READINGS for 2006-11-17

JUST PERFECT

When anyone does obey what he has said, God?s love comes to perfection in him. ? 2 John.: 5

I once heard a man give a testimony on the virtues of faithfulness and humility. He went on to share many instances in his life where he exhibited the virtue of faithfulness. Based on the spontaneity and insightfulness of his testimony, it was evident the Lord was working wonders in his marriage, his business, community service and prayer life.
      It was an inspiring story, indeed. But what made his testimony more remarkable was that not once did he mention anything about the virtue of humility.
      Here was a man who was a living testament of God?s love coming to perfection in him. Here was a man, through the grace of God, who has put away the old self of his former way of life. He has put on a new self, transformed by the Power of God?s Spirit working in him. By not speaking about humility this gentleman spoke volumes of how evident the virtue was in his new life in Jesus.
      We have been called to be imitators of God. Jesus even tells us to be perfect just as God is perfect.
     Tall order, huh?
     Good news is, we can if only we let Him do the work in us. Erwin R.

REFLECTION:
You are the clay. God is the potter. Will you let him mold you into a new creation?

Lord, create in me a clean heart. Put a new and steadfast spirit within me that I may be transformed and ready to do your every purpose. Amen.

1st READING

2 John 4-9

John encourages his readers to live according to the truth that has been proclaimed to them and according to the commandments of God. This is what it means to be a disciple. In doing this we should always be alert to the movement of the evil one seeking to destroy us and lead us astray. It is sensible to be aware of the enemy of the human race and his minions in order to keep ourselves as far away from him and his works as possible. Let us pray for the grace to live our lives according to these principles.

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. 6 For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk. 7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antiChrist. 8 Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. 9 Anyone who is so ?progressive? as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18

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. (R) 2 Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. (R) 10 With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands. (R) 11 Within my heart  I treasure your promise, that I may not sin against you. (R) 17 Be good to your servant, that I may live and keep your words. (R) 18 Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law. (R)

G O S P E L

Luke 17:26-37

The story of Noah, whether truth or fiction, holds many lessons for us. It is true that disasters such as floods can occur at any time. We never know if we might be victims of one of these. Therefore it is important for us to be ready to give an account of our lives at any time. The wise person will be ready to meet the Lord face to face tomorrow, no matter how healthy or invincible they may feel today! Wisdom takes into account more than the mere immediate circumstances and looks to take into account all the various possibilities that might reasonably be expected. Are we wise or foolish in the way that we are preparing to meet tomorrow?

26 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; 27 they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. 30 So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. 32 Remember the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.? 36 37 They said to him in reply, ?Where, Lord?? He said to them, ?Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.?

my reflections
think: The wise person will be ready to meet the Lord face to face tomorrow, no matter how healthy or invincible they may feel today!

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God?s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ? S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR John 19-21

ONE TAKEN, ONE LEFT

Predictions of the end of the world are as old as humankind. While approaching year 2000, predictions about the end were common. Even now certain people still live more in the end time than in the reality of today. As the liturgical years moves towards its end, we will have several Gospel readings about the end. They are all disturbing and puzzling. It is not clear whether Jesus is speaking here about the horrible days of Jerusalem?s destruction which happened in the year 70, or of the end of the world. Maybe it?s about both. There are at least two important messages in today?s passage. The first is that the horrible event comes without warning. And that has a reason. When we would know the day of the end of the world or the hour of the end of our life, we might live an indifferent life. We would not care whether we do good or bad, because we plan to ?convert? just a day before and go to confession. What a life that would be! Unfortunately many live as they would never die. Jesus could have told us the exact time but he did not. He urges us to be always prepared and ready. The saying about the body and the vultures is a common Jewish proverb which means everything will happen when certain conditions are fulfilled.  ?In His time!? we say. The second point is that two people who work or live together would not automatically both saved. Here is a hidden warning. Intimacy with a good person is no guarantee for our salvation. Each one will be judged individually. There are young people who excuse themselves from going regularly to church because the Lola goes every day to Mass. There are husbands who leave ?being pious? to their wives. We cannot discharge our duty to God by proxy.
      This should not scare us. As long as we try to listen well to all of Christ?s teachings, do the will of the Father and be prepared for the great encounter with the Lord, we could look forward to this moment with great expectation and not with fear. That is why we pray after the Lord?s Prayer, ?protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.? Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION:

In what areas of life do I have to change to apply the warnings of Jesus in today?s Gospel?

Lord, like so many I tend to live as if life would go o forever. Like so many I ask others to pray for me so that I feel secure in my weaknesses and sins. You tell me today to be prepared and take responsibility of my own salvation. I needed this lesson very much. With your help I will be able to live more conscious and responsible.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, widow, pray for us.