January 24, 2016 Sunday Gospel 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.”
The Mission We Must Fulfill
ReplyDeleteBy: Karl Bautista Junior I
Like what it states in the bible, we are all created in the likeness our our creator , God himself. Being created in the likeness of God does not mean that we physically look like him, but it solely means that we should act like him and we should fulfill and accomplish his mission here on earth. Just like Jesus, he was sent by his father to fulfill the mission he tasked us to do and to spread his message to all of his people. Evil can be seen on our surrounding s and temptations would always be there to persuade us to do sin which is why we should always try to go with God's plan for us.
One of Gods mission is for us to spread to good news to others. Not many people know about God and he wants is to tell them about Him since in knowing him, we would all be saved from evil. I'd like to believe that God wants us all to be with him in heaven when we leave earth and this would only be possible if we have faith in him and we put all of our trust into Him. By believing in Him, we drive away all the evil desires and we reject Satan at all costs. Another mission of his that he wants us to do is help the less fortunate. We should always be there for the less fortunate since they are still our brothers and sisters and similar to how we act with our blood relatives, we should love them and not make them feel alone. We should always feel blessed and thankful since God gave us all these blessings and we are meant to share these blessings with others. We can compare poor to when Jesus was having a hard time and no one wanted to help him since the majority didn't like him, even though some really did. We should not let others influence the way we look at other people especially the poor since this is totally against the plan of God. One more thing God wants us to do is to love your neighbor as you would love yourself. We often hurt and discriminate others and we sometimes think that they don't get affected by it. We should always put ourselves in their shoes and we should always imagine how we would feel if eh did that to us. These are just some of the missions God wants us to do and there are still a lot more for us to accomplish.
So just like in the gospel, Jesus was a reading a scripture and once he finished reading it, He rolled it back in and passed it on the others, we should always be like him. Every Time we here the good news or when something good happens to us, we should walrus remember to pass it on to others and share our happiness with them. Seeing others happy should always be one of our main goals here on earth since it directly complies with what God wants us to do here on earth. We should always believe that no matter what, God will always guide opus in our everyday decisions and he would not lead us to harm.
Bianca Fernandez JI- "The Calling"
ReplyDeleteThis gospel isn't just your ordinary gospel. This is a wake up call, this is a reminder that we are children of God. He chose us to spread the word and educate the people who are unknowing of God's love. However, how can we do this if we aren't acting like we are in fact children of God? It is very common among Catholics for us to neglect our faith, and sometimes we tend to be embarrassed by our faith. It shouldn't be this way, because our faith makes us stronger.
I can honestly say that my faith makes me a stronger and better person. There was a point in my life where I felt the lowest of the low. I was always sad, mad, lonely and never contented myself. Instead of trying to make my situation better, I spent most of my time just wondering why I was feeling this way and why certain things were happening to me. I kept pointing fingers and blaming people for the things that were happening to me. However, something in my brain clicked. I realized that the reason I was feeling so down all the time was because I allowed my connection to God to be weakened. Since then, I started to rebuild my relationship with God and I gradually started feeling happier, stronger and better.
I wouldn't be able to bounce back from my low point without God. He makes everyone better and stronger, and I am living proof of this. We were chosen and destined to be children of God, so we must do our duty and spread God's word through actions and words. We must live our life the way God wants us to live it. It is time to make a change, it is time to embrace our faith whole heartedly.
Turning Back and Coming Back
ReplyDeleteBy Tiffanie Bejar, JI
As humans, it is natural that we grow up. We are taught values and we learn how to act through being with other people. As years pass, problems become more serious and sometimes, we tend to turn away from the Lord. Even though this happens, God always helps us out. He helps through our friends and family comforting us or maybe through a kind gesture from a stranger even though we push these people away sometimes. In this Gospel reflection, I will talk about turning back and coming back as a better person.
“He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.”
The first thing I think of when I hear the synagogue on sabbath day is Sunday Mass. All Catholics are accustomed to go to hear mass especially on Sundays. Recently, the IEC talked about Filipinos calling mass boring. In this context, we can say that less people pay actual attention to mass are the ones that turn back from the Lord. Also, I learned from the mass last Sunday that masses used to be sang all throughout. But, we always want the faster way; thus, the system of mass we have today. Going back to what I mentioned, we find it boring. But, we have to turn back from finding mass boring because the Lord made all these scriptures for us. He may come back anytime in all His glory so we better be prepared. Aside from paying attention to the scriptures, we have to spread it. In this gospel, the line, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” conveys a clear message. We are somehow Jesus through how we give compassion and love to others even though we don’t know them, they are our enemies, or they hate you. If we preach the good news (like this reflection), whoever hears this will learn a thing or two and we will fulfill our duty as God’s steward. Through preaching, we come back in the open arms of the Lord. Likewise, when we hear the good news, we turn back to God through our actions.
Again, we are humans. We are imperfect and sinful. We also tend to turn away from God. Yet, with a little more effort on making the Lord pleased could make us come back. Also, we could come back if we are worthy of being called a real steward of God. It is not too late to change our point of view on mass and preaching. It is also never too late to come back for good.
"God's Representatives"
ReplyDeleteBy: Jonathan Gonzalez Junior I 18
The gospel last January 24, 2016 talks about how God chose us and gave us gifts in order to spread the gospel. But this gospel is special as it shows that people tend to turn away from God as his expectations may seem far too extravagant and unreachable. This results in us neglecting the gifts of God and only reflecting on what harm has been done to us, thus separating us from God even more. Why is this the case though? Why do people often remember what bad has happened rather than the good that they have received? Even if we know our faith alone is enough to lead us to the right path, people still choose to neglect it as it seems impossible and unreliable in today's life. But this is not the case, as God has planned everything for us and if followed, will assure us a spot beside him.
First of all, let us start with why people tend to neglect what is good. Well, with relation to this, it can be proven people tend to remember fears and bad time more because it activates the amygdala and other parts of the brain, which are used for emotional processing. This alone explains why people are always so negative about life, and how they are not stepping up from what bad has happened to them. I am an example of one of these people, as I suffer from minor anxiety problems, which results into the worst nights of my life when I try to reflect on what has happened through out the day. being a Catholic, this sometimes results in me blaming God for making me for who I am and what has happened to me, which makes me neglect prayer, fall asleep during masses, and alike. This is because human emotion has a great impact on how you react to stimuli, which results into how you grow as a person, spiritually, emotionally and physically. On the contrary, let me tell you this, God has never abandoned us, nor planned bad things for us. Think about it, when you experience something bad, in most cases, people are there to comfort you, to help you and to cheer you up. This is what God's work is, and is like a reward for believing in him, even if it is a tiny amount, as a person's faith will save them from all injustices in the world. This also applies to me, because as a sickly child, it is always worst after worse when it comes to sicknesses, but there are always my parents, and my brother there to treat me when I am sick, people who represent God in their own likely ways. In the gospel last 24th, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” means that simply being there when God calls you, will bring you closer to him, as you tried even a little to go back to him, no matter how hard it is. Even after all the hardships, you still found the courage to step back in his doorstep and ask for forgiveness, and slowly, our hearts will start remembering everything good that happened to us, which will overpower all the bad times we have experienced.
"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." is a message of service to others and to be an image of God to others. This gospel talks about how we can be an image of him to others, and how others can also be an image of him to us. Again, remembering, we are simply 1 in 7,000,000,000 other people in the world, but the ONE good thing that you do, can lead others to turn away from what is bad, and start to do what is good.
Let go and let God
ReplyDeleteBeatrix Longa JI
Everyone has their own goals and fulfillments in life, and so did Jesus. He just wanted what was good for everyone. He accepted everyone despite everything that happened to him. What he did for us, was a sacrifice, which gave us the gift of life. Jesus gave everything he had to all of us human beings, and that’s what we should do to. We are all God’s children. We are all followers of Christ therefore, we must do what Jesus wants us to do-we must follow his teachings and spread God’s love.
How often do we stop and think about how blessed we are for having the gift of life? How often do we thank God for everything he has given us? In my opinion, we are not giving enough. When Jesus was resurrected, he preached to everyone and spread the good news. He helped the poor and the sick. There are many people out there who are in need of great help. They have no food to eat, or a place to sleep in. Yet sometimes we complain about how we don't get things our way. Faith and thankfulness is something we lack. So much people nowadays tend to just go on with their lives and don't think about the lord and others. In fact, a great number of people, including myself, wouldn't appreciate his gifts for us, but think we should put a stop to this. This gospel opens up your mind and tells you that we should care and help for others and fulfill what God wants us to do. It is a reminder that we are his children and have our own job to do. We are in God’s image and likeness therefore we must be like him and committed.
When listening to the word of God, your mind comes with great realizations. This is proof that God gives us an open mind and that he will always be there for us. If he is always there for us, we should always be there for Him. In the gospel it said that lord is upon us and he anointing to bring good tidings to the poor which is exactly what I think we are all called to do. My words would be to let go and let God.
“Our Duty as His Servants”
ReplyDeleteBy: Janella Varias, Junior I
Frederick E. Owen Jr. once said “We were not put on this Earth to be ordinary.” However, what must we do in order for us to stop being “ordinary?” In my opinion, I believe that we must be just like God. Although God is perfect and we are not, we can be like Him in so many ways. I encountered a pregnant beggar on the road, who was selling small rags, a couple of days ago. I pointed the woman to my mother, who I remember told me that she badly needed new cleaning equipment for the house. We wanted to help the pregnant woman so we bought all of her rags. She thanked us and before leaving, I saw teardrops running down her face.
As stated in the gospel, Jesus reminds us to bring glad tidings to the poor. Our duty as God’s servant is to help meet the basic needs of the marginalized. Last year, 2015, was “The Year of the Poor.” Instead of buying lavish and luxurious things for ourselves, we could have helped the poor by buying them food to eat, showing compassion by donating old clothes, etc. However, being poor doesn’t necessarily mean that you lack shelter, food and clothing. It can also mean being poor in happiness, companionship, and love. In order to feel God’s presence in our lives, people will come to teach us a lesson. I believe the woman who was selling rags, was a reminder for my mom and I that we must open our hearts and always lend a helping hand to the needy. We hope that we made the woman happy and was able to see Christ in her life despite all the troubles and hardships she is facing.
We are all called by God to spread His word. Our mission is for people to see Christ in our small little acts of love. This challenge was given to us so that we will be able to strengthen our relationship with Him. By sacrificing time to help others, we wouldn’t know it, but God will surely reward us soon because He is happy that we are doing things that are pleasing to His eyes. As Lasallian students, we can incorporate the 10 C’s in our lives, and in doubt, our lives will instantly become better because these values help us to become more like God.
More than Words”
ReplyDeleteBy: Lynux Ansay JI 3
Due to boredom in class, I usually find myself staring and spacing out; especially just after a long discussion. The thing is: most of the teachers give their homeworks in this time. Being unfocused as I am, I always have no idea that a homework was given. So I am grateful for our president, Job Mingoa, who always takes the liberty to post all reminders online. This little thing that he does is something that has helped everyone in our class a lot. This action is really very selfless and something I truly admire. I actually see Job as Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 4:14-21. In this gospel, we could see how Jesus embodied scripture by proclaiming the Good News.
In the Gospel given, Jesus said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” This has a deeper meaning to it. Jesus explicitly states “in your hearing”, the scripture does not end with Jesus proclaiming the good news it is actually about us applying it in real life. Unfortunately, most of the time God’s word often falls on deaf ears. Every Eucharistic Celebration there are few who are just chatting, and texting, most of us do not even listen. But are we going to allow the good news to end there? In our own little way, we have the ability to manifest scripture and spread the good news. By being a concrete example of God’s love just like Job, we are putting God’s word into action. If you help your brother with his assignment, if you lend a pen to your classmate, if you give to the poor, if you correct and forgive other people’s sins, then you are fulfilling what God anointed us to do. Love thy neighbor. The best way we can spread the good news is by being examples of what it means to be a true Christian.
I believe that as Christians we should be ministers and ambassadors of Christ in our own way. Just like in the One La Salle Prayer, “we should be the change that we want to see”. We should spread the good news through our very own actions and take the matters into our own hands to continue what Jesus had started. Through this, we embody Christ himself with our lives.
God's Phone Call (Part 1)
ReplyDeleteMade by: Job Andre M. Mingoa of Junior I CN: 25
One of the most common things that we have that most of us could not live without (sadly, according to many of us here) is the cellphone. Before, it was just something we use for calling and texting people we know. Now we use it to do things beyond calling and texting such as playing games, knowing the time, setting our plans, taking photos, and even aid us in our health and lifestyle. However, have you ever tried answering a call coming from Him? If yes, what was your answer? That's what the Sunday Gospel was all about.
What is God's call? That, I can't answer that for you. Each of us is made special, and with us being special, the tasks He asks of us varies. To know more about God's call, be silent, for you will hear Him the greatest when there is silence. However, one of them, I can say, and maybe it would go something like this, "Would you spread the Good News?" In Luke 1:1-4, it's a prologue which for me seems to be like the author of chapter Luke. My guess is that the author talks of his inspiration which is Jesus' deeds and works. He even acknowledged eyewitnesses and the ministers of the word. As we can recall, the bible is a compilation of works by authors chosen by God to spread the Good News. Back then, there was no written copy of the Good News. It was just spread by word of mouth. Lucky for us, there's a written copy of the Good News which is called the Holy Bible. How can we tell if there are no errors in it? Simple, the authors had divine inspiration which helped them make their work and slip through language barriers. Now how is this related to us? Take a look at the people who came before us. Among them is the author of Luke who decided to put the Good News into writing. If we go further back, prophets, priests, and some kings have spread the Good News in their own way. Now let's look at the present. Numerous lay people, ministers, priests, pastors, and religious leaders continue to share the Good News with us. But they're lay people. Isn't it really their job to do so. Well, you do have a point. It's their vocation. However, did you know that it's also our job to help share the Good News? If you closely pay attention when we celebrate the Eucharist, the priest would always tell us to go and spread the Word. Question is, do we do it? Do we let the Word pass through one ear and let out through the other? That's God's call to us. It has always been since the time we were baptized. We share in Christ's three-fold mission as a king (a servant-leader), a priest (a healer), and a prophet (a proclaimer), and these were strengthened in our confirmation, so it should be high time for us to start.
(Sir Cloyd, please connect the 2nd paragraph and the 3rd Paragraph for me. I had to split my body into two because it's too long. Thank you very much)
God's Phone Call (Part 2)
ReplyDeleteMade by: Job Andre M. Mingoa of Junior I CN: 25
At this point, let's take a look at part 2 of the Gospel — when Jesus started His ministry. Even though the words that came from Him were truthful and pure, the people of Nazareth drove him out of his own home. Unbelievable, right? Isn't that ironic even in today's generation? Even until now, we still reject the truth. That's why none of us are even barely happy unless you're one of the few who have attained spiritual enlightenment. Some people even end up becoming crazy just by avoiding the truth that they don't want to face. Like what happened to Jesus, it happens to us too. Take my case. As much as I want to help communicate with people, I always felt ignored. No matter how many times I try, I always end up being the minority. It just hurts me to think that people need me, yet they just insult me and make me feel bad about myself in the end whether they're aware of it or not. However, was Jesus ever disheartened by his hometown's rejection? I'd answer that by spelling N-O! Back when the authors of the bible such as Luke's author were making their works which will soon make the Holy Bible, did they ever stop despite the persecutions against them? N-O! That's why if we say "Yes!" to God's call, there's no going back, and even if there's no going back, that's not a valid excuse for us to back out, for God has done many things for us. The greatest ones were sending down His own Son and letting Him die on the cross for our salvation. What more could we ask for?
That's why, in conclusion, we must not be afraid to proclaim what we know is right even if it kills us. One suggestion where we can proclaim is through social media. Corrupted as most of it is, I believe we can make a change that will change a network full of hatred and vanity. Instead, will turn to a network which will connect everyone's hearts and souls. Now the question is: will you answer God's phone call? How? The answer to that lies in you, and the way you'll express it will be seen through your actions. You know what they say, "Actions are louder than words."
(Sir Cloyd, again, please connect the 2nd and 3rd paragraph for me. I had to split my body into two, so I have a part 1 and a part 2. Thank you very much)
God's presence
ReplyDeleteGrace Regis JI
This gospel has told us that God's words is still spread among us. Up to this day, people share God's word and they tell us what good he has done. Through this, us listeners and children are to remain faithful and believe cause the good news about God is real. By hearing this from the mass for example, you'll feel relieved that he does really exist and he is there to be our guide to the right path.
Nowadays during the mass, I'd see people enter the church by the time it's the sermon and there are people who tend to fall asleep during that time of the mass. I myself am one of them and for me, that's a way of disrespecting not only the priest but God himself. We only give 1 hour in our whole week for him so might as well listen as the good news is being told to us.
The gospel last Sunday made me realize that maybe God might not be right in front of us but his good news is proof of what good he has done upon each and everyone one of us. The best we can do is remain faithful and to always pray. Since we have the Internet with us, we can use this to spread the good news especially now that one by one, there are people our there losing faith and maybe through this, we can help them and tell them that God is indeed there.
“Our Mission As Children of God”
ReplyDeleteby Jeline Reyes of Junior I
Have you ever wondered what our true mission in life is? What the sole purpose of our being here on earth is? I asked myself the same questions while reading this gospel, and I’m glad I can say I found the answers while reading it as well. Nowadays, most of us are unaware of the goals we have to accomplish as Children of God. Moreover, a lot of us are ignorant of God’s call to us as His children. I believe that we must all be like Jesus in this gospel, fulfilling His duties as God’s son. Since we are God’s children as well, we are in His image and likeness, thus we must act like Him and attain the same plans and intentions as He did.
In the gospel, Jesus reads the prophecy then says, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” How I interpreted this was that what the passage says, must be applied in ‘our hearing’ — it must be manifested in our lives. We must live according to this passage, meaning we must follow and accomplish all goals and missions presented here, including Jesus’. Jesus’ missions were as follows: to bring glad tidings to the poor, 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. Our missions are not limited to this, however. I believe that our main mission as children of God is to proclaim, preach, and spread the Good News. Furthermore, we must be soldiers and instruments of the Lord in teaching and spreading love. Despite the goals we need to fulfill already being displayed in this scripture, the question that seems most daunting to me is why are so many of our brothers and sisters not fulfilling their missions? So many of us are ignorant and oblivious towards God’s call. In my opinion, we are like this because of our generation’s lack of faith, as well as the different objects in society that distract and further diminish our relationship with God. Due to these things, we also tend to feel ‘lost’, because we do not know our reason for being in this world. This is one of the reasons we must always pray and never lose faith, because in a shadow of doubt, loss, confusion, and fear, God and His love serves as our light, guiding us to hope and fulfillment.
I see this gospel as a call from God. Either we decline it, or accept it wholeheartedly. Some decline this call, but some simply do not hear it because they are too busy with less important things. This is why we must always listen intently — in mass, to God’s teachings and proclamations. By listening intently, we would able to answer and respond to God’s call immediately, therefore making us fulfill and achieve our goals with sincerity and commitment. As mentioned, we must be instruments of the Lord in spreading the Good News and being products of His undying love. We must always answer His call for us, continue embodying the gospel values in our lives, and continue changing lives through the fulfillment of our missions, because I believe that in doing so, we can truly show our love for God and attain eternal life.
"Light of my Life"
ReplyDeleteLuis Martinez, Junior - I
I believe that the gospel above is about God's word and how everyone responded. We should learn how to listen to these words of wisdom and we should put them to good use. Good deeds towards our neighbors, praying everyday and night, preaching are some among thousands of things we can do to live out the gospel. This is our true mission in life: to find new light for those in the dark, to help those who are in need, and to be the voice for those who have none.
At home, my parents always guide me about things that I have little knowledge about. They give me advice that would benefit me and the people around me. Just like in the gospel, by simply listening, we can make a difference. Our ears need to be open to new things and understandings that we can apply in our lives. This would strengthen our relationship with God and others. This year, I joined some orgs in school that would help me become a better person. I also did this to learn more about God and his teachings in a more fun and interactive way. I was able to meet new people who had the similar experiences as I had. The way the facilitators carried the solemnity of the retreat throughout its entirety while making it a worthwhile experience for me and others is really amazing. This could be a new way for modern day people to get closer to God and the community.
Now, I would like to encourage young minds to start their life mission as early as today. I believe this gospel acts as a wake up call for all of us to start opening up to new things. We should all act as a light that would brighten up the lives of the people around us. We must live in prosperity and harmony with them. After all, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
ReplyDeleteCamilo De Guzman JI
Living out and Spreading the Word of God
Most of us do not really know what Jesus has done during his life. We all just remember of his miracles and different sermons that he would make, and gospels and parables. He has done so many things that we can not even fathom, that is how powerful He is. However in this gospel we see how He has not stopped in living and spreading the Word of God. He is God and yet He is still doing a peasant’s work for nothing, just to spread His word, and the word of His Father to people who may not even be listening or who don’t even care. So who are we to refuse Him or to refuse work or labour when our Lord is doing the same thing that we are asked of.
It is said that He is praised by all listened by all, but who of them do we know stood by Him in His crucifixion? Who stood by Him when He was brutally tortured and tried for things He did not do? Jesus knew these people would betray Him, or leave Him and let them hurt Him. However He did not care, He had hope for them. He had hope for their redemption and for their change of heart and longing for God’s word. He knew they would sin, sin against others and against Him; He still did not care. He loved each person there. He wanted to spread the Good News of His father, even if He knew it would land on deaf ears. But that is how much He loves us, He would put so much effort into helping us and loving us. He even talks in the passage of how He is the true God, how He is the true son of the Lord, yet what God proclaims their own being, their own being? People powerful do not have to tell people of their power and importance, but He does, because He knows of the skeptics and those who do not believe. He still hopes to help them, to guide them, even if there is no faith in Him. “Today the Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Even if the word lands on deaf ears, it lands on ears that listen intently and take in the Word into their hearts and try to live it out in their very own lives. This is what Jesus means by the Scripture being fulfilled, because there is at least 1 person who has learned and who has been enlightened by the Scripture and the messages that Jesus has been spreading. He does it for those people who will listen, who will care and who will bring it into their lives.
In conclusion, we must listen to Jesus, listen to His word, listen to what He has to say. We may not be as lucky as the people in those time who got to listen to Jesus proclaim the Word himself, however we have so much access to it, so what’s our excuse to not listen and heed His teachings and His call. Do not let His efforts fall on deaf ears. Do not let Him trying be for nothing. Because He is doing this for you. He will not stop until you come back to Him and live with Him forever.
Annika Caniza JI – "Repaying God"
ReplyDeleteThis gospel should serve as a wake up call. We are all children of God, and as his children, we are called to serve Him in any way we are capable. There are several ways in which we can do this. For example, by helping the less fortunate, visiting the sick, or being helpful to our neighbors. These are small things that can help us fulfill the big mission that God has entailed us to do. The greatest thing we could do to serve God the way he wants us to, is to spread His word. Honestly, most Catholics nowadays tend to be very negligent to what God teaches us. They also have such brittle faith. I believe that the one thing Catholics lack is consistency. One minute, their faith is strong, but once God challenges them, they forget about His love.
For a year in my life, I was one of the most negative people I knew, and the thing is, I was aware of it, but I didn't do anything to change my perspective. I used to look at everything as things that would someday end, and I cut people off as an effect of this mentality. It was a negative cycle I could not shake. The following year, however, things started looking up. Suddenly I could only see the good in the world, and only the good in people. I became so much happier and more positive than I used to be and I began to deal with problems better. I could only see this as God’s way of telling me that things do get better over time. I started believing more in God’s power to heal us in ways I never thought possible. My faith in Him was strengthened because I realized this.
This gospel really spoke to me because I was reminded of how God helped me become a better person, and it told me how to repay Him for what he’d done. The only ways I am capable are to follow His word, and to spread it to those who are unaware of the gracious things He can provide. Our experiences can shape what we believe in, and once they show us God’s capabilities, we should attempt to give back and spread His word.
Jaime Francisco Villena Dungo J-I 14
ReplyDelete“The true meaning of a perfect life"
The gospel is about being satisfied with life, but how are people satisfied? It varies with people. Some people are satisfied with life through money or security in life, some are satisfied with company or get satisfied with fun. Everyone in this world has his own means of completion of life but nonetheless each life still is just as great a gift from God which we should embrace him for, by seeing our lives fulfilled.
To be complete, for me is having the most fun in life. What is a gift from another person mean, if we do not enjoy it? I use this same logic in life, and i perceive life as a whole big gift from God. Of course enjoyment is not only limited to yourself, the enjoyment we get from life is much better when we share that enjoyment with others, which means being a general nice person to your neighbor so that the enjoymenr that we have, does not take away enjoyment from others.
In conclusion, I realise that to have a perfect life, we should just do what agrees with both God above and us. We should do what makes us both happy and at the same time pleases God. We should all be one of Gods messengers which means that we spread his word and at the same time keep it for ourselves.
Vicky Manalo, Junior – I
ReplyDelete“Our Sole Purpose as His Children”
Social media, popularity, sex, drugs --- these external aspects of our individual being can instantly be disregarded as we determine our sole purpose. Regardless of the values and beliefs which we uphold, this Sunday Gospel reveals that the very reason as to why we were created is to journey in faith towards the call of God. As observed, many of us remain hostile to the His invitation as His children. We neglect the countless opportunities and graces handed directly to us, for distractions and more precisely, destructions. Correspondingly, this gospel serves a call which we must recognize and willingly accept, as it is in this way that we wholeheartedly fulfil His duties and live in acceptance with His will. That is our sole purpose.
In the given Sunday Gospel, Jesus reads the prophecy and remarks, “Today, this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” To further elaborate, He reminds us to respond to the Scriptures by sincerely living according to the messages which they entrust. Moreover, our realizations and learnings must mold the rationale of our actions. As we put emphasis on the life of Jesus, He allotted His time for bringing glad tidings to the unfortunate, proclaiming liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, giving freedom the oppressed and proclaiming a year acceptable to the Lord. These missions act as emblems as to how simple, yet genuine, our actions must be towards others. Personally, I have grown up with a mother who devotes her soul to working as an Obstetrician Gynecologist. In my point of view as a previously young child, I was resentful towards the fact that I had to continue my development without the aid of my mother’s company. However, it was only in due time that I had come to realize the true nature of her job --- continue His mission of salvation. Thus, I could consider my own mother to be the very backbone of many lives, as she had delivered many into this world, and simultaneously, supported my family in disguise. Through her and through the gospel, we see that our journeys are only fulfilled when we put our trust into the Lord’s guidance in becoming His instruments. It is through this that we are able to not only obtain fulfilment, and happiness, but also, radiate these to our brothers and sisters.
As mentioned, this gospel is a call. Although we may initially have reservations towards accepting it, these should not hinder us from discovering our sole purpose. The Lord demonstrated his missions in order to encourage and allow us to begin. In starting new, we do not erase the negative aspects left in our past, but instead use them as the basis of creating the positive. We must do according to His will, as it is in this way that we become able to live a life of happiness and light in anticipation to eternal life with Him in His Kingdom.
Ramon Joaquim Guevarra Cabreira J-I
ReplyDeletePurpose
Our sole purpose in life is to lift ourselves up togod and he will give back to us. But are we doing that? I dont think so. We are too stuborn to do what is told to us even if it is being told already by the gospel.
Jesus does the right thing as he preaches even if people do not listen and i think that is why people arent getting the proper message. They still tend to do the wrong things because they dont listen. Everyone should listen to the word of the lord or else we may be misguided by our surroundings. Much like the charlie puth song "marvin gaye" which has messages about the act of sex and we must be aware of that.
We must be aware of what is happening. Follow the lord and everything will be alright. We have to listen to him. God IS GOOD!
Tomas Puno J-I
ReplyDeleteMore than Hearing
This gospel tells us about the story of Jesus completing one of his many tasks given to him by God the Father. But, what is the deeper meaning of this? This gospel ends with the line, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." So what does this mean to us? It must mean something more than just us hearing this reading.
God calls us to be servants and live a Christlike life. A priest told me before that we should think about this, why does God love us? Why does he continue to love us, even when we are not perfect, even when we tend to fall to the temptation of the devil. But why does He love us? When you are loved by anyone, you always should return the love. When you love someone, don't you want to feel loved as well? The way we can repay to God His love for us is simply by doing what His will is, to spread the good news and follow Him so we may join Him in heaven. And if you think about it, loving Him the way you should is the best thing you can do to yourself, because you will alway find happiness with God.
This gospel is not just a simple reading, but a wake up call, the scripture is not "fulfilled" per say by us hearing it. But from us hearing it, to us applying it in our daily lives. To make us start to see that God calls us to be Christlike.
Daven Jalandoon JI 19
ReplyDelete"Be the better you"
January 24's Sunday Gospel was about Jesus spreading the good news to inspire and change others. Now we humans we adapt, change and learn based on what we see and hear that catches our interest, and after some time we take inspiration from it and finally imitate it and somehow put it on our lives. The gospel is trying to say that we should learn the good things in others and put it into ourselves to try and bring out the best of us.
Just like everyone else, I too was still learning and adapting how life is supposed to work. My parents helped alot in molding me to where I am today, but its not just them who helped me I also took inspirations from TV shows. Although sometimes I tend to imitate what I'm not supposed to and pay the price to it. Everyone also learns things based on what they see or hear so we can apply to ourselves. What the gospel is trying to say is that we should be able to adept and learn from the Words and News of the Lord.
Based on my understanding of this gospel it is about changing for the best in you and bringing out the true potential by following the good news or deeds of other people let their acts mold you to the right path.
Klive Jamolangue JI CN20
ReplyDelete“Jesus Walks With Us”
This gospel shows us that God is always guiding us towards the right path, the righteous path that leads to the Kingdom of God. But with all the neon signs and wide open paved roads that are the temptations and vices of life, we seem to stray away from this path and create our own. Quoting Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
We people tend to choose the easy way out of things, usually by illegal and immoral means. I too have done it multiple times in simple things like doing projects and homework, helping others, and all my other obligations to my family, school and the Lord. We sometimes ignore our conscience and go with whatever we want, disregarding all the aftereffects, whether it may harm others and most importantly yourself. But nonetheless, however uncaring and disobedient we may be, we should all remember that Jesus is always with us wherever we go and whatever we do, and we should try to listen to him, speaking to us deep within our hearts. It is also important to remember that even though God provides with all that we need, change comes within us and God cannot simply control us himself because that would be taking away what has made us human – freedom; the ability to think and to judge according to your values and morals.
Matthew 25:35-40 states, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” This passage is the essence of what the Church teaches us. To serve and love everyone as your brother and sister, without asking for anything in reward. This is what we must do to be true Christians and true Lasallians serving God and country, preaching to the public about his Word even though they care as little as they could. Jesus will always stand with us, walk with us through the valley of darkness for with Him, we fear no evil.
Share God's Word
ReplyDeleteBy: Lance Salmingo JI
"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." (Luke 1:1-4) This is the start of The Book of Luke. He begins by saying that whatever is written has happened and was recorded and is now being preached. In the other passage, (Luke 4: 14-21) it shown that Jesus himself spread the word of God. We can see an underlining theme in last Sunday’s gospel, which is to spread the word of God.
As a Catholic it is my duty to attend Mass every Sunday. I confess that I don’t do this often. I am not able to hear the word of God as I am supposed to as a Catholic. This gospel is saying what I haven’t been doing, hearing the word of God and spreading it. Jesus has gone to Nazareth to preach the word of God through the scriptures of the prophet Isaiah and how he also spread the word of God. It is also said in the last part, “He began by saying to them, ‘Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4: 21) where they once who have heard the passage fulfilled it because the ones who have heard will spread the good news to everyone just like what Luke has done.
As a conclusion, we must spread the word of God just like what Isaiah, Luke and Jesus did. We have a duty to fulfil which is to hear the word and reflect then preach and share.
What? Deaf Ears?
ReplyDeleteby Anya Villanueva JI
The Catholic Bible has 73 books. 73 books filled with God's proclamation, stories and teachings all for us to read and learn from. The Bible is a primary source of our faith, it's where we base what we believe in. It's sad to say that all the proclamations, stories and teachings are said in Mass only to fall on deaf ears.
The gospel states “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” But what happens when the passage is said, and no one is listening? Is it still fulfilled? I admit that I thought of Sunday Mass as just some obligation, something to check of my to do list. I'd attend Mass in the morning, talk to my brother half the time, gaze into the distance the other half, then go home ready to eat lunch because Mass bored me to the point of hunger. That was before when I didn't realize how important it was. Last 2014 I joined a youth group in my village and it opened my eyes to importance of scripture and of course, Mass. Sunday Mass sets the good news for the week. But just because the good news is said, it doesn't mean it'll come to life. Only when we listen to Him is His word truly fulfilled, and that's the challenge the gospel is setting for us. It's challenging us to listen to His word and take action so that it may be fulfilled. Listening is just half the job, applying it in real life is the next step.
So ask yourself this, will I be the deaf ear or the gospel's fulfillment? Am I doing enough to bring God's word alive today? Is everything that I am doing all for His greater glory? If not then open your ears to His word, your heart to a love that truly lasts forever and your hands so that they may be ready to take action. It's time to step up and bring Jesus to life. "Take courage, get up, Jesus is calling you!" (Mark 10:49) Now the question is, what is your answer?
His Embrace
ReplyDeleteBy Alyanna Basbas of Junior-I
It is human nature that allows us to make mistakes. Throughout life, we will stumble and fall but what we must remember is that it's all part of our nature—all part of our imperfections that make us who we are today. This gospel reminds us that, as children of God, we must spread His word and use it as an instrument to connect with people. God's ultimate gift to us, humans, is...love. This gift is what we often forget to see. Sometimes, we like to tear each other down and, in the act of hurting one another, we dehumanize ourselves. Why do we spread hatred when God's will is against it? Why are we afraid of proclaiming His good news when we, as His children, should be the ones to shout it from the rooftops?
Often times, I find myself doubting the existence of God. Who is He? Did He ever even exist? Is He still here? In the most darker of times, I blame Him for my mistakes and curse Him for not giving me a "perfect life." Then, I realize that what He wants for me is not a perfect life, but a meaningful one. He wants me to live a life without fear; I must embrace all that He is and tell others about the wonders He does everyday. God is not the reason why there are imperfections, but the reason we are still able to love despite them. By embracing one another's humanity, we'd be able to see Him is us.
There is a quote that goes, "Sometimes, the things you've been wishing for is right under your nose." I believe the same goes for God—sometimes, we are just looking in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people. With a little bit of faith, trust, love, and pride, we may see what we've been searching for in Him and in His gospel.
"This path called our life"
ReplyDeleteIn this gospel it calls us to follow Jesus even through the simplest and smallest of ways. We are called by him to choose the path or righteousness which will lead us to the kingdom of heaven, this means that we should let go of our own worries and let God handle it according to his plan. Sure we may experience some struggles, judgement, and challenges along the way but what I can tell you is that this is all worth it in the end. The path towards heaven on our earthly views can be seen as challenging as we face problems everyday which can dampen our faith in him. Aside from just being good individuals, we should also serve others as Jesus did because this not only helps others but it also gives us joy through letting us know that we did the right thing as we travel journey through this path called life.
But what I can see around us is that teens tend to choose the wrong path in life through submitting into temptation and making bad choices thus getting them into trouble. I have to admit there are times I'm like that as well, but no matter who you are there is always a silver lining and God is always there to pick us up and to lead us to the way to the righteous path. And as we journey through life's path we are all going to come across countless challenges and opportunities, but what really makes us who we are is what we decide to do and how we deal with these things that life may throw at us. Not just that but we get to come across fellow travelers who shall accompany us through our journey through life and they are known as our family, friends and those who are precious to us. So another thing we should learn from this is that we should help them as well when they may be falling short and carry them along as well.
So as I end this sharing, I would like all of you to whoever may see or read this to ask yourself if you ever served or helped someone out of genuine kindness and if it made you feel great. I also hope that I myself can use this gospel as a waking call for me to stick to the righteous path in life and to put my life into God's nurturing hands.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Fulfilled purposes"
ReplyDeleteBy: Jai Munji
I grew up believing that everyone will always have something to offer to the world. And it is up to us on whether or not we take action given the freedom and power that each of us possess. We live in a generation where people are scared to be different, people get conscious of what other people think of them, people try to "blend in" just because they're scared to be judged, and people don't use their voices to proclaim and share their beliefs because they are scared to be criticized. But I personally believe that we should have the boldness to share the gospel to other people and to reach out to them, introducing them to God.
Based on how I understood the passage, we are called as His followers to live a life according to His word. Each of us has a role to play and He has plans for all of us. We should continue to have faith in God and strengthen our relationship with Him no matter what circumstance we may stumble upon. We must stay genuine and true to ourselves. He doesn't give us anything to burden us but instead, these obstacles will test our faith and make us who we are. "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:26).We are truly unworthy to be given blessings nor to be forgiven for the sins that we commit but He still chooses to love us. His love for us is so unconditional that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. And in which case, His son died for a purpose.
God is calling us to serve. We should open our ears, to listen to His teachings and I actually live by it. Everyone has a purpose and we must fulfill them. We should follow God and make disciples. Life without God is meaningless and there is a reason for everything. Everything will go accordingly in God's perfect time. Just continue to believe in God and never lose faith in Him. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
It will be
ReplyDeleteAllyssa Aguillo Junior-I
There are a lot of gospels with different stories, different people involved, and different lessons we can learn from. Just like our lives, we have a different story, we go through different challenges, and we learn from them. Jesus spread the word of God everywhere. He reaches out to everyone and teach the good things. We should be open to his call and do what we are meant to. He give us challenges we can face not the ones where we stumble. He is teaching us to be stronger. We should be strong and help the others be strong. We should spread the word of God because that will also help us get back up.
Like all the others, I have experienced a lot of challenges in my life and also still experiencing them but from all of this, I have learned so much. I learned that I can be the person I have been wanting to, and become a better person. I pray when times are tough because I know He will be there to lift the weight off of my shoulders and make me think of a solution. I accept what happens because I know that He has a plan for me.
We shouldn't be afraid of change. This shapes that person we are today. Nothing will happen if we keep coming back and making the same mistakes. We have to be positive, take chances, live our own life, and most importantly love one another. With all of our blessing and these traits, we will become fulfilled with our life and together with the Lord.
Another way, another one
ReplyDeleteIsaiah Benjamin Cruz JI
This gospel talks about Jesus preaching and spreading the word of Lord, I think that this has something to with changing other people's view on life. Nowadays a lot of people are straying away from the path God wants us to take, which is the path to eternal life. The path God wants us to take is not easy, it is a path full of obstacles, traps, temptations.
For me the path to eternal life has been rather hard, since there have been a lot of temptation and distractions that drove me away from God's path. One thing that I have noticed is that I haven't been going to mass recently and that I haven't been listening attentively due to the distractions around me. I realized through this gospel that listening to the word of God is what can bring someone back to the righteous path of eternal life, however, just listening isn't enough sometimes, we have to live out the word of God by showing God's love to everyone around us.
I believe that as Christians we should show the word of God through our actions towards one another and that we should not be afraid to take the path that God has given us, since he knows what is best for us.
LAST STUDENT WHO SUBMITTED, CRUZ, ISAIAH
ReplyDelete