Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Is 4, 2-6 / Mt 8,5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully. He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”

IN OTHER WORDS

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” The centurion uttered these words in faith before Jesus as he requested Him to heal his servant. The same words we declare before we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, showing that we personally need God’s healing. Though we are not worthy to receive Him, in faith we seek and trust Him. For in love Jesus truly gives Himself to us. As Pope Francis in His Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium says, “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of Sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” Let us approach God full of trust like that of the centurion and of Blessed Maria Hellena Stollenwerk whose memorial we celebrate today.

Bl. Helena, co-foundress of the Mission Congregation Servants of the Holy Spirit, trusting in God and filled with the longing to be sent to China as a missionary, left her home and inheritance in Rollesbroich in the German Eifel. She persevered for seven years, working as a kitchen maid with three other women in the Society of the Divine Word mission house, hoping for the fulfillment of their missionary vocation. On December 8, 1889, she co-founded the mission congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit.

Full of trust and in faith let us encounter Jesus in the Eucharistic celebration and welcome Him to our life that we may share His Word and His mission as we say “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

• Fr. Dennis Manzana, SVD | Taiwan, ROC

The Word in other words 2016

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 © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

FIRST READING: Is 2,1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come,
The mountain of the LORD’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it.
Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the LORD’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths.”
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the LORD!

 

SECOND READING: Rm 13,11-14

Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we fi rst believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

GOSPEL: Mt 24,37-44

Jesus said to his disciples, “For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In (those) days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be (also) at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

“Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

IN OTHER WORDS

One very early Saturday morning, I was driving past a prominent street in Cebu City when I saw the street was densely populated with young people, probably students, drinking and tipsy and engaged in boisterous merry-making. Beer gardens, pubs, music lounges, outdoor restaurants and KTV rooms spread over the area, visible from the main street. Dancing lights and blaring disco music seem to have dominated the atmosphere. I learned later on that the street has become a favorite destination for people, mostly young, to congregate and have fun over the weekend.

Time and again, we are being warned by the gospel message to keep a good watch for we do not know the day or the hour when the second coming of our Lord would happen. But then, as in

the days of Noah when people refused to enter the ark despite the warning of the coming flood, many people of today would not listen and even those who do would think the second coming as so remote that any immediate preparation would not be necessary. The necessity and the urgency to prepare do not sink into the inner spiritual psyche of many people.

Few individuals would realize how fragile life can be. Few would know that at a strike of a calamity, without warning, thousands and thousands of people, young and old alike, would perish.

We have seen that in Yolanda and the preceding earthquakes in Bohol or Negros or another super

typhoon Pablo (Bhopa) in Compostela Valley. We have seen that in airplane crashes, sea mishaps,

and numerous road accidents everywhere. For all we know, the Lord’s second coming takes on different faces and forms and definitely in His own time.

The Lord’s warning to stay awake remains true today, not only to the people that troop to that particular street in Cebu but to everyone who has become complacent in their spiritual lives, to businessmen who are so engrossed with pro t and to professionals who have become so focused on their office responsibilities to the detriment of their spiritual duties. Stay awake and stay focused on things above and avoid the unpleasant surprises in your lives!

• Fr. Michael Layugan, SVD | DWST, Tagaytay

The Word in other words 2016

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 © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Rev 22,1-7 / Lk 21,34-36

Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.

IN OTHER WORDS

Kristel Mae Padasas, an aid worker, died after the scaffolding collapsed by the stage where Pope

Francis said mass for disasters survivors in Leyte on Saturday, January 17, 2015. The tragic death of this responsible, simple, humble, sincere, friendly and ever cheerful person practically moved us to tears. Someone commented on Facebook: “ … so sad, but what a meaningful and beautiful death …beautiful because Pope Francis himself prayed for her in a special way!” This very young lady indeed had her life lived at its best, a life lived in service and commitment for humanity. Simply a great and beautiful legacy for this generation.

A life truly lived humbly and committedly for the world, for humanity, and for God, is truly signicant, beautiful, and meaningful. It is a life constantly prepared for whatever may happen on the way, especially for the coming of the Lord. Her life truly exempli edwhat the Gospel for today is telling us: “be prepared at all times, …and to stand secure before the Son of Man (Lk. 21: 36).” In living the Gospel values and constantly communicating with God, as Kristel had shown, undoubtedly, we grow profoundly in our spiritual life. When death comes, and everything is taken away from us, we will fear nothing, even death, knowing that our whole lives have been spent with God, and that we are going home to be with Him forever.

• Fr. Eliseo Yyance, SVD | DWC of San Jose, Occ. Mindoro

The Word in other words 2016

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 © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Rev 20, 1-4.11-21,2 / Lk 21,29-33

Jesus taught his disciples a lesson. “Consider the g tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

IN OTHER WORDS

The Gospel simply reminds us to be aware of what is going within us and the world around us. We are constantly challenged to be sensitive to the signs of the times because nowadays people have become disoriented on what really matters in life. God has continuously revealed his divine plan in our daily life. All we need is to look at everything in the eyes of faith. Sad to say, our perception mostly gets blurred with our possessions and wants. We have become preoccupied with, and overwhelmed by what the world is offering us, creating distortion in our spiritual consciousness.

The Gospel challenges us to redirect our perception on things that make our life meaningful.

To discern the will of the Father, Jesus taught his disciples to be sensitive to the realities surrounding them, a pretty basic and practical act. God speaks to us at every moment of the day: through the warm words and prayers of a person who cares for us, through strangers we encounter.

His presence everywhere we don’t sense maybe because we don’t spend enough time for Jesus. Most people can spend hours in front of the television and browsing the internet but cannot even spend a minute for prayer. It’s very ironical to realize that God has given us 168 hours every week. But some of us would not even give Jesus an hour during a Sunday Holy Eucharist. We only live once; we should not waste our time, but maximize it on what matters the most.

• Fr. Roger Solis, SVD | HNU, Bohol

The Word in other words 2016

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 © 2015 Society of the Divine Word