Feb
20

Bible Reflections from Kyregma

Filed Under (Bible Verses/Readings, Religion, poems/sayings/quotes) by maruby on 20-02-2008

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      

      

       
WiSE iNVESTMENT
 
“He
will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all the
other nations He has made and you will be sacred to the Lord, your God,
as He promised.” – Deuteronomy 26:19
 
The
financial crisis at the close of the millennium took its toll on our
company. Our company closed down and I lost my job. My income was
reduced considerably but the costs in our prayer outreach to the
provinces were increasing. My retirement money and savings, which were
the principal source of the outreach operating funds, was now
dwindling. I was bothered but I didn’t fear. For months, we continued
with our outreach  activities. I placed my trust in God, calling Him
Jehovah-Jireh, my God who supplies.
      
Not long after, the foreclosed properties that I used to manage were
offered back to me to rehabilitate and operate on a personal capacity.
The markets recovered and the operations made money. I had invested
money into the Father’s business; now the Father gave back the money
many times over.
      
Two years after reopening the business, the regional BIR office honored
us as the best individual taxpayer in the province! Rolly España
 
REFLECTION:
“My God will fully supply whatever you need according to His riches and glory.” (Philippians 4:19)
 
Heavenly Father, You are the God who does not fail to supply our needs!
 
         


Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

       

SABBATH

 

love your eneMy
 
One
time, I asked a group of church workers in my parish what for them is
the most difficult command of Jesus. The response was almost unanimous
— it is about Jesus’ teaching on loving one’s enemies. Who of us do not
really have a hard time living out this very difficult precept?
      
It is hard to do, perhaps, for several reasons. Once we are hurt we
focus on the pain that we are nursing inside. This sometimes makes it
difficult to see beyond the self. So we lick our wounds and engage in
self-pity.
      
Another reason also is our desire to get even. We sometimes feel that
unless our enemies suffer just as we have suffered, we won’t really be
at peace. So we engage in different tactics just so we can exact
vengeance.
      
But allowing ourselves to hate our enemy will only prove one thing—that
the enemy is already taking control of our life. Hence, even our most
private moments are invaded by the thought of them. And when it happens
we are physically affected—just the thought of our enemies makes our
heart beat faster or we lose our good mood. I know of people who, while
lying in bed getting ready to sleep at night, suddenly think of an
enemy. As quickly as the unexpected thought comes, his fist clenches
and he gnashes his teeth. What a way to spend the night before
sleeping.
      
Jesus offers an excellent solution in today’s gospel: instead of hating
them, love them, pray for them in all humility. Once you are able to
lift them up to God, you know that you can never remain that person’s
enemy. You cannot go on hating a person in the presence of God. Hence,
when you pray for your enemy, the resentment in you dies. And once this
happens, your attitude towards the enemy changes. And even if the
thought of him comes, you’llnever be agitated. Fr. Sandy Enhaynes
 
Reflection Question:
Can you sincerely love your enemy?
 
Jesus,
Your commandment to love our enemies is difficult but doable by Your
grace. Pour upon us all the good we need and enable us to accept and
love those who offend us.
 
St. Onesimus, martyr, pray for us.
 
         


Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

       

COMPANION

 

1st READING
 
We
have a covenant relationship with God as expressed in the Sacrament of
Baptism where we are marked forever with the seal of the Lord — marked
as His own possession. The Sacrament of the Eucharist also celebrates
this covenant in that it is the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross,
remembered and made present in the Eucharist that is the basis of the
covenant of love God has made with us, His people. Covenants are all
about reciprocal commitments. We know God’s commitment to us will not
waver. What about our commitment to Him?
 
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
16 “This
day the LORD, your God, commands you to observe these statutes and
decrees. Be careful, then, to observe them with all your heart and with
all your soul. 17 Today
you are making this agreement with the LORD he is to be your God and
you are to walk in his ways and observe his statutes, commandments and
decrees, and to hearken to his voice. 18 And
today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a
people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep
all his commandments, 19 he
will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other
nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your
God, as he promised.”
 
P S A L M
 
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R: Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
1 Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. (R) 4 You have commanded that your precepts be
diligently kept. 5 Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes! (R) 7 I will give you thanks with an upright heart, when I have learned your just ordinances. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. (R)
 
G O S P E L
 
We
are called to live a perfect life in imitation of Christ and as a
witness to the world. This is no easy task but it must be possible or
else God would not place it before us as His will. It is a lifelong
task that will require our constant attention and effort. However, in
the common parlance of today’s generation, the benefits are simply “out
of this world!” If you believe this, you will have no problem in giving
your life over to the pursuit of perfection in Christ.
 
Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and
causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
 
my reflections
think:We know God’s commitment to us will not waiver. What about our commitment to Him?


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