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.

Prepare!

First Sunday of Advent  3 December 2017

First reading

Isaiah 63:16-17, 64:1-8

For you are our father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our father;
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
Why, O Lord, do you make us stray from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you?
Turn back for the sake of your servants,
for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage.
that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence –
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil
– to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

                

Second reading

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge-even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you-so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gospel

Mark 13:33-37

Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

Therefore, keep awake-for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Reflection

by Jessa Janelle Padilla

Today is the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year, Advent Season.  Advent is from the Latin word advenire, meaning to come to. This is the season where we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah. During this season we prepared an Advent Wreath that has  four candles (three purple and one rose in colors), representing the four weeks of Advent. The Advent Wreath is shaped in a perfect circle to remind us that God is eternal. Today we light one of the purple candles that symbolizes prayer.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples to be watchful and alert. In the driving school, the driving instructor always reminds his students to be watchful and alert every time. The student must be watchful of the road condition, stop lights, road signs, and incoming vehicles. Also, to be alert to step on the break or pull the hand break immediately whenever there is someone or another vehicle that will cross the road unexpectedly. The reminders of the driving instructor are important to keep his student safe when they are no longer under his guidance because no one knows when an accident may happen. 

Also, a security guard or police officer who is in charge to guard an establishment or an area, is instructed by their supervisors to be alert and watchful all the time (24/7) since he/she doesn’t know when a crime might be committed.

These are the circumstances where we can picture out Jesus’ message to us. We must always be watchful and alert all the time, day or night. We must prepare ourselves not just physically but also spiritually because we are not aware when He will come to judge us and grant us our salvation. Oftentimes, we treat the Lord's Coming with fear and worry. The Prophet Isaiah, in the First Reading, acknowledged God as father. Meanwhile, St Paul, in the Second Reading, tells us that God has called into fellowship with Jesus.  If God is our father, if we are in such fellowship with His Only Son, why fear and worry? The best way to prepare is to pray. It alerts the soul to our Father's presence. It keeps it awake on those many moments when He comes when we least expect it.

Prayer

Loving Father, teach us how to become watchful and alert in all circumstances. Teach us to become obedient even when no one sees us. Be our guide all the time and direct our path towards the path You have prepared for us. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Leave it with God!

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2014
At the time of her conception Mary received a blessing from the Lord and loving mercy from God her saviour.

First Reading: Genesis 3:9-15,20

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’

  Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild beasts.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel.’

The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

Psalm: Psalm 97:1-4

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,

to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,

determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ

for his own kind purposes,

to make us praise the glory of his grace,

his free gift to us in the Beloved,

And it is in him that we were claimed as God’s own,

chosen from the beginning,

under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things

as he decides by his own will;

chosen to be,

for his greater glory,

the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

Reflection

By  Pietro S. Albano

These past few days I have been worried about the Philippines, especially those areas to be hit by typhoon Ruby.  I kept on telling my wife about this. At first she was just agreeing with my view, but last night, she told me "Daddy, it is beyond your control. All you can do now is to pray. Leave it with God!". 

Being in control has always been a temptation for man. Our first parents fell from that trap.  Then comes worrying. See how Adam and Eve reacted when God searched for them in the garden?

By God's grace, Mary's immaculate conception in the womb of her mother exempted her from falling into the same trap and from its ill effects.  Which is why she willingly accepted God's invite to be His mother. No ifs or buts. No craving for control. She represents "the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came" (Ephesians 1:12).

Prayer

God our Father, cleanse our hearts from all that prevents us from trusting You.  Through the example and prayers of Mary Immaculate, may we always remember that nothing is impossible to You.  On her feast day today, we renew our trust in You! Amen.

Why Worry?

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mar 2
First reading Isaiah 49:14-15 

Zion was saying, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,

the Lord has forgotten me.’

Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,

or fail to cherish the son of her womb?

Yet even if these forget,

I will never forget you.

Psalm                                                                            Psalm 61:2-3,6-9
Second reading                                                        1 Corinthians 4:1-5

People must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God. What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust. Not that it makes the slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself. True, my conscience does not reproach me at all, but that does not prove that I am acquitted: the Lord alone is my judge. There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes; he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 6:24-34 

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.

  ‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

Reflection by Mark Vertido

Just three days from now, we will be entering the Season of Lent through the Ash Wednesday. Let us start reflecting once more on the greatest gifts  given to us by Christ, Salvation and Eternal Life with God.

The Psalmist gives a very simple yet striking summary of today’s Gospel: “Rest in God alone, my soul.” Jesus tells us in the Gospel that we can never serve two masters at the same time. God or money, we need to choose one. This is a challenge for a culture that has grown believing that money makes the world go round.

God invites us to live according to His will by trusting fully in Him alone. Many times, it seems that God has forgotten and forsaken us. With all the conflicts and worries of the world: poverty, crime, war, oppression, and suffering, we sometimes ask, “Where is God in all of these?” That is the same question that the First Reading is trying to present. In the midst of our doubts about our God, we are being reminded that God is not like us humans who forget easily.

Living an independent life is never easy. When I moved to Manila for work, I worry a lot of what will happen tomorrow especially about my status as a faculty member. It came to a point that I was already giving up. I felt that God has forsaken me. But then God cleared those doubts away and gave me an assurance that He is my hope and that I need not worry, I just need to trust Him fully. Many things have happened to me that made me suffer and grieve a lot. But in all of these, I tried to ask God’s help and guidance and He never stopped working in my life. Last December, my health problem struck me once more. I have Hypokalemia Periodic Paralysis which could attack any moment and it happened on the night of Christmas. I asked God to heal me completely by morning for I need to attend to my affairs. When I woke up, the pain is gone!

This is what the Gospel asks of us. We don’t need to worry what tomorrow brings and should focus on the present. We need to live in the present and trust God to guide us in solving our problems, to take care of our needs. If we can only see the small blessings that God gives us every day, our problems will surely be outnumbered by the graciousness of God. He looks after the birds in the sky and the flowers in the field, He will also look after all of us who are made in His own image. He loves us so much that He gave us His only begotten Son for the sake of our Salvation.

As we begin trusting God, we will encounter problems along the way. Let us remain faithful. Let us set our hearts in seeking righteousness by becoming servants of Christ and stewards of the works of God. If we trust fully in His Providence, everything will follow.

Prayer

For our prayer, let us dwell on the words of the Psalmist: “My soul rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock, my salvation, my fortress. I shall never be afraid!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7qwJ9YT70g

Limitless Love

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Feb 23
First reading Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18

The Lord spoke to Moses; he said: ‘Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them:

  ‘“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.

  ‘“You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbour, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself. You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your people. You must love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”’

Psalm                                                                            Psalm 102:1-4,8,10,12-13
Second reading                                                        1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple.

  Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As scripture says: The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts: he knows how useless they are; or again: God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. So there is nothing to boast about in anything human: Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and the future, are all your servants; but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.

  ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

Reflection by Rosalinda Markell

Reflecting on today's Gospel, I came across these words:  "The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit, he has ceased to be wise and to do good.  He devices wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.  Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens.  Your faithfulness reaches the clouds." (Psalm 36:3-5)

In this psalm, David contrasted the way of life of unbelievers and believers. In conclusion, he affirmed that God will protect and sustain the faithful and punish and destroy the wicked. According to David, the unbelieving person is one who has "no fear of God before his eyes."

Regardless of the circumstances of life, whether we are in a moment of sanity or going through a time of trials such as being bullied at work, made a laughing stock in the neighborhood, persecuted for one's belief, victimized by others' gossip, and the like, let's hold on to God’s love which is always a beacon of hope, ever-present and inexhaustible source of strength and confidence. God's love for us is limitless. Do not worry if people say bad things against you, stay humble, and do not be disturbed. "And when you are disturbed, do not sin, ponder it on your beds and just be silent." (Psalm 4:4). Retaliation is out of the question here.  As the saying goes "Live and let live" or, much better "Let go and let God"! A word of caution though.  When Jesus tells us to bear with one another, it doesn't mean we simply accept evil as something normal.  We must endure evil without compromising our sense of sin. For example, bribing government officials would seem to be norm to fast track our request and stealing might be the easiest way to get rich, but they are still evil.

Prayer

Whenever we hear the things that people are saying about us, heavenly Father, we want so much to set the record straight!  We realize that we have two alternatives, to identify and confront the source, or to let it go and let the truth become self-evident. Please show us what the wisest course of action to take. Then please help us to follow through with confidence, knowing that You are ultimately in control of the situation. We pray, Lord, for enlightenment of our minds, soul, and spirit, and we ask You to please bless us all, even those who persecute us.   Amen.

Worry List

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time27 February 2011






We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

First reading Isaiah 49:14-15
Zion was saying, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.’
Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,
or fail to cherish the son of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you.

Psalm: Psalm 61:2-3,6-9

Second reading 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
People must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God. What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust. Not that it makes the slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself. True, my conscience does not reproach me at all, but that does not prove that I am acquitted: the Lord alone is my judge. There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes; he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.

Gospel Matthew 6:24-34
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are we not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

Reflection
By Grace Madriñan

If I were to list down the number of instances I worry in the past, I might come up with a novel or volumes of books from 1 to 12! Fortunately, God always has a response to each of my worry no matter how long the list is. I would love to discuss each one of them but it may take us weeks or even months to cover everything so let me just discuss only three of them.

The first one was when I graduated from College. I worried that I may not be able to land a good job since I did not come from a ‘preferred’ school like UP, Ateneo or La Salle. But God surprised me. Barely a month after graduation, I was hired by a multinational company with a starting salary higher than most employers in the industry.

The second was when I was on the crossroads of my career. I have decided in my mind to leave my job of 8 years and apply in another department. But I worried that no one will accept me given that my performance rating a few years before was not impressive enough. I also worried that I will not be able to excel in another job since I have been stagnant on the same type of tasks for the past 8 years. Again, God surprised me. One department hired me for a regional position and even waited six months for me to transition. After a year, I was promoted and enjoyed the kind of job satisfaction I was looking for.

The third instance is very recent, happened when our company discontinued its operation in the Philippines due to worldwide recession. Again, I worried that I will not be able to find a job right away, that I will stutter during interviews since I have not been ‘exploring’ for the past few years. I also worried that I may not be able to blend with other company's culture given that I've heard different horror stories from those who have moved out of the company before. But truly, God never runs out of surprises. He granted my desire to shift to an IT career when I got accepted by a multinational insurance company. Today, after 8 fruitful months since I joined the company, I am continuously being blessed, seeing and learning new things from the different role and industry I am now belong.

As humans, worrying is second nature to us. Jesus knows this very well that’s why He assured us in today’s Gospel that we are far more precious in the eyes of our Father in heaven, and that He knows how to provide for His children. Personally, I know that more worries will be added to my list. But the moment worry sets in, I just have to remind myself of Jesus’ words “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.” And that is already sufficient for me.

Father, You have always been our Provider and You have come to our aid numerously . Yet we continue to worry about the things of this world. Forgive our little faith and teach us to aim for Your Heavenly Kingdom instead. Amen.





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Rejoice in God

3rd Sunday In Advent
13 December 2009


Come, let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come.


First reading Zephaniah 3:14-18

Shout for joy, daughter of Zion,
Israel, shout aloud!
Rejoice, exult with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has repealed your sentence;
he has driven your enemies away.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;
you have no more evil to fear.
When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:
Zion, have no fear,
do not let your hands fall limp.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a victorious warrior.
He will exult with joy over you,
he will renew you by his love;
he will dance with shouts of joy for you
as on a day of festival.

Canticle Isaiah 12
The rejoicing of a redeemed people

Second reading Philippians 4:4-7

I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near.
There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Luke 3:10-18

When all the people asked John, ‘What must we do?’ he answered, ‘If anyone has two tunics he must share with the man who has none, and the one with something to eat must do the same.’ There were tax collectors too who came for baptism, and these said to him, ‘Master, what must we do?’ He said to them, ‘Exact no more than your rate.’ Some soldiers asked him in their turn, ‘What about us? What must we do?’ He said to them, ‘No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!’
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.’ As well as this, there were many other things he said to exhort the people and to announce the Good News to them.


Reflection
By Jeanne Therese Hilario-Andres

Shout for joy! Sing joyfully! Cry out with joy and gladness! Rejoice in the Lord always!

What marvelous superlatives. What extreme emotions. What a superabundance of exclamation points. I can almost picture Zephaniah, Isaiah and Paul scribbling smiley faces and putting dancing emoticons onto their divinely-inspired manuscripts.

Sometimes, it is effortless to rejoice in God and shout for joy, especially when things are going our way, or when we are giving thanks to God with others. It is easier to get caught up in the moment and to feel joyful and exuberant when we have just gotten some good news, or as we listen to other people’s triumphs. We laugh, sing, dance, clap our hands and feel an emotional high.

But then we go home and return to daily life. We see our dwindling funds and worsening economy. We deplore rising crime and political turmoil. We weep over broken relationships and family problems. We mourn our losses. We regret the past. We worry about what is to come. And then, easily, unwittingly, we forget to give thanks, to rejoice, to cry out with gladness to the Lord. Instead, we brood, we plan, we devise ways to survive our daily lives and be in control of our future.

In my mind, the opposite of thanksgiving is not ingratitude, but anxiety. Fear. Disquiet. Useless concern. The moment we stop trusting in the Lord, we stop giving thanks. We stop rejoicing. We stop celebrating.

Confidence and courage in God naturally leads to extraordinary joy which surpasses the fleeting pleasures offered by the world. Joyful remembrance of God’s past faithfulness leads to childlike trust and an impenetrable shield of hope. It is a beautiful, nourishing, life-altering cycle which produces a deep-seated peace that no one can steal.

What chains of worry and anxiety are binding you? What is restricting you from surrendering all your cares on the Lord? What is keeping you from dancing and crying out for joy to God at all times, in all circumstances, in all situations? Surrender them all to Him. Cast them all at His feet.

As we enter deeper into this season of Advent, no matter what may be happening in the world around us, let us rejoice and cry out with joy to the Lord, for He is our Saviour, Protector and Provider. In Him, our joy is forever renewed.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are my joy. You are my hope. You are my shield. Grant me grace to rejoice in You and to trust in Your power. Give me lasting joy and the peace that transcends all understanding. I surrender all my fears, chains and burdens to You, Lord. For You are my God, and all my hope, all my joy, all my trust is in You. Amen.

Next week on God-speak
The Lady with the Blackened Feet