Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)

Ps 93: 1ab.,1cd-2, 5
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

1^st Reading: Sir 1:1-10

All wisdom comes from the Lord and endures with him forever.
The grains of sand, the drops of rain and the days of eternity, who can count them?
The height of heaven, the extent of the earth and the depths of the abyss, who can measure them?
Wisdom was created before all things and the prudent intellect before the beginning of time.
To whom was the source of Wisdom revealed? Who has known her secret designs?
One alone is wise and greatly to be feared. The One who is seated upon his throne.
The Lord himself created Wisdom. He looked on her and knew her value. He poured her out over all his works; upon all mortal beings, in accordance with his goodness. He lavished her on those who love him.

Gospel: Mk 9:14-29*

When they came to the place where they had left the disciples, they saw many people around them and some teachers of the law arguing with them. When the people saw Jesus, they were astonished and ran to greet him.

He asked, “What are you arguing about with them?” A man answered him from the crowd, “Master, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit, deaf and mute. Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not.”

Jesus replied, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him.

As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy, who fell on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “From childhood. And it has often thrown him into the fi re and into the water to destroy him. If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”

Jesus said to him, “Why do you say, ‘If you can?’ All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately, the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe, but help the little faith I have.”

Jesus saw that the crowd was increasing rapidly, so he ordered the evil spirit, “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you: Leave the boy and never enter him again.” The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy and with a terrible shriek came out. The boy lay like a corpse and people said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and the boy stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?” And he answered, “Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else.”

REFLECTION:

Help the Little Faith I have

Last Saturday we spoke about having the Faith of our ancestors. Today we encounter in the Gospel a man who confesses that he has little faith and so he asks the Lord to help his little faith. His humble admission of his weak faith moved the Lord to act on the plea of the helpless father.

Sometimes we can feel that we are most unworthy of Divine intervention. When we think thus, we put limits to what God can do. This father with little faith tells us, however, that when we humbly admit our limitations we eventually surrender to God’s powerful intervention! Little faith we indeed may have, but if we humble ourselves before the powerful God so many great things can happen to us!

In truth, true Faith is recognizing that we indeed are helpless without the grace of God. The flipside, so to speak, of faith is humility. One who has great humility will have his little faith complimented! We pray with the distraught father in the Gospel today: “Lord, help the little faith I have!“

Daily Reflection

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.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

7TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
The Lord is kind and merciful.

1^st Reading: Lev 19:1-2, 17-18

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, “Speak to the entire assembly of the people of Israel and say to them: Be holy for I, Yahweh, your God, am holy.

Do not hate your brother in your heart; rebuke your neighbor frankly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or nurture a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.

2^nd Reading: 1 Cor 3:16-23

Do you not know that you are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit abides within you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. God’s temple is holy, and you are this temple.

Do not deceive yourselves. If anyone of you considers himself wise in the ways of the world, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s eyes. To this, Scripture says: God catches the wise in their own wisdom. It also says: The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is useless.

Because of this, let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you; Paul, Apollos, Cephas life, death, the present and the future. Everything is yours, and you, you belong to Christ, and Christ is of God.

Gospel: Mt 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard, that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give him your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give when asked, and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard, that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

“If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. “

REFLECTION:

Read: Yahweh invites people to share in his holiness. Once we do so, we become the temple of God, where His Spirit dwells. Jesus explains how being holy and God’s temple demands certain behavioral and relational imperatives.

Reflect: Being God’s temple, we are invited to practice everyday holiness. But doing so goes against the wisdom of the world and would invite world’s rejection. You might have to walk a lonely path. Are you ready for walking this narrow path?

Pray: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, make my heart your home.

Act: Mend a broken relationship in your life.

Daily Reflection

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.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

Psalter: Week 2 / (Green/White)
Memorial of Blessed Virgin Mary

Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11
I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

1^st Reading: Heb 11:1-7

Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see. Because of their faith, our ancestors were approved.

By faith, we understand that the stages of creation were disposed by God’s word, and what is visible came from what cannot be seen.

Because of Abel’s faith his offering was more acceptable than that of his brother Cain, which meant he was upright, and God, himself, approved his offering. Because of this faith he cried to God, as said in Scripture, even after he died.

By faith, Enoch was taken to heaven, instead of experiencing death: he could not be found, because God had taken him. In fact, it is said, that before being taken up, he had pleased God. Yet, without faith, it is impossible to please him: no one draws near to God, without first believing, that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him earnestly.

By faith, Noah was instructed of events which could not yet be seen and, heeding what he heard, he built a boat, in which to save his family. The faith of Noah condemned the world, and he reached holiness, born of faith.

Gospel: Mk 9:2-13

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain. There, his appearance was changed before their eyes. Even his clothes shone, becoming as white as no bleach of this world could make them. Elijah and Moses appeared to them; the two were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.“ For he did not know what to say: they were overcome with awe. But a cloud formed, covering them in a shadow, and from the cloud came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved: listen to him!“ And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus with them.

As they came down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept this to themselves, although they discussed with one another what ‘to rise from the dead’ could mean.

 Finally they asked him, “Why, then, do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?“ Jesus answered them, “Of course Elijah will come first, so that everything may be as it should be. But why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be despised? I tell you that Elijah has already come; and they have treated him as they pleased, as the Scriptures say of him.“

REFLECTION:

Journeying in Faith

The letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we journey in Faith, just like our ancestors in the Faith. In the encyclical “Lumen Fidei“ (the unique document of two Popes–Benedict and Francis), we are told that Faith illumines the path of believers. It was Faith that led Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites to the Promised Land. It was Faith that made the Magi kneel before the infant in Bethlehem. It was Faith that made the Martyrs face death bravely and with joy! It will be Faith also that will make the Christian of today stand firm in the Faith against all the attack leveled at the Church and her teachings!

 Faith is trusting that our God cannot lie. Though at times our reason cannot fathom the ways of God, yet do we remain faithful for we are certain that God wills what is good for us. Though we walk through the valley of death we will not be afraid because Jesus, our Good Shepherd will be there to see us through (see Ps 23).

 Perhaps today might be a good time to renew our Faith in our faithful God. We may tell Him our troubles and worries, our difficulties and frustrations. And we can sing “Be not afraid, I go before you always. Come follow me, and I will give you rest

Daily Reflection

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.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green/White)
The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order

Ps 33:10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

1^st Reading: Gen 11:1-9

The whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled.

They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.“ They used brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. They said also, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth!“

Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and Yahweh said, “They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other.“

So Yahweh scattered them over all the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth and from there Yahweh scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

Gospel: Mk 8:34–9:1

Then Jesus called the people and his disciples, and said, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself; take up your cross and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, you will save it.

What good is it, to gain the whole world, while destroying your soul? There is nothing more precious than your soul. I tell you, if anyone is ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful people, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.“

And he went on to say, “Truly I tell you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.“

REFLECTION:

Reaching towards God

The story of the Tower of Babel presents a fundamental reality of our being creatures, namely, our longing for God. The desire to reach heaven is at the very core of our being created. As the hind longs for running waters so does the very soul of man long for God (see Ps 42). The towers–both secular and religious–that humanity express that longing for heaven.

The sacred writer through this story reveals to us that the return to God, however, cannot be a human effort. The knowledge and skills of man are not enough and are bound to fail. Man cannot reach out to God from his own human resources. The journey to God is not a human endeavor; it is rather a work of Grace!

The “babel“ that ensued, the multiplication of languages in the world will one day be corrected with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost! The journey back to heaven is to be accomplished not by human efforts but by Grace, by the action of God Himself! For it is in vain that man builds, unless it is the Lord who builds! (see Psalm 127) May we always beg God to bless our journey back to Him.

Daily Reflection

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.

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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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