Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

1st WEEK OF ADVENT
 Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)
St. Nicholas, bishop

Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

1^st Reading: Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain Yahweh Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, meat full of marrow, fine wine strained.

On this mountain he will destroy the pall cast over all peoples, this very shroud spread over all nations, and death will be no more. The Lord Yahweh will wipe away the tears from all cheeks and eyes; he will take away the humiliation of his people all over the world:

for Yahweh has spoken.

On that day you will say: This is our God. We have waited for him to save us, let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For on this mountain the hand of Yahweh rests.

Gospel: Mt 15:29-37

From there, Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into the hills, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities. People carried them to the feet of Jesus, and he healed them. All were astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed, and the blind able to see; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I am filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way.“ His disciples said to him, “And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?“ Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?“ They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.“

Jesus ordered the people to sit on the ground. Then, he took the seven loaves and the small fish, and gave thanks to God. He broke them and gave them to his disciples, who distributed them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover pieces filled seven wicker baskets.

REFLECTION:

I was invited to a great wedding party in the top hotel of San Francisco, California. Everybody was enjoying. There was so much laughter and dancing. No dull moments. No tears. No distinction between Americans, Filipinos, Blacks and Puerto Ricans. The prophet Isaiah describes the day of the Lord‘s coming as great feast for all that God Himself will prepare in abundance of rich food and choice wines. The party I attended of course cannot compare with the heavenly banquet. But for me, it is a foretaste and picture of what is to come. The prophecy of Isaiah brought me to a desire: “One thing I seek is to dwell in the house of the Lord all days of my life.“ May it inspire us all to desire seriously our heavenly home. After all, we are all invited.

Another moving picture today is the gospel narrative, where Jesus healed the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled and those with deformities, and then feed them. For what reason did Jesus do it? Jesus said; “I am filled with compassion for these people; they have now followed for three days.“ God graciously poured his compassion and mercy on them, even if they were only with Him for three days. Same compassion is available to us and surely it will be more if we follow and serve Him longer, unconditionally.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

1st WEEK OF ADVENT
 Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)

Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Justice shall flourish in his time,
and fullness of peace for ever.

1^st Reading: Is 11:1-10

From the stump of Jesse a shoot will come forth; from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit.
The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him—a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and fear of Yahweh.
Not by appearances will he judge, nor by what is said must he decide, but with justice he will judge the poor and with righteousness decide for the meek.
Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor, and the breath of his lips slay the wicked.
Justice will be the girdle of his waist, truth the girdle of his loins.
The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the kid, the calf and the lion cub will feed together and a little child will lead them.
Befriending each other, the cow and the bear will see their young ones lie down together.
Like cattle, the lion will eat hay.
By the cobra‘s den the infant will play.
The child will put his hand into the viper‘s lair.
No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain, for as water fills the sea the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh.
On that day the “Root of Jesse“ will be raised as a signal for the nations. The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious.

Gospel: Lk 10:21-24

At that time, Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and made them known to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. I have been given all things by my Father, so that no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.“

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said to them privately, “Fortunate are you to see what you see, for I tell you, that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see, but did not see it; and to he hear what you hear, but did not hear it.“

REFLECTION:

Today, we pray for the grace to know Jesus more clearly, to love Him more dearly and to follow Him more faithfully and always. The prophet Isaiah foretells that from Jesse‘s descendants someone will come forth and the Spirit of God will rest upon Him. We believe that, that “someone“ is Jesus. The description of the spirit reminds us of the gifts of the Holy Spirit we received in Confirmation. It tells us that we are one with Christ through the Spirit.

To know Him more clearly, Jesus teaches to have a childlike simplicity, open mind, eager to learn. A simple mind can easily receive truth that a learned cannot easily accept. It was so hard for the teachers to take in Jesus‘ proclamation. The humble and the lowly (Mary and Apostles) easily understood Jesus then followed.

Our knowledge of Jesus: His unity with the Father, as the fullness of God‘s revelation, as the peak of the history of salvation, the goal and climax of the prophets‘ preaching will naturally lead us to love Jesus so dearly and follow Him faithfully. In Jesus, we meet God, He whom we are longing for.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

1st WEEK OF ADVENT
 Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet/White)
St. John of Damascus, priest

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1^st Reading: Is 2:1-5

The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the last days, the mountain of Yahweh‘s house shall be set over the highest mountains and shall tower over the hills.

All the nations shall stream to it, saying, “Come, let us go to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths. For the teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of Yahweh.

He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many people. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will train for war no more.

O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of Yahweh!“

Gospel: Mt 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum, an army captain approached him, to ask his help, “Sir, my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly.“ Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.“

The captain answered, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one, ‘Go!‘ he goes; and if I say to another, ‘Come!‘ he comes; and if I say to my servant, ‘Do this!‘ he does it.“

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished; and said to those who were following him, “I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.

REFLECTION:

Advent is the start of the liturgical calendar of the Church. Advent, as we know is the celebration of the Lord‘s coming, preparing us for the celebration of Christ. It‘s a season of joyful, hopeful, faithful and prayerful waiting for God‘s promised Messiah. It reminds us too that the Lord is coming again in Glory at the fullness of time. This we anticipate in advent. Our readings speak of the end of time.

The Jewish thought was that the Messiah will come for them exclusively. He is not for any other group or race. Jesus favouring the request of the Roman centurion is immediately telling us that Jesus is not of the Jewish belief. He comes for everyone; the poor and the rich, the gentiles and the Jewish, the lost and the insider. The centurion though pagan won the Heart of Jesus. Showing that He is concerned with everyone (coming for everyone), Jesus limited not His favour alone to the centurion‘s need but to His Household servant. Christmas is for all.

God‘s house is open to all. It requires neither a birth, adoption, nor a baptismal. Only Faith, like that of the centurion, is asked. Faith like the mustard seed will suffice.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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

1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT
 Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)

Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

1^st Reading: Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
For you are our Father, whereas Abraham does not know us nor has Israel any knowledge of us. But you, O Yahweh, are our Father, from the beginning, you are our redeemer: this is your name.
Why have you made us stray from your ways? Why have you let our heart become hard so that we do not fear you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance.
For too long we have become like those you do not rule, like those who do not bear your name.
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down! The mountains would quake at your presence.
Let them witness your stunning deeds.
No one has ever heard or perceived, no eye has ever seen a God besides you who works for those who trust in him.
You have confounded those who acted righteously and who joyfully kept your ways in mind. But you are angry with our sins, yet conceal them and we shall be saved.
All of us have become like the unclean; all our good deeds are like polluted garments; we have all withered like leaves, blown away by our iniquities.
There is no one who calls upon your name, no one who rouses himself to lay hold of you. For you have hidden your face, you have given us up to the power of our evil acts.
And yet, Yahweh, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are the work of your hand.

2^nd Reading: 1 Cor 1:3-9

Receive grace, and peace from God, our Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord.

I give thanks, constantly, to my God, for you, and for the grace of God given to you, in Christ Jesus. For you have been fully enriched, in him, with words, as well as with knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you. You do not lack any spiritual gift and only await the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord. He will keep you steadfast to the end, and you will be without reproach, on the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus. The faithful God will not fail you, after calling you to this fellowship with his Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Gospel: Mk 13:33-37

Be alert and watch, for you don‘t know when the time will come. When a man goes abroad and leaves his home, he puts his servants in charge, giving to each one some responsibility; and he orders the doorkeeper to stay awake. So stay awake, for you don‘t know when the Lord of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight, when the cock crows or before dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him catch you asleep.

And what I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake!“

REFLECTION:

Read: We are the clay and God is the potter – we are God‘s masterpieces. We have been enriched in Christ and therefore, God will not fail us. Gospel gives the message of advent: Be awake and watch for the coming!

Reflect: Is it too hard to be ever watchful? Not really! The watchfulness mentioned here can be understood this way: imagine you are traveling with your friend in a car and you are absorbed in conversation with him. During the conversation, your friend who is at the wheel picks up every signal on the road and drives accordingly. And, at some point he asks you, “Can you check the door?
I do not think it is shut well.“ How did he pick these up while engrossed in conversation? Was it hard for him? The alertness for the coming of the Kingdom is such sort of watchfulness.

Pray: Give me a heart, Lord, which is ever awake to the workings of the Master Potter.

Act: Take a walk in the woods. Or on the beach. Or in the garden. Be awake to the presence of God around you.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product 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

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
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