine skins. If you do, the wine skins will burst and the wine will be spilt. No, you put new wine into fresh skins; then both are preserved.”

Reflections

How is it, that we and
the Pharisees fast on
many occasions,
but not your disciples?

John the Baptist lived an ascetical life in the desert. His disciples asked Jesus why he and his disciples didn’t fast as much as they did. Jesus explained that his presence among them called for celebration and thanksgiving.

Indeed, we do not fast and mortify ourselves in order to suffer. Suffering and pain are not ends in themselves. We fast and pray for the sake of higher values — in order to discipline our appetites, to express solidarity with the hungry and poor, to be one with Jesus who suffers out of love for us all.

Daily Reflection 2018

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

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