September 28, 2008 (Sunday)

CHANGED MIND, CHANGED LIFE

He said in reply, “I will not,” but afterwards he changed his mind and went. – Matthew 21:29

My friend Albert (not his real name) is a confessed womanizer. He is also a smoker whom you will smell from several feet away. Every time I mention the word “Jesus” or “Bible,” he would almost always sneer at me.
“Saka na lang” (“Next time”) would be his standard answer whenever I invite him to a seminar or prayer meeting. But I never gave up on him. One day, a common friend invited him to come to my birthday party. What Albert didn’t know was that the “party” included a Bible study.
When I led the group into a prayer of salvation, I saw Albert repeating after me. I know in my heart that the Lord “had” him. Since then, he has been attending our Bible studies, even offering his house to host a gathering. The man who used to reply, “Sorry, I can’t,” changed his mind and joined! With St. Paul, I say, “I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in [Albert] will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Danny Tariman

REFLECTION:
Do we easily give up on our call to evangelize?

Holy Spirit, empower me to lead people to Jesus!

St. Wenceslaus, martyr, pray for us.

COMPANION

1st READING

We have no basis for complaint when the suffering we undergo is a result of our own sin. Ezekiel is making this point to the People of Israel when they complain of their trials and tribulations. He counters their complaints with a challenge for them to look at the state of their relationship with God, and acknowledge that their plight is a result of their own decisions and not vengeance being wreaked on them by God.

Ezekiel 18:25-28
25 You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? 26 When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. 27 But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; 28 since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

P S A L M

Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
4 Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R) 6 Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old. 7 The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not; in your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD. (R) 8 Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (R)

2ND READING

Paul beseeches the Philippians to consider the love of God for them and if it is not enough, to inspire them to live in unity of mind and heart. After all, what more could they ask God to do than to give His Son as a sacrifice for their sins? We can very easily fall into the sin of ingratitude and presumption towards the goodness of God. We tend to blame God for our troubles rather than accept the responsibility for our own sins and their consequences. This has to change if we are truly going to become disciples of Jesus.

Philippians 2:1-11
1 Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. 5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, 6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

G O S P E L

True obedience and loyalty is expressed most in deed and not just in word. The problem with words is that they are yet to be acted upon whereas deeds always leave a lasting testament to one’s intentions. It is important as disciples of Jesus that we be men and women who act upon our word and do not just speak the right words. People will respect the witness of a life without words but not the other way around.

Matthew 21:28-32
28 Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

my reflections
think:True obedience and loyalty is expressed most in deed and not just in word.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ecclesiastes 1-4


SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
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SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
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HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week
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SABBATH

Let's Do It!

Aided with a little bit of imagination, I have thought of a “sequel” to today’s gospel of the Parable of the Two Sons.
The second son (the one who said no to his father at first, but went all the same later) was there indeed, working at the vineyard. The first son, instead, actually ended up playing billiards. In the meantime, the father saw that one of his sons was working in the vineyard. Since he just saw him from afar, he didn’t recognize which of the two it was. He had no idea of what really happened. All the while he was thinking that everything was okay.

While the elder son was playing billiards, he also saw his father from afar and suddenly had qualms of conscience. Making matters worse for him was when he also saw from afar his younger brother, working in the vineyard. He never felt so sorry as then. So went to the vineyard to work as well.

Later, the father went to the vineyard and was taken aback when he saw two young men working there. Upon seeing his second son there working, he was pleasantly surprised. Then came the explanation: “I regretted what I did, and so here am I now working.” The other one also admitted the truth: that although he said yes, he actually escaped to the billiard hall to while away his time. He confessed and begged forgiveness from his father.

The father was more than willing to forgive them both. After several months, the vineyard yielded a big harvest of quality grapes. Jesus’ original parable was specifically addressed to the chief priests and elders of the Israelite people of his time. You can just imagine their consternation when told by Jesus that because of their complacency and self-righteousness, tax collectors and prostitutes are overtaking them in the race to heaven. Salvation isn’t a race to the finish line. We can gain a head start by not dilly-dallying with our repentance and conversion. Let’s not just say, “Yes, sir.” Let’s do it! Fr. Martin Macasaet

Reflection Question:
Are you dilly-dallying in responding to the Lord?

I am a self-righteous dilly-dallier, Lord. How easy to deceive myself. Save me, Lord.

St, Wenceslaus, martyr, pray for us.

September 27, 2008 (Saturday)

A JOYFUL GOD

Rejoice, O young man, while you are young…. Ward off grief from your heart. – Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

I was a playful kid. Well, I still am. As a child, the Salesians of Don Bosco reared me. These clerics were different. Yes, they taught us serious subjects like Religion and Morality. However, their influence upon me was greatest outside the classroom. They would play football and basketball with us after school, share jokes and play tricks on us during recess and tried to be “one of the guys” during our free times. Maybe that was one of the reasons why I tried entering the congregation’s Juniorate. I saw from them that it was fun to serve the Lord!
I almost always got 95 or higher in Religion. The reason? I had a blast studying it. Our teacher would draw cartoons on the blackboard to stress a point and made it fun to learn!
Today’s reading reminds us to lighten up, have fun and enjoy our youth. God is a joyful God! Things seem to work out better when we enjoy what we do. Efficiency and creativity do set in because we relax and have a clear mind. The Lord wants us to be happy and we can depend on Him to “ward off our grief.” Ariel Driz

REFLECTION:
Are you having fun following God?

Lord Jesus, I rejoice in Your love. Grant me the grace to have fun following Your ways.Amen.

COMPANION

1st READING

Our youth is a time to enjoy and offer to the Lord for Him to use as He pleases. Yes, we should follow the desires of our hearts as long as they are part of God’s plan for our lives. This is not an exhortation to do what we please, when we please, however we please. The latter is a licentious life that will lead to judgment and condemnation. The former is a life of service that will lead to judgment and salvation.

Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:8
9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment. 10 Ward off grief from your heart and put away trouble from your presence, though the dawn of youth is fleeting. 12: 1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come. And the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 Before the sun is darkened and the light, and the moon, and the stars, while the clouds return after the rain; 3 When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, And the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind; 4 When the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of a bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed; 5 And one fears heights, and perils in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grows sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets; 6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls into the well, 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity!

P S A L M

Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
R: In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
3 You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. (R) 5 You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, 6 which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades. (R) 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! (R) 14 Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. 17 And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus makes it very clear to His disciples that all is not well in the minds and hearts of the people of Israel. A time will come when He will suffer and ultimately be put to death. The disciples had better prepare their hearts for this eventuality so that when it comes, they will not be led into despair but will be able to persevere unto the resurrection and new life.

Luke 9:43b-45
43 While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, 44 “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

my reflections
think:We should follow the desires of our hearts as long as they are part of God’s plan for our lives.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Proverbs 28-31

SABBATH

Just in Case We have Questions . . .

The Gospel today seems like a sequel to that of yesterday. Or perhaps it is like an immediate “follow-up,” in the sense that Jesus’ newfound identity as Messiah has got a necessary implication: that “the Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But probably, just like the disciples we too are amazed and we fail to understand the whole thing. Making matters worse is that we are afraid to ask Jesus about the matter. Could it be that there is something blocking us from drawing near to the Lord? Or that some kind of fear grips and paralyzes us in our relationship with Him?
If in all honesty, it seems that the meaning of it all is so concealed that we do not comprehend it, let us humbly ask the Lord to enlighten us. Nothing is impossible if we put our trust in Him. Far from some sort of a board examination or a dissertation defense, God’s ways are not at all nerve-wracking and complex. He is plain and simple, clear and straightforward enough in His teachings and sayings, and it is in serenity and prayer that we truly encounter Him. More often than not, perhaps it is we who complicate things, and we end up prisoners of our own fears and anxieties.
The First Reading today from Ecclesiastes advises us, “Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes. Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment.” We need not worry, for it is not a right-minus-wrong, no-copying exam of sorts. But just in case we don’t understand something and if we have questions, let us not hesitate to ask Jesus. Fr. Martin Macasaet

Reflection Question:
Is something blocking you from drawing near to the Lord?

Help me to see the things that block my drawing nearer to You.

St. Vincent de Paul, priest, pray for us.