Lk 1:1-4;4:14-21
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Tanjutco JF
ReplyDelete"New Light"
In the mass i attended last week the pastor asked those an important question, How do you embody the scriptures at a time like today? I thought to myself, How do i embody Christ? Do i truly show his teachings as I reflected I realized that we must fulfil the teachings of the Lord.
Once i felt undeniably alone, everything felt difficult, but the Lord brought me to light, he taught me to have faith because in faith we know what love truly is. This faith drove me to see God in a new light, to see that God will never abandon me and never leave me; That God is love, and through it all God will be here for us. God teaches us to follow in his scriptures because through this we achieve solace and through this we learn the goodness of humanity and what drives another to do this.
In conclusion, God teaches us to follow and live in his scriptures because as we follow in his word we bring it to light in countlesbs ways, these teach us how to do more good as a person and as a community. In following his scriptures we see what is true, as well as what is right.
My understanding of this gospel is that God speaks to us in different ways. Even if He is not a mortal like us, He is able to communicate with us through different ways. He sent His only son to spread His word and it has resonated until today. His influence is great.
ReplyDeleteSomeone, a good friend, once told me that reading the Bible is the best way to know what God wants of us. There are people who see Him through signs, some hear His actual voice in their head, but to me, I think the best way that God may communicate His intentions is through the Bible. In my spare time, I like to read the Bible because that is where I find comfort.
There are times that I am afraid and unsure of the things I am about to do and when that happens, I like to turn to Him to ask Him for guidance. There was one day, I was in the chapel early in the morning and I was reading when I came upon a passage; Psalm 56:3 “When I am afraid, I trust in Him”. Because I know that no matter what, He will always help me/us to find a way to send us the right message because He loves us unconditionally.
Luisa Pascual
JF
incomplete
DeleteAvecilla JF
ReplyDeleteTitle: Food for the Soul
What does it mean to live a fulfilling life? How do we as a culture define it, or even as individuals? From what I know of, most have a specific goal in life — they want a particular career or a particular job. For others, however, fulfillment means a level of material security rather than career-oriented success . Family, friends, community are all measures of fulfillment as well, and for some, even hobbies get thrown into the mix.
I wouldn't be writing this reflection at this moment if it weren't for the experiences I have gone through as a student. In freshmen year and the years before that, I was not really the best student. Not that I'm saying I'm the perfect student today, but my experiences then have shaped me into the person I am today. I knew I had untapped potential inside of me which was just waiting to be used for the better, and I discovered my talent in graphic design. Everything good happened to me all at once. I excelled with flying colors; people today may think I'm naturally adept at this, but no! It took hard work and dedication to be the best at what I do. I still have so much to learn.
I had everything I wanted, yet, why didn't I feel totally fulfilled? I knew I had it pretty good on all fronts. I strived for perfection, but it's never enough. As humans, we always fall short, because God created us to be flawed. Material wealth, good careers, creative hobbies, and a large social network of family and friends can fill most of that yearning for perfection most of the time, and all of those are blessings for which we should be grateful for. But they still do not provide the complete fulfillment for which we are made for. This gospel is about this yearning, of our desire to achieve complete fulfillment. It reminds us of the spiritual yearning we have as well, and why the Gospel at its essence is a message of good news from God. It's food for the soul. Perfection cannot be attained with our talents alone -- but it can be attained through the grace of Jesus Christ.
"Unrolling of Truths" by Sean Aguinaldo, JF
ReplyDelete“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” — these were the last words that I have encountered in this week's gospel. You might be wondering why I have named the title "Unrolling of Truths"; Well, it isn't a long story actually. After finishing this passage, I felt like I've been introduced into a new perspective of life. I felt like I have discovered the true meaning on why I was brought to this world. To furthur introduce this reflection, I would like to emphasize the fact that this week's gospel truly helped me understand the things I need to conduct as a child of God — and I hope that the gospel would be the same for you.
There was a time when I felt so alone and unloved. A time when I felt like nobody was by my side and that I had no one behind my back besides myself — but I thought wrong. During that time, I realized, "who cares what other people think about me?" I thus gained a bigger understanding on the fact that these ungrateful people are not the only people living in this planet and that I should lean towards people who are willing to share some sense of optimism with me. To incorporate it with the gospel, the saying "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor." has truly caused me to develop a new belief. A belief that I will absolutely cherish and follow for the rest of my life. Looking back at my past, here I am today contemplating on the fact all this time, I was not alone. I now realized that even when I was inside my mother's womb, the Lord's spirit was living inside of me; and now that I'm all grown up, I must fulfill what the scripture wants me to do — and that is to bring glad tidings to the poor.
On the whole, this gospel has opened more productive opportunities that I must fulfill in this life that the Lord has given me. I was brought to this world in order to help the needy and make them feel worthy of living here. I do believe that through this gospel, I must spontaneously be a good living citizen of Earth by showing my love and care to every person here on Earth. Regardless of age, gender, or race — each and every one of us have the Spirit of the Lord living inside of us, and we must attain the important duties that the Lord wants us to fulfill. We must forget about ourselves for a moment, and use the Spirit of the Lord inside of us through giving glad tidings to the poor and setting them free from oppression.
Zoie Garcia JF
ReplyDelete"Fulfillment in Service"
After reading the gospel, it has come to me that I was put on this earth for a reason. To know what I must do, and to follow in the path of God, I must first fully understand His orders and listen attentively to His word.
Reading the gospel helped me realized that I was put on this earth to not just fulfill his task for me, but his task for others. We must know that we were not created just to care about only ourselves. We must learn to do things for others as Jesus did. We will be able to follow in God's path if we think about what others need, not just what we need. We must learn to be open minded, responsible, and especially generous, so we may show how thankful we are to the Lord for creating us. A few years back, I helped give out relief goods to those affected by the typhoon. After the activity, I felt very emotionally satisfied, and it showed me that doing service for others will make us happy in the long run. After that, my faith in God grew greater and stronger.
In summary, I believe that to show God that we are thankful for everyone he has done (and is doing) for us, we must return the favor by serving others. We must learn to be selfless enough to live and follow in God's desired path for us.
Andrea Manaloto JF CN 22
ReplyDeleteThough the gospel is cut into two different parts, it's meaning is very close to my heart. The gospel has made me realize many different things. I understood all the more that God tries so hard in order for us to listen to Him, understand Him, and learn His teachings. The gospel has reminded me more of God's undying love for us. It has also helped me remember my experiences and the moments in life wherein I have been called and chosen by God.
Last January 2015, I got into YFC-Z. The three day experience was truly remarkable and memorable. It was one of the most life changing events I have experienced. In this camp, I felt God's presence more than I have ever felt it before. I felt Him calling me and telling me that it was time that I go back to Him. Before this camp, I had very little faith. I would only go to church because i needed to and I would only pray whenever I needed something. However, after being able to feel God's presence in this camp, a lot of things have changed. I realized how blessed I was to be able to do the things I do, to be able to have the things that I have and to be able to be with the people that mean a lot to me. This camp has not only helped me with my relationship with God and others but also with myself. I learned more about myself that I probably would have never learned. I also learned more of what I am capable of. Most of all, I learned that despite my sins, despite my acts to push God away, He is always by my side guiding, protecting and watching over me. I realized that even in our darkest times, God is always there. Until today, I continue to feel God's presence and I am able to understand more of what He needs me to do.
The gospel has also reminded me of what God wants from all of us. The gospel states that we do not just live to make ourselves happy but that we live to serve God and others. At the end of the day, the lives we have right now will all come to an end. We shouldn't be wasting our time doing things for ourselves only but for the people around us. YFC has changed my life not just because for the things it has done for me but also for the things it allows me to do. Through YFC, I have been given several opportunities to serve and bring others closer to God. Not a lot of people may understand the joy in being able to serve others and seeing the change in their lives after.
Because I have been able serve God and others more, I have been able to get closer to God and build a very strong relationship with Him. But it doesn't stop there. I know that my faith can still grow and that I can still have an even better relationship with God than the one I currently have.
very good content yet still incomplete
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Delete"Renewal of Faith"
Errol Uy JF
ReplyDelete"The Mission of Many"
Has there ever come a time in your life where you ask yourself, "Why am I here?" You feel like you hardly know the purpose of your life, and why you were sent here in the first place. We see so much people who feel the same, yet they are contented with their lives. This is because they live the mission of God. Every single one of us was hand-picked by God in order to live. Not everyone has a chance at life, so we have to live life as Jesus lived his.
On July 2015, I was given the opportunity to join Youth For Christ. Not a lot of people are given this opportunity, so we must be thankful for whatever we receive. I interpreted this as a calling. God was reaching out to me, trying to tell me something. He saw a lost soul that needed guidance, and he was willing to lead the way. Before I joined YFC, I remember being the person who was always late to mass, the person who kept talking and playing. He wanted me to become better, and for me to put my faith in him. I experienced so much good things on the weekend of my camp. I learned how to be more faithful and to walk on earth as a servant of God. We must all aspire to be like Him, living as guides and servants of God. We must continue to carry on His mission, for others to be reunited with him.
This gospel basically talks about being given a mission and fulfilling it. Like Mother Mary, she did not hesitate at all. She was willing to stand by His side no matter what happens. An act of true faith helped her to fulfill her mission. We must see this in our daily lives. We have to be like Mary, entrusting all our faith so that we may also accomplish our missions here on earth.
"Our Duty"
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this gospel, I continued to remember our purpose here which is to serve God. Serving God means a lot of things and leads to plenty of things as well. In this scripture, it is said that the Lord appointed us to help the poor. We are called to help those who are in need of Jesus in their life.
Growing up, I see that not everyone actually believes in God. Just because someone goes to a Catholic school doesn't mean that they have faith in God. Not everyone has a lot of faith in God. To me, our mission is to help those who are poor, and not just those who are poor with materialistic things, but those who are poor in terms of faith because only Jesus can save us. Everyone deserves to be saved and everyone deserves a chance to be happy.
In summary, I believe that we're all called to make everyone a better person. We're supposed to help those who need God in their lives and fulfill our duties as a disciple. Personally, I think we're all capable of helping everyone out so I suggest that we all do something about society now.
Balcita JF
ReplyDelete"A Friend's Smile Changes Everything"
We, have all been given something the day we were born, something special. Something that surpasses the gift of loving parents, even the gift of having a life; it is the gift of sharing our love to every single one of God's children. This gift of sharing, is one which we give to the people around us: our love, and our talents.
For the longest time before becoming a high school student, I have always thought of my life as something that is a continuous cycle of the same thing. Wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, and come back home; I felt as if this was all there was left to my life and accepted it as fate. My life felt as if I had no meaning, I was always surrounded by some many talented people, it made me feel as though I wasn't someone who could become like them. One day though, I happened to come across something that I didn't know I would love so much, being able to make toys and trinkets with my own hands. At first I didn't think it was that much of a deal, something I considered to pass the time when I felt like the day was too boring. Some thought different though, one day I had decided to give a gift that I had made to a dear friend whom I thought was leaving for another country. When I gave her the present, I didn't expect her to have a face so full of joy, saying that she would keep it for as long as she could. It may have not been that much of significant event, but it was significant enough for me to try making more and more crafts for the people whom I considered dear. Before I knew it, everyday seemed to become even brighter than the next. It felt as if I was making everyday different because I wanted to make everything different. All thanks to making a friend smile from a gift.
As people, we are born with talents uniquely different from anyone on this planet. God have given us these talents on the day we were born with a message; "Share your talents with the people and bring happiness to everyone." Of course not everyone has yet to be able to use their talent, but I know they will be able to spread happiness in the future. After all, it only took me a friend's smile to realize my mission from God.
" Following His footsteps"
ReplyDeleteThe gospel taught me of what God wants from all of us, it is simply to return the favor by not only spreading His Word but also serving others in the process. After reading the Gospel, it helped me understand our purpose even more which was to make God proud through our actions and good deeds/service. The gospel in a way mentioned that He brought us here to show acts of love and kindness towards others especially the poor. We are called upon to help others and spread the word of God.
To me our mission here on earth is to open eyes of others who are blinded by their arrogance and materialistic things rather than spending their time getting to know and have faith in God more. I also believe that everyone deserves a second chance, so I believe that all of us should help others change the way they live especially if their lifestyle is being lived negatively it will lead them even farther away from Him. The gospel also taught me that we're all called to make everyone a better person or help them change for the better. We're supposed to help those who are in need, especially those who have less or no faith at all in God. In all honesty I think we're all capable of helping others, we just always make excuses not to do what we think is right, well I think we should change this habit and start something that'll actually change people even if it is just of a small matter or in our own little way we should still do it.
In summary, I believe that a way to show God that we are thankful for all the things, blessings, graces and etc. He has given us we must learn how to serve others. Because little do we know even the smallest of deeds could mean a great deal of help towards others or someone. Just like Jesus he came here to serve and not to be served, so as followers of Christ we must serve our brothers.
Colina JF
ReplyDelete" Fulfilled Promise"
In the gospel, Jesus reads a passage, a message of hope to God's people. This was very timely for the people of Israel and for the whole world. During this time the Israelites were under the rule of the Roman's, who like the Spanish to the Philippines, abused the country. And the message tells of the freedom that Jesus will bring to the whole world.
Jesus not only gives hope to the people of His hometown, but He foretells of the saving His mission will bring. He set the captives free and restored sight to the blind, both literally and figuratively. He declared that the scripture was fulfilled by merely proclaiming God's word. We must all go forth and proclaim the gospel of the Lord to the ends of the Earth. It will not be easy, Jesus Himself said it and after proclaiming the passage's fulfillment, His own neighbors drove Him out.
The Gospel reminds us of how the mission Jesus gave us to spread His word can change the world. We must go forth and make disciples of all nations and proclaim liberty to the captives of sin and restore sight to those who are blinded by worldly things.
Anton Biazon JF
ReplyDelete"Messengers of God"
The gospel that I read shows me that there are many different ways God can talk to us. It could be either by means of a poor man or any other person we walk by but here God talks to the people through Jesus. His son has taught us plenty of things and we could still see His teachings being observed today.
I strongly believe that God put us on this earth to help and serve the less fortunate and to spread the word of our Father. He put us here to help those who do not believe in Him and those who have little faith in Him as well. It is evident that a lot of people in today's society do not really believe in the miracles God can perform and that is why we are here to show them what he can do.
In conclusion we were put on this earth for one reason and that is to serve God in anyway we could. Even the smallest of things could help spread the message of God to the other people who have little faith in our Father.
"Purpose on Earth" - Christine Victoriano JF
ReplyDeleteWe are all put in this world for a reason. In the gospel, Jesus wasn't only talking about Himself when he reading the scripture from the scroll. God has chosen each and every one of us to serve Him and to put our faith in Him. There are many ways we can honor God and show our love for him. However, this passage focuses on service through helping the poor and proclaiming His word.
When I still didn't have a close relationship with God, I didn't what my purpose on earth was. I felt lost and acted without seeking for guidance from Him. But when I learned about how he died on the cross to pay for my sins and how I must serve Him, I felt content and grateful. I was happy to know that I could trust someone who would never do anything to hurt me and that I could put my faith on someone who would love me enough to sacrifice Himself for me.
In conclusion, the reading has shown to me that we all have one mission on this world and that is to serve Him. With God's guidance in my life, I know that we must obey what He tells us to do and to honor him. By doing acts such as being compassionate to the less fortunate and by spreading the Good News, we are giving our service to God.
Jill Panganiban, JF
ReplyDelete"New Perspective"
After completely reading and understanding this gospel, I somewhat know why I am here in this world. I may not know a lot when it comes to who I am and what I should really do, but to know what God wants me to do is more than enough for me.
The gospel made me realize so many things that I didn't know before. It made me see things in a whole new perspective. We all know that God wants us to do things that will help our own souls but what He truly wants us to do is to continue his mission and that is to serve and help others. I can relate this gospel to a personal experience— I was given the opportunity to run as the school's student body president. So many have encouraged me to go for it because they believed that I had the qualities for it. I was definitely up for it 'til I realized the pressure it holds. I was scared to disappoint and to not meet expectations that I didn't want to go for it anymore. I was honestly so lost and confused on what to do. I dealt with the problem by trying to listen to my heart and what it really wants to do. Only then did I realize that I truly wanted it and that I was really born to lead. Also, I realized that I shouldn't let my fears stop me from grabbing the opportunity to inspire and to serve. So I took that leap of faith and decided to run. My experience is related to the gospel on how we should always have an open heart and an open mind when it comes to difficult decisions. Always think twice for maybe it is something God has sent you for you to do. Even if I was scared to run, I remind myself that God wants me and all of us to serve others in our own little way - and this is the way he led me to.
This gospel is a very great gospel because it gives us our true purpose. I really do believe that our everyday actions should be more for others and less for ourselves. To live a life like Jesus Christ is to be completely selfless. Let us show our love and gratefulness to Him but doing the same things He did and that is for others.
A Witness to the World
ReplyDeleteby Katrina F. Miranda, Junior-F
In the beginning of the gospel, St. Luke speaks of how he is to act as the authenticator of the teaching/s of Jesus, at least to Theophilus. He (St. Luke) is to do as the history writers of before him have, that is to record and verify the events he has witnessed with his own eyes. Which, might I say, he most definitely witnessed some miraculous things.
Near the end, after Jesus reads a passage written in a scroll by the prophet Isaiah, he says to the crowd of how "this scripture passage is fulfilled in your(their) hearing." What he means is that on that day, all those who witnessed Jesus become the writers, the recorders, and the witnesses of Him, as well as the flag-bearers of His mission and works. They are given with what would be both their greatest trial and greatest goal, and as we are here listening(or reading) to such, we have been tasked as well.
This entire passage was about being a witness. A witness to the world and to the people of it. However, it just as much our job to take part in making it, as much as to watch it. History is a patchwork of testimonies, sewn together to create the fabric that is time. We must aim to be a witness to our world as much as we should be part of i,t for it is an ever-changing place, where the only true things that last are the Good and the truth.
Maderazo JF
ReplyDeletePurpose of Life
What is the purpose of our life? Why did God create us? Don't you think it would have been better not to have been created instead so you will not go to either heaven or hell? Don't you think its better to not suffer eternal damnation than to live? After reading this gospel, I realized a lot of things.
God is always the answer to any of our problems in life. This may sound funny but it is true because God has the power to do anything. He can save anyone who is suffering or is in darkness. I realized that maybe God created me to be a blessing to other people. He chose me because He knows that only I can do the job. God also once saved me from when I had problems. I prayed to Him and He helped me.
My conclusion is that always pray to God. You will never know your true purpose in this world until you talk to your creator. We have problems in life because we tend to forget His presence and His blessings to us. He is the only one who will never abandon you so pray to Him and don't betray His expectations of you.
Eunica Fontejon JF
ReplyDeleteTitle: Another Point of View
This gospel helped me realize that God has a plan for each and every one of us. We shouldn't question the things that happen to us, we should be thankful. Never think that you are useless because you're not, all you have to do is look at things from another point of view. Although it may take some time to know your sole purpose in life, but don't lose hope.
For the past 2 years, i've been trying to be active in school orgs like Mission Youth, Youth For Christ, and Lasallian Youth Corps. I've been interviewed several times, more than 7 if you combine them all, and i've been rejected several times too. I felt so down and I just wanted to give up already, but maybe theres a good side to me being rejected. The reason i wanted to join school orgs is because I felt like I haven't reached really been bonding with God and i felt the need to get closer to him, but after havong read this gospel, there are different ways in feeling God's presence and there are several ways to honor and worship God.
In conclusion, this gospel is a must-read gospel because it really helped me realize that i am not useless, no one is useless and everyone has a purpose in life. There are several ways in honoring and worshipping God, like by simply praying the bible, preaching the gospel, and doing random acts of kindness.
LAST TO SUBMIT EUNICA FONTEJON
ReplyDelete