Daily Reflection

March 20, 2018 Tuesday

5TH WEEK OF LENT
Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)

Ps 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
O Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.

1^st Reading: Num 21:4-9

From Mount Hor they set out by the Red Sea road to go around the land of Edom. The people were discouraged by the journey and began to complain against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is neither bread nor water here and we are disgusted with this tasteless manna.”

Yahweh then sent fiery serpents against them. They bit the people and many of the Israelites died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, speaking against Yahweh and against you. Plead with Yahweh to take the serpents away.”

Moses pleaded for the people and Yahweh said to him, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a standard; whoever has been bitten and then looks at it shall live.”

So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a standard. Whenever a man was bitten, he looked towards the bronze serpent and he lived.

Gospel: Jn 8:21-30

Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and though you look for me, you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” The Jews wondered, “Why does he say that we can’t come where he is going? Will he kill himself?” But Jesus said, “You are from below and I am from above; you are of this world and I am not of this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you shall die in your sins, unless you believe that I am He.”

They asked him, “Who are you?”; and Jesus said, “Just what I have told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the One who sent me is truthful and everything I learned from him, I proclaim to the world.”

They didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of myself, but I say just what the Father taught me. He who sent me is with me and has not left me alone; because I always do what pleases him.”

As Jesus spoke like this, many believed in him.

Reflections

I ALWAYS DO WHAT PLEASES HIM

When we have time to reflect, we could ask ourselves, what guides me in my decisions and in my actions? And if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that most of the time it is our EGO that dictates our decisions — what can flatter the ego, what can inflate the ego, what can make the ego be noticed, etc.. In contrast Jesus can truthfully say that all his decisions and actions are dictated consistently by just one thing: THE WILL OF HIS FATHER. And the will of the Father is always for the good of all humankind. This is not always easy to do because it may mean undergoing pain and suffering or humiliation. This single-mindedness characterizes Jesus. We, on the other hand, are distracted by so many things — by fear, by the desire to please, to be approved of, or simply by our love of comfort and convenience. Or we can even deceive ourselves that the action that pleases us is what pleases the Father. Loving God, give me the grace to do everything because it pleases you. Amen.

Daily Reflection 2018

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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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March 19, 2018 Monday

SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH,
HUSBAND OF MARY
Psalter: Proper / (White)

Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 & 29
The son of David will live forever.

1^st Reading: 2 S 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16

But that very night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, this is what Yahweh says: Are you able to build a house for me to live in?

When the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one born of you; and I will make his reign secure. He shall build a house for my name and I will firmly establish his kingship forever. I will be a father to him and he shall be my son. If he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod, as men do.

Your house and your reign shall last forever before me, and your throne shall be forever firm.”

2^nd Reading: Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22

If God promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the law, but because he was just, and a friend of God, through faith. For that reason, faith is the way, and all is given, by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the law, but also for all the others, who have believed. Abraham is the father of all of us,

As it is written: I will make you the father of many nations. He is our father, in the eyes of Him, who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence, what does not yet exist, for this is the God in whom he believed. Abraham believed, and hoped against all expectation, thus, becoming the father of many nations, as he had been told: See how many will be your descendants. This was taken into account, for him to attain righteousness.

Gospel: Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a (or Lk 2:41-51a)

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ – the Messiah.

This is how Jesus Christ was born: Mary his mother had been given to Joseph in marriage, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Then Joseph, her husband, made plans to divorce her in all secrecy. He was an upright man, and in no way did he want to disgrace her.

While he was pondering over this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She has conceived by the Holy Spirit, and now she will bear a son. You shall call him ‘Jesus’ for he will save his people from their sins.”

Reflections

JOSEPH, AN UPRIGHT MAN

One of the most quiet protagonists in the Gospels is Joseph, the husband of Mary. And only one word describes him: UPRIGHT. What is the meaning of being upright? Let us start from the traits of Joseph that prompted the Gospel writer to call him upright. We meet him first when Mary was betrothed to him. When he found out that Mary was with child, he did not just close his eyes but acknowledged that he had to somehow divorce her according to the law but he wanted to protect Mary so he was planning to do it as quietly as possible. The first trait that is shown is TRUTH, AUTHENTICITY. One has to face the truth even how unpalatable it is. But he was COMPASSIONATE about it. An upright person does not want to destroy another person. Then when he was told that the child is not of any human father but was conceived by the Holy Spirit, he then assumed the RESPONSIBILITY of taking care of the child of her mother Mary. Then the next scene was the warning about the threat to Jesus’ life. He was DOCILE to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and took care of the safety of his charges. In the finding of Jesus in the temple, he showed CONCERN for the welfare of the lost Child. But when he realized that Jesus was “doing His Father’s business”, like Mary, HE KEPT THE THINGS HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND PONDERED THEM IN HIS HEART. In all his actions and attitude he showed us what UPRIGHTNESS is all about.

Daily Reflection 2018

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

March 18, 2018 Sunday

5TH SUNDAY OF LENT
Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)

Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
Create a clean heart in me, O God.

1^st Reading: Jer 31:31-34

The time is coming — it is Yahweh who speaks — when I will forge a new Covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. It will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. For they broke my Covenant although I was their Master, Yahweh declares.

This is the Covenant I shall make with Israel after that time: I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God and they will be my people.

And they will not have to teach each other, neighbor or brother, saying: ‘Know Yahweh,’ because they will all know me, from the greatest to the lowliest, for I will forgive their wrongdoing and no longer remember their sin.”

2^nd Reading: Heb 5:7-9

Christ, in the days of his mortal life, offered his sacrifice with tears and cries. He prayed to him, who could save him from death, and he was heard, because of his humble submission. Although he was Son, he learned, through suffering, what obedience was and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation, for those who obey him.

Gospel: Jn 12:20-33

There were some Greeks who had come up to Jerusalem to worship during the feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went to Andrew, and the two of them told Jesus.

Then Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world save it even to everlasting life.

Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me; and wherever I am, there shall my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Now my soul is in distress. Shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But, to face all this, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

People standing there heard something and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel was speaking to him.” Then Jesus declared, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now sentence is being passed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be cast down. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself.” With these words Jesus referred to the kind of death he was to die.

Lectio Divina

Read: Yahweh declares a new Covenant whereby He would forgive and forget people’s wrongdoings and inscribe His Law of Love in their hearts. Jesus preaches the Grain Theory: how death leads to abundance of life. The letter to the Hebrews speaks about how Jesus practiced this theory.

Reflect: Pope Francis, in his Jubilee Retreat to priests in June 2016, remarked: “True Grace is to forget.” Not anamnesis, but amnesia. The scriptural readings of the day confirm it. God promises to forget our sins, forever. Can there be a greater grace? Jesus invites us to forget ourselves – can there be a greater grace either? Jesus is not preaching about doing violence to ourselves (he didn’t say, “kill yourself”); rather, he gives us a “Grain Theory,” talking about a certain spiritual forgetfulness by which we let our lives fall so that we are free to become life for the world. The inability to forget is a sign of sickness and ill health – like our constant obsession with our teeth when we have a toothache. When our teeth are healthy, we forget we have teeth, but use them well. Or, when we have headache, we obsess about our head; but when we are healthy in head, we forget we have one, but use it well. Similarly, when we are sick in self, we obsess about our self; when we are healthy in our self, we simply forget we have one, let it fall and become bread for the world.

Pray: Lord, give me the true grace of forgetfulness.

Act: Observe nature and see how death naturally leads to life; and how resistance to death leads to ossification of life.

Daily Reflection 2018

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

March 17, 2018 Saturday

4TH WEEK OF LENT
St. Patrick, bishop
Psalter: Week 4 / (Violet)

Ps 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12
O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

1^st Reading: Jer 11:18-20

Yahweh made it known to me and so I know! And you let me see their scheming: “Take care, even your kinsfolk and your own family are false with you, and behind your back they freely criticize you. Do not trust them when they approach you in a friendly way.”

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me that they were plotting, “Let us feed him with trials and remove him from the land of the living and let his name never be mentioned again.”

Yahweh, God of Hosts, you who judge with justice and know everyone’s heart and intentions, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause.

Gospel: Jn 7:40-53

Many who had been listening to these words began to say, “This is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn’t Scripture say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?” The crowd was divided over him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The officers of the temple went back to the chief priests, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man.” The Pharisees then said, “So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? Only these cursed people, who have no knowledge of the law!”

Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, “Does our law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?” They replied, “Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee.” And they all went home.

Reflections

NO ONE HAS EVER SPOKEN LIKE THIS MAN

We always think that if Jesus were living with us now, it would be easier for us to believe. I don’t think so. Just the opposite. In fact the people who were his neighbors were the first to doubt him since they saw him as an ordinary boy, an ordinary man, the son of their neighbor carpenter Joseph and his wife Mary who is the friend of the wives in the neighborhood. So how could they believe that this ordinary man is indeed the Son of God the Savior of the World, the King of the world to come. That is why when they heard him speak they could not but exclaim: NO ONE HAS EVER SPOKEN LIKE THIS MAN. Because aside from being just their neighbor, he was saying things that contradicted all they had been taught. He would say, “It has been said of old…BUT I SAY TO YOU…” Instead of hating enemies, He said one must love one’s enemies. Instead of a “tooth for a tooth” he says one must forgive 70 times 7 times. Instead of lamenting that one is poor, one should feel blessed. He said his flesh is food indeed and his blood is drink indeed. And finally he said, 3 days after he would be crucified, HE SHALL RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD. No one has indeed ever spoken like this man, because he is not a mere man, but is truly the SON OF GOD.

Daily Reflection 2018

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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