Last year, my grandfather was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, and he was hospitalized for four weeks.

Those weeks were tough. Lolo was 93 years old and hard of hearing, but he could still understand what was happening. He is a doctor himself, but he was helpless about his condition. This made him very uneasy and impatient.

We kept him busy with the newspaper, TV, and video calls. We explained his diagnosis repeatedly when he would forget. We were at his bedside 24/7. But it became discouraging when he himself asked, “Why am I still here? What is there left to do?” We knew that this was beyond our control. We asked him to pray for us when he was in pain. We wrote the intentions he could pray for and posted them on the walls. This calmed him down, and we knew that the Holy Spirit had taken over.

Fr. Migs Ramirez (migsramirez2024@gmail.com)

reflect

“The only way God can show us He’s in control is to put us in situations we can’t control.” (Steven Furtick)

Father, may I do my best to follow Your will today. But when weakness and hopelessness set in, take over with Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saint Venerius, pray for us.

Even though there are authorities who want to arrest and possibly kill them, Paul and Barnabas continue to proclaim the Gospel and to heal the sick and the suffering. The healing of a lame man by Paul cannot be kept a secret. The proclamation of the Gospel is more important to Paul and Barnabas than their own health and well-being. Like them, may we be inspired to discover the importance of our mission.

⁵ There was an attempt by both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their leaders, to attack and stone Paul and Barnabas, ⁶ they realized it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, ⁷ where they continued to proclaim the Good News. ⁸ At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, ¹⁰ and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” ¹² They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he, together with the people, intended to offer sacrifice. ¹⁴ The Apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; ¹⁷ yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.” ¹⁸ Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16

R: Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

¹ Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy, because of your truth. ² Why should the pagans say, “Where is their God?” (R) ³ Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. ⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. (R) ¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Heaven is the heaven of the Lord, but the earth he has given to the children of men. (R)    

Gospel | John 14:21-26

If we really want to know the Father and His Son, then we should do what they tell us to do. Jesus affirms that the more obedient we are, the greater our experience of Him becomes. Is this spiritual blackmail? It is simply the truth. Consider it this way: If you truly want to know someone, the best way is to spend time with them. What better way to spend time with God than to actively do His will?

Gospel Acclamation

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

²¹ Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” ²² Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. ²⁵ “I have told you this while I am with you. ²⁶ The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read DEUTERONOMY 15 - 18 today.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples one of the basics of the relationship between a master and a servant. He said, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

Jesus stresses to His disciples the importance of listening to Him, understanding His message, and making them a way of life. He was given the responsibility of communicating His Father’s will of repentance and love, which would climax in His passion, death, and resurrection. This was not a hard teaching to understand but a hard one to live out.

How do we obey and live what Jesus taught? By having a personal relationship with Him, which entails knowing, loving, and serving Him. We can only serve and love those whom we know. Human experience teaches us this. A person, no matter how great and famous, can only be admired and followed to a certain point. But our parents, spouse, children, and friends—whom we personally know—we can easily love and serve. Thus, it is not enough that we know a lot about the Lord. We must try to know Him personally, deeply, and meaningfully.

With the advent of the Internet, connections have become more accessible and facile. Still, face-to-face meetings are irreplaceable. The experience of seeing, hearing, feeling, and even touching each other provides a different level of connection. With God, this happens when we faithfully and regularly communicate with Him. We call that prayer. Daily attendance at Holy Mass, praying the rosary, fasting, almsgiving, and other pious activities advance our relationship with God. Obeying His commands comes naturally, voluntarily, and lovingly. 

Fr. Benny Tuazon

reflection questions

How do you define your relationship with Jesus? Are you in a personal relationship with Him?

Lord Jesus, I love You and I know I need to follow Your commands. Let Your Spirit fill me so I will always find the path to Your Kingdom. My heart is restless until it rests in You. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________________