Lordie, God's Message For You Today, May 14, 2011

Daily Bible Reflections for May 14, 2011 Dear Lordie, Be inspired with His message to you this Saturday! Praying for you, Bo Sanchez PS. Do you live in the Philippines? Sign up for Bo's weekly  cellphone message. This is FREE. (That is why you have to live in the Philippines to sign up for this service.) Text:   BOSEZ_<your full name>_ <your email address> and send to any of the following numbers: Globe (09178494444); Smart (09088949999); Sun (09228945555) And you'll start receiving Bo's inspiring message to encourage you, guide you, and bless your week.   14 May Saturday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle   INNER JOY   “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” – John 15:11   I had the chance to meet the man in person. He is a famous showbiz news reporter who was a promiscuous homosexual, and he narrated to us the dirty details of the kind of life he lived. In time, God made a way into his life. In a Catholic community, he grew to love a woman, eventually married her, and they had children. In the first few years of their married life, he struggled to fight his homosexual urges. When temptation lurked, he would call his wife to tell her to pray for him, and they would pray together over the phone. Years have gone by and he is still on the right track. A loving husband and father, his face glows with the love he has for God and he declares that a life lived for God brings him joy deep within. Had he given in to temptation years before, he said he would not feel this great today because worldly happiness is fleeting. “Happy is not always good. But when you’re good, you will always be happy,” he said. Jesus constantly invites us to remain in Him, so that we may remain in His father’s love. Nothing can match the joy that God’s love brings. Nova Arias (nova.svp@gmail.com)   REFLECTION: Are you still seeking happiness? Why? How are you living your life?   Lord Jesus, I ask You to fill my empty heart with Your love that I may experience lasting joy.     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   The defection and subsequent death of Judas leaves the Apostles one man short! They decide they ought to replace him. Matthias is chosen by lot to be the man. We begin to see here a sense of the understanding of apostolic succession – something guided and ensured by the Holy Spirit – not just something that is in the hands of mortal men. This idea will be developed over the years by the guidance of the Holy Spirit to the understanding we have today, an understanding that we have a direct and tangible link with the person of Jesus through the bishops.   Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 15 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, 16 “My brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. 20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.’ And: ‘May another take his office.’ 21 Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” 26 Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.   P S A L M   Psalms 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 R: The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people. 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 is enthroned on high 6 and looks upon the heavens and the earth below? (R) 7 He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor 8 to seat them with princes, with the princes of his own people. (R)   G O S P E L   This chapter of John’s Gospel speaks of the organic unity of the Body of Christ with its Head, Jesus. As we celebrate the life and commitment of the Apostle Matthias we remember that Jesus’ promise to His Apostles was that He would always be with them. This promise is manifest in both the bishops of the Church and in that which unites us all as the Body of Christ, the love we have for one another. Jesus commands us to love one another and as we obey to this command we will discover the power of the bonds of love.     ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia I choose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. R: Alleluia, alleluia   John 15:9-17 9 Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: love one another.”   my reflections t h i n k : Jesus commands us to love one another and as we obey to this command we will discover the power of the bonds of love.     God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Nehemiah 1-5     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF...   I have been a member of the Facebook social networking site for almost two years now. My list of “friends” has steadily increased since the day I joined, without me really trying very hard at it. Somehow, its algorithms do the task of searching for friends, and potential friends and friends of friends simply find it very easy to suggest other friends for addition. Soon, they hog your profile page, and everything that they do, once posted in their status feed, and anything they post becomes broadcast to a certain “group” of mutual friends for all to see. That is, if those “friends” keep on visiting your profile and posting messages and status reports on their wall — or yours. Facebook friendship is very iffy, to say the least. You are my friend if you accept me as one, or if I accept you as such. You are my friend if you keep on peeking on my wall or checking on my profile. This friendship is dependent on a number of “ifs” and works on the basis of tit-for-tat. You remain in my network only if you access my profile and do something to make my wall “come to life” on your screen. Is the Lord’s offer of friendship also an “iffy” thing? “You are my friends if…” What could this possibly mean? Does it mean that God’s friendship with us can be deleted at will, like people delete friends’ addresses in their digital address books? This is not my reading of the Gospel passage of today. I do not see an if-so syllogism in the Lord’s words. I see rather a description of what it means to be in a relationship of intimacy with God. The passage tells us what it concretely means to be intimate with Christ. He tells us what it entails, what it ought to show in our behavior. And like we said yesterday, it has to do with listening, learning and obeying. Being friends with Christ is not just a matter of pushing the “confirm” button. It means rolling up one’s sleeves and getting to work. It means “going and bearing fruit that will remain.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB   Reflection Question: Is my relationship with God dependent on a lot of ifs?   Lord, I know that even though the whole world turns against me, You will never forsake me.   St. Just, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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Lordie, God's Message For You Today, May 13, 2011

Daily Bible Reflections for May 13, 2011 Dear Lordie, This Friday, work with Him at your side. Praying for you, Bo Sanchez PS. Do you live in the Philippines? Sign up for Bo's weekly  cellphone message. This is FREE. (That is why you have to live in the Philippines to sign up for this service.) Text:   BOSEZ_<your full name>_ <your email address> and send to any of the following numbers: Globe (09178494444); Smart (09088949999); Sun (09228945555) And you'll start receiving Bo's inspiring message to encourage you, guide you, and bless your week.   13 May Friday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   YOU TUBE & YOU-CHARIST   “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:54   My dad just passed away. After all the good words from everyone, it was my turn to honor him. “My Catholic teachers and the Bible taught me that there is life after death. I believe them. But my father’s witness of his life taught me that there is life before death. And I believe him. He lived his life in full,” I said. While some others just exist, some people actually live. How different from the funeral service of Charles Bradlaugh, a belligerent British atheist. Writer Arthur Porritt recalls, “No prayer was said at the grave.... The remains, placed in a light coffin, were lowered into the earth in a quite unceremonious fashion as if carrion were being hustled out of sight.... It only then dawned on me that loss of faith in the continuity of human personality after death gives death an appalling victory.” What kind of life is this: counting blessings amidst suffering, experiencing joy amidst terminal sickness, singing praise amidst seemingly cursed circumstances, believing in victory amidst hopeless problems? Friend, this is the life of the Eucharist — full and full length, in the now, and the hereafter. Jon Escoto (faithatworkjon@gmail.com) 13 REFLECTION: Do you see life as youtube — short and incomplete? It’s time to return to the Eucharist.   Father, as I receive You in the Eucharist in the coming days, visit my life like never before. Let me experience Your miracle in a special and powerful way.     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   I think we can all understand the reluctance of Ananias to present himself before Paul as a believer. He knows Paul persecutes the Church and so he is right in being a little wary of this instruction. However, because it is the Holy Spirit who is speaking to him, he does as he is instructed. This story goes to show that a small act of obedience can be instrumental in bringing about a mighty shift in power as regards the proclamation of the Gospel.   Acts 9:1-20 1 Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were travelling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. 9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank. 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, 12 and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites, 16 and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” 17 So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, 19 and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.   P S A L M     Psalms 117:1, 2 R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. 1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R) 2 For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. (R)   G O S P E L   Jesus speaks quite specifically here about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. If one wants to take the Scriptures literally then the Catholic and Orthodox Churches’ positions on the Sacrament of the Eucharist are the only logical and tenable interpretations of this text. The Eucharist is more than a symbol; it is the real food that Christ has left us to sustain us on our journey of faith.   ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood, remains in me and I in him, says the Lord. R: Alleluia, alleluia   John 6:52-59 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.   my reflections t h i n k : The Eucharist is more than a symbol; it is the real food that Christ has left us to sustain us on our journey of faith.   God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezra 6-10       Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   LIFE BECAUSE OF THE FATHER; LIFE BECAUSE OF CHRIST   One of the cardinal tenets of our Catholic faith has to do with the nature of God as God Himself has revealed. From Scripture we learn that God is one nature but three persons in the Trinity. One corollary to our belief in the Triune God is that by virtue of our baptism we have been incorporated into Christ, and thus made to be sharers in the divine life. By grace we become, analogically speaking, Godlike and participants in the mystery of the Trinitarian life.What that basically means is that we, baptized believers, enjoy a life of intimacy with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for we were baptized in the name of the Trinity. I don’t know if you have seen that touching short film clip about a father and his quadruplegic son who decided to join a triathlon together. The father strapped his disabled, almost helpless adult son to a wheelchair, ran so many miles while pushing his son’s wheelchair, swam as he dragged his son afloat a rubber dinghy, and did other feats just to show his son how much he loved him despite his infirmities. They may not have made it ahead of everybody else but they made it. And their feat was proof positive that intimacy knows no bounds for people who really know how to love. This is exactly what our readings today speak of. Paul, the erstwhile persecutor of the Church, was cut to the quick by the love of God, and turned 180 degrees to become a zealous apostle. The Gospel passage, in its turn, is a testament to what the intimacy between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit resulted to — more love and, ultimately, life, not only for Christ, but ours, too, for we have been incorporated into Him. We are all worse than quadruplegics on account of sin. But as Christ has life because of the Father, so, too, do we have life because of Christ. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB   Reflection Question: What binds me and prevents me from living a full life in Christ?   Lord, set me free from my bondage. Heal me with Your love. Amen.   St. Glyceria, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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Lordie, God's Message For You Today, May 12, 2011

Daily Bible Reflections for May 12, 2011 Dear Lordie, Follow Him all the way this Thursday. Praying for you, Bo Sanchez PS. Do you live in the Philippines? Sign up for Bo's weekly  cellphone message. This is FREE. (That is why you have to live in the Philippines to sign up for this service.) Text:   BOSEZ_<your full name>_ <your email address> and send to any of the following numbers: Globe (09178494444); Smart (09088949999); Sun (09228945555) And you'll start receiving Bo's inspiring message to encourage you, guide you, and bless your week.   12 May Thursday TODAY'S READINGS: DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH DIDACHE   Message Sent   Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” – Acts 8:30-31   When I’m making a decision, confused about a situation or struggling with a relationship, I look for answers in the daily Scriptures. I find guidance and comfort in God’s Word. But there are times when I just don’t get it. That’s when the Lord sends me people to explain what He means. I get my instructions in several ways. In print — from daily Bible reflections like Didache. Online — through newsletters from Kerygma Family, Soulfood and email messages forwarded by online buddies. By text — inspirational quotes from friends. I even get daily reflections via SMS from Monty of our Music Ministry whose mission seems to be to send these to everyone in his phonebook. At community gatherings — from people like Sis. Beng who always shares trials and triumphs during chapter meetings. Like Bro. Alex who blurted out an insight when we were honoring him on his birthday. He couldn’t figure out why he did that until I texted to thank him. His message hit my concern at that time right on target.  Lella Santiago (mirellasantiago@yahoo.com) 12 REFLECTION: Where or from whom do you seek guidance and comfort in troubled times?   Lord, hold on to me when I have problems. May I always remember that You alone have all the solutions.     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top COMPANION   1st READING   The life of a disciple is a life of attentiveness to the leading of the Spirit. If we fail to listen to the Holy Spirit, our life could end up being one of frustration! Frustration in that we are busy about so many things but none of them seem to be bringing fulfillment to our lives. Why? Because it is very easy to be busy doing good things, but that is not the whole story; we need to be busy doing the things that God wants us to be doing.   Acts 8:26-40 26 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.” 27 So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. 32 This was the scripture passage he was reading: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 33 In [his] humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from the earth.” 34 Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About  himself, or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. 36 As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” [37] 37 38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.   P S A L M   Psalms 66:8-9, 16-17, 20 R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. 8 Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise; 9 he has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. 17 When I appealed to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue. (R) 20 Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness! (R)   G O S P E L   Nothing good happens in the world without the grace of God being responsible for it. Our sinfulness has damaged our capacity for communion and relationship with one another and God in such a way that we absolutely need the grace of God in order to be able to do good. Let us pray for the grace to accept this as true and then seek ways to strengthen our faith in God so that we will more readily trust in His will for our lives. Ezra 1-5 ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live forever. R: Alleluia, alleluia   John 6:44-51 44 Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”   my reflections t h i n k : W e need to be busy doing the things that God wants us to be doing.   God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________ T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________   _______________________________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezra 1-5     Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top SABBATH   HE WHO LISTENS, AND LEARNS, COMES TO ME   I’ve taken care of a number of different breeds of dogs in my lifetime. Starting with a mongrel that we fondly call “askal” (asong kalye or stray dog) in the Philippines, I eventually moved on to take care of medium-weight to heavy-weight breeds like Labrador retrievers, Rottweillers and Great Danes. Each breed is different in terms of their capacity to listen, learn and obey. Yesterday, we reflected on a recalcitrant carabao. Today, our reflection sort of goes down to the dogs. Yes, dogs, too, can teach us a lesson or two about listening, learning and obeying. There are breeds who take to your commands with ease. They love human company. There are breeds who obey their nose more than they obey their masters, like Bassette Hounds, who are not as warm and cuddly as Golden Retrievers. But whatever breed they are, we love dogs simply because they listen, they learn, and they come to us with alacrity and ill-concealed joy. That is, after, a lengthy period of training. Many of my readers have been educated in the faith for most of their lives. Most of us are cradle Catholics, and many of us even “survived” Catholic school. We heard the ABCs of the faith from early on. But mere rote learning, unfortunately, does not translate to intimacy with God. They may make us “religious” but not necessarily “spiritual.” I would suggest that today’s readings really call us to go beyond religiosity. Religiosity is focused on what we can do. Spirituality is more like a two-way affair, a relationship that is personal and intimate. It is not something that we do unilaterally, but a response to a call from God. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him.” The initiative comes from God, not us. The good news, though, is that God the Father made it easier for us, by sending us His Son. From God comes the call to fullness of life. It devolves upon us now to do our part: listen and learn from the Father, and then come to His Son, who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB   Reflection Question: The listening, learning and coming to God through Jesus is a journey. In what stage do I find myself in right now?   Lord Jesus, let me listen and learn from Your life and from those of the Apostles and the saints so that I may finally dwell in You.   St. Diomma, pray for us.   Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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