I had been praying daily for the healing of Ariel Driz, one of our Didache writers. He was diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage, but he and his wife, Ambec, didn’t give up hope. Neither did I. If anyone could pull off a miraculous healing with his faith, I believed it would be Ariel. 

Ariel had always been a man of faith. When he was in his twenties, he served in the intercession ministry of our community, rising at unholy hours to pray on his knees for countless people. He was also instrumental in enabling me to graduate college. I failed my thesis and he mentored me. He stayed up late nights to help me complete my Braille printer and prayed until I passed the following term.

It was bittersweet to receive the news of Ariel’s passing. But what I imagined was the pure joy on his face at seeing the One he had loved all his life. All his suffering and sacrifices vanished at the pure bliss of being welcomed and known by His Savior. Rissa Singson Kawpeng (rissakawpeng@gmail.com)

Reflect:

“When it is all over, you will not regret having suffered. Rather, you will regret having suffered so little and suffered that little so bbadly.” (St. Sebastian Valfre)

When the call of death arrives, bid me come to Thee, oh Lord.

Saint Genevieve, pray for us.

First Reading | 1 John 2:29-3:6 (or Philippians 2:6-11)

What is Christian hope? It is a promised reality because Jesus has already won victory for us on the cross. Pope Benedict XVI’s second encyclical Spe salvi is a brilliant exposition on the nature of Christian hope. It is also easy to read and understand. Let us make time to read it and reflect on it so we may understand the significance of hope in our faith life.

²⁹ If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him. ^3:1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. ³ Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. ⁴ Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 98:1, 3-4, 5-6 (or Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6)

R: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) ³ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. ⁴ Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) ⁵ Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. ⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord. (R)

Gospel | John 1:29-34 (or Luke 2:16-21)

There are three ways we can defend ourselves against the work of Satan—the cross, the blood, and the name of Jesus. Everything comes back to these three aspects of the victory of Christ. Today, as we celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus, let us ask the Spirit of God to help us understand the power of invoking the name of Jesus. Let us avoid using His name in vain and always remember to revere and honor His name. Let us draw every help we can from this great gift He has given to every disciple.

Gospel Acclamation

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God.

²⁹ John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. ³⁰ He is the one of whom I said, A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ³¹1 did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” ³² John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. ³³ 1 did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read LUKE 9 - 12 today.

Make Your 2025 a Pilgrimage of Hope

Today’s readings remind us that we, Christians, walk along two timelines. For us, time is not just the forward passing of seconds (chronos), but also moments of divine opportunity, or God’s perfect timing (kairos).

“When the fullness of time had come,” says Paul in Galatians, “God sent His Son.” What is this fullness? Who can predict it? God’s time will always be a mystery to us. Such is the basis of our hope: that God has His own perfect time, which no one can predict or influence. His perfect wisdom, justice, and plans are not ours to control but ours to completely rely on, as Mary did, whose faith led her to say yes and believe that God’s timeline was more important than her own. 

As we put to action our carefully designed plans, may we look up to Mary, Mother of God and model of hope. Let us trust that whether it is the first day of the year, the middle of a difficult month, or near the end of another year where nothing seems to have gone our way, God’s interventions can happen anytime, anywhere, in ways unimagined, and always better than anything we could have anticipated. 

As we remain in God’s mysteries, we navigate life’s twists and turns, and ponder them with faith in our hearts. Like Mary and Joseph, we remain obedient to God’s commandments and stay close to the Church, so that when it is our turn to receive His invitation to what He has been preparing for us all along, we can also give our wholehearted yes. With this in our hearts and minds, Jubilee Year 2025 will surely be a pilgrimage of hope. May we radiate this hope so that others can be lifted up, too, by God’s perfect plan for them. Fr. Albert Garong, SSP

reflection question

How can you be a pilgrim and ambassador of hope this new year?

Guide us through this year as pilgrims of hope, always trusting in Your divine plan, even if it means letting go of our own. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________