DAILY SCRIPTURE TIME

“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples…” – John 8:31

Many years ago, part of my spiritual practice was to read Scripture every day. Our community calls it “Scripture time,” which was separate from our “prayer time.”

       But it’s been several years now that I’ve considered listening to the Gospel in my daily Masses as a substitute for Scripture time. Once in a while, I would write my reflections in my journal or Companion.And when inspired, I would spend extra time to read Scripture.

       But in our weekly Divine Mercy/Marian prayer meeting, the year-end message we received was to read Scripture daily, faithfully. So, I made a New Year’s resolution to restore my Scripture time. It’s been a long time since I read the Bible from cover to cover. I decided it’s time to do that again.

       True, it’s important to arm ourselves with the Word of God and faithfully live and serve as God’s disciples, especially with the many bad influences of the world in these “end times.” Cristy Galang (cristy_cc@yahoo.com)

Reflection: Do you spend time to read Scripture? Faithfully? Reflectively?

Lord Jesus, I ask for the grace to spend time reading Your Word regularly. And as I do so, please speak to me. Guide me, correct me, strengthen me and deepen my commitment to You. Amen.

St. Casilda, pray for us.

These three men are unwilling to bow to the unjust demands of a pagan king, and so the king had them thrown in the fire. But lo and behold, they do not get consumed by the flames. They have a protector who preserves them from any harm. It is in living by the truth of the Gospel that we will be preserved from any harm due to sin.

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

14 King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God  that can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.” 19 King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. 91 King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. 92 “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” 95 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R: Glory and praise for ever!

52 “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. (R) 53 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. (R) 54 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R) 55 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. (R) [56] Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever. (R)

Jesus proclaims that truth gives us the greatest freedom. We live in a world that does not acknowledge this truth. We are constantly amazed by the lies of politicians and the corrupt practices of many business people. There are even lies from rewriting the understanding of our sexuality in ways that are contrary to its inherent meaning.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.

31 Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. 36 So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. 38 I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” 39 They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

think:  It is living out the truth of the Gospel that will preserve us from any harm due to sin.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 35-37

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM, CHILDREN OF PEACE!

God promised the fatherhood of many nations to Abraham, and he is therefore claimed as the point of legitimacy by Jews and Muslims alike. The Jews call themselves children of Abraham through the son of promise, Isaac. The Muslims, on the other hand, call the patriarch “Ibrahim,” and they claim that they are also children of Abraham through Ishmael, his son by the Egyptian slave Hagar. Of course, we Christians honor Abraham as the great man of faith, whose attitude of willing and prompt obedience to God’s call we all ought to emulate (cf Romans 4:13-19).

       Besides faith, Abraham is also known to be the patriarch who preferred to resolve conflicts by peaceful means. Though he enjoyed preeminence over his brother’s son, Lot, he allowed Lot to make the first and best choice during the partitioning of grazing grounds (cf Genesis 13:1-18). He tried to bargain for everything possible so that the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah may be saved (cf Genesis 19). Further, he gained land through negotiation and purchase, rather than through conquest! (cf Genesis 23).

       A sad reality that we then have to particularly pray and atone for is the global and local confrontation many times involving Muslims, Christians and Jews. To our shame before God and before one another, we easily identify ourselves as creatures of the One God, monotheists and followers of religious traditions and beliefs that trace their origins to Abraham. However, many of the present issues of armed conflicts are also perpetuated by us! Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTION: How much have you imbibed in your own ways the basic truth: “The way of God is a way of faith and peace”? In your prayer time today, pray for peace among Christians, Jews and Muslims in various parts of the world.

Let there be true peace among us all, Lord — whether we are Christians, Jews or Muslims.