Daily Reflection

August 11, 2017 Friday

18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)
St. Clare, virgin

Ps 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 & 21
I remember the deeds of the Lord.

1^st Reading: Dt 4:32-40

Ask of the times past. Inquire from the day when God created man on earth. Ask from one end of the world to the other: Has there ever been anything as extraordinary as this? Has anything like this been heard of before? Has there ever been a people who remained alive after hearing as did the voice of the living God from the midst of the fire?

Never has there been a God who went out to look for a people and take them out from among the other nations by the strength of trials and signs, by wonders and by war, with a firm hand and an outstretched arm. Never has there been any deed as tremendous as those done for you by Yahweh in Egypt, which you saw with your own eyes.

You saw this that you might know that Yahweh is God and that there is no other besides him. He let you hear his voice from heaven that you might fear him; on earth he let you see his blazing fire and from the midst of the fire you heard his word. Because of the love he had for your fathers, he chose their descendants after them, and he himself made you leave Egypt with his great power. He expelled before you peoples more numerous and stronger than you, and he has made you occupy their land: today he has given this to you as an inheritance. Therefore, try to be convinced that Yahweh is the only God of heaven and earth, and that there is no other.

Observe the laws and the commandments that I command you today, and everything will be well with you and your children after you. So you will live long in the land which Yahweh, your God, gives you forever.”

Gospel: Mt 16:24-28

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow me. For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life, for my sake, will find it. What will one gain by winning the whole world, if he destroys his soul? Or what can a person give, in exchange for his life?

Know, that the Son of Man will come, in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, and he will reward each one according to his deeds. Truly, I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death, before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

REFLECTION:

Following Jesus demands that we meet some conditions: “deny oneself,” “take up one’s cross” and “follow him.” Denying oneself could mean having to let go of our worldly desire for material riches, power, fame or prestige. The idea of taking up a cross doesn’t seem very appealing. The cross is symbolic of the sufferings and inconveniences we have to endure on account of our state in life or mission. Suffering is inevitable but what is being demanded of the disciples is to follow the example of Jesus. Doing the will of God is hard, and involves suffering. Following the example of Jesus is a real challenge. His teaching to do the right thing and to love our neighbor can be risky because loving can require sacrifice on our part.

What can we gain by denying ourselves, taking up our crosses and following Jesus? Everything we need to have a life of meaning, joy and fulfillment. This is what it means to “lose one’s his life for Christ’s sake in order to find it.” Meaning and fulfillment cannot be found in material things in this material world. As Saint Augustine once exclaimed: “You have made us for yourself O God… our souls are restless until they rest in you…”

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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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Readings and Reflections
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August 10, 2017 Thursday

ST. LAWRENCE, DEACON & MARTYR
Psalter: Proper / (Red)

Ps 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

1^st Reading: 2 Cor 9:6-10

Remember: the one who sows meagerly will reap meagerly, and there shall be generous harvests for the one who sows generously. Each of you should give as you decided personally, and not reluctantly, as if obliged. God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything, at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work.

Scripture says: He distributed, he gave to the poor, his good works last forever. God, who provides the sower with seed, will also provide him with the bread he eats. He will multiply the seed for you and also increase the interest on your good works.

Gospel: Jn 12:24-26

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.

REFLECTION:

The great paradox of life is expressed in the words of Jesus, “unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” It is only when we die to our selfishness and let ourselves nurture or nourish other people can we lead meaningful lives. Lives that are generously offered and shared effectively inspire others to follow their example. In effect, these lives are multiplied as they bear fruits of righteousness and virtue.

Jesus gave us the ultimate example of a life offered for and shared to others. His death has produced much fruit – the forgiveness of sins, salvation or new life for the world. His death and resurrection has made it possible for us to be made children of God.

The lives of martyrs can be seen in the same light. By shedding their blood for the sake of their faith in Jesus Christ, they have given powerful witnessing for the rest of Christians to emulate. We have so much evidence of this in the history of the Church. The qualitative and quantitative growth of the Church in any country is closely linked to the number of martyrs who shed their blood for the faith. Truly, “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the faith.”

Daily Reflection

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

August 9, 2017 Wednesday

18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green/Red)
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin & martyr

Ps 106:6-7ab, 13-14, 21-22, 23
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

1^st Reading: Num 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35

Yahweh then spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to explore the land of Canaan that I am giving to the Israelites; send one man from each of the ancestral tribes, all of them leaders.”

After forty days of exploration, they returned. They went and met Moses, Aaron and the whole community of Israelites in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They gave an account to them and the whole community and showed them the fruit of this land. And they said, “We entered the land where you sent us, truly a land flowing with milk and honey and here is the fruit. But how strong are the people who inhabit the land! The cities are fortified with walls and bars, and we even saw there descendants of the Anakites. Amalekites live in the region of the Negeb; Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; the Canaanites are by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

Caleb then quieted the people who rose up against Moses and said, “We should go up and take over the land, for we shall surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot advance against these people for they are stronger than we are.”

And they spread an unfavorable report about the land that they had explored, saying to the Israelites, “The land we went through to explore is a land that devours its inhabitants and all the people we saw there are men of great size. We even saw giants (these giants were the Anakites). We felt like grasshoppers before them, and to them we must have seemed the same.”

Then all the community broke out in loud cries and wept during the night.

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, “How long will this wicked community grumble against me?” I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel against me. Say to them: As truly as I live, it is Yahweh who speaks, I will do to you what you have said in my hearing. All of you of twenty years or more, numbered in the census, who grumbled against me, your corpses will fall in the desert.

According to the number of days spent in exploring the land—forty days, for every day a year—for forty years you shall bear the guilt of your sins and you shall know what it is to oppose me. I, Yahweh, have spoken. Surely this is what I will do to this wicked community that has conspired against me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed and this is where they shall die.”

Gospel: Mt 15:21-28

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from the area, came and cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on me! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples approached him and said, “Send her away! See how she is shouting after us.”

Then Jesus said to her, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”

But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus, and said, “Sir, help me!” Jesus answered, “It is not right to take the bread from the children and throw it to puppies.” The woman replied, “That is true, sir, but even puppies eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said, “Woman, how great is your faith! Let it be as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

REFLECTION:

The Canaanite woman can teach us a lot about how we are to pray especially when we want to ask a special favor from the Lord. The woman had great faith that even impressed Jesus. She was convinced that Jesus could do it and he would not refuse her wish. She was persevering in prayer that she would not take no for an answer, never gave in to discouragement in spite of the seemingly upsetting remarks of Jesus. One can readily see her genuine love for her daughter that she did not mind approaching Jesus although she knew she did not have the right to do so because she was non-Jewish. She did not mind what seem to be discriminatory remarks - “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel…” “…it is not right to take the bread from the children and throw it to puppies.” She loved her daughter so much that she was ready to do anything just to have her get well.

The story also reminds us how, like Jesus, we must be ecumenical and mission-oriented. By acceding to the request of the Canaanite Jesus somehow gave the signal that the blessings of the Kingdom are not solely for the “children of Israel” but meant for all the children of God. Recipients of our charity and works of mercy are not to be limited to members of our Christian communities but for anyone who is in need, regardless of color, creed or affiliation.

Daily Reflection

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

August 8, 2017 Tuesday

18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)
St. Dominic, priest

Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 6cd-7, 12-13
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1^st Reading: Num 12:1-13

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married and they said, “Has Yahweh only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And Yahweh heard.

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than any man on the face of the earth. Yet suddenly Yahweh said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, all three of you, to the tent of meeting.” The three of them came out.

Yahweh came down in the pillar of cloud and, standing at the door of the Tent, called Aaron and Miriam. They both went out and he said, “Listen carefully to what I say, If there is a prophet among you, I reveal myself to him in a vision and I speak to him in a dream. It is not so for my servant, Moses, my trusted steward in all my household. To him I speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles, and he sees the presence of Yahweh. Why then did you not fear to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

Yahweh became angry with them and he departed. The cloud moved away from above the Tent and Miriam was there white as snow with leprosy. Aaron turned towards Miriam and he saw that she was leprous. And he said to Moses, “My lord, I beg you, do not charge us with this sin that we have foolishly committed. Let her not be like the stillborn whose flesh is half-eaten when it comes from its mother’s womb.” Then Moses cried to Yahweh, “Heal her, O God, I beg of you.

Gospel: Mt 14:22-36 (or Mt 15:1-2, 10-14)

Immediately, Jesus obliged his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowd away.

And having sent the people away, he went up the mountain by himself, to pray. At nightfall, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was very far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves, for the wind was against it.

At daybreak, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When they saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear. But at once, Jesus said to them, “Courage! Don’t be afraid. It’s me!” Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus said to him, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water to go to Jesus. But seeing the strong wind, he was afraid, and began to sink; and he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and took hold of him, saying, “Man of little faith, why did you doubt?”

As they got into the boat, the wind dropped. Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God!”

They came ashore at Gennesaret. The local people recognized Jesus and spread the news throughout the region. So they brought to him all the sick people, begging him to let them touch just the hem of his cloak. All who touched it became perfectly well.

REFLECTION:

Jesus’ disciples are criticized by the Pharisees for not strictly observing customary laws and rituals particularly that of purification, i.e., washing their hands before eating. The Pharisees believe that their non-observance of these legal prescriptions automatically makes them less religious. It can also be taken to mean they lack respect for the Law and Sacred Scriptures. Jesus takes the occasion to make a clarification that “what defiles a person is not what enters into his mouth but what comes out of his mouth.”

Sin is not found in what one eats but in the person’s abuse of the gift of speech. By saying this Jesus is in effect saying that what needs purification, first and foremost is the interior or the heart of a person. External purification should mirror the internal cleansing that preceded it. External purification is a sham and does not make sense unless the person is interiorly clean. It could also be taken to mean that for Christians the choice and amount of food intake should never be a matter to be morally disputed about except perhaps for health benefits or otherwise.

Daily Reflection

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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