Jesus never said, “Love your neighbor instead of yourself.” But let’s be real—many of us give and care so much that we forget to care for ourselves. As a doctor and preacher (and first a husband and father), I struggle with this daily. Some days, I feel like a phone on one percent battery, running on fumes, yet somehow convincing myself I can push through.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” And this body—this life—is a gift from God. If we are called to be good stewards of His blessings, doesn’t that include ourselves too?

God’s love isn’t a reward for overworking ourselves. It’s freely given. And when we receive it fully, we stop running on empty. We serve from fullness, not exhaustion.

So, my friend, recharge with that sleep. Drink water like it’s straight from the Jordan River. Move your body—not just for work, but for joy. Say no to burnout and yes to grace. Because when we love ourselves well, we don’t just survive—we thrive. And in that fullness, we love others better too.

Didoy Lubaton M.D. (didoymd@gmail.com)

reflect

“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.” (Unknown)

Lord, teach me to love myself the right way.

St. Raymond of Peñafort, priest, pray for us.

We can love God out of our fear of going to hell, but this is not perfect love. To love God perfectly means loving Him for who He is and for His goodness to us. Let us strive to develop this kind of love so we can love for the sake of love. We are easily influenced and wavered in our faith when fear motivates us. Let us pray for the grace to overcome this fear by opening our hearts to a deeper experience of God’s love.

¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. ¹³ This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. ¹⁶ We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. ¹⁷ In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 72:1-2, 10, 12-13

R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

¹ O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; ² he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) ¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. (R) ¹² For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. ¹³ He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. (R)

 Gospel | Mark 6:45-52

God is with us, and we have nothing to fear because He always protects us. He will protect us from sin and eternal death. We all have to die someday. Our faith cannot help us avoid death. Jesus died a human death to free our souls for eternal life with God in heaven. Let us entrust our lives to God’s love and protection.

Gospel Acclamation

Glory to you, O Christ, proclaimed to the Gentiles. Glory to you, O Christ, believed in throughout the world.

⁴⁵ After the five thousand had eaten and were made satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. ⁴⁸ Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. ⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. ⁵⁰ They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” ⁵¹ He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. ⁵² They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 5 - 8 today.

In today’s Gospel, the Apostles found themselves in a boat caught in the middle of a storm. Jesus approached them, walking on water. After assuring them of His identity, Jesus invited Peter to step out of the boat and walk toward Him on the water.

Jesus did not call Peter to walk on water for its own sake. What would that be for? He called Peter to walk on water to equip him and the disciples with an attitude that they would need later on in their ministry—facing the unfamiliar. They would be asked again and again to leave the familiar and face the unfamiliar as they are called to set out in the world to preach the Gospel.

Most of the time, we allow our circumstances to determine our choices. It shouldn’t be. Our character is what should shape our circumstances. The Scripture often speaks of believers as being “in the world but not of the world” (see John 17:14-15). We may be in a limited environment, but we are not necessarily of that environment.

Notice that the other Apostles stayed in the security of their boats. Peter faced the insecurity of leaving it. The security of the familiar may provide comfort, but it can also be limiting, even enslaving. Insecurity may be frightening, but it is surely liberating.

One of my favorite philosophers, Master Shifu of Kung Fu Panda, said it well: “If you only do what you can, you will never be who you were meant to be.” Peter realized who he was meant to be because he dared do something he cannot and has never done before—walk on water.

The Apostles were terrified when they saw Jesus walking on the water. They thought they saw a ghost. Immediately, Jesus admonished them, “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Fear is not God’s plan for us. It is courage. 

Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

What shapes your choices—your circumstances or your character?

When I feel limited by my circumstances, whisper to my heart, “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.” Amen.

Today, I pray for: ________________________________________