Tuesday, February 25, 2014

My Reflection for Wednesday February 26, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Mark 9:38-40

Gospel: Mark 9:38-40
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”
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Reflection:
Arrogance and intolerance are often times what prevent us from becoming effective followers of Jesus. For example if we see a homosexual couple who are living together, should we avoid them? Or should we be friend them and live the teachings of Jesus through them. The best course of action to take is to be friends with them with the hope in mind that by doing so we would be able to eventually convert and enlighten them.

When John saw someone who was not in their group driving out demons in the name of Jesus he tried to prevent them. Perhaps, John thought that they only have the monopoly of holiness to drive out demons. So what did Jesus do when John told Him about this incident? He told John let him do what he was doing for whoever is not against them is for them also.

To be arrogant, intolerant and judgmental is not good. It prevents us from genuinely doing the mission of Jesus, it prevents us from bringing people to Jesus. We might forget that Jesus became man not only for the righteous. He became man to convert sinners to give them mercy and forgiveness. 

Let us avoid to be arrogant, to be intolerant and judgmental. Let us instead show the mercy and love of Jesus. Who knows by doing so we may be able to bring them closer to Jesus. …

Saturday, February 22, 2014

My Reflection for Saturday February 22, Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle; Mark 16:13-19

Gospel: Mark 16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
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Reflection:
When Jesus asked the disciples, Who do the people say that the son of Man is? No one was able to correctly answer except Simon Peter, who told Jesus: “You are the Christ the son of the living God. But Jesus immediately told Peter, it’s not by your own intelligence that you know me; it’s through the grace of my heavenly Father that you know who I am.

Why did Jesus told Simon Peter that it was not through his effort that he knows Him? Perhaps Jesus wanted to temper the behavior of Peter. Perhaps Jesus doesn’t want Simon Peter to boast about what he knew about Him.

In our continuing journey with Jesus there may be times also that we might be tempted to brag or boast concerning what we know about Him. This we must not do because everything is a gift, everything is a grace. What we know about Him is from Him alone, not from us; not from our own effort.

How many times have we boasted about our knowledge regarding Jesus and our faith? How many times have we acted as if we knew everything about God? Have many times have we acted as if we are the masters of the universe?

Let us pause and reflect about this. …