Lordie, God's Message For You Today, January 1, 2011

Daily Bible Reflections for January 1, 2011 Dear Lordie, Happy, happy Birthday! On this same day some years ago, God brought into the world a wonderful child destined to love and be loved and do great things. Never forget your destiny. Never forget who you are! Happy New Year! I pray for a great 2011 ahead of you! This Saturday, follow the Spirit of God leading you. Praying for you, Bo Sanchez 1 January Saturday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Size Matters   The Lord bless you and keep you. — Numbers 6:25   My son Francis watched Godzilla on VCD. The movie used “Size Matters” as their tagline. Their marketing was brilliant. On buses, they painted, “His foot is bigger than this bus.” On billboards, they said, “His eye is bigger than this billboard.” I remember reading these ads and it excited me. So I watched the movie. Others were captivated by the marketing, too, and made opening weekend sales reach $44 million. But sales plummeted quickly. People realized that the monster was big but the movie was small — the plot, the scriptwriting, the excitement, the budget. Francis was only three years old so he liked the movie. Older kids like you and me didn’t. So yes, size matters. And it’s the same when you want to change stubborn areas in your life. Some people who want to quit smoking will do it gradually. From smoking 20 sticks, they’ll taper this down to 15 sticks, and then to 10, and then to five, and finally to zero. Does this method work? According to research, rarely. The best change is radical change. From 20 sticks to zero in one day. Friend, it’s the start of the year. Dream big if you want big changes to happen in your life. Start now! Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)   REFLECTION: What changes do you want to happen in your life this year?   Lord, nothing is impossible for You. I know You will help me make things happen in my life if it’s according to Your will.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   The nature of blessings is that they come from someone else. As we reflect upon today’s First Reading, let us be mindful that God gives these blessings. It is our humble role, perhaps even duty, to receive them with gratitude. Have a look at the substance of these blessings and see what God is offering you. I wonder what your response will be?   Numbers 6:22-27 22 The LORD said to Moses: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 The LORD bless you and keep you! 25 The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! 26 The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! 27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”   P S A L M   Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 R: May God bless us in his mercy. 1 [2] May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. (R) 4 [5] May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. (R) 5 [6] May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 7 [8] May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! (R)   2nd READING   We all want to celebrate the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus. It seems reasonable to me that since Mary is the mother of Jesus, we should honor her obedience to God’s call and thus see in her life the example of everything a disciple of Jesus should be. She is the first and most perfect disciple of her Son. Let us never forget to honor her response to God’s call and to use it as inspiration for our own lives of discipleship.   Galatians 4:4-7 4 Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. 6 As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.   G O S P E L   The place of Jesus’ birth does not look promising. Yet, look at what the life of a babe born in a manger accomplishes. If such a transition is possible for Jesus as a result of His Father’s will, then we should never doubt that the Lord has big things in store for each of us as well – if only we will seek His will. Find it and be obedient to it.   ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, Alleluia In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son. R: Alleluia, alleluia   Luke 2:16-21 16 The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 21 When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.   my reflections think: The Lord has big things in store for each of us if only we would seek His will.     God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN Genesis 1-3       Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   BEGIN 2011 WITH JESUS   Every life, every beginning starts at birth. Birth never happens without a mother. As we begin the year 2011, the Holy Mother Church invites us to honor and reflect on the greatest of all mothers, Mary, Mother of God. One Christmas, I remember attending a Christmas reunion party with schoolmates from my high school days. In the midst of the animated faces, excited conversations and lively exchanges, I noticed a less than enthusiastic member in the mix. I spoke to her and she casually told me she was upset about leaving her cell phone at home. “I never leave home without it, Father. That’s why I’m upset.” “Wow,” I thought to myself. Seeing friends she had not seen in nearly two decades could not reverse her disappointment over the cell phone she left at home. What would you never leave home without? As we begin the New Year, what would you never begin 2011 without? Today, the Church gives us a suggestion. As we ponder on the image painted by St. Luke, notice the plainness of the scene: “The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.” The place was unadorned, simple and uncomplicated. It was simply Joseph and Mary, with Jesus lying in the manger. Today’s feast of Mary, the Mother of God, is a beautiful reminder. Mary was with Jesus. Mary understood that the baby she delivered is the One who would deliver the world. So what would you never leave home without? What would you never begin 2011 without? Mary proposes an answer. Never leave home without Jesus. Never begin 2011 without Jesus. Ponder on this: We may never know what the future holds. But we know who holds our future. Like Mary, be with Jesus. Fr. Joel O. Jason   Reflection Question: To whom do you entrust the year ahead — to your own powers or to the One who knows and holds everything in His hands?   Oh Mary, there are many things you did not see but your faith enjoined you to travel on securely, joyfully. With you, we rejoice at the birth of Christ, our Light, and to Him we pray, “Lead kindly light...Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step is enough for me.”   St. Fanchea, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

Do You Want Your Friend To Receive This Email? Friend's Email:   1.  The FEAST is the one of the happiest places on earth. Find one near you! PICC Sunday (2 sessions) 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. PICC, Roxas Blvd. Feast Builder: Bo Sanchez   Pasig Sunday (2 sessions) 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Valle Verde Country Club (beside The ULTRA) Feast Builders: George Gabriel and Obet Cabrillas    Quezon City Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 12 n.n. Convention Hall, Bureau of Soils, Visayas Ave., Q.C. Feast Builder: Eng Si   Alabang  Sunday (3 sessions) 11:00 a.m - 1:00 p.m.  1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.  4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.      2/L X-site Entrance, Festival Mall, Alabang  Tel. No. 659-8299                       Feast Builder: Arun Gogna Laguna 9:00 a.m. - 12 n.n. SM Sta. Rosa, Laguna Feast Builders: Hermie Morelos & Jon Escoto   Rizal Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Valley Fair Arcade, Ortigas Ext. Taytay, Rizal Feast Builder: Pio Espanol          Bustos Sunday 2:30 p.m - 5:30 p.m. San isidro labrador Parish, Liciada, Bustos Feast Builder:  Chito Manaois   Valenzuela Sunday 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cinema 1, SM Valenzuela Feast Builder: Eng Si Contact no. 09175789554   Ortigas Monday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Roofdeck, Prestige Tower, F. Ortigas Ave., Pasig City            Feast Builder: Vic Espanol   Makati Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. AIM Conference Center, Benavidez cor Paseo de Roxas Feast Builder: Randy Borromeo   Manila Friday, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Cinema 4, SM Manila (near City Hall), Manila         Feast Builder: Obet Cabrillas   Angeles 1st & 3rd Friday, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Angeles City Library, Angeles City                              Feast Builder: Marvin Tan   Marilao (2 sessions) Saturday, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.                 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Cinema 2, SM Marilao, Bulacan Feast Builder: Alvin Barcelona    Baliuag Saturday 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Cinema 1, Baliuag, Bulacan Feast Builder: Chito Manaois Contact no. 09174358746/09228190198   Cardona Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Queen Mary Help of Christians Hospital, National Road, Calahan, Cardona   CEBU 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. University of San Carlos North Campus, Mango Ave., Cebu City Feast Builder: Oscar Alino Contact nos. 4128142/09212413801/09232908009   DAVAO  Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Labrecque Hall, San Pedro College, C. de Guzman St.,Davao City Feast Builder: Jing Sto. Domingo Contact nos. 0822865081/0922251822  2. Wake up to the new KERYGMA TV! on TV5! On a new time slot - Sundays 6-7 a.m. PLUS... MUSTARD (for kids) Saturdays 6-7 a.m FISHBOWL (for the youth) Saturdays 7-8 a.m. 3. Need Counseling?  Call a friend for counseling at  09228407031, 7266728, 7264709, and 7259999 Mon-Fri 24-hrs, Sat 6am-5pm, Sun 6am-10am.  4. Free Kerygma Magazine (the one on paper) from Bo. If you're a KerygmaFamily member who regularly supports this ministry with at least P300 or US$20 a month - you'll be receiving a one-year subscription of the KerygmaMagazine in the mail-automatically! If you haven't signed up for KerygmaFamily, join now! http://www.kerygmafamily.com 5. Its now easy to DONATE using the new GlobeTelecom GCASH at http://kerygmafamily.com. 6. DONATE using SMART MONEY - type KFAM_amount and send to 270 7. Put Preacher in Blue Jeans in your Blog or Friendster! Just copy the text in under next to the EMBED keyword under the video. Just like YOUTUBE! 8. Did you receive this email from someone else? To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await. 9. To change your KerygmaFamily member/email settings. Please click here 10. To enter the Audio & Video Teachings, Please click here 11. Forward these to your friends - so they too can read God's Word and be invited to join the KerygmaFamily. They'll Thank you for opening this mountain of blessings to them! 12. Contact Person: Tina   (+632) 9312711 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (+632) 9312711      end_of_the_skype_highlighting    or   + 639178424101 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              + 639178424101      end_of_the_skype_highlighting    or support@kerygmafamily.com

Lordie, God's Message For You Today, December 31, 2010

Daily Bible Reflections for December 31, 2010 Dear Lordie, This Friday, work with Him at your side. Praying for you, Bo Sanchez 31 December Friday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   OWE IT TO JESUS   All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be – John 1:3   “All that I am, all that has come to me in life, I owe to you… I could not even be what I am, if I did not take such serene happiness from my union with you.” If you wonder who wrote this, it was written by US President Woodrow Wilson to his wife, Ellen. Makes you sigh with envy, huh? But you know, our relationship with our Heavenly Father is also a love story. It’s more tender, more moving than any human love story. If we only see it that way. God, in His infinite wisdom, coursed everything through Jesus. In this ongoing love story, do we acknowledge Jesus’ special role in our lives? Do we thank Him for every good gift that comes to us? The talents that we have? The blessings of everyday life? Or do we strive on our own? Or acknowledge as our own all our accomplishments? It is admirable that such an accomplished man as Woodrow Wilson would acknowledge his union with his wife as the source of his success. I hope he also thanked the Lord. Let us be grateful to our Lord for all that He has given us, and let us not be shy to tell others about it.Joy Sosoban jsosoban@gmail.com)   REFLECTION: “Preach as never sure to preach again, and as dying man to dying men.” (Richard Baxter)   Have I forgotten to acknowledge You, Lord, as the source of all that is good in my life? Have I only exalted myself? Forgive me, Lord. Help me to do otherwise.     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   As we say farewell to yet another year, let us be reminded that we have all been anointed by the Holy One. That is, the Holy Spirit has been given to each of us as a guide and strength in time of need. As we move into 2011, the second decade of the 21st century, we will need all the help we can get to faithfully live out our Christian commitment.   1 John 2:18-21 18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. 20 But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.   P S A L M   Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13 R: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! 1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. 2 Sing to the LORD; bless his name; announce his salvation, day after day. (R) 11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; 12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD. (R) 13 The LORD comes; he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. (R)   G O S P E L   The beginning of John’s Gospel has a haunting context to it. The language and concepts are shrouded in mystery. The mystery of God’s being will give rise to the mystery of His love and then the mystery of His desire to forgive and the work of redemption. As we read through John’s Gospel, let us remain open to being drawn into that mystery and living it with the Holy Spirit. This is the deepest level of understanding we will get.   John 1:1-18 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be 4 through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; 5 the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.   my reflections t h i n k : The Holy Spirit has been given to each of us as a guide and strength in times of need.   God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN Malachi 1-3       Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   COMPLETENESS AND ABUNDANCE ON THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR   Today is the last day of the year. Coincidentally, our First Reading from St. John reminds us, “Children, it is the final hour . . .” And as if to add further to the “scary effect,” there is a mention of the Antichrist. It doesn’t necessarily mean the Antichrist as we know it nowadays (no thanks to Hollywood depictions). In the original context of St. John’s writing, it is a reference to false teachers who were proliferating at that time. The reassuring fact is that in Jesus Christ, we have “the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” This means that in our Lord Jesus, we have a fullness which leaves no room for any doubt or fear. Resonating with this sense of fulfillment, completeness and at the same time profusion, we read from our Gospel, “Of his [Christ’s] fullness we have all had a share — love following upon love.” Note that there is also here, in this last phrase, the idea of replacement: it is more like one love (that of God in the New Covenant) taking the place of a previous love (that of the Old Covenant). This is precisely because the apex (in the person of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ) has already arrived. It is “the final hour” indeed, the last day of the civil year. But we need not fear. With Christ’s guidance and leadership, we can look ahead to further days in the new year starting tonight, days of an abundance of “love following upon love.” Happy New Year to all you Sabbath readers! Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB   Reflection Question: How did you live your life this year? Did you generously spread to your neighbors the love that Jesus filled you with? What changes are you going to make to become a better person?   Light the fire of Your love within me, Lord, that I may draw more people closer to You in the year to come.   St. Melania, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

Do You Want Your Friend To Receive This Email? Friend's Email:   1.  The FEAST is the one of the happiest places on earth. Find one near you! PICC Sunday (2 sessions) 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. PICC, Roxas Blvd. Feast Builder: Bo Sanchez   Pasig Sunday (2 sessions) 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Valle Verde Country Club (beside The ULTRA) Feast Builders: George Gabriel and Obet Cabrillas    Quezon City Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 12 n.n. Convention Hall, Bureau of Soils, Visayas Ave., Q.C. Feast Builder: Eng Si   Alabang  Sunday (3 sessions) 11:00 a.m - 1:00 p.m.  1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.  4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.      2/L X-site Entrance, Festival Mall, Alabang  Tel. No. 659-8299                       Feast Builder: Arun Gogna Laguna 9:00 a.m. - 12 n.n. SM Sta. Rosa, Laguna Feast Builders: Hermie Morelos & Jon Escoto   Rizal Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Valley Fair Arcade, Ortigas Ext. Taytay, Rizal Feast Builder: Pio Espanol          Bustos Sunday 2:30 p.m - 5:30 p.m. San isidro labrador Parish, Liciada, Bustos Feast Builder:  Chito Manaois   Valenzuela Sunday 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cinema 1, SM Valenzuela Feast Builder: Eng Si Contact no. 09175789554   Ortigas Monday 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Roofdeck, Prestige Tower, F. Ortigas Ave., Pasig City            Feast Builder: Vic Espanol   Makati Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. AIM Conference Center, Benavidez cor Paseo de Roxas Feast Builder: Randy Borromeo   Manila Friday, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Cinema 4, SM Manila (near City Hall), Manila         Feast Builder: Obet Cabrillas   Angeles 1st & 3rd Friday, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Angeles City Library, Angeles City                              Feast Builder: Marvin Tan   Marilao (2 sessions) Saturday, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.                 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Cinema 2, SM Marilao, Bulacan Feast Builder: Alvin Barcelona    Baliuag Saturday 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Cinema 1, Baliuag, Bulacan Feast Builder: Chito Manaois Contact no. 09174358746/09228190198   Cardona Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Queen Mary Help of Christians Hospital, National Road, Calahan, Cardona   CEBU 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. University of San Carlos North Campus, Mango Ave., Cebu City Feast Builder: Oscar Alino Contact nos. 4128142/09212413801/09232908009   DAVAO  Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Labrecque Hall, San Pedro College, C. de Guzman St.,Davao City Feast Builder: Jing Sto. Domingo Contact nos. 0822865081/0922251822  2. Wake up to the new KERYGMA TV! on TV5! On a new time slot - Sundays 6-7 a.m. PLUS... MUSTARD (for kids) Saturdays 6-7 a.m FISHBOWL (for the youth) Saturdays 7-8 a.m. 3. Need Counseling?  Call a friend for counseling at  09228407031, 7266728, 7264709, and 7259999 Mon-Fri 24-hrs, Sat 6am-5pm, Sun 6am-10am.  4. Free Kerygma Magazine (the one on paper) from Bo. If you're a KerygmaFamily member who regularly supports this ministry with at least P300 or US$20 a month - you'll be receiving a one-year subscription of the KerygmaMagazine in the mail-automatically! If you haven't signed up for KerygmaFamily, join now! http://www.kerygmafamily.com 5. Its now easy to DONATE using the new GlobeTelecom GCASH at http://kerygmafamily.com. 6. DONATE using SMART MONEY - type KFAM_amount and send to 270 7. Put Preacher in Blue Jeans in your Blog or Friendster! Just copy the text in under next to the EMBED keyword under the video. Just like YOUTUBE! 8. Did you receive this email from someone else? To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await. 9. To change your KerygmaFamily member/email settings. Please click here 10. To enter the Audio & Video Teachings, Please click here 11. Forward these to your friends - so they too can read God's Word and be invited to join the KerygmaFamily. They'll Thank you for opening this mountain of blessings to them! 12. Contact Person: Tina   (+632) 9312711 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (+632) 9312711      end_of_the_skype_highlighting    or   + 639178424101 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              + 639178424101      end_of_the_skype_highlighting    or support@kerygmafamily.com

Lordie, God's Message For You Today, December 30, 2010

Daily Bible Reflections for December 30, 2010 Dear Lordie, This Thursday, remember that He knows you and loves you. Praying for you, Bo Sanchez 30 December Thursday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   Unimpressed   For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever. – 1 John 2:16-17   I prided myself in being able to talk my way out of any situation. When I was in high school, I joined an extemporaneous speaking contest where, to my dismay, I got a question to which I didn’t know the answer. I failed to read that part of the material where the answer was found. But I was not one to concede easily. So I spoke and consumed the time that was given to me. I talked about everything I knew except the correct answer. Of course, I didn’t win but at least I wasn’t shamefaced. How different it was the first time I ever attended a Bible study. During the small group sharing after the teaching, for the first time in my life, I couldn’t say anything about the topic. It was then that I realized that all my intelligence fell face flat before the wisdom of God. Even though I had studied all my life in a Catholic school, I didn’t know the Bible, much less Jesus Christ. Our earthly achievements, position and wealth do not impress God. What excites Him is a heart that seeks after Him and His ways. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com)   REFLECTION: “Success without God only makes temporary friends and admirers.” (Spiros Zodhiates)   Lord, let me not run after worthless things that do not lead me closer to You.     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   We need to affirm one another in our faith — not to pat each other on the back, but to constantly claim the truth that the Holy Spirit is at work in us to overcome sin and help us to grow in holiness. It is amazing how an encouraging word can lift our spirits in a moment of depression or interim defeat. Let us seek to build one another up in the Spirit.   1 John 2:12-17 12 I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 15 Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.   P S A L M   Psalm 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10 R: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! 7 Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; 8 give to the LORD the glory due his name! (R) Bring gifts, and enter his courts; 9 worship the LORD in holy attire. Tremble before him, all the earth. (R) 10 Say among the nations the LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. (R)   G O S P E L   Anna was also awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The world needs people like her — committed to prayer and fasting for the salvation of the world. We should be forever grateful for the thousands of men and women who live cloistered lives praying for us as we toil in the work of proclaiming the Gospel. Without their prayers and penances, I hate to wonder what sort of bigger mess the world would be in today.   Luke 2:36-40 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow until she was eightyfour. She never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. 38 And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.   my reflections t h i n k : Let us seek to build one another up in the Spirit.   God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN Zechariah 12-14     Zechariah 12-14   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   FINDING JESUS CHRIST IN OUR DAILY LIVES   As we are still in the week following Christmas, we extend our meditation on the birth of Jesus Christ and its meaning in our lives. To assist us in our efforts, we have the prophetess Anna from our Gospel reading this time. We are told that “she was constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer.” Then follows the curious phrase: “Coming on the scene at this moment, she gave thanks to God. . . .” Anna has no recorded words of her own in the Gospel; our Gospel episode is just about the only one which mentions and discusses her. And yet her example shines with clarity and conviction. Her patience, persistence and Spirit-led wisdom paid off. Out of perhaps thousands of babies which were being presented day in and day out in the Temple, she was alert and discerning enough to “spot” or identify Jesus Christ that decisive day. Perhaps this wouldn’t have been possible if it were not for her prayerful and discerning attitude. How often do we, too, search for Jesus in near despair? The lack of a discerning spirit weighs us down. Surely the quiet example of Anna can teach us a thing or two. And so hopefully, we too will “find” Jesus Christ — let us add: find Him most especially in the midst of the humdrum, day-to-day occurrences in our life. He’s certainly also there! Let’s not forget that after all, our Lord isn’t only found in the dramatic, the extraordinary, the special. If we discover Him in the midst of everyday circumstances as well, then even our ordinary lives will still have their special meaning — thanks to the newborn Babe. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB   Reflection Question: God’s ways are mysterious yet simple. Why do you look for Him in complicated situations?   Open my eyes, Lord, to Your loving presence in my everyday life.   St. Sabinus, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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