 | Daily Bible Reflections
for December 19, 2011 |
|  Dear Lordie,
Carry the Lord in your heart this Monday!
Praying for you,
Bo Sanchez
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| | special An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son.” – Judges 13:3 Samson’s mother was a special woman. At a time when OB-GYNs were non-existent, God sent an angel to give pre-natal care to the woman who would bear a child consecrated to God from the womb. Reading through the angel’s commands to her reminded me of my obstetrician’s instructions and what I read in pregnancy books when I was infanticipating. Every woman who has carried a child in her womb will tell you what a special experience it is to have another human being growing inside you. But even more special is the knowledge that the child you carry will someday be used mightily by God for His purposes. Our children don’t have to be prophets or conceived miraculously for them to be set apart for God. A godly upbringing and our own examples as good Christians will surely put them on the road to being servants of God. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com) REFLECTION: “Indeed, parents should act as role models to their children for they are a mirror through which their children depend for their vision.” (Gabriel Idoko) Lord, do not let us be stumbling blocks to the little ones. | |
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| | COMPANION | 1st READING It is often out of poverty and weakness that God chooses to reveal His strength. This is seen in this story of a barren woman married to Manoah. Yet God answers her prayer, grants her a son and then uses him to deliver his people from their bondage. Let us bring to God, as Manoah’s wife did, our poverty and barrenness so that He can fill it with His divine life and power and make it fruitful. Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 2 There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. 3 An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. 4 Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. 5 As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.” 6 The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, ‘You will be with child and will bear a son. So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb, until the day of his death.’” 24 The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; 25 the Spirit of the LORD first stirred him. P S A L M Psalms 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17 R: My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory! 3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 16 I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD; O God, I will tell of your singular justice. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. (R) G O S P E L This story reveals a similar pattern to that of Manoah’s wife and her child Samson. God chooses a barren woman, Elizabeth, one advanced in years, to be the mother of the herald of His son. One of the reasons God does this is to show that we can do nothing to save ourselves, that it is all His work and a gift of His grace and power. Let us not doubt the wonderful power of God, which can bring life out of death, fruitfulness out of barrenness, joy out of sorrow. ALLELUIA R: Alleluia, alleluia O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay. R: Alleluia, alleluia Luke 1:5-25 5 In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. 8 Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, 9 according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. 10 Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, 11 the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was deeply disturbed upon seeing him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, 16 and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” 18 Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” 21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. 23 Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 24 After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.” my reflections t h i n k : Let us not doubt the wonderful power of God, which can bring life out of death, fruitfulness out of barrenness, joy out of sorrow. 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 Hebrews 5-8 | |
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| | SABBATH | Pleasure and Purpose Both readings for today allude to the Jewish spiritual practice called the Nazirite vow. A Nazirite vow is a practice of self-discipline that Jewish males undergo as a form of consecration to God or to a higher and noble purpose. It includes, among others, refraining from eating anything unclean, avoiding taking strong wine or drink, and keeping the hair untouched by the razor until the fulfillment of the vow. Samson in the first reading and John the Baptist in our Gospel were both consecrated to the Nazirite vow. Later on, in the New Testament, we also read of Paul committing himself to the same vow. The vow is not a statement against food, drink or good grooming. It is a commitment to a divine consecration. The object is to train one’s willpower in order to fulfill a higher goal or purpose in life. We need this kind of a vow in everyday life. Such a vow helps train the individual recognize a hierarchy of values in his life, to sift through the difference between pleasure and purpose. Every good thing has two elements of goodness in them: pleasure and purpose. Pleasure brings delight and enjoyment in our pursuit of purposeful things. Purpose gives direction and ethical value in our enjoyment of pleasure. Since pleasure is in the realm of the senses, it’s easy to pursue it independent of purpose. Eating is pleasurable but it has a purpose. Pursue the pleasure alone and you fall into eating disorders. Sleep is pleasurable but has a purpose. Pursue its pleasure alone and you’ll find yourself sleeping through the Mass, in classes or at work. Sex is pleasurable but also has a purpose. Every sexual sin is the result of pursuing the pleasure of sex apart from its natural and God-ordained purpose. We no longer hear the Nazirite vow nowadays, but we need it more than ever. We no longer call it Nazirite vow. We can call it asceticism and self-discipline. These values have always been the character of great men and women. It defined Samson, John the Baptist and Paul. It should define us as well. Fr. Joel O. Jason Reflection Question: Make a self-evaluation and ask yourself: Are you pleasure-driven or purpose-driven? Lord Jesus, grant me the prudence and willpower to live a purpose-driven life. Amen. St. Bernard Valeara, pray for us. | |
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