Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

7TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)

Ps 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35
Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

1^st Reading: Sir 6:5-17

A gentle word makes many friends, an agreeable tongue calls forth gracious replies. Let your friends be many; but your counselors, one in a thousand!

If you would gain a friend, begin by testing him and do not put your confidence in him too quickly. For there is the friend who is such when it suits him but he does not remain faithful in the time of your adversity.

There is the friend who becomes an enemy and, to your confusion, makes known why you quarreled.

There is the friend who shares your table but does not remain faithful when things go against you. In times of prosperity he will be like your shadow and he will speak freely to those of your household. But if you are humiliated, he will turn against you and will avoid meeting you.

Distance yourself from your enemies and be careful about your friends.

The faithful friend is a secure refuge; whoever has found one has found a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond all price; hold him as priceless. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, and those who fear the Lord will find one.

Whoever fears the Lord will make true friends for, as a man is, such will his friend be.

Gospel: Mk 10:1-12

Jesus then left that place and went to the province of Judea, beyond the Jordan River. Once more, crowds gathered around him and, once more, he taught them, as he always did. Some (Pharisees came and) put him to the test with this question: “Is it right for a husband to divorce his wife?“ He replied, “What law did Moses give you?“ They answered, “Moses allowed us to write a certificate of dismissal in order to divorce.“

Then Jesus said to them, “Moses wrote this law for you, because you have hearts of stone. But in the beginning of creation God made them male and female; and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one body. So, they are no longer two, but one body. Therefore, let no one separate what God has joined.“

When they were indoors at home, the disciples again asked him about this, and he told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against his wife; and the woman who divorces her husband and marries another, also commits adultery.“

REFLECTION:

The gift of friendship

The journey back to the Father is a journey made best with companions, with friends. Do you have a soul friend? One who can walk with you as a fellow pilgrim? One who can share your dreams? One who can laugh with you and cry with you? One who accepts you with all your “pluses“ and “minuses.“ One who loves you as you are? If you do have such a friend, blessed are you indeed! Ben Sirach tells us that a “faithful friend is a priceless treasure!“

Ben Sirach further tells us that the foundation of true friendship is the fear of the Lord. It means that a true friend will not endanger the eternal salvation of a friend. God’s law establishes the parameters of the relationship of true friends. Such was the friendship of St. Francis and St. Claire, St. Basil and St. Gregory, of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. These blessed Saints were true friends as they had their gazes fixed on God even as they held each other’s hands.

Today would be a good time to remember our dear friends. We thank our friends who have stood by our side through thick and thin. We thank our friends who have been faithful to us. May the good Lord reward them all!

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

7TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (Red)
St. Polycarp, bishop & martyr

Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

1^st Reading: Sir 5:1-8

Do not rely on your wealth. Do not say, “I am self-sufficient.“ Do not let yourself be carried away by greed and violence; they would make you their slave.

Do not say, “Who can stop me?“ For the Lord has power to punish you. Do not say, “I have sinned and nothing has happened!“ For the Lord bides his time.

Do not be so sure of pardon when you are heaping sin upon sin. Do not say, “His compassion is great! He will forgive the vast number of my sins!“ For with him is mercy but also anger; his fury will be poured out on sinners.

Do not delay your return to the Lord, do not put it off from day to day. For suddenly the anger of the Lord will blaze forth and you will perish on the day of reckoning.

Do not rely on riches wrongfully acquired for they will be of no use to you on the day of wrath.

Gospel: Mk 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone gives you a drink of water because you belong to Christ and bear his name, truly, I say to you, he will not go without reward. If anyone should cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a great millstone around his neck.

“If your hand makes you fall into sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a hand, than with two hands to go to hell, to the fire that never goes out. And if your foot makes you fall into sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life without a foot, than with both feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye makes you fall into sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, keeping both eyes, to be thrown into hell, where the worms that eat them never die, and the fire never goes out. The fire itself will preserve them.

“Salt is a good thing; but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.“

REFLECTION:

Presumption

Ben Sirach in our first reading speaks of one of the most dangerous sins the sin of PRESUMPTION. Many fall into this sin. This sin makes the sinner presume that he or she will always have the time to repent in the future. The sinner says “I will have time to be good when I grow old or retire.“

Postponing repentance is dangerous. One presumes that one has control of ones’ own time. That is farthest from the truth! Death may come suddenly! Tomorrow may never come to the sinner! Moreover, postponing repentance to an uncertain future eventually can make the sinner so callous that return to God may become too difficult. At that point one has become like the salt that has lost its saltiness that the Gospel speaks of today.

Presumption is an affront also to the mercy of God. Thus Ben Sirach tells us that one who takes sin lightly is courting the anger of God who hates sin! Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the American poet of the 19^th century, has a beautiful poem on Divine Retribution

Though the mills of God
grind slowly;
Yet they grind exceeding small;
Though with patience
He stands waiting,
With exactness grinds He all.
Presumptuous sinners, beware! God can exact an accounting of every sin on judgment day!

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 THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE
Psalter: Proper / (White)

Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.

1^st Reading: 1 Pt 5:1-4

I now address myself to those elders among you; I, too, am an elder, and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, hoping to share the glory that is to be revealed. Shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to you, guarding it, not out of obligation, but, willingly, for God’s sake; not as one looking for a reward, but with a generous heart; do not lord it over, those in your care, rather be an example to your flock. Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will be given a crown of unfading glory.

Gospel: Mt 16:13-19

After that, Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?“ They said, “For some of them, you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.“

Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?“ Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.“ Jesus replied, “It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

“And now I say to you: You are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.“

REFLECTION:

Ex Cathedra

Today we celebrate a unique Feast, namely, “The Chair of Peter!“ It is not Peter as a Saint that we celebrate but it is his “Chair“ that gets the honor! Why a feast day for a “Chair?“

Today’s feast honors the authority given to Peter. The “Chair“ symbolizes the authority of Peter. When we have a committee we often have a “chairman“ who heads it. For the Church as an institution it is Peter, and his successors the Popes, who occupy that post or office. Peter, as it were, is the “chairman“ of the Church founded by Christ.

From that “Chair“ Peter, and all who succeed Peter, exercise the teaching authority. From that “Chair“ or more technically “ex Cathedra,“ the Pope makes official pronouncements on Faith and Morals. It is an authority the Pope exercises on the basis of Christ’s own words in todays’ Gospel. When, therefore, the Pope teaches on questions of Faith and Morals, he speaks in the name of Jesus. How awesome is the trust of Christ on whoever seats on the “Chair!“ Christ delegates to Peter, and his successors, full powers! Christ gives to Peter the “Keys of Heaven!“ If Christ Jesus himself put his full trust and confidence in Peter, who am I to question and distrust the one seated on the “Chair of Peter?“

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

7TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green/White)
St. Peter Damian, bishop & doctor

Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

1^st Reading: Sir 2:1-11

My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Keep your heart upright and remain resolute; do not be upset in the time of adversity.

Hold fast to the Lord, do not separate yourself from him so that you may be successful to the end of your days. Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled, for as gold is tested in the fire, so those acceptable to God are tested in the crucible of humiliation. Have confidence in him and he will take care of you; follow the right path and hope in him.

You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy and do not turn away lest you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust him and you will not lose your reward. You who fear the Lord, hope for all good things; hope for eternal joy and mercy.

Remember what happened to your ancestors. Who has ever trusted in the Lord and been confounded? Who has persevered in fear of the Lord and been abandoned? Who has called upon him and not been heard?

 For the Lord is compassion and loving-kindness; he forgives our sins and saves us in time of distress.

Gospel: Mk 9:30-37

After leaving that place, they made their way through Galilee; but Jesus did not want people to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise.“ The disciples, however, did not understand these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?“ But they did not answer, because they had been arguing about who was the greatest.

Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, “If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all.“ Then he took a little child, placed him in their midst, and putting his arms around him he said to them, “Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me, but the One who sent me.“

REFLECTION:

Prepare yourself for trials

The opening verse of our reading today, “My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials“ is beautifully echoed by St. Benedict, father of the Benedictine Order, in the prologue of his Holy Rule for monks. One who seeks to take seriously the Christian life, like the monks or any other serious minded Christian, must be ready to endure discipline. Perfection in the Christian way of life demands much sacrifice. In particular, St. Benedict taught the monks to observe the discipline of obedience and to grow in humility, or more precisely, to be willing to be humiliated! St. Benedict spoke of 12 steps or grades of humility!

Jesus in the Gospel was also teaching his disciples in much the same vein like Ben Sirach, our first reading, when He told them of His impending suffering, his humiliation. Unfortunately, his disciples could not quite understand their Master. Jesus was teaching them that the way to the “top“ was by going down “below!“ Such is the Christian paradox! To be great one must become little! To lead, one must serve!

Today we are called to become wise! Ben Sirach tells us to be resolute, and when the going gets tough, the tough get going but humbly and in obedience like Jesus who embraced death, death on a cross!

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