 | Daily Bible Reflections
for January 2, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
Each Sunday is a Mini-Easter. Show that Jesus is alive today!
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
| | Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord 2 My Kind of King “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.” – Isaiah 60:4 There was a person whom I considered to have everything. At one point in my life, I wanted to be like him. Can you imagine having access to the best education and the most influential people of your time? How about being next in line to an inheritance that will set you for life? And how about being able to build the best real estate developments such as a world-class stadium, a royal palace and the most sought center for prayer and learning? Who wouldn’t want such a life that King Herod lived? Yes, the same Herod who tried to trick the Magi into telling him where the next King of the Jews would be born in order to kill Him. Frankly, I still want the same things in life — to live in greatness. But this time around, I want to be a different kind of king. To achieve greatness not for the sake of selfish pride but for the sake of making this world a better place. To live and leave a legacy of love just as the baby born in the manger did. Orange Garcia (orange_garcia@hotmail.com) REFLECTION: Greatness is not found in achievements but in moments we truly love. What kind of legacy do you want to live and leave? Lord, I pray that I may be greatly blessed so that I may be a great blessing to others. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING The prophecies of Isaiah often speak of light and how it is the Word of God — the light we have been given to share with the world. The world today is a very troubled place with much conflict and darkness. Let us pray for the grace to be bearers of the light of Christ to the world. Isaiah 60:1-6 1 Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. 3 Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. 4 Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you. Your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. 5 Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. 6 Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD. P S A L M Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. 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) 10 The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. 11 All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor man 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) 2nd READING The Letter to the Ephesians is full of images of mystery. However, there is one thing that is never, or at least, should never be, a mystery to any Christian, namely the love of God. At times it can be difficult to experience His love in the midst of trials and difficulties but ultimately His love is most manifest at such times. All we have to do is call upon the faith to find it and welcome it into our lives. Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6 2 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. 5 It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. G O S P E L The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the world. We celebrate that Jesus is the revelation of the Father and that in His life we can see the Father. This is an awesome gift that we need to respectfully accept and use to the advantage of our faith. Thank you, Father, for making Your love known to me through the life of Jesus. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. R: Alleluia, alleluia 13 Matthew 2:1-12 1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. my reflections think: Let us pray for the grace to be bearers of the light of Christ to the world. 4 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 4-6 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 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ -6 | |
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| | SABBATH | SEARCH FOR THE REAL Today is the solemn feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany literally means the unveiling, the revelation, the manifestation. Today, the baby Jesus is unveiled, revealed and manifested by Mary to the Magi from the East. They were non-Jews but Mary found no reason to hide the Child from them. On the feast of the Epiphany, the Child Jesus is manifested as Savior of all of humanity. Let’s talk about the Magi. Scripture scholars say they were actually astrologers. Tradition fondly calls them the Three Kings. The Bible is not specific as to their number but this evolved mainly from the three gifts they brought with them: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Whether they were really kings or not, we do not know. The Scriptures are likewise silent about this. But come to think of it, it doesn’t really matter. The feast of the Epiphany is not about the Three Kings. It is actually about two kings — Jesus, the real King, and Herod, the counterfeit king. Today we are asked for an epiphany of loyalty and commitment to the real King. The Magi, as we read in the Scriptures, were initially commissioned by King Herod. Herod wanted them to tell him where the child was on the false pretext that he might pay him homage. Threatened by the real King, he wanted to kill the threat to his kingship. But the encounter with the Child Jesus changed the astrologers. Matthew said it beautifully, “They went back to their own country by another route.” Matthew here is not talking about a geographical change but a biographical one. The Magi were never the same again. They had found the real King to whom their loyalty was due. They came at Herod’s bidding. They left at the Child’s command. Like Herod, there are many pretentious kings ordering us around and demanding our loyalty. May the simplicity of the Child, the real King, help us to go beyond the glitter and trappings of the many pretentious kings around. That would be a real experience of epiphany on our part. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: The tree always falls in the direction to where it bows. Take care not to bow in the direction of false kings. You might end up living eternity in their counterfeit kingdom. “As the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.” (Psalm 42:1) St. Argeus, pray for us. | |
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