 | Daily Bible Reflections
for December 11, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
Rejoice this third Sunday!
Thank God for your loved ones this Sunday.
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
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| | i am THIRD “He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” – John 1:27 There was a young man who was popular in school. He was intelligent and a leader in school organizations. A friend visited him at home and saw the plaque hanging on his room door with the words “I am Third.” When his friend asked what it meant, the young man explained, “It’s the motto I try to live by. It means God is first, others are second and I am third.” Just like this boy, John the Baptist knew his place. He knew from the start that his mission was to “prepare the way” for the Messiah. When people asked him why he baptized others if he was not the Christ, he said in humility, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” Because he had his own followers, John could have set himself up as the anointed one from God and built a church separate from Jesus’. There could have been a rivalry between Baptizers and Christians. Only when we put the will of God and the needs of others ahead of our own do we become true humble servants of the Lord. Let us take our rightful place as “third” and do our part in building God’s kingdom on earth. Dina Pecaña (dpecana@yahoo.com) 11 REFLECTION: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Jesus, grant me the grace to be humble as I serve You so that others may see no longer me but You, the Messiah, who is powerfully at work in me. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING This text was read out by Jesus when He first began His ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth. At that time Jesus said, “This scripture is being fulfilled even as I read it.” We see that God foretells in a marvelous way what He is going to do even 600 years before it comes about. Nothing takes God by surprise and He is always working to see His plans fulfilled, no matter what men may conspire to thwart. This should give us a deep and abiding confidence in all the promises of God. He will surely make happen what He had said. Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11 1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, 2 to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God. 10 I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. 11 As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations. P S A L M Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54 R: My soul rejoices in my God. 46 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generation will call me blessed: (R) 49 the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. (R) 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has come to helped of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promised of mercy. (R) 2nd READING St. Paul tells the Thessalonian Christians to rejoice always. This is not always easy as many things happen to make us sad and cause us pain. Yet we know that in all things God is at work for our good and, on the basis of faith in God’s love and care for us, we can rejoice. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 16 Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 Test everything; retain what is good. 22 Refrain from every kind of evil. 23 May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. G O S P E L John the Baptist knew that he was not the Messiah but rather the forerunner to Him. God gave Him a particular mission to prepare the people for the coming of Christ and to baptize them as a sign of their repentance of their sins. He did not think he was even worthy to be a servant of the Messiah and did not want to draw people to himself but to direct them to Christ. May we be humble like John and not seek fame and popularity but rather direct people to the source of life, Christ Jesus. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. R: Alleluia, alleluia John 1:6-8, 19-28 6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” 21 So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Some Pharisees were also sent. 25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, 27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. my reflections t h i n k : May we be humble like John and not seek fame and popularity but rather direct people to the source of life, Christ Jesus. 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 Colossians 1-4 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 | Shout for Joy — Now! The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice. As Christmas draws near, the Church encourages us to rejoice not only because Christmas is near but because joy is an attitude of life. St. Paul in the second reading today commands us, “Rejoice always… render constant thanks.” How could joy be commanded? How can someone tell another how to feel? Friend, you’re right. We cannot be commanded how to feel. But I think Scriptures “command” us to be joyful because joy is not only a feeling. Joy is a state of mind and being, a product of the will, and a decision to focus on what is right and not only on what is wrong in our lives. Let me illustrate. One of the most amazing and inspiring persons I know (actually, read about) is Tony Melendez. Tony has sold millions of inspirational albums. He plays the guitar with gusto and passion, with his feet. Yes, you read right, with his feet. Tony was born with no arms. When he was born, his parents thought he was an alien of sorts. But growing up, Tony refused to focus on what he does not have. He focused on what he has and made good use of it. In one poignant interview he said, “Growing up, I’ve often asked God to give me a miracle. Until I realized that I am a miracle.” Truly, as a guitar player myself, I consider it a miracle how one can play chords with one foot and pluck, not just strum, the guitar with the other the way Tony does. How many among us, with complete hands and feet, fret at the slightest inconvenience? How many among us curse the alarm clock instead of thanking God for the gift of hearing? How many among us curse the sunlight that interrupts our sleep instead of thanking God for the gift of sight? How many of us curse, sitting in our car through traffic and not appreciate the fact that we own a car? The list could go on and on. L e t Gaudete Sunday fill you today with the gift of joy. Or maybe better, the will to be joyful. Have a joy-filled Sunday! Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Ponder on this: I lament the fact that I have only a pair of worn-out shoes until I saw a man with no feet. Lord Jesus, remind me of the blessings that I take for granted. Cleanse my heart of the inconveniences I give too much focus on. Amen. Pope Saint Damsus I, pray for us. | |
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