1ST READING
Blessing
is an extremely important aspect of Jewish life. It seems that God
bestows blessings upon people according to His largesse and also
according to what people may have earned due to good works. The blessing
mentioned here is of the former category. As we begin the New Year, let
us remember that God’s desire is to bless us in many ways, but this
often depends on our humility and willingness to receive His blessings.
Numbers 6:22-27
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them, ‘This is how you shall bless the Israelites.’ Say to them, 24 ‘The Lord bless you and keep you! 25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! 26
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!’ 27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
P S A L M
Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
R: May God bless us in his mercy.
1 [2] May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. (R) 4 [5] May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. (R) 5 [6]
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 7 [8] May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! (R)
2ND READING
The
universal nature of salvation is affirmed in this text. Our “sonship”
is a sonship of adoption. It is neither earned nor genetic or physical
in any way. The grace of receiving the sonship of Jesus is for all
people and it connotes having received the grace of salvation. As we
navigate our way through the coming year, let us be mindful that, as
sons of God, we have an inherent responsibility to live according to
this designation.
Galatians 4:4-7
4 Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you
are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.
GOSPEL
Mary
has the right idea. She treasures all her experiences of God in her
heart so that she can return to them in times of struggle and suffering.
This is probably the only way that we will endure the trials of life as
well — knowing and remembering, and thus relying upon, the blessings
and consolations of our faith in times of need. I am sure Jesus was
consoled during His passion and death by His knowledge and experience of
His unity with God the Father.
LIST
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
Luke 2:16-21
16 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 21 When
eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the
name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
think: God’s desire is to bless us, but we must be humble and willing to receive His blessings.
John 1-3
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 John 1-3
New Year Resolutions
The
year 2012 has just ended and now we begin 2013. Every beginning of the
year, we think about New Year resolutions, promises and wishes to change
our ways, habits to develop to have a better life.
People tell me one habit they are happy to have developed is reading their Companion at
the beginning of the day. They reflect on the daily readings for the
Holy Mass, and God’s Word invigorates them so that they are ready to
face their daily grind.
I put spaces in the Companion where
you can write your reflections on the readings. Yes, take time to write
down your thoughts and experiences related to the readings for the day.
An avid reader told me that, in times of distress, he opens his old Companion copies
and reads his reflections. Often, he is reminded of his past trials and
how he survived them—which gives him hope that he will also overcome
his present
troubles.
Yes, life is a cycle of the good and the bad. And I am just thankful I have my Companion to help me go through it all.
May your dreams come true,
BO SANCHEZ
P.S.
One good habit people are happy to have developed is attending The
Feast, the weekly prayer gathering of the Light of Jesus Family, which
is now being held in key areas in Metro Manila, the Visayas and
Mindanao, and cities abroad. The Feast is the happiest place on earth.
So, if you haven’t attended The Feast, you don’t know what you’re
missing. Log on to www.bosanchez.ph for details about The Feast and my
other missions. You can also sign up for my Soulfood Letter each week. Just leave your name and email address at www.BoSanchez.ph and you’ll get inspired and encouraged every week.
Embracing the New Translation of the Mass
Following
the Second Vatican Council and its resulting revolutionary liturgical
changes, such as the move to the vernacular language for the celebration
of the Sacraments, it became necessary to translate the Latin texts
into English. I believe the initial translation was supposedly an
interim translation, that is, one to get us over the transition period
from Latin to the vernacular. However, when a definitive translation
failed to be made, Pope Paul VI authorized one in 1971 and gave the
Liturgists the task of making a definitive one. Thus, after many
discussions in the Vatican on the English translation of the Mass, and a
few false starts, we finally have the new translation known as
the Third Typical Edition.
It
took so long to have a definitive translation because the translators
took great care to be as accurate as possible in their work. This is
because the English translation is the most often used reference when
translating the Mass into various local dialects.
Sometimes,
the translations seem difficult to read and understand. This is a
result of trying to be as accurate as possible in the translation, and
also seeking to retain the poetic nature of the original text — which is
itself a translation from Greek, and, in a few places, Hebrew
originals, and thus already a second-hand text! Also, trying to retain
the poetic structure of the original language when translating a text is
next to impossible. The structure is important as it lends itself to
the experience of the transcendence of God in and through the texts.
Many
of us have experienced at least some discomfort in adjusting to the
changes, but if we approach this task in good faith, I believe we will
learn to appreciate the new words and differently structured sentences.
If
you are struggling with any part of the new translation, take it to
prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to help you be inspired by that change.
We can all grow in our appreciation and love for both the text and the
effort of those who have worked to prepare it for us. As for me, I have
made a decision that if this is the way the Church wants us to celebrate
the Holy Mass, then this is the way I am going to celebrate it. If we
approach the new translation with the humility that we are not the
experts and we are certainly not the people whom God has placed in
charge of the project, then the changes will ultimately help us to
worship God more deeply and fully.
Fr. Steve Tynan
Five Steps in Using Companion
1. PRAY
Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit:
Father, speak to me. I wish to receive Your Word into my heart. Send forth Your Spirit to me. Reveal Your Face to me today…
2. READ
Prayerfully read the Bible passages assigned for the day, and underline words, phrases or verses that strike you.
3. READ DIDACHE
Read your Didache reflection for the day.
4. WRITE
Write your reflections and prayers in response to the Bible passages you have read.
5. PRAY AGAIN
Thank the Lord for His message to you, and pray that you may be able to live it out in your daily life. Father,
I thank You, Your Word is manna to my spirit. May Your Word that I
receive today transform my soul. Make me more like You. Amen.
PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT
The ultimate purpose of my life
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
GOALS FOR THE QUARTER
Priority areas God wants me to work on
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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PRAYER SHEET
FOR
Things I will pray for regularly MY LIFE DATE PERSONAL NEED DATE GOD’S ANSWERS When I “Until now, you have not When the “Ask and you shall receive, started asked for anything in My Name.” answer that your joy may be full.” praying - John 16: 24a came - John 16: 24b |
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PRAYER SHEET
FOR
Things I will pray for regularly MY LIFE EVANGELISM LIST CARING LIST People God wants me to People God wants me to bring closer to Him pray for and show more love to |
GOSPEL PSALM
TODAY’S
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