Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Phil 3,17-4,1 / Lk 16,1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when

I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promisory note.  Site down and quickly write one for fifty.  Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Let us do our work with honesty and integrity.

The Post Courier and The National are the two major newspapers in Papua New Guinea (PNG). And like any newspapers they contain news around the country and the world. For the past weeks, the headlines have been about some government ministers accused of misappropriation, bribery and corruption, and at least 3 of them were convicted.

PNG is gifted with huge deposits of oil and gas, a rich country, but many say the money goes to a few individuals. The evidence: bad roads, dilapidated infrastructures, poor hospitals, shortage of classrooms for students, delayed payments and salaries, etc.

On the other hand, the government claims that country has a booming economy, thanks to a few individuals who sacrificed for this end. This situation shows the government’s untiring eff ort to uplift the people’s lives, and to promote honesty and integrity as a tool for improvements and avoidance of corruption.

Whatever big or small job we have is a gift entrusted to us by God, hence we are called to do it right, with honesty and integrity, and the best we can. Then we expect the fruits of our labor as righteous in the eyes of God and of people. Honest people are rewarded on earth and in heaven.

• Fr. Ronie B. Teman, SVD | Papua New Guinea

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Phil 3,3-8 / Lk 15,1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable: “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the dessert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it, and when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Maybe you have experienced this when you accidentally meet an old friend you have not seen for a long time. The joy of being reunited with someone important in your life and resuming a relationship that you thought was gone forever may be similar to the feeling evoked in the gospel story of finding the lost sheep and the lost coin. A sinner who repented is shown also as like something that was lost and now is found. It is definitely also a cause for joy.

In the gospel story, the one who lost the one sheep made an extraordinary eff ort to recover it. The woman who lost the coin also searched high and low until she found it. The eff ort exerted showed how valuable or how important the lost sheep or lost coin was. It is a reminder to us that when we lose someone to a life of sin, it is our duty to do our best to find that person, to lead him/her back to repentance. We may also ask ourselves when we lose someone to sin whether we have unwittingly led that person to sin by our apathy or indifference. This is what community life is: we become concerned with whatever happens to a brother or sister. We become alarmed when someone strays from the true path. We rejoice with the angels when we are able to nd that person and restore him/her to a life of grace. We are responsible for one another, and as we say, “Walang iwanan

• Fr. Gil Alejandria, SVD | CTManila

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Mt 25,31-46

Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left . Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

IN OTHER WORDS

When I was a deacon, I once found myself at a buffet table being offered help with food by one who said in half-jest , “I’ll serve him first because he’ll be my lawyer when we are to face God.” I shared this experience to the Parish Priest, commenting how people exaggerate their view of us priests. As a response to my comment, the Parish Priest cited to me the words of Christ, “I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will certainly receive a reward.” (Mk. 9:41) This citation struck me and made me tell myself: “I need a lawyer too and a much better one.” So each time I encounter a poor person, I tell myself: “This one will be my lawyer before God.”

The words of Christ in today’s Gospel should ring in our ears as words of caution: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Of course, it sounds too selfish when we look at the poor, the marginalized, and the needy as mere means for our entrance to heaven. We need to pray for real conversion, so we can truly see the face of Jesus in their faces and feel the cry of Jesus in their cries, and so love them and help them in a way we should be loving and helping Jesus. Jesus identifies himself with the most disadvantaged of persons and this should make us look differently at the order in this world. Whereas the world gives importance to the rich and the powerful, we need to tend our gaze at and our hearts to the ight of the most destitute of our brothers and sisters.

• Fr. Jerry Songcog, SVD | Madagascar

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

FIRST READING: Rv 7: 2–4.9–14

I, John saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb

SECOND READING: 1 Jn 3: 1–3

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

GOSPEL: Mt 5: 1–12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

IN OTHER WORDS

In 2010, my 8th year in priestly ordination, I organized with friends, benefactors and parishioners a simple charity concert and dinner at the church here in Japan, for an education fund for kids back home. A blessed day for me and hopefully for three children recipients. It was for gratitude and service to God who has chosen me in my unworthiness.

In Ofunato - devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – when I facilitated the Lenten retreat of the Filipino community there, I asked them for an event in their life when they felt a heavy trial and one when they felt blessed. All of them named the tsunami experience for the first and most of them answered the same for the second. They are blest because of HIM.

A wife struggling with her husband in marriage, cannot leave him because, as she reflects to understand it all, she realizes that he is a good man and provider, even if she longs for warmth and care in the relationship. She still struggles about accepting things and how to make the marriage work but offers all to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and talks to His mother Mary about her struggle to love. Despite this, she is truly blest because of Him.

Every moment of one’s life lived in God is a blessed moment. In grief and in pain, joy and celebration, persecution and confusion, every moment lived in God is a blessed moment. Blessed are the saints and blessed are you because of Him.

• Fr. Angel Peralta, Jr., SVD | Japan

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word