Archive for January, 2020

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 31, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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What seed shall I sow for my Lord?

The seed of unconfessed or rather hidden sins? Dug deep left to be forgotten and yet sprouts an ever growing evil. Perpetuating itself further when one sin seeks to cover another! Do I want to wait till I’m crushed inevitably to certain death by its weight?

Shall I sow instead the seed of faith and trust in my ever merciful and loving Lord? Turning back each time I stray away from Him. Allowing His grace to heal and strengthen me such that I sin no more. Allowing the seed of His love to grow within me, that I may bear much fruit for Him. By tending and leading His flock into the shelter of His wings.

Lord Jesus sow what You Will within me, let Your grace be upon me that I may be fertile as to produce for You a hundredfold over. Amen

First Reading

2 Samuel 11:1-4,5-10,13-17 ·
David and Bathsheba

At the turn of the year, the time when kings go campaigning, David sent Joab and with him his own guards and the whole of Israel. They massacred the Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
It happened towards evening when David had risen from his couch and was strolling on the palace roof, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David made inquiries about this woman and was told, ‘Why, that is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers and had her brought. She came to him, and he slept with her. She then went home again. The woman conceived and sent word to David; ‘I am with child.’
Then David sent Joab a message, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite’, whereupon Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came into his presence, David asked after Joab and the army and how the war was going. David then said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house and enjoy yourself.’ Uriah left the palace, and was followed by a present from the king’s table. Uriah however slept by the palace door with his master’s bodyguard and did not go down to his house.
This was reported to David; ‘Uriah’ they said ‘did not go down to his house.’ The next day David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk. In the evening Uriah went out and lay on his couch with his master’s bodyguard, but he did not go down to his house.
Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Station Uriah in the thick of the fight and then fall back behind him so that he may be struck down and die.’ Joab, then besieging the town, posted Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce fighters. The men of the town sallied out and engaged Joab; the army suffered casualties, including some of David’s bodyguard; and Uriah the Hittite was killed too.

Gospel

Mark 4:26-34
The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 30, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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In those days the light of King David shone like no other! He led Israel out of darkness uniting them with the Lord their God. He was anointed and truly Blessed by the Lord our God.

Let us not forget however that he was far from Saintly. He was blinded by power, driven by ambition and gave in to his insatiable sexual appetites. He was one of us in all regards, for just like us he too was conceived with original sin. Yet each time he fell into sin and awoke in realisation, his heart was in great anguish. His contrite spirit cried out to the Lord our God and he repented. Then once again He was able to sing beautiful psalms of gratitude and praise to God. It is with his ever grateful heart that he continued to serve the Lord and was able to shine once again for Him!

Let us never wallow in our sin but turn back always to our Jesus Christ who awaits to embrace us in His mercy and love. So that we can once again shine for Him in all that we say and do. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 7:18-19,24-29
‘The house of your servant will be blessed for ever’

After Nathan had spoken to him, King David went in and, seated before the Lord, said: ‘Who am I, O Lord, and what is my House, that you have led me as far as this? Yet in your sight, O Lord, this is still not far enough, and you make your promises extend to the House of your servant for a far-distant future. You have constituted your people Israel to be your own people for ever; and you, Lord, have become their God.
‘Now, O Lord, always keep the promise you have made your servant and his House, and do as you have said. Your name will be exalted for ever and men will say, “The Lord of Hosts is God over Israel.” The House of your servant David will be made secure in your presence, since you yourself, Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, “I will build you a House”; hence your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you. Yes, Lord, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this fair promise to your servant. Be pleased, then, to bless the House of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your presence; for you, Lord, have spoken; and with your blessing the House of your servant will be for ever blessed.’

Gospel

Mark 4:21-25
A lamp is to be put on a lampstand. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Would you bring in a lamp to put it under a tub or under the bed? Surely you will put it on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this.’
He also said to them, ‘Take notice of what you are hearing. The amount you measure out is the amount you will be given – and more besides; for the man who has will be given more; from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 29, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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All our offerings, physical or otherwise, of praise and thanksgiving, adds nothing to the Lord our God. He has neither need or want of them. We offer them up to Him nonetheless for ourselves. For we acknowledge with deepest gratitude, the great love of God for us. Our greatest act of love for Him is when we lay down our lives for Him and our brethren, we can do so without physical death for very few are chosen for martyrdom. We are simply called to love beyond what we think ourselves capable often with great sacrifice. And we can surely do so, for He is with us always and reigns in our hearts when we embrace His Word in our daily lives.

Therefore it is imperative that we guard our hearts against all forms of sin and temptations so that our Lord’s Word can take root deeply. And we will yield a great harvest for Him by our lives. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 7:4-17 ·
‘Your house and sovereignty will stand secure’

The word of the Lord came to Nathan:
‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I have never stayed in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today, but have always led a wanderer’s life in a tent. In all my journeying with the whole people of Israel, did I say to any one of the judges of Israel, whom I had appointed as shepherds of Israel my people: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” This is what you must say to my servant David, “The Lord of Hosts says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’
Nathan related all these words to David and this whole revelation.

Gospel

Mark 4:1-20
The parable of the sower

Jesus began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’
When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’
He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 28, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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There is nothing more freeing than to lie in the palm of the Lord my God’s hand. Having renounced all sin and sinful pleasures and to accept unreservedly that I do not know much of anything except that I must do the will of God with every fibre of my being. When all of us seek only to do our Lord’s Will, we come to the realisation that we are most fully united and One with Him. While we are all not connected by blood we are are most fully connected by the waters of our baptism. We are more than sisters and brothers, we make up His one Body that is Christ Jesus our Lord.

Only then like David, can we raise our hands high in the air, dancing, singing hymns and shouting our Lord’s praises as we worship in glad adoration!

Thy Will O Lord, be done, now and forever. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 6:12-15,17-19 ·
David dances before the ark of the Lord

David went and brought the ark of God up from Obed-edom’s house to the Citadel of David with great rejoicing. When the bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fat sheep. And David danced whirling round before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen loincloth round him. Thus David and all the House of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with acclaim and the sound of the horn. They brought the ark of the Lord in and put it in position inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered holocausts before the Lord, and communion sacrifices. And when David had finished offering holocausts and communion sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. He then distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israelites, men and women, a roll of bread to each, a portion of dates, and a raisin cake. Then they all went away, each to his own house.

Gospel

Mark 3:31-35
Who are my mother and my brothers? Those that do the will of God

The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’
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On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 27, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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We must all strive for unity that is Christians, united as one in our Lord Jesus Christ. For our Lord has taught us that if a kingdom is divided then it will not last. And we have many enemies prowling and waiting to tear all that we believe in down. They spread propaganda and insists on imposing their own belief systems on us. Such as the right to choose, to take life through abortion or euthanasia. The right to same sex marriage. Pornagraphy and vulgarity are allowed to spread rampantly wiring the young to think it is OK to objectify and to be objectified. How are we to stand up to combat all these if we are not One in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ?!

For through Him alone we are delivered from all evil and sin. Through Him we have the power to overcome evil and bring healing and peace. By His flesh and blood we are nourished, grace filled and fully united with Him and one another. Let us all stand faithfully united with Him and in Him for the sake of our future and that of all children’s. So that One in prayer, and grounded on His Word we all have hope of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 5:1-7,10
‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel’

All the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron. ‘Look’ they said ‘we are your own flesh and blood. In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel in all their exploits; and the Lord said to you, “You are the man who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.”’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and they anointed David king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years. He reigned in Hebron over Judah for seven years and six months; then he reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
David and his men marched on Jerusalem against the Jebusites living there. These said to David, ‘You will not get in here. The blind and the lame will hold you off.’ (That is to say: David will never get in here.) But David captured the fortress of Zion, that is, the Citadel of David.
David grew greater and greater, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.

Gospel

Mark 3:22-30
A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘Beelzebul is in him’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out.’ So he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either – it is the end of him. But no one can make his way into a strong man’s house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house.
‘I tell you solemnly, all men’s sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘An unclean spirit is in him.’

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted: January 25, 2020 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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History Redeemed: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:

Isaiah 8:23–9:3
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14
1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17
Matthew 4:12–23

Today’s liturgy gives us a lesson in ancient Israelite geography and history.
Isaiah’s prophecy in today’s First Reading is quoted by Matthew in today’s Gospel. Both intend to recall the apparent fall of the everlasting kingdom promised to David (see 2 Samuel 7:12–13; Psalm 89; 132:11–12).

Eight centuries before Christ, that part of the kingdom where the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali lived was attacked by the Assyrians, and the tribes were hauled off into captivity (see 2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:26).

It marked the beginning of the kingdom’s end. It finally crumbled in the sixth century BC, when Jerusalem was seized by Babylon and the remaining tribes were driven into exile (see 2 Kings 24:14).

Isaiah prophesied that Zebulun and Naphtali, the lands first to be degraded, would be the first to see the light of God’s salvation. Jesus today fulfills that prophecy—announcing the restoration of David’s kingdom at precisely the spot where the kingdom began to fall.

His Gospel of the Kingdom includes not only the twelve tribes of Israel but all the nations—symbolized by the “Galilee of the Nations.” Calling His first disciples, two fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, He appoints them to be “fishers of men”—gathering people from the ends of the earth.

They are to preach the Gospel, Paul says in today’s Epistle, to unite all peoples in the same mind and in the same purpose—in a worldwide kingdom of God.

By their preaching, Isaiah’s promise has been delivered. A world in darkness has seen the light. The yoke of slavery and sin, borne by humanity since time began, has been smashed.
And we are able now, as we sing in today’s Psalm, to dwell in the house of the Lord, to worship Him in the land of the living.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 25, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Can a leopard change it’s spots? Certainly not on the outside! But through Jesus our Lord, all the spots from within are removed. Purified, sanctified made Holy to know God’s will and to share in His love. 1 Peter 3:3-4 1 “Your adornment should be not an exterior one, consisting of braided hair or gold jewellery or fine clothing, but the interior disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and peaceful spirit, so precious in the sight of God.” By our obedience and through the grace of the Lord our God, we become powerful witnesses to what we have seen and heard of our Lord Jesus Christ. So that the many who come to believe shall be saved through Him.

And so we are sent into the world to combat evil, to bring His healing grace and to share in the good news of our salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

St Paul pray for us….

May the abundant Blessings of our Almighty and loving God be upon you my sisters and brothers who are celebrating the Lunar New Year. May the peace and love of Lord Jesus be in your hearts and homes. Amen

Happy New Year!

First reading

Acts 22:3-16 ·
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

Paul said to the people, ‘I am a Jew and was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors. In fact, I was as full of duty towards God as you are today. I even persecuted this Way to the death, and sent women as well as men to prison in chains as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify, since they even sent me with letters to their brothers in Damascus. When I set off it was with the intention of bringing prisoners back from there to Jerusalem for punishment.
‘I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I answered: Who are you, Lord? and he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.” The people with me saw the light but did not hear his voice as he spoke to me. I said: What am I to do, Lord? The Lord answered, “Stand up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told what you have been appointed to do.” The light had been so dazzling that I was blind and my companions had to take me by the hand; and so I came to Damascus.
‘Someone called Ananias, a devout follower of the Law and highly thought of by all the Jews living there, came to see me; he stood beside me and said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Instantly my sight came back and I was able to see him. Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and hear his own voice speaking, because you are to be his witness before all mankind, testifying to what you have seen and heard. And now why delay? It is time you were baptised and had your sins washed away while invoking his name.”’

Gospel

Mark 16:15-18
Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:
‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 24, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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We are all called to discipleship but the Lord our God had appointed amongst us leaders; fallible men and women alike to lead us closer to Him through holiness by the grace in which He anointed them. They may very be far from perfect but just like us, it is through Christ alone that we and our endeavours are perfected. Even if they sometimes lead us to the wrong path, still the Lord can make straight crooked lines. We must always be obedient to His anointed leaders so long as it not opposed to our faith and morals in our Lord Jesus Christ. And if they stray, His justice will prevail.

By our confirmation we have all already been commissioned, that is by our anointing sent to share the good news of our faith in our Lord Jesus. We have received the power from on high to share in His love, teach, heal and through many other gifts for which we are to build His Kingdom. What are we waiting for? Are we seeking further confirmation or affirmation by our brethren before doing anything or for some anything more? As St Paul aptly puts it across to us in Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Let us Go! already, as we have been called to; to make disciples of all nations. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 24:3-21
I will not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed

Saul took three thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave; David’s men said to him, ‘Today is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will deliver your enemy into your power, do what you like with him.”’ David stood up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. He said to his men, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ David gave his men strict instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul.
Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord king!’ Saul looked behind him and David bowed to the ground and did homage. Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the men who say to you, “David means to harm you”? Why, your own eyes have seen today how the Lord put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill you, but spared you. “I will not raise my hand against my lord,” I said “for he is the anointed of the Lord.” O my father, see, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be laid on you. (As the old proverb says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on you.) On whose trail has the king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea! May the Lord be the judge and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give judgement for me, freeing me from your power.’
When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ And Saul wept aloud. ‘You are a more upright man than I,’ he said to David ‘for you have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil. Today you have crowned your goodness towards me since the Lord had put me in your power yet you did not kill me. When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May the Lord reward you for the goodness you have shown me today. Now I know you will indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.’

Gospel

Mark 3:13-19
He appointed twelve to be his companions

Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 23, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Envy often builds into jealousy and is prevalent everywhere. It can be found in the workplace, in church even at home between siblings. Why does it happen? Well for one it is due to our fallen nature which makes us susceptible to sin. However that is not to say we cannot resist it entirely. Especially if we are grounded in our faith and in our love for our Lord Jesus Christ; and in the certitude that we are all children so loved by our Heavenly Father who has no favourites.

Yes jealousy can happen even in church, even though everyone starts with the purest of intentions to simply serve the Lord and our brethren. Let us not forget that even the disciples squabbled amongst themselves at who among them was the greatest. They at that point walked with Christ, but did not walk in Christ. They like many in our day are not filled with the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore they struggle with insecurities but lash out at others thinking they know better, are holier, are more prayerful, are more Christ centric then others. Some leaders shut their ears with palm facing out to ideas or concerns raised which are not align to their own. They often force their agendas in the guise that it is for the greater good.

Let us pray for one another, our families, especially our Church leaders. That our eyes, ears and hearts will always be open to recognise that we need the Son of God, our Lord Jesus in the very centre of our lives. And so we strive each day to unite ourselves more fully with Him. So that through Him, with Him and in Him, we will glorify the Lord our God in all that we say and do. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7
Saul’s envy and Jonathan’s loyal friendship

On their way back, as David was returning after killing the Philistine, the women came out to meet King Saul from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing to the sound of tambourine and lyre and cries of joy; and as they danced the women sang:

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.’

Saul was very angry; the incident was not to his liking. ‘They have given David the tens of thousands,’ he said ‘but me only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.’ And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward.
Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants of his intention to kill David. Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, held David in great affection; and so Jonathan warned David; ‘My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you,’ he said ‘so be on your guard tomorrow morning; hide away in some secret place. Then I will go out and keep my father company in the fields where you are hiding, and will talk to my father about you; I will find out what the situation is and let you know.’
So Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father; he said, ‘Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and what he has done has been greatly to your advantage. He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it yourself and rejoiced; why then sin against innocent blood in killing David without cause?’ Saul was impressed by Jonathan’s words and took an oath, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’ Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought him to Saul, and David attended on him as before.

Gospel

Mark 3:7-12
He warned them not to make him known as the Son of God

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 22, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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No mountain too high, no odds too great, no obstacle too wide, no problem too huge to overcome when the Lord our God is by our side. For we have been anointed His Holy ones. And He is ever Faithful to those who are faithful. What have we carefully chosen to bring with us to battle? What are the smooth stones we carry? The Word of God our beloved treasure trove? Our devoted life of prayer? Our conviction and work ethic towards building our Lord’s kingdom? Our humble contrite spirit ever seeking our Lord’s grace through reconciliation and Holy Eucharist?

If we say Jesus is our Lord and saviour then we must always choose good over evil, life over death. Let us then strive this day and everyday, with all our hearts, with all our minds, to do good and to save lives; through Him, with Him and in Him. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 17:32-33,37,40-51
David and Goliath

David said to Saul, ‘Let no-one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight the Philistine.’ But Saul answered David, ‘You cannot go and fight the Philistine; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth.’
‘The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lion and bear’ David said ‘will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’
He took his staff in his hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the Philistine. The Philistine, his shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David; and the Philistine looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing. The Philistine said to him, ‘Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, ‘Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.’ But David answered the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have dared to insult. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord gives the victory, for the Lord is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.’
No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle and ran to meet the Philistine. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand. Then David ran and, standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard, and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and took to flight.

Gospel

Mark 3:1-6
Is it against the law on the sabbath day to save life?

Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 21, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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The Lord our God will qualify those that He calls.

Wonderful, affirming, encouraging and certainly true! However many have used this loosely to serve their own purpose in the time they had decided upon. They failed to discern with patience the Lord’s choice after His own heart. Yet had the audacity to say that the Lord will qualify those that He calls when the folks they chose were of their own calling! See then the quality of the fruits if any at all! Samuel patiently waited on the Lord; even after going through seven sons one might assume the perfect number, yet it was the eighth in whom the Lord saw fitting. Not quite a man yet a man after God’s heart.

So then who is in charge? If we call our Lord Jesus Christ master, then would it not be wise to wait on Him? For it is He who will anoint us and those He has chosen. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Jesse’s youngest son David is anointed king

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel replied, ‘How can I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.’
Samuel did what the Lord ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet him and asked, ‘Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed one stands there before him’, but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse then called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel, he rose and went to Ramah.

Gospel

Mark 2:23-28
The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath

One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 20, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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If we are to grow in our faith and love of the Lord our God then we must turn away from old habits, even people who will lead us to temptation and sin. We cannot hold back or retain a tiny bit fooling ourselves into believing we have the power to resist the lures. How many turn back to gambling, clubs seeking reprieve from stress through alcohol and sexual escapades. Or some other form of sinful habits. How many turn to the cliques that will cheer us on as we spiral downwards? Why look back when we have found the Lord? Or rather He had found us, carried us on His shoulders and had set us free. Why allow ourselves to fall back into slavery?

Obedience to the Lord our God must always be our first and even perhaps our only priority. For His call to purity and Holiness is so that we can live fully alive and free in His love. We have new life in Him! New wine, fresh skins!’

Strengthen me Lord Jesus in Your love, that I may be Holy as You are Holy. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 15:16-23 ·
Saul disobeys the Lord and the Lord rejects him

Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’ Saul said, ‘Tell me.’ Samuel continued, ‘Small as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king over Israel. The Lord sent you on a mission and said to you, “Go, put these sinners, the Amalekites, under the ban and make war on them until they are exterminated.” Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you fall on the booty and do what is displeasing to the Lord?’ Saul replied to Samuel, ‘But I did obey the voice of the Lord. I went on the mission which the Lord gave me; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put the Amalekites under the ban. From the booty the people took the best sheep and oxen of what was under the ban to sacrifice them to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ But Samuel replied:

‘Is the pleasure of the Lord in holocausts and sacrifices
or in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice,
submissiveness better than the fat of rams.
Rebellion is a sin of sorcery,
presumption a crime of teraphim.

‘Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.’

Gospel

Mark 2:18-22
‘Why do your disciples not fast?’

One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted: January 18, 2020 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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Perfect Offering: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:

Isaiah 49:3, 5–6
Psalm 40:2, 4, 7–10
1 Corinthians 1:1–3
John 1:29–34

Jesus speaks through the prophet Isaiah in today’s First Reading.

He tells us of the mission given to Him by the Father from the womb: “‘You are My servant,’ He said to Me.” Servant and Son, our Lord was sent to lead a new exodus—to raise up the exiled tribes of Israel, to gather and restore them to God. More than that, He was to be a light to the nations, that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (see Acts 13:46–47).

Before the first exodus, a lamb was offered in sacrifice and its blood painted on the Israelites’ door posts. The blood of the lamb identified their homes and the Lord “passed over” these in executing judgment on the Egyptians (see Exodus 12:1–23, 27).

In the new exodus, Jesus is the “Lamb of God,” as John beholds Him in the Gospel today (see 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19). Our Lord sings of this in today’s Psalm. He has come, He says, to offer His body to do the will of God (see Hebrews 10:3–13).
The sacrifices, oblations, holocausts, and sin offerings given after the first exodus had no power to take away sins (see Hebrews 10:4). They were meant not to save but to teach (see Galatians 3:24). In offering these sacrifices, the people were to learn self-sacrifice—that they were made for worship, to offer themselves freely to God and to delight in His will.

Only Jesus could make that perfect offering of Himself. And through His sacrifice, He has given us ears open to obedience, He has made it possible for us to hear the Father’s call to holiness, as Paul says in today’s Epistle.
He has made us children of God, baptized in the blood of the Lamb (see Revelation 7:14). And we are to join our sacrifice to His, to offer our bodies—our lives—as living sacrifices in the spiritual worship of the Mass (see Romans 12:1).

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 18, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Our Lord Jesus Christ has come for me and you. To save us from our sins and to set us free. Let us listen to His call to follow Him. Have we already forgotten that by our baptism we have been anointed priest, prophet and King?

Yes we had been consecrated, set apart to light and guard, to rule and guide others unto Him. To build His Kingdom. Are we then living in the light of Christ? Are we then sharing His light with others? Proclaiming His love for one and all?

Thank You Jesus for in Your love, You have called me to follow You. You have healed and set me free. Let me be a disciple after Your own heart. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 9:1-4,17-19,10:1 ·
The Lord chooses Saul as king; Samuel anoints him

Among the men of Benjamin there was a man named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah; a Benjaminite and a man of rank. He had a son named Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Of all the Israelites there was no one more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than the rest of the people.Lord Jesus Christ has ch Now some of the she-donkeys of Saul’s father Kish had strayed, so Kish said to Saul, ‘My son, take one of the servants with you and be off; go and look for the she-donkeys.’ They passed through the highlands of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but did not find them; they passed through the land of Shaalim, they were not there; they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.
When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, ‘That is the man of whom I told you; he shall rule my people.’ Saul accosted Samuel in the gateway and said, ‘Tell me, please, where the seer’s house is?’ Samuel replied to Saul, ‘I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place. You are to eat with me today. In the morning I shall take leave of you and tell you all that is in your heart.’
Samuel took a phial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head; then he kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you prince over his people Israel? You are the man who must rule the Lord’s people, and who must save them from the power of the enemies surrounding them.’

Gospel

Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.
When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 17, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Jesus You are my Lord of Lords, King of Kings!

But…..

My family, decisions, plans and all, must take first priority.
My business is my business, decisions, plans, I run it as I see fit.
A full hour is set aside for You on Sundays Lord, the rest is ‘me time’ ok? OK.
I won’t trouble You with my travel and leisure plans afterall I have to make my own decisions no? Yes!
There’s more… But after all else…

Jesus You are my Lord of Lords, King of Kings!

Unless we submit ourselves to the full authority of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ we have not truly lived! For He is the source of all life! Disconnected from the vine, the branches no matter how rich and plump will ever eventually whither and die. Many however still think or even believe that coming under the lordship of Jesus we become His slaves with no free will, and so they are fearful. How far from the truth! We are not slaves but are in actual fact, sons and daughters of God our Father fully alive and free. For through Jesus His Son, our sins are forgiven. Through His mercy and love, He bestows His healing grace upon us. Through Him we have life to the full. Serving Him and our brethren brings us great joy, love and peace.

And so sisters and brothers let us cry out to our Lord and God…..

Jesus You are my Lord of Lords, King of Kings! And I submit myself to Your Holy Will. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 8:4-7,10-22 ·

The people of Israel demand a king

All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ‘Look,’ they said to him ‘you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So give us a king to rule over us, like the other nations.’ It displeased Samuel that they should say, ‘Let us have a king to rule us’, so he prayed to the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.’

All that the Lord had said Samuel repeated to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the rights of the king who is to reign over you. He will take your sons and assign them to his chariotry and cavalry, and they will run in front of his chariot. He will use them as leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty; he will make them plough his ploughland and harvest his harvest and make his weapons of war and the gear for his chariots. He will also take your daughters as perfumers, cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields, of your vineyards and olive groves and give them to his officials. He will tithe your crops and vineyards to provide for his eunuchs and his officials. He will take the best of your manservants and maidservants, of your cattle and your donkeys, and make them work for him. He will tithe your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out on account of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but on that day God will not answer you.’

The people refused to listen to the words of Samuel. They said, ‘No! We want a king, so that we in our turn can be like the other nations; our king shall rule us and be our leader and fight our battles.’ Samuel listened to all that the people had to say and repeated it in the ears of the Lord. The Lord then said to Samuel, ‘Obey their voice and give them a king.’

Gospel

Mark 2:1-12

The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 16, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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With all religious piety of attending daily Eucharist, praying our daily devotionals and reading the word have we truly grown in our love for Jesus and for one another? How is this evident in our lives? Are others drawn to our faith by the way we live our lives? Do we have every confidence that when we face the challenges and battles ahead, the Lord our God is truly present with us every step of the way?

The Lord our God truly sees into the depths of our heart. There is nothing we can hide from Him. He not only sees our pain and struggle, He profoundly identifies and shares in it. And so in His mercy and love He truly wants to set us free when we cry out to Him. And He will do so, so that we can live freely in His love. The grace and power of the Lord our God resides in the hearts of His faithful not in the physical weapons they wield in their fight against evil. So let us guard our hearts against all evil and sin striving always to grow in Holiness through the grace of our ever loving God.

Jesus my Lord, be present with me this day and everyday. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 4:1-11 ·
Israel is defeated and the ark of God is captured

It happened at that time that the Philistines mustered to fight Israel and Israel went out to meet them in battle, encamping near Ebenezer while the Philistines were encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up their battle line against Israel, the battle was hotly engaged, and Israel was defeated by the Philistines and about four thousand of their army were killed on the field. The troops returned to the camp and the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the Lord allowed us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of our God from Shiloh so that it may come among us and rescue us from the power of our enemies.’’ So the troops sent to Shiloh and brought away the ark of the Lord of Hosts, he who is seated on the cherubs; the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark. When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel gave a great shout so that the earth resounded. When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, ‘What can this great shouting in the Hebrew camp mean?’ And they realised that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. At this the Philistines were afraid; and they said, ‘God has come to the camp.’ ‘Alas!’ they cried ‘This has never happened before. Alas! Who will save us from the power of this mighty God? It was he who struck down Egypt with every kind of plague! But take courage and be men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been slaves to you. Be men and fight.’ So the Philistines joined battle and Israel was defeated, each man fleeing to his tent. The slaughter was great indeed, and there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured too, and the two sons of Eli died, Hophni and Phinehas.

Gospel

Mark 1:40-45
The leprosy left the man at once, and he was cured

A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 15, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Lord help me listen to Your sweet voice.

So caught up with the many challenges in life that we face our prayer life if any, is often about asking, asking, more asking even pleading for ourselves, our loved ones or those who have asked us to pray. If not it is about telling, telling, more telling, a running commentary of our days and nights, with instructions for our Lord on how and what help is needed. What kind of relationship do we have with the Lord our God? Is it a right relationship? Is the Lord our God a vending machine or an ATM? Where we select what we want and automatically it must be dispensed? And if we don’t receive what we want then we complain for lack of service or a timely one at that!? Are we God and He our person? Who is the master and who is the servant?

Have we not learnt in our own relationships with others that the key to a meaningful, fruitful relationship is our about ability and resolve to listen to the heart of the other. What we are saying by our action of active listening is that the person or persons speaking to us are important, we honour them by patiently listening. We hear and see what their hearts are saying and in essence we listen with our hearts.

All the more our relationship with the Lord our God should be like this and more, such that our prayer life is one of listening to His Will and Word for us. There is nothing wrong with intercessory prayers or even sharing with Him how our day went but more time must be set aside for listening to Him. For His Word is life giving, it ministers to us, nourishing us and conferring the grace and strength we need to face and tackle the challenges we face in life. It also enables us to share His love, the good news of our salvation, so that all who will listen can share in the eternal glory with God our Heavenly Father.

Lord help me listen to Your sweet voice. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 3:1-10,19-20 ·
‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening’

The boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli; it was rare for the Lord to speak in those days; visions were uncommon. One day, it happened that Eli was lying down in his room. His eyes were beginning to grow dim; he could no longer see. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord where the ark of God was, when the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call. Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ He replied, ‘I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down.’ Samuel had as yet no knowledge of the Lord and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. Once again the Lord called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli then understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, and he said to Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
The Lord then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’
Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him and let no word of his fall to the ground. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.

Gospel

Mark 1:29-39
He cast out devils and cured many who were suffering from disease

On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 14, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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How many this day will offer up their children to God for priesthood or the religious life? And really encourage and nurture them such that they are able to respond to the call. Fully aware that it is a sacred call to be set apart for such service and a great blessing for all! Nay most are primarily concerned that their family name continues and who it is that will, or rather must care for them in their old age. And if not for these reasons they feel they know what is best for their own children and that there will always be someone else better suited for this calling. Really? What if everyone thought this way? The real question we should be asking is, whose authority is it that we all come under? Who is it that should decide what is best for us? Do we actually mean what we pray…. Thy kingdom come, thy Will be done!?

Indeed we all have different gifts and talents. Each and everyone of us has a vocation in life to be the best that they can be for the Lord their God and for one another. In order to this, we must carefully discern our Lord’s call for us and we can only do so when we willingly and wholeheartedly subject ourselves to His Holy Will for us.

Here I am Lord, I come to do Your Will. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 1:9-20
The Lord is mindful of Hannah and she gives birth to Samuel

After they had eaten in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before the Lord, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord of Hosts! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a man-child, I will give him to the Lord for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head.’
While she prayed before the Lord which she did for some time, Eli was watching her mouth, for she was speaking under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard. He therefore supposed that she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to be in this drunken state? Rid yourself of your wine.’ ‘No, my lord,’ Hannah replied ‘I am a woman in great trouble; I have taken neither wine nor strong drink – I was pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the depth of my grief and my resentment.’ Then Eli answered her: ‘Go in peace,’ he said ‘and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.’ And she said, ‘May your maidservant find favour in your sight’; and with that the woman went away; she returned to the hall and ate and was dejected no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord and then set out and returned to their home in Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife and the Lord was mindful of her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’

Gospel

Mark 1:21-28
Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 13, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Fidelity to the Lord our God and our willingness to put all else aside to respond to His Will for us. This is our call today to greater discipleship.

Let us reflect on how faithful are we to the Lord our God? How often do we worship Him and give Him thanks for all His blessings upon us? Daily? Weekly? Annually? Are we hopeful and eager to bear fruit for our Lord? Are we willing to suffer taunts for His namesake? Do we love and revere Him above all? How wonderful to hear the loving voice of our bridegroom remind us; “Am I not more to You then anything or anyone else?” ”For I love you with an everlasting love.”

And so are we able to leave our life in the world behind to follow Him? To let go of any insecurities, perceived shortcomings so as to become instruments of His grace. For we trust and know that all things are possible through and with Him. And so we carry our cross to follow Him. As we cast the net of His Love far and wide to draw as many we can to Him. Amen

First reading

1 Samuel 1:1-8 ·
Hannah’s rival taunts her for being barren

There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the highlands of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives, one called Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. Every year this man used to go up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of
One day Elkanah offered sacrifice. He and used to give portions to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; to Hannah, however, he would give only one portion, although he loved her more, since the Lord had made her barren. Her rival would taunt her to annoy her, because the Lord had made her barren. And this went on year after year; every time they went up to the temple of the Lord she used to taunt her. And so Hannah wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why are you crying and why are you not eating? Why so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’

Gospel

Mark 1:14-20
I will make you into fishers of men

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’
As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

Baptism of the Lord

Posted: January 11, 2020 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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Anointed Ones: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Baptism of the Lord

Readings:

Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7
Psalm 29:1–4, 9–10
Acts 10:34–38
Matthew 3:13–17

Jesus presents himself for baptism in today’s Gospel not because He is a sinner, but to fulfill the word of God proclaimed by His prophets. He must be baptized to reveal that He is the Christ (“anointed one”)—the Spirit-endowed Servant promised by Isaiah in today’s First Reading.

His baptism marks the start of a new world, a new creation. As Isaiah prophesied, the Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove—as the Spirit hovered over the face of the deep in the beginning (see Genesis 1:2).
As it was in the beginning, at the Jordan also the majestic voice of the Lord thunders above the waters. The Father opens the heavens and declares Jesus to be His “beloved son.”

God had long prepared the Israelites for His coming, as Peter preaches in today’s Second Reading. Jesus was anticipated in the “beloved son” given to Abraham (see Genesis 22:2, 12, 26), and in the calling of Israel as His “first-born son” (see Exodus 4:22–23). Jesus is the divine son begotten by God, the everlasting heir promised to King David (see Psalm 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:14).

He is “a covenant of the people [Israel]” and “a light to the nations,” Isaiah says. By the new covenant made in His blood (see 1 Corinthians 11:25), God has gathered the lost sheep of Israel together with whoever fears Him in every nation.

Christ has become the source from which God pours out His Spirit on Israelites and Gentiles alike (see Acts 10:45). In Baptism, all are anointed with that same Spirit, made beloved sons and daughters of God. Indeed, we are Christians—literally “anointed ones.”

We are the “sons of God” in today’s Psalm—called to give glory to His name in His temple. Let us pray that we remain faithful to our calling as His children, that our Father might call us what he calls His Son, “my beloved . . . in whom I am well pleased.”

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 11, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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God has no favourites as we are reminded in tomorrow’s second reading on the feast of the baptism of our Lord. And so we are so lavishly loved and gifted according to His Will for us. And if others have the same gift but are better at it, we must rejoice for it had been put to very good use for our Lord! If indeed we are lacking of anything to build His kingdom, to serve Him or brethen in love, we need only pray and He will provide for all that we need.

All sin is bad whether venial or mortal. Therefore we must avoid any and all sin. For even little ones will always lead to bigger and more terrible ones. If we fall into sin then we must quickly do all that we need to come back into full union with our Lord whether it be as simple as a contrite prayer or going for the Sacrament of reconciliation. There are two sins that I feel we need to guard ourselves against especially those of us who try our best to serve others through discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ; that is spiritual pride and spiritual envy! For our service becomes a big zero as we end up serving no one but our own egos. What we say and do only drives others away instead of leading them closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us pray for one another to remain steadfast in our love and service of Him and one another. All for His glory now and forever. Amen

First reading

1 John 5:14-21 ·
If we ask for anything, he will hear us

We are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything, and it is in accordance with his will,
he will hear us; and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us, we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.
If anybody sees his brother commit a sin that is not a deadly sin, he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner – not those who commit a deadly sin; for there is a sin that is death and I will not sa that you must pray about that. Every kind of wrong-doing is sin, but not all sin is deadly.

We know that anyone who has been begotten by God does not sin, because the begotten Son of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him.
We know that we belong to God, but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.
We know, too, that the Son of God has come, and has given us the power to know the true God. We are in the true God,
as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ.
This is the true God, this is eternal life. Children, be on your guard against false gods.

Gospel

John 3:22-30
‘He must grow greater and I must grow smaller: my joy is complete’

Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.
Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’
John replied:

‘A man can lay claim
only to what is given him from heaven.

‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.

‘The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegroom’s friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 10, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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We often don’t dwell on our baptism enough. For most it was a one time thing of the past necessary but over and done with. How far from the truth it is. For it was the day we were born again into new life with Christ! An indelible seal was placed upon us and we became for all eternity God our Father’s children. We were made Holy, set apart. Likewise we do not dwell enough on the supreme gift of the Holy Eucharist, where through the Holy sacrifice of the lamb of God, by His precious body and blood we have life eternal with Him. We become partakers of His divinity which gives us the power to overcome all evil and sin. For some it has simply become a habit, a routine we go through, to check off our to-do-list. How far wrong can we be? Perhaps this is one of the reasons we fall easily into sin, we do not dwell and immerse ourselves in the love of our Lord through pray and recollection. We are not grateful enough for the multitude of blessings and graces given to us and so do not give rightful praise and thanksgiving to God daily.

Anyone who has fallen and living in sin knows how life draining it is. We simply have no life in us. We live day to day in a dreary existence always hoping for more, wanting more. Turn back to the Lord! For like the leper in today’s Gospel we too can cry out to Jesus, “Lord if you want to You can cure me.” And He will surely cure us because He loves us and wants us to live fully in His love. A contrite spirit He will not spurn.

Today let us choose to never take the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for granted. Let us dwell in His love, on the precious and Holy Sacraments we have been given which renews us and gives us life. Let us offer our praise and thanksgiving through an increased and greater prayer life, which only leads us closer to Him who loves us dearly. Glory and Praise be to God. Amen

First reading

1 John 5:5-13
There are three witnesses: the Spirit and the water and the blood

Who can overcome the world?
Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:
Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,
not with water only, but with water and blood; with the Spirit as another witness –
since the Spirit is the truth – so that there are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water and the blood, and all three of them agree.
We accept the testimony of human witnesses, but God’s testimony is much greater,
and this is God’s testimony, given as evidence for his Son.
Everybody who believes in the Son of God
has this testimony inside him; and anyone who will not believe God is making God out to be a liar, because he has not trusted
the testimony God has given about his Son.
This is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life and this life is in his Son; anyone who has the Son has life,
anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.

I have written all this to you so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God may be sure that you have eternal life.

Gospel

Luke 5:12-16
‘If you want to, you can cure me’

Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’
His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 9, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Both the vertical and horizontal dimension of the cross in which our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ hung for love of us serves as a great and loving reminder; that He died not just for you and me but for all of us! That by liberating us from sin we are not just united in Him individually but with one another in Him. Therefore all of God’s children are One Body through our Lord Jesus Christ. Can we then say we love God but not our sister and brother in Christ?

Unforgiveness is in a sense a habitual sin! Why? Because we regularly by our own volition, refuse to allow God’s love and mercy to overshadow us. To allow His grace to set both our heart and that of our brethren free from the hurt, guilt and pain. Unintentionally perhaps we are saying that our Unforgiveness is greater than God’s love and mercy! Why should we allow ourselves to remain captives of the injustice done against us? Let our Lord set us free from all bondages so that we can live free and live to the full in His love as His disciples.

And as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will proclaim His love to all that we meet. We shall bring the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ to the poor, to proclaim His liberation to all captives of sin, His healing grace will come upon those who turn to Him and He will set the downtrodden free. That Jesus our Lord loves you and me, He loves us all! Amen

First reading

1 John 4:19-5:4
Anyone who loves God must also love his brother

We are to love, because God loved us first.
Anyone who says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, is a liar, since a man who does not love the brother that he can see cannot love God, whom he has never seen.
So this is the commandment that he has given us, that anyone who loves God must also love his brother.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
has been begotten by God; and whoever loves the Father that begot him loves the child whom he begets.
We can be sure that we love God’s children
if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us; this is what loving God is –
keeping his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult, because anyone who has been begotten by God
has already overcome the world; this is the victory over the world – our faith.

Gospel

Luke 4:14-22
‘This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen’

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 8, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Today I ask myself, how fearless am I living in God’s love?

Do I awake with a restlessness in my heart of facing yet another uncertain day? Have I any sins that I have not renounced that prevent me from living fully in His love? Have I neglected my loving Lord by not entering into His presence through prayer and dwelling on His word and will for me? Have I quickly forgotten the wonders of His love in my life? Have I allowed myself to be distracted by the lures of the world that I have let Jesus pass me by numerous times? Will this like many days end where I do not speak of God’s love for me and for all?

Or do I awake refreshed ready to dwell again in the love of my Lord. Knowing that whatever lies ahead, Jesus my Lord is by my side. And so I start the day in praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings in my life and the many blessings I will receive by my faithfulness. I enter into His presence ready to listen to Him as I fall into His loving embrace. As far as possible I seek to unite myself with Him fully through Holy Eucharist, I then go about my day with one mind and one heart in Him. The day does not end without me speaking about His love either by speech or in writing. Only then is this a day well lived in His love.

I am fearless because I am perfectly loved by my Lord Jesus Christ! Amen

First reading

1 John 4:11-18 ·
As long as we love one another God’s love will be complete in us

My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us.
We can know that we are living in him
and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit.
We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves.
God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.

Love will come to its perfection in us
when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world
we have become as he is.
In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.

Gospel

Mark 6:45-52
His disciples saw him walking on the lake

After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 7, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Love of God, love from God, love for God, is love put into action. It is not dependent on how one feels nor anything remotely sentimental but rather a choice to act for the good of another. It is a ‘muscle’ that will grow big and strong over time when we exercise it regularly with even the smallest acts of service done in love. Be it at home, church, community or in the world. I will get up and prepare a meal for my children even though I am exhausted from working in the office. I will buy the expensive balm for my spouse who needs it even though I’m broke. I put away my games for love of my mom, to massage her aching shoulders. I will help serve at a second mass because they are short even though I have lots of housework to do. I will pray all the more fervently for you because you requested me to, even though I feel drained and spiritually dry. It all starts with simple, small acts of love.

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not simply say He loved us. He showed us how much He did by dying on the cross for us. He also showed us how much in the many little acts of mercy He performed. In today’s Gospel I hear Him tell me His disciple, don’t just have nice thoughts and concern for your brethren, give them something of yourself and tend to their needs. Start with what little you have and I will multiply it. I will act for love of you and your brethren!

Still there is much greater depth of God’s love for us in today’s Gospel. How He would one day give us our daily bread to nourish us body, mind and soul. And so this is fulfilled today, for He gives us of His humanity and elevates us through His divinity to full union with Him in Holy Eucharist. Glory and Praise to You, my Lord Jesus Christ! Amen

First reading

1 John 4:7-10 ·
Let us love one another, since love comes from God

My dear people, let us love one another
since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love.
God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the love I mean: not our love for God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

Gospel

Mark 6:34-44
The feeding of the five thousand

As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 6, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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As much as we would like to, we don’t always live in the light all of the time. From time to time darkness overshadows us in many various forms and we find ourselves stumbling, hoping and praying for a way out.

How wonderful for us who have indeed seen the great light! Our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ is that very light and we know with certainty that He will surely come to drive all darkness away. His saving hand is upon us ever ready to heal and restore us. So that we can live fully in His light. It is our duty therefore to bring His light to those dwell in darkness. So that they might come to know Him and live in His light.

Let us offer our prayers today for the nations who are undergoing darkness today, may the light of Christ shine through bringing them comfort, healing and peace. We pray for Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the rest of the world who face calamity, war and unrest. Amen

First reading

1 John 3:22-4:6
The Son of God has come and given us the power to know the true God

Whatever we ask God, we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life that he wants.
His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments
lives in God and God lives in him. We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us.

It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust; test them, to see if they come from God, there are many false prophets, now, in the world.
You can tell the spirits that come from God by this: every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh
is from God; but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus is not from God, but is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you were warned about.
Well, now he is here, in the world.
Children, you have already overcome these false prophets, because you are from God and you have in you one who is greater than anyone in this world; as for them, they are of the world, and so they speak the language of the world dand the world listens to them.
But we are children of God, and those who know God listen to us; those who are not of God refuse to listen to us.
This is how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Gospel

Matthew 4:12-17,23-25
The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.

Dressed for service for God and for Community.

Posted: January 5, 2020 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys
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Most ministries especially the liturgical ones have a dress code and for very good reasons. Quite often, though members refuse to adhere or try to intepret what was laid out if the dress code is not specific or detailed enough. Some insist on pictures to go with the guide. Question is why? Whom is it that you serve?

A brother in Christ recently shared that on his recent trip to a certain country for holiday, the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion were in shorts when they gave out the body of Christ! When did service of God or community become one of personal comfort, convienience or practicality?

Those serving in liturgical ministries you are all Stewards of the Banquet and so are set apart for service. Just as priests put on their vestments, friars their robes, nuns their habits we are dressed in our Sunday best to honour, worship, adore the Lord and lead others into the sacred at Holy Eucharist! Men dress up as men ready to go serve! Most parishes would prescribe dark colour slacks, white long sleeve shirt, tie, leather dress shoes and SOCKS. NOT black jeans passing off as slacks and certainly not loafers but leather shoes preferably black. Perhaps there can be a fund set aside for those who cannot afford this basics. Those who can certainly afford it, should not come in worn leather shoes. Women should embrace their feminity and dress up as women, ensuring they are modestly dressed after the heart of our Blessed Mother. Outside of the liturgy they can dress as they deem fit again prayerfully after the heart of Blessed Mother. It is not about uniformity but rather conformity. We are declaring our unity as one Body In Christ.

This is a clear example of what I’m speaking of… A few years back while I was serving as EMHC at the 9:15am all my fellow brothers came appropriately dressed unlike some from the other mass timings where individualism was their thing. For the ladies we did not say a word on how they should dress other than they should be properly attired and modestly so. After a while almost all save for one came in black skirts below knee level, white long sleeve blouses which complimented the dressing of their fellow brothers in Christ serving. We were truly one and it felt really good because we served with one heart as well. I am very pleased to see that today all the EMHC brothers and sisters serving the 915am group are still appropriately dressed!

I know this topic can be sensitive and uncomfortable for some, but perhaps even if you disagree you might be open to reconsider your position on this…

Let us offer the gold of our hearts, in honour of our Lord of Lord, King of Kings. The incense of our prayers and our dressing up in worship, adoration and praise of the Lord our God. The myrrh of our humanity, in dying of self, especially pride; embracing humility to love and serve Him all the days of our lives

Feast of the Epiphany

Posted: January 4, 2020 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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A King to Behold: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Feast of the Epiphany

Readings:

Isaiah 60:1–6
Psalm 72:1–2, 7–8, 10–13
Ephesians 3:2–3, 5–6
Matthew 2:1–12

An “epiphany” is an appearance. In today’s readings, with their rising stars, splendorous lights, and mysteries revealed, the face of the child born on Christmas day appears.

Herod, in today’s Gospel, asks the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah is to be born. The answer Matthew puts on their lips says much more, combining two strands of Old Testament promise—one revealing the Messiah to be from the line of David (see 2 Samuel 2:5), the other predicting “a ruler of Israel” who will “shepherd his flock” and whose “greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth” (see Micah 5:1–3).

Those promises of Israel’s king ruling the nations resound also in today’s Psalm. The psalm celebrates David’s son, Solomon. His kingdom, we sing, will stretch “to the ends of the earth,” and the world’s kings will pay Him homage. That’s the scene too in today’s First Reading, as nations stream from the East, bearing “gold and frankincense” for Israel’s king.

The Magi’s pilgrimage in today’s Gospel marks the fulfillment of God’s promises. The Magi, probably Persian astrologers, are following the star that Balaam predicted would rise along with the ruler’s staff over the house of Jacob (see Numbers 24:17).
Laden with gold and spices, their journey evokes those made to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba and the “kings of the earth” (see 1 Kings 10:2, 25; 2 Chronicles 9:24). Interestingly, the only other places where frankincense and myrrh are mentioned together are in songs about Solomon (see Song of Songs 3:6, 4:6, 14).
One greater than Solomon is here (see Luke 11:31). He has come to reveal that all peoples are “co-heirs” of the royal family of Israel, as today’s Epistle teaches.

His manifestation forces us to choose: Will we follow the signs that lead to Him as the wise Magi did? Or will we be like those priests and the scribes who let God’s words of promise become dead letters on an ancient page?

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 4, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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We are called to live out Holy lives worthily as children of God but actually doing so is very hard. Still we must strive to do so each and every day.

Let us not dwell on sin and in constant fear of sinning, but rather in the freedom purchased for us by Christ Jesus our Lord. We therefore endeavour to deepen our relationship with Him daily through prayer and through His living Word in Holy Scriptures. Living in His presence we will lead others to Him so that they too can live life fully in His love. Amen

Let us pray one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for our Holy Father Pope Francis’s intentions….

First reading

1 John 3:7-10 ·
No-one sins who has been begotten by God

My children, do not let anyone lead you astray: to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy; to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.
It was to undo all that the devil has done
that the Son of God appeared.
No one who has been begotten by God sins; because God’s seed remains inside him, he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.

In this way we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil:
anybody not living a holy life jand not loving his brother is no child of God’s.

Gospel

John 1:35-42
‘We have found the Messiah’

As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 3, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Every morning as far as I can remember I have awoken praying first for my personal sanctification and holiness. Why? Because the temptation to sin is always before us! And sin with its super stickyness is ever waiting to pounce and prevent us from walking freely in the light of Christ. And so I pray for His grace to be upon me as I start out the day simply to live out my calling to be a child of God so loved by my Heavenly Father. To be Holy as He is Holy. Through and with His grace, I have a fighting chance to win the battle. I say chance even though it is a sure win with God on my side because I must cooperate and want to fight! Because there are times when I am in a state of inertia and often tempted to give in to the distractions.

Jesus the lamb of God my lord and saviour had died to free me from sin, and so the devil and all the evil that prowls about the earth has no hold over me! I can live free and fully in the light of my resurrected Lord and saviour Jesus Christ! Jesus saves; me, you and everyone who calls upon on His name.

By the Holy name of Jesus, I pray for you my dear sisters and brothers. That today and everyday you remain Holy and strive for greater Holiness. So that together we will live out our calling as children of God our Father, one Body In Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

First reading

1 John 2:29-3:6
Everyone must try to be as pure as Christ

You know that God is righteous –
then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous has been begotten by him.

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.

Surely everyone who entertains this hope
must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
Anyone who sins at all breaks the law,
because to sin is to break the law.
Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin, and that in him there is no sin;
anyone who lives in God does not sin, and anyone who sins has never seen him or known him.

Gospel

John 1:29-34
‘Look: there is the Lamb of God’

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 2, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Make a straight way for the Lord. Be steadfast in your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who has anointed you with the truth by your very own baptism. And He will surely come to you, His faithful and fill you with His presence.

This is my takeaway from today’s readings and what a brother in Christ Sully (not his real name) shared with me recently encapsulates it all nicely.

A couple of years back Sully who is a catechist had asked me what was it like to be in a faith community and what goes on at the prayer meetings. I was excited to share my experience and at the end invited him to ‘come and see’. He came one evening and thereafter remained in our community even getting his wife to join us. Sully is a very good natured man and is a delight to be around with. However he shared one day that while he truly belives in Christ and all, he had not encountered Him the way many of us described. He was amazed at how alive our faith was for some of us and was not quite sure his own faith was as ‘alive’ so to speak. I would describe Sully as a rather learned man who loves to read when he can, and one of his favourites is reading up on the writings of Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I was rather puzzled at how this loving man who teaches and shares the faith had not had a deep personal encounter with our Lord?

Anyhow just two days ago he shared his profound experience and encounter of our Lord’s love outpoured on him. He was apparently ill for over a week with high fever. Then as he was recovering he made a decision to give up on coffee. By doing so he found he had more energy the rest of the day and he could actually pray more. Then at a recent Eucharistic Celebration he felt the Outpouring of God’s love and teared as he had never before. He finally understood firsthand what we had been sharing with him. I was so thrilled and overjoyed to hear his testimony, and to witness the glow on his face. This loving man is transformed into being even more loving! Praise and glory be to Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

First reading

1 John 2:22-28 ·
The anointing he gave you teaches you everything

The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar, he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.
Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in faith,
you will live in the Son and in the Father;
and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life.
This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.
But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.
Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him in shame at his coming.

Gospel

John 1:19-28
‘One is coming after me who existed before me’

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:
Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

Testimony

Posted: January 1, 2020 by CatholicJules in Testimonies
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Sharing by a sister in Christ..

My testimony:
We usually begin the new year by attending the Eucharist first thing in the morning but because both O and I are under the weather, we went for evening mass instead.

Today is also O’s Chinese birthday so we had a family lunch to celebrate. Hoping that she will be well enough to start her P1 tom. 🙏🏻

The evening mass today was so beautiful that I felt moved from the start till the end. Tears kept rolling down. As I usually ask my client, “what would the tears say to you if they could speak?”

My tears told me that I am well-loved by God. As I strive to grow deeper in my relationship with Mother Mary (today being the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God), I experienced her tangible motherly love towards me. I was overwhelmed and filled with immense gratitude.

It is such a great assurance that not only do I have the Holy Trinity by my side, I have my heavenly Mother and the communion of saints praying with me and for me. No words but tears in response to this deep love. Totus Tuus.

When I went for the evening Eucharist, I felt like those labourers who were hired at the eleventh hour. And instead of being last to be paid, I was given my “wage” first! Such is the generosity of God.

Testimony

Posted: January 1, 2020 by CatholicJules in Testimonies
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Sharing by Bro Augustine

I was quite annoyed yesterday (in the afternoon of 31 Dec) by the amber lights on my car dashboard which prompted that the car *was not ready to drive* and required an immediate attention for service. All the amber lights and signs that I have never seen before on my car’s dashboard, they lighted at the wrong time… all workshops were shutting down for new year break.

The amber lights came out so unexpectedly despite I had the car serviced regularly and timely. It was very disappointing given the car was not very old.

And by the time we had to go to church for thanksgiving mass (9:45pm 31 Dec), the amber lights have not disappeared. We kept praying.

We have been praying for it and after the thanksgiving mass, during the adoration / benediction, there was one slide which said “What you want Jesus to do for you (in the new year)?” What came to my mind instantly was the amber lights to go away, so we lifted it up among other prayers that we offered to the Lord.

At the time to go home (after midnight), I prayed and started the engine at the church carpark… I noted one of the many amber lights had gone away. I prayed and said Lord Jesus would make all amber lights to go away tomorrow morning when we come for morning New Year Mass.

This morning I prayed and started the engine… all back to normal, the dashboard said *“Ready to Drive”*. Thank you Lord for giving us an opportunity to witness the work of Your hand and answered to our prayers so instantly at the very first moment of New Year 2020. 🙏🏼

2020

Posted: January 1, 2020 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys, Memory Book
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What a start to the new year! It started out great with the Eucharistic Celebration then followed by the Benediction at midnight ending with the Salve Regina in Latin.

Then we headed down to the auditorium for food, drinks, dancing and singing. Then rushed home at about 2:30am. Which left me only about 3hrs of sleep as I had committed to serve as a steward and had agreed to joint lead the hymns with Bro Augustine for the EC later at 8am.

Got dressed, rushed out the door at about 6:55am and rode my bicycle to Church, what I didn’t expect was to fall off the bike while turning out to the pathway! Sprained my right wrist, hurt a rib but otherwise I was fine. Strangely my white long sleeve shirt and tie was still clean, dusted off my slacks and was good to go or so I thought! The bicycle chain got jammed and so I couldn’t pedal. Brought the bike back upstairs to see if I could fix it without getting dirty, tried without success as I needed to get my tools out. Figured I didn’t have enough time so decided to take a bus to church instead.

As I was still early, I sat behind to go through the hymns. When Bro Jem came in and sat beside me. He thanked me for my reflections and honest sharings with him in 2019 which caught me off guard as he was quiet about it at the time. Anyhow he shared that he intended to lead the Lauds before EC and I encouraged him to do so.

Then while praying the Lauds one of the altar servers, I think it was Gabriel (he has an identical twin Michael and I have difficultly telling them apart) sat beside me and asked if we had chosen the hymns? Told him yes and he offered to play the guitar. He asked for the hymn titles so he could prepare the chords for them. Shared with him the opening hymn was ‘What child is this’ Offertory Hymn ‘Of my hands I give to You’ Communion hymn ‘I am the bread of life’ and Recessional ‘Mother dear pray for me’. His brother again I think it was Michael came up to tell him that if he was planning to sit with me and strum from where I was at; the congregation would not be able to hear clearly. So he left for the loft to use a microphone. I was wondering how we would pull it off together as there was no time to rehearse neither was I able to share with Bro Augustine the slight changes or rather enhancements. Praise the Lord all went very well indeed, I strongly belive through the workings of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of our Blessed Mother. Bro Augustine also affirmed later by whatsapp, that we are indeed many parts but one Body In Christ!

Anyhow it is quite clear to me that at this very start of the new year, it is about growimg in faith through discipleship. While there will certainly be trials and challenges ahead. Our Lord, His Blessed mother and the Holy Spirit will be with me and you through it all. Amen

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 1, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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What better way to start the new year then to ponder over the living Word through the heart of our Blessed Mother, the mother of God.

For God our Father has Blessed us abundantly and through Jesus His only Begotten son, brought forth by birth by His Virgin mother, we not only have life to the full, but we have full union with Him. We have become His sons and daughters!

So let then live out of Call to Holiness as we continue our pilgrim journey home to Him, at the start of 2020. Amen

Mary, mother of God, pray for us….

First reading

Numbers 6:22-27
They are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”

This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’

Second reading

Galatians 4:4-7 ·
God sent his Son, born of a woman

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

Gospel

Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby lying in the manger

The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.
When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.