Daily Bible Reflections
for April 7, 2017
;

Dear Friend,

May others see Jesus in you this Friday.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



7
April
Friday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

Memorial of John the Baptist de La Salle

 
FRUITS and ROOTS
 

“If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me.” – John 10:37

 

       There is no such thing as overnight success. Don’t wish for success and significance today and expect it to happen the following day.

       Three of my life principles are: Important things need not be hurried. Slow is beautiful. Success is all about preparation.

       You see, an onion plant is full-grown in nine months. But the mighty oak tree is full-grown in 10 years. We don’t want to be onion plants that can be easily broken. We have to be mighty oak trees whose shade and fruits can be enjoyed by people and other creatures.

       Success and significance are the fruits, but character-building is the roots. If you want fruits, you have to work on the roots. In my 44 years of life, I have only One Character Trainer. Without Him, my life will go berserk with vice, violence and vulgarity. I surrender to my Divine Vine Grower “to perform the Father’s work” in my life, watering me with blessing and cultivating me through trials.

       I’m still a work in progress. But with His mighty hands and heart, I’m excited for more years of serving Him towards godly success and significance. Obet Cabrillas (obetcab@yahoo.com /twitter: @daddyobet)

 

Reflection:In the garden of God’s mercy and grace, even a broken tree bears fruit.

 

In my heart, Lord, be glorified! In my thoughts, Lord, be glorified! In my words, Lord, be glorified! In my life, Lord, be glorified!

 

St. John Baptist de la Salle, priest, 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

 

1ST READING
 

Jeremiah laments his fate at the hands of his persecutors. But he has hope because he believes that God will vindicate him. It may take centuries to redeem his reputation but that does not worry Jeremiah. He knows he will be with the Lord a long time before that. Like Jeremiah, let us have complete trust in God.

 
Jeremiah 20:10-13

10 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. 13 Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

 
P S A L M
 
Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 7

R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

1 [2] I love you, O Lord, my strength, 2 [3] O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. (R) 4 [5] The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; 5 [6] The cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me. (R) 6 [7] In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God; from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (R)

 
 
GOSPEL
 

Jesus is faithful to His words and people begin to believe Him. He is a living example of all that He teaches. Sincerity is important in discipleship as we live in a hyper-critical world that is quick to jump on hypocrisy. Let us live out the faith that we profess and be God’s witnesses to the world.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

 
John 10:31-42

31 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. 40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 41 Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.

 

think: What convinced you that Jesus is the Messiah?

 
 
_________________________________________________________________________
 
_________________________________________________________________________
 
_________________________________________________________________________
 
_________________________________________________________________________
 
 

Read the Bible in one year Exodus 25-27

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

 

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

 

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

 

WHEN GOD TURNS OFF ALL THE

LIGHTS

 

I love the title of a book When God Turns Off All the Lights, that I use it as title for this short reflection. The phrase may well apply to Job, to Jeremiah, to the Lord Jesus, and to all who have seen and experienced firsthand what it means to be rejected and derided.

       Jeremiah passed through the ordeal. Whisperings of many made him a pariah. They did all to denounce him, merely for doing what he was told to do.

       Jesus the Lord underwent the same trials. They were not satisfied with whisperings and emotional rumblings. They actually picked up rocks to stone Him to death for trumped-up charges of blasphemy. There is some kind of a “rising action” that leads up to a climax as we draw nearer to the holiest of weeks. The rumblings were getting louder and more shrill. They actually wanted to up the ante by killing Him.

          In just two days, we will see a bigger drama unfolding. The Lord will enter Jerusalem for the last time. But while the opening scene of Holy Week is not just star-studded, but also light-flooded, the turnout of events after the Last Supper of the Lord will prove to be a total blackout.

          At Gethsemane, God seemingly turns off all the lights for His Son.

        At Gethsemane, what Job and Jeremiah underwent will be experienced by the Lord, totally alone, totally rejected and isolated in the big, gaping hole of darkness that was the agony in the Garden.

        At Gethsemane, the lights went out. Even the three who could have shed a little light of support to the Lord turned to indifference, overcome by sleep, deprived as they were of the lights similar to what they saw atop Tabor.

        There was nothing like it. Nothing like moral and emotional pain, which was actually worse than physical suffering. I, too, have experienced several “blackouts” in my life. They were times when people whispered behind my back, when everyone was “on the watch for any misstep of mine.”

       “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

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

Recall the darkest moment in your life. Did you feel the Lord’s presence and His gentle voice saying, “Do not fear for I am with you”?

Father, Your love pierces through the darkest times of my life. Help me to hold on to You as You lead me back to the light of Your truth. Amen.

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!