Daily Bible Reflections
for July 23, 2006
;

Dear Friend,

Thank God for your loved ones this Sunday.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



23
July
Sunday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

AMAZING GRACE

?But now, in Christ Jesus and by his blood, you who were once far off have come near.? ? Ephesians 2:13

I really enjoy going to mass at our church, Merciful Redeemer. It is an opportunity to see God?s Grace in this world.
      The reason I say this is because you literally can see all kinds of people who come from ?the ends of the earth?. Our parish priest is from Eastern Europe, so are a number of the parishioners. The visiting seminarian is from Italy and his kind is not a minority either. Red heads that you know are of Irish descent. What was a pleasant surprise was there are quite a few Indians and other South Asians who are Chinese or Chinese-looking. Of course, the Filipinos are well represented too.
      Amazing.
      A hodge-podge of humanity that comes together week after week, to worship our God: singing, praising, and receiving His Holy Eucharist as one people. And our church is always filled, very similar to back home in the Philippines.
      Amazing.

REFLECTION:
Do we share our faith with others who are different from us?

Help us to see you in the different faces we encounter, O Lord.

The all-new Feast mobile app is finally here! All the content you love from here may also be found in our new app and so much more! Please make sure to download the new Feast App, as we will eventually stop updating this version soon.

Let's continue to grow together with our all-new Feast app! Download and upgrade today: Feast App for Android | Feast App for iOS.


Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

Get your daily readings and more for free inside the Feast App!
Google PlayStore     iOS AppStore

COMPANION

1st READING

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Leaders carry with them a tremendous responsibility for the lives of others. They must never forget this or fail to live up to their duties. Such responsibility is so big that it is unlikely that someone would desire to be a leader if they realized the full extent of such responsibility. This is why humility is such an important character trait in good leaders. Without the virtue of humility, it is impossible to be a good leader. Let us pray that all of our leaders will grow in this virtue every day.

1 Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD. 2 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds. 3 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply. 4 I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD. 5 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: ?The LORD our justice.?

P S A L M
 
Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name?s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. (R)

2nd READING

Ephesians 2:13-18

The shedding of blood is essential to the Jewish understanding of forgiveness of sins. The blood carries the life essence of the animal or person and is thus seen as the highest form of offering possible. That is, until Jesus, who also offers His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, teaches us that the greatest sacrifice is obedience to His Father?s Will. No longer do we have to depend on bloody sacrifices in the Temple. Now we can each offer our own sacrifices in terms of being obedient to God?s call upon our lives.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, 15 abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

G O S P E L

Mark 6:30-34

It is so pitiful to watch a group of people wander aimlessly through life for want of a little direction. This is why personal reflection is so important. Unless we are in the habit of reflecting regularly upon the direction of our lives it is likely that we are going to come to a time when we do so and discover that we are totally unsatisfied with where we find ourselves. This is a tragedy that is quite easily avoided if we place our lives in the hands of God and regularly seek instructions from Him as to the direction we should be traveling.

30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, ?Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.? People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 33 People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. 34 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

my reflections
think:
Without the virtue of humility, it is impossible to be a good leader.

________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

God?s special verse/thought for me today________________

_________________________________________________________
  
T O D A Y ? S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 31-33

SABBATH PAUSE

My weekly time with God

THANK YOU LIST

Things to be grateful for from the past week

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL NEEDS

Things to ask God for in the coming week

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

HIDDEN TREASURE

Most important word God told me this week

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________ 
  

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

St. Alban
Martyr (third century)

?My name is Alban, and I worship and adore the living and true God, who created all things.?

St. Alban was a prominent citizen ? possibly a soldier ? who lived in Roman-occupied Britain sometime in the third century. According to the legend recounted in Bede?s history of the English church, Alban gave shelter to a priest fleeing persecution. Although Alban was a non-Christian, he was touched by the piety of his guest, and after several days he asked to receive instruction and to be baptized in the Christian faith. Aware that soldiers were in close pursuit, Alban contrived to assist the priest?s escape by exchanging clothes. When the soldiers arrived at his house they seized Alban, dressed in the priest?s cloak, and led him bound to the judge. Upon discovering his identity, the enraged judge declared, ?Since you have chosen to conceal a sacrilegious rebel rather than surrender him to my soldiers to pay the well-deserved penalty for his blasphemy against our gods, you shall undergo all the tortures due to him if you dare to abandon the practice of our religion.? Alban declared himself to be a Christian and willingly submitted to the judgment of the court. He was flogged and beheaded.
      Bede records that Alban?s executioner was so moved by the courage and fate of the condemned that he in turn confessed the faith and was ?baptized? in the blood of his own martyrdom. And so the principle of mercy, once enacted by Alban, set in motion on endless chain reaction, continued in the memory and the telling of his story.

The all-new Feast mobile app is finally here! All the content you love from here may also be found in our new app and so much more! Please make sure to download the new Feast App, as we will eventually stop updating this version soon.

Let's continue to grow together with our all-new Feast app! Download and upgrade today: Feast App for Android | Feast App for iOS.


Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

Get your daily readings and more for free inside the Feast App!
Google PlayStore     iOS AppStore

SABBATH

BEING FAITHFUL TO MY CALL

One of the faults of people that makes me angriest is when they do not live up to their responsibilities or take on responsibility for an aspect of a particular work. I am sure that others are equally annoyed with me when and if I do the same thing. The prophet Jeremiah is here prophesying precisely against this sort of a practice among the shepherds of the People of Israel. Of all the leaders in the world they should have known better as they have received their commission from God. They cannot excuse themselves by claiming that they did not know what to do ? they are just concerned with their own wealth and comfort.
      Unfortunately this seems to be a problem that plagues the Church even down to our own time. There are still shepherds of the people who do not have the best interests of their flock, the People of God, at heart. One of the first and most important characteristics of a good shepherd is that he must be willing to lay down his life for his sheep. This does not usually mean that he will become a martyr in the literal sense of the word, but it does mean that he must be willing to be a martyr in the figurative meaning of the word ? namely that he must put the welfare and care of others before his own. Again, I do not mean that a good shepherd will deny himself proper care but he should be willing to do all that he can to ensure that his flock?s care is the highest priority.
      The Lord will not tolerate those who enrich themselves at the expense of others particularly when the issues and actions involved include a dereliction of duty towards his responsibilities. It is important for all of us who hold positions of leadership to realize that this is true in order that we ensure that we put the highest priority on fulfilling our responsibilities before we become overly concerned about our own situation. I repeat, this is not to deny that even leaders have to take responsibility for their own wellbeing only that this must always be looked at in the wider context of their call. If the two cannot be achieved harmoniously, then perhaps it is time for the leader to step down and look for a less demanding role of service. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION:
Do I find myself constantly focused on my own needs rather than the needs of those for whom I am responsible? If so, what do I need to do to change this focus for the better?

Holy Spirit, help me to give all that I have to following God as faithfully as I can wherever He leads me. Help me to recognize my own limits and work within them and so be faithful to all the tasks I promise to fulfill.

St. Bridget of Sweden, widow, pray for us.

The all-new Feast mobile app is finally here! All the content you love from here may also be found in our new app and so much more! Please make sure to download the new Feast App, as we will eventually stop updating this version soon.

Let's continue to grow together with our all-new Feast app! Download and upgrade today: Feast App for Android | Feast App for iOS.


Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

Get your daily readings and more for free inside the Feast App!
Google PlayStore     iOS AppStore

 

 

We are happy to be sending this to you. Aside from our work of evangelization, the Feast also supports 10 foundations for the poor. Would you like to be part of this humble mission of helping our beneficiaries by donating?  Click here to share in God's work through the Feast Mercy Ministries. 

Do You Want Your Friend To Receive This Email?
Friend's Email:

 


Thank you for being part of the Feast family!

JOIN THE FEAST: Find a spiritual family. Join the Feast!
Find one near you! Check out our Feast locations and schedules here: feast.ph/locations. You may also follow us on Facebook for more Feast community-wide updates.

PRAY-OVER SESSIONS: Need someone to talk to? Want someone to pray with you?
Get in touch with our LOJ Pastoral Care Center at 0923 132 3071 (Sun) and 0917 145 3756 (Globe) from Monday to Saturday 8 AM to 10 PM. You may also set a session via chat here.

DOWNLOAD THE FEAST APP: Feed your faith with the all-new Feast mobile app! Keep receiving God's Message daily on your mobile.

Download today!  Feast App for Android | Feast App for iOS

LOVE OFFERINGS AND DONATIONS: Let’s continue the cycle of generosity. Choose how you want to give to our Feast Mercy Ministries foundations:

After your transfer/ deposit, please send a copy of your deposit slip with your name and contact number to support@kerygmafamily.com so that we can have a record of your donation

1. Register for monthly giving here: www.feastmercyministries.com/give

2. Online thru PayPal:  PayPal.me/KerygmaFamily 

3. Through bank deposits and transfers:

Account name:  Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television Foundation      

4. Give through GCASH: Scan the QR Code below

For any concerns or inquiries regarding your donation, please contact Joya from the Feast Mercy Ministries at (+632) 8725-9999 or +639989684416. Thank you again and God bless you more!