October 16, 2008 (Thursday)

DIDACHE


FRUSTRATION GIVES WAY TO GRACE

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ… – Ephesians 1:2

When we started building our house, the plan called for a 10-month construction period. So when we reached the 15th month of construction, anxiety crept on me. We had chosen to purchase practically all the finishing materials and the interiors. The purchase list was long and we had lots of errands to run. It ate into our regular schedules and into our nerves. The excitement was turning into frustration.

But as we looked at how the house took shape and our God-ordained encounters in purchasing the materials, His grace and peace filled us. We were able to witness to the suppliers by not compromising correct transactions with the proper receipts just to get savings. We helped the contractor by holding Bible study sessions for the construction workers. We put a lot of time in customizing our etched glass display so that it conveys its Christian meaning clearly to those who enter our home.

All these realizations drowned our frustrations. When the time came for the house to be blessed, we had pure joy that filled our hearts for a long time. Rolly España

REFLECTION:
Are anxieties leading you to frustrations and inaction? Think of how God has blessed you and grace will surely follow.

Lord, Your grace is sufficient for me. It is Your peace I desire.

COMPANION

1st READING

This is a magnificent hymn in praise of God’s glory. Go back and read it again slowly in order to savor every aspect of it as much as possible. God is worth any time we can give Him! God is worthy of all praise and honor. We can never ‘waste’ enough time on our relationship with God! Let us seek to give Him glory in everything we do in our lives.

Ephesians 1:1-10
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones who are in Ephesus faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, 4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love 5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, 6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. 7 In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him 10 as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

P S A L M

Psalm 98: 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
R: The Lord has made known his salvation.
1 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) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) 5 Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. (R)

G O S P E L

Sometimes, the best form of attack is defense. By defense here, I mean that the Scribes and Pharisees ought to stop for a moment and consider Jesus’ accusations. They might actually have some substance to them. If they reflected upon their lives for a moment and then addressed their own sinfulness, rather than seek to attack Jesus by trying to trap Him in some sort of heresy or blasphemy, they would have found that Jesus and they could work together quite well.

Luke 11:47-54
47 The Lord said: Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48 Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. 49 Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ 50 in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! 52 Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” 53 When he left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, 54 for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

my reflections
think:God is worth any time we can give 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 31-34

SABBATH

ALAS, ALAS, ALAS! WOE, WOE, WOE!

When I was young, we used a phrase to describe people who were always complaining about how nothing goes right for them. We used to offer to throw a “pity party” for them. This may have been a little mean-spirited at times, though at other times, it was well-deserved. The thing is, many people who find that things are constantly going wrong in their lives submit to the pattern and do nothing to break out of it.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells certain groups of people that they are in for bad times unless they change the way they act and live. You see, ultimately, much of what happens in our lives depends on what we choose in the first place. I am not speaking here of the times when a person sins against you – that is obviously wrong and not to be tolerated or laughed away. However, if we are honest with ourselves, we will be forced to admit that we have contributed to our own problems in significant ways through bad choices. The people Jesus is addressing in the Gospel today are consistent offenders in one way or another – their lives are given over to repeated acts that do not reflect the truth of the Gospel and He tells them that such obstinacy in the face of the truth will have unwelcome consequences.

What does this mean for us? Perhaps the message is relevant to our own situation. Perhaps it is just a warning not to allow sinful ways to become habits. At the very least, it is a warning about the addictive nature of sin and how sin tends to worm its way into our lives and is difficult to get out. We need to be aware of these things so that we are not tempted to let down our guard. We should always be seeking the truth and all that is holy and righteous in order to avoid allowing sin to get a hold on our lives. Fr. Steve Tynan



Reflection Question:

Do I have habitual sins that I need to address in my life? How am I going to do this? Do I need help to overcome these sins?

Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Help me to follow You at all times so that sin will not get a chance to establish itself in my life.



St. Gerard Majella, religious, pray for us.

October 15, 2008 (Wednesday)

DIDACHE


HOUSEHOLD HELP — BOON OR BANE?

In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

Our household helper have been a “source of grace” to me over the years. I could write a book on my many encounters with them. There were those who lied, who destroyed our property, who stole…. The advent of the cell phone has added to the misery of managing them because it has taken away their focus on their housework. My biggest horror story was when an angry bakery owner scolded me over the phone because their bakers were always on the phone with our helper.

Despite all the seeming setbacks and anguish over my helpers, I thank God for them not only because they have been a big help to my family. With them, my patience has been tried and tested. When I started teaching them the Word of God, they became dutiful and I myself grew and bore the fruit of the Spirit.

It is only when the Spirit moves that people grow in virtues and are changed. Donna España

REFLECTION:
How do you treat those who help you? God loves them too.

Lord I pray for all our household help. Bless them with Your Spirit.

COMPANION

1st READING

It is good to reflect often upon these two lists so that we can excise those things in the first list, and cultivate the ones in the second. Neither of the lists is exhaustive but they are very good places to begin our search for holiness. Paul challenges the Galatians in no uncertain terms to put a big focus on ensuring that their lives truly reflect the faith they proclaim to have. This is a good lesson for us as well.

Galatians 5: 18-25
18 Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, 21 occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

P S A L M

Psalm 1: 1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R: Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
1 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, 2 but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 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) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff whichthe wind drives away. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. (R)

G O S P E L

It is easy to get distracted by the little things in life and miss the ones that really matter. This is one of the tactics of the devil in trying to lead us astray from a life of true holiness. He will get us caught up in the minutiae of the Christian life, so that we never get around to addressing the big issues we need to face, in order to really grow. He is quite happy if we are distracted from the main focus of God’s will as this means we will be ineffective in our work for the Kingdom.

Luke 11:42-46
42 The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” 45 Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

my reflections
think: It is easy to get distracted by the little things in life and miss the ones that really matter.

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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 27-30

SABBATH

THE SPIRIT SHOULD BE OUR LIFE

It can be easy to think that someone who constantly talks about desiring to be holy and wanting to have spiritual experiences, and who is always in the chapel praying is truly on the path to holiness. This is not the case for St. Teresa of Avila, whose feast day we celebrate today. She is interested in the fruits of a person’s life, and not just their desires or what they seem to be doing. It was not beyond her to send someone fitting the description above off to the kitchen to peel a sack of potatoes and to tell her to stop that sort of prayer for the time being. Why? Often such desires are totally unrealistic and are merely pious dreams. True holiness will come only when the concrete realities of discipleship are lived according to the grace of the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul tells the Galatians that they must live according to the Spirit and not just by so-called holy desires.

The litmus test of holiness is not the desires of an individual but the fruit of his or her life. Thus, Teresa will instruct an overly pious novice to go to the kitchen and do something that will benefit her and others rather than just sit and daydream in the chapel. Even if our desires are good and holy they will not benefit us unless we are willing to work to attain them. The only way to do this is through the daily grind of discipleship. Teresa knows this from experience and is not shy about applying the principle in its most basic form.

St. Paul challenges the Galatians to compare the end results or fruits of holiness and sin. They are poles apart and easily distinguishable. Therefore, it should not be difficult for them to discern the actions that will give rise to such fruits, and to cultivate holiness and shun all that leads to sin. The same should be true for us. As we reflect upon the Scriptures and the lives of the saints, we should be able to see what sort of actions are going to aid our growth in faith and love, and those that will not. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
How disciplined am I in doing the basic things of my faith well? Am I committed to daily prayer? Do I read the Bible? Am I growing in my knowledge of the faith?

Holy Spirit, help me to be a doer and not just a dreamer. Let me put my faith into practice daily so that I will truly witness to the truth that I am indeed a disciple of Jesus Christ.

St. Teresa of Avila, virgin and doctor, pray for us.

October 14, 2008 (Tuesday)

DIDACHE


BATTERIES INCLUDED

In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor the lack of it counts for anything; only faith which expresses itself through love. – Galatians 5:6

I read a book before which gave this analogy regarding faith and love. It said that faith is like the flashlight we need in darkness but love is the battery. One is useless to give light without the other.

The Pharisees during Jesus’ time were proud of all their laws and traditions which they meticulously followed. It gave them a feeling of spiritual superiority over everyone else. They were flabbergasted that Jesus was breaking protocol and not following their age old traditions which they upheld over everything else.

Jesus followed a higher law above all their laws. He made it clear though that He did not come to abolish their laws but to fulfill it. The law of Love is the fulfillment of everything we are trying to do on this earth. Love is the reason why we do the things we do — either it’s love for God or love for our neighbor. It is the force that gives power to our every act and to our every thought. If love is not there, then our faith is as powerless as a toothless dog. All bark but no bite. We are then left in the dark holding a powerful flashlight but with no batteries. Ronna Ledesma

REFLECTION:
Are you praying right now out of love or out of habit?

Lord, remind me always to season all that I do with the salt of love.

COMPANION

1st READING

Paul reminds the Galatians that faith has priority in the life of a Christian. This point ought to be obvious to all of us that we are incapable of saving ourselves from sin and death. Our only hope is that someone else can do this for us, and that we can avail of the grace they offer us through faith. God does not sell us salvation nor can we earn it through doing certain things. It is made available to us only through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5: 1-6
1 Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. 2 It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. 4 You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
R: Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
41 Let your mercy come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise. (R) 43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for in your ordinances is my hope. (R) 44 And I will keep your law continually, forever and ever. (R) 45 And I will walk at liberty, because I seek your precepts. (R) 47 And I will delight in your commands, which I love. (R) 48 And I will lift up my hands to your commands and meditate on your statutes. (R)

G O S P E L

Get the focus right and all will be well. This is the message of today’s Gospel. It is too easy to look to the external realities, and be fooled one way or the other into believing something that is false. Traditional practices can also lead people into the wrong sort of focus. We need to be careful that we understand why we do the things we do so that we will not be led astray by a false understanding of our traditional religious practices.

Luke 11:37-41
37 After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. 38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. 39 The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. 40 You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? 41 But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

my reflections
think:We need to be careful that we understand why we do the things we do.
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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 24-26

SABBATH


THE FRUSTRATIONS OF DISCIPLING OTHERS

When we read through the Gospels, we find many frustrating moments for Jesus when He preaches the Gospel to the crowds and they were seemingly incapable of understanding and embracing the truths they hear. In today’s reading, for example, Jesus expresses it in terms of the people focusing on keeping the outside of the cup clean when they should have realized that it is from within their hearts and minds, within themselves, that the greatest forms of impurity are derived. The same still holds true today.

Parents go to great lengths to see that their children receive good moral teachings and are exposed to good Christian values as they grow up. However, the vast majority of kids are given free reign over what they watch on television. There is a huge contradiction here. More often than not, the values being expressed in television shows, cartoons and others are patently non-Christian. Violence, revenge, sex for pleasure, adultery are just some of the common fare in today’s world of entertainment. Media plays a huge role in forming the values of children particularly when their parents abdicate their responsibility in this matter and use the television or VCD or DVD as a baby-sitter.

Yes, there are some shows and movies that promote good values but they are few and far between. There are even some shows that responsibly question worldly values and ideals but they must be viewed with constant parental supervision so that they are not misinterpreted by the child. The simple answer on why teenagers are often seemingly “out of control” and undisciplined is precisely because they have imbibed these values of the world directly from the media to which they have such easy and unsupervised access. It is not easy being a parent — it is a huge responsibility that ends only with the correct formation of the child’s character. If someone then chooses a life of sin, then that is truly the choice they have made. But let us not allow the values of the media to become the default formation position for our children. Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
As a parent, am I doing all that I can to form my children’s minds and hearts in the truth of the Gospel? What more can I do in this regard?

Holy Spirit, help me to set a good example of a life lived according to the truths of the Gospel, and the dignity of the human person for all the young people I know.

St. Callistus I, pope and martyr, pray for us.

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.