“For I will forgive their evil doing and remember their sins no more.” – Hebrews 8:12

       Children often get into fights with playmates or siblings over the most trivial matters. It was no different for me. I had two older brothers who always teased me till I cried. I remember that whenever they’d hurt or offend me, I’d have a hard time forgiving them. I’d refuse to talk to them for days. On the rare times that the offender would ask for forgiveness, I’d reply, “OK, I forgive you.” But deep in my heart, I’d say, “I forgive you but I won’t forget this. I’ll get back some other time.” (Note that this happened when we were still kids and I love them dearly now that we’re adults.)

       I’m happy that God is not like me at all. I can’t imagine what life would be if He didn’t forgive our wrongdoings. Worse, imagine if He kept a list of the sins we committed during our lifetime. A ream of bond paper might not be enough for that list.

       Be like our God. Forgive those who have hurt you and remember not their transgressions. Reng Morelos (norinamorelos@gmail.com)

Reflection:“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” (C.S. Lewis)

Lord, let me be more like You that I may forgive those who have wronged me and forget all the hurts they have inflicted on me.

Sts. Fabian and Sebastian, martyr, pray for us.

The covenant initiated by Christ is the best and last. There will be no changes and the revelation is now complete. This is a problem for those sects who say that they have new revelation – they cannot be Christian as they do not follow this truth. Because the Church has received the fullness of salvation, we have a responsibility to share it with others. We are a community that gives witness to and engages the world in a discussion for the sake of the Gospel.

6 Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. 8 But he finds fault with them and says: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will  conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord. 10 But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from least to greatest. 12 For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more. 13 When he speaks of a “new” covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.

R: Kindness and truth shall meet.

7 [8] Show us, O Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)

Jesus called 12 men and worked closely with them for three years. He also formed 72 whom He sent out on mission. This tells us that the leaders in the Church need to undergo formation so that the Gospel is passed on to the next generation. We lack true discipleship in the Church today. Let us pray that more men and women will submit themselves to be formed fully in the Gospel.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

13 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. 14 He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons: 16 He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

think: What does it mean for you to be “sent out by Jesus?”

Read the Bible in one year  Mark 13-16

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

One of the favorite words Pope Francis uses in describing his ministry is the word camminare. That is Italian for “to walk or to journey.” But Pope Francis uses the word in the pastoral sense of walking with or journeying with. In one homily given to the priests gathered for daily Mass, he reminded the pastors: “We cannot just give the truth to the people and leave them alone to figure it out. We have to walk with them, to journey with them in living up to the demands of the truth.”

       Isn’t that what God also did? He did not just give us the truth. He did not make the Bible fall from the sky and task us to figure it out, to study it on our own and prepare for a final exam afterwards. He became man. He walked with us. He accompanied us in our journey to discovering who we are and what we are called to be. This divine pedagogy is in full display in today’s Gospel. Jesus appointed the twelve disciples to become His close collaborators.  The Gospel says, “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to Him those He wanted, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach” (vv. 13-15). Notice the intimacy of the call: “called to Him,” “They came to Him,” “That they might be with Him.” Prior to being sent on a mission, Jesus spent long periods with the disciples in the intimacy of prayer and living together.

       Jesus was that type of a leader who did not only say, “Go!” while He sits on a high chair. He was the type who accompanied His disciples and said instead, “Let’s go!”

       In both my seminary and priestly ministry, I discovered that people appreciate not so much the “go” moments: when I teach, when I give talks and homilies, when I give directives and instructions to accomplish. People appreciate more the “let’s go” moments: when I visit them in their homes, when I talk to them after Mass, when I go out with them to just chill out.

       Wherever you are and whatever you do, make the spirituality of camminare a way of life and love! Fr. Joel Jason

----------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

Have you cultivated more “let’s go” moments within your circle of influence?

Divine Shepherd, teach me to accompany the flock You have given under my care. Amen.