In preparing for marriage, Nika and I decided to buy a house that was pre-selling. But after two years of monthly amortizations, we felt the burden of this commitment. It took everything we had just to make the payments.

In the last month of payment before the turnover, this burden already brought us to our knees. We were at the end of our resources and could no longer stretch our finances. We asked for prayers from our parish, asked Mama Mary to intercede, and pleaded God for a solution. After praying and crying, we decided to e-mail the developer that we were withdrawing our commitment because of financial difficulty.

What happened next stunned us. The developer replied that they couldn’t turn over the house because they hadn’t even developed the village. They were willing to return our money with interest and free of penalties. Hallelujah! The Lord saves. He performs signs and wonders. He rescues us from powers that overwhelm us. 

Niko Capucion (nikocapucion@gmail.com)

reflect

God desires to save you. Let Him be the answer to your impossible problems.

Lord, our Savior, You are close to the broken and the brokenhearted. You are my hope. I cling to You in every season of my life. Amen. Mary, help of Christians, pray for us.

Saint Severinus, pray for us.

Daniel is a man of prayer. Even though the king made a decree that praying to any god other than him was punishable by death, Daniel remained committed to praying three times a day to God. Making such an outrageous decree shows the king’s pride and arrogance. Daniel’s enemies knew that he would not forsake his faith even with the threat of death, so they enticed the king to make this decree. Like Daniel, let us be committed to our daily prayer.

¹² Some men rushed into the upper chamber of Daniel’s home and found him praying and pleading before his God. ¹³ Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: “Did you notdecree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?” The king answered them, “The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law.” ¹⁴ To this they replied, “Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you issued; three times a day he offers his prayer.” ¹⁵ The king was deeply grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he worked till sunset to rescue him. ¹⁶ But these men insisted. They said, “Keep in mind, O king, that under the Mede and Persian law every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable.” ¹⁷ So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions’ den. To Daniel he said, “May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you.” ¹⁸ To forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den. ¹⁹ Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him, ²⁰ the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions’ den. ²¹ As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?” ²² Daniel answered the king: “O king, live forever! ²³ My God has sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you have I done any harm, O king!” ²⁴ This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in his God. ²⁵ The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions’ den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. ²⁶ Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: “All peace to you! ²⁷ I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: “For he is the living God, enduring forever; his Kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be without end. ²⁸ He is a deliverer and savior, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel from the lions’ power.”

Responsorial Psalm | Daniel 3:68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74

R: Give glory and eternal praise to him.

⁶⁸ “Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) ⁶⁹ “Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 70 “Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 71 “Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) ⁷² “Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) ⁷³ “Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) ⁷⁴ “Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R)

Gospel | Luke 21:20-28

Jesus gave some specific signs about the great persecution that would come upon His people and the city of Jerusalem. In 70 A.D., when the Roman armies assaulted the city, the Christians remembered the warning of their Master and fled the city. Thousands of others didn’t flee and perished. Let us listen to the words of Christ that warn us about this life’s dangers so we, too, can escape and enter His eternal Kingdom.

Gospel Acclamation

Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

²⁰ Jesus said to his disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. ²¹ Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, ²² for these days are the time of punishment when all the Scriptures are fulfilled. ²³ Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶ People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read PSALMS 116 - 118 today.

In our First Reading, we witness the story of Daniel’s unwavering faith in God despite facing the terrifying prospect of being thrown into the lions’ den. Although surrounded by fear and opposition, he remains steadfast and trusts in God’s protection.

Similarly, in our Gospel today, Jesus forewarns His disciples of distressing events to come, including the destruction of Jerusalem and the upheaval of the world. Despite these tumultuous predictions, He encourages His followers to stand tall and unafraid, lifting their heads in anticipation of their redemption.

We are reminded that fear is a natural human response to impending peril, but as followers of Christ, we are called to respond differently. Jesus’ exhortation to stand tall and unafraid echoes the courage displayed by Daniel in the face of imminent danger. We are called to emulate Daniel’s unwavering faith and trust in God’s protection amidst the most fearsome trials.

Remember the acronym F.E.A.R. from our readings: Free ourselves from crippling attachments; Embrace Jesus wholeheartedly; Accept God’s rule over our lives; and Reconcile with God, others, and ourselves.

By doing so, we can find the courage to face adversity with unwavering faith, just as Daniel did in the lions’ den, and as Jesus calls us to do in the midst of the world’s upheavals.

Therefore, let us draw strength from the examples of Daniel and the words of Jesus, and strive to stand tall and unafraid, knowing that our trust in God’s sovereignty and protection will carry us through even amidst the most daunting trials. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

Reflection question

Which do you often allow to dominate your life when you face trials—fear or faith in God?

When trials beset me, Lord, be with me. Help me not to buckle under the weight of my troubles. With You, I know I will be victorious, just as You promised. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ________________________________