Daily Bible Reflections
for April 12, 2015
;

Dear Friend,

This Sunday, remember that you are hidden in His heart.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



12
April
Sunday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

BE FREE
 

“If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven…”– John 20:23

 

       A woman told her priest that Jesus appeared to her. To test if the apparitions were authentic, the priest instructed the woman to ask Jesus what sins the priest confessed in the past.

      The next time they met, the priest asked the woman if Jesus appeared to her. “Yes, Father,” she replied.

       “Did you ask Him about the sins I confessed to Him?” the priest probed. The woman nodded. “What did He say?” he asked with much anticipation.

       The woman replied, “Jesus said, ‘I forgot.’”

       Today is Divine Mercy Sunday when the whole Church celebrates the immense grace and love of God. According to St. Faustina Kowalska, Jesus promised that He will “open the floodgates of heaven” to all who sincerely go to confession and communion on this day. He said, “Let no soul fear to draw near to me even though its sins be as scarlet.”

       In this season of new life, of Easter, allow God to help and heal you. With Him, you can attain peace, you can forgive others. With Him, you can let go of the sins of the past.

       After all, He has forgotten yours.
       Be free today. Jonathan Yogawin (jyogawin@gmail.com)
 

Reflection: Is there still something getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus? Surrender it to His merciful love today.

 

Lord, as You have forgiven me, may I forgive and show mercy to others as well. Use me, Lord.

 

St. Teresa of Los Andes, pray for us.

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COMPANION

 

11ST READING

 

We are called to be of one heart and mind as disciples of Jesus. We are also called to be in union with Him. As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, we reflect upon the nature of Christ’s love in terms of its mercy. Let us be committed to living out the mercy of God as best as we can by engaging in corporal acts of mercy towards the poor.

 
Acts 4:32-35

32 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. 34 There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, 35 and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

 
P S A L M
 

Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” 3Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 13 I was hard pressed and was falling, but the Lord helped me. 14 My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. 15 The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just: (R) 22 the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. (R)

 
2ND READING
 

Jesus has victory over sin and death through love. It is His love that conquers all and overcomes all obstacles. The power of the love of God transforms our lives. We surrender to His love and allow it to recreate us in His image. There is nothing more beautiful than love at work in peoples’ lives. Only love will provide the answer to the world’s problems.

 
1 John 5:1-6

1 Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. 2 In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. 5 Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 31 But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

 
 
GOSPEL
 

How many of us would have responded any differently to Thomas given the same situation? Jesus does not focus on Thomas’ lack of faith. When He sees Thomas again, Jesus speaks directly to him and his face comes to the fore. Tradition then tells us that Thomas became a great evangelist who reached India and China. This is the story of a man not of little faith but a great one.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!

 
John 20:19-31

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” 24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.

 
think: As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, we reflect on Christ’s merciful love.
 
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 19-21

 
 
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
 
________________________________________________________________

                                                      _________________________________________________________________

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SABBATH

 

BELIEVING, BEGOTTEN, BELONGING

 

The game called “Flappy Bird” became a fad last year for all smartphone and tablet owners. All other games took a back seat for some time until its creator pulled it out of cyberspace.

         An old digital migrant like me did not believe in such games that had nothing to do with running, racing and sweating. Since I did not believe, I also did not belong. After all, I was not begotten of a generation of children whose pacifiers are iPads and iPods, and for whom tablets are primarily not something one ingests or writes on, but something one plays with, or entertains oneself with.

         But serious believers and aficionados kept the game going. They knew better than to leave it in cyberspace. They downloaded it and continued to beget more aficionados even if the game itself had been taken down from the net.

       I was working in Guam when I first got introduced to Cosplay. Apparently, the reigning “title holder” for that year (2010) was a Filipino, and she was “guest of honor” for the gathering of like-minded enthusiasts from all over the island.

       We form communities left and right, of all imaginable persuasions. We all claim to be of one mind and one heart, until election time comes around. And that is when splinter groups arise.

       We are an Easter people. We believe that Jesus is the Christ, risen from the dead. We are, thus, begotten by God, made one by our common faith in one Lord, believing in one God, one Father of all, and belonging to one community of believers. We did not elect nor chose Him. He chose us.

       Begotten of the same faith, we believe and belong, even as we bear witness to the resurrection of the Lord. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you belong to a community? Are you there because you believe in what it espouses? Or are you there because you simply want to belong?

 

Lead me to the right community for me, Lord, that I may grow in faith and in love.

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