“Kuya has more than me!” exclaimed my daughter, Andie. Her brother, Anton, was just about to have his first bowl of ice cream while she was already finishing her second bowl. Andie’s second serving was indeed smaller than Anton’s, yet her two bowls combined was much more.

Do you compare yourself to others and feel they’re more blessed? They have a nicer car, bigger house, higher salary, and better life. When you only look at this moment, it may feel others have more. But if you think about all God has given you in the past—every time He healed and delivered you, answered your prayer, and gave you “extra scoops” of blessings—how does it make you feel? Looking at all our blessings combined, it makes little sense to compare ourselves with others.

God gives us what we need in our present season. Sometimes He answers prayers; other times He helps us plant. Other times, He gives us opportunities to grow. Whatever the season, we are always blessed. We just need to choose to see it. George Gabriel (georgetgabriel@gmail.com)

reflect

When was the last time you made a blessing list? Why not try it now? Warning: It may take a while if you do it right.

Thank You, Lord, for everything You’ve given me and for everything that’s coming my way.

St. John Nepomuceno, pray for us.

A miraculous healing is always a great experience. Miracles also witness to the truth of the Gospel. They help people to believe the Gospel through extraordinary events that cannot be explained by human means.

⁵ There was an attempt in Iconium by both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their leaders, to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas. ⁶ They realized it, and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, ⁷ where they continued to proclaim the Good News. ⁸ At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, ¹⁰ and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” ¹² They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice. ¹⁴ The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; ¹⁷ yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.” ¹⁸ Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16

R: Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

¹ Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy, because of your truth. ² Why should the pagans say, “Where is their God?” (R) ³ Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. ⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. (R) ¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Heaven is the heaven of the Lord, but the earth he has given to the children of men. (R)

Gospel | John 14:21-26

The Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises. Spend time to write down His promises so you can remember. Keep this list in your Bible and add more promises that you come across as you read the Scriptures. May you realize the generous love of God.

Gospel Acclamation

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

²¹ Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” ²² Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. ²⁵ I have told you this while I am with you. ²⁶ The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 CHRONICLES 1 - 3 today.

I have been a book lover all my life. I started collecting books when I was sixteen years old. Most of them eventually became part of the collection of at least three different libraries, including that of the school of theology where I teach.

I am a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to caring for what I own. And since I love books, I feel a little put off when I see others who borrow them make numerous dog-ears on pages, leave them under the sun, or use items thicker than the book itself as bookmarker.

I love them. I keep them. Clean. Covered in plastic. Shelved properly and grouped according to size. One of the first books that I read back in college clarified that love is shown in four things at the very least: care, respect, responsibility, and knowledge. When one has all four, they make for a remarkable lifestyle. And lifestyle does not consist in behaving in a particular manner once every bluemoon. Lifestyle is how one lives on a consistent and prolonged basis, not just after attending a moving, stay-in retreat that rarely happens.

Today, one such stable and consistent pattern of behavior equated with love is obedience. Obedience may well be called the lifestyle of loving God. It is a virtue that stands upright even if everyone around it is falling down like flies. Obedience, as a virtue, is what gives visible and palpable character to a person.

One who doesn’t love doesn’t care. One also cannot respect what one does not care for. The lifestyle of one who loves is a life filled with responsibility—that capacity to answer for and be accountable for the very persons or things that he loves. And that same lifestyle leads the person who loves to strive to get to know more and more about whom or what he loves.

We have had all sorts of leaders in this country. Some stand out on account of their brilliance; some because of their administrative skills. We hated some of them. And it isn’t rocket science for us to know why, despite their supposed brilliance and intelligence, people don’t like them. They simply have no love.

It’s the lifestyle, Ma’am/Sir! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

Of the four manifestations of love mentioned in the above reflection, where do you feel you need to improve?

Help me to make love my lifestyle, Lord.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________