Daily Bible Reflections
for May 5, 2016
;

Dear Friend,

This Thursday, remember that He knows you and loves you.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



5
May
Thursday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

NO MORE TEARS
 

“You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” – John 16:20

 

       A few years ago, my family met an unexpected tragedy. My elder sister died at age 31 after an unsuccessful operation a few months after giving birth to her third daughter.

       I was wearing my red Kerygma Conference shirt with the word “Restored” when she was wheeled to the ICU after the surgery. I was calm and numb at first, as I became a pillar to my family who hasn’t met Christ in a personal way. I exhorted them to keep the faith. But later on, I bargained with God as He refused to give me the miracle I waited for.

       Eventually, God did answer our prayers as He took away my sister’s suffering. He gave her eternal healing in His bosom.

       Back  then, I was mad at the God I had been serving for eight years. With my sister’s untimely death, I don’t just miss her but also my three nieces whom I don’t see often. And then our house was inundated for a second time several months after her death.       

      Thank God that, despite those tragedies, I didn’t leave the Church I’ve learned to love. I am holding on to His promise in Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe away every tear from my eyes.” Ems Sy Chan (leeannesy7@yahoo.com)

 

Reflection: Do you believe that we’re made for happy endings? Please do. That’s faith.

 

Father, despite my seemingly unending grief, I know that one day they will all turn to joy. I put my hope in You.

 
St. Hilary of Aries, pray for us.

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COMPANION

 

1ST READING
 

Paul always worked with the local people in the places where he established the Church. Even though the one in charge of the new community is from another place, one of his main tasks was to raise up local leaders and form them in the ways of the Gospel. Being a leader is very difficult because you can never please all of the people all the time. But then difficult decisions need to be made.

 
Acts 18:1-8

1 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them 3 and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. 8 Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

 
P S A L M
 

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

When someone we love leaves us, we become desolate, even if the absence is for a short time. Goodbyes are never simple. With Jesus, however, His “goodbye” as He ascends to heaven is temporary and He will remain in relationship with us through the Holy Spirit, in prayer, and in many other ways. God has promised that He will never abandon us. Do you believe this promise?

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I will not leave your orphans, says the Lord; I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.

 
John 16:16-20

16 Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

 

think: Being a leader is very difficult because you can never please all of the people all the time.

 
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 Deuteronomy 27-30  

 

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SABBATH

 

IN THE VALLEY OF TEARS

 

In one parish I usually celebrate Mass in, there is this lady who leads the congregation in praying the holy rosary. She uses the old English form of the prayers, thus you will hear her say, “Hail Mary… the Lord is with thee. Blest art thou amongst women and blest is the fruit of thy womb...” When it comes to the Hail, Holy Queen, where we say, “mourning and weeping in this valley of tears,” she uses “vale of tears” instead. “Vale” is an accepted and formal version of “valley.” But one time, when the words of the Hail, Holy Queen were projected on screen for the people to follow, I noticed that “vale of tears” was spelled “veil of tears.”

       Come to think of it, though, “veil of tears” is a wrong rendition. But it gives us a good theological point for reflection.

    Indeed our world is a vale of tears with its pains, troubles and tribulations. But just the same, it is only a veil of tears because it is not permanent. Behind the tears is a promise of joy, victory and resurrection. Death does not have the last say. Life does. This is the assurance of the resurrection. This is the message of Christ risen from the dead.

       In today’s Gospel, Jesus alludes to His impending death and so we understand the anxiety of His disciples. But Jesus reassures them readily, having the resurrection in mind. Jesus did not say there will be no grief and only joy. But He did say, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (v. 20).

       Because of the resurrection, the world and its trials and tribulation is really just a veil of tears.

      Actually, when I pray the Hail, Holy Queen on my own, I also say, “vale of tears” but keeping in my heart the hopeful disposition that life is only a “veil of tears.” Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: In your personal journey in this valley of tears, do you believe that it is only a veil of tears?

 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

 

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