Reflections of Faith
Read and be inspired by a reflection based on today's Gospel made by members of the Verbum Dei Family in Manila.
7/11/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 11, 2020July 11, 2020 Saturday
Gospel Matthew 10:24-33 "So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." In this time of pandemic, some of us are afraid and worried not only because of the virus. Every day we think of how to budget our money. We need to buy our food and pay other expenses like utility bills. But why are we still surviving now, after more than one hundred days when we started the quarantine? Because God provides our needs and He is always there for us even in our darkest hour. We are very special to Him from the beginning until now. He never leaves us even if we commit some mistakes. In this gospel, God tells us to be strong and to put our trust in him especially in this time of pandemic. Lord Jesus and Mother Mary, help us in our daily needs. We believe that God is our provider. And we know that He is always by our side. Amen. #PrayVD
7/10/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 10, 2020July 10, 2020 Friday
Gospel Matthew 10:16-23 "The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you." Everyday God invites us to follow Him and to be His disciples. We want to accept His invitation but sometimes we deny Him – we are afraid to be judged and we lack confidence. That's why sometimes we choose to become silent. But in today's Gospel God tells us not to be afraid to accept His mission that He gives us. Because God never leaves us and is always with us. Holy Trinity and Mother Mary we ask for your guidance in our daily mission. #PrayVD
7/9/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 9, 2020July 9, 2020 Thursday
Gospel Matthew 10:7-15 "You received without charge, give without charge." Everything we have today is all because of God's grace. Yes, we work hard, we give a lot of time and effort to gain what we have right now. But without the help from God and His love, we can't gain anything. Every day God provides everything we need. He blesses us without asking for anything in return. So we need to be like Jesus in terms of giving. We need to give without waiting for anything in return. Be like a well with everlasting water that can help others' needs and let God be the source of our water. Holy Trinity, thank you for the blessings you have given us. Teach us too how to give. Amen. #PrayVD
7/8/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 Wednesday
Gospel Matthew 10:1-7 "He gave them power" In today's Gospel, our Lord Jesus is calling us to be his disciples and to help our brothers and sisters. Like when he had called his twelve disciples he gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and kinds of disease. In this time of pandemic, lots of our brothers and sisters are suffering. Some of them have lost their job, have nothing to eat, are depressed and are infected by the virus. Today God calls us to help them. We shall offer or share what God has given to us. Lord Jesus help us and give us power to overcome our situation. Heal our world in this pandemic. Amen. #PrayVD
7/7/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 7, 2020July 7, 2020 Tuesday
Gospel: Matthew 9: 32-38 "He had compassion on them. " There are billions of people in this world and each one of us has different needs, attitude, sins, thoughts and beliefs. But our Lord Jesus is always there to give our needs and to listen to our problems. He is always there to protect us because of His compassion and love for us. Lord Jesus, thank you for always being there for us and for not leaving us especially in this time of pandemic. You are the good shepherd that always protects us. Amen. #PrayVD
7/6/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 Monday
Gospel Matthew 9:18-26 "Your faith has saved you" In the Gospel today, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to have faith like the woman who had hemorrhage for twelve years. She must have been very weakened by her disease. Yet she still believed that if only she could touch our Lord Jesus or even His garment, she will be healed. And because of her faith she was healed. Like the woman, we too may be carrying something in our life to the point that we don't know what to do especially in this time of pandemic. We may be afraid for our lives because we don't know what will happen to us. But if we have faith in God, He will save us not only from the virus but also from our struggles, pain, fear and sins. Lord help us and save us from what we are facing right now. #PrayVD
7/5/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 5, 2020July 5, 2020 - Sunday
Matthew 11:25-30 "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." What does this invitation of Jesus mean? "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." The Scriptures reveal to us many times how God detests the proud and is most endearing to the humble. Pride is the father of all sins; the most poisonous of sin. Pride is the cause of the fall of Adam and Eve, thereby banished from the Garden of Eden. Likewise, pride is the reason of the fallen angels' rebellion, so forbidden from heaven forever. Jesus teaches us to imitate Him, "Learn from me”. Let us learn from the experts - the saints. St. Vincent de Paul teaches us, "The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility." Humility is the virtue that he can never imitate. Likewise, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton reminds us, "The gate of heaven is very low, only the humble can enter it." Blessed Mother Mary, you are a great example of humility, teach us to make humility, our strength, so we may find rest in Jesus. #PrayVD
7/4/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 - Saturday
Matthew 9:14-17 " New wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." We are introduced to a new way of life with Jesus obliterating our past life which is displeasing to Him. When the Lord forgives, He forgets. So if the wounds of past traumas resurface, guilt or unforgiveness lingers, know for certain that it is the Enemy of our soul working to hinder us from moving on and progressing in our following of Christ. Jesus wants our minds and hearts to be like new wine skins - open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit, thereby making our hearts new. Do we desire to fulfill God's best plan in our lives? We need to trust Him fully; grow in our knowledge and understanding of His Word; follow His ways, and let go of our old wineskins - our old heart and its ways. A heart made new and nourished by the Holy Spirit, enables it to resist the lures of the world and gain the promise of heaven. Mama Mary, mold our hearts to be pure like yours, making it most pleasing to Jesus. #PrayVD
7/3/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 3, 2020July 3, 2020 - Friday
John 20:24-29 "We have seen the Lord." Not everyone may experience a miracle, nor a very profound encounter with the Lord, which can remarkably strengthen one's faith. So to those who have been profoundly touched by God; those whom Jesus called to be witnesses of His love, mercy and power, much more is expected. We are called to be authentic witnesses; to be Christlike, so those who have not seen Him, those who like Thomas doubted the risen Lord will believe that God is real, Jesus is alive, because He is working in us and through us. Our Blessed Mother, please help us overcome all the challenges we face in our witness for Christ. #PrayVD
7/2/2020
Daily Guidelines: July 2, 2020July 2, 2020 - Thursday
Matthew 9:1-8 "Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven." The story tells how Jesus brought about the healing of the paralytic. He forgives his sins before he tells him to arise and walk. Sins block us from receiving God's graces. Hence, it is necessary to be cleansed and purified for healing to take place. We receive spiritual cleansing through the sacraments, initially the Sacrament of Reconciliation. During this time of pandemic, the Church teaches us how we can still receive God's grace even if we cannot confess directly to a priest. If we truly desire it, make an Act of Contrition; from the heart, that we are sorry for our sins and make a resolution to make better, and return to this sacrament as soon as possible. A clean heart coupled with an absolute faith in God unblocks the outpouring of God's graces. Mary, our heavenly mother, please help us to remain faithful and pleasing to our Lord Jesus until the end. #PrayVD |
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