Daily Bible Reflections

June 27, 2011
IF -THEN –ELSE

A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” – Matthew 8:19-20

In computer programming, there is a procedure known as the “IF-THEN-ELSE” statement. For example, you have a program that asks: “What is 1 + 1?” The answer can be programmed like this:
IF answer = 2, THEN display message “Correct!”
ELSE display message “Incorrect.”
Many of us are programmed with the IF-THEN-ELSE statement.
IF our lives are OK, THEN we take time to pray and put our faith in God. ELSE, we forget about praying and relying on God and go our own way.
IF serving is easy, THEN we serve. ELSE, we say no, I’m busy.
IF somebody is watching us, THEN we do the right thing. ELSE, we try to get away with the wrong thing.
But we can change our programming with God’s grace and mercy. When faced with uncertainties and temptations, just say this popular teen expression: WHATEVER!
Whatever the conditions, follow God. Jun Asis (mabuting.balita@gmail.com)
27
REFLECTION:
Is my obedience to God dependent on feelings and circumstances?

Dear Lord, I will follow You whatever the circumstances may be. Whether the way is easy or hard, I will rely on You alone. Amen.

Daily Bible Reflections

June 26, 2011
Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE

“For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.” – John 6:55

In the 8th century, in the town of Lanciano in Italy, a Basilian priest’s faith was wavering. He feared he was losing his vocation.
His doubts were particularly strong one morning as he began Mass. As he consecrated the bread and wine, an astounding miracle happened. The host turned into real flesh and the wine into real blood!
The miracle did not stop there. After more than 1,300 years, you would expect the relics to have disintegrated. Instead, it can still be found in the reliquary. Recent scientific tests showed that the flesh is human flesh consisting of the muscular tissue of the heart. The blood in the chalice has coagulated but when the scientists liquefied it, they found the proteins and minerals of freshly shed blood.
This first and greatest Eucharistic miracle has changed doubting Thomases to become believers in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. But we need to realize that we don’t need to travel all the way to Italy to witness this miracle. It happens every day, in every Catholic church around the world, during the consecration at Mass. Go and witness it yourself. Cecil Lim (cez_lim@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
“What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

Lord, transform me with Your Body and Blood.

Daily Bible Reflections

June 24, 2011

Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist
24
CRITICISM AND PRAISE

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. – Isaiah 49:4

I was catching up with reading three weeks’ worth of emails from readers of our publications. I received three consecutive emails reacting to a reflection I wrote for Didache that day.
One after another, the senders criticized my use of the word “dictator” for President Ferdinand Marcos. Honestly, I didn’t mean to offend anyone and had related the story of the Marcoses’ hasty departure from the Malacañang as a historical fact.
By the third email, I was already feeling down. But as I continued reading my emails, another string of messages came, telling me how another Didache reflection I had written had touched them. This time, I received thrice as many encouraging emails than those that had criticized my previous reflection.
I sat in church that morning thanking God for the criticisms and the praise. The former taught me to be more sensitive to the implications of the words I use. It also humbled me. As for the praise, I took it as God’s way of telling me to keep on with what I’m doing even if I can’t please everybody all the time. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com)

REFLECTION:
“It is not the critic who counts.... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is no effort without error and shortcomings.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

Lord, help me to accept criticism humbly and praise You even more so.

Life Lessons

Written by a 90 - year - old !

This is something we should all read at least once a week!
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:


1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets . Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

- Regina Brett