Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Heb 10,32-39/ Mk 4,26-34

Jesus said, "This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come."

He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

IN OTHER WORDS

Witnessing to the Word for the past 28 years as a missionary priest has been an invaluable experience to me that if God will give me a chance to live another lifetime, I would ask Him to allow me to become a Divine Word Missionary priest, one more time.

For 18 years, I was a pastor in different parishes within the territory of the SVD Philippines Southern Province, taking care of people growing in faith. That I've worked as much as I could to help take care of this growing faith is my signature move. It doesn't matter if I work fast or slow, if I come and leave places sooner or later than expected. I know other missionaries will come to continue whatever I started. I don't worry about what would happen to the parish and the programs that I initiated when I'm gone. Mission to save the world is God's work. I am only a collaborator.

I worked for 8 good years in formation and another 2 years in HNU, Tagbilaran City. Missionary work in formation and in school may be different from the parish, but the basic principle is still the same: "It is God's mission. I am only a collaborator." My manner of collaborating may reveal much about myself but what matters most is that this collaboration is my contribution to the growth of the Kingdom, which is very precious to me. However, even if I consume myself working for this Kingdom, I seek only the greater glory of God, as John the Baptist said it very clearly: "He must increase while I must decrease." (Jn 3:30)

Building the Kingdom is God's mission. He started it and allows it to grow. I collaborate only as a caregiver. He will complete it in His time. The 2 parables in our Gospel today clearly illustrate this reality.

• Fr. Rodrigo Salac, SVD (HNU, Bohol)

The Word in other words 2017

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2016 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

2 Tim 1,1-8 / Mk 4,21-25
Jesus said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear." He also told them, "Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."

IN OTHER WORDS

In 1953 when I entered the seminary as a high school graduate, electronic keyboards were not yet invented. Instead the seminary had harmoniums which were pedaled to help produce the music. There were two or three seminarians who took turns in playing the harmonium to accompany the community singing during Holy Mass or play during the Eucharistic benedictions. Since I previously had some piano lessons, I asked myself: Should I volunteer to be one of the organists or should I do nothing with my musical talents? Eventually I asked my superior: Is it a sin not to use my musical talents? My question surprised him but he said no. Following my conscience I then volunteered to be one the harmonium players.

Today's gospel is quite clear: a lamp should not be put under a bushel but placed on a lamp stand. Although all have different talents, we are asked to use them for the sake of others. We do not live alone for ourselves because we belong to all sorts of social ties.

• Leonardo Mercado, SVD (CTManila)

The Word in other words 2017

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2016 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Ac 22,3-16 / Mk 16,15-18
Jesus said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents (with their hands), and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

IN OTHER WORDS

Conversion stories reveal the unpredictability of our existence, show the power of God's grace, and offer hope to humanity. St. Paul's conversion story continues to challenge my personal conversion to be an authentic bearer of Jesus' Good News.

Sometimes we are quick to judge people, including ourselves. We spend more time criticizing, instead of helping others and building their self-worth. God certainly sees in us what our naked eye cannot perceive and alone fathoms the mystery that we are. He brings out the best in us and makes our weaknesses a source of our strengths. In the story of St. Paul, the Lord transformed a fierce persecutor of Christians into a fearless and zealous apostle. He saw Paul's potential as an extraordinary preacher of the Gospel. He called him, showed him His kindness and mercy, and Paul responded with burning love for and total commitment to Jesus and His mission. He, to whom much was forgiven, loved much. Let me end with a sonnet written in honor of the great apostle by Malcolm Guite, an Anglican poet-priest:

An enemy whom God has made a friend,
A righteous man discounting righteousness,
Last to believe and first for God to send,
He found the fountain in the wilderness,
Thrown to the ground and raised at the same moment,
A prisoner who set his captors free,
A naked man with love his only garment,
A blinded man who helped the world to see,
A Jew who had been perfect in the law,
Blesses the flesh of every other race,
And helps them see what the apostles saw: The glory of the Lord in Jesus' face.
Strong in his weakness, joyful in his pains,
And bound by love, he freed us from our chains.

• Fr. Edwin Fernandez, SVD ( DWC, Laoag City)

The Word in other words 2017

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2016 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Heb 10,1-10 / Mk 3,31-35

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, "Your mother and your brothers (and your sisters) are outside asking for you." But he said to them in reply, "Who are my mother and (my) brothers?" And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. (For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

IN OTHER WORDS

Some say that Jesus had brothers because of today's gospel passage: "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking an opportunity to speak to you."  "Brothers" in Semitic language is a generic term which also means "cousins." This is what St. Mark must have meant. Otherwise, the other evangelists would have mentioned that Jesus had brothers.

By replying, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" Jesus sounded disrespectful to his mother and kins. But Jesus only meant it as a hyperbolic way of stressing a point: that spiritual relationship is more important than blood relationship. We achieve spiritual relationship by doing God's will: "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

We know God's will by reading the Scriptures, the Word of God and through the Church, which teaches matters of faith and morals with the authority of God himself God's will is further known from the nation's laws and ordinances, and is concretely discerned in the particular circumstances of our life, the "signs of the times." For example, the unexpected death of a loved one, an incurable sickness, natural calamities or events that are beyond our control.

Knowing or hearing God's will can be easy, but putting it into practice is difficult. For instance, Jesus says: “Forgive your enemies—and, mind you, not seven times but seven times seventy!” Or, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all, If anyone wishes to be my disciple, 'he should carry his cross and follow me."

George Truett remarkably puts it: "To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge, to find the will of God is the greatest discovery, but to DO the will of God is the greatest achievement."

• Fr. Bel San Luis, (CKMS, QC)

The Word in other words 2017

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2016 Society of the Divine Word