Daily Reflection

January 11, 2018 Thursday

Gospel: Mk 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to; be clean.” The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest; and for the cleansing, bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way, you will give to them your testimony.”
However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

Reflections
I DO WANT TO: BE CLEAN
Pope Francis said in a homily that God is not tired of forgiving, it is human beings who have stopped asking for forgiveness. The cure of the leper in the Gospel, although it was a real event, can also be a symbol of the curing of spiritual disease. We all are sinners and are in need of forgiveness. There are some people who sincerely want to overcome some character defects like addiction, etc., but seem to be helpless in overcoming their spiritual sickness. Even St. Paul said that he was begging God to relieve him of a “thorn in the flesh” but he was made to suffer it for some time so that God’s power can be shown in his weakness. But it is a great truth that God wants to cure us as he did the leper. We just have to ask, to pray, to request. Of course, if we need human professional help such as a guidance counselor or psychotherapist, we should seek their help. I have a friend who keeps hurting people – in her family, in her workplace, in her social circle. And she told me she is aware that she is hurting them but she does not seem to know how to control herself. So I advised her to go for psychological counseling and it seems to be doing her good. But in the last analysis, the permanent and deep healing has to come from God. And let us be assured: HE WANTS TO HEAL US!

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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January 10, 2018 Wednesday

Gospel: Mk 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. As Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told him about her. Jesus went to her and, taking her by the hand, raised her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits: the whole town was pressing around the door. Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but he did not let them speak, for they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where he prayed. Simon and the others went out also, searching for him; and when they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Let us go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there, too; for that is why I came.” So Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; he also cast out demons.

Reflections
HERE I AM LORD
God has an infinite number of ways of calling a person. In our times, no longer would one expect God to call him or her by name as in the case of Samuel. When one interviews people in religious life how they got into the convent, each one has a story to tell. Some would say because they saw a promo leaflet on the Church bulletin board an invite to a Search In. Others would say, I have been wanting to enter the convent since childhood. One woman said, she met one of our Sisters at a bus station and they started to talk and were even seatmates on the bus and so had a longer sharing. They gave each other their calling cards. A week later the Sister called up to say hello and the friendship continued. Now that woman is one of our Sisters, a treasurer in one of our big schools. I always react whenever people ask, ‘Were you broken hearted that is why you entered the convent?”I answer in jest: “I know I broke hearts, but I doubt if my heart was ever broken.” But seriously, why not? Why can a broken heart not be a sign that one is destined for some other way than marriage? So when people ask me: Why did you enter? I answer seriously “Don’t ask me why I entered. Ask me why I stayed.” That is more important. It is the day-to-day finding meaning in one’s life a day-to-day answer to God’s call with: HERE I AM, LORD. I COME TO DO YOUR WILL.

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

January 09, 2018 Tuesday

Gospel: Mk 1:21-28
They went into the town of Capernaum and Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. The people were astonished at the way he taught, for he spoke as one having authority, and not like the teachers of the law.
It happened that, a man with an evil spirit was in their synagogue, and he shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent, and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him.

All the people were astonished, and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority he preaches! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him!” And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.

Reflections
HE SPOKE AS ONE WITH AUTHORITY
The disciples and the other people who listened to him could not but be astonished how a carpenter’s son could speak with such authority and Mark even makes a jibe at the “teachers of the law” who did not seem to speak with authority. What makes a person speak with authority is if he is speaking the truth and he knows what he is talking about. There are many preachers in our time who also do not speak with authority because they speak in platitudes or, as somebody put it, “platitudinous preponderances.” They spout motherhood statements that you cannot argue with but do not have relevance to those who are listening. In fact even Pope Francis speaks about homilies that “torture” the congregation because the priest has not prepared his sermon and therefore goes off into outer space and cannot make any landing but makes several take offs when you think he is about to end. How different it is when someone speaks from the heart, from one’s own experience, and touches the heart of the listeners. Then one can go home from Sunday Mass inspired and encouraged to have compassion and love towards others.

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

January 08, 2018 Monday

Gospel: Mk 1:7-11
He [John] preached to the people, saying, “After me comes one who is more powerful than I am; I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
At that time, Jesus came from Nazareth, a town of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And the moment he came up out of the water, heaven opened before him, and he saw the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. And these words were heard from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved, the One I have chosen.”

Reflections
MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, MY WAYS NOT YOUR WAYS
There are many incidents in the Gospel when Jesus illustrates that his thoughts and his ways are not those of his disciples or of the world at large. He taught the mothers of the sons of Zebedee the futility of aspiring for high positions near the seat of power. He chided his apostles for sending children away “for such is the kingdom of heaven”. He called Peter, ”satan” for dissuading him from undergoing his suffering and death. In the washing of the feet, he demonstrated the main function of power which is service!
If we are honest with ourselves we have to admit that we tend to think as the world thinks. So we sympathize with the elder son rather than with the Prodigal Son. We attend to agree with Martha in her complaint. We find it difficult to forgive and almost impossible to love our enemies. Truly becoming a true Christian is a gradual and sometimes painful process of transformation of our perceptions, of our judgments, of our values and attitudes. JESUS OUR BROTHER, TEACH US TO THINK LIKE YOU DID AND HELP US TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS.

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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