Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)

Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
I will praise you, Lord,
in the assembly of your people.

1^st Reading: Acts 9:26-31

When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were afraid of him, because they could not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He recounted to them how Saul had seen the Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He told them, also, how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

Then Saul began to live with them. He moved about freely in Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord. He also spoke to the Hellenists; and argued with them. But they wanted to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Meanwhile, the Church had peace. It was building up throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, with eyes turned to the Lord, and filled with comfort from the Holy Spirit.

2^nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:18-24

My dear children, let us love, not only with words and with our lips, but in truth and in deed. Then, we shall know that we are of the truth, and we may calm our conscience in his presence. Every time it reproaches us, let us say: God is greater than our conscience, and he knows everything.

When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God. Then, whatever we ask, we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

His command is, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and that, we love one another, as he has commanded us.

Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us, that we know he lives in us.

Gospel: Jn 15:1-8

 I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. If any of my branches doesn’t bear fruit, he breaks it off; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, that it may bear even more fruit.

You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you. Live in me as I live in you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself, but has to remain part of the vine; so neither can you, if you don’t remain in me.

I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away, as they do with branches, and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask whatever you want, and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit: it is then that you become my disciples.

Lectio Divina

Read: Christ wins Saul over and Saul becomes a firm believer. John invites all Christians to love in truth and deed. If we abide in Jesus, the true vine, we shall become his branches and produce fruit worthy of God.

Reflect: Unlike many other plants, the vine and its branches­ share a special, unique relationship – you can never identify where the stem of the vine ends and a branch begins. It is as if the stem is the branch. Hence, the metaphor of vine and the branches brings out a unique relationship between Jesus and us: for those who abide in him, one can never know where Christ ends and they begin. The truth is, in those who truly abide in Christ, it is Christ all the way. With Paul, they can sing, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).

Pray: Lord Jesus, abide in me so that I become you.

Act: Draw up an image that captures your present relationship with Christ. How far or near is that image from the relationship between vine and the branches?

Daily Reflection 2018

Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

Bible Diary ® 2018
Copyright © 2O17 
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
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Web: www.claretianph.com

4TH WEEK OF EASTER
St. Peter Chanel, priest & martyr /
St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, priest
Psalter: Week 4 / (White/Red)

Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
All the ends of the earth have seen
the saving power of God.

1^st Reading: Acts 13:44-52

As Paul and Barnabas withdrew, they were invited to speak again on the same subject the following Sabbath. After that, when the assembly broke up, many Jews and devout God-fearing people followed them; and to these, they spoke, urging them to hold fast to the grace of God.

The following Sabbath, almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose, with insults, whatever Paul said.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary, that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it, and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this, and praised the message of the Lord; and all those destined for everlasting life believed in it. Thus the word spread, throughout the whole region.

Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing women of the upper class, and the leading men of the city as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally, they had them expelled from their region. The apostles shook the dust from their feet, in protest against this people, and went to Iconium, leaving the disciples, filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Gospel: Jn 14:7-14

 “If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him, and you have seen him.”

Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough.” Jesus said to him, “What! I have been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

“All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do.

“Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these, for I am going to the Father. Everything you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Indeed, anything you ask, calling upon my name, I will do it.“

Reflections

EVERYTHING YOU ASK IN MY NAME, I WILL DO.

This is a promise that Jesus made and he always fulfills what he promises. Some may object and say “I prayed and prayed for something, but I did not get it.” There is also a saying that goes: Be careful what you ask, you may actually get it and will be sorry you got it. The thing is God knows what is good for us more than we do. I remember when I was just a young Sister, I was enjoying my teaching in St. Scholastica’s Manila and I was a bit disappointed when I was told I was going to be transferred to St. Agnes in Legazpi. And yet looking back, those two years in Legazpi are where I really grew up and learned not only to be a real teacher but to take care of young girls since I was appointed in charge of the boarders. I also learned to make speeches for the contestants to the BACS meet or mini Olympics of the schools of the region. It is where I learned to be creative and innovative. God does answer our prayers, not just in the way we want it.

Daily Reflection 2018

Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

Bible Diary ® 2018
Copyright © 2O17 
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

4TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)

Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
You are my Son; this day
I have begotten you.

1^st Reading: Acts 13:26-33

Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham, and you, also, who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent. It is a fact, that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and their leaders, did not recognize Jesus. Yet, in condemning him, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, but not understood. Even though they found no charge against him that deserved death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And after they had carried out all that had been written concerning him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days thereafter, he showed himself, to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They have now become his witnesses before the people. We, ourselves, announce to you this Good News: All that God promised our ancestors, he has fulfilled, for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus, according to what is written in the second psalm: You are my Son, today I have begotten you.

Gospel: Jn 14:1-6

 “Do not be troubled! Trust in God and trust in me! In my Father’s house there are many rooms; otherwise, I would not have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me, so that where I am, you also may be. Yet you know the way where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.“

Reflections

I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE

This saying is one of those proclamations of Jesus that could not be possible if he were not God. How can any mere human being say he is THE way, THE truth, and THE life? We all want to be sure that our life’s journey is leading to somewhere meaningful. We know that along the way, we can stray, we can be distracted by temptations, by seductive siren songs. Who will bring us back to the right path and continue on our journey? CHRIST! We all seek the truth. In our world today there are more lies than truth. Advertisements deceive us at every click of the TV remote. Newspapers and the social media can write false stories as if they really happened. Politicians promise us what they know they cannot fulfill. In our everyday dealings with people, we experience being cheated, lied to, betrayed. Where can we find the truth? IN CHRIST. We cherish our life but around us there is developing a culture of death. Life is becoming cheap. And we have around us people whose lives are miserable, threatened, eroded by poverty, exploitation, injustice. Where can we find life — life in all its fullness? IN CHRIST!

Daily Reflection 2018

Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

Bible Diary ® 2018
Copyright © 2O17 
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

4TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)

Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 & 27
For ever I will sing
the goodness of the Lord.

1^st Reading: Acts 13:13-25

From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and came to Perga in Pamphylia. There, John left them and returned to Jerusalem, while they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent this message to them, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the assembly, please speak up.”

So Paul arose, motioned to them for silence and began, “Fellow Israelites and, also, all you who fear God, listen. The God of our people Israel chose our ancestors; and after he had made them increase during their stay in Egypt, he led them out by powerful deeds. For forty years he fed them in the desert; and after he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took four hundred and fifty years. After that, he gave them Judges, until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin; and he was king for forty years. After that time, God removed him and raised up David as king, to whom he bore witness saying: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all I want him to do.

It is from the descendants of David that God has now raised up the promised Savior of Israel, Jesus. Before he appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel. As John was ending his life’s work, he said: ‘I am not what you think I am, for, after me, another one is coming, whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.

Gospel: Jn 13:16-20

 “Truly, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his master, nor is the messenger greater than he who sent him. Understand this, and blessed are you, if you put it into practice.“

“I am not speaking of you all, because I know the ones I have chosen, and the Scripture has to be fulfilled which says: The one who shares my table will rise up against me. I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may know that I am He.“

“Truly, I say to you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.”

Reflections

WHOEVER WELCOMES THE ONE I SEND, WELCOMES ME.

Although we know this theoretically, in our daily lives, do we really see Christ in those who come to us? Everyone we meet in our life is someone that is sent to us by Christ. So how can we wave away a beggar who knocks at the window of our car? How can we hide from someone who pesters us with her (what we consider ) trivial concerns? We often wish we were in Christ’s time, that we could see him daily and live close to him. In reality, if we did live in his lifetime and saw him everyday, we would not recognize him. Just like his neighbors, we would ask: ”Who is this who speaks with authority, when we know he is, the son of our neighbor Joseph and his wife, Mary?” It really takes faith to recognize Christ in those whom we meet in our daily lives. This requires MINDFULNESS – a constant watchfulness so that we will not miss the moment of our visitation.

Daily Reflection 2018

Bible Diary ® is a product of Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

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

 

Bible Diary ® 2018
Copyright © 2O17 
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com