Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

FEAST OF ST. MARK, EVANGELIST
Psalter: Proper / (Red)

Ps 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17
Forever I will sing
the goodness of the Lord.

1^st Reading: 1 P 5:5b-14

In the same way, let the younger ones among you respect the authority of the elders. All of you must clothe yourselves with humility, in your dealings with one another, because God opposes the proud but gives his grace to the humble.

Bow down, then, before the power of God, so that he will raise you up at the appointed time. Place all your worries on him, since he takes care of you.

Be sober and alert, because your enemy, the devil,,prowls about, like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Stand your ground, firm in your faith, knowing, that our brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the world, are confronting similar sufferings. God, the giver of all grace, has called you, to share in Christ’s eternal glory, and after you have suffered a little, he will bring you to perfection: he will confirm, strengthen and establish you forever. Glory be to him forever and ever. Amen.

I have had these few lines of encouragement, written to you by Silvanus, our brother, whom I know to be trustworthy. For I wanted to remind you of the kindness of God, really present in all this. Hold on to it. Greetings from the community in Babylon, gathered by God, and from my son, Mark.

Greet one another with a friendly embrace. Peace to you all who are in Christ.

Gospel: Mk 16:15-20

 Then he told them, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

So then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his place at the right hand of God. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.

Reflections

PLACE ALL YOUR WORRIES IN HIM SINCE HE TAKES CARE IF YOU

We have a Sister in our convent who reached the ripe old age of 103. She never was operated on or stayed in the hospital. When asked about her life’s secret, she answered: “Drink a lot of water and surrender yourself to God.” What a practical and holy advice. She said that in the past she worried a lot about her family, if they are having enough to eat, if anyone is sick among them, if they have work, etc. Then one day, at prayer she seemed to hear God’s voice in her soul saying: “Don’t you think that I love your family more than you can ever love them? So from that time, on she put aside all her worries about her family and entrusted them to God. That is what we should do with our worries. We cannot really do anything to solve our problem by worrying about them. After we have done our best to look for the best solution, we should stop worrying and entrust them 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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4TH WEEK OF EASTER
St. Fidel of Sigmaringen
Psalter: Week 4 / (White/Red)

Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
All you nations, praise the Lord.

1^st Reading: Acts 11:19-26

Those who had been scattered, because of the persecution over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, proclaiming the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the good news of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favor, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he, himself, was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus, to look for Saul; and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

Gospel: Jn 10:22-30

 The time came for the feast of the Dedication. It was winter, and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in doubt? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name proclaim who I am, but you don’t believe because, as I said, you are not my sheep.

“My sheep hear my voice and I know them; they follow me and I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, and no one will ever steal them from me. What my Father has given me, is greater than all things else. To snatch it out of the Father’s hand, no one is able! I and the Father are One.”

Reflections

What did Barnabas see in Antioch that he recognized as “manifest signs of God’s favor?” Did he see wealth, prosperity, easy life? Although material blessings also come from God, I think what Barnabas saw was a community of people who love each other, who help each other in their needs, who are untiring in their preaching of the Good News, who are fair with one another and who are living in peace with one another. But maybe he also saw afflicted people suffering patiently, sick people surrendering themselves fully in God’s hands, people forgiving each other. I am sure we know how hard it is to build and maintain such a community. We cannot achieve it with only our human efforts. We truly need God’s grace. That is why when we encounter such a community, we know that they are the manifest sign of God’s favor.

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

4TH WEEK OF EASTER
St. George, martyr /
St. Adalbert, bishop & martyr
Psalter: Week 4 / (White/Red)

Ps 42:2-3; 43:3-4
Athirst is my soul for the living God.

1^st Reading: Acts 11:1-18

News came to the apostles and the brothers and sisters in Judea that even foreigners had received the word of God. So, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, these Jewish believers began to argue with him, “You went to the home of uncircumcised people and ate with them!”

So Peter began to give them the facts as they had happened, “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when, in a trance, I saw a vision. Something like a large sheet came down from the sky and drew near to me, landing on the ground by its four corners. As I stared at it, I saw four-legged creatures of the earth, wild beasts and reptiles, and birds of the sky. Then I heard a voice saying to me: ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord! No common or unclean creature has ever entered my mouth.’

Gospel: Jn 10:1-10

 Truly, I say to you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. But the shepherd of the sheep enters by the gate. The keeper opens the gate to him and the sheep hear his voice; he calls each of his sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but rather they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Jesus used this comparison, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. All who came were thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not hear them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved; he will go in and out freely and find food.

“The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, life in all its fullness.“

Reflections

LIFE IN ALL ITS FULNESS

Jesus said he came to give us life, life in all its fullness. When one looks at our society, there are many people who have not even the bare necessities of life. There are so many Filipinos who do not own their own houses in their own land. In fact there are many street families and those that cannot even eat three times a day. When one asks, why is this so in our land which is so rich in natural resources. It is because there is such an unequal distribution of wealth, there is the foreign control of our economy and there is the greed of those who gain by exploiting other people. Jesus wants us and everyone to have a FULLNESS OF LIFE. Maybe we should begin by doing what we can so that people should at least have their basic necessities fulfilled. We need genuine land reform so that people can own land. We need industrialization to give people a way of earning a living. We need to fight corruption in all its forms so that the money that people acquire unjustly can be used for the social services to people in need. LORD JESUS, GIVE US AND OUR PEOPLE THE FULLNESS OF LIFE.

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

4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)

Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
The stone rejected by the builders
has become the cornerstone.

1^st Reading: Acts 4:8-12

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke up, “Leaders of the people! Elders! It is a fact, that we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple. How was he healed? You, and all the people of Israel, must know, that this man stands before you cured, through the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazorean. You had him crucified. But God raised him from the dead. Jesus is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation in anyone else; for there is no other Name given to humankind, all over the world, by which we may be saved.”

2^nd Reading: 1 Jn 3:1-2

See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children, and what we shall be has not, yet, been shown. Yet, when he appears in his glory, we know, that we shall be like him, for, then, we shall see him as he is.

Gospel: Jn 10:11-18

 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Not so the hired hand, or any other person who is not the shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not belong. They abandon the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. This is because the hired hand works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father. Because of this, I give my life for my sheep.

I have other sheep which are not of this fold. These I have to lead as well, and they shall listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, since there is one shepherd.

The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down freely. It is mine to lay down and to take up again: this mission I received from my Father.

Lectio Divina

Read: There is no name other than the Name of Jesus that brings salvation. Peter highlights the cure of the man with a handicap as the proof. John speaks of the singular love of God that transforms us to be like Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.

Reflect: How big is this family of the shepherd? How big is the sheep community? Jesus makes explicit references to other sheep that are also his, but do not necessarily belong to “this” fold, but whom he must lead as well so that finally there shall be one sheep and one shepherd. The redeeming name of Jesus is meant not just for a small group of Christians or the so-called “good,” but for the entire world. The singular love of God cannot be limited to a select few, but flows into the hearts of all. It is not God who rejects us, but we who reject God and one another in the name of God and creed. Perhaps becoming like God demands that we conform to the heart of the Shepherd who cares for all sheep.

Pray: Good Shepherd, mould my heart after yours.

Act: Listen to the God-expe­rience of someone who belongs to a faith tradition different from yours.

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