When I turned 50, I learned I have ADHD. I didn’t know I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder because I consider myself a highly functioning individual with relative success in what I do. But I found out ADHD has many levels. Mine is the kind where I function best when a lot of things are happening. No wonder I used to study for exams with the TV on. I couldn’t walk to work without a podcast playing on my earphones. I can’t even prepare for a talk without music in the background.

So, during a retreat when we were asked to bask in God’s presence in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I had to fight the urge to check my phone or fidget with something. I need to learn to withdraw from the noise and just be with God.

Jesus loved His moments alone with the Father, especially when the ministry became overwhelming and demanding, He would escape to pray and listen to God. Friend, if your world is getting too noisy, go to your quiet place and experience God’s embrace. Let Him still your heart and recharge your hope. 

Toh Relova (tohrelova@gmail.com)

reflect

Troubled? Unplug and be still in God’s presence. Silence the world’s noise so you hear His voice.

Lord, detach me from the gadgets, hyperactivity, and busyness of my life when I need to quiet my heart and connect with Yours.

St. Adrian of Canterbury, priest, pray for us.

First Reading | Numbers 21:4-9 (or 1 John 5:5-13)

Moses plays a crucial role in the healing of the people—He prays to God and intercedes for them. We, too, are called to be intercessors, praying for the salvation, and the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual healing of others. Is there someone whose healing you need to pray for today.

⁴ With their patience worn out by the journey, ⁵ the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” ⁶ In punishment, the Lord sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. ⁷ Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you. Pray the Lord to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, ⁸ and the Lord said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if any who has been bitten looks at it, they will live.” ⁹ Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 78:1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 (or Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20)

R: Do not forget the works of the Lord!

¹ Hearken, my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ² I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter mysteries from of old. (R) ³⁴ While he slew them they sought him and inquired after God again, ³⁵ remembering that God was their rock and the Most High God, their redeemer. (R) ³⁶ But they flattered him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues, ³⁷ though their hearts were not steadfast toward him, nor were they faithful to his covenant. (R) ³⁸ Yet he, being merciful, forgave their sin and destroyed them not; often he turned back his anger and let none of his wrath be roused. (R)

Second Reading (Optional*) | Philippians 2:6-11

Jesus always thought of other people before Himself and put their needs before His own. His main concern in life is obedience to the Father. His obedience counters the disobedience of every sin. His selflessness took Him to the cross. As Jesus hung on the cross, His thoughts were still not for His own comfort, but for those around Him and for the Father. He is truly the Lord of love on Calvary.

⁶ Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. ⁷ Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, ⁸ he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel | John 3:13-17 (or Luke 5:12-16)

Today’s Gospel reminds us of God’s sacrificial love: He gave His Son to save us. Jesus died on the cross so that we might live forever. He died so that we could be in a relationship with God. Nothing can separate us from His love, thanks to Jesus. Sin is not a failure of grace but our failure to appropriate the grace God gives us to grow in holiness.

Gospel Acclamation

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

¹³ Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that he who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Reflect

Sin is not a failure of grace but our failure to appropriate the grace God gives us to grow in holiness

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 13 - 16 today.

Make Things Happen

A wild, angry dog wandered into a cave full of mirrors. Surrounded by his own reflections, he barked at each of them. Seeing that every reflection barked back at him, he ran out of the cave saying, “This is such an angry world I live in!”

A domesticated pet dog wandered into the same cave of mirrors. Seeing the many reflections around him, he smiled and wagged his tail at each of them. Every image did the same and the dog came out of the cave saying, “It’s a friendly world I live in.”

What happens on the outside is, to a great extent, affected by what is happening within. If you are an angry individual, you will most probably see the world through glasses with angry shades. Similarly, a joyful and peaceable individual will most probably see the world in colorful shades. Our thoughts and expectations influence our external state of affairs. While we do not always get what we deserve in life, we usually get no more than what we expect. As the principle says, we receive what we believe.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man with leprosy. A leper during those times is rejected, isolated, stripped of his rights to community, and barred from considering himself a member of humanity. Every leper should know his place and remind himself of these as he is required by law to shout, “Unclean, unclean!” whenever he finds himself within hearing distance of people.

The leper in today’s Gospel resisted to be treated as a living dead. He refused to be isolated and marginalized. He boldly approached Jesus, believing within what is rightful to every believing Jew. His external circumstance tells him he is as good as dead. His internal image tells him he is a child of God. The leper believed he is more than what society says and thinks him to be. Jesus affirmed his faith. 

Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

Psychologists and sociologists teach that 20 percent of our life is determined by what happens to us. What we make happen is 80 percent. The leper belonged to the 80 percent group. Where do you belong?

God our Father, make me own the undeserved gift You have given me—Your Fatherhood. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________________________———