Doctor: “I have good news and bad news.”

Patient: “Tell me the bad news, Doc.”

Doctor: “You have Alzheimer’s disease.”

Patient: What’s the good news?”

Doctor: “You can go home and forget about it!”

No one likes to be forgetful. But how often do we forget the many blessings, miracles, and answered prayers the Lord gives whenever we allow worry, fear, and depression to enter our heart and mind?

Friend, do you grumble or are you grateful? Things may not work out as you planned, but that does not invalidate what has worked out and what can still work out in God’s plan for you.

Remember the Lord’s goodness to you. Trust Him and do not forget His miracles. Unlike us, He does not forget. Jonathan Yogawin (coachj@jyogawin.com)

Reflect:

Make a list of God’s miracles in your life—small and great. Read them often lest you forget His wonders.

Lord God, You blessed me before, You can bless me again, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Saint Benignus, pray for us.

First Reading | Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

When we live in the presence of God and obey His will, His abundant grace multiplies all that is good. The overflowing bounty of the land described by Ezekiel is reminiscent of God's desire to bless us with all that is good. The only problem is we do not choose to live in His land but in the barren desert of our self will and sin.

¹ The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. ² He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. ⁸ He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. ⁹ Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. ¹² Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R: The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

² God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. ³ Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea. (R) ⁵ There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. ⁶ God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn. (R) ⁸ The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. ⁹ Come! Behold the deeds of the Lord, the astounding things he has wrought on earth. (R)

Second Reading | 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17

Our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized. This is an incredible privilege. May this inspire us to do everything to die to sin so that our bodies become worthy dwelling places for God.

⁹ Brothers and sisters: You are God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, ¹¹ for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Gospel | John 2:13-22

This is one of the few insights into the righteous anger of God. Jesus drives out of the Temple all those who profane the sacred space by their actions. It is possible to express anger in a good way. We should be furious at the work of sin and act accordingly when we see it happening. Let us pray for the grace to live in our dignity as sons and daughters of the Father, free of sin and on walking the path to His Kingdom.

Gospel Acclamation

I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever.

¹³ Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the moneychangers seated there. ¹⁵ He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables, ¹⁶ and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” ¹⁷ His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. ¹⁸ At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. ²² Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

Reflect:

If you were one of the sellers in the Temple, how would you feel about Jesus’ actions?

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

Today is the Feast of the Dedication of John Lateran Church in Rome. It is the parish church of Rome and possesses the highest dignity of being church in the whole Christendom. Many significant councils in the life and history of the Catholic Church were held there. Important Church dogmas were created there too. One can immediately feel the holiness and prestige of the church upon entering it. We thank the Lord for this place of worship and the service it provides for the propagation of the Catholic faith. During the time of Jesus, temples served as a place to seek God and to pray together as His people. Even if we can worship God anywhere, we are encouraged to do so in church.

Going to church is not just a personal act of worship. It has a communal aspect. We go to church to fulfill our responsibility to worship the Lord and to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist, but we also go there to pray with the community. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). The church is dedicated for the specific purpose of administering the sacraments. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the summit of that worship. In the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus, respectively. In the church, Jesus is present par excellence.

There was a parishioner who decided not to go to church anymore. He said he would just pray at home. After some time, his pastor visited him. He let him in. Not a word was said between them as they sat in front of the fireplace where some woods were burning. The pastor stared at the fire. The parishioner was becoming uncomfortable with the pastor’s silence. Suddenly, the pastor took the tong, picked an ember, and placed it in a clay pot near the fireplace. The pastor watched the ember. The parishioner watched it too. Gradually, the ember lost its glow and later died. The parishioner grew sad and cried. Finally, he told the pastor, “This Sunday, I am going back to church. Thank you very much for enlightening me, Father!” Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:

Do you look forward to Sunday worship?

I pray, Lord, that hearts will be moved to worship You once more inside the church after years of virtual Masses due to the pandemic. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________