 | Daily Bible Reflections
for August 18, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
This Thursday, remember that He knows you and loves you.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
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| | THE PROMISE Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. – Judges 11:30 “Lord, I wanted so much to attend the out-of-town retreat. I pray that I may finish my pending work and that my boss would allow me to take a leave, with no questions asked. I will go to Mass for nine consecutive days as my sacrifice.” I made that prayer when I was still very new in the Charismatic Renewal. God answered my prayer as I fulfilled my part of the bargain. It was difficult for me for I was not a daily Mass goer. In today’s first reading, Jephthah made a vow to God that if He would deliver the Ammonites into his hands, he would sacrifice whatever comes out of the door of his house to meet him after his return. He ended up sacrificing his only daughter. During Moses’ time, vows made carried much force. In Numbers 30, Moses reminded the people that they have to keep their promises to God and to others. A broken vow meant a broken trust and a broken relationship. Jephthah fulfilled his vow even if it was foolish. Making spiritual “deals” with God may bring us disappointment and guilt when we are forced to fulfill them. God doesn’t want promises for the future, but obedience for today. Judith Concepcion (svp_jmc@yahoo.com) 18 REFLECTION: What “deals” have you made with the Lord lately? Remember that God cannot be bribed. What He needs from us is to obey Him. Lord, forgive me for my arrogance during the times that I tried to manipulate You by making promises. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING In this tragic story, we see the danger of making rash and ill-considered promises to God. There is a story about St. John Bosco who became seriously ill and all the boys in the school prayed earnestly for his healing. Many of them made promises to God: ”God, if you heal Don Bosco, I will become a priest, or fast for 49 days on bread and water,” etc. When Don Bosco was healed, the priests had to release the boys from many of the promises that they did not have the ability to fulfill. If a promise involves any act that is evil, we have no duty to fulfill it. Judges 11:29-39 29 The spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and through Mizpah-gilead as well, and from there he went on to the Ammonites. 30 Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. “If you deliver the Ammonites into my power,” he said, 31 “whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites shall belong to the LORD. I shall offer him up as a holocaust.” 32 Jephthah then went on to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his power, 33 so that he inflicted a severe defeat on them, from Aroer to the approach of Minnith (twenty cities in all) and as far as Abel-keramin. Thus were the Ammonites brought into subjection by the Israelites. 34 When Jephthah returned to his house in Mizpah, it was his daughter who came forth, playing the tambourines and dancing. She was an only child: he had neither son nor daughter besides her. 35 When he saw her, he rent his garments and said, “Alas, daughter, you have struck me down and brought calamity upon me. For I have made a vow to the LORD and I cannot retract.” 36 “Father,” she replied, “you have made a vow to the LORD. Do with me as you have vowed, because the LORD has wrought vengeance for you on your enemies the Ammonites.” 37 Then she said to her father, “Let me have this favor. Spare me for two months, that I may go off down the mountains to mourn my virginity with my companions.” 38 “Go,” he replied, and sent her away for two months. So she departed with her companions and mourned her virginity on the mountains. 39 At the end of the two months she returned to her father, who did to her as he had vowed. P S A L M Psalms 40:5, 7-8, 8-9, 10 R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. 4 [5] Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. (R) 6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come. (R) In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 9 [10] I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. (R) G O S P E L In this story of the banquet, Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to a feast where everyone is invited. Yet so many make excuses and in the end miss out on it. Why do they make excuses? Because they do not rightly value the invitation and place other things as more important in their lives. How important is going to Mass in my life? Is prayer my first priority each day? If not, then I, like these guests, am making my own excuses. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. R: Alleluia, alleluia Matthew 22:1-14 1 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.” my reflections think: How important is going to Mass in my life? Is prayer my first priority each day? 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 Sirach 41-45 | |
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| | SABBATH | EXCUSES , EXCUSES , EXCUSES It is always frustrating when you are trying to get a job done and then somebody you are relying on fails to deliver on his promises or responsibilities. It only gets worse when they give lame excuses. The worst ever excuse we can have, in my opinion, is “I didn’t feel like doing it!” This is such a lousy excuse, even tantamount to laziness and sloth put together, that it is virtually a sin. It is not acceptable when we allow our emotions to run our lives. Our emotions are meant to be servants, not masters. People talk about crimes of passion — well, that may be so, but such crimes could also be called crimes of truncated sensibility. That is, crimes that result from a refusal of the person to submit their action to common sense. The king is inviting people to come and celebrate with him and all they do is make excuses for not coming. It is vital when someone as important as a king invites us to celebrate with him that we need to have a very serious reason to excuse ourselves from the affair. Let us never make the mistake of avoiding an invitation from God to be in His presence no matter what excuses we think we may have. That the king then turns away someone who comes unprepared also indicates that moments of grace, once passed, do not return. Doors of opportunity open in our spiritual lives for a limited time and we need to be aware of them so that we do not miss them. The saints are experts at doing this and so if we want to learn how to improve our chances, let us commit to read about their lives and the way they responded to God’s call. The saints are not just there as ornaments to the Church but to be examples of holiness and discipleship. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL Reflection Question: Do I tend to make excuses rather than remain faithful to my commitments? If so, what am I going to do about this? Holy Spirit, help me to change for the better. Help me to know how I can become more faithful to my commitments and responsibilities. Sts. Leo & Juliana, pray for us. | |
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