Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

FEAST OF STS. MICHAEL,GABRIEL, RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS
Psalter: Proper / (White)
 
Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

1^st Reading: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 (or Rev 12: 7-12a)

I looked and saw the following: Some thrones were set in place and One of Great Age took his seat. His robe was white, as snow, his hair, white as washed wool. His throne was flames of fire with wheels of blazing fire. A river of fire sprang forth and flowed before him. Thousands upon thousands served him and a countless multitude stood before him.

I continued watching the nocturnal vision:

 One like a son of man came on the clouds of heaven. He faced the One of Great Age and was brought into his presence.

Dominion, honor and kingship were given him, and all the peoples and nations of every language served him. His dominion is eternal and shall never pass away; his kingdom will never be destroyed.

Gospel: Jn 1:47-51

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said of him, “Here comes an Israelite, a true one; there is nothing false in him.“ Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?“ And Jesus said to him, “Before Philip called you, you were under the fig tree, and I saw you.“

Nathanael answered, “Master, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!“ But Jesus replied, “You believe because I said, ‘I saw you under the fig tree.‘ But you will see greater things than that.

“Truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.“

REFLECTION:

What was Nathanael (Bartholomew) doing under the fig tree that was so revealing of his authenticity? We would never know for sure. Yet, being under the fig tree seems to refer to being in commu­nion with God and walking in God‘s ways (see Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). Whatever Nathanael did under the fig tree, Jesus‘s mentioning the event evoked an immediate pronouncement of faith from him who had been skeptical until then about anything good coming from Nazareth.

One thing we know from this encounter: God sees us. Even before Philip met Nathanael and spoke about Christ, Jesus had seen him. God sees us whether we are under the fig tree or in the market place. He not only sees where we are and what we do, but also sees into the deepest movements of our hearts. Nathanael received high praise from Christ. When I meet Christ at my resurrection, what would he have to say about me?

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green/Red)
St. Wenceslaus, king & martyr /
St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila, martyr
& Companions, martyrs

Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a & 9b
The Lord takes delight in his people.

1^st Reading: Hg 1:1-8

In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, a word of Yahweh was directed to the prophet Haggai, for the benefit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

“So says Yahweh of hosts: This people claim that the time to rebuild the house of Yahweh has not yet come. Well now, hear what I have to say through the prophet Haggai: Is this the time for you to live in your well-built houses while this house is a heap of ruins? Think about your ways: you have sown much but harvested little; you eat and drink, but are not satisfied; you clothe yourselves, but still feel cold; and the laborer puts the money he earned in a tattered purse.

Now think about what you must do: go to the mountain and look for wood to rebuild the house. This will make me happy; and I will feel deeply honored, says Yahweh.

Gospel: Lk 9:7-9

King Herod heard of all this, and did not know what to think, for people said, “This is John, raised from the dead.“ Others believed that Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets, had come back to life. As for Herod, he said, “I had John beheaded. Who is this man, about whom I hear such wonders?“ And he was anxious to see him.

REFLECTION:

Repentance (1987), Tengiz Abuladze‘s semi-allegorical movie critiquing Stalinism, ends with a thought-provoking scene: A woman is preparing a cake (a scene with which the movie opened). An old lady walking along the road comes up to the window of the woman and asks whether the road will lead to the church. The woman responds that the road is Varlam Street and will not lead to the church. The old lady then responds: “What good is a road if it does not lead to a church?“ and walks back wistfully.

When people claimed that the time for rebuilding God‘s House had not come, God thundered through the mouth of Prophet Haggai: “Is this the time for you to live in your well-built houses while this House is a heap of ruins? Build my House!“ What good are our happy and cozy lives if God‘s House is in ruins? What good is a community if God is not its center? What good are all our scientific discoveries and technological advancements if they do not lead us closer to God? Indeed, what good is a road if it does not lead to a church?

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)
St. Vincent de Paul, priest

Tb 13:2, 3-4a,4befghn, 7-8
Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

1^st Reading: Ezra 9:5-9

I remained seated and dismayed until the evening sacrifice; and then, at the time for the evening offering, I rose from my fasting, and with my clothes and mantle torn, I knelt down, spreading out my hands to Yahweh, my God.

I said, “My God! I am ashamed and confused, my God, I do not dare raise my eyes to you; for our sins have increased over our heads and our crimes reach up to the heavens.

From the days of our ancestors to this day, our guilt has been great. We, our kings and priests have been given into the hands of foreign kings because of our crimes; we have been delivered to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and put to shame as on this day. However, for a brief moment, the mercy of Yahweh, our God, has been shown to us. He made a remnant of our people survive, and allowed the survivor to settle once again in his Holy Place. He has given us joy and life, though we are in bondage. We are no more than slaves, but in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us, he has extended a merciful hand over us to support us before the kings of Persia. He has revived our life, enabled us to rebuild the house of our God, and to have walls in Jerusalem and in the other cities of Judah.

Gospel: Lk 9:1-6

Then Jesus called his Twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He instructed them, “Don‘t take anything for the journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and don‘t even take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they don‘t welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet: it will be as a testimony against them.“

So they set out, and went through the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

REFLECTION:

Jesus‘s commissioning of the disciples has a disarming simplicity. They are to have no elaborate preparations, no provisions to take with them. Trust Providence and the generosity of the people they visit. Proclaim the Kingdom. Heal the sick. Drive out demons. Whatever house they walk in, they must stay there. If they are received, well and good. If not, they must dust themselves off and move on.

Is it possible to practice similar trust in our days? And why not? We too are commissioned by Jesus Christ who is the same Lord yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). He gives us the same faculties, the same powers, and the same instructions. The problem is with us—we think we have a better understanding of the demands and dangers of the present world and refuse to trust God‘s Providence. How else would we explain our worries and anxieties in various ministries at the service of the Lord? We need to strengthen our trust in the one who called us. He is faithful and he will do it (1 Thess. 5:24).

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com

25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green/Red)
Sts. Cosmas & Damian, martyrs

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1^st Reading: Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20

Let the governor of the Jews together with their leaders build the house of God on its former site.

This is the command I give as to what you should do to help those Jewish leaders rebuild the house of God: pay the expenses in full and without delay, with the income from taxes of the province at the other side of the River which is allotted to the king.

And may the God who makes his Name dwell there crush every rebel, king or people, who goes against this and tries to destroy the house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, give this command. Let it be carried out at once.“

And the leaders of the Jews continued to make progress in building, encouraged by what Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, had said; and they finished the work according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius. The house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius.

The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had returned from exile celebrated the consecration of this house of God with rejoicing, offering on this solemnity one hundred young bulls, two hundred rams and four hundred lambs; and twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

Then they installed the priests according to their ranks, and the Levites according to their classes, for the service of the house of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

Those who had returned from exile celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, for the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, and all of them were clean. So, they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all who had returned from exile, for their fellow-priests and for themselves.

Gospel: Lk 8:19-21

Then his mother and his relatives came to him; but they could not get to him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and wish to meet you.“ Then Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.“

REFLECTION:

A story goes thus: A parish community renovated its church and dedicated it to the Mother of God. It was a billion-dollar architectural marvel. One day, an old lady, a faithful parishioner, was praying before the statue of Mother Mary inside the church. Suddenly, Mother Mary appeared to her and said, “Please ask your pastor to build a church in my honor.“ “Where, Mother?“ the lady asked in fear and trembling. “Right here,“ the Mother said, and disappeared.

The Book of Ezra describes how the Temple of the Lord was re-built and consecrated. But such an external structure is not the primary temple of God. Paul asks rhetorically: “Don‘t you know that you yourselves are God‘s temple?“ (1 Cor 3:16). Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman: “Time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks“ (Jn 4:23). Thus, the true temple of God is a community of believers who hear the word of God and keep it. They become God‘s temple and therefore, the family of Jesus.

Daily Reflection

Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.

CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.

Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57^th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL

With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

 

DAILY GOSPEL ® 2017
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com