What Would He Say? What Would He Do?

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19
Jeroboam left Jerusalem,
and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road.
The two were alone in the area,
and the prophet was wearing a new cloak.
Ahijah took off his new cloak,
tore it into twelve pieces, and said to Jeroboam:

“Take ten pieces for yourself;
the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp
and will give you ten of the tribes.
One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant,
and of Jerusalem,
the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’”

Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15
R. (11a and 9a) I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

Gospel
Mk 7:31-37
Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
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REFLECTION
Jesus ordered them to tell no one, but the more he ordered them the more zealously they proclaimed it. -Mark 7:31-37

In the gospel today, Jesus ordered the people to not speak of the miracle. Do we wonder why Jesus tried to make His miracles a secret? It is indeed a miracle that Jesus made a man hear and speak. Jesus enabled us to listen instead of just hearing. He allowed us to speak to bring others closer to Him and affirm them for their good deeds. He allowed us to speak words of kindness to uplift spirits.

There are times wherein we fail to do what we say and misinterpret what we hear.

Recently, my relatives from the States and Canada came to the Philippines to celebrate their grandma’s 90th birthday. Their grandma is my grandfather’s sister. This makes us family.

After a long time of enjoying, going out to the beach, going to the mall, and just spending time with each other – they had to leave. Rumors started to come out after they left and I heard it from my cousin who is based here in the Philippines. She told me that every time that my family wasn’t with them, they would talk about our family. Now the question is, what about our family? To make the long story short, they would assume that we were taking advantage of them. Filipinos would usually say “palibre naman diyan!” or something to that extent when friends or family get their first pay. Same goes with the balikbayans. We would joke around and say ”pasalubong!” Consdering that my relatives are Filipino, we thought that they would ‘get’ the joke. Sad to say it was misinterpreted. Some of them said that we were taking advantage of them – for lack of a better term. Of course I felt bad that all of this happened after they left and no one had the courage to say it to us directly so that we can be more careful of our words. I was angry and confused why this small problem grew.

Every day, we experience this fear of confronting others. We were given the chance to speak to help others and make each other better people. I did not want to say anything against them but because of my anger, there were some things I said about them. I did not want this to go on and so I prayed hard that He will let this pass and that forgiveness flow in my heart. My mom just wrote them a letter and apologized for any inconvenience. After a few days, they replied and apologized too that it had to happen when they left. I still pray that when they come back, nothing will keep us apart. In the end, we are still family. -Trisha Herrera. YLSS#26

PRAYER:
Lord, help us to be aware of what we say to others and give us the grace to confront our fears. Give us the blessings of clear loving words to share with all people.
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Always Keep the Faith

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 11:4-13
When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods,
and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God,
as the heart of his father David had been.
By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians,
and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites,
Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD;
he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done.
Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab,
and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites,
on the hill opposite Jerusalem.
He did the same for all his foreign wives
who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon,
because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel,
who had appeared to him twice
(for though the LORD had forbidden him
this very act of following strange gods,
Solomon had not obeyed him).

So the LORD said to Solomon: “Since this is what you want,
and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes
which I enjoined on you,
I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant.
I will not do this during your lifetime, however,
for the sake of your father David;
it is your son whom I will deprive.
Nor will I take away the whole kingdom.
I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David
and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 And 40
R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people;
visit us with your saving help.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
But they mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Gospel
Mk 7:24-30
Jesus went to the district of Tyre.
He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,
but he could not escape notice.
Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.
She came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,
and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.
For it is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied and said to him,
“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.”
Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter.”
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed
and the demon gone.
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REFLECTION
“Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” –Mark 7: 29

It was March of 2010 when I worked as a Management Trainee in a company in Ayala. The experience was tough because I had to convince busy, hungry, and difficult people to stop and give some of their minutes to listen to my spiel for a cause. A lot of times I got none, and it was only a rare opportunity when I was faced with people who willingly shared their time.

All of it changed when I received a text.

And this text came from one of the three media conglomerates inviting me for a preliminary exam. I grabbed the opportunity for it was my dream to work for one of the Big Three of Philippine Media. The opportunity came in timely because it was also my last week in the company. Truly, “The Lord closes a door and opens a window”. I prayed during those times that the Lord would become my hands, mind, and mouth as I go through the phases of application from the preliminary exam to the panel interview.

After the panel interview, they advised me that my acceptance to the company will be informed by a text containing pre-employment requirements. As the days go by, my patience and faith was tested until I receive a text containing pre-employment requirements (SSS, TIN, Medical Exams, etc.). When I informed my parents about it, they were happy for me as I was accepted to the company.

Interestingly, it all happened during my service in YLSS 29 and before our FE Sponsorship.

Faith produces a lot of miracles and this reflection is a testament to it. Comrades, let us follow the example of the Syrophoenician woman who exercised her faith in her encounter with Christ who seeks healing for her daughter. May we never stop believing until the Lord grants our prayers in due time. -Tim Montales. YLSS#24

Prayer:
Lord, may we always exercise our faith in Your Divine Providence. May we never surrender in the face of uncertainty for it is faith that makes us strong and believe that You are working in our prayers. May we always believe that You are always there and that You never forsake Your chosen people. Amen.
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What’s Your ‘Baon’?

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 10:1-10
The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon’s fame,
came to test him with subtle questions.
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very numerous retinue,
and with camels bearing spices,
a large amount of gold, and precious stones.
She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subject
in which she was interested.
King Solomon explained everything she asked about,
and there remained nothing hidden from him
that he could not explain to her.

When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon’s great wisdom,
the palace he had built, the food at his table,
the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters,
his banquet service,
and the burnt offerings he offered in the temple of the LORD,
she was breathless.
“The report I heard in my country
about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king.
“Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes,
I have discovered that they were not telling me the half.
Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard.
Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours,
who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom.
Blessed be the LORD, your God,
whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel.
In his enduring love for Israel,
the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.”
Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents,
a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones.
Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spices
as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40
R. (30a) The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.
The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom
and his tongue utters what is right.
The law of his God is in his heart,
and his steps do not falter.
R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.

Gospel Mk
7:14-23
Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
“Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”
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REFLECTION
“From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” -Mark 7:21-22

One of my friends referred me to a Korean who needed an English tutor. During our third week, my student told me what he needed to do for his final requirement in class. He was required to make ten papers about Operations Management and has not the slightest idea how to do it. He asked me to help him and because it’s my “job” to tutor him, I had no choice but to agree. To cut the whole story short, I ended up making the ten papers instead of just helping him with it. I never encountered the topic in the 15 years I was in school. How was I supposed to write ten papers in three days about something I totally had no clue about?

Sometimes, I face the same dilemma when I’m asked to lead a prayer. I find difficulty in thinking of words to say. My heart is empty of God’s Word that I don’t have anything to use. It’s not that I don’t know how to pray. It’s just that I have nothing with me at the moment that can help me with my prayer. Wala akong baon.

I believe that prayer should come from the heart. Therefore, we must fill our hearts with the goodness of God’s Word so that all that comes from us is of the Lord. It’s not easy because sometimes things don’t go our way no matter how much we plan them. We’ve all had our share of complaining and whining. Sometimes what comes out of our mouths are negativities. But as Christians, we must remember to always read the Bible, listen to Praise music, and only speak words of kindness at all times, even though everything is not going according to our plan. We must always remember to pack with us the Word of God everywhere we go so that we will always be filled with His wisdom and love. –Paola Rondario. YLSS#24

Prayer:
Lord, grant me the self-control to bite my tongue whenever I’m tempted to say something negative. Help me to always use words that build up and not tear down. Amen.
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Shift ‘Have’ to ‘Want’

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30
Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD
in the presence of the whole community of Israel,
and stretching forth his hands toward heaven,
he said, “LORD, God of Israel,
there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below;
you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants
who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth?
If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you,
how much less this temple which I have built!
Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God,
and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant,
utter before you this day.
May your eyes watch night and day over this temple,
the place where you have decreed you shall be honored;
may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place.
Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel
which they offer in this place.
Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 84:3, 4, 5 And 10, 11
R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young?
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

Gospel
Mk 7:1-13
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
“Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”
He responded,
“Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He went on to say,
“How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
‘If someone says to father or mother,
“Any support you might have had from me is qorban”‘
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things.”
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REFLECTION
“This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts”

When I was younger, I remember attending mass with my family every Sunday. I would sing the songs and participate in the responses but I didn’t understand what was happening. All I knew then was I had to. My prayer life was weak and I would just recite the same prayers every night. After taking my Youth Life in the Spirit Seminar, an appreciation for the Mass grew in me. My prayer life changed and I started to consider praying as sustaining my relationship with the Lord. He became a friend to talk to. This made me fall in love with serving the Lord every prayer meeting.

In the 1st reading our God reminds us to seek Him and for sure, He will listen wholeheartedly. He may not answer your prayers today but trust that He is preparing something great for you. The Lord wants us to obey Him not because we have to but because we LOVE to.-Benedict Tuazon. YLSS#25

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Thank you for teaching us how to pray and for giving us hope as we seek You and praise You. I place my faith and hope in You because I know that you are preparing the best for me. Amen.

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Second Home

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13
The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.)

King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt.

When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD’s glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, “The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 132:6-7, 8-10
R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us enter into his dwelling,
let us worship at his footstool.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your majesty.
May your priests be clothed with justice;
let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.
For the sake of David your servant,
reject not the plea of your anointed.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!

Gospel
Mk 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.
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REFLECTION
“I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever.” -1 Kings 8:13

Joining the Youth Life in the Spirit Seminar really made a big change in my life. I was excited but at the same time worried because I did not know most of the people. I just kept smiling. I attended the prayer meetings every Saturday and continuously read the Word. But then, there were times when I got too busy with other activities that I had to miss attending prayer meetings.

But you see, God didn’t give up on me. He called me again to serve in community as an assistant Registration Head and I responded to His call. I really felt blessed by everyone in the community. I consider the BLD Youth as my second home and I am grateful that He made me stay. As I got closer to God, I experienced many trials but not once did He let me down.

Every Saturday, God tells me “My child, stay.” Every Saturday, I respond with a big “Yes Lord!” Brothers and sisters let us stay in in the house God built especially for us. Staying and committing to You, Gillian Hernandez. YLSS#27

Prayer:
Loving Father, Forgive me for the times when I turned away from You. Teach me to have a better life with you, with my family, and with my community. I will follow your ways always. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful youth family. Amen.
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Faith

FIRST READING
Jb 7:1-4, 6-7
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (cf. 3a) Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
Praise the LORD, for he is good;
sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;
it is fitting to praise him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel he gathers.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
he calls each by name.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
to his wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked he casts to the ground.
R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

SECOND READING
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23
Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

Gospel
Mk 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
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REFLECTION
“He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.” -Mark 1:31

Have you ever felt that your trust and faith in God is running out? I once did. I didn’t feel His love and I felt like He was punishing me for the wrong things I’ve done.

During one of my terms in college, I was bullied and criticized by different people. It felt like high school again, but more intense. They called me names, looked at me with malice, gossiped about me, and bashed me online. I felt like the Lord tested my patience on how I will hold on and defend myself against the things that they were saying. It was hard to fight, because I didn’t know how it even started. I kept on asking why me? What’s the reason for doing this to me? Even after attending the weekly prayer meetings I found myself dry and weary. In my curiosity I started stalking them for months and then realized that I’ve become one of them.
I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me for letting them get to me, for falling for the trap. I asked for more guidance and strength. With the help of my friends and family, I’ve learned to let go of the anger and I decided to just ignore them until they stopped. Eventually, months and terms passed by and they left me alone.

The Lord sometimes seems too far away. But remember, HE is just waiting for you to ask Him for help. All we need to do is to ask and let the passion of serving the Lord consume us instead of anger and bitterness. Whatever trials, oppression, burden, pain, and sadness we feel; the Lord is just waiting for us to reach for His hand. He wants us to long for him like how we long for water. –Mara Dato. YLSS#26

Prayer:
Lord, I pray that we may live in a peaceful world and be reminded that you are always with us, mostly in our darkest moments. Amen.
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Looking for love? Be part of BLD Youth’s Concert Project for a cause. Now is the time to go straight to the source of all the love in the world. LOVE IS: A Worship Concert, 3.3.12!
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Kuya

FIRST READING
1 Kgs 3:4-13
Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there,
because that was the most renowned high place.
Upon its altar Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings.
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David,
because he behaved faithfully toward you,
with justice and an upright heart;
and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today,
seating a son of his on his throne.
O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant,
king to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this?
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right?
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.
In addition, I give you what you have not asked for,
such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
R. (12b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
How shall a young man be faultless in his way?
By keeping to your words.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
R.Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel
Mk 6:30-34
The Apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
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REFLECTION
“Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” -1 Kgs 3:4-13

“Wag mo akong kuyahin!” was the only request I ask every time someone would address me as such. It’s not because I don’t like the term. I was just not comfortable with it. You see, I am a failure being a kuya to my own brother. I pushed him away because I am weak. I wanted him to look up to our eldest brother instead of looking up to me. I didn’t realize that doing that would change him. Years past, my brother became the black sheep of the family. I blamed myself for his transformation and it seemed like I can’t do anything about it. From then on, the term kuya doesn’t seem to fit me any longer. Aside from my cousins, I’d rather be called by my first name, nickname, last name, or any name but never the term kuya.

When I attended the Youth Encounter 17, I remembered sharing this with one of my batch mates and she replied, “You know God has forgiven you a long time ago. All you have to do is forgive yourself and pray to the Lord that He may give you a chance to show your borther and the rest of the world that you are worthy to be called kuya.” It was not the reply that I was looking for but in an attempt to humor myself, I prayed. Without fail, God answered.

Being in a community where almost all of the members are years younger than I am, I am given a lot of chances to make myself a certified kuya.Currently, I am part of a small group of young men, also from the same community, who’re 15-17 years of age. I may not be yet comfortable being called as such but I believe, with God’s help, anything is possible! Being a kuya is still possible for me. -Ge Ramirez. YLSS#19

Prayer:
Lord, I ask You, bless me and guide me all my life. Teach me how to follow the path that You prepared for me. Prepare me along the way. Amen.
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