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THE WORD

2 Mac 12: 43–46 / Rom 8: 31–35.37–39 / Jn 14: 1–6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

Whenever we see a man of great knowledge, we easily say, “He is a walking dictionary.” But when we see a perfect man, we can say he is a just and holy man. This can only be applied to Jesus who is himself an embodiment of a man who is morally perfect. In him we see no malice or guile; he is a man who is holy and righteous through and through. Hence, when Jesus says “I am the way and the truth and the life,” then we have before us a perfect example of one who lives and breathes a morally perfect human life. Christ invites us to follow Him because that is the way to become a perfect human being.

According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man’s predicament and said, “It is evident that men should stay away from places such as this.” Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, “Let that man’s plight be a lesson to the rest of the world.” Then, Mohammed came by and said to the sinking man, “Alas, it is the will of God.” Finally, Jesus appeared. “Take My hand,” He said, “and I will save you.”

Christ not only taught but lived what He preached. There is no one who could guide us more perfectly than Jesus Himself. There is no reason why we could not be perfect. True it’s almost impossible to be perfect, but with Jesus it is possible. We should never be content with making excuses, such as that we are only human. Christ shows us the truth about what it is to be human and shows us how to live a human life; he guides us along the way of humanity. As G. Campbell Morgan succinctly puts it, “Man can be restored to God by Christ, can know God through Christ, and can become like God in Christ”. At the end of the day, we simply have to ask the question: “Have we become more like Christ?”

  • Jojo Caballes, SVD (SHP, Kamuning, QC)

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 Rv 7: 2–4.9–14

I, John saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked* from every tribe of the Israelites.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches* in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

SECOND READING 1 Jn 3: 1–3

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

GOSPEL READING Mt 5: 1–12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

There are many more saints in the Church than days of the year. Thus, one day of the year has been chosen for the celebration of all the saints, particularly the “undeclared saints” who therefore do not have official feastdays in the calendar. We know many of these saints. They are those who lived or continue to live saintly lives among our family, relatives, friends, acquaintances – whether in heaven, on earth or in purgatory.

The feast of all the saints is therefore a celebration of the “Communion of Saints”, that is, a celebration of the bonds of love that bind together the “Church triumphant”, the “Church Militant” and the “Church Suffering”. The doctrine of the Communion of Saints is an affirmation that love is stronger than death, that love perdures beyond this life unto the next life.

The readings today employ different images in describing the “state” or the “place” of the saints. The first reading from the Book of Revelation mentions “a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue. They stand before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.” The second reading from the first letter of John speaks of the Father’s love which makes us children of God. “We are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

The Gospel reading is Matthew’s version of the beatitudes. Saintliness is equated with blessedness. And blessedness is not mere happiness. It is being“graced” or “favored” by God. Like Mary, full of grace, because she is the “highly-favored one” (Lk 1:28). Or like the song of the angels in Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Lk 2:14). The saints are those “blessed”, “graced”, “favored” by God – the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the meek and merciful and clean of heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

Today, let us try to recall at least three “undeclared saints” whom we know.A childhood friend, a family member, a teacher in grade school, a missionarysister, a parish priest. Those who taught us about God’s love, who incarnated for us God’s providential care, who led us to have trust and confidence in God’s fatherly concern. Let us gratefully remember them and pray for them. But let us also pray to them that they may intercede for us with our loving Father in heaven.

  • Antonio Pernia, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay 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

Rom 11: 1–2.11–12.25–29 / Lk 14: 1.7–11

On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

First class – second class – third class – business class – economy class. Blue ribbon, red ribbon, yellow ribbon. For VIPs only – for citizens – for strangers. Yes, almost everywhere, almost every time, we are classified in different ways and treated accordingly. Naturally we feel elated if we are accommodated in a special way… better than the others. I participated in an Ordination Mass in D.R. Congo and was impressed to see almost the entire clergy present. The Master of Ceremony must have asked the question: how will I classify all these priests? He told us to form two lines, the oldest in front and the youngest at the tail. That was a good solution I guess.

Jesus was a special guest in a meal organized by a prominent Pharisee. He was closely watched. He too was carefully observing them. He noticed how the guests were competing for the distinguished places. The guests were all eyes on Jesus because he often surprised his listeners by his radical ideas. Jesus did not criticize social conventions on ranks and places of honor. Rather he gave an important advice: in wedding feasts, take the last place instead of the first place. It goes with his teaching about the greatest: the least in the eyes of society are the dearest to God’s heart. Those “small ones” are the “big ones” in Jesus’ ranking. Therefore all those who raise themselves will be humbled and the humble will be raised up. This echoes the Magnificat of Mary: “He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly” (Lk 1:52).

Humility is a virtue, an antidote to bad feelings. If you possess it, you will be spared from experiences of humiliation, jealousy and dissatisfaction of yourself. The reason is that all you are, all you have and all your talents are God’s personal gifts to you. So, for what reason have you to be proud of yourself? On the other hand, to be malcontented of yourself is an insult to God your giver. Humility is divine: it reflects Jesus who, from God’s rank, took the form of a slave.

  • Xene Sanchez, SVD (Congo)

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

Rom 9: 1–5 / Lk 14: 1–6

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. Then he said to them, “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” But they were unable to answer his question.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

In his book David and Goliath, Gladwell analyzes the point of view or perspective of the underdog, the little ones in life. He notes that maybe the underdog is only a label given by those who believe themselves to be superior, but who, in actuality, are not. For how can a heavily armed but weighted down Goliath hope to defeat in an open field a lightly clad but super agile David armed only with a slingshot (whose “pebble” is as deadly as a bullet)? It is different when we listen and look at things from “below,” from the uncomfortable, messy, and simple side of life. Jesus shakes up the world of the Pharisees by pointing out the alternative view. The law should be at the service of man, of life, not the other way around.

We too must shake up our preconceived notions of the “law.” Filipinos have been variously described as “split-level” Christians, “cerrado Catolicos”, etc. Yet, the Philippines is one of the world’s most corrupt countries, where most of the leaders are Catholic and products of Catholic schools!

Jesus suggests that we look closely at everyday life. When was the last time we talked and listened to ordinary people? Have we visited our neighbors lately? Are we ready to help those in need? It is only in this context that we shall understand the grandeur of the law and the magnanimity of God. We must do what we can. Life is passing by; we must not waste it.

  • Reynaldo Jimenez, SVD (DWC, Laoag 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. October 29, 2015 Thursday
  2. October 28, 2015 Wednesday
  3. October 27, 2015 Tuesday
  4. October 26, 2015 Monday
  5. October 25, 2015 Sunday
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