Thirst Quencher

First Reading
Gn 11:1-9
The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.
While the people were migrating in the east,
they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.
They said to one another,
“Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire.”
They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city
and a tower with its top in the sky,
and so make a name for ourselves;
otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.”

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower
that the people had built.
Then the LORD said: “If now, while they are one people,
all speaking the same language,
they have started to do this,
nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do.
Let us then go down there and confuse their language,
so that one will not understand what another says.”
Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth,
and they stopped building the city.
That is why it was called Babel,
because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world.
It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30
R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—
the earth is full of your creatures;
bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Creatures all look to you
to give them food in due time.
When you give it to them, they gather it;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Second Reading
Rom 8:22-27
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.

Gospel
Jn 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the feast,
Jesus stood up and exclaimed,
“Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.
As Scripture says:
Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me.”

He said this in reference to the Spirit
that those who came to believe in him were to receive.
There was, of course, no Spirit yet,
because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECTION

 

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. And let anyone drink ³⁸ who believes in me.”

Chug chugchugchugchug *breathes* chug chugchug

“Ito na siguro ang pinakamasarap na tubig na nainom ko!”

I immediately blurted after chugging those three bottles of mineral water after a very physical game at a teambuilding activity at work. That thirst (I didn’t have time to drink as I was too focused on the game), was so terrible that it made me hard to concentrate.

Life can be tough. We press on the difficulties but that thirst slows us down and distracts us from our main goal. We even try a lot of temporary ways to quench it like partying, career, lovelife, material things, porn, video games etc. Just like drinking an ice cold Coke, it may taste great but it won’t really quench the thirst.

If we are not to satisfy the craving that we have, many or most will be distracted in life. Many will be out of focus. We may press on and try to ignore the thirst, but it’s still there not until we take the drink of Jesus. – Jill Avena (jillian.avena@gmail.com)

PRAYER

Lord, today, open my eyes and let me let go of my temporary satisfactions and let me realize today that You alone can satisfy my longing.

REFLECTION

Do you feel a thirst for God’s unconditional love? Come take the drink of Jesus.

Photo source: http://www.auburn.edu

Pwede Na

First Reading
Acts 4: 1 – 12

After the crippled man had been cured,
while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,
the priests, the captain of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees confronted them,
disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
They laid hands on Peter and John
and put them in custody until the next day,
since it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word came to believe
and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes
were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, Alexander,
and all who were of the high-priestly class.
They brought them into their presence and questioned them,
“By what power or by what name have you done this?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118: 1 – 2, 4, 22 – 27

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Gospel
John 21: 1 – 14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECTION

“Jesus said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”  John 21:6

“Lord, maka-tres lang o makapag removal exam lang ako, okay na ako.”

Studying in a very competitive school where almost all of my classmates seem way ahead of me, I have developed this sort of “pwede na” mentality. I remember praying this exact prayer each and every time a semester ends, “Lord, maka-tres lang o makapag removal exam lang ako, okay na ako.” And those are exactly the grades that I got – a THREE or a FOUR for a removal exam. I was surviving but I was not the best that I could be.

I realize that this was all because of that prayer. Come to think of it, why have I been settling and praying ONLY for a passing grade when I can always pray for an “UNO”? Like in the Gospel, our everyday lives would mean throwing our nets to the left side when Jesus already tells us to throw our nets to the right where something big, something huge, even a miracle happens!

Sometimes we always focus and limit ourselves by always praying for something that we THINK we deserve. Sometimes we go a bit shy in asking for impossible things because we ourselves our doubtful of our own capabilities and believe more in our insecurities than the security that the Lord is ready and willing to give us. – Jill Avena (jillian.avena@gmail.com)

PRAYER
Lord, give me the courage to look beyond my own limitations. Move me to throw myself into your perfect and unbounded love.

REFLECTION QUESTION 
What are those things that I haven’t even dared pray and ask God for because I have doubted my capabilities and because I have felt insecure?

Photo source: mywallpaperhd.org 

My First Car

First Reading
Ez 37:21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children’s children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

Responsorial Psalm
Jer 31:10, 11-12ABCD, 13
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings:
The grain, the wine, and the oil,
the sheep and the oxen.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel
Jn 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECTION

“I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” Jeremiah 31:12

“Bigay ng tatay ko.”

My college friend proudly smiles as he flashes his new watch. I was happy for him but honestly, I felt a tinge of jealousy not because he had a watch but because he had a father who is still there with him up until college. I have always been jealous of my friends celebrating and having gifts from their fathers. When asked what my issue was in my younger years, there was only one story I would always tell – my father.

My dad died when I was in Grade 1, leaving my happiest memory of him exactly a month before he died when he gave me a birthday surprise of an Angel’s Breath box of 3 colognes which I still keep stored up until now. “Itago mo yan ha. Kahit ubos na. Alam kong gusto mo yan.” He said as he weakly hugged me and greeted me a happy 7^th birthday followed by a “Yung susunod diyan kotse na – sa favorite color ko (white).”

All this time, I thought that promise died with him.
Or so I thought.

Just a few months ago, I had recently bought my first ever car (And it’s white!), A huge part of the money to purchase it came from a surprise inheritance from my father. Ang galing diba? With this, I was reminded of how much my father loved me even after death – my dad’s promise didn’t die.  What more when it comes from our risen Lord? What more when it comes from our God?

The Lord tells us today that he turns our mourning into joy, that he will console us and gladden us after our sorrows and love us even more. So hang in there. Our faith may have died due to prolonged waiting, insecurities and doubts, but the Lord’s faith in us and his promise doesn’t die with it.  – Jill Avena (jillian.avena@gmail.com)

PRAYER
Lord let me look through these roadblocks. Let me see beyond the immediate results and rely on your promises. Strengthen my faith.

REFLECTION QUESTION
Are there situations in the past months that I gave up on the Lord’s promises?

Photo source: hales-the-hairball.deviantart.com

Good On Paper

First Reading
Heb 4:1-5, 11

Let us be on our guard
while the promise of entering into his rest remains,
that none of you seem to have failed.
For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did.
But the word that they heard did not profit them,
for they were not united in faith with those who listened.
For we who believed enter into that rest,
just as he has said:

As I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter into my rest,”

and yet his works were accomplished
at the foundation of the world.
For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner,
And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
and again, in the previously mentioned place,
They shall not enter into my rest.

Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest,
so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

Responsorial Psalm
PS 78:3 and 4BC, 6C-7, 8

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
What we have heard and know,
and what our fathers have declared to us,
we will declare to the generation to come
The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
That they too may rise and declare to their sons
that they should put their hope in God,
And not forget the deeds of God
but keep his commands.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
And not be like their fathers,
a generation wayward and rebellious,
A generation that kept not its heart steadfast
nor its spirit faithful toward God.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Gospel
Mk 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what
they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
–he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECTION

“Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience” Heb 4:11

 

I was the yes girl when it came to things that would make a good Curriculum Vitae. Responsibilities, awards, different organization roles, you name it–as long as it can be added to a CV for display’s sake–I would pounce on that opportunity. Little did I know that the unwritten was hurting me. You don’t write “I’m healthy” on a CV, so I failed in taking care of my health and became sickly. You also don’t write “I spent an awesome weekend with my mom,” so I failed in that as well and my relationships suffered as a result. How about “I started my day with talking to my God?” I failed in that as well. I was good on paper, but my heart was blank.

This Friday, the Lord calls us to rethink the things we dedicate our time, talent and treasures to. Those we consider unimportant, those we consider not worthy to be written or to be put on display, are usually the things that matter most. So take some rest, spend time with your family and friends, have a breather! The first to sixth days of Creation may have been carefully written in the Bible, but let’s not forget that the seventh day is as important as the rest. – Jill Avena (jillian.avena@gmail.com)

 

PRAYER
Dear Lord, teach me to give importance to the things that matter most.

REFLECTION QUESTION
What are the “rests” I have disregarded for the past days/months/weeks?  How can I fill my heart this weekend?

Photo source: myrtogkl.deviantart.com