God Will Provide

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

20 July 2025

 

First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

Second Reading: Colossians 1:24-28

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

 

Reflection

By: Fely Santiago

 

"You are anxious and worried about many things."

I’m sure this message  will resonate with most of us. Who is not anxious and worried about many things? Where will the money to pay my bills come from? Where will I get the money for hospitalization? Tuition fees are due next month? Can I borrow money? Can I get a new job? Will I find a new relationship again? Are we going to have a baby after being married for 5 years? Will there be WWIII? What is happening in the economy?

Maybe it’s time for us to be still. Breathe. Calm down. Isn’t it that the Lord in several verses in the Bible addresses the topic of worry, encouraging believers to trust in God and find peace in Him. Two prominent passages are Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus teaches against worrying about material needs, and Philippians 4:6-7, which instructs believers to present their requests to God in prayer, finding His peace that surpasses understanding.

Here's a more detailed look at these and other verses:

Matthew 6:25-34

This passage focuses on the futility of worry, particularly about basic needs like food and clothing. Jesus points out that God cares for the birds and the flowers, and He will certainly care for His followers. He encourages seeking God's kingdom first, and trusting that He will provide.

Philippians 4:6-7

This passage instructs believers to bring all their anxieties to God in prayer, accompanied by thanksgiving. In doing so, they will experience God's peace, which transcends human understanding and will guard their hearts and minds.

1 Peter 5:6-7

This verse encourages believers to humble themselves under God's mighty hand and cast all their anxieties on Him, because He cares for them.

Psalm 55:22

This verse provides a direct command to cast one's burden on the Lord, who will sustain the righteous.

Isaiah 41:10

This verse reminds believers not to fear, because God is with them.

These verses, among others, offer comfort and guidance for those struggling with worry, urging them to trust in God's provision, seek His kingdom, and find peace through prayer.

Let us also be conscious that the “enemy” attacks you with anxiety because he knows there’s greatness in you, that you’re on the verge of seeing a new level of your destiny. He’ll try to make you feel overwhelmed, fearful about the future, thinking it’s not going to work out. Thoughts will tell you, “This anxiety is never going to change. You’ll always have to deal with this feeling that something is wrong.”

Don’t believe those lies. The anxiety shall pass. Sometimes God will bring you out quickly. Other times He’ll take you little by little. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see anything changing. God is working. Every day you need to declare, “I’m getting better. My mind is at peace. My heart is at rest. I am free from this anxiety."

Prayer

Lord Jesus thank You in advance for the many answers to our prayers. Your strength in difficult times is the source of my security. I refuse to be overwhelmed by problems because You will bring me through to victory. I declare that I am resting in the Almighty God who is greater than anything I face. I believe that my prayers are already answered in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Stop, Listen, Pray

   

  Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

17 July 2022 

 

First Reading: Gn 18:1-10a

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

Second Reading: Col 1:24-28

Gospel: Lk 10:38-42

 

Reflection

By: Benj Santiago

 

"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. ⁴²There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Are you BUSY? What are you so busying about? Undeniably, I myself had been busy and anxious with so many things, even though I am just home most of the time. Busy thinking and doing something that concerns our day-to-day needs. We all tend to be "Martha."

Our tendency is not to slow down and not to find more time to be like Mary, the sister of Martha to sit and to listen to what the Lord is saying to us. We are all so busy of the matters of the world that we tend to forget the matter of the WORD of God. To make sure we indeed have time for the Word of God, my wife, Fely and I have our daily TV Mass and end the day with a Holy Rosary. It is our way of making sure we counter the busyness of this world.

Prayer

Lord, bless us with the heart of Mary, the sister of Martha, who recognized what is truly important versus the matters of the world. Inspire us to slow down and find time to listen to Your WORDS every day. Slow us down so we can settle and listen more than be pre-occupied with the concerns of the world. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Presence

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 21 July 2019
First reading Genesis 18:1-10

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, “My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on-since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”

Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.”

Second reading                                                          Colossians 1:24-28

I am happy in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to the divine commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them, God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Gospel                                                                         Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Reflection

By Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

Today’s Gospel shows us how we can lose track of what is important in place of something we think is more expected of us. Like how our sister in faith, Martha of Bethany, acted when Jesus stopped over at their home. We sometimes forget to be like her sister, Mary.

At work, it may be difficult to listen to a colleague when we are too concerned with what we need to do next. 

In school, it may be difficult to participate actively in class when our attention is diverted to what the outline and the content of a certain paper should be.

With our friends, it may be difficult to engage when we are busy to thinking of what to say, even when our friends only want our company.

Sometimes we choose to do what seems most important even when what is needed from us is simply our presence, our attention.

To make a situation work is not bad on its own. After all, preparations help make an event a more delightful experience. However, the fixation becomes a problem when it takes the place of what we should be prioritizing which is listening and being really present at the moment.

We can get lost in the preparations, but we can also be as distracted when we are not in charge of the preparations anymore—when at an event, we come as spectators.

How many times do we catch ourselves swept by how realistic the special effects are in a movie, how fluid the animations are, how masterful the sequencing of events to make a majestic story, but remembering only so little about the lines of the key characters and the lessons from their experiences?

How many times have we heard someone—or even ourselves—lost in the motif, the songs, the layout, the adornments, the entire preparation in a wedding, but could recall only little from his friend—the groom’s message for the bride during the Mass, or the bridesmaid’s heartfelt dedication at the reception?

When someone visits our homes, when someone vents out a negative encounter, when someone recounts a positive experience they treasure… what they could be expecting from us is not how we set the table or  how we organize the furniture or the elaborate intricacies with which we prepare the meal, but simply a listening ear,  someone who is really present.
We nab from ourselves the chance to enjoy someone’s company when we fixate on activities in the sideline. 

We rob from ourselves the privilege to grace somebody else’s presence when we focus too much on the preparations, on the details, on the mechanics. When we do not realize what is most appreciated from us which is to simply be with our visitor, to listen to our friend, and to engage with them attentively.

When was the last time we listened to someone actively as Mary did? Have we listened to someone intently today?

Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your message to us today.

Thank You for the liberty we find in Your call for us to come as we are, to listen to You and not mind other things when we are in Your company. 

May You grant us the grace to listen to You intimately and for us to find a confidant in You whom we can freely share our thoughts and daily activities.

Please grant us the grace to listen to You first before we take our turn to speak, because Your message is more important than ours, and for us to listen first to our brothers and sisters too so that we can show them that their message is important to us. 

May You give us the grace to know when to speak and carry out Your Word, so that our listening bears fruit. 

May we never lose sight of what’s most important in our daily situations.

Thank You so much, Father. May Your Name—Your Glory, be adored forever.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Life, Hope, Resurrection

First Reading: Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD:

O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Second Reading: Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the Gospel: Jn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel: Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." then Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him."

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day."

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The teacher is here and is asking for you." As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.

Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Reflection
By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

These are the consoling and comforting words of Jesus to Martha who was engulfed in grief and sadness upon the death of her brother, Lazarus. The Lord heard the cry of the bereaved, the Lord saw the pain in their eyes, the longing in their hearts, He had compassion for them.

The gospel today is the story of an encounter between the God of compassion and the human person in pain, between the author of Life and the victim of death. Martha asked for the help of the Lord and our Lord answered her call, deeply moved by the suffering of His friend. Jesus shared in her sorrow; he lifted up the heavy cross weighing on her shoulders.

We all have our moments of pain. Life has its twists and turns, ups and downs, bright spots and dark side. Whatever we do, whoever we are, we shall all stumble upon the cross. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has pictured a moving yet real scene of what pain is. “In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude”. The fragility of human life and the experience of our own weakness lead us to a full communion with God.

It is not easy to describe the feeling of pain and of sorrow, but we all know what it feels like. In sorrow we are in communion and God partakes in this human experience - the Divine shares in the experience of mere mortals.

This human experience of pain and suffering draws our attention to God. Like Martha, we are hopeless. We cry in anguish, in bitterness, in pessimism. Our vision of hope is obscure. We are fainthearted people. You yourself perhaps heave sighs of despair in the face of what appears an enormous tragedy in your life. But the gospel is a most powerful tool to restore our confidence in God amidst our hopelessness. Yes! Christ’s miracle of resurrecting Lazarus is a call for us to be happy and optimistic! Despite of the anguish, of desperation and of confusion ever present in the world today, we need to firm up our hope because Jesus stands by everyone who trusts in Him.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, hope is defined as the virtue that "responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man". And our hope is rooted in Christ! Why do we continue to hope? Because we are assured by Christ Himself. There is this constant voice that keeps on telling us not to fear but to be in His power. This is what keeps us moving forward. We are assured that in the face of pain and suffering, Christ is with us – carrying the cross, our burden, with us.

Suffering and pain are indeed inevitable parts of our human experience, but it is also true that the Lord of Life is with us – in Him, there is life! In Him, there is hope! In Him, there is resurrection!

Prayer


Lord Jesus, our life, our hope, and our resurrection, we praise and thank You for defeating sin and death. Strengthen us in our suffering and pain so that we too may proclaim Your compassion to "those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death". To You be glory and honor forever and ever. Amen

Listen First!

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
 17 July 2016    

First reading
Genesis 18:1-10

The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say.’

  Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.’ ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.

  ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.’

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 14:2-5

Second reading
Colossians 1:24-28

It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.

Gospel	Luke 10:38-42

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

  Reflection
By Arthur B. Reyes

Last week, we were all invited to “think outside the box”. That is, to do the unconventional, the uncommon. Jesus wants us to reach out regardless of our social standing, religion, ideology, race, and class. Service is not just for the missionaries like the men in church and the officials in the government alone. We too can be a servant, a good one in our own ways.

The gospel today tells us how to balance our lives amidst the many things and worries we may have. Listening is indeed an important aspect of living in relationships with others, more than money or material things. The story of Martha and Mary gives us an opportunity to realize that our presence to other people is significant and necessary as it allows openness of our heart.



I remember a story about a father and son. A man came home from work late, tired and irritated finding his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door. The young son asks his dad how much he earns an hour. The man said angrily he makes Php50. "Daddy, may I please borrow Php20?", asked the son.



The father was furious. The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that Php20 and he really didn’t ask for money very often. He went to his son’s room.
 

Reaching under his pillow the young boy pulled out some crumpled up bills.“Why do you want more money if you already have some?” the father grumbled. “Daddy, I have Php50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.”



If only the man had “listened” to his son’s longing for his physical presence he would not become so absorbed on worldly things to the neglect of people waiting for his love, care, and attention.
 

There is a “Martha” and a “Mary” within each of us. While part of ourselves is active and busy, another part listens and trusts in the Lord. We need to be active to accomplish His will but listening is more important. It’s good to serve the Lord, but it’s even better to first listen to Him.

Prayer

Teach me to listen, O God, to those nearest me, my family, my friends, my co-workers. Teach me to listen, my caring God, to those who are hopeless, forgotten, and oppressed. Teach me to listen for your voice, in busyness and in boredom, in certainty and doubt, in noise and in silence.

Teach me, Lord, to listen. Amen.