Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Hos 11,1-4.8-9 / Mt 10,7-15

[Jesus said to the Twelve,] “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words – go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

IN OTHER WORDS

The gospel account provides a blueprint of two dimensions of our life – personal and missionary. When we realize that we can’t bring to the grave any of our material possessions, we refer to the personal dimension, reminding us of the value of detachment in a smooth-sailing life journey.

The missionary dimension, on the other hand, proposes two dispositions that Jesus exhorted his disciples to exemplify. First, they must travel light – take only the essentials and leave behind any distraction from proclaiming the word of God. This mandate demanded total resignation and dependence on God that could free them from excessive self-preoccupation. It demanded detachment from unnecessary sources of strength and required, instead, total trust and con dence in the providence and plan of the Lord.

Second, he exhorted them to give freely what they had received. Their mission was not a privilege but a gift that came from the abundance of God’s love. Therefore, their sacrifices must not merit remuneration but must be seen as an expression of their gratitude to God. Jesus exhorted them to remember the marvels the Lord had done. He himself cured the sick, raised the dead and cleansed the lepers. They were asked to do the same.

Jesus’ calling to mission is demanding but in this Matthean account, he gives us hope and asks us to share the Good News too. He asks us to give without counting the cost but with trust and dependence on his providence. These dispositions can help us respond more fully to Pope Francis’ call for us to have the smell like that of the sheep - that is, to be one among the sick, the poor, and the needy to whom we are commissioned to go.

• Fr. Samuel Agcaracar, SVD | Rome, Italy

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

Hos 10,1-3.7-8.12 / Mt 10,1-7

Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.  The name of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

IN OTHER WORDS IN OTHER WORDS

Boss, talking to the yaya of all her children: “But Maria, why are you asking for a salary raise? I treated you all your life like one of my children.” “But, Mom,” replied Maria, “How come they are all professionals now? Me, I’m still a yaya.”

At times we are happy with the way we deal with people around us, not knowing that we unwittingly treat some, especially the poorer ones, unfairly. Company owners hire workers under contract of less than six months, insisting that they have to give job opportunities to others. Of course the companies get the bene ts that are due to terminated workers. Grandparents treat their grandchildren as if they were the parents, showing their lack of trust in their own children.

This is not the way Jesus related to those he called. When he picked his followers, he gave them his full trust, even the person who betrayed him. Jesus shared to his apostles the “authority” to do what he did. His followers would be the visible sign of his presence. If Jesus was the physical presence of his Father, his disciples would be the incarnated sign of him continually working in the world. Following his disciples, therefore, is following Jesus. Would that priests live up to their calling as representatives of Jesus who called them and be the re ection of his deeds at the same time!

• Fr. Atilano Corocuera, SVD | DWST, Tagaytay City

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

Hos 8,4-7.11-13 / Mt 9,32-38

As [Jesus and his disciples] were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Genuine compassion best describes the disposition of Jesus at the sight of the crowds that were “troubled and abandoned, like a sheep without a shepherd.” The epitome of compassion, He performed healing miracles for the people: making the blind see, allowing the lame to walk once again, curing the lepers. It was through compassion that He forgave sinners, reached out to the least, the last and the lost - children, prostitutes, sinners. It was through compassion that He offered his life for you and me.

Jesus uttered the appeal, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” He expected, therefore, that the laborers or the ministers of today would continue His mission and become instruments of compassion and love.

But do the troubled and abandoned, the least, the lost and last today feel the compassion of God from the modern laborers of the harvest? Or are they the exact opposite of the compassionateJesus? This is a timely reminder for all the ministers of the Church today.

Pope Francis gave us an example on how we can become instruments of compassion when he visited the Philippines in January 2015, especially during his mass in Tacloban, Leyte.

I pray then that you and I will become genuine instruments of God’s compassion to others.

• Fr. Gerry E. Paat, SVD | SVD Postulancy, Tagaytay City

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

Hos 2,16-18.21-22 / Mt 9,18-26

While Jesus was speaking to the crowd, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

IN OTHER WORDS

The story is told that when Pope Francis was in the Philippines, there was this dilemma of theMMDA whether to cite him for traffic violation on three counts: (1) using a vehicle with no valid plate number; (2) not using a seatbelt; (3) standing while the vehicle is in motion. But they decided to let him go, in the spirit of mercy and compassion.

Jesus, out of mercy and compassion, healed the woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, and raised up to life the little girl who had died. He had a heart, and he went out of his way to be with, and to minister to them. Pope Francis showed us his Master’s heart when he was with us too. More than ever, we need people with kind and caring hearts. We have too many proud intellectuals, managers, celebrities and functionaries.

“Courage, your faith has saved you.” The Lord tells us today to focus on Him (not on ourselves!) and to hold on to His hands (not to our own resources) as we journey on. In the end, it is our faith and trust in God, more than our “achievements” that will save us. It is because God is loving, merciful and compassionate that we will “make it there” in that kingdom where there are no more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more sickness, no more goodbyes.

In faith, in humility, let us pray every day: “Lord, help me to make the rest of my life, the best of my life. Amen!”

• Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD | San Jose, Batangas

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