 | Daily Bible Reflections
for December 5, 2010 |
|  Dear Lordie,
Live this second Sunday of Advent with deep trust!
This Sunday, remember that you are hidden in His heart.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
| | FRUIT OR FRONT? “Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” – Matthew 3:8 The new attendee seemed stuck on his seat stunned after the evangelist’s powerful talk. He was contemplating God’s message to him. His contemplative state was interrupted by the evangelist, who asked, “Hello, are you new here?” “Oh you bet! Thank you for the moving talk. God really spoke to me through you,” replied the neophyte. “Of course! I’ve been preaching all over the world and I’m used to hearing the same affirmations! People are always moved to tears! They get healed! Possessed people get delivered! Lives are changed because of me!”said the evangelist. Then he inquired, “What about you? Can you preach? Lead worship? Prophesy? Evangelize? Cast out evil spirits? Do miracles? Or at least pray in tongues?” The newcomer answered, “No.” Then the evangelist asked, “Then what do you do?” The answer was, “I can’t do what you do. All I know is that I was a former drug-addict, womanizer and a wife-beater. Now I’m changed. Through God’s grace, I now love God and my family.” What about us, my friend? Are the good things in us merely a front or authentic fruit? REFLECTION: “And the fruit of the Spirit is love…” (Galatians 5:22) Change my heart, oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart, oh God. May I be like you! | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING The time of righteousness that Jesus will inaugurate may take some time to fulfill, the ultimate fulfillment being heaven, but it will include all of creation. We see that here through the promises that the lion and lamb will lie down together; that children and asps will play safely with one another. Isaiah 11:1-10 1 On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. 2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, 3 and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, 4 but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. 6 Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. 7 The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. 8 The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. 9 There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. 10 On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. P S A L M Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 R: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. 1 O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; 2 he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) 7 Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. (R) 17 May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain. In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness. (R) 2nd READING While we were sinners God died for us on the Cross. We may be preparing for Christmas but the Easter imagery and story is never far from our minds as it is the work of salvation that Jesus came to perform; without it there would be no need for Christmas. Love is the key to understanding the gift of salvation so it must also be the key to understanding the coming of Jesus as a man. Let us welcome the love of God as He is made one with us this Christmas. Romans 15:4-9 4 Brothers and sisters: Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, 6 that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, 9 but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name.” G O S P E L Why did Jesus need to be baptized? He tells us in the Gospel that it was in order to fulfill all righteousness — whatever that might mean! The Fathers of the Church tell us that it was in order to sanctify the waters of baptism and so make them life-giving through the sacrament we celebrate in the Church. I like this idea as it links our own baptism with that of Jesus. After all, our baptism is a celebration of our redemption by Him. Matthew 3:1-12 1 John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: “A voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ ” 4 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him 6 and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. 7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” my reflections t h i n k : Love is the key to understanding the gift of salvation so it must also be the key to understanding the coming of Jesus as a man. 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 Ezekiel 37-40 SABBATH PAUSE My weekly time with God THANK YOU LIST Things to be grateful for from the past week ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NEEDS Things to ask God for in the coming week ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ HIDDEN TREASURE Most important word God told me this week ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ | |
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| | SABBATH | SANTA CLAUS OR JOHN THE BAPTIST? During these days before Christmas, there are two figures dominating the scene. One is from the commercial and popular perspective: the figure of Santa Claus. The other is from the biblical and liturgical viewpoint: the figure of John the Baptist. It should be quite interesting to put these two side by side for a tale-of- the-tape comparison. Incidentally, both of them are saints of the Catholic Church (only that most people seem to know Santa Claus more than the real St. Nicholas.) Nevertheless, as far as our liturgy today is concerned, John the Baptist is certainly the more important of the two. He has a special role and message for us at this time. As we read it in today’s Gospel in fact, our consciences are stirred and provoked. There seems to be a fiery and forceful tone both in the external description of John the Baptist, as well as in his preaching. Contrast these with the First Reading, where we have a tender description of the root of Jesse, the glorious future King that is, and the era he would inaugurate. Containing a very affectionate depiction of animals at peace with one another, it is an image perhaps more akin to Santa Claus. Whichever, whatever of the two aspects: both are in fact valid and pertinent for us. They need not even conflict with or contradict one another. In any case, both are also essential. We thus conclude this reflection with a verse from the Second Reading, from the letter of Paul to the Romans. It confirms our constant pursuit for harmony and consistency especially during this Advent season: “May God, the source of all patience and encouragement, enable you to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the spirit of Christ Jesus.” Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB Reflection Question: What is the Christmas season to you? Do you look forward to the tinsels and lights, or do you take to heart John the Baptist’s message about the One for whom he has prepared the way? Lord, make me remember every year the true meaning of the Christmas season. St. Nicolas Tavigli, pray for us. | |
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