Daily Bible Reflections
for April 15, 2015
;

Dear Friend,

God will never leave you. This Wednesday is no different.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



15
April
Wednesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

CORRECTING MY
IMAGE OF JESUS
 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. – John 3:17

 

         I’m still on my journey of correcting my image of Jesus. Growing up, I imagined Jesus scolding the Apostles. He did say to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan.” And to think they were close. How hurtful, I thought.

         So it was difficult for me to think of Jesus as a friend. Sometimes I’d be scared that He’d get mad at me for being wrong. The result? I became the kind of God I worshipped. I was harsh on myself, waiting to commit a mistake so I could blame myself. This extended to how I treated the people around me.

       But Jesus came not to condemn me but to save me, love me, defend me, heal me. Today, I try to listen to more talks describing how loving Jesus is. Today, I try to be more sensitive to the faces of Jesus around me in compassionate and forgiving people. In friends who often ask for nothing in return.

       After all, even after three betrayals, Jesus didn’t return screaming mad at Peter. He didn’t even ask for an apology. In fact, He even trusted Peter to take care of His flock.

       Today, slowly and steadily, my relationship with Jesus is improving. Carlo Lorenzo (carloflorenzo@yahoo.com)

 

Reflection: What is your image of Jesus?

 

Holy Spirit, help me strengthen and deepen my relationship with Jesus and help me see Him always as my merciful, compassionate and forgiving Lord and Savior.

 

Blessed Caesar de Bus, 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

COMPANION

 

11ST READING

 

God helped the Apostles to escape miraculously from prison. Did this experience make them fearful in proclaiming the Gospel? They immediately returned to the streets, synagogues and market places to continue their mission. They are not afraid of what the authorities may do. They are probably more afraid of the judgment that may come upon them if they fail to proclaim the Gospel with boldness.

 
Acts 5:17-26

17 The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, 18 laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, 20 “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” 21 When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. 22 But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. 25 Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

 
P S A L M
 

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

1 [2] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 7 [8] The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the Lord is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. (R)

 
GOSPEL
 

The only thing Jesus condemns is sin. He came to set us free from sin, not punish us for being sinners. The effects of sin are punishment enough. If one cannot see how wrong sin is and its effects in his life and those who are affected, then he is afflicted with a very severe form of blindness.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

 
John 3:16-21

16 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

 

think: Jesus came to set us free from sin, not punish us for being sinners.

 
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 Numbers 1-3

 

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

 

LIVE IN THE TRUTH, COME TO THE LIGHT

 

I like the contrasting images in the readings these days of Easter: darkness and light; imprisonment and freedom; perdition and salvation. They all remind us of the healthy tension between two realities that exist side by side. They speak about the paradoxical situation in which we, by the choices we make, can go either to the pole of enslavement or deliverance; the pole of darkness or light. Let us throw in, too, the polarities of love and hatred.

       John tells us that the “people preferred darkness to light,” even if “light came into this world.”

         Recent scientific research says that there is a very thin line that separates love from hatred. Both love and hatred show the same patterns of brain activity, except in one interesting aspect. When one loves, the cerebral cortex shuts down completely. When one hates, the cerebral cortex goes in turbo mode. When one is filled with love, logic does not work; reason does not take center stage. But when one hates, one becomes very logical, calculating and scheming. When one loves, the measure of love is to love without measure, as St. Francis de Sales puts it. When one hates, one finds all the needed logical reasons and justifications to hate somebody.

         The one who hates finds reasons to deepen his hatred. One can grow in hatred and feel justified for being so. But when one loves, one grows deeper into loving. Love looks for no explanation and justification. Love is simply gratuitous. This may be the reason why Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI talked about the “principle of gratuitousness” in his encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est.”

       The same principle may be the reason people prefer darkness to light. We can find all the reasons in the world to live in the darkness of anger and hatred. It is all a matter of choice and decision. But how about choosing today to live in the truth and come to the light? Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is there any anger and hatred that you hold on to? What’s keeping you from handing it over to God and letting Him heal your heart?

 

Lord Jesus, I lift up to You all the anger and grudges buried deep in my heart. Melt them and fill my heart with only love.

 

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!