Archive for December 16, 2019

Gaudete in Domino Semper

Posted: December 16, 2019 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Gaudete in domino semper!

I was sharing yesterday how difficult it was for me to rejoice in the Lord in the morning at 5am. I hadn’t been sleeping well because the c5 and c6 section of my neck was pinching on my nerves. There was also a tightness on the left hand side of my chest with slight pain and I was feverish. It didn’t help that it was raining, a wet and cold Sunday morning.

Still I had to press on as I was leading the 3rd Advent Reflection session for my fellow stewards and had committed to presenting the LISS participants of 2019 for their commissioning to be light of the world during the 1115am Eucharistic Celebration. Then later in the afternoon I was going to lead the advent reflection again for our LTW {living the word} community at 2pm.

Each time I was engaged in sharing the word and love of Jesus I felt joy in my heart and the pains I was having dissipated. I truly rejoiced in the Lord! I also shared with the folks that it is only when I’m engaged in some form of service of my Lord that I am truly alive.

I finally got home at about 4pm drained but joyful, and fell asleep till about 8pm. Had something light and went back to sleep.

This morning I woke up resigned to the fact that I would not be able to attend morning Eucharist. The bicycle I kept in Tampines had a flat tire and so there was no way to make it on foot in three minutes to Holy Trinity Church. Moreover the lady bus driver today had a record of delaying the journey and so I would end up the bus stop between 6:26 or 6:27am. I told myself that if somehow the bus would make it at 6:25 am I would jog even with my pains. Praise the Lord! It was exactly 6:25am when I reached Tampines and I made it on time for the Opening Prayer.

And so I remain in awe of my Lord, and will rejoice in Him always. Amen

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: December 16, 2019 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Does the Lord our God need to justify His action or inaction? We are so caught up in the dealings in the secular world that the Lord our God too must be subjected to an audit! Provide justification, timeliness and corrective actions. Really who is subject to the authority of whom?

Our Lord of Lords, King of Kings has indeed come but not to make His dominion felt. In fact He is closest to those who are powerless and not those in power! Those of us who feel powerless in this world know that we have a powerful ally whose power trancends all. We only need to subject ourselves to His authority. Having done so there will be no room for complaints lest we have not fully surrendered to Him. Peace reigns in our hearts as we wait patiently for our Lord to make all things new.

Lord Jesus come reign my heart, now and always. Amen

First Reading

Numbers 24:2-7,15-17 ·
The oracles of Balaam

Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob!
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens by the banks of a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock,
he reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag,
his majesty is exalted.’

Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God, of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see him – but not in the present,
I behold him – but not close at hand:
a star from Jacob takes the leadership,
a sceptre arises from Israel.’

Gospel

Matthew 21:23-27
‘I will not tell you my authority for acting like this’

Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’