29 March 2009
First reading Jeremiah 31:31-34
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah), but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of mine, so I had to show them who was master. It is the Lord who speaks. No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest – it is the Lord who speaks – since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 50:3-4,12-15
Second reading Hebrews 5:7-9
During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.
Gospel John 12:20-33
Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them:
‘Now the hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
I tell you, most solemnly,
unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies,
it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it for the eternal life.
If a man serves me, he must follow me,
wherever I am, my servant will be there too.
If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.
Now my soul is troubled.
What shall I say:
Father, save me from this hour?
But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!’
A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.
‘Now sentence is being passed on this world;
now the prince of this world is to be overthrown.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all men to myself.’
By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.
Reflection
By Pietro S. Albano
What comes to your mind when you talk or think about the church? Most if not all of us would think of the cross or crucifix which depicts Jesus' self-offering for our salvation. When Vatican II came into force, one of the changes that people witnessed was the 'installation' of crucifixes in the sanctuary, near the altar. Some churches, in the Philippines at least, have actually undergone a facelift to accommodate this change which didn't sit well with some people. The crucifix has become more exposed which, I think attests to what Jesus said in the Gospel: "And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself." By our Lord's death on that cross, He has made His point: He loved us all and is willing to give everything to save us. This love is celebrated every now and then when Mass is offered. This love is being remembered and adhered to when couples exchange vows in the altar. As Lent comes to a close, let us draw ourselves more to our Lord, let us be 'crucified' with Him on the cross so we will get rid of the things that hinder us from following Him: sin, pride, selfishness. And when we die with Him we will surely rise up united with Him.
Lord Jesus Crucified, You showed us the way to love. Through our words and deeds may we share in Your self-emptying and thus, give glory to the Father's name. Amen.
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
By Elizabeth R. Eguia
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
We all got surprised when we learned about Francis Magalona’s death. He was a vibrant, happy young man who explored his artistry through rap music and photography to convey his message of living one’s life to the fullest. I have never seen someone who was ill of cancer but still displayed that kind of positive spirit even during those moments of excruciating pain. This incident touched the lives of many people including myself. When I was watching the news and the tributes that were given to him, I just cannot stop the tears falling from my eyes. Yes, he became the talk of the town. He awakened the spirit of everyone.
I was contemplating about the above-mentioned Gospel verse and asked this question, “How can I bear fruit when I die?” Then I got the two simplest but challenging answers to this question—a purified person by dying daily from my sins and living beyond my comfort zones. When the 40 day Lenten period started, I said I would use this time to have my own personal retreat while doing my daily tasks. It was not easy. I was faced with challenges, with temptations leading me to fall back to the same sin again and again. God must have gotten tired of me for always asking for forgiveness although in reality He is not. One thing is certain; He was always there with me all ready to extend His hands when I fall. And that is why I would always pray for that grace to resist temptation. It’s a moment by moment battle and we have to be ready and be prepared to resist it. Reading inspirational books, listening to Catholic programs helped me a lot to be attuned with God’s words. It uplifted my spirit and gave me strength to move on correctly.
The second way to bear fruit is by living beyond our comfort zones. Usually when I do my job, I would prefer to work on my own. I am a perfectionist and I would do things properly, correctly and exploring my boundaries. Then one time, my boss gave me the position of a Team Lead. I was really hesitant at first because it will be difficult to manage people. You have to teach them this and that and most of the time I get disappointed when they don’t work like how I work. It became a challenge to me and I also would ask and pray for that grace to help me on this. Then while playing the role of a Team Lead, I realized it was helping me to develop the other side of me---teaching people “how to fish”, as one Chinese proverb would go. It is a great positive feeling when you have passed on to others what you know and the value of seeing others learn and be someone.
Lord we praise and glorify You. We thank you for the messages you are imparting to us. Grant us the grace and strength live our lives to the fullest and to die daily from our sins. Nothing is too difficult for You dear God and we know we can accomplish everything in accordance to your will. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell us what you feel...