Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Jas 5,9-12 / Mk 10,1-12

Jesus set out from there and went into the district of Judea across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them. The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”

But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother (and be joined to his wife), and the two shall become one flesh’. So they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

IN OTHER WORDS

There are songs in my mind and in my heart, heard over the radio, remembered through the years. Love songs. Old tunes. Happy notes. Sad lines. Hopeful wishes. Tearful goodbyes. They make me smile or cry. I feel the warmth of some, note the hypocrisy of others. I sense the joy, know the pain. “I can’t help falling in love with you…” “When I fall in love…” “How can I live without regret, am I that easy to forget…” “Little things mean a lot..” “What a diff erence a day makes..” “Why don’t you believe me?” “We used to laugh, we used to cry… I need you..”If love is not forever, what isforever for? ” And pictures arise. Battered women. Henpecked husbands. Crying babies. Lost, lonely children.

Broken homes. Vows proudly declared but not honored. Wedding promises of YES, lifetime series of NOs. I love you’s frequently said but as often forgotten and not lived. All these mixed with family scenes of lollipops and roses, ice cream and cookies, rainbows and days in the beach, Christmas, New Year, birthday parties and celebrations. The whole gamut of human life and love. Can’t we stay together – for the sake of the children? Why can’t we part as our love has died?

What to do, Lord? Please help all who today are reading, listening to, reflecting on your words.

Give each the strength to carry on, to say “I am sorry, please forgive me. Take me back”. Help each to forgive, never to break a wedding promise, to live up to the promised love, to understand that the forever one declared at one’s wedding is really lived from moment to moment, from day to day --- not always easily, but consistently, faithfully. Be the comfort one needs in terrible moments of loneliness caused by the betrayal of love, by unfaithfulness, by deceit.

Above our pain, through our broken hearts, lives and dreams, please help us learn to hope again, laugh and live again. Teach us not to fear to love even a second time around. Perhaps for just a day.  But hopefully, for yet another. And maybe, more? Amen.

• Fr.  Roderick C. Salazar | CKMS, Quezon 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

Jas 5,1-6 / Mk 9,41-50

Jesus said to his disciples, “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.  “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.  “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fi re is not quenched.’  “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in your selves and you will have peace with one another.”

IN OTHER WORDS

In the movie, Salt (2012) Angelina Jolie playing Evelyn Salt, is a double-agent (CIA and Russian spy) who singlehandedly saves the world from nuclear annihilation. Evelyn Salt brings in “fire” into the story.

In the Gospel reading today, Jesus’ descriptions of salt are not easy to understand: Everyone will be salted with re. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other. In the ancient world, plates of salt were often placed at the bottom of the earthen oven to ignite re. Apart from being a preservative and seasoning, it was a catalyst. In fact we believe that rice is cooked better when a grain of salt is placed on top of the rice cooker.

Jesus seems to be exhorting his disciples to make a difference in the world, like salt that can ignite fire.  The Christian is a “fire-starter”.  In the earlier part of Mark 9 where the reading belongs, Jesus presents himself as the best example of a person “salted with re” who must undergo suffering and death and rise again. Then he poses a similar challenge to his disciples: “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Today there are Christians in other parts of the world who are literally losing their lives for the sake of Jesus. We denounce the violence done to them. It is evil. But they are real disciples of Jesus “salted with fire.” We pray that the shedding of their blood ignite a re to make our world a better world.

• Fr. Randy Flores | 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

Jas 4,13-17 / Mk 9,38-40

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

IN OTHER WORDS

I always wanted to become a good preacher. I was influenced by a video I watched on the Internet.  The video presented a well-known Cebuano Catholic Faith Defender publicly debating with a protestant. I was really amazed how this guy lambasted the ideas opposing our Catholic Faith. He was well-versed with the scriptures; he could easily site substantial verses to refute the other’s wrong conception of our belief and practice as Catholics and supported his arguments with convincing explanations. Most of his public debates with the other denominations and sects won the hearts and applause of the crowd leaving the opposing debater at a loss for words.

In our Gospel today, Jesus illustrates a very touching and an eye-opening example for all of us.

For whoever is not against us is for us…these very words of Jesus show His great love for all. At times, this is called the Divine Tolerance. Jesus’ love for all of us is not exclusive to a particular group of people. It is an inclusive love; it knows no restrictions. Jesus’ love is not exclusive to a particular Church. God’s grace comes and flows inside and even outside our Church, respecting “plurality of religions.”A Catholic Bishop once said: “Why focus on our differences? Instead, let us focus on our similarities.”

I recall the video that I watched. I realize, there’s no need to argue on who is really worthy or which Church is the true church. Let us then be like Jesus whose love exceeds the limits we fence it in. Let us get rid of our prejudices and biases towards other’s beliefs. GOD’S LOVE IS NOT EXCLUSIVE; IT IS AN INCLUSIVE LOVE.

• Sem. Karl T. Cabanalan | CKMS, Quezon 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

Jas 4,1-10 / Mk 9,30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.  He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.  They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the one who sent me.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Gyl has Down syndrome and born with a weak heart. With her fragile state, all care and love at maximum levels are showered on her. While this fondness extends equally to all our child and youth members, Gyl’s giftedness squeezes out an extra love from us all. She moves us to care for all.

On Sundays at church, she welcomes everyone with a hug and a kiss and bids everyone goodbye with the same. Such warm gestures have become a well-loved feature and tradition that a Sunday without her seems a bit bland.

No wonder the heart of the Lord beats strongly for children. The humility and the joyful love that they possess can command us to return to our simple selves. We once had this simplicity but through the years, we hardened and turned into rocks. We degenerate from having hearts of flesh to acquiring hearts of stone. We build our towers of Babel, our fortresses and our walls and hurl stones at one another. Then we succumb to the sin of pride and display our wares, our greatness, our highness and our majesties. Upon this hardness of heart, the Lord sets his face like a stone as well.

He calls a child in the midst of a crowd to emphasize who they should be like and who they should receive if they were serious to be called disciples.

One time, Gyl came to mass quite sick. Her family said she kept on uttering only one word: “Simba!” and like a General’s order, it had to be obeyed. Her heart is in the church. For someone who sometimes forgets where his heart is, I understand why Gyl –a child – comes into our lives and eloquently echoes the person and deeds of the Master.

• Fr. Ferdinand Bajao, 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