 | Daily Bible Reflections
for December 4, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
Live this second Sunday of Advent with deep trust!
Each Sunday is a Mini-Easter. Show that Jesus is alive today!
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
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| | GOD’S PERFECT TIMING The Lord does not delay in fulfilling His promise, though some speak of delay; rather He gives you time because He does not want anyone to perish, but that all may come to conversion. – 2 Peter 3:9 I was almost 25 when I had my first boyfriend. God knew I wasn’t ready for a relationship so He gave me a sign not to pursue it after I asked for one. But my obstinacy got the upper hand. As a result, I inflicted unnecessary pain and suffering upon myself. I should’ve spent those times growing and serving God wholeheartedly and celebrating the gift of singleness. But I was impatient. I chose to experience the most coveted feeling of being in love. It took me three long years to recover from two consecutive heartaches as I had another failed relationship after the first one. I was not proud of myself. In fact, I blamed myself for not waiting for God’s perfect time. If only I listened to Him. Now, I’m so grateful that I’m doing things right and waiting for God’s more than- perfect time. I found my ideal man in the community, and he met most of my non-negotiables. I don’t need to compromise my faith anymore. Leeanne Sy (havenofleeanne@yahoo.com) 4 REFLECTION: Think you’re too old to be single? Remember that the most miserable women (and men) are those who married the wrong person. God, help me wait for Your perfect timing so that I can spare myself from unnecessary pain and suffering. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING Isaiah looks forward to the coming of John the Baptist and the Messiah when the Kingdom of God will be established in power. In the ministry of Jesus, God Himself comes to comfort His people. Isaiah describes the ministry of the coming Savior as that of a shepherd who carries the lambs in his arms. We see this expressed in Jesus’ love for the poor, the broken and the needy. Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! 4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. 5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. 9 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! 10 Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. 11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. P S A L M Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14 R: Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. 8 [9] I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. (R) 2nd READING We are often impatient and in a hurry. We find it hard to wait upon God’s timing. He sees things very differently from us; one day to Him is like a thousand years. Fortunately, we do not have to wait that long to see our prayers answered. Let us, therefore, never lose hope and give up trusting in the Lord who is always faithful to His promises. 2 Peter 3:8-14 8 Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. 11 Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought [you] to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. 13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. G O S P E L Advent is a time of repentance, that is, a time of spiritual renewal. Many of us do not see repentance in a positive light, yet it is the key to welcoming more of God’s Kingdom into our lives. The deeper our repentance, the deeper will be our knowledge of God’s love and mercy. Let us open our hearts to the light of Christ so that we can see the truth of ourselves clearly. Only this truth will set us free. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God. R: Alleluia, alleluia Mark 1:1-8 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. 3 A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’” 4 John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. 6 John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. 7 And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” my reflections t h i n k : Many of us do not see repentance in a positive light, yet it is the key to welcoming more of God’s Kingdom into our lives. 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 Corinthians 13-16 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 | Cardiac Listening A priest was greeting the people at the entrance of the Church after Mass when a child grabbed his hand and handed him money. Surprised, the priest asked the child, “What is this for, my child?” The child responded, “I thought you could use the money. After your homily, my mother whispered to me that you are the poorest preacher this parish has ever had.” I know this story is a joke but stories like this do contain a great kernel of truth in it. At a priest conference I once attended, one speaker spoke of the need for us priests to improve our homilies to offset what he termed a “crisis in preaching.” I could only nod in agreement. Our readings today do not speak of a crisis in preaching. In fact, both first reading and the Gospel of Mark remind us of a “voice crying out in the desert,” calling us to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Why in the desert? John the Baptist lived in the desert but he did not remain there. It would be foolish of him to preach in the desert where no one will hear him. So why in the desert? I believethis is Isaiah’s metaphor for a sermon that no one hears, for a preacher without a congregation. If we can speak of a crisis in preaching, can we also speak of a crisis in listening? I do not speak here of a collective hearing disability. I’m not talking about an aural listening, i.e, listening with one’s ears. I’m speaking of a cardiac listening, i.e., listening with one’s heart (from the Greek kardia, meaning heart). What do you hear right now as December 25 approaches? The sound of carols, new gadgets, get-togethers, eating binges, cash registers? What excites your heart? Christmas beckons. As that day approaches, I think of that familiar carol, Do You Hear What I Hear? What is the song reminding us to hear? It beckons us to listen with our heart to “the child, the child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light. He will bring us goodness and light!” This Christmas, let us not forget to leave space in our heart for the Child who will bring us goodness and light. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Ask God to let you experience a Divine “cardiac arrest” — that only the godly may arrest the yearnings of your heart. Amidst the many attractions of the Christmas season, attract my heart, O God. Amen. St. Osmund, pray for us. | |
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