Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

daily gospel gospel reading bible reflection

THE WORD

Rom 10: 9–18 / Mt 4: 18–22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

It was only after more than a week of living with our new seminarians in the formation house that I came to know that two of them were blood brothers.  They did not have the same surname as it is not a practice in Madagascar to have a common family name. So, coming from another culture, I was a little bit surprised upon learning that the newcomers were actually brothers. The two, on seeing my reaction, thought I was not in favor of having them together around. I explained that I was just surprised; since I did not notice in their curriculum vitae that they had the same parents. I told them that there was no problem at all for them to be together, as long as their kinship would not hinder them from establishing brotherly relations with the others in the community.

In the Gospel today, Jesus called two sets of brothers to be his disciples. These brothers did not hesitate to leave behind not only their livelihood but also their own families so as to be with Jesus. Surely, it was not their first time to meet Jesus. They should have already known him or at least heard about him before that day when they were called. They left everything for Jesus, not because everything was not important, but because they were being called for something much more important and urgent: to be fishers of men, to be agents of God’s kingdom. To accomplish this mission, they needed to learn to go beyond family ties as well as personal affairs and embrace all persons as their own brothers and sisters.

  • Jerry Songcog, SVD (Madagascar)

The Word in other words 2015

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.

 

THE WORD

FIRST READING Jer 33: 14–16

The days are coming—oracle of the LORD—when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days, at that time, I will make a just shoot spring up for David; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; this is the name they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.”

SECOND READING 1 Thes 3: 12–4:2

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.

Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

GOSPEL READING Lk 21: 25–28.34–36

Jesus said to his disciples, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

“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

You have seen people queuing up to get to a bank teller. You might have been one of the passengers of a flight that is delayed. Or maybe you are at a restaurant waiting for a friend to arrive. These are not easy moments. The waiting could be frustrating, nerve-wracking and, at the very least, boring.

The spirit of Advent puts us into the spirit of waiting. But it is not the frustrating or boring kind of waiting. When we are in sync with the true waiting to which the season of Advent invites us, we are called to put ourselves in the cloaks of those people who have waited patiently and earnestly for the coming of a Savior, as described by the Prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (9, 2) Isaiah further proclaims to those who are waiting, “Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” (35, 4)

In the same spirit of waiting we focus ourselves not on the coming of the “historical” Jesus, the one born in a manger in swaddling clothes, but on the Jesus already present and knocking at our hearts, telling us, “Here I am, your way, your truth, and your life.” Our waiting is in the spirit of hope, that the same Jesus continues to enter and bring light to our lives, sometimes marred by the darkness of our sins and wrong choices. Our waiting is also in the spirit of gentleness and serenity, allowing the spirit of God to work in us and through us.

Our gospel reading today describes the signs and the times of the coming of the Son of man with power and great glory. It also reminds us to stand erect to receive our full redemption. Amidst the goodness, peace and happiness we now receive through God’s grace in us, the fullness of His redeeming love is yet to come.

This is another hopeful waiting, inspiring our vigilance to center our lives in God. As we “wait” during these weeks of Advent let us not forget the hope and the gentleness that come along with it. In the coming days leading up to Christmas we come to grips again with the reality that in our lives, God, “Emmanuel”, is already with us and in us. But the fullness of His presence is yet to come. Here is an excerpt of a poem that speaks volumes:

WAIT!
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said,
“Child, you must wait”.
Lloyd Pulley

  • Sonny de Rivera, SVD (Rome, Italy)

 

The Word in other words 2015

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.

 

THE WORD

Dn 7: 15–27 / 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

Who would have known beforehand that an earthquake with intensity 7.2 would “rock” and devastate Bohol and Cebu? Or, who would have known earlier that a killer-typhoon called Yolanda (Haiyan) would bring indescribable destruction to Tacloban and nearby towns? These catastrophes of last year were not expected, much less awaited, in these places of the Philippines.

A subsequent question, motivated by the Gospel of today, is: Who would know beforehand when the Son of Man is coming? Jesus, the Son of Man Himself, exhorts His listeners: “Keep awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Mt. 24: 42) Our Lord warns us not to be caught offguard by His return. He warns us against indulging in earthly pleasures that usually divert our attention or dull our sensitivity while keeping watch for His unexpected coming. His coming might be at the hour of our death, or at the endtime, at the Parousia, His second coming. He warns us from worrying or being caught up with things of this passing life, thus forgetting the eternal life we are destined for. The expression “Will this redound to my salvation?” might help us ponder when we are engrossed in things of this world such as honor, prestige and wealth, among others. It is best to take to heart the scripture verse: “What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but suffers the loss of his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26), and then remain vigilant and ready for the Lord’s coming.

Our Lord emphasizes the importance of prayer, of constantly connecting ourselves with our Source, the Divine Being. We are to deepen in our hearts the awareness of God’s presence in us, to keep ourselves attuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and to strive to be always vigilant, to be always prepared for the Lord’s coming: the day, time and circumstances of which no one knows.

Blessed Ma. Helena Stollenwerk, a co-foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), whose feastday the Congregation celebrates today, lived an exemplary life, in constant vigilance for the Lord’s coming. She lived a life of prayer and was earnest and true to her motto: “To God the honor, to my neighbor the benefit, and to myself the burden.”

May Blessed Ma. Helena pray for us.

  • Frances Grace, SSpS

The Word in other words 2015

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.

 

THE WORD

Dn 7: 2–14 / Lk 21: 29–33

Jesus taught [his disciples] a lesson. “Consider the fig 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

Jesus used the image of a fig tree to teach his disciples an important lesson about reading the “signs of the times.” Are there signs that will tell us that the Kingdom of God is near, in the same way that we know that summer is coming when a tree’s buds begin to open?

True, no one knows when the Lord will come again. But He certainly wants us to be ready when it comes. That is why He will give us “signs” (meaning, many signs) that we can hopefully “read” and respond to.

Just something to think about: it is said that the Lord comes to us each day and knocks on the doors of our hearts. If so, are we even aware of these moments in our life? Because if we are not, how do we expect to be ready and prepared when He comes again to establish His Kingdom in all its fullness?

Throughout history, we have so-called diviners who interpret for us the meaning of signs, events, and omens. Then there are the fortune-tellers who do more of the same. But these practices are generally forbidden and the Bible even describes them as detestable before God (Deuteronomy 18: 10-12; Leviticus 19: 26). So, what then? Where do we go to? Here’s a clue. In Lk 21: 33, we read: “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” And we have more of the same in 2 Timothy 3: 1-15: “But know this, that in the last days, perilous time will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” St Paul then has a piece of advice to Timothy: “[C]ontinue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy, you have known theHoly Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

In the meantime, this is what we are asked to do. We are to stand strong and believe in the Word of God and find wisdom in it, knowing that the Word of God is true and sure. The Word of God will not only help us be ready for the end-time; the Word of God will also help us keep strong and hopeful for what is to come.

  • Vicente Uy, SVD (HNU, Tagbilaran City)

The Word in other words 2015

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.

 

More Articles ...

  1. November 26, 2015 Thursday
  2. November 25, 2015 Wednesday
  3. November 24, 2015 Tuesday
  4. November 23, 2015 Monday
  5. November 22, 2015 Sunday
Page 389 of 412

Daily Reflection

November 2024
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su
28 29 30 31 1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 1