 | Daily Bible Reflections
for March 18, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
This Friday, work with Him at your side.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
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| | DREAM EATER And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil… he shall die. – Ezekiel 18:24 In one episode of the cartoon series, Hello Kitty, there was a small creature whose mission was to eat bad dreams of children so they would have happy dreams. This creature knew that when he has eaten 100 dreams, he would become a grown-up. Since he couldn’t wait to become one, he devoured every dream. At first, he ate the bad dreams but later, he shifted to eating the good ones for he found that good dreams tasted yummy. Because of this, the children’s good dreams turned into nightmares. When the dream eater ate his 100th dream, he suffered from a severe stomach ache because he ate what he wasn’t supposed to eat. In today’s first reading, the Lord said through the prophet Ezekiel that the man who follows and lives by God’s statutes will live; otherwise, he dies. In my previous story, the dream eater initially did the right thing — eat bad dreams. But when he strayed by eating good dreams, he suffered. We will be judged by God individually according to our actions. If we go against God’s laws, we suffer from spiritual death. But if we recognize our sinfulness, repent and turn back to God, then we will live. Judith Concepcion (svp_jmc@yahoo.com) REFLECTION: Do you always want to have it your way? Don’t be selfish but be selfless. Teach me, Lord, how not to be self-centered that I may always put others’ needs above my selfish desires. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING Ezekiel tells us that the faithful disciple will persevere to the end and if he does not, then his salvation will be endangered. The other side of this coin is that the unfaithful disciple who repents and changes his ways will also be saved. We see clearly that the desire of God is that all be saved. However, we must learn to persevere in the gift of our salvation so that we will not allow the graces God has given us to be wasted. Ezekiel 18:21-28 21 Thus says the LORD GOD: If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced. 23 Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live? 24 And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does, can he do this and still live? None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin; because of this, he shall die. 25 You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? 26 When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. 27 But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; 28 since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. P S A L M Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7, 7-8 R: If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! 2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. (R) 3 If you, O LORD, mark iniquities, LORD, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (R) 5 I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. 6 My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, 7 let Israel wait for the LORD. (R) For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; 8 and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (R) G O S P E L Jesus reminds us that surface conversion (making our lives look good from the outside) is not enough to attain eternal life. The Gospel has to penetrate the depths of our lives so that we will be transformed into the image and likeness of God. This is our destiny; this is what life in heaven consists of. Let us be faithful in continuing the work God has begun in us so that we will be found worthy (by the grace of God) on Judgment Day. VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Matthew 5:20-26 20 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. 23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” my reflections think: The Gospel has to penetrate the depths of our lives so that we will be transformed into the image and likeness of God. 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 1 Samuel 17-20 | |
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| | SABBATH | CONVERSION OF HEART IS ESSENTIAL Today’s Gospel opens with an exhortation calling for true and lasting conversion of heart among the disciples of Jesus. There is no point knowing all about the gift of salvation unless we are willing to apply it to our lives and preach its essence to others. It is easier to know what to do than to do it. The challenge of conversion will be with us every living moment of our lives. Karl Rahner, S.J., once wrote that it is harder today to know and do what is right than in any other age or time. Why? He argued that the multitude of influences and the pluralistic society in which we now live (if that was how he saw it in 1949, how much more would he be convinced of its truth today?) make it difficult for us to discern the truth from among all the opinions and outright errors that are placed before us as legitimate moral options. I believe he is correct. This difficulty also reaches into the spiritual realm and makes it more difficult for people to affirm and live the Christian way because there are so many different options available to us today. Having outlined the challenge, the only answer to it is to open our hearts to the truth of the Gospel and surrender in faith to the offer of salvation and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us through the moral maze in which we have to live our lives. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the magisterial teaching of the church in order to form our consciences well. Without a well-formed conscience, we will easily be led astray by the seductive attractions of the pleasurable life that assaults our senses in the mass media. All this means that there is an enormous amount of distractions as well as a lot of outright errors that vie for our attention and allegiance in today’s world. In former centuries, the choices have not been so numerous and society has not been as pluralistic as it is today. All in all, it is a difficult time when it comes to making moral choices.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL Reflection Question: What do I do to form my conscience so that it will make the right moral choices when I need it to? Father in heaven, help me to choose wisely when I seek authorities to teach me about the correct moral choices to make in my life. St. Frediano, pray for us. | |
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