Daily Bible Reflections
for September 6, 2015
;

Dear Friend,

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

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



6
September
Sunday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

IN TIME
 

He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” – that is, “Be opened!” – Mark 7:34

       I used to take a certain route to school when I was a freshman in high school. Ironically, it was an extremely tight side street in an area called Ephphatha. It felt funny passing through such a cramped area with a name that stands for openness. It took forever to get past that part because it was just one lane with tricycles and people occupying most of it. Everyone dreaded passing through that street. I remember wondering, “Will this route ever improve?”

       Several years later, I found myself zooming to school on a huge, four-lane, newly constructed flyover. The route that used to take 30 minutes now took 30 seconds. The area had literally opened up! It was as if that small side street had actually responded to the command, “Ephphatha!”

       It took my sister, Geegee, six years to conceive a child. But she waited. She prayed. She believed God would open up her womb to life. True enough, her five-year-old daughter Mireya is now the joy of our family.

       Sometimes it takes a while for miracles to happen. But when God says the Word, we can be sure that it will come to pass. George Tolentino Gabriel (george.g@svrtv.com)

 

Reflection: What miracle are you waiting for? Wait. Pray. Believe.

 

Lord, I speak blessing upon the person reading this. I claim that You will open up the heavens to grant his desire. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 
Blessed Claudio Granzotto, pray for us.
 

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COMPANION

 

 
1ST READING
 

Good times are coming. This was the message of Isaiah to the people of Israel — they may be enduring tough times now, but in the future there will be better ones. His images of “better times” are powerful and worth reflecting on. Let us keep in mind how good life is with the Lord at our side and remember them when times get tough.

 
Isaiah 35:4-7

4 Thus says the Lord: Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; 6 then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. 7 The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

 
P S A L M
 

Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R: Praise the Lord, my soul!

7 The God of Jacob keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those that were bowed down; the Lord loves the just; 9 the Lord protects strangers. (R) The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. 10 The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. (R)

 
 
2ND READING
 

James said that all people are equal when it comes to faith. Faith knows no divisions among people, other than the one between those who believe and those who do not. Let us avoid making distinctions. In heaven there is no first, second or third-class citizens.

 
James 2:1-5

1 My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

 
GOSPEL
 

The final line of today’s Gospel talks about making the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. This came from Isaiah 61. It was a prophecy outlining the things that will happen when the Messiah comes. It is an important sign pertaining to the identity of Jesus. When we read through the Gospels, let us take note of the signs we come across. They affirm that God’s plan is in action.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease among the people.

 
Mark 7:31-37

31 Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32 And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, Ephphatha! —that is, “Be opened!” 35 And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. 37 They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

 

think: Let us avoid making distinctions. In heaven there is no first, second or third-class citizens.

 
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 Psalm 61-65

 
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

 

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MIRACLES?
 

There are many people who do not believe in miracles. Where do you stand on this issue?

       I have seen people healed of their illnesses. I have seen food multiply before my eyes as I helped serve it to the hungry. I have seen people released from demonic possession and I have seen prophecies come true. Jesus worked miracles during His time on earth and He continues to work them today through those who believe that He still wants to do so.

       Miracles are an integral part of the Gospel proclamation. They serve to attract people to the Gospel. They also accomplish God’s saving work in people’s lives. No doubt God wants to use us to continue to perform miracles today, not because He wants to show off but because He wants to affirm that He is with us and He cares about our situation. No, God does not heal everybody who gets sick. Jesus heals some in order to demonstrate His power and to indicate that the future state of humanity in the resurrection is without sin, but not all people get healed.

       Miracles are very mysterious entities and usually defy analysis other than to demonstrate God’s power. Scripture repeatedly tells us that we need to believe that God can work miracles. I know of people who were actually brought to faith through their experience of a miracle in their lives. So God sometimes uses miracles to get people’s attention and turn them to Himself.

       Do you believe in miracles? Do you expect God to use you to perform them? Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Where do you stand when it comes to miracles? Do you believe that God wants to use you to work miracles in the life of the Church?

 

Holy Spirit, help me to trust and believe in Your power to work miracles in my life, and to use me to work the same in the lives of others.

 

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