Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Friday, May 03, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
My Reflections for March 19, Tuesday Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mathew 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Gospel: Mathew 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Jacob was the father of
Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now this is how the birth
of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but
before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph
her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to
shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy
Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you
are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When
Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his
wife into his home.
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My
Reflections:
When
Saint Joseph discovered that Mary was already pregnant he decided to quietly divorce
the Blessed Mother. Why quietly divorce? Why not broadcast it to their whole
community so that Mary will be embarrassed and severely punished by stoning to death.
Joseph decided
to quietly divorce Mary because deep in his heart he already loved the Blessed
Mother. Deep in his humble and righteous heart Joseph already loved the baby in
the womb of Mary. That is why Joseph wanted to quietly divorce Mary so that
Mary and the baby Jesus would avoid the punishment of death by stoning. But his
plan did not push through for the simple reason that Joseph listened to the
angel of the Lord. Who told him that the Blessed Mother conceived by the grace
of the Holy Spirit.
The love
that Saint Joseph exercised towards the Blessed Mother and the baby Jesus must
also be the love that we must always give to our family. We must at all times first
take into consideration the welfare of our family more than our own selfish
interest.
In his
heart Saint Joseph was always quietly praying for guidance and enlightenment. This may be
the reason why he never said a single word. He was always waiting for
the voice of God to tell him what to do during that critical moment of his
life. Humility,
selfless love, obedience and prayerful silence these are the values of Saint
Joseph.
Are we like Saint Joseph? Or do we have some of these values of Saint Joseph?
Are we like Saint Joseph? Or do we have some of these values of Saint Joseph?
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
My Reflections for March 8, Friday of the Third Week of Lent: Luke 12:28-34
Gospel: Luke 12:28-34
One of the
scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the
commandments?” Jesus
replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The
scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and
there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your
understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is
worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he
answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom
of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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My
Reflections:
A homeless
man was basically alien to the word love of God and neighbor until someone pitied
him. The good Samaritan helped the homeless man by means of teaching him how to
love God and neighbor through his selfless actions.
Many are
like the homeless man but only a few of us are like the Good Samaritan. We are
averse to be in contact with the homeless and those who stray in the streets. Thus
they don’t know how to love God and neighbor.
If only
we would listen to Jesus two greatest commandments about love. …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Gospel:
The
crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" He said to them
in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has
none. And whoever has food should do likewise." Even tax collectors came
to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He
answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told
them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be
satisfied with your wages."
Now the
people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, "I am
baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to
loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to
gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable
fire." Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the
people.
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My Reflections
My Reflections
A boy was
taught by his father that there was only one way to be happy and it was none
other than to accumulate wealth. He imbibed his father’s teachings so he
studied very hard and he eventually became one of the very rich in their town.
On his quest to acquire worldly treasures he stepped on the toes of many
people, he created many enemies on his way up and upon reaching the pinnacle of
his ambition he became greedy and he subsequently discovered that it was very
lonely at the top.
He was on
his quest once again to find the magic formula to happiness so he went to a
wise old man in the mountain to seek his advice. The wise old man gave him only
one advice: Learn to share whatever you have for it is in sharing that you will
find happiness. He followed the wise advice and he felt happiness as he had
never felt it before.
In our
gospel the crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" (This
was in response to John’s call for them to repent) John said to them in reply,
"Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And
whoever has food should do likewise." Perhaps the crowds were becoming
self-centered already. They only cared for their own needs and never on the
needs of their fellowmen.
The
season of Christmas is not about what we will receive. It is about what we can
freely share. The real essence of Christmas is in sharing not in receiving. Let
us try to wholeheartedly share and we will feel the highest degree of happiness
that we would not be able to feel when we accept gifts.
On this
third Sunday of advent John the Baptist message is loud and clear it is about
learning to share no matter how little so long as it comes from the bottom of
our hearts. Let us share to the poor, to those who are badly in need, let us
share to those who cannot pay back our generosity. There are many of them in
poor communities and in places affected by disasters and calamities. Like our
brothers and sisters who were badly affected by the devastating typhoon named Bopha or Pablo in Mindanao.
Let us
bring Jesus to them by generously sharing whatever we can give. …
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