The Word God Spells

Mark 16: 15-20
1 Pt 5: 5b-14 / Ps 89: 2-3. 6-7. 16-17

They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the Word through accompanying signs.
(Mark 16:20)

Our strifes and trials when we preach
Are but a light cross that we bear,
But there’ll be more souls we can reach
If Christ’s Good News is ours to share.

Jesus said to the apostles, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” So then the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into heaven, and took His seat at the right hand of God. The apostles went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the Word through accompanying signs. (Mark 16:15- 20)

Reflection

The five signs that our Lord mentioned in Mark 16:17-18 — casting out demons, speaking in tongues, taking up serpents, protection from poison, and healing of the sick — may not be generally applicable to all His followers, but they are still available as gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever necessary in the ministry of evangelization. Of course each one is endowed with different gifts as St. Paul said in 1 Cor.12:4-10. But they are all given for the common purpose of propagating the Gospel. We are not expected to cast out demons or take our chances with poisonous serpents to prove our faith, but healing through communal prayers are common occurrences, just as speaking in tongues happen during prayer assemblies. These gifts serve to awaken or deepen the faith of complacent Christians.

In the renewal we have learned that what we have received we must also share. Our spiritual formation in the Brotherhood is not meant only for our own salvation, but for the task of evangelism, where we are called to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Our Christian education is part of the Church’s never-ending mission of evangelization in every generation. We must be involved in this process in order to learn the ways of the Kingdom at each stage of our life and through all our human experiences. Disciples are made, not born, and our discipleship continues throughout our whole life, with no rest in sight until the day we die. When we were initiated into the renewal, we firmly believed that membership in this Brotherhood of Christ extended beyond our temporal existence in this life.

When we received the commission of Jesus Christ to be heralds of His Good News of salvation, we saw the end of our ‘worldly life’, because we are now living a new life in the Spirit. There is every reason to rejoice and be glad, despite the trials that we might face. For we believe that the risen Lord is working in us through the power of His Holy Spirit, and we are so privileged to share in this task of the saints.

Father God, You fill our hearts with a spirit of joy which no trials or difficulties can overcome. May we always live a life of praise and thanksgiving for our renewal, and may we fulfill Your purpose in our life. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

John 10: 22-30
Acts 11: 19-26 / Ps 87: 1-7

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
(John 10:27)

We are the flock He has gathered
Who heard His call and have answered.
No one can ever be bothered
Who lives the Word of our Shepherd.

Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10: 22-30)

Reflection

Most of the Jews who followed Jesus were hoping that He was their political solution for the salvation of Israel from the occupying Romans. Others saw material gain in the ‘magical’ powers that Jesus wielded. These our Lord did not regard as members of His flock. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Today we are witnessing a new kind of political solution (read: persecution) against Jesus and His followers. The United States of America used to be the bastion of the Christian faith, but now the political, ‘pragmatic and modern’ segments of its society, sympathetic to homosexual rights, same sex marriages, separation of church and state (anti-religion), feminism, right to choice (against right to life), promoters of abortion and contraception, and atheists have grown in such great numbers that Satan today seems to be making great strides in America. Just the other day, I read in the papers that a ‘dedicated’ atheist finally won a three-year court battle against his own state for the removal of a memorial cross on a hill. Most states in the US now even ban prayers in public schools. I will not be surprised if one day Americans decide to remove the words “In God we Trust” from their currency.

The Philippines is the only predominant Catholic country in Asia. But the influence of America in our country is so powerful that its materialism and ‘modernism’ has been eroding our long held values and spiritual practices. The onslaught of various controversies like the Da Vinci Code book and movie, the Judas gospel, etc. have only served to increase the hostility and suspicion against the doctrines and Christian traditions of our Church. Is it any wonder that many of the sheep nowadays fail to hear the Shepherd’s voice above the din?

Help us to to find, Lord Jesus, the green pastures and restful waters of your Gospel; keep us safe from the ravenous wolves of this world. Make us the grateful sheep that You pasture, that we may always follow Your call. Amen.

John 3: 16-21
Acts 5: 17-26 / Ps 34: 2-9

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16 )

The truth can never be denied,
In this do men of faith delight:
While evil deeds in darkness hide,
Good deeds performed shall come to light.

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:16-21).

Reflection

John 3:16 must be one of the most often quoted verses in the Bible, and is a favorite passage cited by our “Born Again” brethren in their argument that faith is enough to guarantee our salvation. However, merely believing that Jesus Christ became man and died for our sins, or even accepting all His teachings in the Bible will not ensure passage to eternal life unless such a transforming belief moves us to perform good deeds that are “plainly seen have been done through God.” (Jn. 3:21) Our faith is active when we are motivated by God’s love to spread His Gospel message so that others who are still in darkness may be brought into His light.

In today’s First Reading, St. Peter and his companions demonstrated this kind of faith when they taught the Good News of Jesus Christ in the temple, without regard to the threat of imprisonment and persecution foisted on them by the Jewish authorities (Acts 5:21). In our own way, we must also be bold like the apostles, bearing witness for Christ, if we claim to believe in Him. Our group’s recent trek to Mt. Apo a few days ago would have been a total disappointment because of the rains that kept us cocooned in our tents. But the bleak situation provided an opportunity for evangelization, as I shared with my friends the nuggets of wisdom that one can mine in the Bible. I shared how so many verses in the Old and the New Testament apply to all kinds of situations in life, giving us a keener understanding of its complexities, and leading us to a more intimate relationship with our Maker.

Immersing ourselves in the Word of God makes us see that our faith is a gift from God, and everything belongs to Him. Therefore, there is nothing in our power that can make us merit the kingdom of heaven. It is by God’s grace, in His gift of love — His only Son, Jesus Christ that we are saved. No amount of good works, prayers, masses, tithes, or sacrifices, even in a hundred lifetimes can ever measure up to the glorious, eternal kingdom that our Lord Jesus has promised as our inheritance if we remain steadfast in our love and faith in Him.

Father God, may our faith be matched by good deeds, inspired by Your Holy Spirit, in consonance with the teachings of Your Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Luke 14: 25-33
Rom 13:8-10 / Ps 112

Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple.
(Luke 14:33)

Not one of our closest relations,
Nor any of our prized possessions...
Among all things that we ever own,
Nothing matters more than God alone.

Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Lk.14:26-27). None of these words were meant to be figurative. Our love for God as the driving force of discipleship must be so intense that even our human loves would seem like “hate” by comparison. This, of course, is as difficult to understand as a disciple’s willingness to carry his cross (ministry) for Jesus’ sake. Indeed, to be His disciple is to prioritize Jesus above and ahead of everything and everyone — even if it means suffering, and loss of all that we hold dear. We find enough examples in the Bible about what our Lord is teaching. Abraham was called to leave his father’s house (Gen.12:4); Moses was called to leave his comfortable home in order to liberate God’s people. Our Lord Jesus Himself showed the supreme example of self-denial when He became man to be crucified for our redemption.

Reflection

Today’s Gospel is a lesson in self-denial for true discipleship. It would appear to be ‘self-hate’, but it is not. This basic requirement of being His follower means the willingness to leave our comfort zone (family), and forgo all conveniences, privileges, prestige or pleasure — for a higher purpose and a wiser choice.

If our level of self-denial is not increasing, we may not be growing spiritually. Unless we deny the pleasures and prestige offered by this world, we cannot honestly say that our involvement in and relationship with Christ are motivated and nurtured by His dying on the Cross. Only when we deny ourselves for Christ’s sake do we really appreciate what He did for us. Because “whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be My disciple”.

Only when we have come to love Jesus above everything can we willingly break away from those we love and cling to. Because only then are we able to understand that they were just given to us as a gift, a gift that is not for our sole possession. Just as we can never “own” even our own children. As a matter of fact, as parents, we have to “let go” of our children, for their sakes, as well as for ours. It was very hard for my cousin to accept the death of his eleven-year old son, whose life was snuffed out by a speeding bus. We could only pray that in time this terrible loss would lead him to seek solace in our Lord Jesus, Whose grace is greater than his pain. If my cousin can bear this cross to become His disciple, then his loss will turn to a greater gain, and his son would not have died in vain.

Help us see, Father God, that all our possessions and relationships are but temporal and passing — only Your love is eternal. That is why following Your Son, Jesus Christ is the wisest choice. Amen.

Luke 10: 1-9
2 Tm 4:9-17/Ps 145

The harvest is rich, but the workers are few; so you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest.
(Luke 10: 2)

We must be bold heralds willing
To share the Good News of the Lord;
We are all called to bring healing
To where men hunger for His Word.

Jesus appointed 72 other disciples, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He himself was about to come. He told them, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few; so you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to His harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!’ If a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Reflection

The ministry of proclaiming the Good News was never meant only for a select few. This unique aspect of our Brotherhood’s culture takes on more meaning in this month of mission. All members are urged to prepare their life testimony to be shared in breakfast meetings of our chapter or in other communities of the BCBP where one or a couple is invited. In this way we imitate the disciples of Christ who were sent to preach the Good News of salvation. Whenever we share our spiritual transformation during a breakfast, it is like conditioning our listeners for Jesus’ arrival in their lives. The task is not easy, and requires fervent prayers that our sharing may inspire the listeners to become “workers” themselves in the Lord’s vineyard.

Ollie and I prayed for courage as we boarded the small aircraft in Cebu that took us on a mission to share God’s Word in Kalibo chapter and its Boracay outreach. There was nothing to fear, after all. In fact there was every reason to be joyful, as our brothers and sisters in those communities pampered us with sumptious meals and first-class accomodations. How true our Lord’s words, “for the worker deserves his wages.” Soon after that, we were invited again to give our life testimony in far-off Surigao city, a ten-hour bus trip from Davao. This time, we went without hesitation.

God is called the Lord of the harvest because He is the one who sends out workers. He supplies all the speakers in the breakfast meetings of the various chapters and outreaches of BCBP all over the country. Members of our chapter regularly travel by pairs to the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Valencia, Tagum, Panabo, Digos, Gen. Santos, Marbel, Kidapawan, Butuan, Iligan and Surigao to share God’s Word. Many have been spiritually healed through this unique culture of our brotherhood.

Help us, Father God to travel light in spreading the Good News of Your kingdom, not to be weighed down by temporal concerns, and to take courage in Your protection even as we are sent forth like lambs among ravenous wolves. Bless our mission, that those who hear Your message may also become workers in Your vineyard. Amen.

Luke 9: 1-6
Ezr 9:5-9 / Tb 13:2-8

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)

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.

Reflection

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.