 | Daily Bible Reflections
for February 2, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
God will never leave you. This Wednesday is no different.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
| | Feast of the Presentation of the Lord My High Priest Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. – Hebrews 2:18 “Christ died for you.” I’ve heard this often from speakers in seminars I’ve attended. I’ve heard this also countless times from priests during their sermons. But what does it really mean? I didn’t get it. But during the lowest points in my life — when I owed millions due to a failed business venture and I lost my sense of direction and purpose — the same words took on a totally different dimension. You see, when I wanted to end my life because I felt like a total failure, I heard Christ whispering to me, “Don’t give up. Don’t lose hope. This is not the end. There is still much more in store for you.” He wanted me to know that such darkness can never be the end because He showed me that there is so much more to life. Christ is truly the high priest of my life. He didn’t merely die for me… He lived His life for me.Orange Garcia (orange_garcia@hotmail.com) REFLECTION: As gold is refined through fire, Christ melts all sense of hopelessness and despair in our lives. What is Christ whispering to you right now? Lord, make my eyes see and my ears hear so that I may know that there is always more to life. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING Purification is a part of every Christian’s life. We are all sinners and have sullied our lives by giving in to temptations to sin. The good news is that we do not have to be resigned to a life of impurity or carrying with us the consequences of our sins forever. We can be purified from sin and its effects. This is a long and difficult process, but it has been made possible through the obedience and holiness of Christ. It is time for us to accept the challenge and surrender our lives to be purified by the salvific work and grace of Jesus. Malachi 3:1-4 1 Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. 3 He will sit refining and purifying [silver], and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. 4 Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old, as in years gone by. P S A L M Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10 R: Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord! 7 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) 8 Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. (R) 9 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) 10 Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory. (R) 2nd READING Jesus is one of us in all things but sin in that He took on our human nature. In the Incarnation, He redeems it through His life of obedience to the will of His and our Father in heaven. We are all invited to share in His relationship with the Father – this is an incredible privilege and we should do all that we can to grow in relationship with both Jesus and our Father in heaven. Hebrews 2:14-18 14 Since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. 16 Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; 17 therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. G O S P E L Simeon and Anna give witness to the identity of Jesus. They are part of the contextual evidence as to the perceived identity of Jesus as His life begins. We are reminded through them that the Jews had been expecting a Messiah. We believe that wait is over (the Jews are still waiting!). In reflecting upon their prophecies, we discover something of what it means to personalize our faith relationship with God. It is not for anyone to tell us what our relationship with God must be but for each of us to grow into relationship with God as we respond to His call. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. R: Alleluia, alleluia Luke 2:22-40 22 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” 24 and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. 27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, 28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: 29 “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted 35 — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 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 eighty-four. 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 : It is not for anyone to tell us what our relationship with God must be but for each of us to grow into relationship with God as we respond to His call. God’s special verse/thought for me today________________ _________________________________________________________
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________ _______________________________________________________ READ THE BIBLE IN Leviticus 8-10 | |
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| | SABBATH | FULFILLED PERSON “Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,” said Simeon. Who can say with all sincerity that he or she is ready to die? It’s difficult to find such a person, isn’t it? We find one in today’s Gospel. Simeon is a picture of a fulfilled man. He desires for nothing more, waits for nothing more, and prays for nothing more. He is ready and willing to go from this life to the next. Why? First, Simeon desires for nothing more because he already received what he desires most. His “eyes have seen the salvation which (God) has prepared for all nations to see, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.” Simeon desired for Jesus, the Savior, the Light and the Glory. Now that he has set his eyes on Him, he is complete. Second, Simeon waits for nothing more because he trusted in God’s promise to him that he will not see death before he sets his eyes on the Savior. Now that the promise is fulfilled, what else should Simeon wait for? Jesus has arrived not only in the general sense of the word “arrive,” but also in its particular meaning as Jesus comes into the life of Simeon. Third, Simeon prays for nothing more because his prayer has already been granted. He has seen Jesus; he has seen peace. Now, he can go in peace as a servant of Him whose promise he has trusted. What do we desire for? What do we wait for? What do we pray for? No one less than God can satisfy our desire. Nothing less than God’s fidelity to His word can bring about what we wait for. Nothing less than having the disposition of God’s servant can make us realize how God answers our prayers. Simeon teaches us what it means to be a fulfilled person. And only a truly fulfilled person is ready to leave this world so as to enter God’s kingdom. May the light of the candles we bring to Mass today to be blessed by the priest shed light upon our desire, our waiting and our prayer. Jesus Christ alone, who is the Light, can show us the truth about “the fulfilled person.”Fr. Bobby Titco Reflection Question: Am I a fulfilled person? I desire for You, O Jesus, and I wait until I am fulfilled in You. Cast away all my inordinate attachments and release me from all my bondages. Let me be God’s humble servant always. Amen. St. Fortunatus, pray for us. | |
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