Thursday, June 26, 2008

Sunday Reading Reflections:


Sunday, June 29, 3008
Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles (Solemnity)


Reading 1 Reflection :

In the first reading, the story of Peter's arrest and deliverance has a miraculous note to it. God seems to be watching over the infant Church with Fatherly care. Peter attributes his personal rescue from danger to God's saving hand. We also notice that this first group of Christians seems to be characterized by a spirit of unity, support, care, concern, and prayer.

Discussion Questions for Reading 1:

In today's first reading, Peter was conscious that the Lord was with him in life's ups and downs. How have you been conscious of God's presence with you in your life? Is there any "prison" from which God has rescued you? Is there anything you feel attracted to in this reading? Do you feel resistant to anything? Do you know why?


Reading 2 Reflection:

In the second reading, we learn how St. Paul persecuted the Church and had a dramatic conversion. He knew who to thank: "I am what I am by the grace of God." Pray that like St Paul you will recognize the good you have done and thank God for it. St. Paul compares his life to, among other things, a race well run, for which he will be rewarded by the crown of immortality. His success was due to the loving protection of God.

Discussion Questions for Reading 2:

St. Paul says he has fought the good fight and is now waiting with trust for the "crown of righteousness." How would you describe your life? In what way does this reading challenge you? What can you do to respond to this challenge?

Gospel Reflection:

St. Peter was the first to make a profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Peter also denied Jesus, not just once, but three times, and then professed his love for Jesus three times. He trusted Jesus enough to walk on water in the midst of a storm, but began to doubt when he noticed the waves in the storm. He was a disciple of strength (the rock), of weakness (denial), of love (you know I love you), of trust (walking on water), of doubt (he gets scared and falls down into the water). Doesn't Peter give you hope? Pray that you will know Jesus' love for you and always be willing to 'bounce back' like St. Peter, even when things go wrong.

Discussion Questions for Gospel:

Peter was leader of the community; a man of faith who loved Jesus. He was also weak and denied him. Can you accept loving but weak members in the Church, both leaders and faithful? Can you accept a Church that is at times sinful? Though this gospel is Peter's story, it is very much each one of our stories because it contains perhaps the most important question ever asked by Jesus. 'But you, who do you say that I am'? Peter spoke directly from the heart in his great profession of faith. Each of us is challenged to answer this question on a personal level during our lifetime: 'But you, who do you say that I am?'

Reflection by: CYBERFAITH
"Catholic resources for people of Faith"

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Sunday Reading Reflections:


Sunday, June 15, 2008
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time


The first reading is taken from the Book of Exodus 19:2-6a.

This reading is a preliminary to the Sinai covenant where Israel is dearer to Yahweh than any other nation; Israel is to become a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. They needed to grow in holiness and to become a mission-oriented group rather than remain a self-contained body. Israel was specially chosen and enjoyed God's favor, but that election was not to mean isolation and self-satisfaction.

— A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin


The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 5:6-11.


In this reading St. Paul argues the fact that if God was so good to us as to let His Son die for us while we were yet sinners, we can have the greatest confidence that He will also bring us to heaven (provided we keep our part of the contract) when our earthly life ends, because as followers of Christ we are now adopted sons.

— The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.


The Gospel is from St. Matthew 9:36, 10:8.

"Jesus had compassion for them." Who were the "crowds" on whom He had compassion? Among them were tax-collectors who cheated, robbers who robbed, murderers who murdered, harlots who lived lives of unchastity, adulterers who violated their marriage vows, nominal believers in God who never went to the temple or honored God in private. These may have been a minority, but there was no town or district in Palestine at that time in which some, or all such sinners, could not be found. Yet Jesus, who read their innermost minds, had pity on them for He saw that most, if not all of these sinners, acted through ignorance and through lack of instruction. They were lost sheep because they had no shepherd to lead them. The exalted opinion of their own sanctity that their official teachers had, caused them to shun the people, lest they be contaminated.

Christ said the harvest of such poor, misguided souls was plentiful and He needed more harvesters. That, indeed, was true in His day, but it is a hundred percent truer today. Any of our modern larger cities today has a population greater than the whole of Palestine in Christ's day. And the percentage of sinners in these cities would be greater, not less, than the percentage of sinners then in Palestine.

Christ too is unchanged. He still has compassion for today's sinners and wants them to be saved, not lost. But for this He needs "harvesters," apostles, who will help Him. Here is where all good Christians, all who really love God and their neighbor, must help. He is not asking us to give up our present occupation, or to leave home and family to become priests or missionaries. The work we can do and which He is asking us to do is on our very doorsteps. In some cases it is inside — in our own homes.

The first movement towards this apostolate to our fellow men is to show the good example of a truly Christian life. In the home and in our place of employment, example may go unnoticed or sometimes even be ridiculed by the very ones who need it, but with the grace of God, which always accompanies it, it will eventually produce good fruit. There are thousands of men and women in heaven today who owe their salvation, under God, to the good example of a sincere Christian neighbor. After good example, comes good advice. A suggestion, a hint, an encouragement, kindly and charitably offered, may often turn a neighbor from evil ways. This good advice must always be humbly and charitably given. Nobody, a sinner least of all, wants to be lectured or "preached at." St. Francis de Sales, the gentlest of apostles, said that one will catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel of vinegar.

There are pious Christians who abhor sin so much that they abhor and repel the sinner, as well. In this, they are more pharisaical than Christlike. He abhorred sin, but he still loved the sinner and wanted him saved.

The harvest is plentiful; indeed it is huge. But let not its huge size frighten us. If everyone reaps his own corner, we shall all meet in the center of the harvest-field some day.

- Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Sunday Reading Reflections:


Sunday, June 8, 2008

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time


The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Hosea 6:3-6.


In this reading Hosea is concerned about the priority of mercy along with a proper understanding and performance of ritual sacrifice. Hosea does not want rituals abandoned, he wants them purified and properly used, not mindlessly and perfunctorily abused. Crude ideas about sacrifice need reforming, but man still needs the ritual of sacrifice.


— A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin
The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 4:18-25.


In this reading, Abraham is set before us as an example of a man who had perfect faith.


— The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.


The Gospel is from Matthew 9:9-13.


The call of Matthew to the apostolate, and Christ's partaking of a meal with Matthew and his sinner friends that evening, is a proof of the Lord's forgiving mercy and understanding. Matthew became a faithful follower of Jesus, and gave his life for the spread of the gospel of mercy and divine love. The fellow tax-collectors and sinners, we can feel sure, learned much from that action of Jesus, and that sign of understanding on his part, helped many, if not all of them, to change their lives.


It is the same Christ that we are dealing with. It is the same Christ who has called us to follow Him. He knows our human frailties. He knew when He called us that we would trip, many times perhaps, on our upward climb. But He had planned to be ever near us, to lift us up and put us on the road again. He left to His Church, to us, the lovely sacrament of divine mercy, which will wash away each and every sin, if we receive it with true repentance.


The true Christian should really appreciate all that Christ has undergone — the humiliation of the Incarnation, the insults from His enemies, the cruel death on the cross, and all of it so that each one of us, and not just a select few, could get to heaven. What true Christian would be so ungrateful to Christ as to refuse to ask pardon for his sins, and so unmindful of his own eternal future as to risk his all because he is too proud to repent.


The Pharisees acted thus. Their self-esteem and pride would not let them admit that they too were sinners. In fact, their sin, the sin of spiritual pride, was more serious than the sins of weakness for which they despised and condemned their fellow Jews.


Should there be any Christian among us today whose pride and self-esteem will not let him humbly confess his sins, let him take a look at the crucifix. There he shall see Jesus hanging, dying a slow death on the cross, in order to bring him to heaven. It was our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross, but does Jesus hold it against us? Far from it. Those outstretched arms, amidst all their agonizing pain, are stretched out to welcome us back and to grant us a full pardon for all out past deeds.


Is there any human heart so hardened by pride, as to be able to resist this call to repentance and forgiveness offered by the very victim of his offenses?


Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY FATHER: POPE BENEDICT XVI

The Holy Father's Monthly Intentions for the year 2010:

http://www.hyscience.com/archives/Pope20Benedict20XVI_1.jpg

SEPTEMBER 2010


The Word of God as Sign of Social Development

General: That in less developed parts of the world the proclamation of the Word of God may renew people’s hearts, encouraging them to work actively toward authentic social progress.

The End of War

Missionary: That by opening our hearts to love we may put an end to the numerous wars and conflicts which continue to bloody our world.

RCAM NEWS:

***************************************************
CELEBRATION OF THE SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
Parents of Priests' Day

PARENTS AND FAMILY OF PRIESTS
(On the Year for Priests)

Archdiocese Recognizes Parents of Priests

Photogallery
*************************************************** Source: www.rcam.org

LITURGICAL NEWS:

Ministry of Liturgical Affairs
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ON-GOING FORMATION FOR EMHC 2010

ON-GOING FORMATION FOR LECTORS AND COMMENTATORS

ALC CIRCULARS


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Please see below link:


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POSTER on Proper Attire in Church


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Source: http://www.rcam.org/

About Us:

Philippines
"IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD ..." (John 1:1) The Word service proclaims, not only the contents of the readings, but also the bigger reality that God speaks continually to his people that we are called to a dialogue with God and with one another. To proclaim their inspired content in the midst of the worshipping community is a ministry entrusted to a few. The manner of proclamation is important for the delivery of the message in order to enable the community to enter into the spirit of the Word. The magnificence of this ministry cries out for the excellence that the Word of the Lord deserves. As lectors at the Mass we transmit that Word to human hearts and minds. The readings remind the people of the vision of the Christian community . . . of the things that truly matter.