Saturday, May 14, 2016
PENTECOST
15 May 2016, Sunday
PENTECOST
Solemnity. Red.
Vigil: Gn 11:1 – 9 / Rom 8: 22–27 / Jn 7: 37 – 39
Day: Acts 2:1 – 11 / 1 Cor 12: 3b – 7, 12 – 13 / Jn 20:19 – 23
1st Reading: Gn 11:1 – 9.
The whole world had one language and a common speech, As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled. They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire." . . They also said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth."
Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and Yahweh said, "They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other." So Yahweh scattered them all over the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth and from there Yahweh scattered them over the whole face of the earth.
2nd Reading: Acts 2:1 – 11.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place, And suddenly out of the sky came a sound like a strong rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared tongues as if of fire which parted and came to rest upon each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
Staying in Jerusalem were religious Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered, all excited because each heard them speaking in his own language. Full of amazement and wonder, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that we hear them in our own native language? Here are Parthians, Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and foreigners who accept Jewish beliefs, Cretians and Arabians; and all of us hear them proclaiming in our own language what God, the Savior, does,
From the Gospel Reading: Jn 20:21 – 23.
Again Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. After saying this he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit; for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."
Reflection
The Tower of Babel story begins with unity (same language, same words) and ends with disunity (confusion of speech, scattering all over the earth). The people built "a city and tower with its top in the sky," a figurative way to describe human folly, wanting to be more than what humans can really do. This action results in confusion of language and dispersion of people.
The story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1 – 11 reverses what the people in the Babel story had done, it begins with people coming from every nation under heaven and speaking different languages. It ends with people filled with the Spirit still speaking in different tongues, yet united and able to hear different languages yet unmistakably understand the mighty acts of God.
What brings disunity in Babel, human folly and pride, is undone by human frailty and humility. Jesus' acceptance of human weakness and humility at the cross bears fruit in the believers' unity at Pentecost. As one commentator loves to say, "The way to the top is really to go to the bottom."
What could these stories teach us as a nation? What could they teach us as individuals? Are we ready to go to the bottom as our habitual way of life? And hopefully to end up at the top?
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
Amiel R. Amurao
Christian L. Lopez
Elvie O. Garces
Fr. Eric Anthony S. Escandor, SJ
Juanito L. Dy
PRAYER INTENTION
Dionisio Lim Yu
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Arnold & Sheila Tan
Celestina & Dinisio L Yu
Theresita & Fermin Tan
IN MEMORIAM (+)
Elvira Calubag (Oct 30, 1957 – May 15, 2015)
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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St. Matthias, Apostle
14 May 2016
Saturday, 7th Week of Easter
St. Matthias, Apostle
Feast. Red.
Acts 1:15 -17, 20 – 26 / Jn 15: 9 – 17
St. Matthias (d. 64) was chosen to take the place of Judas Iscariot as an Apostle. He worked in Palestine and was stoned to death.
Gospel Reading: Jn 15: 9 - 17
Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. You will remain in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.
"I have told you all this, that my own joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, to give one's life for one's friends; and you are my friends if you do what I command you.
"I shall not call you servants anymore, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father.
"You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.
"This is my command, that you love one another."
Reflection
St. Matthias was the follower of Jesus who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after the ascension of Jesus. The requirements of being an apostle was to have been with Jesus when he started his ministry till his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.
The gospel also tells us what the apostle/disciple must do to spread the Good News. Firstly, he must have Christian love. There are many forms of love – romantic love, carnal love, love of family, love of friends, and of course love of money.
Christian love is demonstrated by one's willingness to sacrifice for the other, to always put others' interests before one's own. Christian love as manifested by all the saints is a willingness to serve God and others in the most trying conditions. We might think that this is easy to do. But try to be Christian for a week and you will discover how hard it is to be always other-centered. This kind of love comes from above, comes from God.
A second requirement of being a disciple is the willingness to undergo persecution for Jesus' sake. Many saints were maltreated for their faith. We may also find detractors, opposition and hatred from those who do not agree with our Christian values and sentiments. Our present world is full of selfish and self-centered people, so expect to be laughed at and pilloried for being a follower of Jesus.
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
Geraldo Zabat
THANKSGIVING
Mila Cheng & Family
IN MEMORIAM (+)
Antonio V. Ortiga
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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