Wednesday, January 28, 2015

 

THURSDAY, 3rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

January 29, 2015 THURSDAY, 3rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Green

 

Heb10: 19–25 / Mk 4: 21-25

 

Reading: Heb10: 19–25

     So, my friends, we are assured of entering the Sanctuary by the blood of Jesus who opened for us this new and living way passing through the curtain, that is, his body. Because we have a high priest in charge of the House of God, let us approach with a sincere heart, with full faith, interiorly cleansed from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 

     Let us hold fast to our hope without wavering, because he who promised is faithful. Let us consider how we may spur one another to love and good works. Do not abandon the assemblies as some of you do, but encourage one another, and all the more since the Day is drawing near.

 

Gospel: Mk 4:21-25

     Jesus also said to them, "When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lamp stand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!" And he also said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him."

 

Reflection

     To hear and to listen are two different things. We can hear people talk, we can hear all kinds of sounds and noises, but to listen is something else. When someone talks to us but does not interest us we just hear that person talk, but we do not listen to him. In the Gospel Jesus says, "Listen, those who have ears." Conversion comes from listening to the Word of God. We cannot follow Jesus much less understand his teachings unless we listen to everything he tells us.

     There are two voices speaking to us every day, the voice of God and the voice of the devil. It is easier to listen to the voice of the devil because he tells us what we want to hear. He flatters and entices us with pleasure and comfort, and often invites us to do selfish acts. On the other hand, Jesus invites us to take the hard and narrow path. Our reward for doing so often comes after or much later.

     What is God telling us to do in the Gospel reading? Not to hide our Christianity, but to be proud to be Christians. To tell the truth of what is right and wrong even when we will be laughed at. Not to cheat and steal money when everybody around us is doing so. To be compassionate to the poor and the downtrodden. To forgive those who hurt us, etc. There are many ways to let our light shine so that men might praise God on account of our good works.

     We are not Christians for ourselves alone but for others. Every Christian has a mission – to bring people to Jesus Christ. Are you aware of your responsibilities as a Christian?

 

 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILYPRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

 

BIRTHDAY

     AL REY I. MILINA

     RAYMOND JAN J. RAMOS

 

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     LIBRADA M. ONG

     SULPLICIA Q. SOLAÑA

 

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!

 

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+

 

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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 5:53 PM 0 comments
 

St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

January 28, 2015 WEDNESDAY, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Memorial, White

Heb10: 11–18 / Mk 4: 1–20

[St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), a Dominican priest, "the Angelic Doctor," is considered among the greatest philosophers and theologians. Pope Leo XIII declared him Patron of Catholic Schools.]

Reading: Heb10:11–18
So, whereas every priest stands daily by the altar offering repeatedly the same sacrifices that can never take away sins, Christ has offered for all times a single sacrifice for sins and has taken his seat at the right hand of God, waiting until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. By a single sacrifice he has brought those who are sanctified to what is perfect forever.
This also was testified by the Holy Spirit. For after having declared: This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come—says the Lord—I will put my laws in their hearts and write them on their minds. He says: Their sins and evil deeds I will remember no more. So, if sins are forgiven, there is no longer need of any sacrifice for sin.

Gospel: Mk 4: 1–20
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake, but such a large crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it on the lake while the crowd stood on the shore. He taught them many things through stories or parables. In his teaching he said,
"Listen! The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along a path and the birds came and ate it up. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil; it sprang up immediately because it had no depth; but when the sun rose and burned it, it withered because it had no roots. Other seed fell among thornbushes and the thorns grew and choked it, so it didn't produce any grain. But some seed fell on good soil, grew and increased and yielded grain; some produced thirty times as much, others sixty and others one hundred times as much." And Jesus added, "Listen then, if you have ears."
When the crowd went away, some who were around him with the Twelve asked about the parables.
He answered them, "The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything comes in parables, so that the more they see, they don't perceive; the more they hear, they don't understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned."
Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?
What the sower is sowing is the word. Those along the path where the seed fell are people who hear the word, but as soon as they do, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Other people receive the word like rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they accept it with joy, but they have no roots so it lasts only a little while. No sooner does trouble or persecution come because of the word, than they fall.
Others receive the seed as among thorns. After they hear the word, they are caught up in the worries of this life, false hopes of riches and other desires. All these come in and choke the word so that finally it produces nothing.
And there are others who receive the word as good soil. They hear the word, take it to heart and produce: some thirty, some sixty and some one hundred times as much."

Reflection:
In the Parable of the Seed and the Sower, Jesus teaches us how the word of God is received by people, "Listen, then if you have ears."
How do we listen to and hear the word of God? How often have we caught ourselves distracted or preoccupied with many other things even at Mass and prayer-time! When asked by his disciples about the parables in his teaching, Jesus replied, "The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything comes in parables, so that the more they see, they do not perceive; the more they hear, they do not understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned."
St. Thomas Aquinas whose memorial we celebrate today wrote "that for the knowledge of any divine truth, man needs divine help. . . while human beings have the natural capacity, even this is given to man according to man's nature." Knowledge and understanding of the truth are graces from God. God's word, the seed sown by the sower, will grow only if we are completely open and allow it to take root, grow and bear fruit. In addition to learning to listen, hear and understand, the word of God must be lived in our lives.
We who have received the grace of hearing the word of God are called to allow it to grow and bear fruit. We can only bear fruit if we are rooted in Jesus, if we nourish our day with prayer and especially with the Eucharist and other helps given by Jesus through the Church. All these graces and helps God is ready to give to us; all we need to do is to ask.


WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY
BHEVERLIE T. SEMITARA
LEONARDO M. JAVIER JR.

PRAYER INTENTION
ROBIN LEE

OTHER INTENTIONS:
For the family of LJ Koh who is in financial crisis.

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!

**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+

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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 5:31 AM 0 comments

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