I lost a lot during the pandemic—my business, my job, and a lot of people in my life because of COVID and other reasons. Eventually, I lost myself too.

I couldn’t understand what was happening to my life even though I was aware that a pandemic was crippling the whole world. I slowly sank into depression. All I wanted to do then was lie down in bed and sleep as much as I could, hoping that everything would end soon. I lost my sense of purpose.

Everything seemed to be conspiring against me.

Then one day, a ray of hope broke through. I found a book that helped me understand what I needed to do. 

I started writing again. I was able to write three e-books that are available on my website, two other books that I self-published, and two others that are currently in the pipeline.

At the same time, I helped three friends write their own books and bring it out into the world. 

What a way to enter the age of 61. 

Edwin Marcelo (imboodoo@gmail.com)

reflect

When God changes the trajectory of your life, will you respond by going to “the other towns” to proclaim the Kingdom of God?

Lord, help me to see and hear Your voice always so I may follow and obey You for the rest of my life. Amen.

Saint Zeno, martyr, pray for us.

As we grow in faith, we take on greater responsibility in the work of salvation. We cannot remain forever on “milk,” for just as a child eventually moves on to solid food, so must we mature spiritually. Evangelization begins with our own formation—being equipped to live out the Gospel—before we can go forth as evangelists to proclaim it. This is how we deepen our faith, embracing our vital role in bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

¹ Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. ² I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, ³ for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according to the manner of man? ⁴ Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men? ⁵ What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. ⁷ Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. ⁹ For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

¹² Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. ¹³ From heaven the Lord looks down; he sees all mankind. (R) ¹⁴ From his fixed throne he beholds all who dwell on the earth, ¹⁵ he who fashioned the heart of each, he who knows all their works. (R) ²⁰ Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, 21 for in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. (R)

Gospel | Luke 4:38-44

Jesus has just started His ministry, and the people flock to Him to be healed and to be freed from demons. Jesus’ preaching must have been extraordinary to inspire such a response. The same thing can happen today if there are enough of us committed to exercising our faith. This is the challenge we face: to live out Jesus’ words to His Apostles—“they would do greater things than he did!” (John 14:12).

Gospel Acclamation

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.

³⁸ After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. ³⁹ He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. ⁴⁰ At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. ⁴² At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Reflect

What great things do you believe you can accomplish in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit?

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 41 - 45 today.

I am reminded of a prayer by a dear friend, an Assumption sister, who passed away three years ago. She often prayed, “Lord, take me home only when You see that I have poured out all my strength and given all I can in service of others.”

Our Gospel today narrates that, coming from His regular synagogue attendance, Jesus goes to visit Simon’s home where He heals Simon’s ailing mother-in-law. After sharing a meal and spending time with His friends, He resumes attending to the crowd of sick people (the whole town) gathered at the door. Everyone receives personal attention from Him. Then, rising very early, Jesus goes off before dawn to a deserted place to spend some intimate time with His Father in prayer. 

Jesus’ teaching and healing were very personal and hands-on. Because of this, it seemed He no longer had time for Himself. He gave His time and energy fully to His public ministry. Almost no rest. In all these, we do not see nor hear Jesus complain about the task at hand. At times, He even had to forego His own temporal needs for the sake of others. 

Everyone needs a bit of rest or a breather. Maybe that’s why He went to His friend’s house—to relax a little. If we visit Capernaum today, we can still see the foundations of the synagogue from Jesus’ time, and it is just a stone’s throw from what is supposedly the house of Simon Peter. That would have been the perfect place for the Lord to have His break. He possibly would have wanted to take a little nap to get refreshed. But we know that’s not what happened. 

This is how Jesus lived every day of His life—an emptying, a selfless giving of Himself for others. As Christians, we must take our cue from Him who teaches us to make ourselves available to our brothers and sisters who need us. 

Fr. Ricky Montañez, AA

reflection question

How can you empty yourself daily to serve others like Jesus did? 

Lord, help me to give myself freely and love others as You have loved me. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ______________________________________