I was sure I wanted to be a priest when I was a child. But as I grew up, my dreams shifted—from becoming a priest, to a basketball player, to a TV personality, and the list went on. After graduating, I decided to become a full-time missionary. I thought God’s ultimate purpose for me was to dedicate the prime years of my life to sharing His Word.

But life took another turn. I got married, and my wife and I started a family while on foreign mission. Eventually, as our family’s needs grew, I had to step away from full-time mission work. I got a job that was still connected to ministry. Years later, God called me to serve Him as a Feast builder in the Ortigas District. Now, I get to enjoy both worlds: providing for my family while continuing to serve the Lord alongside them.

Through all these changes, one thing has remained constant—the desire to answer God’s call. He calls all of us to be His instruments of love and mercy wherever He places us. No matter your field or season in life, God can use you for His greater plan. 

Anthony Rodriguez (roberanthonyrodriguez@gmail.com)

reflect

How can God use you today? Remember that He calls you to serve Him even in the smallest things.

Lord, use me today for Your purpose. May my life give glory to You alone. Amen.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us.

First Reading | Isaiah 49:1-6

Many of the prophets suffered and toiled for years while proclaiming God’s Word to His people. Sadly, they saw little fruit from their efforts. Perhaps, this is the lot of a prophet? Let us pray that God will raise modern-day prophets to speak the truth of God to the world and that people will have the common sense to listen and respond to what these prophets have to say.

¹ Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. ² He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me. ³ You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. ⁴ Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. ⁵ For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! ⁶ It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15

R: I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

¹ O Lord, you have probed me and you know me: ² you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. ³ My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (R) ¹³ Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. (R) My soul also you knew full well; ¹⁵ nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. (R)

Second Reading | Acts 13:22-26

From a Christian perspective, the word of salvation has been proclaimed for about 2,000 years. Yet only about one third of the world is Christian. We have a long way to go before the Gospel reaches all men and women. There are many religions and philosophies in the world; however, only a few of them contain the truths necessary for eternal life.

²² In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king; of him God testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. ²³ From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. ²⁴ John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; ²⁵ and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’ ²⁶ My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.”

Gospel | Luke 1:57-66, 80

John the Baptist is a precursor to Jesus. He has been sent to prepare the way for Him to proclaim the Gospel. Reading through the Lukan infancy narratives, we will discover that the Holy Spirit is present in the lives of the major figures in the narratives—that is, people being filled with the Holy Spirit. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the Church to empower us to bring the Gospel to the world.

Gospel Acclamation

You, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.

⁵⁷ When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” ⁶¹ But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” ⁶² So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. ⁶³ He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶ All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. ⁸⁰ The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 CHRONICLES 10 - 12 today.

What Would This Child Be?

This question is one we can ask about every newborn, reflecting the joy and potential each baby brings—for every child is seen as a gift from God, destined to shape the future.

This same question was notably asked about John the Baptist, who was uniquely sanctified by God even before birth. When Elizabeth, John’s mother, met Mary, the baby leapt in her womb, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.Sanctification means being made holy and chosen for a special mission. John the Baptist’s name, Yôhānān, which means “God is gracious”—signifies his role in showing God’s favor. Since Malachi, the last prophet from the Old Testament, there were 400 years of prophetic silence, and John’s birth gave an end to this long wait.

John the Baptist reintroduced God’s voice to the people, preparing the way for Jesus by baptizing Him and pointing Him out to His disciples. John was the last prophet before Christ, bridging the Old and New Testaments, and his mission underscores the importance of names and their meanings. When we were baptized, each of us was given different names with different meanings, but our faith has given us a name common to us all—Christians. At Baptism, we are called to be Christ-like and to continue Jesus’ mission. Like John, we can demonstrate God’s graciousness by spreading the Good News and pointing others to Jesus. 

Fr. Jason Laguerta 

reflection question

What does it mean to be Christ-like?

Lord, thank You for the inspiration of John the Baptist’s birth and mission. Help us embrace our calling to prepare our hearts for Jesus. Amen. 

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________