Daily Reflection

May 19, 2017 Friday

5TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 1 / (White/Red)
St. John I, pope & martyr

Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1^st Reading: Acts 15:22-31

Then the apostles and elders, together with the whole Church, decided to choose representatives from among them, to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These were Judas, known as Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. They took with them the following letter:

”Greetings from the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the believers of non-Jewish birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We have heard, that some persons from among us have worried you with their discussions, and troubled your peace of mind. They were not appointed by us. But now, it has seemed right to us, in an assembly, to choose representatives, and to send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. We send you, then, Judas and Silas, who, themselves, will give you these instructions by word of mouth.

We, with the Holy Spirit, have decided not to put any other burden on you except what is necessary: You are to abstain from blood; from the meat of strangled animals; and from prohibited marriages. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

After saying goodbye, the messengers went to Antioch, where they assembled the community and handed them the letter. When they read the news, all were delighted with the encouragement it gave them.

Gospel: Jn 15:12-17

Jesus said to his disciples: ”This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you! There is no greater love than this, to give one‘s life for one‘s friends; and you are my friends, if you do what I command you.

”I shall not call you servants anymore, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead, I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father.

”You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. This is my command, that you love one another.”

REFLECTION:

Loving is easy when it does not need much effort and stays on the level of feelings only. It is tested when such loving has a cost. Jesus identified the type of love that His disciples ought to extend to one another. It is a love that is unfazed even if the cost is to give one‘s life for one‘s friend. This selfless love is the new commandment of Jesus.

But why is it that Jesus imposed this commandment to His disciples It seemed to be an impossible task. We are naturally jealous of our own comfort and well-being. Our self-centeredness is not only about vanity. It sometimes is about survival. Perhaps the reason is because Jesus wants to share His very attitude to other people to His friends. He Himself showed them that this is possible. He walked His talk. And so Jesus tells His disciple to adhere to the Law of Love so that they will be known as His friends who shared His life during the end of time.

Daily Gospel ® is a product 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.

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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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Readings and Reflections
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May 18, 2017 Thursday

5TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 1 / (White/Red)
St. John I, pope & martyr

Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1^st Reading: Acts 15:7-21

As the discussions became heated, Peter stood up and said to them, ”Brothers, you know that from the beginning, God chose me among you, so that non-Jews could hear the Good News from me, and believe. God, who can read hearts, put himself on their side, by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, and cleansed their hearts through faith. So, why do you want to put God to the test? Why do you lay on the disciples, a burden that neither our ancestors nor we, ourselves, were able to carry? We believe, indeed, that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”

The whole assembly kept silent as they listened to Paul and Barnabas tell of all the miraculous signs and wonders that God had done, through them, among the non-Jews.

After they had finished, James spoke up, ”Listen to me, brothers. Symeon has just explained how God first showed his care, by taking a people for himself from non-Jewish nations. And the words of the prophets agree with this, for Scripture says,

After this I will return and rebuild the booth of David which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again. Then, the rest of humanity will look for the Lord, and all the nations will be consecrated to my Name. So says the Lord, who does today what he decided from the beginning.

Because of this, I think that we should not make difficulties for those non-Jews who are turning to God. Let us just tell them, not to eat food that is unclean from having been offered to idols; to keep themselves from prohibited marriages; and not to eat the flesh of animals that have been strangled; or any blood. For, from the earliest times, Moses has been taught in every place, and every Sabbath his laws are recalled.”

Gospel: Jn 15:9-11

Jesus said to his disciples: ”As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love! You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father‘s commandments and remain in his love!

”I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.”

REFLECTION:

Love is a complicated word. It is so powerful that its misuse sometimes lead to fatal consequences. That is why Jesus was careful to pronounce words of love to His disciples. This is not just a feeling that springs from a happy, grateful or magnanimous heart. His love for His disciples is a commitment. He will take responsibility of this love professed to them. That is why He traces the origin of this love. As the Father loved Him so He will love His own. So the Father is the originator of this Love. Jesus has experienced this love and is now willing to share it. He had the love in abundance from His loving Father. He does not need to invent it on His own. So whenever we make an act of love, may it flow from a heart that knew of Jesus‘ love so that it will ultimately connect with the love of the Father.

Daily Reflection

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

May 17, 2017 Wednesday

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

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1^st Reading: Acts 15:1-6

Some persons, who had come from Judea to Antioch, were teaching the brothers in this way, ”Unless you are circumcised, according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Because of this, there was trouble; and Paul and Barnabas had fierce arguments with them. For Paul told the people to remain as they were, when they became believers. Finally, those who had come from Jerusalem suggested that Paul and Barnabas and some others go up to Jerusalem, to discuss the matter with the apostles and elders.

They were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had turned to God; and there was great joy among all the brothers and sisters.

On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, the apostles and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them. Some believers, however, who be longed to the party of the Pharisees, stood up and said, that non-Jewish men must be circumcised and instructed to keep the law of Moses. So the apostles and elders met together to consider this matter.

Gospel: Jn 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: ”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.”

REFLECTION:

Pruning is a good agricultural practice. You take something that is not helpful from a plant in order for it to direct its vigor on those that can give better returns. This means that not all growth facilitates fruitfulness. It may just be a distraction that has no value in the end. It just takes precious resources without giving a favorable return. We too are exhorted to practice ”pruning” in our daily life. For Jesus Christ images us as His branches. He is the source of our fecundity. Grafted in Him, we cannot help but lead fruitful lives.

But in time, we sometimes become complacent. The God given sustenance for a fruitful life is not used for its purpose. We become a lifeless, useless appendage of the vine who is Jesus Himself. This is where we become candidates for pruning. We feel the pain, but this is a transformative pain. It is necessary to jumpstart our being productive. As long as we remain with Jesus, our fruitfulness is guaranteed.

Daily Reflection

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

May 16, 2017 Tuesday

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

Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 21
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

1^st Reading: Acts 14:19-28

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the people against them. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him for dead. But, when his disciples gathered around him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day, he left for Derbe with Barnabas.

After proclaiming the gospel in that town and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium, and on to Antioch. They were strengthening the disciples, and encouraging them to remain firm in the faith; for they said, ”We must go through many trials to enter the kingdom of God.” In each church they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had placed their faith.

Then they traveled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. They preached the word in Perga and went down to Attalia. From there, they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to God‘s grace, for the task they had now completed.

On their arrival, they gathered the Church together, and told them all that God had done through them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the non-Jews. They spent a fairly long time there with the disciples.

Gospel: Jn 14:27-31a

Jesus said to his disciples: ”Peace be with you! My peace I give to you; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you. Do not be troubled! Do not be afraid! You heard me say, ‘I am going away, but I am coming to you.‘ If you loved me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

”I have told you this now before it takes place, so that when it does happen you may believe. There is very little left for me to tell you, for the prince of this world is at hand, although there is nothing in me that he can claim. But see, the world must know that I love the Father, and that I do what the Father has taught me to do. Come now, let us go.”

REFLECTION:

There is nothing left to do. Jesus has made peace with His fate. He goes to His passion and death with calmness that only a peaceful heart could radiate. It will not soften the violence He will face nor reduce the pain He will endure. But a ready heart confers quiet strength and dignity to one who will be lead to the slaughterhouse later.

And this is the peace that Jesus wants to impart to us. A peace that does not shrink from the evil of this world. On the contrary it took stock of this evil and find it not so intimidating at all. It could postpone or delay our projects in life. It could even halt it temporarily, but good will always triumph in the end. So Jesus prepared His own before evil will take a shot at Him. He reminded them not to be drowned in the horrors that will unfold but to look firmly with hope at His promise to return to take His own to be with Him forever. The separation is but temporary and the reunion will last through eternity.

Daily Reflection

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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