Daily Bible Reflections
for September 21, 2019
;

Dear Friend,

Be filled with God's joy this Saturday.

Praying for you,

Bo Sanchez



21
September
Saturday
TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle 

THE INVITE

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. – Ephesians 4:11-12

“May we invite you and your wife to serve?” This was our parish priest’s invitation when he visited our home one evening. He was asking us to head a big ministry – a commission – which aims to bring families to the Church. I said, “We will pray about it and will review the goals and background of the ministry.”

After almost a month, we said yes to the invitation. Since then, we had reorganized the commission, dividing it into six ministries. Alternating with our usual monthly meetings, I spoke the Word of God to leaders of various ministries under our team. Everyone shared their respective personal reflections. The ministry team was indeed equipped to serve.

The team organized big events for the parish: the search for a model family, programs for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and Mass weddings. Our parish community was so happy and thankful to the Lord for these events. Certainly, the Body of Christ in our parish was built up!

I will forever be grateful to God for allowing us to be a channel of His love in building our community. Truly, when the Lord calls, He equips! Danny Tariman (dtariman.loj@gmail.com)

Reflect: Do you sense the Lord is calling you to serve?

When I hesitate to respond to Your call, empower me with Your Spirit to serve Your people. Amen.

St. Matthew, Apostle, pray for us.

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COMPANION

1st READING

Paul reminds us that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be used for the benefit of the Body of Christ. Let us know and ask for these gifts so we can develop them and grow into them. The spiritual gifts are like the muscles in our bodies—the more we exercise them, the stronger they become; the less we exercise them, the more they will atrophy.

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

1 Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 11 And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

PSALM

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

R: Their message goes out through all the earth.

2 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 3 Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 4 Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; 5 through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message. (R)

GOSPEL 

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, one of the tax collectors whom Jesus befriended during His ministry. Let us be grateful for Matthew’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus, because it gives valuable insight into our faith. Let us thank the Holy Spirit and Matthew by reading and reflecting on God’s Word daily.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you.

Matthew 9:9-13

9 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

think: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12)

______________________________    

______________________________   

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                  

Read the Bible in one year - Psalms 131-135

 

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SABBATH

 

WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT GOD’S MERCY

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew. We know that he was a tax collector hated by everyone. And yet Jesus called him to become a disciple. In fact, he was one of the evangelists responsible for collecting or writing one of the Gospels. Jesus entrusted Matthew to write about His life even though he was a great sinner. From his being a sinful tax collector, Matthew became a a disciple.

The Gospel of Matthew lists five women with questionable personalities. They should not have been included, yet the Gospel of Matthew included them. Despite the inclusion, the Gospel of Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is King, that He is the Messiah. He would repeatedly hammer the idea of Jesus as the son of King David (Matthew 1:1). The book makes more mentions of the “Kingdom of heaven” or the “Kingdom of God” than any of the other Gospels.

When we are in touch with our nothingness, we appreciate and become grateful for God’s mercy to us. Without God’s grace, we would keep on falling into sin. We go to confession and then after a few days, we sin again. “O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow” (Psam 144:3-4).

St. Josemaria Escriva likened ourselves to a trash can: “Don’t forget that you are just a trash can. So if by any chance the divine gardener should lay his hands on you, and scrub and clean you, and fill you with magnificent flowers, neither the scent nor the colors that beautify your ugliness should make you proud” (The Way, No. 592).

We become who we are because God calls us to be His disciples. Like Matthew, we are sinners, yet God invites us to follow Him. In the end, whatever money, position, or degree we have will amount to nothing if we do not follow Jesus. Fr. Haluendo Amit, OCD

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

Have you decided to seriously follow Jesus?

May my life shine Your grace poured unto me, a sinner. Amen.


Today, I pray for: ___________________________

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