Daily Bible Reflections
for August 1, 2017
;

Dear Friend,

Get empowered by His message to you this Tuesday!

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



1
August
Tuesday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

 

LISTEN!
 

“Whoever has ears ought to hear.” – Matthew 13:43

 

       We live in a noisy world, yes, but the loudest noise comes from inside us. It’s called stress. Friend, the secret to living a stress-free life is to learn the rhythm of work and trust.

     Do all you can. But at regular times, stop and surrender. Because unless you give yourself space and time, you won’t hear God’s voice of assurance and comfort.

     We all have big problems and small problems. But let me tell you: Trust that there is no problem too big for God’s power or too small for God’s concern. What matters most is not whether the problem is big or small, but how long you carry it in your mind.

       If I ask you to carry a glass of water for an hour, you’d be able to do it. You’ll feel a little discomfort, but not much. But if I ask you to carry that same glass of water for 12 hours, you’d still be able to do it, but your arm will ache like crazy.

     Worry is “carrying” your problem in your mind. It may be a small problem but if you worry about it for a long time, it can kill you. You need to put your problem down… by giving it to God.

      Then listen to what He is trying to tell you in your heart. Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

 

Reflection: Is there something that occupies your mind and heart that you can hardly listen to God? Pause now and listen with your heart.

 

Dearest Lord, speak to me in the silence of my heart. Amen.

 

St. Alphonsus Liguori, bishop, pray for us.

 

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COMPANION

 

1ST READING
 

We celebrate today the Feast Day of St. Alphonsus Ligouri, the patron of confessors, known for his writings on moral theology. A good confessor or confidant listens well and will avoid telling people what to do. We are responsible for our actions. We can consult others over a particular issue; however, we must make the final decision for ourselves.

 
Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28

7 The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the Lord would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents. 11 The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent. 34:5 Moses stood with the Lord and proclaimed his name, “Lord.” 6 Thus the Lord passed before him and cried out, “The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, 7 continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!” 8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. 9 Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own.” 28 So Moses stayed there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

 
P S A L M
 
Psalm 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

6 The Lord secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. 7 He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. (R) 8 Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. 9 He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. (R) 10 Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. (R) 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. (R)

 
GOSPEL
 

We are responsible and accountable for our decisions. We must remember this truth as we discern what is right from wrong. There are consequences to our actions. Let us always strive to make the right choice, so that the effect we have on others will be positive rather than negative.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever.

 
Matthew 13:36-43

36 Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

 

think: Whenever you have to make a decision, what is the first step that you do?1

 
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Read the Bible in one year 1 Maccabees 3-4

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

 

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

 
 
 

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SABBATH

 

SEEDS AND WEEDS

 

Every farmer worth his salt knows this. One needs to deal with good seeds and bad weeds at any given time. Everyone who has planted a lonely shrub knows that soon after, weeds surround and choke the solitary seedling. This is one thing I like about Moses. Apart from taking up the difficult cudgel of leadership, he, too, was honest. He accepted the reality of seeds and weeds from among his ranks, from among his people. “This is, indeed, a stiff-necked people.”

       But his honest appraisal and acceptance of his view of reality from the top did not estrange him from God. He acknowledged God for who He was: “A merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and rich in kindness and fidelity.” A God whom Moses nevertheless called upon as “Lord” despite the travails of leadership and the uncooperative bent of his people.

       St. Alphonsus Liguori is our saint for today. Talk about painful leadership and St. Alphonsus fits snugly into the picture. He planted lots of good seeds. Fooled into signing something he could not read very well in his later years, he was effectively booted out of the congregation he founded. This was what he got after laboring so long and so hard for the Church and for many other people. Bad weeds enveloped his life.

        Moses was face-to-face with the reality of seeds and weeds. He felt hemmed in. He felt crushed. But grapes, when crushed, offer the sweet nectar that can ultimately give cheer to a man’s heart. Olives, when crushed to bits, release the oil of gladness.

       This was what happened to Moses and Alphonsus. They were at their best during their worst possible trial. Moses rose to the occasion and became not only a leader who barked orders but a humble servant who pleaded with sincerity to the Lord. Having heard the proclamation of God being merciful and gracious and slow to anger, he begged the Lord for a big favor, not for himself, but for his beloved people: “If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

---------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS ----------

What was the worst trial you’ve gone through? How did you handle it?

 

Lord God, You are my strength. It is when I am weak that You are strong. Amen.

 

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