Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Psalter: Proper / (White)

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
I praise you for I am wonderfully made.

1^st Reading: Is 49:1-6

Listen to me, O islands, pay attention, people from distant lands. Yahweh called me from my mother’s womb; he pronounced my name before I was born. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a polished arrow set apart in his quiver. He said to me, “You are Israel, my servant, Through you I will be known.” “I have labored in vain,” I thought, “and spent my strength for nothing.” Yet what is due me was in the hand of Yahweh, and my reward was with my God. I am important in the sight of Yahweh, and my God is my strength.

And now Yahweh has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him. He said: “It is not enough that you be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the remnant of Israel. I will make you the light of the nations, that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth.”

2^nd Reading: Acts 13:22-26

After that time, God removed him and raised up David as king, to whom he bore witness saying: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all I want him to do.

It is from the descendants of David that God has now raised up the promised Savior of Israel, Jesus. Before he appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel. As John was ending his life’s work, he said: ‘I am not what you think I am, for, after me, another one is coming, whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’

Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham, and you, also, who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent.

Gospel: Lk 1:57-66, 80

When the time came for Elizabeth, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the merciful Lord had done a wonderful thing for her, and they rejoiced with her.

When, on the eighth day, they came to attend the circumcision of the child, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “Not so; he shall be called John.” They said to her, “But no one in your family has that name!” and they made signs to his father for the name he wanted to give him. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet, and wrote on it, “His name is John;” and they were very surprised. Immediately, Zechariah could speak again, and his first words were in praise of God.

A holy fear came on all in the neighborhood, and throughout the hill country of Judea the people talked about these events. All who heard of it, pondered in their minds, and wondered, “What will this child be?” For they understood that the hand of the Lord was with him.

REFLECTION:

There was communal joy when Elizabeth finally gave birth to a son. It was not only her pregnancy but of the community as well. Hers is to address her barrenness and have a biological child from her own womb. The community’s hopes and dreams that Yahweh their God once again walk on their land is revived. And so naming the child was a communitarian affair as well. For names in ancient times point to one’s destiny as well. They have to be careful. This miracle child is too precious to be impeded later on by an inappropriate name.

And so they were surprised when the mother named the child contrary to public opinion. They want to validate it with the father who is still mute and deaf at that time. And when he confirmed what his wife’s choice of name is, then his tongues were loosened. Heaven sanctioned the name. God’s graciousness descend on the land that day. The people’s hopes were validated. It is now incarnated in the child.

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
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Web: www.claretianph.com

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Psalter: Proper / (White)

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10
The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

1^st Reading: Dt 7:6-11

You are a people consecrated to Yahweh, your God. Yahweh has chosen you from among all the peoples on the face of the earth, that you may be his own people. Yahweh has bound himself to you and has chosen you, not because you are the most numerous among all the peoples (on the contrary, you are the least). Rather, he has chosen you because of his love for you and to fulfill the oath he made to your fathers. Therefore, with a firm hand Yahweh brought you out from slavery in Egypt, from the power of Pharaoh.

So know that Yahweh, your God, is the true and faithful God. He keeps his covenant, and his love reaches to the thousandth generation for those who love him and fulfill his commandments, but he punishes in their own persons those who hate him and he repays them without delay.

So keep the commandments, the norms and the laws that today I command you to practice.

2^nd Reading: 1 Jn 4:7-16

My dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves, is born of God and knows God.
Those who do not love have not known God, for God is love. How did the love of God appear among us? God sent his only Son into this world, that we might have life, through him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that, he first loved us and sent his Son, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, if such has been the love of God, we, too, must love one another.
No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love comes to its perfection in us.
How may we know that we live in God and he in us? Because God has given us his Spirit.
We ourselves have seen, and declare, that the Father sent his Son to save the world. 15 Those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in them, and they in God.
We have known the love of God and have believed in it. God is love. The one who lives in love, lives in God, and God in him.

Gospel: Mt 11:25-30

On that occasion, Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you; because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this was your gracious will.

Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is easy; and my burden is light.”

REFLECTION:

When one travels, it is always pleasant when the load is light. Too many baggage spoils the fun. It is therefore an art to travel light, to carry only what is necessary, and to let go of things one can do without. In this travel we call life, we need not agonize on what to carry and on what to let go. Jesus had solved the problem for us. He invites us to carry His load which is easy and light. Where does this sense of lightness come from? It is not because of a reduced load. It rather stems from an attitude that one brings in carrying the load. Jesus loves much that the load He carries in the name of love becomes nothing. Likewise, when we carry loads for the ones we love, they weigh nothing. In the end, it is not the weight but the disposition that is important when we carry the yoke of life.

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

11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green/White/Red)
St. Paulinus of Nola, bishop / St John Fisher, bishop & martyt / St. Thomas More, martyr

Ps 111:1b-2, 3-4, 7-8
Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.

1^st Reading: 2 Cor 11:1-11

May you bear with me in some little foolishness! But surely you will. I confess that I share the jealousy of God for you, for I have promised you, in marriage, to Christ, the only spouse; to present you to him, as a pure virgin. And this is my fear: the serpent that seduced Eve, with cunning, could also corrupt your minds, and divert you from Christian sincerity. Someone, now, comes, and preaches another Jesus, different from the one we preach, or you are offered a different spirit from the one you have received, with a different gospel from the one you have accepted—and you agree!

I do not see how I am inferior to those super-apostles. Does my speaking leave much to be desired? Perhaps, but not my knowledge, as I have abundantly shown to you in every way.

Perhaps my fault was, that I humbled myself, in order to uplift you, or that, I gave you the gospel free of charge. I called upon the services of other churches, and served you with the support I received from them. When I was with you, although I was in need, I did not become a burden to anyone. The friends from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I have taken care, not to be a burden to you in anything, and I will continue to do so. By the truth of Christ within me, I will let no one in the land of Achaia stop this boasting of mine.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do!

Gospel: Mt 6:7-15

When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do; for they believe that, the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.
This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven, holy be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth,
 as in heaven. Give us today, our daily bread.
 Forgive us our debts, as we forgive those
who are in debt to us.
 Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from the evil one.
 If you forgive others their wrongdoings,
 your Father in heaven will also forgive yours
If you do not forgive others,
then your Father will not forgive you.

REFLECTION:

Our conception of God influences the kind of spirituality that will give order and meaning to our lives. It will also color how we deal with the world at large. That is why Jesus introduces us to a Father that is wholly different from our own idea of who He is. Jesus serves as a kind of bridge that brings the Father near to us and we to Him. That is why He taught us the Our Father. This is the only prayer that Jesus prayed recorded in the gospels. This is the prayer He wishes all His disciples to be acquainted with.

Looking at the Our Father, we see a structure that could form our relationship with the Father of Jesus and our Father as well. First, there is praise and thanksgiving to this awesome God. Then the prayer of petition follows. Perhaps what is amazing in this prayer is the fact that when we forgive, we are also forgiven. Ultimately, forgiving others is to forgive ourselves also. So the next time we pray, let God take center stage in our prayer and not our problems and needs. That is the least of our concern for the loving God anticipates our needs and will respond accordingly. And secondly, what we do to others will eventually be what will be done to us in return.

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

11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious

Ps 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 9
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

1^st Reading: 2 Cor 9:6-11

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. Become rich in every way, and give abundantly. What you give will become, through us, a thanksgiving to God.

Gospel: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Be careful not to make a show of your good deeds before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be noticed in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by people. I assure you, they have their reward.

If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

When you pray, do not be like those who want to be noticed. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners, in order to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have their reward. When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will re ward you.

When you fast, do not put on a miserable face, as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so that people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father, who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

REFLECTION:

There are holiness that distracts because it is too loud. It seeks recognition and praise. This is the brand of holiness that Jesus asks us to shun and flee. It does not help to build the spiritual life of the community. On the contrary it might breed competition, jealousy and envy among those who are not deep enough to realize the shallowness of such contrived form of holiness.

And so Jesus invites us to be more focused on the process and not in the form of holiness. To be mindful of its expressions even if it is not recognized or praised by others. The process unfolds quietly. It does not depend on public accolade. It just goes on and continues silently. And when one is totally absorbed to its everyday manifestation, the center is not anymore you but the wonder that unravels before you. And this has the power to inspire others because of its unself-conscious manifestation in the physical realm.

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