Daily Bible Reflections
for January 1, 2018
;

Dear Friend,

Don't be discouraged! God will be with you through this week.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez


Happy New Year! I pray for a great 2024 ahead of you!

1
January
Monday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin

Mary, Mother of God

 
SAY WOW MORE OFTEN
 
All who heard it were amazed… – Luke 2:18
 

          When was the last time you stood in front of something that took your breath away and you said, “Wow! This is God’s work”?

           Wow is when you see the extraordinary in the ordinary. But have you noticed? As we get older, we lose our wow. We lose our wow when we look at things, persons, or situations and say, “Nothing new here. I know this already.”

          But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can say wow more often. You can bring back wonder in your life. How? Learn from a bunch of guys in the Bible who never lost their wow even as they got older.

        After Jesus’ birth, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. These guys had so much wonder in them, they traveled to distant lands to see something ordinary: a poor family with a newborn baby. What’s so special about that? But their hearts said, “This is extraordinary.” They said wow.

           Friend, this year, I invite you to see the extraordinary in the ordinary and say wow more often. Believe me, you’ll be a lot happier!

                Happy New Year! Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)
 
 

Reflect: Today, stop often and look for the wow in your ordinary circumstances.

 

Dear Jesus, grant me the eyes and heart to see Your extraordinary love for me today. Amen.

 

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. 

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COMPANION

 

1ST READING
 

This passage from the Book of Numbers reminds the Jewish people about complete trust in the Lord. We place our trust on many worldly things — people, systems, money and wealth, fame, and others. However, all these are temporary. Even the people we trust can no longer help us once we face death. Only God spans both this life and the next.

 
Numbers 6:22-27

22 The Lord said to Moses: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 The Lord bless you and keep you! 25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! 26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! 27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

 

P S A L M 2

 
 
Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

R: May God bless us in his mercy.

1 [2] May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. (R) 4 [5] May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. (R) 5 [6] May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 7[8] May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! (R)

 
 
2nD READING
 

God showed us His love by becoming one with us. He stands in solidarity with us through the Incarnation of Jesus. He sent His only Son to redeem us. Man’s redemption is the only reason Jesus became incarnate. Let us remember that He was like us in every way except sin. In His mercy, God forgives our sins and gives us the grace to overcome it.

 
Galatians 4:4-7

4 Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.

 

GOSPEL

 

The shepherds searched for the Child born to Mary. Why is it that Jesus is our last resort when we are desperate and in trouble? Why do we have little faith in Him? This New Year, let us resolve to put Jesus first in our lives. Like the shepherds, let us seek Him first in all things. Let us praise and thank Him for all the good He has given us.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.

 
Luke 2:16-21

16 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. 18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. 19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 21 When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 

think: What memorable event has God done for you that, like Mary, you keep in your heart?

 
_______________________________________________
 
_______________________________________________
 
_______________________________________________
 
_______________________________________________
 
 

Read the Bible in one year Luke 1-3

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

 

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________

 

Five Steps in Using Companion

 
1. PRAY
Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit:

Father, speak to me. I wish to receive Your Word into my heart. Send forth Your Spirit to me. Reveal Your Face to me today…

 
2. READ

Prayerfully read the Bible passages assigned for the day, and underline words, phrases or verses that strike you.

 
3. READ DIDACHE

Read your Didache reflection for the day.

 
4. WRITE

Write your reflections and prayers in response to the Bible passages you have read.

 
5. PRAY AGAIN

Thank the Lord for His message to you, and pray that you may be able to live it out in your daily life. Father, I thank You, Your Word is manna to my spirit. May Your Word that I receive today transform my soul. Make me more like You. Amen.

 PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

The ultimate purpose of my life

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

GOALS FOR THE QUARTER

Priority areas God wants me to work on

________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
 
 

PRAYERSHEET                                                           FOR
Things I will pray for regulary                                  MY LIFE

DATE        PERSONAL NEED          DATE    GOD’S ANSWERS
    When I        “Until now, you have not        When the     “Ask and you shall receive,
      started  asked for anything in My Name.”    answer       that your joy may be full.”
praying                         - John 16: 24a            came                     - John 16: 24b

________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
 

 

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SABBATH

 

JESUS: OUR ONLY CERTAINTY IN 2018

 

A parishioner was invited to join a friend’s business venture to get rich this year with the promise that she will be able to buy a brand-new car with her earnings from the business. Being wise and religious, my parishioner asked, “How many years have you been in that business?” Her friend replied, “Two years.” Then she asked again, “Do you have a car by now?” “None yet,” her friend answered. That prompted my parishioner to declare, “So, you don’t have a car yet. I already have one, so just recruit somebody else. I’m fine with my business.”

       While people religiously attended the nine-day Simbang Gabi and also the Christmas and New Year’s Day Masses, many are again doing everything to make sure they have a lucky 2018. How? By wearing something red, with polka dots, or lighting fireworks, or having rounded fruits on the table for the media noche.

         But our celebration today is not for the New Year but for Mary, the Mother of God. Among many things, She presents to us how to best welcome the New Year, which is to have faith in God and His Word. After giving Her fiat to be the Mother of the Christ, Luke tells us that “the angel departed from Her” (Luke1:38, NIV), never to return again to give instructions or at least assure Her that God is working through Her as well as with St. Joseph. Mary simply “treasured up all these things and pondered them in Her heart” (Luke 2:19, NIV). That must have been extremely difficult. She had nothing for certain except the name to be given to Her Child. She did not know that He would do a lot of miracles. Most of all, Mary was not aware that Her Son would suffer greatly and die on the Cross. Mary simply believed in Her Son as the Christ the moment She conceived and gave birth to Him until His crucifixion 33 years later. She relied totally on God. In Filipino, we say, “Ah, basta!” Fr. Nick Lalog

 

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

We will never know for sure what will happen to us this year, but we know that the name of the Son of God is Jesus, which means “God saves” or “God is my Savior.” Do you still practice pagan beliefs to have an abundant New Year?

 

Lord Jesus Christ, sorry if we get carried away with others in doing all those rituals for good fortune this 2018. Help us to remain faithful to You always, like Mary, Your Mother and our Mother too. Amen.

Today, I pray for __________________________________________________________

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