Daily Bible Reflections - April 17,2013

EAT YOUR HEART OUT

 

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” – John 6:35

 

It was our Caring Group’s Christmas celebration. It was also the birthday of one of the brothers, so he and his wife hosted our dinner. They laid an abundant feast before us! There was veggie salad, stuffed turkey, roasted pork, fish, squid, shrimps and other dishes. There was also a variety of desserts and drinks.

After eating, we felt we needed to confess the sin of gluttony! But this couple-host’s generosity didn’t stop there.  They even sent us home with more food for our kids!

If our friends could be immensely generous with us, how much more our big God? He has blessed me with loving family members and friends. He has given my husband a well-paying job so we can send our son to college. He healed my husband and my son when they were both down with flu. He hears my prayers for loved ones who are sick. He gave us a faithful househelp when many are looking for helpers.

He allowed us to get a 10-year multiple-entry U.S. visa. He keeps us safe and protected.

Indeed, our God is amazing! He fills and satisfies us. With Him, we will never go hungry and never be thirsty. Sol Saura (sol_saura@yahoo.com)

 

Reflection: Whoever has God lacks nothing: God alone is enough. (St. Teresa of Avila)

 

Lord, You are the Bread of Life. We believe that You shall fill our every need.

 

Blessed Katéri Tekakwitha, virgin, pray for us.

Daily Bible Readings - April 15,2013

1^ST READING

Stephen knows what he believes in and is willing to die for it. The only way authorities can convict him of anything is by fabricating a case against him. As we look at the death of Stephen, we see that much of it is patterned after the death of Jesus. Why? Perhaps Luke wants the first martyr to be seen within the ambit of Christ’s passion and death so as to emphasize that a martyr’s witness is not to him or her self but to Christ.

 

Acts 6:8-15

 

8Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, 10 but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law. 14 For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

R: Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

23 Though princes meet and talk against me, your servant meditates on your statutes. 24 Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors. (R) 26 I declared my ways, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. 27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds. (R) 29 Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law. 30 The way of truth I have chosen; I have set your ordinances before me. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

What motivations drive us? Are we focused on the superficial things of the world or do we look deeper into the spiritual realm of things? Jesus challenges the crowd to look beyond their superficial desires and address their deeper hunger the hunger for salvation — to know the true meaning of their lives. This is a challenge that will always be with us.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

One does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

 

John 6:22-29

22 [After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.] The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. 23 Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they asked him,  What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

 

think:  Jesus challenges us to look beyond our superficial desires and address our deeper hunger — the hunger for salvation.

 

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: __________________

 

____________________________________

 

God’s special verse/thought for me today_

_____________________________________

 

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Leviticus 10-12

Daily Bible Reflections - April 15,2013

THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION

 

Napoleon and a nearsighted friend were once looking out of a window. Napoleon admired some distant stars which his friend could not see, and so he said, “That’s the difference between you and me.” What he meant was that he, Napoleon, was a man of vision who looks at the far horizon 

is able to see the stars, while his friend sees only what is nearby. “

Do not work for food that perishes but for food that endures for eternal life,” Jesus told the crowd who came to have their bellies filled once again through a miraculous multiplication of a few loaves.

It is understandable that we worry and care a lot about our physical needs. But there is a danger, which St. John Chrysostom expressed when he said, “Men are nailed to the things of this life.” We can easily become so occupied with the needs of daily life that we forget to look to the horizon of our lives and what lies beyond – eternal life.

Even religion can be abused by a materialistic approach, forgetting or ignoring the spiritual gifts that religion is supposed to give. The British philosopher Bertrand Russel wrote a book entitled Why I Am Not a Christian. In this book, he laments that so many Christians use religion only to gain friends, money and prestige, and some politicians find religion useful to gain votes.

How come that in our country, the “only Christian country in Asia,” as we proudly call it, graft and criminality are so rampant? How come that, in a country that prides itself of so many churches, colorful fiestas, crowds that flock to churches during the Simbang Gabi and Holy Week, so many un-Christian attitudes flourish?

Maybe the words of Jesus that we hear today can inspire us to look beyond the horizon of our lives and become more concerned with “the food that endures for eternal life.”

Maybe we will focus more on the essence of our religion than on using it for some temporal gains. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do religion, attending Mass and prayer meetings have an influence on your daily dealing with others?

 

Lord, Your words are again eye-openers. Open my eyes to what is essential so that I will not miss eternal life with You.

Daily Bible Reflections - April 12,2013

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT   When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” – John 6:12   As a child, my parents taught my siblings and me not to waste food (among other resources). My dad, in particular, insisted that we always eat everything on our plate, saying that there were many hungry kids all over the world who were not as materially blessed as we were. This is something I am, in turn, trying to teach my own children: to be grateful for what we have, and not to waste whatever blessings and resources God has given us. We recently welcomed the Easter season, which was preceded by 40 days of Lent — a time for prayer, reflection, fasting and good works. It was a time for self-denial and sharing our blessings with others. We need to remember, though, that denying one’s self and sharing with others shouldn’t just be a Lenten practice but something we must do every day. We shouldn’t waste the time, talent and treasure God has given us. Instead, we should allow these to be blessed, used and multiplied so that others can benefit from them. Tina Santiago-Rodriguez (teachermamatina@gmail.com)   Reflection: Think about what you can do to reduce wastage of food and other resources in your home. Also, offer your time, talent and treasure in service to God.   Lord, thank You for all Your blessings. Please help me not to waste what You’ve given me and to share what I can with others.   St. Teresa of Los Andes, pray for us.