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BUKAS
LOOB SA DIYOS COMMUNITY
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WSC REFLECTION GUIDE
Readings: Acts 12:1-11 Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul
Psalm 34: 2-9 June 29. 2008
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Matthew 16: 13-19
Word: The one who does the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Theme: We do the will of the Father when we strengthen each other’s faith.
(Commitment to Growth)
Promise: “Blessed the man who takes refuge in the Lord.” (Psalm
34:9)
Reflection:
“He said to them, ‘But you, who do you say that I am?’” (Matthew
16:15)
On this feast day, we celebrate the two main
pillars of the early church, Peter and Paul. These two saints represent
the two complementary
dimensions of the Church, corporate and individual – the pastoral
and the missionary. Peter maintains the traditions; Paul represents
the drive to adapt, expand and amplify the Gospel. Peter is the centripetal
force that seeks the center; Paul is the centrifugal force that reaches
out to embrace different cultures. The Church needs both. Without
the centering of Peter, the Church might well have been a loose collection
of fragmented sects. Without the expansive force of Paul, the Church
might have stayed a Jewish group in Jerusalem.
They are the most widely acclaimed saints
in the Church and their names are joined, though they rarely worked
side by side. Even their
calls to be apostles of Jesus were different. Peter was brought to
Jesus by his brother Andrew (John 1:42), without fanfare, while Paul
met Jesus on his way to Damascus in a most dramatic way, with flashing
lights that caused him to fall to the ground (Acts 9:3ff). Paul’s
call to apostolate did not differ from the grace of conversion: “God
chose to reveal his Son to me, so that I might announce…” (Galatians
1:16). The Galilean fisherman Peter and the scholarly Pharisee Paul – so
different in personality, worldview and background – are forever
joined in Christian awareness. Despite their differences, they were
united by a fiery love of Jesus and the Church. And although they
did not die on the same day, the Church celebrates their feast together
in honor of their labors and their martyrdom.
From the first Pentecost, Peter’s leadership of the Church
was evident. Peter moved from Jerusalem to Antioch to Rome, where
for more than two thousand years his successors have continued to
offer a dynamic link to Jesus’ desire to build his Church.
The value of Peter’s faith and the foundation of his role as
leader was his confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This is the very faith that
Paul referring to in his declaration that “No other foundation
can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1
Corinthians 3:11). Though Paul was among the last to be called an
apostle, it could well be argued that it was he who developed the
doctrines of faith that became the basis for our creed and continue
to define the Church today.
These two saints, Peter and Paul, have made
it clear that our faith is not meant to be an individual, isolated
thing. It’s not
just “me and Jesus”. It’s “Christ and his
Church”. God never wanted us to live in isolation from each
other; Christ never intended for Christianity to be an individual
experience. He gave a corporate dimension to our faith so that our
experience of life in the spirit would be spurred on in power and
supported in hope by the faithful witness of so many other believers,
as our theme for the week tells us: “We do the will of the
Father when we strengthen each other’s faith”.
By faith we are saved, and this faith is a
gift from our Father in heaven. Through the Church, let us make
known the manifold wisdom
of our God. Peter and Paul are wonderful examples of God’s
way of taking flawed individuals and turning them into powerful witnesses
to the Gospel. Peter and Paul’s accomplishments are not simply
their hard work, creativity and excellent administrative skills.
Both were formed in the crucible of difficulties and failures that
left them humbled. And because of the way God dealt with them, they
became more aware of their need for him and were captivated by his
love. Thus, God’s promise is accomplished in them: “Blessed
the man who takes refuge in the Lord” (Psalm 34:9)
We too are all called to be saints, each in
our own way. We have experienced the power of the Gospel in our
lives in our moments of
personal conversion and encounter with Jesus. But this will continue
to happen in our lives only if we allow Jesus to form us. Our transformation,
like those of Peter and Paul, must hinge on Jesus. We need to know
that it is the Holy Spirit who can transform us, just as He changed
the apostles Peter and Paul. We too are called to be pillars of the
Church. As we let Christ’s firm but gentle and loving hand
break our outer shell of self-sufficiency and allow the Holy Spirit
to overcome all that binds us to sin and temptation, He will make
known to us the mysteries of God so that we can grow in the knowledge
of the Gospel.
There comes a time in our lives when, if we
are to be Christ’s
disciples in the manner of Peter and Paul, we must confront the question
He asks of us today: “But you, who do you say that I am”?
Jesus is looking for our own statement of faith. At every prayer
time, at every Mass, in every encounter with others, let us pursue
Jesus. He wants to meet with us even more than we want to meet with
Him! Then we too can proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord by our lives
in accordance with the Father’s will for us. Then God can make
us into His faithful servants, just as He did Peter and Paul.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling me to be one of your disciples
and for sending your Holy Spirit to teach and remind me who Jesus
is in my life. May I ever proclaim your Lordship and claim my inheritance
in Christ, in fellowship with all your people. May I never become
timid in accepting and proclaiming you, despite the many trials
in my life. Most Holy Spirit, inspire me with a missionary zeal.
Amen!
Suggested Personal Reflection Guide:
1. At this point in your faith walk with Jesus, who would you say
He is in your life today? Is He the same as the first time you encountered
Him?
2. Although Jesus mission is salvation for all, still he is your
personal Lord and Savior. In response to this all consuming love,
what could be you unique faith-statement?
Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
June 30, 2008 (Mon): Am 2 :6-10, 13-16 ; Ps 50 :16bc-17- 18-23 ;
Mt 8 :18-22
July 1, 2008 (Tue): Am 3:1-8, 4:11-12; Ps 5:4b-8; Mt 8:23-27
July 2, 2008 (Wed): Am 5:14-15, 21-24; Ps 50:7-13, 16bc-17; Mt 8:28-34
July 3, 2008 (Thur): Eph 2:19-22; Ps 117:1bc-2; Jn 20:24-29
July 4, 2008 (Fri): Am 8:4-6, 9-12; Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131;
Mt 9:9-13
July 5, 2008 (Sat): Am 9:11-15; Ps 85:9ab, 10-14; Mt 9:14-17
“ Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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Reflection for the Month of May 2008
Word: To form Christian disciples requires
total commitment to be a “living” Christ.
Order: “Go make disciples of all nations …teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 24:19-20)
Reflection:
The word for the month of May - To form Christian
disciples requires total commitment to be a “living” Christ - challenges,
and at the same time, invites each and every member of our Community
to a renewal in our Life in the Spirit to become authentic disciples
of Jesus by “living” him. “God created man in his
image; in the divine image he created male and female he created
them” (Genesis 1:27). That is our divine inheritance, which
we lost but was restored to us in the Paschal mystery of Christ.
It is an invitation because when we revisit our roots we might find
many things that we would rather not unearth as they might open hurts
and wounds that we would rather commit to the depths of the soul.
Considering the many confusing values in this world today, it is
a challenge provoking our inherent yearning to be restored to our
life with the Father.
Every Sunday of May this year is a Feast day
that is central to the tenets of our faith. Those who belong to
Christ through faith
and baptism must confess their baptismal vow before men…Whoever
says, “I believe” says “I pledge myself to what
we believe” (CCC pars.14 & 185). What better way to respond
than by being a “living” Christ to our brothers and sisters
in our mission fields?
The First Sunday of May is the Solemnity of
the Lord’s Ascension.
The drama of Easter, which began with the resurrection of Jesus,
is coming to an end. But reality shows that Easter is about life – life
bursting forth triumphantly from the tomb. The feast we celebrate
this Sunday is the good news that Jesus lives on. And he lives on
not just in the heavens where he ascended, “When he had said
this… he was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight” (Acts
1:9), but at the very center of our lives. Many instances in Scriptures
show us that he is alive after he rose from the grave. Now it is
our turn to show in many convincing ways that he is alive in us.
The Gospel, the good news, we are to proclaim is that our lives have
been changed because of the One who lives on in us, and we continue
to rise from the tombs of our lives. To be alive is not just to be
physically present in this world. To be truly alive is to live in
him, and move and have our being in the life of Christ. And with
this life your own life is transformed because you have come to know
Jesus through our different Encounter Weekends, through Scripture,
the sacraments, through fellowships and WSC’s with our brothers
and sisters in Community, and in the depths of your own heart.
The Second Sunday of May is Pentecost Sunday.
The Solemnity of Pentecost commemorates the giving and coming of
the Holy Spirit. The Gospel
tells us that the Holy Spirit is the gift of the Risen Christ, the
main effect of which is peace. It is the fruit of the forgiveness
of sin and reconciliation with God, made possible by the death and
resurrection of Christ. This Shalom-peace is the fullness of salvation;
it is the peace different from any other, because it is a peace that
is breathed upon us by Jesus – the Holy Spirit, the giver of
life confirms this interior gift (John 14:27). The Acts of the Apostles,
on the other hand, tells us about the dramatic exterior manifestations
of the Spirit upon the apostles gathered together in prayer at the
upper room. These include tongues of fire, strong driving wind, speaking
in tongues. The effect of the Spirit’s coming is unity and
understanding among peoples who speak different languages, in contrast
to the story of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Here, with the coming of
the Spirit, the opposite effect is manifested. People from different
nations understand each other. By this, the Spirit proclaims that
humanity is once again reconciled with God through Christ’s
humility and obedience. In our own Pentecost experience when we encountered
the Holy Spirit during our Life in the Spirit Seminar, we became “living” Christ
sharing his peace as we received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Third Sunday of May is the Solemnity of
the Most Holy Trinity. This highlights another tenet of our faith
and gives us insight into
the relationship between the three Persons in One God. In God there
is communion between the three Persons: the Father, the Son, and
their common Holy Spirit. We emphasize the oneness of God even as
we celebrate the mystery of the Trinity. God is one, but God is also
relational, inviting each one of us into the intimacy of Triune love,
as we discover the community of God. God is Father. Not only is he
Creator he is our Father who gives himself completely and perfectly
to us, his children. “Everything that I have is yours” (Luke15:31).
As we walk with him we are challenged to ‘live’ him,
ready to forgive unconditionally (Matthew 18:22). God is Son. In
the Nicene Creed we profess – ‘God of God, Light of Light,
True God of True God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father.’ He
makes himself known to us through Jesus Christ who redeems us - our
Emmanuel. We are to ‘live’ Christ in our obedience to
the Father and walk with him in a special way in the Eucharist. God
is Spirit, the love of the Father and the Son. The Spirit unites
all and it is important that we walk with him so we may be united
with others. No matter the differences, the Spirit can make us one – in
our families, in our communities, we need the Spirit of love to make
us one and heal our weaknesses.
The Fourth and last Sunday of May is the Solemnity
of Corpus Christi. Another mystery that is central to our faith
is our belief in Jesus’ real
presence in the Eucharist. We believe it because the Son of God told
us so (John 6:55-56). More than a social occasion shared with friends,
the celebration of the Eucharist is a meal with obligations attached.
It is a symbol of commitment and participation in the mystery of
Christ’s life, and more than simply asking us to remember him,
Jesus wants us to be recipient and sharers of the life he has laid
down for us, and to be our source of life. He is present in the Eucharist
to stay with us forever, so that there will be no separation, for
he loves us to the very end. To eat his flesh and drink his blood
is to assent to all that we receive and believe. It is a conscious
action, a decision to enter into union with Jesus and with the community.
This is an oft-forgotten aspect of the Eucharist. Christ wants to
give us the means to unite ourselves with one another, that we may
become companions - in Latin, ‘cumpanis’ - literally ‘bread-sharers.’ We
put Jesus’ wishes into practice, with one mind and one heart,
and together. Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a conscious action,
a decision to enter into union with Jesus and with the community.
Union, however, can only occur when we allow ourselves to be stripped
of all that gets in the way of this intimate encounter. When we say “Amen” we
are agreeing to open ourselves to the process of transformation.
Just as bread and wine are changed into his Body and Blood, so too
do we need to be changed into the substance of Christ. What we eat
and drink we become. We put ourselves into a process of radical self-emptying
through which our identity becomes that of Christ; to become Christ
means that we can no longer live out of the narrowness of our own
needs and vision, but must embrace the needs of those around us.
Realizing all these implications, we can then prepare ourselves adequately
for this encounter with Christ and worthily receive God.
In his discourse as the Good Shepherd several
Sundays ago, Jesus reveals the purpose of his coming –“I came that they
might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). To be
a “living” Christ therefore, the authentic Christian
disciple must no longer live his own life, but must now ‘live’ Christ
(Galatians 2:20). Having cast aside his former way of life, the disciple
acquires a fresh, spiritual way of thinking and is able to ‘put
on the new man’ created in God’s image. God wants to
make us new in the attitudes of our minds through the power of the
Holy Spirit, the giver of life, so that we can become Jesus (Ephesians
4:22ff). To be “living” Christ therefore, demands total
commitment to the faith we profess.
St. Paul tells us how this renewal takes place: “If we have
been united with him through likeness to his death, so shall we be
through a like resurrection. This we know: our old self was crucified
with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed and we might
be slaves to sin no longer. A man who is dead has been freed from
sin. If we have died with Christ, we believe that we are also to
live with him” (Romans 6: 5-8).
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WORD, THEMES & PROMISES
FOR MAY 2008
READINGS
· May 4 Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-23; Matt 28:16-20
· May 11 Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1,24,29-30,31,34; 1Cor 12:3b-7,12,13,
Jn 20:19-23
· May 18 Ex 34:4b-6,8-9; Dn 3:52 - 56; 2Cor 13:11-13; Jn 3:16-18
· May 25 Deu 8:2-3, 14b-16a; Ps 147:12-15, 19-20; 1Cor 10:16-17,
Jn 6:51-58
WORD
To form Christian disciples requires total
commitment to be a “living” Christ.
ORDER
“Go make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you.” (Mat 24:19-20)
PROPHECIES
1. “Go, make disciples of all nations.” Take
this to heart and do what I command you for there are multitudes
of people
who still do not know and believe in Me. Bring Me to them.
2. As the Father, the Holy Spirit, and I are one, so should you be
in your family, your community, and with the Church.
3. My Spirit will enlighten your hearts that you may know the hope
that belongs to My call.
DIRECTIONS
1. Listen, understand and be a visible shepherd to your lambs. Extend
to all, the same love and peace that our Lord Jesus has given us.
THEMES AND PROMISES
Week#1 (Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension]
[Discipline]
Theme: To be a “living” Christ
is to be a witness to His commandments.
Promise: “I am with you always until the end of age.” (Mat
28:20)
Week#2 (Pentecost Sunday] [Fruitfulness]
Theme: To be a “living” Christ
is to share His peace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Promise: “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for the common good.” (1 Cor 12:7)
Week #3 (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity) [Interdependence/ Unity]
Theme: To be a “living” Christ
is to be in communion with God and with one another.
Promise: “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with
one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be
with you.” (2 Cor 13:11)
Week #4 (Solemnity of Corpus Christi) [Piety]
Theme: To be a “living” Christ
is to partake worthily of His Body and Blood.
Promise: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6: 51)
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WSC REFLECTION
Readings: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 6th Sunday of Easter
Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20 April 27, 2008
1 Peter 3:15-18
John 14:15-21
Word: Jesus Christ is God’s Word to us.
Theme: God’s Word sanctifies our heart and leads us to holiness. [Holiness]
Promise: “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always.” (John 14:16)
Reflection:
The readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter
remind us of God’s
genuine love for us all; proofs of which are His promise of the Holy
Spirit and of his “coming back” to us. These promises
and their fulfillment are what unite us to Him with bonds of endless
and transforming love. It is God’s love for us, which makes
our union with Him possible and real. But the enjoyment of these
possibilities depends on our response to love.
The challenge to us then, as disciples in
our Community, is to act boldly in building up God’s Kingdom
by obeying His commandments. As followers of Christ we should aim
at conquering the hearts of
non-believers by the way we live lives, which are consistent with
the faith we profess. Simply put, our spoken declaration of love
for Christ is good, but more important than words is the manifestation
of our faith and love for Jesus through our actions and lives.
In the second reading, St. Peter urges the
early Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor to always keep
the Lord Jesus in their hearts. “Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Pt 3:15a). Just
as he reminds them to be true witnesses of the faith to the pagan
unbelievers among whom they lived, St. Peter also exhorts us to live
a life of gentleness and holiness in Christ so that by the power
of the Holy Spirit we will be witnesses to those who have not yet
acknowledged God as their Lord and Savior.
As present-day Christians, we are expected
to respond to Christ’s
love for us throughout our lives, in constant faithfulness. We are
urged to live a life of “good conduct in Christ” to lead
unbelievers to His Kingdom, even if it means suffering and dying
to ourselves. But we are weak and we always falter and fall. That
is why Jesus promises: “I will not leave you orphans; I will
come back to you” (Jn14:18). He promised to stay with us to
the very end to guide and support us. ”And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always …” (Jn
14:16). Yes, Jesus’ presence is made operative in our lives
through the action of the Holy Spirit who is always with us.
In our faith journey with BLD, which may have
started during our respective encounter weekends and then through
the LSS, we indeed
experienced the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. And now, we continue
to experience its fruits in a more pronounced way, especially during
the dark moments of our life, as the Spirit transforms our trials
into glorious blessings when we surrender our lives to Jesus. Yes,
the Holy Spirit continues to be with us and in us! Christ repeats
His message that He and the Father are with us through the Holy Spirit
as we partake of the Holy Eucharist and gather for worship. “On
that day, you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in
me and I in you” (Jn 14:20).
However, Jesus’ promise in the Gospel has a condition. For
the Holy Spirit to remain with us and in us, Jesus requires us
to prove our love for Him and the Father by following His commandments. “Whoever
has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love
him and reveal myself to him.” (Jn 14:21) Jesus is exhorting
us as His disciples to live by His two great commandments: “You
shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole
soul, and with your whole mind” (Mt 22:37), and “You
shall love your neighbors as yourself.” (Mt 22:39)
Brothers and sisters, let us make loving God
and loving others in Community and in the larger Church the single
commitment and meaning
of our lives and existence. And with the grace of God the Father,
the love of the Son Christ Jesus, and by the presence of the Holy
Spirit, let us boldly accept the challenge of building up God’s
Kingdom here on earth.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, there have been times, when beset with trials and burdens
in my personal and Community life, I fail to remember how You touch
me with Your love and how Your Holy Spirit “makes a way” for
me. Forgive me for the times, I failed and continue to fail to
act as a true Christian witness, to speak to others about Your
love. Grant me, O Lord, the faith to acknowledge Your unending
love for me and the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit within
me. Empower me with Your grace to live my life by Your commandments;
surrendering myself totally to the Holy Spirit and committing to
proclaim You to others in Community and the larger Church. Amen.
Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 28, 2008 (Mon): Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1-6, 9; Jn 15:26-16:4a
April 29, 2008 (Tue): Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3, 7-8; Jn 16:5-11
April 30, 2008 (Wed): Acts 17:15, 22-18:1; Ps 148:1-2, 11-14; Jn
16:12-15
May 01, 2008 (Thur): Acts 18:1-8; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 16:16-20
May 02, 2008 (Fri): Acts19:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23
May 03, 2008 (Sat): 1 Cor 15:1-8; Ps 19:2-5; Jn 14:6-14
WSC REFLECTION GUIDE
Readings Acts 2:14, 22-23 3rd Sunday of Easter
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11 April 6, 2008
1 Peter 1:17-21
Luke 24:13-35
Word: Jesus Christ is God’s Word to us.
Theme: God’s Word keeps our hearts burning [Faithfulness]
Promise: “You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.” (Ps 16:11)
Reflection:
The Gospel of the third week of Easter tells
us about two of Christ’s
disciples on their way to Emmaus, discussing as they went along,
their distress and disappointment at how Jesus was crucified and
died. They believed and had hoped that He was the Messiah who would
deliver them from Roman oppression and restore Israel to its former
glory under the rule of King David.
Jesus never told His disciples that He was
the political leader who would deliver Israel from Roman domination.
Rather, He tried
to tell him – in words and deeds – that he was not that
kind of ‘savior’, but was destined to lay down His life
to save mankind from slavery to sin.
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus taught
His disciples how to ’hear’ His
Word. They were to embrace His Word with a generous heart, that they
may bear fruit (Lk 8:15). But they could not fully believe or comprehend
what he was trying to say, and so remained in the hardness of their
hearts (Mk 3:5; 6:52; 8:17). Coming alongside the two as they walked,
Jesus joined them and begins to explain every Scripture passage that
referred to Him. Later, at the breaking of the bread, the two disciples
finally recognize Jesus and come into faith in him.
In our sinful past, neither could we believe
fully in Christ because our hearts were set on the things of this
world; not much good was
stored our hearts. (Lk 6: 45b). By God’s grace, we have been
renewed. Cleansed by our repentance and confession of sins, the Holy
Spirit was given to us (Gal 4:6, and the love of God was poured into
our hearts (Rom 5:5). Jesus Christ began to in-dwell in our hearts
(Eph 3:17). Like the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, didn’t
we feel our hearts burning with peace, love, and joy?
The Gospel tells us how to keep our hearts
burning, even as we journey with Christ through life. Like the
two disciples, we have to invite
Him to join us. We need to be with him in the solitude of our hearts.
We need to make time and reserve a special place for God in our lives,
away from the distractions and attractions of the world. When we
encounter God, we encounter our true selves. In that solitude, we
focus in prayer, adoration, and thanksgiving, exclusively on Jesus.
As we quiet our hearts and spirits, Jesus can minister to us, bringing
His healing and transforming love to us. It is in that stillness
and solitude that Jesus can touch us and remind us of His Word – how
it refreshes the soul, giving wisdom to the simple, rejoicing the
heart, enlightening the eye, and how obeying Him brings much reward
(Ps 19: 8-12). As His Word is living and effective, able to discern
the reflections and thoughts of the heart, we are encouraged to be ‘doers’ of
His Word (James 1:22), allowing His Word to teach, correct, and train
us for righteousness, so that we may be competent for every good
work ( 2Tim 3: 17). In that inner stillness and solitude, we are
also able to empty ourselves of our anxieties, fears, apprehensions,
and self-centeredness as we allow His Holy Spirit to minister to
us and take over our lives.
After hearing the Word of God and taking it to heart, the two disciples
recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We too, should take
the time to attend Holy Mass as often as we can, reflecting on the
message implicit in the readings and the homily, that we may partake
worthily of the Holy Eucharist. As we remain in the stillness of
our hearts, we would experience deeper peace and joy, hear His gentle
whisper of affirmation, His consolation, and His love.
As we remain faithful to Jesus in prayer,
meditation and the observance of His Word, and the frequent worthy
reception of the Sacraments,
our hearts will continue to burn with holy fire as Christ shows us “the
path of life, abounding joy in His Presence, the delights at His
right hand forever” ( Ps 16:11)
Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 07, 2008 (Mon): Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; Jn
6:22-29
April 08, 2008 (Tue): Acts 7:51, 8:1a; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 7b, 8a, 17,
21ab;
Jn 6:30-35
April 09, 2008 (Wed): Acts 8:1b-8; Ps 66:1-3a, 4-7; Jn 6:35-40
April 10, 2008 (Thur): Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; Jn 6:44-51
April 11, 2008 (Fri): Acts 9:1-20; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Jn 6:52-59
April 12, 2008 (Sat): Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; Jn 6:60-69
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance
of Christ. Read your Bible daily!
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WORD, THEMES & PROMISES
FOR APRIL 2008
READINGS
· April 06 Acts 2:14, 22-23; Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 Pt 1:17-21; Lk 24:13-35
· April 13 Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps 23:13a, 5-6; 1 Pt 2:20b-25; Jn 10:1-10
· April 20 Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Pt 2:4-9; Jn 14:1-12
· April 27 Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20; 1Pt 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21
WORD
Jesus Christ is God’s Word to us.
ORDER
“… conduct yourselves with reverence during the time
of your sojourning.” (1 Pt 1:14)
PROPHECIES
1. Transform your resentments into gratitude.
2. It is not enough to know Me; you need to believe and follow what
I say.
DIRECTIONS
1. Be believers and doers of the Word.
2. Always be guided by the word of God to maintain the right focus
in life.
THEMES AND PROMISES
Week#1 (3rd Sunday of Easter] [Faithfulness]
Theme: God’s Word
keeps our hearts burning.
Promise: “You will show me the path to life, abounding joy
in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.” (Psalm
16:11)
Word, Theme & Promise – April 2008
Page 2
Week#2 (4th Sunday of Easter] [Wholeness]
Theme: God’s Word is our gate to abundant
life.
Promise: “Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will
come in and go out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
Week #3 (5th Sunday of Easter) [Commitment]
Theme: God’s Word delivers us out of
darkness into His wonderful light.
Promise: “To deliver them from death and preserve them in
spite of famine.” (Psalm 33:19)
Week #4 (6th Sunday of Easter) [Holiness]
Theme: God’s Word sanctifies our heart
and leads us to holiness.
Promise: “… I will ask the Father, and he will give
you another Advocate to be with you always.” (John 14:16)
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Bukas Loob sa Diyos Covenant Community
Reflection for April 2008
WORD: Jesus Christ is God’s Word to
us.
ORDER: “…conduct yourselves with reverence during the
time of your sojourning.” (1 Pt 1:14)
We read in the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word as with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning
with God. All things came to be through Him and without Him nothing
came to be... And the Word was made flesh and made His dwelling among
us and we saw His glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.” (Jn 1: 1-3, 14).
In the Letter to the Hebrews, we read: “In times past, God
spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, He spoke to us through a Son, whom He made heir
of all things and through whom He created the universe, who is the
refulgence of His glory, the every imprint of His being, and who
sustains all things by His mighty Word.” (Heb 1:1-3)
Jesus Christ is God’s creative Word,
His life-giving Word. Jesus is the power of God who created the
world and the reason God
sustains the world. This month of April, we are encouraged to examine
if we, who have tasted the Word of God (Heb 6:5), are still being
renewed through this living and abiding Word of God. (1 Pet 1:23)
In the first week, the theme is: God’s
Word keeps our hearts burning. When we first encountered Jesus
during our Encounters and
Life in the Spirit seminar and after repenting of our sins, our hearts
were on fire. We felt the love of God. We then resolved to mend our
ways and follow Him. The Gospel reading on the encounter of the two
disciples with Jesus on the way to Emmaus reminds us that we have
to persevere in remaining with Jesus. We need to encounter and be
with Him daily in the solitude of our hearts. That is possible when
we pray, when we meditate on the Holy Scriptures, when we receive
Him worthily in the Holy Eucharist, and when we witness to Jesus
through our deeds.
In the second week the theme is: God’s Word is our gate to
abundant life. We have the abundant life that Jesus promises when
we draw near to Him daily and confess: “Know the Lord is God,
our maker to whom we belong, whose people we are, God’s well
tended flock.” (Ps 100:3) Pope Benedict XVI says: Jesus Christ
is the Good Shepherd who leads us through the dark valleys; the Shepherd
who Himself walked the valley of the shadow of death. The Shepherd
who sets off to seek the lost sheep is the Eternal Word Himself,
and the sheep that He lovingly carries home is humanity, whose mortal
form He Himself took. The Incarnate Logos (Word) is the true “sheep-bearer” – the
Shepherd who follows after us through the thorns and deserts of our
life. Carried on His shoulders, we come home. He gave His life for
us. He Himself is life. (Jesus of Nazareth, pp. 285-286).
The third week’s theme is: God’s
Word delivers us out of darkness into His wonderful light. The
Word of God within us will
allow us to see the light of God shining before us. When we are weak,
the Holy Spirit will help us to be strong to withstand any temptation
and trial; when we are afflicted, He will give us the joy to bear
the momentary pain; when in dire need, we will be inspired to seek
provisions from God knowing that He will answer our fervent prayers.
He will give us the grace to love the unlovable; to forgive those
who have wronged us and to share our resources with the least of
our brethren; to do the deeds of Christ.
In the fourth week the theme is: God’s Word sanctifies our
hearts and leads us to holiness. As we have turned away from our
sinful past, we enthrone God’s Word, Jesus, in our hearts.
When Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, He gives us a double gift: the
gift of truth of conscience and the gift of certainty of redemption.
As we follow the commands of Jesus, we then have a conscience that
is alive; where the Holy Spirit is in our most secret core and sanctuary;
where we can hear the voice of God, who will command us to do good
and forbid evil; who will convince us about sin. (Dominum Et Vivicantem
by Pope John Paul II p. 55; 78) The Holy Spirit will allow us to
repent of any wrongdoing and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
If we are serious in pursuing our spiritual life and our salvation,
we should make every effort to avoid sin so that the Holy Spirit
can reside in our hearts. With the Holy Spirit in our hearts, He
will make us holy and acceptable to God.
God’s Word, Jesus Christ, is the goal
of human history, the focal point of the longings and civilization,
the center of the human
race, the joy of every heart and the answer to all its longings (Gaudium
et Spes p.68). If we continue to keep Jesus in our hearts by avoiding
sin and obeying His commandments He will keep our hearts burning
with love for God and for one another. He will lead us to the abundant
life and His wonderful light. Jesus will make us holy as our Father
in heaven is holy; truly deserving of the eternal life that He promises
us. (Mt 25: 46b; John 12:25)
Reflection for the month of February 2008
Word: Blessed are they who trust and bow to
the will of the Father
Order: “Whoever boasts, should boast in
the Lord.” (1Cor.1:31)
Reflection:
The month of February brings
us to the crux of our faith – Lent.
It is a time of introspection,
going into one’s self with the
Holy Spirit as guide. We can look at it as a time for spiritual
inventory
- going through our own “house” looking for things that
may add up to build a treasure
in heaven. That is what Lent is like.
There is something priceless right in our midst that we have
managed
to ignore, and disregard, maybe even spurn: our relationship with
God – the source of
our happiness, the key to life’s
meaning. And there is really only one question of absolute
significance
in life and that is, are we going to be saved, not unlike the question
our Born-Again
brothers/sisters in faith, frequently pose. All other
questions, goals, and considerations, even
those of love and justice,
are absolutely related to this question. St. Augustine wrote long
ago, “ O rich man, do you have everything but you do not have
God, you are nothing. O poor man,
do you have nothing but you have
God, you have everything.” Salvation, the destiny of everlasting
life and happiness in that mysterious reality we call “heaven”,
is the bottom line. And salvation is at
our own disposal when we
trust and bow to the will of the Father, for our blessing will flow
from
our transformation into the image of Christ.
The first Sunday of February, which is the 4th Sunday in the Ordinary
time, prepares us for Ash
Wednesday, which shows Christ as the
perfect image of God, living as he does in total abandon
to the
Will of the Father. In the Gospel, Matthew tells us: “When
Jesus saw the crowds, he went
up the mountain, and after he sat
down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them… ” (Mat.5:1)
In this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays down the disposition or “Be
Attitudes”
of those who are to inherit the Kingdom. It also
demonstrates the way he himself lived his
entire life. In Christ’s
trust and subservience to the will of the Father, he becomes our “Moral
Norm”,
that is, the norm by which we Christians are judged
and evaluated in all our thoughts, words and deeds.
Not some moral
law, but the person of Jesus Christ Himself. In the Kingdom of
God there is only
one teacher, the Messiah (cf Mt23:10); all must
listen to [his] words and put them into practice
(cf.Mt7:24), take
up his yoke and learn from him (cf.Mt.11:29). Salvation depends
on one’s
attitude to Jesus…” (CFC par.796, CBCP).
The second week brings us to the 1st Sunday
of Lent. In Genesis, we witness man becoming a
“living being”, meant for good
but sadly, succumbs to the wiles of the evil one. The Responsorial
Psalm acknowledges and begs for mercy and compassion for the evil
done in God’s sight. Unlike
the psalmist, whose heart recognizes
sin for what it is, a grave mistake made by many today is
denying
the evil of sin through nice thoughts about God’s compassion
and mercy. No one can
remain faithfully at the foot of the cross
and deny the utterly grotesque reality, which killed the
Son of God.
Jesus endured the agony because of sin, to take away sin. Many refuse
to recognize
that a lot of evil is also done by those who are selfish,
ignorant, culpably uninformed, and weak,
which includes many of us.
Sin enters too when we “…put the Lord, your God to the
test.”
(Mat.4:7) Many times unaware that we are putting God
to the test, we demand signs –
proof that God is really ‘there’,
or that God desires a particular decision or action.
We need signs
because we lack trust, and because of our inability to live with
ambiguity.
Knowing God’s will depends on a process of discernment,
not signs. When we place
too much importance upon individual “proof”,
we can be sadly misled. Far from thinking
that sin is nothing at
all, we should have the attitude of the saints who say that evil
is so
awful that we can’t bear to look it in the face. Today
is the time to make a firm resolve
to cease offending God by concrete
expressions of repentance and to be reconciled with
those who have
gone far from us because of our poor witnessing.
In the Second Reading of the 2nd Sunday of
Lent, St. Paul exhorts us to bear the hardship
that comes when
we are Christ’s disciples.
We are called to holiness and this journey begins
anew everyday when
we begin to see some fault of our own, some egotism, some self-pity,
something we haven’t given up or admitted to ourselves. Some
of us unfortunately never mature
sufficiently to take responsibility
for our failings, because we have not trusted and bowed to
the will
of the Father. Our barrier to holiness might look huge for now until
slowly the grace
of God shows us the only clear path over it. And
then we begin the arduous climb – picking up
one foot and putting
it in front of the other, one labored step at a time. The road to
holiness
doesn’t look easy, and it’s not. Only by the
grace of God can we successfully complete the
journey. Again the
blessings will come.
The last Sunday of February is the 3rd Sunday
of Lent. The readings of this Sunday give us
the symbol of water,
a universal need that
is known to every person. And our theme for this
week goes beyond
our need for water and reminds us to demonstrate our discipleship
in Christ
when we serve as vessels for the salvation of others. As
he did the Samaritan woman, Jesus
invites us to drink of the Spirit,
the only source that will never run dry; the deeper we drink
from
this well, the more abundantly it flows and the greater our capacity
to drink from it.
Like Moses, we are constantly being asked to be
the vessels for this living water, to “…
strike the rock
so the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” (Ex.17:5).
Many of us are heavily burdened, weary not
only from back-breaking labor, with blistered
hands from caring,
but also burned-out from
striving to secure divine favor with works.
We try to redeem ourselves
or keep in God’s good books by what we “do for God”.
This commercial way of thinking is widespread, and extends right
into our modern spiritual
communities. Certain of good will, with
utmost generosity, and growing zeal, people offer
God more and more
hours of work, or commit themselves to spending more time in pious
service for him. Let us look at Lent from another perspective, as
a time when God speaks
to the overzealous because he knows that when
we do too much of his work, it destroys
our inner peace: “Stop!
Break off! Relax and find rest with me. Smile, let go for a while
and know that I love you. Don’t you feel it? I love you. Can’t
you accept it?” He now
comes peacefully by the well to rest
from the journey and asks for a drink from the
Samaritan woman, who,
in a reversal of roles, ends up saying: “Give me this water,
Sir, so that I won’t grow thirsty and have to keep coming here
to draw water.” (John 4:15).
In our sometimes misguided zeal, we grit our
teeth and charge on, working, instead of letting
go and surrendering
to God, which is
also an attitude of faith and an evidence of our trust.
The true
Christian attitude does not consist solely in loving God, as in knowing
and accepting
the love of God. “Love, then consists in this:
not that we have loved God but that he has
loved us and has sent
his Son as an offering for our sins.” (1John 4:10) Then we
can truly
live St Paul’s message: “Whoever boasts, should
boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:31).
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WSC REFLECTION GUIDE
Readings: Gen 12:1-4a 2nd Sunday of Lent
Ps 33:4-5, 18-20,22 February 17, 2008
2 Tim 1:8b-10
Mt 17:1-9
Word: Blessed are they who trust and bow to the will of the Father.
Theme: We trust and bow to the will of the Father when we endure hardships
to heed His call.
[Perseverance]
Promise: “I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;. All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing
in you.” (Gen 12:2,3b))
Reflection:
“Bear
your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes
from God.” (2 Timothy
1:8)
This Sunday’s central theme is the perseverance that we must
show as disciples of Christ Jesus as we
encounter hardships in our
walk with Him. In the second reading, Paul urges Timothy, who as
bishop
of the church of Ephesus was burdened by the problems in the
community, to bear with such hardships
with the strength from God.
Paul reminds Timothy that it is God who “saved us and called
us to a holy life”
of service to Him and it is who will help
him triumph over his problems “according to his own design
and
grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus.” (2Tim 1:9) This
same message of Paul to Timothy is an exhortation
to us as present-day
disciples to persevere in bowing to God’s will and living according
to the Gospel
despite enormous difficulties.
As Paul reminded Timothy of God’s calling, the first reading
reminds us that we have been called by our
Lord to be with Him in
Heaven, “a land that I will show you”. (Gen 12:1b) As
our Lord directed Abram
to, “Go forth from the land of your
kinfolks and from your father’s house …” (Gen 12:1a),
we are being
asked to leave behind our old selves – our selfishness,
our pride, our unforgiveness, our material attachments.
And by starting
the journey with our Lord, we shall receive His blessings and be
blessings to others.
“All communities of the earth shall find
blessing in you.” (Gen 12:3b)
But as we answer this call, we are beset with
burdens and obstacles. These burdens tend to tempt us to
slide
back to our old selves and
to hinder us from living a life in Christ. These obstacles prevent
us from
receiving God’s blessings and from being a blessing
to others. Indeed, when faced with trials and struggles
in life and
in Community, we sometimes forget God’s call to holiness and
righteousness. When faced with
such hardships, the Gospel on Jesus’ Transfiguration
is meant to prod us back to the path toward God’s
kingdom.
It gives us a glimpse of the glory and the grandeur of what is to
be with God and to behold His
face as bright as the sun and His clothes
as white as light. It serves to remind us of the Father’s words,
“This
is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Mt
17:5b)
Prayer:
Father God, whenever I experience hardships and burdens in life and
in Community, I pray for the grace
of perseverance. May I always
be reminded that because You have called me to serve You, I am
in Your
Hand. You, Father God, are greater than any and all of
my difficulties. May I be inspired by Your glorious
transfiguration
and be focused only on my hope of someday being with You in Your
kingdom in heaven.
Like Abram, may I follow Your will all the days
of my life. All these I pray through Your Son and the
Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Suggested Personal Reflection Guide
1. In this season of Lent, let us introspect. Ask yourself, what
are the burdens in my life that tempt me to
slide back to my former
selfish, proud, unforgiving, and material self? How are these hindering
me from
living a renewed life in Christ?
2. What are the obstacles in my life that prevent me from being a
blessing to my family and to my brothers
and sisters in Community?
Pray for the grace to persevere in your walk with the Lord?
Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
February 18, 2008 (Mon): Dn 9:4-10; Ps 79:8-13; Lk 6:36-38
February 19, 2008 (Tue): Is 1:10-20; Ps 50:8-23; Mt. 23:1-12
February 20, 2008 (Wed): Jr 18:18-20; Ps 31: 5-16; Mt. 20:17-28
February 21, 2008 (Thur): Jr 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-6; Lk 16:19-31
February 22, 2008 (Fri): 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 16:13-19
February 23, 2008 (Sat): Mi 7:14-20; Ps 103:1-12; Lk 15: 1-32
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance
of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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WORD, THEMES & PROMISES
FOR MARCH 2008
READINGS
· March 02 1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41
· March 09 Ez 37:12-14; Ps 130:1-8; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45
· March 16 Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 13-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14-27:66
· March 23 Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Col 3:1-4
or
1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9
· March 30 Acts 2:42-47; Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Pt 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31
WORD
Jesus looks into the heart of those who imitate
His life and receive His Spirit.
ORDER
“ Live as children of light, for light produces every kind
of goodness and righteousness and truth.” (Eph 5:9)
PROPHECIES
1. I will always be with you till the end of time; trust Me with
all of your heart, mind and strength.
2. Do not be disheartened by your trials and difficulties because
I am working on them; remain focused on me.
3. Be children of light and live My gospel of truth and love.
DIRECTIONS
1. Continue to persevere
in faith; reconcile with God through the sacrament’ and forgive
and reconcile with those who have hurt and wronged you.
2. As children of God in Community, treat each other with God’s
goodness and righteousness.
3. Be a good witness in word and deed!
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THEMES AND PROMISES
Week#1 (4th Sunday of Lent) [Witnessing]
Theme: We imitate the life of Jesus and receive His Spirit when
we bring His light to others.
Promise: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ
will give you light.” (Eph 5:14)
Week#2 (5th Sunday of Lent) [Righteousness]
Theme: We imitate the life of Jesus and receive His Spirit when we do not
live according to the flesh.
Promise: “I will put my spirit in you that you may live.” (Eph
37:14)
Week #3 (Palm Sunday) [Humility]
Theme: We imitate the life of Jesus and receive His Spirit when
we die unto ourselves.
Promise: “The Lord is my help, therefore I am not disgraced.” (Is
50:7)
Week #4 (Easter Sunday) [Detachment]
Theme: We imitate the life of Jesus and receive His Spirit when
we seek what is above.
Promise: “When Christ your life appears, then you too will
appear with Him in glory.” (Col 3:4)
Week #5 (2nd Sunday of Easter) [Faith]
Theme: We imitate the life of Jesus and receive His Spirit when
we profess that He is our Lord and our God.
Promise: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (Jn
20:28)
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WSC REFLECTION GUIDE
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