3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 3^rd Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

Readings: Nehemiah 8: 2-5. 5-6. 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-30; Luke 1: 1-4. 4: 18-21

Selected Passage:   "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." (Luke 4: 18-19)

Reflection:  Jesus took the passage from Isaiah as the platform to define his ministry.  It remains a valid platform for our ministry today: Good Tidings to the poor; liberty to captives; new sight to the blind; freedom to the oppressed; and jubilee year for his people. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, these remain the marks and signs that the reign of God is, indeed, close at hand! www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Short Reflection for the 2^nd Sunday of the Ordinary Time (C)

(Philippines: The Fiesta of Sto. Nino)

Readings: Isaiah 49: 3., 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34

Selected Gospel Passage:  “The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” (John 1: 29-30)

Reflection:  John the Baptist gives testimony that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Yes, Jesus is our Messiah and Lord.  Through Him, with Him and in Him, we receive life and forgiveness of sins. We are now witnesses of God’s liove fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

Note: I follow the universal calendar, because many members of the dhikr chain of prayer are non resident of the Philippines.  In the Philippines, the 2^nd Sunday of the year is dedicated to the Feast of Sto. Nino (the Child Jesus)

The Feast of the Lord's Baptism

Short Reflection for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (C)

Readings: Isaiah 42: 1-4; Acts 10: 34-38; Luke 3: 15-16. 21-22

Selected Passage:  John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Luke 3: 16-17)

Meditation: In our lives, we always try to discover the meaning of being baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire.  The key is to be living witnesses to Jesus, the Lord!   With the Holy Spirit in, we are then able to discern in our lives the wheat from the chaff?  Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com    

The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

Short Reflection for the Solemnity of the Epiphany (C) 

Readings:  Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2. 5-6; Matthew 2: 1-12

Selected Passage:   “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, * behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star * at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2: 1-2)

Meditation:  The revelation of the Saviour presents to us two responses. The first is the Magi’s, that is, their search for the Lord and do him homage. The second is that of Herod’s, that is,  the Lord’s presence is a threat and Herod is greatly troubled. Herod e also searched for the child in order to destroy him.  What is our response to the Lord’s coming to our live?  Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com