The Word God Spells

Luke 19: 1-10
Rv 3: 1-6. 14-22 / Ps 15: 2- 5

Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
(Luke 19: 10)

Lord Jesus, You have made us see
That none is beyond redemption,
Once chained to sin You set us free,
To help in others’ conversion.

Zacchaeus was a wealthy chief tax collector in Jericho. When Jesus passed through on the way to Jerusalem, Zacchaeus wanted to see Him, but being of short stature he could not, because of the crowd. So he climbed a sycamore tree to see Him, as Jesus was passing that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ’sinner.’” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

Reflection

Like the blind man in yesterday’s Gospel, Zacchaeus also had a handicap (he was short) and he also desperately wanted to see. Like the blind man who screamed to get Jesus’ attention, Zacchaeus also succeeded to meet Jesus, albeit unintentionally, by climbing a tree. One was a beggar, and the other a wealthy chief tax collector, but both were determined, and for their perseverance, both were transformed. We also can see a number of lessons in this story:

First of all, like Jesus, we must see others not for what they are, but for what they can be. Jesus never regards anyone as a hopeless sinner who is beyond redemption. We must never allow bias or prejudice to influence our quest to bring others to Christ. Who is a good prospect to invite to our breakfast meetings or bible sessions? Are we afraid to get a negative response? Are we afraid that “he might not fit in with the group?” Bro. Johnny never hesitates. He invites everyone, “anything that moves.”

Secondly, love and acceptance can change most people. In all His encounters, Jesus was always open and caring, and so must we. We may fail to make a Christian example by being too concerned about the superficial rather than the essential. Our Lord showed love and acceptance to the hated, squat Zacchaeus, and a great transformation happened. This also happened to many of the female inmates at the Davao Detention Center, who were converted to a new life because the Handmaids of the Lord of the Couples for Christ sacrificed thirteen Sundays away from their families to hold a Christian Life Program for them.

Finally, our Lord shows us that our mission must be active, not passive. Jesus did not wait for people to come to him; He actively sought out the lost in order to save them. He did not wait for an invitation; He invited Himself in (“I must stay at your house today”). The Holy Spirit gives us insights into people so that we might be bold to help them. By His grace we are able to see a soul that needs salvation. That is why we can set aside social “niceties” to get into the essential purpose of the encounter.

Lord God, help us to be bold in proclaiming Your Good News of salvation to others. Take away our prejudices against their perceived sinfulness, so that more of our friends, associates and even enemies may come to know of Jesus’ love. Amen.

Luke 18: 35-43
Rv 1: 1-4; 2: 1-5 / Ps 1: 1-4 and 6

‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He replied, ‘Lord, I want to see.’
(Luke 18:41)

Cry to Jesus in our darkness,
He will lead us back to the light;
Our sins keep us blind & helpless,
But His Word will restore our sight.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, I want to see.” Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:35-43)

Reflection

God is our last recourse, our final healing, the Ultimate Solution. But our chances of being freed from our affliction or guaranteed of our soul’s salvation can pass us by if we do not take the initiative, or if we entertain any doubts about God’s loving mercy. We have to stand up and proclaim our faith, like that blind man of Jericho, who patiently waited for our Lord to come by his way, and would not be silenced by the crowd which despised him for his “sin”. He cried out all the more loudly for Jesus to help him.

God rescues us from our tribulations, especially from the darkness of sin. But He has given us free will — the right to choose. He desires our full attention before responding to our call. Jesus asks us, “What do you want me to do for you?” And like the blind man of Jericho, we should answer, “Lord, please let me see.”

Yes, more than physical healing, we need to be able to see thru the darkness of our sins — our selfishness and pride, our addictions to the traps and trappings of Satan’s kingdom, and our lack of faith. But really, all we have to do is ask, and as surely as the break of day, Jesus will lead us to the light.

As we enter the season of Advent, let us give pause to examine our spiritual vision: does our faith have a 20/20 insight on the significance of preparing for the coming of our Savior? The blind man of Jericho had been preparing himself for the arrival of his Healer, and at the moment of Jesus’ passage, he shouted with all his might for the miracle that he believed was forthcoming. There are many Christians among us who still do not see the importance of Advent, their preparation consisting simply of planning what gifts to buy for their loved ones this Christmas. How about us, who are leading the way? How do we treat the beggars in the streets who seem to grow in number during the Yuletide season? Do we chastise them when they approach us with their crude caroling paraphernalia? Or do we open our gates or car windows, and like Jesus our Lord ask them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Open our eyes, dear God, when we fail to see the message that our Lord Jesus wants to impart to us in His Gospel. Lead us from the darkness of our prejudices to the light of Your love and compassion to understand the true meaning of Advent. Amen.

Luke 18: 1-8
3 Jn 5-8 / Ps 112: 1-6

Will not God then secure the rights of His chosen ones who call out to him day and night?
(Luke 18:7)

If an evil judge could relent
And give justice to a widow’s plea,
With our prayers what can prevent
God’s mercy from coming speedily?

Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18: 1-8)

Reflection

Our Lord told this parable to His disciples to impress upon them the importance of praying without ceasing until one got what he was praying for. The parable was meant to highlight the fact that if a corrupt judge could relent and give in to the persistence of a widow, how much more would God, a loving and compassionate Father hear the prayers of His children. “Will He be slow to answer them? I tell you, God will see to it that justice is done for them speedily”(Lk. 18:7).

God is a God of justice and equity, Who rewards the virtuous and punishes all wrongs. However, unlike the corrupt judge that Jesus cites in His parable, our God is also a God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger, and forgiving of all our failures and selfish intentions.

The corrupt judge only relented and rendered a just decision in favor of the widow out of fear– “lest she finally come and strike me” (Luke 18:5). On the other hand, God will render a just decision for us (or answer our petitions) not because we can bribe or influence Him, but because of His loving mercy.

Our Lord’s prophetic question has an ominous ring to it when we consider the lack of faith that is so pervasive in the world today. The global recession, high unemployment, wars, graft and corruption — the list of the evils that men do have reached such horrifying proportions that it seems our faith is on the losing end of the battle. Are we going to be terrified by these clear and present dangers today? Of course not. All the more reason that we should heed the message in today’s Gospel – that we must pray, and pray continuously!

Most loving and merciful Father, we fervently pray for Your protection in these uncertain times, when the evil that men do threaten the very stability and peace of our family, our church, and the institutions of society. We pray for the power of your grace, dear God, to influence all our leaders in government, especially those in our justice system to be steadfast in the implementation of their duties, and in resisting the temptations and/or coercions of evil men. Let your Holy Spirit shield them, Lord, with Your gifts of prudence, integrity and wisdom. This we pray in the mighty Name of Jesus. AMEN.

Luke 17: 26-37
2 Jn. 4-9 / Ps 119: 1-2, 10, 11, 17-18

It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
(Luke 17:30)

Like the flood in the time of Noah,
Or the fire and brimstone of Sodom,
Unexpected, as in Gomorrha,
The time of Great Reckoning will come.

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” They asked, “Where, Lord?” He replied, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17:26-37)

Reflection

We do not know when or how the end will come, but as our Lord Jesus prophesied, it will definitely happen. We only know (as our Lord here tells us) that it will come unexpectedly, and without any warning. His coming “will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (Lk. 17:24). By then the time to repent will be too late.

The Bible is replete with warnings about the end times when our Lord Jesus will “come upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory… sending out His angels with a trumpet blast to gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Mt.24:30-31). Even the prophets of the Old Testament had visions of this Great Tribulation, as Isaiah prophesied: “Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their guilt … the heavens tremble and the earth shall be shaken from its place, as the wrath of the Lord of Hosts on the day of His burning anger” (Isa 14:11,13); Ezekiel: “I will cover the heavens, and all their stars I will darken; the sun I will cover with clouds, and the moon shall not give its light” (Eze 32:7); and Amos: “On that day, says the Lord God, I will make the sun set at midday and cover the earth with darkness in broad daylight” (Am 8:9). The prophets Daniel and Joel too had visions of the end times (Dan 12:1-3, Joel 2:1-2). Then we also read about the “Great harvest” in the Book of Revelation (Rev.14:14-20).

Why do so many people ignore these dire warnings in the Book of Life? This too is answered by the Word of God in the epistle of St. Peter, who wrote: “In the last days scoffers will come to scoff, living according to their own desires and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? From the time when our ancestors fell asleep, everything has remained as it was from the beginning of creation.” … But do not ignore this one fact, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some regard ‘delay,’ but He is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out” (2 Pet.3:3-4,8-10). And only those who put their faith in this, the Word of God will be saved.

Dear God, as Your Word is the truth in our life, may our Lord Jesus’ fellowship be our main objective, and Your will be our life’s sole directive, so that we may be assured of salvation in the time of the world’s great and final reckoning. Amen.

Luke 17: 20-25
Phlm 7-20 / Ps 146: 7-10

For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in His day).
(Luke 17:24)

Jesus said, ‘Seek first God’s kingdom’,
Make it our goal, constantly in mind.
Let our hope be the day will come
When this greatest treasure we will find.

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, and no one will announce, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is’. For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” Then He said to His disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in His day). But first He must suffer greatly many things and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17: 20-25)

Reflection

As usual the Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus with their question about the coming ‘kingdom’. This was one of the questions asked by Pilate during His interrogation at the former’s palace, where they brought charges against Jesus: “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Lk.23:3) The Pharisees were accusing Him of being a political “messiah”, who was trying to incite the Jews to rebellion to establish His own kingdom. But Jesus did not answer their question directly. Instead, He explained to the Pharisees that they had not understood the real nature of God’s kingdom. It was not something that they could observe arising from some direction or from among the people. The kingdom was already there in their midst. Jesus was simply referring to Himself. He was the embodiment of God’s kingdom on earth.

Then Jesus addressed His disciples: “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. (His Second Coming would not be in their generation.) Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.” When He was no longer with them, false prophets would arise to proclaim their false kingdoms. They should take care not to be deceived. When Jesus comes back, all of His disciples will see Him, as everyone sees lightning flashing in the sky. In the Book of Revelation, it says, “Behold, He is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All the peoples of the earth will lament Him.” (Rev 1:7) But before His glory, Jesus would have to suffer greatly, and true enough, according to His prophecy, His legacy would be rejected by the Jews, but would spread throughout the whole world.

Jesus was/is really God Who became man, because all of His prophecies have been fulfilled. Since the early history of the Church up to the present, false prophets have arisen, claiming to be God’s prophet, or the son of God Himself. One who is based here in Davao City who has more than a million followers has actually “established” his own “kingdom” at the base of a mountain, which has been attracting a great number of people. The Bible never mentioned any other son of God aside from our Lord Jesus Christ, but sadly, many have been deceived.

Father God, we hold on to the truths that our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in the Bible, and to the hope that one day, your power will be manifested in the punishment of the false prophets in our midst who continue to deceive Your children. Amen.

Luke 17: 11-19
Ti 3: 1-7 / Ps 23: 1- 6

Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?
(Luke 17:17)

The reason why the world’s in strife:
We don’t thank God the way we should;
The secret to a happy life
Is a heart full of gratitude.

As Jesus continued His journey to Jerusalem through Samaria and Galilee, ten lepers met Him in a certain village. Standing at a distance from Him, they called out, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when He saw them, He said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. Then one of them, realizing that he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice. He fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17:11-19)

Reflection

Only one healed of leprosy came back to thank Jesus. The other nine were probably so excited about being freed at last from the scourge of leprosy and being healthy and clean once again that they could hardly wait to tell the good news to their family and friends. In their joy and excitement they forgot to stop and thank the Source of their miraculous healing. Thus, their healing was incomplete. They were healed physically, but only one was healed both physically and spiritually. In their lack of gratitude, the other nine lost their chance to gain the greater gift of eternal life.

Only one out of ten people live to the ripe old age of ninety or more. This healthy ten percent of the population are those who most likely possess grateful hearts. Not many people are aware of the power of this grace called gratitude. The reciprocal action of a grateful heart can result in exponential returns.

This is essentially the message that today’s Gospel of Luke imparts. God’s generosity is multiplied in a grateful heart. Many people neglect to thank God once they have received what they are praying for. How would you feel if the person who received your favor never even took the trouble to thank you? If we displease God with our ingratitude, don’t be surprised if our blessings are short-lived.

Then there are those who seem to be in a state of perpetual joy. From the moment they wake up, they praise and thank the Lord for another day, and keep in mind the blessings of the Lord in their lives, even for the little things that most people take for granted. Even for the pains and difficulties, problems and emotional hurts that they receive from others, they still thank the Lord for them, if only because these give them the opportunity to share in the cross of Jesus, and draw them closer to Him. These are the people who are truly blessed. Their wounds heal faster, their lives are happier, and they live longer. Let us learn how to be grateful in everything, for gratitude is the food of our soul, and the vitamin of our faith.

I will bless the Lord at all times; praise shall always be in my mouth. My soul will glory in the Lord that the poor may hear and be glad. Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His Name together (Psa.34:2-4). Thank You, Father God, for healing us of the leprosy of ingratitude. Let our hearts be grateful for all Your blessings all the days of our lives, that we may never tire in serving You through others. Amen.