After 18 sessions of chemotherapy, Carla needed to go through further treatment that would last six moremonths. With a face weary over the bad news, she said, “Jon, I’m too tired and too weak. I don’t think I can make it through another six months.” I silently listened to her. I hugged her tight to say what words couldn’t. Then I shared with her God’s promise. “You don’t have to go through this for six months. Just go through this today. God gives us the strength that we need for today. Tomorrow’s grace will come tomorrow. Then we’ll do tomorrow, tomorrow. We’ll do this one day at a time! Then, you’ll be surprised, we’re done with this whole thing.”

Friend, you have enough strength for the day.

Think about this: Yesterday was the tomorrow you were worried two days ago. Your breath today is proof that you made it through yesterday!

My friend, God is faithful. You’ll win it today!

(Spoiler Alert: I’ll declare this again tomorrow. I’ll declare this one day at a time.) Jon Escoto (faithatworkjon@gmail.com)

reflect

Do you feel too weak to make it through this day? Friend, God’s grace is sufficient for today. Go through this journey one day at a time.

Father, give us today our daily bread. Amen.

St. Albert Chmielowski, pray for us.

Paul told the Corinthians, the venture capitalists, that he had no monetary reward for preaching the Gospel. The Gospel inspired him to seek nothing in return for sharing the Good News. This is an effective argument. There are only a few people who are willing to serve without compensation

¹ Brothers and sisters: If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me! Please put up with me. ² For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³ But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough. ⁵ For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these “super apostles.” ⁶ Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. ⁷ Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the Gospel of God to you without charge? ⁸ I plundered other churches by accepting from them in order to minister to you. ⁹ And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. ¹⁰ By the truth of Christ in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹ And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

R: Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.

¹ I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. ² Great are the works of the Lord, exquisite in all their delights. (R) ³ Majesty and glory are his work, and his justice endures forever. ⁴ He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the Lord. (R) ⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just; sure are all his precepts, ⁸ reliable forever and ever, wrought in truth and equity. (R)

Gospel | Matthew 6:7-15

The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer of intercession and a call to action. We must live out this prayer if we wish to pray it with integrity. We think that the essence of our spiritual life is in our prayers. Equally important are the actions that come from it. Prayer is the foundation of Christian life. However, good deeds and a life of faith are its crowning glory.

Gospel Acclamation

You have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: Abba! Father!

⁷ Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ “This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ¹⁰ thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread; ¹² and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; ¹³ and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ ¹⁴ “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 KINGS 4 - 6 today.

One of the best things that came from our collective experience in last year’s enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for more than two months was the recognition of many of our people who worked silently and selflessly for the country. They were included among the roster of the so-called frontliners like doctors, nurses, and others working in hospitals. Drivers and delivery personnel of essential products, staff at groceries and drugstores, linemen, bakers, and garbage collectors were finally recognized as frontliners, for without them our lives would have been unbearable especially during the pandemic.

Before this, people used to look down on them, but during the lockdown, we realized how important and essential their services are to our well-being. Somehow, the pandemic has given many of ordinary mortals some “bragging rights” in life.

In the First Reading, Saint Paul tells us that we sometimes have to brag not for ourselves but for Jesus: “Brothers and sisters, if only you would put up with a little foolishness from me! Please put up with me. For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these ‘super apostles.’ Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things” (2 Corinthians 11:1, 5-6).

It is consoling to hear Saint Paul showing us today how to be proud of our efforts so others may know and realize our sacrifices for them because we love them. Every little thing we do for others, God sees. Fr. Nick Lalog

reflection questions

Have you ever felt shortchanged for your efforts, whether at home, school, or at work? How did it affect you?

Lord Jesus, we pray for all the silent workers and servants who continue to lovingly serve You in others. Send them Your proverbial “pat on the shoulder” to console them, O Lord, in their darkness and anguish. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________