 | Daily Bible Reflections
for August 18, 2010 |
|  Dear Lordie,
God will never leave you. This Wednesday is no different.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
| | The Perils of Traveling “For thus says the Lord God: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” – Ezekiel 34:11 We have heard a lot of horror stories about traveling. Our latest trip almost became one. Our flight to Chicago was cancelled on account of a hurricane warning. My husband and I had to call the airlines for hours to rebook. What made it worse was that we were accompanying my nephew’s son who was a minor. We didn’t have documents of consent from his parents, which could have been a major incident at immigrations. Had we been noticed, we could have been charged with child trafficking or, worse, kidnapping. But we gained entry without a hitch. In another incident, we were departing Calgary to return to the US when an immigration officer stopped me because my finger prints didn’t match their computer files. They took me to an office where I had to wait agonizingly to be processed. But that, too, worked out well. In all those instances, I knew my prayer, including casting out the devil’s dirty tricks, was answered. Those were moments of tests but I knew God made a way. Knowing that God is always on my side makes me confident in times of trials.Donna España (donna@homeliving.com.ph) REFLECTION: Psalm 23 says: “The Lord is my shepherd, He guides me in the right paths. I fear no evil for He is with me.” Lord, You are my Good Shepherd and in You I find comfort and refuge. | |
Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
| | COMPANION | 1st READING Every leader, whether secular or Christian, ought to reflect on this text at least once a week. Leadership is an enormous responsibility that we need to take seriously or we will be judged very harshly. Let us be committed in praying that our leaders will be faithful to their flocks and exercise their authority well. Also, may their lives be examples which the flock can follow without hesitation. Ezekiel 34:1-11 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, in these words prophesy to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? 3 You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. 4 You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered 6 and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them. 7 Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD 8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; 9 because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. 10 Thus says the Lord GOD: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. 11 For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. P S A L M Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. 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) In order to understand the true nature of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness, we have to let go of the idea that we can earn the gift of eternal life. Yes, there are requirements for eternal life in terms of living by faith but it is only through God’s grace that any of this is possible. The landowner in the Gospel gives the same wage (read reward) to all the workers, even those who have done virtually nothing. God’s forgiveness is the same for us all; it is the entry point for the gift of eternal life. It is the experience of eternal life that will differ from person to person according to the capacity we have all developed. Matthew 20:1-16 1 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ 5 So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. 6 Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ 8 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ 9 When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. 10 So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ 13 He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? 15 Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” my reflections t h i n k : Let us be committed in praying regularly that our leaders will be faithful to their flocks and exercise their authority well. _________________________________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________ _______________________________________________________ READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Job 14-17 Job 14-17 | |
Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
| | SABBATH | THE GOOD SHEPHERD It was — and still is — a common sight on the hills of Palestine to see men looking after sheep. There is a close connection between shepherd and sheep. The shepherd will risk his life if his sheep were in danger of being exposed to attacks of the wild beasts or thieves. The shepherd would sleep with his sheep and call each one by name. The shepherd imagery is very common throughout Scripture. The title of shepherd is used to designate those in leadership — kings, priests and other leaders in authority. Even God is seen in Scripture as the Shepherd — we are His people, the sheep of His flock. At the time of Ezekiel, which was a time of international upheaval and Jewish exile, God notices the unfaithfulness of these supposed shepherds. The very ones who were responsible for looking after the flock neglected their duties. There was a reversal in roles according to the prophet. Shepherds were not looking after the sheep but rather after themselves. They were living lives of luxury and taking advantage to the detriment of the people. They were not strengthening the weak, healing the afflicted or seeking those who have gone stray. In fact, the people were at a loss without a shepherd. In the end God declares that He will shepherd the sheep and do away with these false shepherds who only care for themselves. We must pray for the shepherds in our society — those entrusted with responsibility. How often do we see shepherds taking advantage of those entrusted to them by abusing their power and authority? I remember once being asked by my spiritual director: what empowers you and how do you show your power? We can empower in love or we can empower in domination. All of us are entrusted with power to be shepherds, one way or another. Do we use that power to be good shepherds or do we take advantage of that power to dominate and lord it over others? Fr. Brian Steele, MGL Reflection Question: Who am I a shepherd to in my life? Am I a good shepherd? The Lord is my Shepherd. There is nothing I shall want. Amen. St. Hugh the Little, pray for us. | |
Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
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