Gratitude

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

12 October 2025

 

First Reading: 2 Kings 5:14-17

Responsorial Psalm: 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19

 

Reflection

By: Ma. Rosalina S. Flores

 

A fews days ago, my Facebook memories reminded me of that long post and an entire album I shared about my Bell's Palsy journey.

My Bell's Palsy Journey

In October 2022, when my neurologist doctor told me that my Bell's Palsy was resolved, I purposely posted my healing story on Facebook, documenting everything from the first day I experienced symptoms to the day I completed 15 sessions of physical therapy. It's my way of reminding myself to give thanks and glorify the Lord for His unwavering goodness and faithfulness toward me during that difficult time.

Today's Gospel recounts the story of the ten lepers who were cleansed but only one, a Samaritan, has returned to thank and glorify Jesus for the miracle. The other nine were also healed but did not bother to give thanks to the One who made it possible.

How about us? Do we remember to thank God for the many blessings we receive? Not only for the things we have prayed for fervently, but also for those we did not ask for really, do we acknowledge God as the source of everything good in our lives?

It's easy to turn to God in times of struggle, but it’s hard to recognize Him when things are going well. Our Sunday Gospel reminds us that all blessings, whether it’s healing from sickness, finding our dream job, settling down with someone special, or simply being alive, are gifts from God. Let’s take time to thank Him for everything.

As Jean-Baptiste Massieu said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart", let us remember to be grateful every day for all the blessings, big or small.

Like Mary, may we always proclaim the goodness of the Lord, our God, our Savior.

 

Prayer

Dear Lord, teach me the virtue of gratitude, to always recognize that every blessing comes from You. As we are blessed, may we bless others, too. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    

Ika-17 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

28 Hulyo 2024

 

Unang Pagbasa: 2 Hari 4, 42-44

Salmong Tugunan: Salmo 144, 10-11. 15-16. 17-18

Ikalawang Pagbasa: Efeso 4, 1-6

Ebanghelyo: Juan 6, 1-15

 

Pagninilay

Ni: Renato C. Vibiesca

Kapag nahaharap tayo sa matinding pagsubok sa buhay o nawawalan na talaga ng pag-asa, madalas na kumakapit tayo Diyos upang humiling ng milagro o himala. Alam kasi nating hindi lahat ng bagay ay kayang lunasan o ipaliwanag ng kinikilalang batas na siyentipiko. Halimbawa ang problema natin sa pagkakasakit, na kahit na napakaingat natin sa kalusugan ng ating katawan ay dinadapuan pa rin tayo ng karamdaman na hindi kayang pagalingin ng mga duktor at gamot na nirereseta maging sa pinakamamahaling ospital pa ang puntahan.  Isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit sinusundan at dinudumog si Hesus ng mga tao: “…. sapagkat nakita nila ang mga kababalaghang ginawa niya sa pagpapagaling sa mga maysakit.”

Kung tutuusin, tuloy-tuloy ang himala ni Hesus sa tuwing tayo’y nakikiisa sa Banal na Misa; sa pamamagitan ng paghahati-hati at pagtanggap ng Katawan ni Hesus sa Banal na Eukaristiya, patuloy din nating tinatanggap ang katangi-tanging grasya mula sa himalang ito. Ngunit hindi natatapos ang himala sa pagtanggap natin kay Hesus sa Eukaristiya at dahil nananatili ang biyaya ng Diyos sa atin, patuloy nating pinadadaloy ang himala sa pamumuhay natin pagkatapos ng Misa. Hindi ba’t kahanga-hanga ang himalang nangyayari ngayon sa ating bayan pagkatapos bayuhin ng matinding pagsubok dulot ng pagbaha? Pagkaraan ng isa’t kalahating dekada ay naulit ang mala-Ondoy na delubyo ng pagbaha at maraming hikahos sa buhay ang nangailangan ng tulong upang maisalba ang buhay. Kaliwa’t kanan sa ngayon ang nagnanais na tumulong sa mga nasalanta, maging ang walang-wala ay gusto ring mag-ambag ng kanilang munting makakaya upang makaagapay sa higit na nangangailangan. Hindi natin alintana ang hirap na pinagdaraanan dahil nakatuon tayo sa pagtulong sa ating kapwa upang makaahon muli, bayanihan ika nga ang pinaiiral.

Hangga’t patuloy ang pagtanggap natin ng biyaya mula sa himala ng Eukaristiya sa Banal na Misa, nag-uumapaw rin ang himala ng pagbabahagi natin sa ating kapwa na naghihintay sa ating awa at tulong.

Panalangin:

Panginoong Hesus, salamat po sa patuloy na pagdaloy ng Iyong biyaya sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap namin sa Iyo sa Banal na Eukaristiya. Itulot Mo Hesus ang pagpapadaloy din namin ng biyayang ito sa aming kapwa na nangangailangan din ng himala mula sa Iyong kabutihan. Amen.

Everyone is Looking for You

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time   4 February 2018

First reading: Job 7: 1-4, 6-7 “Do not human beings have a hard service on earth, and are not their days like the days of a laborer? Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like laborers who look for their wages, so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me. When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I rise?’ But the night is long, and I am full of tossing until dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and come to their end without hope. “Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good. Second reading:  1 Corinthians 9:16ff  For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law-though not being myself under the law-that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law – not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ-that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Gospel: Mark 1: 29-39 Jesus and his friends left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Reflection

by Carlo Alexis Malaluan

One day, a priest was on his way to Christ the King Parish to celebrate Mass. Unfamiliar with the directions, he got lost. He asked the by-standers where to find the Christ the King Parish. Unfortunately, the by-standers pointed him to Chowking and Burger King which are both fast-food franchises!

Our gospel today invites to reflect: Who are we looking for? 

Sickness, torments, dryness, these are part of our human experience.  Suffering is inevitable but amidst these things, who are we looking for? We might seek help from the best doctors and look for the world’s greatest experts but sooner or later we would realize that their efforts would also fall short for we are in endless search. We are never satisfied. As Saint Augustine puts it into words, our hearts are restless! 

Our gospel draws our search not to what, but to whom. We are not looking for an object, an idea, a concept but for a person, for someone! As Saint Peter approaches Jesus saying, "Everyone is looking for You!" Saint Peter speaks for us all. We are in constant search for God, for His mercy and compassion! 

This is our movement and it is not surprising! But what is surprising is that Jesus never hesitates to come to us. He never refuses our invitation affirming that this is why He came. 

In our lives, we experience such tribulations wherein we cannot find hope. We fall into despair and exhaustion. We are restless. But God comes to us, offering His compassion. He cures our “sickness” and expels the “evil” within us. We find comfort and solace in Him. We find our answers in Him.

Prayer

Lord, help us to see Your face everyday. Help us to seek You and find You for our hearts are restless until it rest in You. Amen.