The Word God Spells

Luke 9: 51-56
Jb 3: 1-3, 11-17, 20-23 / Ps 88: 2-8

Jesus resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.
(Luke 9:51)

He could have “called down fire from above,”
To prove His own divinity,
But Jesus’ power He used for love
To teach us true humility;

When the time for His being taken up was fulfilled, Jesus resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem. Jesus sent some men ahead of him. The men went into a Samaritan town to make everything ready for Jesus. But the people there would not welcome Him because he was going to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to consume them?” But Jesus turned and scolded them. Then Jesus and his followers went to another village. (Luke 9: 51-56)

Reflection

Jesus had already taught His disciples the importance of humility when they were arguing over who was the greatest. He had brought a little boy into their midst, and said, “The one who is least among you is the greatest.” (Lk. 9:48). Then later, when someone other than their company was reported casting out demons, the disciples had tried to stop him. Jesus had also rebuked them for their “professional jealousy”, saying, “Don’t stop him. If he’s not against you, then he is for you.” Now they wanted to wreak destruction upon a village of Samaritans, the Jews’ favorite whipping boy, even after our Lord had already taught them earlier to love their enemies (Lk. 6:27-28). How hard it must have been for our Lord to make His disciples learn the virtues of humility and forgiveness as pathways to salvation.

There are times when we cannot solve interpersonal problems because we do not see that those of us who consider ourselves righteous are the very cause of the problems. We despise those who are prejudiced, and fail to recognize the very same evil in ourselves. Our Lord Jesus constantly rebuked His apostles for their lack of humility, because they were always feeling so privileged to be walking with a Man of power. Humility is often attributed to the weak, the silent and unassuming, but actually, only those with power can have true humility. It is never easy to be humble when one has wealth and influence at his disposal. We have learned from Jesus’ teachings and example that a man of virtue harbors no feelings of revenge, nor is there any place for anger in the pursuit of perfect love.

As Christ’s disciples, we need to be able to relate to other people who do not share our faith or Christian culture with a humble and forgiving attitude even when we feel that we have been rejected and insulted. We have heard about the persecution of Christians by Hindu extremists in some parts of India, but we have not learned of any retaliation. Those suffering missionaries are the modern martyrs of the Church, because they are following our Lord’s path to Calvary. On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus knew the harsh rejection, insults and torture that awaited Him, and yet, He set His face like flint, and proceeded to accomplish His mission there in total submission, and with a forgiving heart. Like the missionaries and the Christian faithful in India, may we likewise take up our cross in the practice of our faith.

Lord, forgive us whenever we do foolish things in the name of being “right.” We are sorry for feeling righteous, unaware that it leads to arrogance. Help us to be more forgiving and considerate of those who differ in our beliefs as Jesus has taught us. Amen.

John 1: 47-51
Dn 7: 9-10. 13-14 or Rv 12: 7-12 / Ps 138: 1-5

. . . you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
(John 1: 51)

God’s angels help us be aware
That not all things are what they seem,
And we can only trust in prayer
To counter Satan’s lying schemes.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” Nathanael asked Him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1: 47-51)

Reflection

When Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, at first he sounded skeptical, saying, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” When Philip brought Nathanael before Jesus, our Lord did not rebuke him for his skepticism, but even praised him, saying, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” These words were enough to melt away whatever doubts or skepticism Nathanael might have had about Jesus. In fact his skepticism turned to wonder: “How do you know me?” When Jesus replied, “I saw you under the fig tree,” a great transformation occurred to Nathanael. Completely acknowledging his Master, he said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (Jn. 1:49). Instead of rebuking Nathanael for belittling His hometown of Nazareth, our Lord seemed to do exactly the opposite - exalting him, calling him a “true Israelite”. But do we detect a touch of sarcasm in those words – “no duplicity in him”? The very first named “Israel” was Jacob, but it was his duplicity that robbed his elder brother Esau of his birthright.

Nathanael was clearly touched by the power of Jesus’ words, because his question seemed apologetic: “How do you know me?” When the Lord said, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under a fig tree,” he was all the more astounded because he probably was under a fig tree at the time, and Jesus was nowhere in sight. And so he professed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God. To this, our Lord replied, “You will see greater things than this. . . the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” And again, Jesus referred to Jacob, in an allusion to the ladder of heaven in Genesis 28:12.

Today we celebrate the feast of the Archangels. Angels figure prominently in the Bible as God’s messengers. “They are the mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word” (Psalm 103:20). Angels play an important role in God’s plan of salvation, as we read in Hebrews: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” (Heb.1:14) Angels are also our protectors and guardians. Psalm 91:11 says, “He will put you in His angel’s charge to guard you in all yours ways.” I believe my Guardian Angel saved me in a number of near-death experiences. Personally, I believe God assigns a heavenly bodyguard to each of His children here on earth to support us in the spiritual battle against the evil forces in this world. Let us remember to thank God and honor our Archangels and Guardian Angels today.

Lord God, we praise and thank You for the guidance and protection that we enjoy in the presence of Your holy angels. Grant that we may always be faithful to Your will, confident that they will ward off all evil influences that threaten our relationship with you. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, and in Jesus’ Name, we dedicate our life to You. Amen.

Luke 9: 43-45
Eccl 11: 9 – 12: 8 / Ps 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17

Pay attention to what I am telling you: The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men.
(Luke 9:44)

Jesus tells us to “pay attention,”
And let His Word be our foundation,
So that in times of tribulation
We hold on to this consolation.

And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything He did, He said to His disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you: The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. (Luke 9: 43-45)

Reflection

To His followers, the words of Jesus always seemed to contradict His amazing power. How could He be “delivered into the hands of men” when even the demons obeyed Him? Right after He had just expelled an evil spirit from a boy, He reminded His disciples again of His impending persecution. They must have been more perplexed by His words than by His divine power. At that time, His prophetic message did not make any sense to them, because His miraculous works had convinced them that He was indeed the Promised Messiah Whom the Jews had been awaiting for millennia to liberate them from their oppressors. How could He be their Savior now if He Himself would be “delivered into the hands of men”?

The miracles that our Lord performed were not meant to show His disciples that He possessed power to liberate Israel from the shackles of imperial Rome. They were intended as testimonies to His claim as the Son of the Living God, as well as manifestations of God’s compassion for the sick, the widowed and the possessed. But the disciples were so preoccupied with this power that Jesus had earlier given them, full of marvel at their opportunities, that the purpose of Christ’s mission lay beyond their comprehension. They dared not ask the Master about His foreboding prophecy, lest He confirmed what they were afraid to hear. Instead, they argued among themselves, distracted about who was the greatest (9:46). That was why they failed to exorcise the evil spirit (9:40). They were not listening to what Jesus had been teaching them, that what was most important was to be humble and compassionate.

Jesus may well be telling us, His modern-day disciples, the same thing: Pay attention to what I am telling you! There is a tendency among many of us to drift into complacency after many years in the renewal community. Perhaps unwittingly, due to our “busy-ness”, we begin to take important things for granted — like rushing through our morning prayers because of our tight schedules; or quickly signing off to slumber with a quick “Our Father” after a hard day’s work. Have we been paying much attention to HIM in our prayers and meditations, and in reading His Word?

Forgive me Lord for my inattentiveness; for constantly being distracted by worldly concerns; for failing to set aside time for You in meditation and prayer; for forgetting that You are the most important in my life. Thank You for reminding me whenever I am remiss in giving You priority as You rightfully deserve. Amen.

Luke 9: 18-22
Eccl 3: 1-11 / Ps 144: 1-4

But who do you say that I am?
(Luke 9:20)

What Christ means in my life matters
More than what I want my life to be;
What I am and do for others
Show how real my Jesus is to me.

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Reflection

Peter became the leader of the apostles and the first head of Christ’s church because he was the first among them to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. But as our Lord said later, “It was not mere flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but your Father in heaven.” (Mt.16:17) God gave Peter wisdom and discernment because he loved and followed Jesus more intensely than any of His followers. He was always present in all the activities of his Master.

It is to develop a personal relationship with Him that Jesus is offering each one of us. One of the great mysteries in life is that we can never get to know ourselves fully until we come to know our Lord Jesus Christ in a deeply personal way. Unless we establish a profound relationship with Him, we will never discover the real purpose of our existence. By getting to know Jesus intimately, we will experience true faith. Consequently, how real Jesus is to us will show in how real we are to others.

When we have come to know Jesus fully as our Lord, Savior and Friend, we will want to cultivate His fellowship more and more. And when we have learned to know Him, love Him, and established a personal relationship with Him, then we will experience the abundant life that He promised when He said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

This is what most of us in the Charismatic renewal have experienced. Since the time we acknowledged Jesus as our Way to the Father, the Truth in our life, and the Life of our love, and committed ourselves to serving Him in our community, His Holy Spirit has revealed many things which were once unknown to us. We feel that we are constantly in the process of learning more and more about God and his plans for us as we allow Him to lead us in the work of evangelization. So many are still in the dark, distracted by the lures of the world. God wants us to bring His Good News to as many as we can reach, so that they too may come to know who Jesus Christ is.

St. Paul said in his letter to the Hebrews, (13 :8) : “Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same until the end of time.” If we have come to know Him personally, have we introduced Him to somebody lately?

Forgive me, Jesus, if I have been keeping our relationship all to myself. Grant me the opportunity to bring others to Your fellowship too. Amen.

Luke 9: 7-9
Eccl 1: 2-11 / Ps 90: 3-6, 12-14, 17

And he kept trying to see Him.
(Luke 9: 9)

Where can we find our Lord Jesus?
From our troubles His face we seek,
May His Word and Spirit lead us
To see Him in the poor and meek.

Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had risen again. Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him. (Luke 9: 7-9)

Reflection

Herod, for all his power, could not see Jesus. And when he finally had the chance, he failed to redeem himself. His own power was the cause of his inevitable doom. Most, if not all persons of power and influence fall into this same predicament. Their worldly advantage is their spiritual disadvantage. They cannot see Jesus. Some attempt to seek Him out, but because of their pride or self-sufficiency, their quest is half-hearted, and they fail to see the Lord in others — especially not in the faces of the poor, for whom they only hold contempt. It was not for their eyes to see, nor for their ears to hear the words of our Lord, Who said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt.5:3)

A Christian is always seeking the face of his Savior. At times our Lord comes to us in our meditation — especially when we receive Him in Holy Communion. But much of the time, we try to see Him in the wrong places — in images or statues, which are merely ‘works of human hands’. He would prefer that we see Him in the faces of the poor, the malnourished children, the lame and the blind, the sick and imprisoned, which, unfortunately, many of us choose to ignore. Like Herod, we do not try hard enough to see Jesus.

There are days when we are inspired and moved by the Spirit with joy and gratitude. But there are also days when we wake up troubled and afraid, uncertain about our faith. There are moments when we feel uplifted in having served the Lord, but there are also times when we feel that we have not been in touch with Jesus, when our prayers seem empty and mechanical, and we are beset with pessimism. We feel like the writer of Ecclesiastes in the First Reading, who wrote: “All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun?. . . All speech is labored; there is nothing man can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear filled with hearing.” (Eccl.1:2-3,8)

Yes, our eyes can never be satisfied until we have learned to see Jesus in others, including those we find unsightly. Our ears and hearts cannot be “filled” until we hear and read the Word of God in Scriptures. Only then will we cease to be perplexed and depressed.

We praise You, Father, that You have made it possible for us to see our Lord Jesus in the faces of others and in the Gospel. ‘Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Fill us at daybreak with Your love, that all our days we may sing for joy’ (Psalm 90:12,14). Amen.

Luke 9: 1-6
Prv 30: 5-9 / Ps 119: 29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163

So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
(Luke 9:6)

Proclaim the Gospel everywhere;
This is Christ’s mandate in our lives.
For gold or tunic have no care,
Just depend on what God provides.

Jesus called the Twelve together, and gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey — no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. As for those who do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” (Lk. 9:1-5)

Reflection

A divine mandate had been given to the apostles, with both the authority and the power necessary to carry out their mission. And that mandate lives on to the present time in the hearts of all Christians who profess to follow Jesus.

It may seem strange that Jesus gave specific instructions to His disciples not to bring any kind of provisions in their journey to different villages to heal and to proclaim the Gospel. But He did this for three reasons: 1) He wanted His apostles to subordinate their temporal needs to their need to obey and to trust in His word; 2) He wanted them to be totally focused on their mission, sacrificing everything, doing without (as He did in the desert); and 3) He wanted the people who would receive His missionaries to practice charity and tithing (“for the worker deserves his keep” - Lk.10:7). Those who did not do so would be treated like dust shaken off their feet.

As our love for God’s Word reaches full maturity in our brotherhood, the Holy Spirit will lead us to pursue the same mission that the apostles were called upon to undertake. God’s Word tells us that lacking the resources for our needs is no excuse to refuse God’s call. It teaches us to put our total trust in His Divine Providence, and even in the positive outcome of our mission. All that is needed is our “yes”, and God will provide the rest. As a text message aptly puts it: “It is when we have nothing that we find God is everything.”

I believe that when we signed on as full-fledged members of our brotherhood, the Great Commission became our primary goal in life. Each of us shares this vision to save our dying world by sharing the Good News of the Gospel. We have Christ’s promise that He will be with us as we carry out this mission. For sure the task would be daunting if we rely merely on our own abilities or resources, but with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power, no mission is impossible.

In our mission to spread the Gospel, we only have to trust in Your promise, Lord, that all our needs will be met, and we believe it will be done for us. Amen.