Daily Reflections- March 30, 2012

THROW STONES OR BUILD A CHURCH?

 

Sin is “missing the mark,” the beginning of a crack or the widening of a gap in our relationship with others or with God. There is an inner resistance to return “home” to God. There is an amnesia of the past blessings in our lives. Even Israel constantly forgets the many wonders God has wrought in their lives.

Jeremiah narrates the plots the Israelites have done against the prophets. They denounced him. They insisted on their infidelities and followed their idols. They forgot the God who rescued them from oppression in Egypt. Some Jews in Jesus’ time tried to stone Him. They accused Him of blasphemy because He called Himself the Son of God. This would culminate at crucifying Him.

Later, the early Christians witnessed that Jesus, the stone rejected, became the cornerstone. In fact, the early church believed that we are living stones to be offered for God.

However, we are known by the way we respond in times of crisis, by the way we meet the resistance brought to us. True gold is tested by fire. The psalm reminds us of God as the rock of refuge: “In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God; from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” Jeremiah and all the other prophets up to Jesus showed the fidelity of God.

St. Francis of Assisi returned to Jesus by rebuilding the church of San Damiano, led a simpler lifestyle, and also inspired Bernard to be a brick for God. The decision is to throw stones or build the stones for the glory of God. Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What challenges do you face in your life? Where do you draw your strength in times of crisis? What are the fruits of your labor? Do they lead to the glory of God or just your glory?

 

Lord Jesus, curb my tendency to throw stones. Instead, empower me to build up Your Church.

 

Daily Bible Readings - March 30, 2012

1^ST READING

 

Jeremiah knew what it meant to be despised by others. He has even given his name to the verb that ostracizes such a person. To be “jeremiahed” is to be excluded from the group. Let us spend a few moments thinking about the experience of Jeremiah so that we can see what it takes to be a prophet. Then let us listen carefully to God’s voice as He calls us all to become prophets for today’s world. Are we willing to respond to this call or will we ignore it?

 

Jeremiah 20:10-13

10 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. 13 Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 7

R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

1 [2] I love you, O Lord, my strength, 2 [3] O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. (R) 4 [5] The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; 5 [6] the cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me. (R) 6 [7] In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God; from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

Jesus followed in the footsteps of Jeremiah in that He was rejected by many of the influential Jewish leaders of His day. We should never forget this, especially when we are struggling against something, and even more particularly when we feel that there is nothing else we can do to overcome a particular sin or obstacle in our lives.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

 

John 10:31-42

31 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are Gods”’? 35 If it calls them Gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. 40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 41 Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.

READING 2nd READING

TODAY’S

BLESSING

LIST

think: Let us listen carefully to God’s voice as He calls us all to become prophets for today’s world. Are we willing to respond to this call or will we ignore it?

 

 

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 4-6xod

Daily Reflections- March 29, 2012

AN INVITATION TO A COVENANT

 

There’s a book entitled Should Anyone Say Forever? We see the reality of commitments broken, accountabilities not kept, and relationships severed. It is easier for some people to have babies but to take care of growing children is a harder promise to keep. To take responsibility is more challenging. There is a natural amnesia that happens when fear paralyzes our ability to be in touch with the reality of rising demands in our life.

The readings talk of God keeping His covenant: “I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.”

The Responsorial Psalm reminds us of God’s promise: “The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.” In the Gospel, Jesus assures the listeners: “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” Jesus has been faithful to His relationship with the Father: “But I do know him and I keep his word.”

How do we respond to the covenant of God? Abraham prostrated himself in submission to the will of God. Jesus kept His covenant to the Father and His disciples by prostrating Himself, even unto death. Sometimes, we are like the listeners of Jesus, who couldn’t see the continuation of God’s covenant in Jesus and they pick up stones to throw at Him.

We know a little about commitment. It means time, presence and fidelity. Time is not just now. It is an eternal now: yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Our response is an invitation — every moment, every breath of our life. Presence is local and universal. It is catholic. Fidelity is God  promising, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.”Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What commitments do you break or keep? How do you see the wonders of God unfolding in your life? How do you respond to the God who keeps His covenant by the many blessings He manifests in your life?

 

Lord Jesus, help me to be faithful to all the commitments and promises I make, especially to You.

 

Daily Bible Readings - March 29, 2012

1^ST READING

 

We need to have a vision for our lives. We need to know what we want to achieve. Without a vision we will simply disappear slowly into the shadows. The world will be changed by people who turn up to change it, not by those who shrink into the background for fear of making a mistake.

 

Genesis 17:3-9

3 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: 4 “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. 5 No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. 6 I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. 7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

4 Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant, which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

Jesus is right! He knows something that the Jews do not. He knows that He has a supporter who will vindicate Him in the end and who can do anything He asks. We can believe exactly the same thing if we are truly men and women of faith, concentrated on doing what God wants us to do with our lives. Let us always remember that God’s will offers us the best opportunity for success.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

 

John 8:51-59

51 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52 So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

READING 2nd READING

TODAY’S

BLESSING

LIST

think: The world will be changed by people who turn up to change it, not by those who shrink into the background for fear of making a mistake.

 

 

E T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 1-3x

Daily Reflections- March 28, 2012

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRIALS COME?

 

In life, we go through trials. In fact, we say, “True gold is tested by fire.” When Ninoy Aquino, one of the Filipino heroes, was incarcerated during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos, he remembered and read about people he admired. He quoted Lorenzo Tañada: “When all else is taken away from you, what will remain is character.”

The First Reading talks about the trial that some of the Israelites faced with King Nebuchadnezzar. “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.” In the Gospel, we see Jesus experiencing this growing resistance of the Jews who cannot accept Him as the Messiah. Therefore, they wanted to kill Him.

First, you will understand that it must be hard for a leader to have people resist what is supposed to be followed by everyone. It must be hard for Jesus to feel rejected. The Jews just wanted to follow what their forefathers believed. They needed to fall back on their ancestors.

Second, real witnesses or martyrs are tested in the furnace of life. They prove their fidelity when there is threat even to life. Jesus also was tested at the hour of crucifixion. He was faithful to His Father’s will.

Third, fidelity is tested over time. Yahweh’s name is “I am who am” — the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob — the living God. Even Jesus also says, “I am.” He is present, especially to us who believe.

There is a favorite quote that summarizes the need for a perspective of time, history and the fortuitous time for God to speak to us: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that’s why you call it present.” Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What have been the big trials of your life? How do you face your trials?

 

Lord Jesus, help me to always believe that when trials come, You are there, too, present in me and with me.

 

Daily Bible Readings - March 28, 2012

1^ST READING

 

These three men made a stand. They are men of faith and are not willing to deny it. It is an amazing reality to reflect on — people willing to give their lives for their beliefs. It is this sort of commitment that drove the martyrs of the Early Church. Their blood became the foundations upon which the Church was built. Are we willing to follow their example? Are we going to lay down our lives in the service of the Kingdom of God?

 

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

14 King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my God, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your God or worship the golden statue that you set up.” 19 Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. 24 [91] King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. 25 [92] “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a Son of God.” 28 [95] Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in  him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any God except their own God.”

 

P S A L M

 

Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R: Glory and praise forever!

[Dan 3:52] “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” (R) 30 [Dan 3:53] Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. (R) 31 [Dan 3:54] Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R) 32 [Dan 3:55] Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R) 33 [Dan 3:56] Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

Jesus tells us that it is only the truth that can set us free. But why is it that we do not hear more talk of the truth in international debates these days? People talk a lot about money and economics and keeping economies strong, but where do the truths that surround these ideas come from? Certainly not from the Gospel. And then the world will have more serious problems than it had in the beginning.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.

 

John 8:31-42

31 Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. 36 So if the son frees you, then you will truly be free. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. 38 I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” 39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

1st READING 2nd READING

think: Are we going to lay down our lives in the service of the Kingdom of God?

 

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 47-50

Daily Reflections- March 27, 2012

TURN YOUR BLAME TO AIM

 

In the movie With Honors, I remember a line by Joe Pesci to an obviously unhappy house boarder: “You know why you hate me so much? Because I look the way you feel.” Sometimes I see the splinter in the eye of the other but I do not see the log in my eye. I have to be aware of my complaints to see the opportunities for positive change.

“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” Isn’t it natural to complain about deprivation? Aren’t the Israelites justified in their complaint that because of the journey they took, they feel dislocated? Beyond our comfort zone, don’t we also complain?

What healed the Israelites? They looked at the bronze serpent and they were healed. Jesus has been telling the Jews, if they believe Him, they will discover that He is with the Father. The Father and Jesus are one. What can heal us? The Responsorial Psalm speaks to us of a possible beginning of healing in our lives. It says: “O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me. The Lord looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.” The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Second, we look into our poisonous serpents, “our complaints.” We can blame all we want and end up not solving anything. Or we can turn our complaint or blame into “aim” or things that we can aspire for. In this case, the Israelites were invited to renew their faith in God who started the call and the journey anyway.

Third, Jesus reminds us that to believe is to see that just as He is in the hands of God, we believe we are in the hands of God. I remember Paul saying, “For the Jews the cross is a scandal and a stumbling block but the cross is also the wisdom of God, a means to return (salvation) to God.” Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What are the poisonous serpents (complaints, sins) in your life? How can you turn them into “aim”?

 

Lord Jesus, increase my faith in You and in Your power to transform my life’s crosses into blessings.

Daily Bible Readings - March 27, 2012

1^ST READING

 

Sometimes, to get to a particular destination, there are some rocky roads that we have to traverse. There is nothing that we can do about this. A wise person knows this and has the patience to endure the difficulties, knowing that there will be an end to them if he just waits. It is not a perfect situation, but sin leaves us with no alternative.

 

Numbers 21:4-9

4 From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” 6 In punishment the Lord sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you. Pray the Lord to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the Lord said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and whoever looks at it after being bitten will alive.” 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21

R: O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

[1 [2] O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. 2 [3] Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily. (R) 15 [16] The nations shall revere your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory, 16 [17] when the Lord has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; 17 [18] when he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer. (R) 18 [19] Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the Lord: 19 [20] “The Lord looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, 20 [21] To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.” (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

St. Paul tells us that we proclaim a crucified Christ. Jesus tells us exactly the same thing, that when He is “lifted up from the earth He will draw all people to Himself.” There is no escaping the paradox that exists in the Gospel: a crucified Christ is the redeemer of the world. We will never be able to fully understand the wisdom of this truth but we certainly have to learn how to build our lives around it.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever.

 

John 8:21-30

21 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. 24 That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

 

think: Sometimes, to get to a particular destination, there are some rocky roads

that we have to traverse.

Genesis 43-46

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 43-46

Daily Reflections- March 26, 2012

WHERE ARE YOU CALLED TO SAY YES TO?

 

I remember the story of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was set in her mission as a school teacher but her encounter with the poor and the Gospel shook her world and led to a new calling: to serve the poorest of the poor. This is where she found Jesus.

I remember Joey Velasco who was afflicted with sickness. This became the turning point in his life, to discover Jesus once more in the eyes of the poor. He found a renewed calling: to paint Jesus in the world of the street kids, the neglected farmers, and other marginalized sectors of society. Mary was faced with a similar challenge: Will she take on the role as the mother of Jesus, who is the Son of God? Mary’s world was all set. She was destined to marry Joseph. But now she is called to a new role: to be the mother of the Savior.

Initially, she was afraid what this future will look like. I suppose she was scared of what this new role would entail. Who is she to be given this big responsibility? Isn’t she an ordinary young person engaged to an ordinary young man for an ordinary married life?

Second, Mary is assured of the Holy Spirit who will overshadow her. The Holy Spirit is a source of new power, a new presence in the life of the prophets, Jesus and the disciples. Mary was also assured that nothing is impossible with God. Even Elizabeth was to give birth in her seemingly old age! Mary was being assured of new power and presence. And the Holy Spirit is an assurance of God’s loving presence.

Third, Mary responded with the gift of cooperating with her yes to God: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me as you say.” The psalm echoes the same obedience to God’s will: “Here I come to do your will.” We are all called to say yes to something or Someone. Our yes defines our future. Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your experience of new challenges in your life? How have you been assured of God’s Spirit? What are you being called to say yes to right now?

 

Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to say yes to Your will for my life, no matter how unclear it is.

Daily Bible Readings - March 26, 2012

1^ST READING

 

A week ago, we celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph. Now we remember one of the mysteries associated with the life of Mary. This is an important part of our faith. As we reflect upon the response of a young girl to a request from God, we should be inspired by her faith and obedience. If all of us could be a little more like Mary, perhaps the world would be a much better place than it is today.

 

Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: 11 “Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!” 13 Then Isaiah said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, 10 which means ‘God is with us!’”

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come. (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know. (R) 10 [11] Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. (R)

 

2^ND READING

 

Sacrificial offerings in the Old Testament under the Old Covenant were very bloody and messy. This all changed with the coming of Jesus. He made it quite clear that faith and obedience to God are far more important and effective than the shedding of the blood of goats and bulls and a variety of other animals. Our sins required a much greater sacrifice than the blood of animals. It took the life of the Son of God to redeem us.

 

Hebrews 10:4-10

4 Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. 5 For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in. 7 Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” 8 First

he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. 9 Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 

GOSPEL

 

It is too much to think that Mary was able to say her “yes” without the help of the grace of God. In a mysterious way she has received the benefits of the death and resurrection of her Son, Jesus, even before He was born. Yes, He pre-existed His birth, as He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. How the grace of God works is beyond our understanding. Let us just trust that it does, and get on with following God’s will for us.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.

 

Luke 1:26-38

26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

BLESSING

LIST

think: If all of us could be a little more like Mary, perhaps the world would be a much better place than it is today.

 

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 40-42

Daily Reflections- March 25, 2012

UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT DIES

 

One of the blessings of priesthood is to accompany people before they finally expire and face our Maker. Usually, it is hard for the family members and also for the one dying. Those who observe the process admit that there are stages that people go through: denial or shock, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Other times, it is all a mix of emotions when one faces death.

Jesus Himself faced death and, in some Gospel accounts, He agonized in the garden: “Take this cup away from me.” Or, at the mount of the cross, He cried in frustration: “Father, why have you forsaken me?”

Death does not come easy. There is inner stubbornness or fear to submit to the helplessness or the reality of mortal life.

The readings remind us of the perspective of faith in facing death: “God will plant a law in our hearts.” As you can see the law is really a commandment of love. Later, we will read in the Gospel, “Perfect love casts out all fear.” In the letter to the Hebrews, we recall how Jesus obeyed. He listened to the will of the Father. Jesus learned to obey through suffering. When the Lord says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain but if it dies, it will yield a rich harvest,” it reflects the faith of the community the way Jesus faced death, and the way He would have wanted His followers to face death. Jesus, after a long struggle with death, cried to the Father: “Not my will but Thy will be done.”

Because of the reality of our mortality and the fear that accompanies it, we are reminded of the way of Jesus. Anyone who wishes to follow Jesus cannot escape the cross or the reality of death. Ignatius of Loyola recommends begging for our deepest desires.

Beg, then, for the grace to die to our false self, die to our character defects that resist the reality of suffering and death. Translation: the grace of constant renewal. The difficult climb is matched by an easy slide down back to the old ways.Fr. Teodulo P. Gonzales, S.J

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What is your encounter with the reality of death in your life? How have you experienced God’s reassuring example in Jesus?

 

Lord Jesus, I beg for the grace to die to my false self. Help me to renew myself constantly and not be pulled down by the negative influences inside me and around me.

Daily Bible Readings - March 25, 2012

1^ST READING

 

Jeremiah prophesies that God is going to replace the stony hearts of His people with hearts of flesh. What does this mean? This is a  foreshadowing of the gift of the Holy Spirit that will be given to all who have faith in Christ. It is not that the Holy Spirit was not around in the Old Testament times; it is a reflection that the Old Testament understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit was somewhat limited. It changes with Jesus.

 

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant and I had to show myself their master, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the Lord. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 13 [15] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. (R)

 

2^ND READING

 

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that one way of strengthening our prayers is to make them with humble submission to God. This is an important aspect of the life of a disciple. Submission to God and His will is the basis of our service. It is not a sign of weakness and it is certainly not a sign of our refusal to take responsibility for our decisions. Let us remember that submission to God’s will is the act of a strong man.

 

Hebrews 5:7-9

7 In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

 

GOSPEL

 

The Father raised Jesus from the dead. It was the least the Father could do given that everything Jesus did was at His command. Jesus did what His Father asked Him to do. His resurrection from the dead vindicated everything Jesus stood for in His life. It was the coup de gras that sets the scene for the mission of the Church. Let us remember this as we carry out the will of God through the Church’s mission.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord; and where I am, there also will my servant be.

 

John 12:20-33

20 Some Greeks who had come up to worship at the Passover Feast 21 came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. 27 I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31 Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

1st READING 2nd READING

think: Submission to God’s will is the act of a strong man.

 

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 37-39