Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

3RD SUNDAY OF LENT
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet)

Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

1^st Reading: Ex 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17 (or Ex 20:1-17)

God spoke all these words. He said, “I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Do not have other gods before me.
Do not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who takes his name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother that you may have a long life in the land that Yahweh has given you.
Do not kill.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not give false witness against your neighbor.
Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his servant, man or woman, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is his.”

2^nd Reading: 1 Cor 1:22-25

The Jews ask for miracles and the Greeks for a higher knowledge, while we proclaim a crucified Messiah. For the Jews, what a great scandal! And for the Greeks, what nonsense! But he is Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God, for those called by God among both Jews and Greeks. In reality, the “foolishness” of God is wiser than humans, and the “weakness” of God is stronger than humans.

Gospel: Jn 2:13-25

 As the Passover of the Jews was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple court he found merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple court, together with the oxen and sheep. He knocked over the tables of the money-changers, scattering the coins, and ordered the people selling doves, “Take all this away, and stop making a marketplace of my Father’s house!”

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture: Zeal for your house devours me like fire.

The Jews then questioned Jesus, “Where are the miraculous signs which give you the right to do this?” And Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then replied, “The building of this temple has already taken forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?”

Actually, Jesus was referring to the temple of his body. Only when he had risen from the dead did his disciples remember these words; then they believed both the Scripture and the words Jesus had spoken.

Jesus stayed in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, and many believed in his name, when they saw the miraculous signs he performed. But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all of them. He had no need of evidence about anyone, for he himself knew what there was in each one.

Lectio Divina

Read: The Decalogue – the Ten Commandments – are placed before us along with the narrative of Jesus cleansing the temple. Paul reflects on the crucified Messiah as a scandal and nonsense in the eyes of the world, but as the perfect wisdom of God.

Reflect: Understanding the grammar of the cross which is the wisdom of God takes some serious inner cleansing – only if we throw away the merchandise of the world and the many idols that have cluttered our inner sanctuary can we appreciate the meaning and significance of the crucified Messiah who must be placed at the core of our being to be adored as the One True God beside whom no other false gods shall be. If the first commandment has to come alive in our lives, all other lesser loves shall vacate; or rather, all other lesser loves shall be loved in and through the love of the Crucified.

Pray: Pray for an inner cleansing of idols and primacy of the Crucified in your life.

Act: Sit with your family/community; read and reflect together about the Commandment of primacy to God.

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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2ND WEEK OF LENT
St. Katharine Drexel, virgin
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
The Lord is kind and merciful

1^st Reading: Mic 7:14-15, 18-20*

Shepherd your people with your staff, shepherd the flock of your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub, in the midst of a fertile land. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, in the days when you went out of Egypt.

(…) Once again you will show us your lovingkindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea. (…)

Gospel: Lk 15:1-3, 11-32*

 (…) Jesus continued: “There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the estate.’ So the father divided his property between them.

Some days later, the younger son gathered all his belongings and started off for a distant land, where he squandered his wealth in loose living. Having spent everything, he was hard pressed when a severe famine broke out in that land. (…)

Finally coming to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against God, and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me then as one of your hired servants.’ (…)

He was still a long way off, when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’

But the father turned to his servants: ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Bring out the finest robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Take the fattened calf and kill it! We shall celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found!’ And the celebration began.

Meanwhile, the elder son had been working in the fields. As he returned and approached the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what it was all about. The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father is so happy about it that he has ordered this celebration, and killed the fattened calf.’

The elder son became angry, and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him.

(…) The father said, ‘My son, (…) this brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found. (…) And for that we had to rejoice and be glad!

Reflections

THIS MAN WELCOMES SINNERS AND EATS WITH THEM

There is a special place in the heart of Jesus for sinners. He consistently welcomes them, heals them, dines with them. There is a special intimacy when one dines with somebody. It means that one accepts that person. It implies friendship and trust. There are many people in our times that are shunned by “polite society” because they don’t conform to the usual norms. They are made a butt of jokes or spoken about with condescension. But Jesus seeks their company and enjoys being with them. Pope Francis exhibits the same predilection for them. I cannot forget the Pope embracing the man who had this terrible skin affliction with the mottled skin on his face and neck. There was absolutely no abhorrence in the Pope’s embrace. It was genuine, loving and compassionate. May we all learn to be as accepting and as genuinely compassionate to those around us who are judged unfavorably by society.

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

2ND WEEK OF LENT
Day of abstinence from meat (age 14 and up)
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)

Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

1^st Reading: Gen 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a*

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other children, for he was the son of his old age and he had a coat with long sleeves made for him. His brothers, who saw that their father loved him more than he loved them, hated him and could no longer speak to him in a friendly way.

His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flock at Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the flock at Shechem; come along, I’ll send you to them.” (…)

They saw him in the distance and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes the specialist in dreams! Now’s the time! Let’s kill him and throw him into a well. (…)

So as soon as Joseph arrived, they stripped him of his long-sleeved coat that he wore and then took him and threw him in the well. Now the well was empty, without water.

They were sitting for a meal when they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, (…) “What do we gain by killing our brother and hiding his blood? Come! We’ll sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother and our own flesh!” (…)

Gospel: Mt 21:33-43, 45-46*

 Listen to another example: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press, built a watchtower, leased the vineyard to tenants, and thent went to a distant country. When harvest time came, the landowner sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the harvest. But the tenants seized his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. (…)

Finally, he sent his son, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they thought, ‘This is the one who is to inherit the vineyard. Let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do with the tenants when he comes?” They said to him, “He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and lease the vineyard to others, who will pay him in due time.”

And Jesus replied, “Have you never read what the Scriptures say? The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and we marvel at it. (…)

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these parables, they realized that Jesus was referring to them. (…)

Reflections

THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CORNERSTONE

God’s ways are really not our ways. Sometimes we wonder why a person whom we consider unfit for an office is chosen to occupy that office. Of course when Jesus uttered these words, he was referring to himself. He was rejected by his people and yet He was chosen to be the Savior of these very people. Another similar thing that Jesus said is very true: THERE IS NO PROPHET IN ONE’S OWN COUNTRY. The ones closest to him were blinded by this very closeness, because if you had been the neighbor of the Holy Family in Nazareth and you have interacted with them day in and day out, you have seen Mary wash clothes. Maybe St. Joseph repaired your chair. Maybe even Jesus played with your children. Can you really believe that Mary is the Mother of God and Jesus is the Son of God? We really have to learn to see from God’s perspective. And even if we are justified about our misgivings about people we can still get consolation from the fact that: GOD CAN WRITE STRAIGHT WITH CROOKED LINES!

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

2ND WEEK OF LENT
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)

Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

1^st Reading: Jer 17:5-10

This is what Yahweh says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings and depends on a mortal for his life, while his heart is drawn away from Yahweh!
He is like a bunch of thistles in dry land, in parched desert places, in a salt land where no one lives and who never finds happiness.
Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Yahweh and whose confidence is in him! He is like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots towards the stream.
He has no fear when the heat comes, his leaves are always green; the year of drought is no problem and he can always bear fruit.
Most deceitful is the heart. What is there within man, who can understand him? I, Yahweh, search the heart and penetrate the mind. I reward each one according to his ways and the fruit of his deeds.

Gospel: Lk 16:19-31

 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted every day. At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores, who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man’s table. Even dogs used to come and lick his sores. It happened that the poor man died, and angels carried him to take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died, and was buried. From the netherworld where he was in torment, the rich man looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with him Lazarus at rest.

 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus, with the tip of his finger dipped in water, to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire!’

Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off, while the lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort, and you are in agony. But that is not all. Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can cross over from here to you, or from your side to us.

The rich man implored once more, ‘Then I beg you, Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father’s house, where my five brothers live. Let him warn them, so that they may not end up in this place of torment. Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ But the rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham; but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.’“

Reflections

THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IS WITHIN YOU

The most important religious truth is that GOD IS NOT JUST OUT THERE AND EVERYWHERE: GOD IS WITHIN EACH ONE OF US. This is the insight of every religion. The Buddhist calls this THE TRUE SELF. The Hindus are more radical in their statement: GOD IS IN YOU AS YOU. If we truly believe this, then we can pray everywhere and our very person is sacred. The most important prayer is the one that goes within oneself to discover, to commune with and to be one with this Divine in us. This is what meditation is all about. It is not having beautiful thoughts. It is not uttering words of praise, thanksgiving, repentance. It is just being SILENT. It is being PRESENT TO THE PRESENCE. Some can experience moments of this union. In other religions, it can be called enlightenment, kensho. It is a profound experience of oneness with everything that is because the ONE within us is EVERYTHING THAT IS. It is totally God’s gift and cannot be earned. Sometimes it is experienced by someone totally undeserving meaning that this person may not even be religious or may not even know how to meditate. The Spirit blows where she wills. If one has not experienced this, it is also all right. It does not erase the fact that God is within us. What is important is that one is there when God chooses to give us this experience. It is like in a pottery. The important thing is for the clay to be there. It is the potter who will give it its shape.

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