Category: Gospel Reading

Gospel Reading and Reflection

JOHN 20: 24-29 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (July 3, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

Thomas, the twin, one of the twelve, was not with them hen Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he replied, “Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand on his side, I will not believe.”

Eight days later, the disciples were again inside the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you!”

Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; Stretch our hand, and put is into my side. Do not continue in your disbelief, but believe!”

Thomas said, “You are my Lord and my God.” Jesus replied, “You believe because you see me, don’t you? Happy are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

POINTS OF REFLECTION

Oftentimes tragedies of life, may corrupt man’s faith and create some doubts which hope for some evidences under man’s naked senses. Thomas was gravely affected by Jesus crucifixion. The object of his hope was Jesus yet was taken from them in a shameful death in the cross. Try to figure out Thomas frustration during those times. If we were fortunate to be in his place, what do you think our feelings would be?  Wouldn’t   be the same as that of Thomas or even worst?

So much trouble would likely broke spirit probably the reason why Thomas has acted in the way describe in the Bible reading. Jesus appearance in a close room prayer meeting was not about proving Thomas that He was really that powerful; instead He purposely appeared to save Thomas from his trouble and dilemma. Notice Jesus greetings to them as he said “Peace be with you”, meaning His disciples were not in peace but only attain peace with His presence.

The faltering faith of Thomas was fixed in that instant as he responded “My Lord and my God.” Tell you brothers and sisters, Thomas faith was restored and moved tremendously into the works of proclaiming God’s words more than anyone had done during those times.

Several times in our lives we become like Thomas as he doubted God’s resurrection. But could we be like Thomas in works of proclaiming God’s words? It is our prayer that while we may be like Thomas in disbelief, we may be like him also in his pursuit and dedication to serve God by doing His will until the rest of this life. And in the final note, always remember what Jesus said “Happy are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” While the opportunity of seeing Jesus is beyond possibility, a believing heart is an object of man happiness in the Lord. Doubt no more, go in peace with a happy heart.

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MATTHEW 9: 1-8 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (July 2, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown. Here, they brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic.” Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven.”

Some teachers of the law said within themselves, “This man insult God.”

Jesus was aware of what they were thinking; and said, “Why have you such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: ‘your sins are forgiven’ or ‘stand up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins,”  he said to the paralyzed man, Stand up! Take your stretcher and go home!”  The man got up, and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe, and praised God for giving such power to human beings.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

When Jesus came back to his hometown, they brought him a paralyzed man lying in bed and He then able to see their faith. Jesus made noticed a worthy faith of the group who carried the paralyzed man. In this scenario, it is the faith of the many, carrying group that made up Jesus to forgive the paralyzed man and made that stand again in his feet. This people became witnesses of Jesus as He declares forgiveness of sin unto the paralyzed man.

The scenario also told us that sins undermined and weaken man’s physical being, spiritual being and emotional being.  This in return teaches us that man is in state of paralysis without the forgiveness of God. Man cannot stand back on his feet until the blessings of forgiveness are granted.

When the teachers of the law thought that Jesus blasphemed God by saying that the sins of the paralyzed man was forgiven, He to them in front of the believers that the Son of man has the power to forgive the sins by saying “Stand up! Take your stretcher and go home!” This bold declaration of Jesus in front of the doubting teachers became our greatest home of redemption that being sinners is not hopeless for Jesus has the power to forgive our sins. Only Jesus can make us clean in the eyes of the Father in heaven.

In general brothers and sisters, all are paralyze away from God. Everyone needs a community of believers to carry those who are paralyzing as wages of sins. Let it happen that everyone’s experience in the community be revealing like this Bible reading that we have now.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, we are not worthy to witness your act of forgiveness but we are hungry of your forgiveness please grant as the king of forgiveness like the paralyzed man has received in this gospel reading. We praise and glorify your holy name. Amen..

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MATTHEW 8: 28-34 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION ( JULY 1, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

When Jesus reached Gadara, on the other side, he was met by two men, possessed by devils, who came out from the tombs. They were so fierce that no one dared to pass that way. They cried out, ” Son of God, leave us alone! Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. So the demons begged him, ” If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
Jesus ordered them, ” Go!” So the demons left the men and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and was drowned. The men in charge of the pigs ran off to the town, where they told the whole story; and also what had happened to the men possessed with the demons. The whole town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

POINT OF REFLECTION

Life in a greater perspective is a battle between two forces, evil and good. It is also a two way direction, going to hell or going to heaven. It is also a two option relationship which leaves no option in between but God or Satan.

In this Bible reading, the Gadara region was infected with evil spirit possessing two of their men living in a tomb. Though the community folks stayed untouched and in peace by avoiding the evil’s place, their being unaffected by the evil’s presence and showing no concern about the torment of the possessed does not make them any good to the Lord. Worst the herd of evil may even possessed the whole community without Jesus with them in a couple of days. But look! what they had done, after knowing what Jesus had done to the demons? They begged him not to stay on their region.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, life could never be in between. While we have still enough time to do so, make sure to pick the right choice with the Father in heaven. Do it now and acclaim oneself to Him  alone who is mighty and savior for tomorrow might be late for you. To God be the glory.

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MATTHEW 8: 23-27 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 30, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

Jesus got into the boat and His disciples follow him. Without warning, a fierce storm burst upon the lake, with waves sweeping the boat. But Jesus was asleep. The disciples woke him up and cried, “Lord save us!  We are lost!’” But Jesus answered, “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?”  Then He stood up and rebuked the wind and sea; it became completely calm. The disciple was astonished. They said, “What kind of man is he? Even the winds and sea obey him.”

POINTS OF REFLECTION

Brothers and sisters, life is  woozy like on a  boat. It is difficult to achieve stability. The “ fierce storm in the reading” represents the different challenges of man. Like Disciples of Christ, fear and worries hostage their hearts and minds almost forgetting Jesus was with them. That was how  they were controlled  by their actuation.

When Jesus said “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” This reminded us that whatever the level of difficulties and  challenges that we might be in, Jesus can stop it anytime if he want to. The response of nature unto him was a sign of full authority, not only to us human but included forces and powers of nature. Nothing happen without the Divine intervention.

Finally brothers and sisters, trials, problems, and other hard of this life are natural. Likewise man’s reaction to these adversities is fears and worries. But remember Jesus has full authority over and above this earth that whatever he commanded, will be doned. What we need to have is faith to be able to connect ourselves to God so that His will be done unto us.

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MATTHEW 16: 13-19 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 29, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

After that Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say  the Son of Man is? They said, “For some of them, you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets.”  Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “ It is well for you, Simon, Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.  And now I say to you; you are Peter; and on this Rock I will build my church; and never will the powers of death overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heavens: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The world is full of trials and tribulations that even faith in God does not spare believers from their hardship of this life. It even hinders active engagement to the Father because of divided attention brought about by worldly worries. However, as Jesus said to Peter that “ It is well for you, Simon, Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.”  Jesus reminded us that to know Him is not more of man’s effort but by the grace of the Father in heaven. If you have known God by this time, it is not to anybody’s credit but instead a divine blessing that you must be thankful of.

The blessing of wisdom is a divine gift. A gift that will strengthen believers special from the rest of the people for, faithful find an invincible joy, happiness, tranquility, calmness and peace in adversities as a product of their indestructible faith in him. This is the gift that Christians, apostles, martyrs and the cloud of witnesses have on their steadfast of faith. It is this kind of faith that allows Christian community to grow in numbers throughout the year amidst too much persecution.

In totality brothers and sisters, it is not right to say that believers are free from trials and hardship of the life. Faith must be tested with trials and tribulation before God bliss us the wisdom of knowing Him. It is God alone who can reveal himself in us in perfect timing.

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MATTHEW 10: 37-42 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 28, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

 

Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life. for my  sake, will find it.

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who sent me. The one who welcomes a prophet, as a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man, because he is a just man; will receive the reward of a just man. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is my disciple, O assures you, he will not go unrewarded.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

This Bible reading showed us that life could in two options. These options could be an earthly life or life in heaven.

Verses 37-39 (1st paragraph) warn us that choosing a life in the light of this world would not lead us any further beyond this life. It falls on the saying that goes “ones soul’s belong where one’s heart belong.” Meaning, life would be in great trouble if we fixed our eyes on this world alone for this world has nothing to offer but temporal life.

Verses 40-42 (2nd paragraph) encourage us to offer our everything to God for a reward will be kept in heaven for us beyond this life. Keeping sight off from oneself is like searching for life unto Jesus. Offering our whole self to him is sharing our lives to others in their struggles with Jesus.

Remember, brothers and sisters life is not better off from Jesus. Heap of rewards  are in heaven in exchange of  doing good  to the least of our fellow.

PRAYER

Lord, let me give of myself completely to you and to the people I love and serve.  Let me not count the cost for loving you and your people for by doing, is reward in itself.

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MATTHEW 8: 5-17 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JUNE 27, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

When Jesus entered into the Capernaum, an army captain approached him, ask his help, “Sir my servant lies sick at home. He is paralyzed and suffers terribly.”Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The captain answered, “I am not worthy to have you under my roof, just give an order and my boy will be healed. For I myself, a junior officer, give orders to my soldiers. And if I say to one, ‘Go!’ he goes; and if I say to another, ‘Come!’  He comes; and if I say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished; and said to those who were following him, “I tell you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I say to you, many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the heirs of the kingdom  will be thrown out into extreme darkness; there, they will wail and grind their teeth.” Then Jesus said to the captain, “Go home now. As you believed, so let it be.” And at that moment, his servant was healed. Jesus went to Peter’s house and found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He took her by the hand and the fever left her’ she got and began to wait on him. Toward evening, the brought to Jesus many people possessed by evil spirits; and with a word, he drove out the spirits. He also healed all who were sick, In this way, what was said by the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: He bore our infirmities and took on himself our diseases.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The encounter of the captain and Jesus was a wonderful encounter of faith culminated with a genuine trust unto him. When the centurion said “my servant lies sick at home paralyzed and suffer terribly” is the same us our lives most especially in this trying time. We need a captain who can facilitate a wonderful encounter of faith to fetch us out of this difficult situation. But wait, who do you think are these captain representative of us now?

Brothers and sisters upon birth, we can be either a servant (boy) or a captain. If by assessment failed to be a servant, then be a captain. Knowledge of our Christian duties and responsibilities is important to be able to align our actions to the will of the Father.

To be a servant is not easy for a servant is the subject of pain and sufferings however, there is no need to worry about because a captain will come to facilitate the greatest encounter of faith unto Jesus. The very least the servant would do is to offer the whole of his life to Jesus for healing. Being the captain, should continue to facilitate meaningful encounter by proclaiming the gospel of the Lord unto the sick majority.

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MATTHEW 8: 1-4 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JUNE 26, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowd followed Him. Then a leper came forward. He knelt before Him and said, ” Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretch out His hand, touched him and said, ” I want to, be clean again.” At that very moment, the man was cleansed from his leprosy. Then Jesus said to Him, ” See that you do not tell anyone, but go to a priest, have yourself declared clean, and offer the gift that Moses commanded as evidence for them.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

When the leper said, ” Sir if you want to, you can make me clean.” this was a declaration of a fully trusting heart. It is also an expression of genuine faith unto Jesus. This is also the same trust and faith that move Jesus wanting to clean the leper. It is in the same that led Him to stretch His hands into an act of cleansing the leper. Brothèrs and sisters, our trust and faith would truly touch God’s compassion. His wants and responses of answering our needs and perhaps some of our wants, not inimical to us in search for His kingdom, could be touched by the quality of our faith.

When Jesus said ” go to the priest and have yourself declared clean and do some offerings as Moses had commanded,” encourages us to do our witnessing not in private but in christian assemblies and offer gifts of thanks giving by helping those who are in dire needs just around the community.

Yes! Brothers and sisters faith can move mountain but only when it is truly alive in the display of one’s work.

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MATTHEW: 7: 21-29 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JUNE 25, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but  the one who  does the will of  my heavenly Father.  Many will say  to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly, ‘ I have never known you;  away from me, you evil people!’ “Therefore, anyone who  hears these words of mine, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock, The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house.  But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock, But anyone who hears these words of mine, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand, The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!” When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were struck by the way he taught, because he taught with authority, unlike their teachers of the law.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

According to St. James, “Show me your the faith without work and I will show you my faith with work.” Brothers and sisters, word is powerful when it hails from the Bible for it is no ordinary word but the word of the Lord.

Word in the human context is usually cheap. It may sounds good but most of the time not because many of these words may not translate into appropriate actions that produces a positive change of a person. Furthermore, spoken words stir up various feelings and emotions but it will remain less in value not until these words  boil down into concrete action and meaningful change into ourselves.

Faith is an imprint of the words from the Bible which gradually shaped our hearts into becoming faithful to the Lord by following the ways of Jesus as the gateway of salvation.

Finally, word in the human context is cheap but the word of the Lord is powerful like a double edged sword that could create a cut in our person being undesirable to Him and to the fellow Christians.

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LUKE  1 : 57-66 -80 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JUNE 24, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

 

When the time came for Elizabeth, she give birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives  heard  the merciful  lord had  done a wonderful  thing for her,  and they rejoice with her.

When, the eight day, they came to attend the circumcision of the child, they wanted to name  him Zachariah  after his father.  But his mother said, “ not so he shall be called John.”

They said to her, “ But no one in your family has that name!”  and they made signs to his father  for the name he wanted to give him, Zachariah asked for a writing tablet. And wrote on it,  “ HI name is John; “ and they were very surprised, immediately, Zachariah could speak again, and his words were in praise of God. A holy fear came on all  in the neighborhood, and throughout the hill country of Judea the people talked about these events. All who heard of id pondered in their minds. And wondered, “what will this child be?” For they understood that the hand of the Lord was with him.

As the child grows up, he was seen to be strong in the Spirit; and he lived in the desert, until the day when he appeared openly in Israel.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

All of us in this world came by destiny. That is   why, regardless of what we do outside God’s plan will turn into nothing. There is nothing wrong about doing our best in fact, appreciable as long as you did it in accordance to the will of God.

In this Bible reading, John “the Baptist” was born ahead of Jesus. He is regarded as the voice in the dessert calling out loud “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.”

John knows his place when Jesus came to him and got baptized. Though John was the subject of men’s eye during his time, he knows he is the second and that Jesus is the first.  And he was very happy about it. John’s recognition was not important but Jesus was through his humble works.

Everyone’s role in this world is pre-charted. Our mission is to perform our roles according to what God wants us to do. John was destined to prepare the way of the Lord by proclaiming the gospel and baptizing those who wanted to turn to Jesus. John even baptize Jesus from the very start regardless of authority and power because every role is greater than anybody within the tenets of service so things will be prepared in a way should be.  In the concept of service, all has the right to avail regardless of personality; authority and power as Jesus submit himself to be baptized by John.

The challenge brothers and sisters, we are the new version of John. In our own way, how could we be able to prepare the way of the Lord? While John is considered as the “voice of the dessert”, How would you like to be called by doing the same? Our God is the same God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. We need to prepare His coming in the same way John had done some two thousand years ago.

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