Week of Feb. 27 to Mar. 05

Click on the date to link to the readings

Feb. 27 Monday
Feb. 28 Tuesday
Mar. 01 Wednesday
Mar. 02 Thursday
Mar. 03 Friday
Mar. 04 Saturday
Mar. 05 Sunday

My reflections for Mar. 05, 2006 - Sunday

March 5, 2006

Reading I
Genesis 9:8-15

God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
and with every living creature that was with you:
all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals
that were with you and came out of the ark.
I will establish my covenant with you,
that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed
by the waters of a flood;
there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added:
“This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come,
of the covenant between me and you
and every living creature with you:
I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign
of the covenant between me and the earth.
When I bring clouds over the earth,
and the bow appears in the clouds,
I will recall the covenant I have made
between me and you and all living beings,
so that the waters shall never again become a flood
to destroy all mortal beings.”

(God reestablishes a covenant with Noah that involves a commitment to never again allow such destruction of humanity as Noah witnessed in the flood. The twentieth centruy witnessed unthinkable destruction and death. Millions were killed in wars and various persecutions, yet they pale beside the destruction that resulted from the sin of mankind in the time of Noah. Let us be reminded of the destructive power of sin and thus try to avoid sin at all costs in our lives.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Good and upright is the LORD,
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and he teaches the humble his way.
R. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Reading II
1 Peter 3:18-22

Beloved:
Christ suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison,
who had once been disobedient
while God patiently waited in the days of Noah
during the building of the ark,
in which a few persons, eight in all,
were saved through water.
This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.
It is not a removal of dirt from the body
but an appeal to God for a clear conscience,
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
who has gone into heaven
and is at the right hand of God,
with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

(Peter reminds us that Christ was innocent of any wrongdoing. He never sinned in His life. Yet, He chose a path of suffering and death to pay the price of our sins. It is His obedience to the Father that makes up for all of the disobedience of all men and women throughout time. This is the power that we are dealing with when we talk about God's love for us. The amazing thing is that He shares this love with us and asks us to help Him bring it to those who have never heard about it.)

Gospel
Mark 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

(Mark is very succinct in His recording of Jesus' time of trial and temptation in the desert. He reports it in a very-matter-of-fact type of way. This indicates to us that we should deal with sin and temptation in a similar manner. Really, there is not too much to say about sin other than Jesus has given us victory over it and that is that! Oh, if only it was that easy to be holy! But it is easier to be holy that we think. There is just a tendency for us to complicate matters so much that we make a simple thing difficult!)

Meditation for Lent <== Click here

God's special verse/thought for me today.
"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel."

my reflections
think: It is Jesus' obedience to the Father that makes up for all of the disobedience of all men and women throughout time.
O Lord, I had enough of the temporal world and the human way. I've chosen to obey your calling and fulfill Your mission for me. I repent Lord for all my sins and forgive me Lord for being disobedient and blind. I've been blinded with evil and the ways of the temporal world. Lord I could see now because I found the truth by believing in the gospel. Lord help me to live according to the gospel. Lord you know my needs. Provide my family our daily bread so I focus on serving you with full dedication. Let not fear separate us again. Give me the strenght and wisdom to break my success barriers so I could explode Your will to spread Your love and mercy to Your children who are blind, lost and misguided.

thank You Lord for: the time of fulfillment.
thank You Lord for teaching me how to repent and for forgiving my sins.
thank You Lord for teaching me to believe in the gospel with sincerity.
thank You Lord for getting me out of the temporal world and the human way.
thank You Lord for making me see that You are the light, the truth and the way.
thank You Lord for breaking my success barriers.
thank You Lord for my mission to explode Your will to spread Your love and mercy.
thank You Lord for sustaining us our daily bread.
thank You Lord for letting me serve you with total dedication.

My reflections for Mar. 04, 2006 - Saturday

March 4, 2006

Reading I
Isaiah 58:9-14

Thus says the LORD:
If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation and malicious speech;
If you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday;
Then the LORD will guide you always
and give you plenty even on the parched land.
He will renew your strength,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,
and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;
“Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you,
“Restorer of ruined homesteads.”

If you hold back your foot on the sabbath
from following your own pursuits on my holy day;
If you call the sabbath a delight,
and the LORD’s holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways,
seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice—
Then you shall delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

(Mercy is an essential aspect of the Gospel. Without the mercy of God we would be left in the condemnation caused by our sinfulness. If we have received such great mercy, which we have, whether we like it or not, we must also be willing to minister it to others when they sin against us. Having received God's mercy for our sins it is much easier for us to share that same mercy with others no matter how many times they may hurt us.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Gospel
Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

(Tax collectors were one of the most despised classes of people in all Israel. It seems that we all have a certain aversion to those who administer the tax laws of our country as well as the fact that the Jews considered them traitors in collaborating with the Roman powers. Jesus, however, desires to make them His friends. Indeed it seems that Matthew himself was probably a tax collector. This clearly gives us some idea of the broad reach of the Gospel. If tax collectors can be redeemed , then virtually anyone can become a recipient of the Gospel.)

Meditation for Lent <== Click here

God's special verse/thought for me today.
Teach me your way, O Lord, so I may walk on Your truth. You know Lord that I gave up pretty much everything to find the truth. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with moral courage, humility and obedience, I am following your way. I gave up doing my own way which most people do. Lord, it is now Your way, the divine way is what I desire to follow. Lord, give me the strenght to be consistent following your way and living on the truth which are Your words. Give me Lord the wisdom so I may understand Your way and know the truth through Your words. I hunger for the truth O Lord because I seek Your kingdom and Your righteouness. Make me worthy O Lord to deserve Your Kingdom by being righteous. Have mercy on me and my family O Lord, I trust in You, rescue us for we are your children who depends on You.

my reflections
think: If we have received such great mecy, we must also be willing to minister it to others when they sin against us.
Forgive our trespasses us we forgive those who trespassed against us. O Lord, let your mercy show us to be merciful as we also show your love to others how you love us. Have mercy on us O Lord for you are the only one who provides our daily bread.

thank You Lord for: teaching me Your ways.
thank You Lord for guiding me how to walk on Your truth.
thank You Lord for showing me how to be merciful to others who sin against me.
thank You Lord for forgiving my sins.
thank You Lord for Your mercy.
thank You Lord for teaching me how to trust You.
thank You Lord for rescuing me and my family.
thank You Lord for giving us our daily bread.

My reflection for Mar. 03, 2006 - Friday

March 3, 2006

Reading I
Isaiah 58:1-9

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,
lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness,
and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”

Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits,
and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting,
striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast
so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish,
of keeping a day of penance:
That a man bow his head like a reed
and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

(The truest fast in which we all must partake is the fasting from doing evil,. That is sin! If only we were all more successful at doing this, the need for corporal penances such as fasting from food or something else would not be necessary. It is the discipline of such a practice that is most helpful to our spiritual journey. Fasting teaches us that it is possible to control the various appetites of our bodies.)

Meditation for Lent <== Click here

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 18-19

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Gospel
Matthew 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.”

(It is as though Jesus is saying that His presence is enough to inspire His disciples to order their lives and their appetites in a good manner. However, the day will come when personal discipline will become a bigger issue for them and they will discover the necessity of fasting themselves. I hope and pray that we all recognize the great benefits that corporal penances bring our spiritual lives when they are entered in a healthy way.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
Take up your cross, the Savior said, if you would my disciple be.
Take up your cross with willing heart, and humbly follow after me.
Take up your cross, then, in His strenght, a calmly every danger brave.
It guides you to abundant life, and leads to victory over the grave.
Teach us to deny ourselves that we may know God's love.

Yes Lord, with Your given courage to me, I'll take up my cross because I want to be your disciple my Savior. With my willing heart, I am humbled to follow you. I trust in You Lord that You give me Your strenght to face any adversities and it will lead me to an abundant life.
I deny myself Lord for I don't know myself anymore but I do know that You know me more than I do. I only desire to know Your love because it is the greatest thing of all.

my reflections
think: The truest fast in which we all must partake is the fasting from doing evil.
O Lord my forgiving God, forgive me for all my sins and help me not to sin again. I know that my sins separates You from me. Therefore; I want to sin no more because I want to be closer as much as possible to You my Lord and my King because it is the ultimate goal of every mankind.

thank You Lord for: teaching me what is the true meaning of fasting.
thank You Lord for showing me how to empty my heart to make a room for you and your love.
thank You Lord for accepting my fasting which is giving my whole being for your disposition.
thank You Lord for not spurning my contrite and humbled heart.
thank You Lord for showing me how to become your disciple by taking up my cross.
thank You Lord for giving Your strenght to face my adversities.
thank You Lord for showing how to know Your Love by denying myself.
thank You Lord for the abundant blessings my ever compassionate and loving Father in heaven.

My reflections for Mar. 02, 2006 - Thursday

March 2, 2006

Reading I
Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Moses said to the people:
“Today I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore
he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

(Each of us makes many choices every day. However, the vast majority of these do not have any real bearing upon right and wrong, they are merely choices regarding what we wear, what we eat and so on. However, we are also confronted with having to make choices about issues of right and wrong. It is these choices of a moral dimension that determine our character and make us who we are. Moses sets before the people a fundamental choice: will they choose the ways of God or go their own way. We face this same choice today each time we perform a moral act.)


Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Meditation for Lent <== Click here

Gospel
Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

(In living a truly moral life according to the Commandments and will of God, we will discover that we will often have to deny our own desires as they can get out of order. This is the great challenge that we face each and every day - not just to determine that which is right and wrong in a particular instance but actually putting into practice the right that we have discerned. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit, and with careful adherence to the Word of God that we will have any hope of being successful in this.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

O Lord, you gave me this message because I am worried. Lord, forgive me for I have little faith. Lord, teach me how to trust you more for I know you are my only sure Hope, my only saviour, my Father in heaven who always loves me and provides my daily bread.

my reflections
think: We will often have to deny our own desires as they can get out of order.

My desires Lord is to do Your will. I'm seeking now what is Your Divine way and not my way which are my own desire that could get out of order. Your will Lord is perfect and always in the right order. I am back to You Lord with all my heart. Let my fear go away so we are not going to be apart. I am all Yours for Your disposition.

thank You Lord for: Lord for guiding me to choose Your ways.

thank You Lord for planting me near a running water so You could bless me with overflowing graces and prosperity.

thank You Lord for teaching me the benefits of denying myself and take my cross daily and follow You because losing my life for Your sake will save me.

thank You Lord for sending Your Holy Spirit to help me deny myself and lean on Your word.

thank You Lord for assuring to me not to be worried about my family's daily bread because you are a compassionate kind Father who always provides the needs of Your children.

My reflections for Mar. 01, 2006 - Wednesday

March 1, 2006

Ash Wednesday

Reading I
Joel 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

(We begin a time of reflection and conversion with the beginning of Lent. The Church invites us to take some time out and reflect upon the state of our lives to see where we can improve in our spirituality. Joel calls us to repent on our sins and to firmly decide to allow the Spirit of God to lead us to the path of a deeper conversion of heart, mind and soul.)

Meditation for Lent <==Click for meditation.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading II
2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2

Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

(The witness of our lives has the ability to affect the lives of others for both good and bad. This is why it is good for us to remember that we are ambassadors for Christ and the Gospel. It does not matter where we are or with whom we are, we should be aware that we have a duty to witness to the Gospel at all times. As Christians we are never on holiday. Our Christianity should be a part of every aspect of our lives.)

Gospel
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

(God sees the inner workings of our hearts. He is not only interested on how things seem to be on the outside. In fact, the inside is more important as this is where whatever we are on the outside has originated. Let us seek to live holy lives by first surrendering our wills and desires to the Lord and asking Him to purify them so that everything we say, think and do will be according to His mind and heart of love.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
O Lord this Lent, I'm giving you myself to Your disposition.
I am surrendering to You my desires, all I desire is Your will.
I am nothing without Your Love, Mercy and Support.
I am Your child fully dependent on Your Love and Grace.
Father in Heaven, make me a worthy child deserving your abundant blessings. Purify my sinful heart, so that I'll be deserving of your Love and for eternal salvation. Keep teaching me how to seek Your Kingdom and how to be righteous so You could bless me with what you think is best upon me.

my reflections
think: God is not interested in how things seem to be on the outside.
O God my Lord and my King, teach me to be truthful and be humble in every way. Help me to follow you in a humble way. Guide me internally how to open wide my heart for you to undertake my whole being. God You are inside me, use me Lord for Your Good works.

thank You Lord for: accepting me to Your disposition.
thank You Lord for showing me how surrender my wills and desires so I could just desire what is your will.
thank You Lord for making me worthy to receive your abundant blessings.
thank You Lord for showing me how to seek Your Kingdom.
thank You Lord for showing me how to be righteous.
thank You Lord for showing me how to be humble in every way.
thank You Lord for being inside me and for using me for Your good works.

My reflections for Feb. 28, 2006 - Tuesday

February 28, 2006

Reading I
1 Peter 1:10-16

Beloved:
Concerning the salvation of your souls
the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and investigated it
investigating the time and circumstances
that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated
when it testified in advance
to the sufferings destined for Christ
and the glories to follow them.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you
with regard to the things that have now been announced to you
by those who preached the Good News to you
through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven,
things into which angels longed to look.

Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly,
and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Like obedient children,
do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
but, as he who called you is holy,
be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.

(St. Paul exhorts us to allow our minds to be renewed in the Spirit of Christ. Peter exhorts us toward a similar goal when he tells us to free our minds form the encumbrances that cling to them. These encumbrances or hindrances find their origins in the world and in sin. If we are not willing to fight them and deny them a place in our lives, it will not be possible to live as a Christian. Following Jesus calls forth from us a commitment to discipleship - to following Jesus no matter the cost!)


Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Gospel
Mark 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

(It is just like Peter to be concerned for his own welfare. However, do not kid yourself. He is only expressing exactly the same thing that goes on in each of our hearts in the same situation. Peter, the spokesman for the apostles, knows how to be true to his human nature. Yet we all know that he ultimately paid the highest price for his faith -- martyrdom for the Gospel. Are we willing to give our lives for our faith? Let us take a few moments and reflect upon the question before we answer it.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: Are we willing to give our lives for our faith?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 27, 2006 - Monday

February 27, 2006

Reading I
1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.

(Peter encourages us to keep the goal of our lives, the salvation of our souls, at the forefront of our minds in all that we do. We should always be reflecting upon this goal and referencing the events of lives to it. This will ensure that the devil has a difficult time in leading us astray. It is through daily reflection upon what we do that our lives will be tested in fire - tested against the true image of a Christian, namely Christ. It takes effort to reflect daily, but it is worth doing!)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 111:1-2, 5-6, 9 and 10c

R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.


Gospel
Mark 10:17-27

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,

“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”

(It is very important to note that Jesus looks at the rich young man with love before challenging him to become His disciple. It is always love that is at the basis of everything that God asks of us. It is always the call to love God and our neighbor that guides all the actions of our lives. At least, this is what the case should be! So often we forget to love people when we challenge them or corect them and thus it is not easy for them to accept what we have to say. Let us try to correct this fault within us.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
I give myself to God's disposition.
"Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my intellect, and all my will - all that I have and possess. Thou gavest it to me: to Thee, Lord, I return it! All is Thine, dispose of it according to all Thy will. Give me Thy love and grace, for this is enough for me."
This prayer concisely expresses the spirit of true offering and total bestowing.
This prayer is an attitude that communicates the true gift of one's self and the conscious agreement to allow God to be in control of one's life and to direct it.

my reflections
think: So often we forget to love people when we challenge them or correct them and thus it is not easy for them to accept what we have to say.
It happens a lot of times when we try to scold the people we love because we care for them. We try to correct the wrong habits that we know that is hurting them. The people doesn't understand that we are telling them the truth even it hurts because we love them. We should always ask God to act through us so that the people we love sees Christ in us when we tell them what is the right thing to do.

thank You Lord for: the prayer St. Ignatius of Loyola.
thank You Lord for receving me for Your disposition.
thank You Lord for the humility for me to give up everything for you.
thank You Lord for taking control of my life and directing it.
thank You Lord for teaching me how to praise you.
thank You Lord for giving me the opportunity to reflect daily.

Week of Feb. 20th - 26th

Click on the date to link to the readings

Feb. 20 Monday
Feb. 21 Tuesday
Feb. 22 Wednesday
Feb. 23 Thursday
Feb. 24 Friday
Feb. 25 Saturday
Feb. 26 Sunday

My reflections for Feb. 26, 2006 - Sunday

February 26, 2006

Reading I
Hosea 2:16, 17, 21-22

Thus says the LORD:
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,
when she came up from the land of Egypt.
I will espouse you to me forever:
I will espouse you in right and in justice,
in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.

(The language of love - does it not thrill your heart just to hear it? - "I will lure her into the desert... I will betroth you to myself forever." The Lord says that He is going to seduce Israel by leading her into a place where there is nothing left for her but to totally entrust herself to His love. This is a perfect description of the sinner eventually realizing that he or she is trapped in bondage to sin and that the only way out is to throw one's self at the mercy of God. This is what repentance and conversion as all about.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading II
2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
Do we need, as some do,
letters of recommendation to you or from you?
You are our letter, written on our hearts,
known and read by all,
shown to be a letter of Christ ministered by us,
written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God,
not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified
to take credit for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.

(Paul is sure that the witness of his life and that of his companions will be sufficient to commend the Good News he has for the Corinthian people. Paul takes the opportunity to play around with the understanding of a letter of commendation and basically says that if one carried a written letter perhaps it is only because his or her life's witness was lacking in one way or another! The witness of his life is one based on the Spirit of God and not in any written letter of the law. Words are well enough when they will suffice. A living witness, however, will speak much louder and be far more effective.)

Gospel
Mark 2:18-22

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.
People came to him and objected,
“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

(Once again, the Pharisees trip themselves up with a misdirected focus upon the law. It is very unfortunate when the law becomes the focus as this means that rules and regulations begin to take over love. When I truly obey the law of God written in the commandments and also upon my heart, I do so out of love for God and my neighbor. When I obey because I ougth or have to do so, I do so out of fear of the consequences. which of these two options speaks most powerfully to you?)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: A living witness will speak much louder and be far more effective.

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 25, 2006 - Saturday

February 25, 2006

Reading I
James 5:13-20

Beloved:
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray.
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing a song of praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
The prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a man like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain
and the earth produced its fruit.

My brothers and sisters,
if anyone among you should stray from the truth
and someone bring him back,
he should know that whoever brings back a sinner
from the error of his way will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.

(James reminds us that we have a duty of care for one another. He tells us that we should always be ready to guide a brother or sister who has strayed from the right path back to the Lord. This, he promises, will be of great benefit to them and also great benefit to us. If we are vigilant in our care for others it is almost a certainty we will have the same vigilance in our own lives or else we may be labeled as hypocrites.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 141:1-2, 3 and 8

R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;
hearken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.
O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;
in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.
R. Let my prayer come like incense before you.

Gospel
Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

(Why is it that Jesus uses children as an image of those who will inherit the Kingdom of God? I think that it has something to do with their innocence and willingness to trust. These are essential aspects of Kingdom living. If we want to live in God's Kingdom we will have to learn to entrust ourselves to Him. We will also have to learn how to return to the place of innocence and purity through repentance and conversion. Jesus, show me the way to this place.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: Is my heart like that of a child's?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 24, 2006 - Friday

February 24, 2006

Reading I
James 5:9-12

Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of the perseverance of Job,
and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,
because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath,
but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,”
that you may not incur condemnation.

(Each of us has been given the gift of a voice. How do we use it? This is not a facetious question. We are accountable for all that comes out of our mouths and thus we should be vigilant in our conversations. It is not just cursing and lies we have to guard against, but gossip and slander, language and jokes that are not befitting a child of God and we should also try to keep reign on the endless chatter about nothing in particular that so often wastes a lot of our time.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Gospel
Mark 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
They replied,
“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”
But Jesus told them,
“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

(What a terrible thing it is to be unteachable. Think about it for a minute. If I am unteachable, I am basically saying that I know everything and that I do not need help to be saved! This is patently wrong. It is so arrogant that it is almost beyond description. Let us pray that we will always have teachable hearts - hearts that are open to correction and new ideas, hearts that are in the hands of Jesus and not reliant upon our own resources alone.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: How teachable am I?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 23, 2006 - Thursday

February 23, 2006

Reading I
James 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.

(The real question that James is asking of us is, "Where have we placed our hope?" Have we misplaced it in the things that the world has to offer, like wealth and fame and power or is it residing in our trust that our relationshop with Jesus will bring us the fullness of our happiness? It is easier to trust and place our hope in something that we can touch than an article of faith. Let us pray for the grace to entrust our lives into the hands of God.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 49:14-15, 15-16, 17-18, 19-20

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
This is the way of those whose trust is folly,
the end of those contented with their lot:
Like sheep they are herded into the nether world;
death is their shepherd and the upright rule over them.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Quickly their form is consumed;
the nether world is their palace.
But God will redeem me
from the power of the nether world by receiving me.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Gospel
Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

(It is one thing to sin of and for ourselves. It is an entirely different matter to be the cause of another's sin. The second is far worse. Jesus reminds us that we have to be careful regarding the effect we have upon other people's lives. We must ensure that we are a good influence upon them and not a bad one. In fact, it is better for us to die now than be the cause of another's sin. This may be a hard thing to grasp but if we think about it long enough, I am sure we will see that it is true.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: On what have we pegged our hopes?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 22, 2006 - Wednesday

February 22, 2006

Reading I
1 Peter 5:1-4

Beloved:
I exhort the presbyters among you,
as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ
and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.
Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Do not lord it over those assigned to you,
but be examples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd is revealed,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

(Today we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. As we reflect upon the gift of the papacy to the Church, let us be thankful for the leadership that we are given through it. Let us also pray for our pope that he will be a man who has the heat of a shepherd for the Church in imitation of Jesus. It cannot who has the heart of a shepherd for the Church in imitation of Jesus. It cannot be easy to lead the Church - I am sure the pope needs as many prayers as he can get.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel
Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed.

(It is important to build on a firm foundation. The bigger the building, the stronger the foundation needs to be. The Church is a huge institution built on the foundation stone of Jesus Christ. However, His representative here on earth is a person like any one of us. He is prone to sin and will have to struggle to grow in holiness. Let us pray for him that the grace he needs to fulfill his duties will be given to him.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: In my own small way, I am a leader. How do I approach leadership?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 21, 2006 - Tuesday

February 21, 2006

Reading I
James 4:1-10

Beloved:
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly,
to spend it on your passions.
Adulterers!
Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?
Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world
makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks without meaning when it says,
The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy?
But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says:
God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.

So submit yourselves to God.
Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners,
and purify your hearts, you of two minds.
Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep.
Let your laughter be turned into mourning
and your joy into dejection.
Humble yourselves before the Lord
and he will exalt you.

(Here is a critical text in regards interceding for things in our lives. We have to ensure that what we are asking God to give us is not indulging our own desires! What are we seeking to get out of our request? Is it truly in accord with the manifest will of God or are we merely giving in to the worldly desires of our hearts? It is easy to fool ourselves that what we are asking for is God's will. This is why it can be helpful to seek help in discerning God's will in this regard.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 55:7-8, 9-10, 10-11, 23

R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
And I say, “Had I but wings like a dove,
I would fly away and be at rest.
Far away I would flee;
I would lodge in the wilderness.”
R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
“I would wait for him who saves me
from the violent storm and the tempest.”
Engulf them, O Lord; divide their counsels.
R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
In the city I see violence and strife,
day and night they prowl about upon its walls.
R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
Cast your care upon the LORD,
and he will support you;
never will he permit the just man to be disturbed.
R. Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

Gospel
Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

(Jesus foretells His Passion and death. I like to believe that Jesus had a growing consciousness of where His ministry was leading Him. That is, He became more and more aware that His Father's will involve suffering, death and then vindication in the form of the resurrection. This would not have been easy to accept from His human point of view as we learn by His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet, Jesus moves forward inexorably to this date with destiny!)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: When we pray for what we pray, what are we seeking to get out of our request?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 20, 2006 - Monday

February 20, 2006

Reading I
James 3:13-18

Beloved:
Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show his works by a good life
in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.
Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above
but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

(James returns to the importance of the witness of our lives. We cannot underestimate the importance of this in evangelization. Usually the first thing people see or experience in you as the evangelizer is the way you treat them. If the first impression is good, then so much more will the proclamation of the Gospel be convincing. If the first impression is bad, then it will be uphill from there on!)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Gospel
Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”

Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

(Sometimes, no matter how close we are to Jesus, we can fail to do what we should do. The apostles failed to cast out the spirit from the stricken child. Perhaps they took it for granted and were too presumptuous about their ability to do so. Whatever the case, Jesus affirms that there was greater need for conversion in their lives when he said that greater prayer and fasting were required to cast out the spirit afflicting the boy.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
When we adore creation instead of adoring God, we become blind to the Lord's light and deaf to the Lord's calling. As blinded to the truth, we should ask the Lord:
Lord, make me see. Enlighten the eyes of my soul
with Your light, by which You knock on the door of
my heart.

my reflections
think: Usually the first thing people see or experience in you as the evangelizer is the way you treat them.
Lord, teach me how to treat people the way You want me to treat them. Help me to make an impression how I could reflect Your love to them so that they may feel Your presence through the people who already received Your light. If we reflect your light in a right way, then we are able to explode God's mercy and love.

thank You Lord for: teaching me how to impress your people so I could reflect Your true love.
thank You Lord for teaching me how to pray and become humble so I may able to do greater task for your Your Kingdom.
thank You Lord for making me see and for enlightening my soul with your light.

Week of Feb. 13th - 19th

My reflections for Jan. 19, 2006 - Sunday

February 19, 2006

Reading I
Isiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25

Thus says the LORD:
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
The people I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,
for you grew weary of me, O Israel.
You burdened me with your sins,
and wearied me with your crimes.
It is I, I, who wipe out,
for my own sake, your offenses;
your sins I remember no more.

(Isaiah prophesies the comng of a person, the Messiah, who will make a great path in the wilderness that will allow the people to return to the Lord. We now understand that the wilderness is the chaos in the world that results from sin and the path of return to Lord is repentance and God's forgiveness of our sins. The role of all in pastoral care in the Church today is to continue to facilitate this process in the lives of the people of God.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 41:2-3, 4-5, 13-14

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
Blessed is the one who has regard for the lowly and the poor;
in the day of misfortune the LORD will deliver him.
The LORD will keep and preserve him;
and make him blessed on earth,
and not give him over to the will of his enemies.
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
The LORD will help him on his sickbed,
he will take away all his ailment when he is ill.
Once I said, “O LORD, have pity on me;
heal me, though I have sinned against you.”
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
But because of my integrity you sustain me
and let me stand before you forever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from all eternity. Amen. Amen.
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Reading II
2 Corinthians 1:18-22

Brothers and sisters:
As God is faithful,
our word to you is not “yes” and “no.”
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me,
was not “yes” and “no, ” but “yes” has been in him.
For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;
therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.
But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us
and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

(There is absolutely no doubt in the mind of Paul that we have been saved by the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It is not a matter of "maybe" or "perhaps." It is certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient for our salvation. Let us rejoice in this truth and never forget it. Let us thank the Lord for His goodness and take full advantage of His generous offer.... now!)

Gospel
Mark 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk?’
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
—he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

(I love meditating on the last line of this Gospel which says, "We have never seen anything like this." The ministry of Jesus must have been far and way above anything else that had been seen in recent years. Jesus has no peer when it comes to the working of miracles and the authority and effectiveness of His preaching. This can be true for us as well if we are willing and committed to living lives totally surrendered to the will of God.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: What has Jesus done for you that you could never have foreseen to have happened to you?

thank You Lord for:

My reflections for Feb. 18, 2006 - Saturday

February 18, 2006

Reading I
James 3:1-10

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,
for you realize that we will be judged more strictly,
for we all fall short in many respects.
If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man,
able to bridle the whole body also.
If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us,
we also guide their whole bodies.
It is the same with ships:
even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds,
they are steered by a very small rudder
wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes.
In the same way the tongue is a small member
and yet has great pretensions.

Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze.
The tongue is also a fire.
It exists among our members as a world of malice,
defiling the whole body
and setting the entire course of our lives on fire,
itself set on fire by Gehenna.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature,
can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
but no man can tame the tongue.
It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless the Lord and Father,
and with it we curse men
who are made in the likeness of God.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.
My brothers and sisters, this need not be so.

(James is keenly aware that the tongue can be a very dangerous organ in someone's life. The words that we speak often indicate the state of our hearts. So much can be discerned by the way in which a person speaks and the words that he or she uses. Hopefully, we are all aware of this and so make the effort to be guarded in our language. Our words can be tremendous allies in proclaiming the Gospel, but they can also be a great liability if they get out of control.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 12:2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R. You will protect us, Lord.
Help, O LORD! for no one now is dutiful;
faithfulness has vanished from among the children of men.
Everyone speaks falsehood to his neighbor;
with smooth lips they speak, and double heart.
R. You will protect us, Lord.
May the LORD destroy all smooth lips,
every boastful tongue,
Those who say, “We are heroes with our tongues;
our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
R. You will protect us, Lord.
The promises of the LORD are sure,
like tried silver, freed from dross, sevenfold refined.
You, O LORD, will keep us
and preserve us always from this generation.
R. You will protect us, Lord.

Gospel
Mark 9:2-13

Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
then from the cloud came a voice,
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
Suddenly, looking around, the disciples no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Then they asked him,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He told them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things,
yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man
that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?
But I tell you that Elijah has come
and they did to him whatever they pleased,
as it is written of him.”

(The Transfiguration of Jesus is a reminder to the apostles, or at least Peter, James and John, of the divinty of Jesus. The Father reveals the true, identity of His Son to them. The experience held them in awe as they witnessed Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah. What wouldn't we give to have been there with them! However, that was not to be and we have to be content with the revelation that God chooses to make to each one of us. Let us be thankful for that and always be ready to share our experiences with others if it will benefit their faith.)

God's special verse/thought for me today.
The Crucifix is not just an ordinary object. Rather, it is the sign of Someone who loves me and desires to save me at every moment of my life.
Call for mercy - to ask to be immersed in the fruits of the Most Holy Sacrifice.

Look a the Crucifix and ask interiorly:

Lord, purify me of the leprosy of my sins.
Purify me of the impurities of my adultery with this
new idol.
Immerse me in Your death and Resurrection.
Restore in me the dignity of being Your child.


my reflections
think: The words that we speak often indicate the state of our hearts.
Lord, I'm very grateful that from the start of this year 2006, You filled me with the Holy Spirit and began expressing myself in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted me. Bless those people who listens to Your words that they may understand exactly your message to them. May Your people Lord take actions according to Your message.

thank You Lord for: the crucifix to remind me that You love me and that you desire to save me from any moment of my life.

thank You Lord for the interior prayer to the crucifix so you may purify my sins and restore in me the dignity of being Your child.

thank You Lord for filling me with the Holy Spirit so I may express myself in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation.

thank You Lord for giving me the opportunities to share my experiences to others so it may benefit their faith. thank You Lord for sharing my experiences to my sister Margie and bless her Lord that from now on she will be more attentive to your knockings.