Daily Reflection

June 28, 2018 Thursday

12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Irenaeus, bishop & martyr
Psalter: Week 4 / (Red)

Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9
For the glory of your name,
O Lord, deliver us.

1^st Reading: 2 K 24:8-17*

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he succeeded his father, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. Jehoiachin treated Yahweh badly, as his father had done.

At that time, the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to attack Jerusalem, surrounding the city. Nebuchadnezzar came while the city was being besieged by his men.

Jehoiachin, king of Judah, surrendered, together with his mother, his servants, his leaders and the palace officials. It was the eighth year of he reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar captured them and he took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh and of the king’s house. He also destroyed all the objects of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the Sanctuary of Yahweh. So the word Yahweh had spoken, was fulfilled. (…) Nebuchadnezzar also carried away Jehoiachin, with his mother, his wives, the ministers of the palace, and the prominent men of the land. So all the prominent people, numbering seven thousand, the blacksmiths, numbering a thousand, and all the men fit for war were deported to Babylon by the king of Babylon. He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king of Jerusalem, in place of Jehoiachin. And he changed his name to Zedekiah.

Gospel: Mt 7:21-29

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly, ‘I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!’

“Therefore, anyone who hears these words of mine, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house. But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!”

When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were struck by the way he taught, because he taught with authority, unlike their teachers of the law.

Reflections

anyone who hears these words of mine, and acts according to them, is like
a wise man, who built his house on rock

The Book of Kings retells the story of the exile of the Israelites to Babylon. The Israelites lost their promised land. How could they not reflect about God's fidelity and promises to them? Or wonder whether their sinfulness caused their exile and enslavement? Whenever we suffer, we too search for God amidst the darkness. We too inquire into the cause of our suffering.

In the Gospel, Jesus encourages us to build our house upon solid rock; that is, to anchor our lives upon our faithful God that we not be buffeted by the challenges of life.

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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June 27, 2018 Wednesday

12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop & doctor
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green/White)

Ps 119:33, 34, 36, 37, 40
Teach me the way
of your decrees, O Lord.

1^st Reading: 2 K 22:8-13; 23:1-3

At that moment Hilkiah, the high priest, said to Shaphan, the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of Yahweh.” And he entrusted the Book to Shaphan who read it. Then Shaphan went to the king and said, “We have gathered the money in the house and this has been turned over to the caretakers of the house to make the repairs.”

And Shaphan added, “The priest Hilkiah has turned over a book to me.” And Shaphan read the book to the king. When the king heard the contents of the book, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, the secretary Shaphan, and Asaiah, his minister, to do the following, “Go and consult Yahweh about the threats in this book which you have found. Consult him for me, for the people and for the whole of Judah, since our fathers did not listen to what this book says nor to its ordinances. This is why the anger of Yahweh is ready to burn against us.”

The king summoned to his side all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. Then he went up to the house of Yahweh, followed by all the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The priests with the prophets and all the people went with him, from the youngest to the oldest. When all were gathered, he read to them the Book of the Law found in the house of Yahweh.

The king stood by the pillar; he made a Covenant in the presence of Yahweh, promising to follow him, to keep his commandments and laws, and to respect his ordinances. He promised to keep this Covenant according to what was written in the book with all his heart and with all his soul. And all the people promised with him.

Gospel: Mt 7:15-20

Beware of false prophets: they come to you in sheep’s clothing; but inside, they are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Do you ever pick grapes from thorn bushes; or figs, from thistles?

A good tree always produces good fruit. A rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit; and a rotten tree cannot bear good fruit. Any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruit.

Reflections

He promised to keep this Covenant according to what was written in the book with all his heart and with all his soul

Upon their return from Assyrian exile, the Israelites rebuild their city and their lives. In doing so they find the Book of the Law, the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. King Josiah gathers all the people of Israel, reads from the Torah and renews his people’s covenant with the Lord.

We, too, are exiled every now and then from all that is precious to us and from our true selves. Grace leads us back home where we rediscover God in our lives. Grace

June 26, 2018 Tuesday

12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green)

Ps 48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 10-11
God upholds his city forever.

1^st Reading: 2 K 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36*

Again Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah with these words, “Say to Hezekiah, king of Judah that his God in whom he trusts may be deceiving him in saying that Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands they have destroyed! And will you be spared?

Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers, and when he had read it he went to the house of Yahweh; where he unrolled the letter and prayed saying, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made the heavens and the earth. (…) O Yahweh our God, save us from his hand and let all the kingdoms of the earth know that you alone, Yahweh, are God.”

Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent word to Hezekiah: “You have called upon Yahweh and he has heard your prayer regarding Sennacherib, king of Assyria. (…)

That is why Yahweh has said this concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not enter this city nor shoot his arrows. He shall not raise a shield to oppose it nor build a siege ramp against it. (…) It happened that the angel of Yahweh went out that night and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.

So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed, returned home and lived in Nineveh. While he was worshiping in the temple of his god, Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer slew him with the sword and then escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon, his son, succeeded him as king.

Gospel: Mt 7:6, 12-14

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, or throw your pearls before pigs. They might trample on them, and then turn on you and tear you to pieces. So, do to others whatever you would that others do to you: there, you have the law and the prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go that way. How narrow is the gate that leads to life; and how rough the road; few there are who find it.

Reflections

How narrow is the gate that leads to life

Many of us are Catholics by cultural custom and not by personal choice. We are born into Catholic families and baptized into the Catholic Church as infants. Many of us remain nominal Christians throughout our lives, throwing and wasting the holy and precious values we have received.

We go through life without any firm religious commitment; we make decisions not rooted in our religious convictions. In contrast, the narrow road requires commitment to Jesus and his values, despite the hardship and suffering as a consequence of doing so. But Jesus promises everlasting life for those go through the narrow road.

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

June 25, 2018 Monday

12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green)

Ps 60:3, 4-5, 12-13
Help us with your right hand,
O Lord, and answer us.

1^st Reading: 2 K 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18

The army of the king of Asshur subjected the whole of Israel, coming to Samaria and laying siege to it for three years. In the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, exiled the Israelites to Asshur and made them settle in Halah, at the banks of Habor, the river of Gozan, as well as in the cities of the Medes.

This happened because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh, their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, where they were subject to Pharaoh. But they had turned back to other gods. They followed the customs of the nations which Yahweh had driven out before them.

Yahweh warned Israel and Judah through the mouth of every prophet and seer, saying: “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and precepts according to the laws which I commanded your fathers and which I have sent to you by my servants, the prophets.” But they did not listen and refused, as did their fathers, who did not believe in Yahweh, their God. They despised his statutes and the Covenant he had made with their fathers, and the warnings he had given them. They went after worthless idols and they themselves became worthless, following the nations which surrounded them, in spite of what Yahweh had said, “Do not do as they do.”

So Yahweh became indignant with Israel and cast them far away from his presence, leaving only the tribe of Judah.

Gospel: Mt 7:1-5

Do not judge; and you will not be judged. In the same way you judge others, you will be judged; and the measure you use for others will be used for you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, and not see the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Come, let me take the speck from your eye,’ as long as that plank is in your own? Hypocrite, remove the plank out of your own eye; then, you will see clearly, to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Reflections

Do not judge;
and you will not be judged

Israel is exiled into Assyria because of her infidelity to Yahweh. The Lord judged Israel and found her wanting. However, in our Gospel, Jesus instructs us not to judge anyone. On the one hand, God has the right to judge us, while we do not. On the other hand, the Book of Kings presents a God who judges and punishes due to sin, in contrast to a Jesus who proclaims a God of infinite mercy.

Is it the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament that has changed? Or is it our understanding of God that has evolved?

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

Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

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