Monday, April 03, 2006
Tuesday 5th week of Lent
April 4, 2006
Tuesday 5th week of Lent - Yr II
NUMBERS 21:4-9
>From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to
bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the
journey, the people complained against God and Moses, "Why have you
brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food
or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the
LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so
that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, "We
have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to
take the serpents away from us." So Moses prayed for the people, and
the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and
whoever looks at it after being bitten will live." Moses accordingly
made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who
had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
JOHN 8:21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees: "I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the
Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said,
'Where I am going you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You belong to
what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but
I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die
in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your
sins." So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I
told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in
condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from
him I tell the world." They did not realize that he was speaking to
them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of
Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with
me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to
him." Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
REFLECTION
In today's Gospel, the paradox of Jesus' life here on earth is
manifested by man's difficulty in understanding God's way. Despite
Jesus' many miracles and his teachings, the Jews of his day were blind
to the truth he spoke and the good works he did. Their understanding
was prejudiced; they were not open to new ideas. They found it
difficult to grasp the new ideas that Jesus wanted to convey, for
instance, the ideas of love and service.
As they understood it, service was the duty of those who were servants
and slaves, and showing love towards one's fellowmen was the weakling's
way.
Come to think of it, humankind's thinking hasn't changed despite the
thousand years since Jesus died on the cross. To this day, service and
love are still considered the weakling's way of going about his
business.
Even nations, wanting to show how powerful they have become, won't give
an inch to anybody who in their perception may have equaled their power
and might. They prefer to wage war and cause widespread destruction.
The only effect wars have had on communities and nations is total
devastation. No one wins a war. Yet history repeats itself, again and
again. We never learn its lesson.
Where is love? Where is service? Are the people of this world
interested in love and service? Or do we want power and control? When
will we learn that power and control when not used properly will
eventually destroy humankind?
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for the speedy recovery of Nieves Pilapil.
- for the personal intentions of Nery Ramos.
- healings for Ian, Fr Steve, Carol, Cindy R, Mary Ann, Charlie J and
Peggy O.
- for the personal intentions of Charles and Cheryl C.
- for the speedy recovery of Rita de los Reyes, personal intentions
of Dr. Cip de los Reyes and Jose delos Reyes.
- for the personal intention of Elyza Lopez
- for the special intentions of Mr. Egbert and Carol Carlos especially
for the upcoming interview in US Embassy this coming 19th of April..
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- In Memoriam (+): Lorenzo Y. Co (1916 - 1996)
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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