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THE WORD

FIRST READING Dn 7: 13–14

As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven
One like a son of man.
When he reached the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, splendor, and kingship;
all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not pass away,
his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.

SECOND READING Rv 1: 5–8

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever [and ever]. Amen.

Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”

GOSPEL READING Jn 18: 33–37

Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

A king is one whose orders are followed.

Pilate was such a king. He was dressed in silk and wore a crown made of gold. He had a territory where his word was the law. Jesus was brought to him by his subjects. In fact, he would order that Jesus should die.

Jesus was also a king. He was dressed in a torn garment and wore a crown made of thorns. He did not have a territory where his word was the law. Nobody was forced into him but crowds followed him. He obeyed the will of his Father. He was king to anyone who belonged to the truth.

Who do we have as our king? Whose orders shall we follow?
Money?
Comfort?
Power?
Jesus?

  • Vic Rayco, SVD (St. Jude Cath. Sch., Manila)

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

1 Mac 6: 1–13 / Lk 20: 27–40

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

“God is Pro-Life!” “The Lord is God of the living, not of the dead!” These were written on the banners steadily and proudly held high by Catholic students as they paraded through the city streets of Tacloban during the annual “March for Life.” Like disciplined soldiers they displayed their views and showed uncanny wisdom despite their tender years on such vital issues as the sanctity of life from conception to old age and death, the holiness of Christian marriage and the dignity of every person created in the image of God. Whatever grounds human reason gave were enlightened and strengthened by faith and revelation: two complementary vital sources of knowledge and wisdom.

Reading the Old Testament story of the valiant Israelites defying the violent efforts of the pagan Antiochus IV and preserving with all their might the purity of their faith have inspired these brave and youthful Warays to follow the example of their ancestors in the faith. The gospel story of the presentation of Mary at God’s Temple also makes the faithful stand up for the gift of life and faith God has given to them. Time and again their knowledge and convictions are sorely tried and challenged, especially when they hear of revolting stories of babies whose lives were ended in the wombs on the lame pretext that they were “unwanted,” that they were not fruits of genuine love.

The youth are also rightly shocked and saddened by ugly reports of human trafficking a.k.a. “white slavery” especially among the poor and helpless young people from the rural areas, people whose dreams of a better life have been shattered by their plight reduced to “living death.” Fads coming from the media have eroded the sacred matrimony between one man and one woman. Where in olden and golden days the old were revered and cared for, the false belief in the value of a person placed solely on usefulness has dangerously crept in.

In the presentation of their young daughter to the Lord, Sts. Joachim and Anne proclaimed loud and clear that God is the Lord of life and love.

  • Flor Lagura, SVD (Bordentown, NJ, USA)

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

1 Mac 4: 36–37.52–59 / Lk 19: 45–48

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’” And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could not find a way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

It is necessary always to observe modesty in all things, even in matters of external appearance. That is why when we attend weddings or special occasions we see to it that we wear the proper and decent attire. However, some people are not that sensitive as regards the importance of modesty when attending liturgical celebrations, especially when there is no particular or special occasion involved.

Jesus in today’s gospel reminds us to show respect to our churches. Although it is supposed to be the house of God and our house of prayer, many churchgoers are quite insensitive in the way they behave inside the church. This is really bothersome considering that other religions seem to have a high regard for such matters. Many Catholics seem to forget the proper attire when attending a Eucharistic celebration. Even during the mass, some people can be seen using their cellular phones, while others do not even bother to put their phones on silent mode. Others can be observed chatting with the persons beside them. This attitude is clearly a manifestation of disrespect not only to the Church but also to those who observe modesty and respect.

I believe Jesus is asking us to look within ourselves and see how we can observe faithfully the demands of the church. Thus, we should continue to pray that we may become sensitive even in small matters and faithful to the internal and external demands of a modest religious observance.

  • Roger Solis, 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.

 

THE WORD

1 Mac 2: 15–29 / Lk 19: 41–44

As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

If Jesus would circle the world today in a satellite, He would cry. He would see how virgin forests practically disappeared from many parts of the world. He would see the naked Sierra Madre mountains of the Philippines. He would see the disappearing rain forest of the Amazon River of South America. He would see cities disappearing behind black, poisonous smoke screens. He would cry with the two million mothers whose children die every year because of hunger, the result of climate change. He would cry with fathers, mothers and children in Tacloban who lost their loved ones, victims of Super-typhoon Yolanda.

Jesus the Eternal Word of God was made man. “All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.” (John 1:3) He should have cried when He saw how humankind, driven by greed and lack of concern for others, destroyed life-giving nature and the life of future generations.

His cry today is: “Listen to the message of my Mother, listen to the cries of ‘mother nature’, whom I have endowed with all the laws to ensure the happiness of all. Study these laws. Use your brains, but do not forget your heart. Come back from the abyss of pride. Humble yourself!”

  • Leo Schmitt, SVD (SAJPS, Cainta, Rizal)

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 18, 2015 Wednesday
  2. November 17, 2015 Tuesday
  3. November 16, 2015 Monday
  4. November 15, 2015 Sunday
  5. November 14, 2015 Saturday
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