October 13, 2008 (Monday)

DIDACHE


I’M FREE

…stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1

You know that Abraham had two sons, right? Isaac was born from Sarah, the “freeborn woman.” He is therefore the “son of freedom” born through God’s promise. The other son, Ishmael, was born from Hagar, an Egyptian slave-girl. We Christians trace our roots to Isaac. We are children of freedom and of the promise — not from the slave-girl. But because of sin, we became enslaved.

When Jesus died on the cross He freed us from the slavery of sin! It is like being in prison. Then Jesus came, holding the key to freedom, and opening the prison door.

But know what? Some people choose to stay inside their prison cells. They somehow enjoy living inside. They feel comfortable and secure being in prison. They even mocked Jesus for opening the prison door and questioned him, “Who told you to free us?” Others walk out but, for some reason, would go back inside their cells. They feel more at home being in prison. But the good news is, more people walk out to gain their freedom. They continue to shout to the whole world: I’m free! Alvin Barcelona

REFLECTION:
Are you still in prison? Have you gone back to being imprisoned? Or are you now a free man proclaiming to the world that Jesus freed you?

O Lord, You have freed me from the slavery of sin. By Your grace I am no longer a slave but a friend of God. Amen.

COMPANION

1st READING

Paul’s argument here does not really work as he wants it to but his message is clear enough, namely, to put our trust in faith in Jesus and not in what we can achieve through our own strength in obedience to the Law. There is always a bit of a tension here in that we cannot totally disregard the Law as we seek to put our faith in Jesus. It is just that obedience to the Law and obedience to faith have different foci. Both are necessary but for different reasons.

Galatians 4: 22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1
22 Brothers and sisters: It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman. 23 The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise. 24 Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. 26 But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:“Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband.” 31 Therefore, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. 5: 1 For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

P S A L M

Psalm 113: 1b-2 , 3-4, 5a and 6-7
R: Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever.
1 Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. (R) 3 From the rising to the setting of the sun is the name of the LORD to be praised. 4 High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens is his glory. (R) 5 Who is like the LORD, our God, who 6 looks upon the heavens and the earth below? 7 He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor. (R)

G O S P E L

Doubt always seems to be close to the surface in our lives of faith. We keep on looking for signs. How many signs should we need to be able to put our faith in God? I do not have a universal answer to that question – maybe it is different for different people. However, I do believe that there comes a time in all of our lives when we have to get to the point and decide what we are going to do with our lives, sign or no sign!

Luke 11:29-32
29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. 32 At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

my reflections
think:We keep on looking for signs. How many signs should we need to be able to put our faith in God?

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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 Sirach 21-23

SABBATH

FREEDOM: WHAT IS IT REALLY?

What does it really mean to be free? Often, when we reflect upon the meaning of freedom, we take it to mean as “being free from some sort of constraint.” In the context of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the constraint we are considering is sin. However, I believe this is the wrong way of looking at freedom. When humanity was first given freedom at the time of Creation there was no such reality as sin. Therefore, freedom was not “freedom from some sort of constraint” but “freedom to embrace the love and will of God.” We should view freedom in a positive sense and not a negative one. The freedom that God gives us at Creation and then again through our Redemption is a freedom that enables us to embrace our true identity and purpose in life — to seek and find our God.

In today’s world, our focus when we theorize about “freedom” is too caught up in secular and materialistic realities as freedom from constraints that stop us from expressing who we are and what we want to be and do at the time of our choosing. This is a misplaced understanding and use of the freedom given us by God, and more often than not, will end in abuse and selfishness.

Jesus tells us in the Gospels that He came to serve and not to be served. Here He is telling us that the proper and greater use of our freedom is found in loving and serving God and one another. Those who end their lives with the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment are those who have embraced this understanding and use of their freedom. Only when we discover this truth and live it for ourselves will we be able to fully appreciate it and embrace it. It is as though each of us needs to have a Copernican revolution where we discover the truth that life and fulfillment revolves not around us but around love and service to others. This is the innovation of the Gospel and the true expression of freedom. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
What is freedom for me? How do I express the freedom Christ has given me through my redemption from sin?

Jesus, You alone have lived a fully free life in the history of the world. Help me to embrace the gift of freedom as You see it and give it to me.

St. Edward the confessor, pray for us.

October 12, 2008 (Sunday)

DIDACHE

THE SECRET

In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry… – Philippians 4:12

I once read a story about a little boy who loved pancakes. He enjoyed eating them to the point that he made a glutton of himself. His mother thought she would cure him of this, so one day she offered to cook all the pancakes he could eat.

That morning, she took all the flour and eggs she would need and made her son pancakes. She cooked them and he ate them. She cooked some more. He ate them all. When she was about to pour another ladle full of batter onto the hot pan, she asked her son, “Son, do you want another pancake?” He moaned and answered, “No, Mom. Actually, I don’t want the ones I’ve already had.” When will we be truly satisfied? If there is a fountain of youth, is there an ever-flowing spring of satisfaction?

In the deepest part of our soul, there is a hunger that can never be satisfied by things of this world. Only God can fill that void. St. Augustine said that our hearts will not rest until they rest in God.
The secret of satisfaction?
God alone. Lalaine Gogna

REFLECTION:
How many truly satisfied people do you know?

Let me not be deceived, Lord. Nothing in this world can truly satisfy.

COMPANION

1ST READING

The Lord’s abundance and blessings know no end. However, they are in a certain way dependent upon our faith in Him. God is restrained by our lack of faith. If we are not willing to entrust our lives to Him, He is unable to bring us into the fullness of His promises. This is an effect of freewill. God has chosen to give us a choice whether we want Him to be a part of our lives or not. This is a risk on His part, but then all love is a risk!

Isaiah 25:6-10a
6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; 8 he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. 9 On that day it will be said “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” 10 For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

P S A L M
Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (6cd)
R: I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 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) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 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)

2ND READING

Paul is not afraid to be all things to all people. This does not mean that he countenances sin in anyone’s life, but that he will do all that he can to understand a person’s situation, and then share the Gospel with him or her in the way he thinks most effective. No, Paul will not compromise on the truths of the Gospel, but he will seek to put them in a form that the hearer can understand. This makes a lot of sense, does it not?

Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20
12 Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. 13 I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. 14 Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress. 19 My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

G O S P E L

Matthew 22: 1-14
1 Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, “Tell those invited: ‘Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.’ ” 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

my reflections
think:God has chosen to give us a choice whether we want Him to be a part of our lives or not.

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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 Sirach 17-20

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 PAUSE

SABBATH


GROWING INTO THE FULLNESS OF FAITH

One of the things that I notice when I read the letters of St. Paul is that he has a deep trust in the Lord. He seems to be able to “laugh off” or simply ignore any hardships, and I get a little jealous reading about it. Perhaps this is good as it will ultimately inspire me to trust the Lord completely as well. The truth that Paul expresses when he says that there is no struggle that he cannot master with the help of the Lord is something we all have to come to believe, and to believe without doubting.

Sometimes, I think the greatest challenge to our faith is the temptation to doubt in the thoroughness and fullness of the gift of salvation we have been given. The work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, His obedience to the Father’s will, is full and complete. It is now up to us to apply it to our lives, and to live it to the full. The problem is we only live it halfheartedly and without the conviction of faith we see in the life of Paul. How we grow in that conviction I do not know. I guess the journey will take us to different paths.

As we reflect upon the faith of St. Paul, let us draw strength from his example and believe that it is possible for each of us to reach the same level of certainty as he did. Let us also realize that to reach that level of certainty will entail our paying the price of commitment to our faith over and above all other things. We cannot afford to be slack or to compromise even on the little things as this will hinder our growth in faith. Such compromise says to the Lord that we are not really willing to give our all in following Him, a notion that would be anathema to Paul and obviously not pleasing to God either. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
Do I believe that I can overcome all obstacles in my life with the help of God?

Holy Spirit, strengthen my faith so that I will grow in my belief and experience of Jesus’ victory over all sin in my life.

St. Wilfrid, bishop of York, pray for us.

October 10, 2008 (Friday)

DIDACHE


MY FAIR PARENTS

He who is not with me is against me. – Luke 11:23

His hair was brown, his eyes bluish gray. He was fair, muscular and tall. Her hair was blonde, her eyes blue. She was also fair and tall. My hair, black. My eyes, black. My skin, brown. I was skinny and small. They called me daughter and I called them Mom and Dad.

No, I was not an adopted child. When I was 16, I became an exchange student under the American Field Service International Scholarship program. I stayed with an American family in Minneapolis, Minnesota and studied in a senior high school for one year.

Throughout those 12 months, my foster parents took care of me as if I were their own, and they did so even when I already came back to the Philippines. We corresponded. I told them my ups and downs; they wrote to me about their concerns. They gave me advice, and, just as when I was still living with them, I obeyed them.

Even if we didn’t look alike, we were a family because we did what family members do for each other.
The Bible says God made man in His image and likeness. So we all must look like Him. But the Gospel today tells us that what really makes us belong to God is when we do as He says we should do. Cynthia Santiago

REFLECTION:
Are you doing what you’re supposed to do as a member of God’s family?

Lord, give me the grace to obey You, to gather people to Your side, as You ask me to do.

COMPANION

1st READING

The Law God gave to Moses is a sort of pre-salvific entity. By this I mean the Law cannot save us no matter how closely we follow it, as all it does is tell us how we should live our lives as members of the human race. Nowhere in the Law does it tell us how to repair the damage done when we disobey the Law. This is what Jesus was sent to deal with when He was born on earth. He came to reconcile us to the Father and to restore the relationship that is lost through sin.

Galatians :7- 4
7 Brothers and sisters: Realize then that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, “Through you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith. 10 For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law.” 11 And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for “the one who is righteous by faith will live.” 12 But the law does not depend on faith; rather, “the one who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,” 14 that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

P S A L M

Psalm : b- , -4, -6
R: The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
1 I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. (R) 3 Majesty and glory are his work, and his justice endures forever. 4 He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. (R) 5 He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. 6 He has made known to his people the power of his works, giving them the inheritance of the nations. (R)

G O S P E L

When we make moral choices in our lives, we choose to either align our lives with Jesus or work against Him. It is as simple as that. No amount of arguing or debating will change this fundamental reality. This is why we have to be aware of the power of our choices, and be ready to take responsibility for them when we make them. Life would be much easier without this responsibility, but then, would that be any sort of real life?I think I prefer the responsibility because then I can choose to make God a part of my life and demonstrate my love for Him.

Luke : - 6
15 Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” 16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. 18 And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. 19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ 25 But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.”

my reflections
think: When we make moral choices in our lives, we choose to either align our lives with Jesus or work against Him.

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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 Sirach 9-12



SABBATH


THE CURSE OF DISUNITY

Have you ever tried to accomplish something requiring the support of all when there is disunity within the group? I have, and it is impossible. Jesus likens a kingdom where there is disunity to a disaster waiting to happen. We have all heard the old adage, “Divide and conquer.” It is so true. This all sounds rather depressing but it is something we need to be aware of so that we can do our best to avoid such a situation, if it is at all humanly possible.

When there is disunity in a group, no matter what size the group may be, it is essential to find a way to heal the rift. Both sides must be willing to dialogue about the issues at hand. There will never be a solution to the problem if either side approaches the situation with ultimatums or an inflexible position. The art of unity is one that will be accomplished only through sincere openness to the other side’s position. This means that a true dialogue must take place between the warring parties in order to find a common ground and to build from there.

Another essential aspect in the process of reconciliation is humility. It is imperative that we reflect upon the life of Jesus in this regard as He is our model of humility and integrity. He did not need to die on the cross for Himself. He chose to do so for our sake. It is willingness to do things “for the sake of others” or “for the sake of unity” that will provide the only basis for unity between disagreeing factions. A person who insists only on his rights in a dispute will rarely, if ever at all, be satisfied. Why do I say this? If there are warring parties then there has obviously been some sort of sin to set off the fight. Where there is sin there is always injustice – people end up getting hurt through no fault of their own – casualties of war, so to speak. Both sides must admit they were wrong and forgive those who hurt them without seeking justification for every little aspect of their hurt. Jesus’ example of dying for the sins of others is the example we must all follow at times like this. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
Do I tend to seek revenge for every wrong done to me? Am I willing to forgive those who have hurt me and move on in the relationship?

Holy Spirit, open my heart to the truth of Your love for me and help me to follow Your example in the way I love those around me.

St. Francis Borgia, nobleman, pray for us.

October 11, 2008 (Saturday)

DIDACHE


PROVE HIM RIGHT

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” – Luke 11:28

We’ve all heard God’s Word countless of times. But why do only a few of us follow what we hear? I have my guesses.

Some have what I call the AKNY Syndrome, short for “Alam Ko Na ‘Yan.” When they hear God’s Word, they mumble to themselves, “I’ve heard that before.” When you believe that you already know everything, you leave yourself no room to learn.

Another reason why some of us do not seem to act on the Word is because we choose what to read. When we come across God’s promises, we get our neon highlighters, underline the verses, read them again and again and claim them to be ours. But when we read His commands, we instantly turn to the next page and forget about them. Being choosy is surely not a sign of being transformed by God’s Word.

A few of us hear the message of God clearly but wait for the “convenient” moment to apply it. We opt for convenience rather than obedience.

God gives His Word to you because He knows you can carry them out.
My suggestion? Prove Him right. Arun Gogna

REFLECTION:
“It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bothers me, it is the parts that I do.” (Mark Twain)

May Your Word, O Lord, inspire me, and disturb me when necessary.

COMPANION

1st READING

The law is our guardian to the extent that it teaches us what it means to act according to our human nature. The Law guides us in our humanity so that we can avoid the worst excesses of sin. It cannot save us from sin nor can it repair the damage done by sin. However, it is good that it is a step in the right direction, and if used well, leads us towards faith in Christ.

Galatians 3:22-29
22 Brothers and sisters: Scripture confined all things under the power of sin, that through faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. 23 Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. 24 Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. 26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.

P S A L M

Psalm 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. 3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! (R) 4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R)

G O S P E L

Why can’t Jesus speak plainly and simply? Why all these metaphors and images in His preaching? I think Jesus wants to make us reflect more deeply on what He has to say to us. If everything He taught us was plain and simple, there is a danger we would take it for granted very easily. If we have to think about it a bit and reflect upon it a lot, it is more likely to sink deeper into our hearts and consciousness. If I am right in this, it shows us that Jesus is one smart guy!


Luke 11: 27-28
27 While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” 28 He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

my reflections
think: Jesus wants to make us reflect more deeply on what He has to say to us.
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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 Sirach 13-16

SABBATH

ALL OF US ARE HEIRS OF GOD

It is true — through faith in Jesus Christ we are all invited to share in the inheritance of the children of God, namely salvation, won for us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When Paul says that there is no longer slave or free, male or female, Jew or Greek, what he is saying is that these distinctions are irrelevant when it comes to determining whether or not one is a child of God and heir to the promise of eternal life. Accepting the Gospel and becoming a Christian is not dependent upon one’s gender, race or status in life. The call is open to all.

The distinction to be made here is that between those who are and are not baptized. In Baptism, we become children of God and enter into a whole new relationship with God in such a way that it is unrepeatable. Once we are baptized, we cannot be “re-baptized.” The Catholic Church recognizes the baptism of other Christian denominations, provided the intention is to baptize the person in terms of the scriptural understanding of the sacrament. Thus, the Church does not “re-baptize’ Christian converts to Catholicism. The baptism must also be Trinitarian, that is, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

All people enter into baptism in faith, and then stand as equals before the Father as His children. This means that we should always work towards breaking down any barriers between members of our faith so that our unity and witness of faith will truly reflect the unity and oneness of the life of the Trinity into which we are baptized. When a person is baptized as a child, the parents and godparents make a serious promise to form and rear the child in the ways of the Catholic faith. Baptism is not merely a ritual or photo opportunity, or an excuse to have a family get-together. It is a celebration of our faith where a child is named for God and the community commits itself to be a living witness of faith for the child so that he/she will grow up knowing what it means to be a Christian. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
How faithful am I to living out the true meaning of my baptism? Is my life a good witness of the Christian life to those around me?

Holy Spirit, grant me the grace and strength to follow Your call daily and to always witness that truth to others.

St. Kenneth, monk, pray for us.

October 9, 2008 (Thursday)

DIDACHE

JUST ASK

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives, and the one who searches finds and to him who knocks the door will be opened.” – Luke 11:9-10

I was really tired. All I wanted to do was crash down on the bed and sleep until I felt tired of sleeping. I silently made my way to my bed inside our dorm.

But I had a problem. It was pitch black. I could have used my cell phone as a flashlight to move towards my bed but the battery was dead so I couldn’t make it light up. And I didn’t want to wake my roommates by turning on the lights. So I crept my way in the darkness.

After a couple of hushed “Ouch!” from bumping into things littered around the dorm, I was startled when a light came from one of the beds. I stopped, rubbed my knee and looked at my roommate who had turned on her lamp. She asked, “Why are you walking in the dark?”

I whispered, “I didn’t want to wake you up by turning on the lights.”

“Well you could have asked,” she replied. We’re like that sometimes. We insist on walking in the darkness when we could have light all along. All we have to do is ask. Tina Matanguihan

REFLECTION:
“We have no business to remain in the dark about the character of the Father when He has made His character very clear to us.” (Oswald Chambers)

Father, may I never be too shy to approach You anytime.

COMPANION

1st READING

Paul does not mince his words with the Galatians. He is horrified at how quickly and easily they were led astray by all sorts of false doctrines. Perhaps it is helpful for us to reflect on this a while and consider how vulnerable we can be if we remove ourselves from the spiritual authority of the Church. We may not always like what the Church teaches but so what. Truth is not always comfortable. You know that from experience!

Galatians 3: 1-5
1 O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? 3 Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience so many things in vain? — if indeed it was in vain. 5 Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

P S A L M

Luke 1:69, 70-71, 72, 73 -75
R: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
69 He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. (R) 70 Through his holy prophets he promised of old: 71 that he would save us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. (R) 72 He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. (R) 73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to set us free from the hand of enemies, free to worship him without fear, 75 holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. (R)

G O S P E L

I do not think there are many Christians who really like this passage of Scripture. I am sure we would all much prefer it if God just gave into our requests when we first ask rather than for us to persevere in asking. Sorry, it does not work like that. If everything was that easy we would never value it. The grace of God is never cheap (Bonhoeffer) and I say this is a good thing because we have to realize that our salvation was brought at the terribly high price of the suffering and death of the Son of God!

Luke 11: 5-13
5 Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9 “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

my reflections
think:The grace of God is never cheap.
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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 Sirach 5-8

SABBATH


LIVING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

St. Paul is appalled by the Galatians’ tendency to move back to living according to the outward observances of the Law even though they have heard the Gospel – the call to focus on our interior or spiritual response to God’s word. The latter is much easier to do and to measure, and perhaps this is why we tend to always slide in that direction. The challenge for us all is to maintain a consistent approach to looking at our spiritual response to the Gospel and to ensure that we do not neglect this aspect of our lives.

St. Paul asks the Galatians to reflect upon their experience of conversion. Did their conversion, and hence salvation, depend upon their obedience to the Law or was it the work of God that we freely receive through faith in the power of the Holy Spirit? They know the truth; now it is up to them to live it. This means making decisions to place spiritual realities at the forefront of our lives. We cannot afford to ignore God’s call to obedience, or if we do, we do so at the peril of our salvation. In Paul’s mind, only a fool would ignore the Gospel demands of spiritual renewal once a person has started on that path. By this time, a person should already be convinced of the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ or else one would not have embarked on the journey of faith in the first place.

This is what Paul cannot understand with the Galatians – they know the truth but seem to be happy to ignore it, and to go back to their old way of life. Where is the sense or logic in that? Before we also stand in judgment over the Galatians, let us make sure that we have not committed the same error. Let us maintain constancy in the life of the Spirit and do not allow a preoccupation with the Law to lead us astray. Let us ensure our lives are truly submitted to both the Word of God and the Spirit of God lest we fall into the same trap as the Galatians. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
In my faith walk with Jesus, do I tend to measure how I am doing according to precepts of the Law or the demands of the Spirit? The Law is important but without the Spirit, it will merely be legalism.

Holy Spirit, help me to live a life under Your grace and power, always seeking to live the truth and the law by the grace You give to me.

St. John Leonardi, priest, pray for us.