Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

30TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)
 
Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
The Lord has done marvels for us.

1^st Reading: Rom 8:18-25

I consider, that the suffering of our present life cannot be compared with the glory that will be revealed, and given to us. All creation is eagerly expecting the birth, in glory, of the children of God. For, if now, the created world was unable to attain its purpose, this did not come from itself, but from the one who subjected it. But it is not without hope; for even the created world, will be freed from this fate of death, and share the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know, that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth. Not creation alone, but even ourselves; although the Spirit was given to us, as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day, when God will give us full rights, and rescue our bodies as well.

In hope, we already have salvation. But, if we saw what we hoped for, there would no longer be hope: how can you hope for what is already seen? So, we hope for what we do not see, and we will receive it, through patient hope.

Gospel: Lk 13:18-21

And Jesus continued, ”What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? Imagine a person who has taken a mustard seed, and planted it in his garden. The seed has grown, and become like a small tree, so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches.”

And Jesus said again, ”What is the kingdom of God like? Imagine a woman who has taken yeast, and hidden it in three measures of flour, until it is all leavened.”

REFLECTION:

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which was planted in the garden. Even though there are oppositions it continues to grow. The emphasis here is on the ‘growth‘ which takes place irresistibly. This parable consoles the disciples who are doing their mission to proclaim the gospel even in the midst of persecutions. Trials, sufferings and difficulties cannot hinder the growth in number of those who are willing to enter God‘s kingdom. There are even numerous people who shed their blood for the sake of it. This is a concrete manifestation that persecutions neither lead believers to despair nor discourage them from continuing their mission. Rather than surrendering, they strive all the more to make this kingdom known to all the nations.

Another consoling word of Jesus is that ”the birds of the air shelter in its branches” which signifies people of diverse origins finding refuge in God‘s kingdom. Although, Jesus‘ opening of this kingdom to all, e.g. when he accepted the outcasts in meals, resulted to opposition of his opponents; nevertheless, many felt their belongingness to the heavenly family.

How can we contribute to the growth of God‘s kingdom during our times?

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

30TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)
 
Ps 68:2 & 4, 6-7ab, 20-21
Our God is the God of salvation.

1^st Reading: Rom 8:12-17

Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live according to it. If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the spirit, let us put to death the body‘s deeds, so that we may live.

All those who walk in the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God. Then, no more fear: you did not receive a spirit of slavery, but the spirit that makes you sons and daughters, and every time, we cry, ”Abba! (this is Dad!) Father!” the Spirit assures our spirit, that we are sons and daughters of God. If we are children, we are heirs, too. Ours will be the inheritance of God, and we will share it with Christ; for, if we now suffer with him, we will also share glory with him.

Gospel: Lk 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and a crippled woman was there. An evil spirit had kept her bent for eighteen years, so that she could not straighten up at all. On seeing her, Jesus called her and said, ”Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” Then he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight and praised God.

But the ruler of the synagogue was indignant, because Jesus had performed this healing on the Sabbath day, and he said to the people, ”There are six days in which to work. Come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath!”

But the Lord replied, ”You hypocrites! Everyone of you unties his ox or his donkey on the Sabbath, and leads it out of the barn to give it water. And here you have a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. Should she not be freed from her bonds on the Sabbath?”

When Jesus said this, all his opponents felt ashamed. But the people rejoiced at the many wonderful things that happened because of him.

REFLECTION:

By freeing the woman from her infirmity, Jesus fulfills his task of releasing captives from the bonds of evil (cf. v. 4:18). Likewise, he shows the deep meaning of the Sabbath, i.e. liberating humans from the consequences of the fallen order; and he demonstrates its true purpose, i.e., encouraging works of compassion and not forbidding them.

There are various factors that could bind people: ignorance–Jesus ‘teaches‘ to let people know about God and to free them from ignorance (v.10); infirmity -he laid his hand on the crippled woman and immediately she was made straight and praised God (v.11); people–”the ruler of the synagogue” was indignant when Jesus cured the woman (v.14); law (”Sabbath law”)–the ruler said, ”There are six days in which to work. Come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath!” (v.14); and evil–”Satan” has bound the woman for eighteen years (v. 16).

We are called today to trust Jesus for he has the power to free us from different factors that bind and prevent people from becoming holy. Likewise, we are reminded to avoid imitating the ruler of the synagogue so that we may not hinder our neighbor from being healed and may not add to the burdens they are carrying.

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

30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)
 
Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
I love you, Lord, my strength.

1^st Reading: Ex 22:20-26

You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

You shall not harm the widow or the orphan. If you do harm them and they cry out to me, I will hear them and my anger will blaze and I will kill you with the sword, and your own wives will be widows and your own children orphans.

If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and do not charge him interest.

If ever you take a person‘s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him by sunset, for it is all the covering he has for his body. In what else will he sleep? And when he cries to me I will hear him, for I am full of pity.

2^nd Reading: 1 Thes 1:5c-10

The gospel we brought you was such, not only in words. Miracles, the Holy Spirit, and plenty of everything, were given to you. You, also, know how we dealt with you, for your sake.

In return, you became followers of us, and of the Lord, when, on receiving the word, you experienced the joy of the Holy Spirit, in the midst of great opposition. And you became a model for the faithful of Macedonia and Achaia, since, from you, the word of the Lord spread to Macedonia and Achaia, and still farther. The faith you have in God has become news in so many places, that we need say no more about it. Others tell, of how you welcomed us, and turned from idols, to the Lord. For you serve the living and true God, and you wait for his Son, from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who frees us from impending trial.

Gospel: Mt 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together. One of them, a lawyer, questioned him to test him, ”Teacher, which commandment of the law is the greatest?”

Jesus answered, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the most important of the commandments. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets are founded on these two commandments.”

REFLECTION:

Read: Strangers, widows, and orphans – people on the margins – are precious for God and God wants us to care for them. Paul commends the Thessalonians for their life of faith. Jesus declares the greatest commandment.

Reflect: Why is that love of God and neighbor needed to be ”commanded?” Something is commanded only when it does not happen spontaneously. Hence, love of God and neighbor does not arise in us naturally. Left to ourselves, our focus of love is ourselves, and the other is hell, often the object of our envy and rivalry. Cain-Abel story proves it for us. But this goes against the purpose for which God created us. Hence the commandment to love God and neighbor and thereby grow into the fullness of being that God has envisioned for us.

Pray: Pray for the grace to honor the Commandments on a daily basis.

Act: Do an act of love for a stranger/widow/orphan – your neighbor who is on the margins.

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

FEAST OF STS. SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES
Psalter: Proper / (Red)

Ps 19:2-3, 4-5
Their message goes out through all the earth.

1^st Reading: Eph 2:19-22

Now, you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people: you are of the household of God. You are the house, whose foundations are the apostles and prophets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In him, the whole structure is joined together, and rises, to be a holy temple, in the Lord. In him, you, too, are being built, to become the spiritual Sanctuary of God.

Gospel: Lk 6:12-16

At this time, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. When day came, he called his disciples to him, and chose Twelve of them, whom he called ‘apostles‘: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alpheus and Simon called the Zealot; Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would be the traitor.

REFLECTION:

When we want to see a good and clear view of a particular area, we go to a higher place. In a similar way, if we want to perform a particular action in an exemplary or commendable manner, we have to go up and see it in a wider view by pausing for a while and reflecting about it.

Our Lord, before choosing the Twelve whom he also named apostles, went out into the hills to pray, spending the whole night in prayer with God. This is what he customarily does during the significant moments of his ministry. Likewise, Christians, before making an important decision/judgment or doing a particular task, must also be prepared not only physically and mentally but also spiritually. Our Lord is our model par excellence of this spiritual preparation. As followers of him, we must ”go into the hills” (v.12) or to a place where we could find solitude and peace; spend an ample time for reflection and communication with God; and then, put into action the fruits of our reflection and prayer. All followers of Christ are called not only to think before doing something but most importantly to pray sincerely and reflect deeply.

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