When my long-time friend stopped replying to me, I thought she was just busy. Random chats that take us days to reply, meetups three to four times a year—we’re comfortable with our low-maintenance friendship. Maybe too comfortable. Months passed and still nothing. I believe the fallout didn’t just happen overnight. We slowly stopped doing simple things that once bonded us. We stopped building connections, then we started to drift apart.

It got me thinking of my other relationships, especially with God. The hardest part of my Christian walk is daily prayer. To make time, sit still, and not let my mind wander even just for 10 minutes. Every now and then, I try to pick up my daily prayer habit, which normally lasts only a week. The motivation wears off. Months go by and I will try to return to my habit. I fall off, then I start over. But I keep on going. Even if I fail countless times, I keep on trying.

I might not fully know God’s heart on this side of life, but I want Him to have full access to mine. 

Rinabelle Cabagyo (ms.rinabelle@gmail.com) 

reflect

If God can only know you through what you reveal in your prayers, how well will He know you?

Jesus, open my heart to Your friendship. 

St. Prosper of Aquitaine, pray for us.

The Babylonians attacked Jerusalem twice. First, they exiled the city’s elite to weaken and subdue the Jewish people. When those who remained refused to surrender, the Babylonians struck again—exiling the rest and destroying the Temple. The Jews, plagued by corruption in both leadership and religious practices, lacked the unity needed to resist their enemies. Without a shared purpose as a people and a nation, they became easy prey for conquering armies.

⁸ Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. ⁹ He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his forebears had done. ¹⁰ At that time, the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. ¹¹ Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, himself arrived at the city while his servants were besieging it. ¹² Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive. ¹³ And he carried off all the treasures of the temple of the Lord and those of the palace, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel, had provided in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had foretold. ¹⁴ He deported all Jerusalem: all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None were left among the people of the land except the poor. ¹⁵ He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother and wives, his functionaries, and the chief men of the land. ¹⁶ The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon all seven thousand men of the army, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all of them trained soldiers. ¹⁷ In place of Jehoiachin, the king of Babylon appointed his uncle, Mattaniah, as king, and changed his name to Zedekiah.    

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 79:1-2, 3-5, 8, 9

R: For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

¹ O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. ² They have given the corpses of your servants as food to the birds of heaven, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth. (R) ³ They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. ⁴ We have become the reproach of our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. ⁵ O Lord, how long? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? (R) ⁸ Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) ⁹ Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R)  

Gospel | Matthew 7:21-29

Faith is more than mere belief in God—it is a call to action. We are called to discipleship, growing in holiness each day by living virtuously and imitating Christ. The saints inspire us with their holy lives, offering countless examples of how people have pursued sainthood throughout history. While practical details matter, it is their unwavering determination and commitment to Christ that should move us most.

Gospel Acclamation

Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

²¹ Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ ²³ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ ²⁴ “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. ²⁶ And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” ²⁸ When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, ²⁹ for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Reflect

“Let us become saints so that after having been together on earth, we may be together in heaven.” (St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina)

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 CHRONICLES 13 - 15 today.

Our brothers from other religious denominations often describe Catholics as hypocrites, claiming we are too carefree in the way we live. Many of us attend church regularly, yet our faith is not evident in our actions, damaging our credibility and the faith we aim to represent. Even among Christians, who genuinely strive to live out their faith, seeing others merely pretending can lead to discouragement and disillusionment. This creates frustration and disappointment within the community, sometimes even causing people to leave the Church.

In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that if we build our house on a weak foundation, like sand, it will easily collapse when challenges arise. However, if we build it on solid rock, it will withstand the winds and hardships, ensuring stability and resilience against life’s storms. Jesus clearly states that “anyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them is like a wise man who builds his house on rock.” This rock is the foundation on which our faith should stand.

Our Gospel today emphasizes the importance of not just hearing Jesus’ teachings but also integrating them into our daily lives and putting them into practice. Reflecting on these verses invites us to examine the authenticity of our faith.

Are we merely professing belief, or are we actively living out God’s will? Are our foundations built on the solid rock of Jesus’ teachings, or are they precariously placed on shifting sands? These questions encourage us to strive for a faith that is both heard and practiced, leading to a life of true discipleship and spiritual fulfillment.

Therefore, it is crucial for us, as Christians, to strive for authenticity in our faith journey, reflecting true Christian values in our actions and interactions. We must show genuine efforts to live out the teachings of Christianity, which emphasize sincerity, humility, and true repentance. 

Fr. Jason Laguerta 

reflection questions

Can you recall a time when your faith helped you withstand a difficult situation? How did it strengthen you?

Lord, help me to build my life on the solid foundation of Your teachings, living out Your will with sincerity and integrity. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________