Daily Bible Reflections
for May 12, 2015
;

Dear Friend,

This Tuesday, never forget how important you are to God.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



12
May
Tuesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

STEPPING UP
 

“… It is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the helper will not come to you.” – John 16:7

 

       I am a lay missionary. I occasionally lead worship for our community. I handle the operations of our weekly prayer gathering and everything is going well in my service.

       One time, our leader and preacher asked me if I could preach on his behalf since he wouldn’t be available that week. First, I was afraid; I was petrified (as if I was singing “I Will Survive”). But I felt this was a “stepping up” opportunity I should not miss.

       Thank God I said yes. Because even if it was challenging, I knew that I was not doing it for myself but for God and His people. When the day came, I was honored to bless our community for that preaching opportunity I won’t ever forget.

       In today’s Gospel, we are reminded that whatever challenge comes our way, we just need to step up because we have a God who believes in us and who empowers us to do great things for His name. JC Libiran (jclibiran@ymail.com)

 

Reflection: How do you allow God to empower you in your life? How do you step up to bless others?

 

Jesus Christ, strengthen me. Holy Spirit, empower me. C’mon God, shine Your light through me. (From the song “Invincible”)

 

Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, martyrs, pray for us.

 

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Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top

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COMPANION

 

1ST READING
 

Paul’s trials never seem to end, yet he does not complain. His only complaint was about people with hardened hearts who refuse to accept the Gospel. Let us be inspired by Paul’s perseverance and continue to live and proclaim the Gospel faithfully as God directs us.

 
Acts 16:22-34

22 The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. 24 When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake. 25 About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, 26 there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” 29 He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” 32 So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. 33 He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. 34 He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

 
P S A L M
 

Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8

R: Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 7 Your right hand saves me. 8 The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O Lord, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (R)

 
GOSPEL
 
Some might think that the Holy Spirit is on holiday from His job to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is impossible for the Holy Spirit to do this. We, the disciples of Jesus, are the ones on holiday. We do not give the Holy Spirit enough opportunity to do His job. We focus on our problems instead of giving these to the Holy Spirit to solve. If we look beyond ourselves and see the bigger picture, the Holy Spirit can make a difference in our lives and that of the world.
 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.

 
John 16:5-11

5 Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: 9 sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

 

think: If we look beyond ourselves and see the bigger picture, the Holy Spirit can make a difference in our lives and that of the world.

 
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 Judges 1-4

 

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SABBATH

 

SADNESS THAT PASSES

 

Throughout the Farewell Discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of John (Chapter 13-17), we become aware that Jesus is saying a lot. We don’t know what the disciples are feeling. Only a few of the disciples’ remarks are recorded in the Farewell Discourse. Jesus tells the disciples that they are sad because of His imminent departure. While Jesus knows what He is saying, it all comes very strange to the disciples; they feel sad because Jesus is going away. So, naturally, there would be times of silence and inward reflection. Or maybe they are so numb with grief they don’t know how to react. Jesus seeks to correct them in truth, to encourage their journey without Him, and to relate with Him in a different way.

       Grief is an amazing thing. Grief has the tendency to numb us or move us forward. Certainly we have to acknowledge it being there, which is half the battle in recovery. Once acknowledged, it must be accepted; once accepted, it must be dealt with. Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross has taught the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.     Jesus, the wise Prophet, explains to His disciples the fruitfulness that will be made manifest through His departure. The world will see how wrong it was to place judgment on Jesus’ life and works. He will be vindicated since, through Him, sin will be exposed for all its worth — a judgment of those critics will be proved by the witness of the disciples attesting to His resurrection and His ascension.

       We, too, have had our share of experiences of people going away. We know the sadness, the void left by the departure of a loved one. Jesus teaches us to accept these challenges by looking forward in faith. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you deal with sadness in your life?

 

Lord, increase the strength of my soul for I place my trust in You. Amen.

 

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