Do you sometimes feel that life is unfair? You keep giving your time, money, and effort, but things are not going as you expect. But then you see others giving the bare minimum, and they are blessed abundantly. 

I can relate to this in many aspects of my life. But the words of Saint Paul in today’s First Reading reminds me that, truly, it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

I learned over the years that when you do something out of mere obligation, it becomes a heavy burden. But if you do things out of great love and with the pure intention to serve, it unlocks loads of rewards—even more valuable than material wealth.  

Friend, God sees all your hard work. 

He will be the one to bless you—even more than what you expect—in His perfect time. 

Kring Talladen (kringtalladen@gmail.com)

reflect

How can you extend a helping hand to someone today? Dear God, thank You for the opportunity to love and serve today. Amen.

Saint Nennoc, pray for us.

Paul worked with the people of Ephesus for three years. He shed tears in forming them in the ways of the Gospel. Do we think it will be different for us? Do we think that we can build communities that will endure in just a few weeks? Our communities will be as stable as the effort we put into building them. The commitment of community members will determine its effectiveness in proclaiming the Gospel. There will be moments of grace where things go smoothly, but they will be compensated by the times of struggle where we will be close to giving up.

²⁸ At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus: “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. ³⁰ And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. ³¹ So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. ³² And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated. ³³ I have never wanted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴ You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions. ³⁵ In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ³⁶ When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, ³⁸ for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.   

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 68:29-30, 33-35, 35-36

R: Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.

²⁹ Show forth, O God, your power, the power, O God, with which you took our part; ³⁰ For your temple in Jerusalem let the kings bring you gifts. (R) ³³ You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, chant praise to the Lord ³⁴ who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens. Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power: ³⁵ “Confess the power of God!” (R) Over Israel in his majesty; his power is in the skies. ³⁶ Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people. (R)

Gospel | John 17:11-19

It will never be God’s will for a community to have a rancorous split. He will never cause disagreements that will lead to disunity. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of unity, and we must always resolve our differences and avoid separation. Humanly speaking, there are issues that are too difficult to resolve. But that is not God’s will—it is the result of human sin.

Gospel Acclamation

Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.

¹¹ Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. ¹² When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. ¹⁴ I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. ¹⁵ I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. ¹⁶ They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. ¹⁷ Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

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

There is always a faint tug in my heart every time I reflect on this passage from the Gospel of John. Biblicists refer to this lengthy portion as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus Christ. I sense a lot of care and concern on the part of the Lord, acting and doing His role as High Priest, as Master, as Teacher, but most especially as a loving and solicitous Shepherd.

I do not know if any of you has ever felt alone at any time in your lives. We priests and religious, who work for and are surrounded most of the time by crowds or big groups of people, could at times be narcotized by the seeming endless attention and affection from throngs and individuals. We seldom experience being alone by ourselves. For those of us who work in big parishes and big schools, there is always someone by our side to do our every bidding—to cook for us, wash our clothes, clean our offices, and the like.

I purposely used the word “narcotized,” for like subtances, the Internet, or anything for that matter, when used excessively and relied on a bit too much, that semblance of solicitous care from others can daze us into believing everything is for real. Psychologists, grappling with the realities of online deindividuation and disinhibition, also speak now of narcotizing dysfunction, or the belief that one is actively engaged in doing something simply by clicking the mouse and posting “likes” in social media.

Modern Filipino language even uses the phrase “Napusuan mo na ba?” (In Facebook lingo, it means, “Have you reacted to it?”) This, among others, shows us that there remains a vestige of humanity in the world of social media.

That tinge of the tender side of Christ’s humanity is what I would like to think He is showing us in this prayer. “May kurot sa puso ang Kanyang panalangin!” (His prayer leaves a tug in the heart.) It shows us that the Lord, more than just teacher, was High Priest. He was Supreme Shepherd. He begged His Father on our behalf: “I gave them Your word, and the world hated them.” I feel I am in good company today and for all days. 

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

Imagine Jesus praying this prayer for you personally: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name.” How would you feel? 

Dearest Jesus, thank You for thinking of me every moment of my life, even when I stray away from You. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________