Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Ac 13,26-33 / Jn 14,1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

IN OTHER WORDS

An experience that is familiar to most of us is “being brought” and “being met.” When we go to the airport, especially to travel abroad, we seldom go alone. Someone nearly always brings us there or accompanies us. Upon arrival we like to be met by loved ones. The Filipino language describes this experience much better than English with the two simple words hatid/sundo. These words carry a lot of meaning because the experience they describe is so much a part of Filipino culture Even though it defies practical logic large numbers of family members and friends will still insist on going to the airport to send off or meet their loved one, no matter how inconvenient.

In our Gospel reading the words of Jesus truly capture the emotions of the hatid/sundo experience with the undertones of sadness and anticipated joy. It is no surprise that this reading is so often used for funeral Masses. We sense the inclusive love of Jesus as he goes to prepare a place for us. And this is for absolutely everybody. There is no crowding in heaven, salvation is for all. The idea of Jesus meeting us to accompany us to the place prepared is very encouraging and a great consolation for those who must let their ones go at death. May we indeed be ready at that crucial moment when Jesus awaits our arrival.

Jesus also does what we cannot do when we see off our departing loved ones at the airport.

We must go home again but Jesus goes with us on the journey. He is our way who keeps us from traveling in wrong directions that lead to darkness and death. In other words, the one who believes in Jesus is invited to share in eternal life even now.

As I write this I have just heard of the death of a dear friend. Although still young, I believe he was truly ready to take the hand of Jesus who was waiting for him. I am praying for Jun’s wife Molly and daughter Patricia as they continue their journey with Jesus, their way, truth and life. Jesus cannot take away the pain of departure but he gives us the consoling joy of knowing that our departed one is safe with him.

• Fr. John O’Mahony, SVD | DWST, Tagaytay City

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

Ac 13,13-25 / Jn 13,16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen.  But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “The One who ate my food has raised his heel against me.’ From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

IN OTHER WORDS

A well-dressed gentleman was on his way to the bishop’s house. Near the entrance he spotted somebody cleaning the garden. “Excuse me,” he said, “I want to see My Lord.” “Here I am,” the other replied. “Anything I can do for you?” The gentleman was taken aback, very embarrassed, he mistook his Excellence for a gardener. Should he be?

Titles and persons could be misleading. We see Jesus the Master doing the work of a slave.  Jesus is bending down, putting himself lower than his disciples, washing their feet. Still in many places in Africa the subjects have to be in kneeling position before their chief as a sign of respect and reverence. Yes, Jesus heard his disciples quarrelling, competing for the highest place. While the disciples sought for superiority, Jesus bowed down before them. Paradoxically in his humble posture he revealed who he was: “I am He”, the same title of the Father, a name above all other names. Jesus is the “Lord”! The disciples could only be blessed if they behaved accordingly. Their identity should be that they were those who served and were not to be served!

Another designation with which Jesus wanted his disciples to identify was “those whom he sent”. This is in fact the original meaning of a missionary. An apostle is sent in the name of Jesus himself and not on his own personal initiative. There should therefore be no room for competition.  Jesus the Sender of the apostles is also Sent, by the Father. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (Jn 20:21). The motive of the sending is Love that saves. God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that those who believe in him receive eternal life (Jn 3:15). Jesus expected that those he sent should be received in the same way as they would the sender himself.

Many a times, unfortunately, a community as well as its mission are weakened because of the quarrelling among its members and competition among its leaders. Could it be the reason why John put the “washing of the feet” in the limelight as he recorded the Last Supper?

• Fr. Xene Sanchez, SVD | Congo, Africa

The Word in other words 2016

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

Ac 12,24-13,5 / Jn 12,44-50

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.

IN OTHER WORDS

What is this that God would like to enter into the life of the world, that he even finds ways to make himself closer to the lives of the people? The gospel relates how God revealed himself to us through Jesus and how Jesus would like to instill in our minds and hearts that the Father in heaven sent Him and seeing Him is also seeing the Father. Hearing his Words is believing in him and everything he says are the Words of the Father. Thus, his coming is Light to our lives.

This is good news, that in Jesus Christ, God is not a distant person, He is a God with whom we can speak to, we can know, and we can tangibly establish a close and personal relationship with.

Wonderful revelation indeed from Jesus. This revelation of Jesus and his purpose in coming to us may also be a call to a renewal of our faith: How far have we gone with our believing in Jesus? Is our faith in Him still of value? In as much as Jesus assures us light in our Faith, His light is hope to our day to day life. As the light gives brightness to our way, our faith in him gives a direction towards how we are to live a joyful and meaningful life.

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

• Fr. Ronilo T. Borja, SVD | SVD, Retreat House, Baguio City

The Word in other words 2016

The Word in other words 2016

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

Ac 11,19-26 / Jn 10,22-30

The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”  Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

IN OTHER WORDS

To understand God is truly a very challenging task. How can a finite brain grasp the infinite God? How much more baffling that would be when someone identifies himself with God?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaimed: “The Father and I are one.” Jesus meant it literally, that He and the Father are One. But the people couldn’t accept it. For them, Jesus blasphemed!

Jesus’ creativity came out when, instead of arguing with the Jews to prove that He and God are One, he took a little detour. Jesus wanted to challenge the Jews. Instead of proving that he is God, Jesus threw the issue to them – they, too, are “gods”!

In John 10:34, Jesus said: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods?’” Jesus quoted Psalm 82:6 which says, “I said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’” Jesus was asserting the true nature of human beings – we are all children of God, the Most High!

If we follow the argument to its logical conclusion, we dare say that anyone who is son or daughter of God, must also be “god”! If the Jews could not understand or accept that, then, they could not probably understand or accept that Jesus and God are One.

For me as a human person, to say that I’m a son of God has a great impact on my life. I know that I’m finite and imperfect but to believe that I came from an Infinite Being – the Most High - is a noble assurance. Only with an eye of faith that one can accept this truth.

If Jesus proclaimed that He and God are One in John 10:30, St. Paul, in Galatians 2:20, declared, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” In effect, St. Paul is saying: “Jesus and I are One.” St. Paul personally experienced this “Oneness” on his way to Damascus to persecute Jesus’ followers. In Acts 9:4ff , Jesus said: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul asked, “Who are You,Lord?” Jesus answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting…” With St. Paul, we say: “Jesus and I are One.”

• Fr. Glenn Paul Gomez, SVD | DWC, San Jose, Occ. Mindoro

The Word in other words 2016

The Word in other words 2016

The Word in other words 2016

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