Reflections for the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Part II)
Daily Gospel Reflections for the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
May 25 to June 2, 2005
Part II: Week 2: May 30 - June 2, 2005
May 30, 2005 Monday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time (Year I) - Green
First Reading: Tobit 1:3; 2:1a-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 112: "Blessed the man who fears the Lord."
Gospel: Mark 12:1-12
"A man planted a vineyard…he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey."
The image of the vineyard is symbolical to the vineyard of the Lord, the Church. In a vineyard, work is done effectively and efficiently to produce a fruitful harvest. This is same to the Church. The People of God need to be taught the Good News of Christ and live it in order to ensue the effectivity of its produce.
Now as integration to our gospel passage, the owner of the land leased them to tenants who will use them. When he sent his servants, the tenants maltreat or kill them. Like the tenants, Jesus says, the religious leaders have the task to care for God’s people, to bring them closer to God and make them yield a fruitful harvest of justice and peace. but they fail miserably. Thus, the vineyard will be given to others.
Follow-up Question
What portion of the Lord’s vineyard has been entrusted to you? Are you giving back to the Lord the harvest he expects from you?*
*cf. 365 Days with the Lord 2001, Society of St. Pauls.
May 31, 2005 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast (Year I) - White/Blue
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a or Romans 12:9-16
Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12
"Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel"
Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant."
Humility is the virtue of Mary that no other girl in history ever had. From the annunciation, Mary accepted humbly the task of being the Mother of God. During the infancy and childhood years of Christ, Mary humbly raised Jesus to be in spirit and stature. During her Son’s ministry, she was humbly following him wherever he goes. During his Passion, Mary humbly accepted the fact that her very own Son has to die on the cross. At his death, Mary humbly cleansed the dead remains of Christ as a sign of her great love for her Son. At the resurrection, Mary humbly rejoiced that her Son triumphed over death. Therefore, Mary is the perfect model of humility and this is why she was chosen to be the mother of our Lord.
In our gospel, Mary humbly visited her cousin, Elizabeth, who was miraculously with child in spite of her sterility. Mary humbly accompanied Elizabeth through the hardships of pregnancy until the birth of "the precursor to the Savior of the world." This humility is greatly seen in Mary’s Magnificat, praising God for all his works and humbly accepting the challenge and help of God our Lord.
This feast is a fitting ending to our Flores de Mayo. We give thanks to God for giving us Mary as our model of humility. We stand with Mary, hoping that God will grant every humble prayer through her intercession, at the threshold of our Christian calling. May the flowers we offer to Mary be a sign of our warm affection of her great humility she showed all throughout her life and after her life on earth, being our Co-mediatrix to the Father. Amen.
June 1, 2005 Memorial of St. Justin, martyr (Year I) - Red
First Reading: Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25: "To you, O Lord, I lift my soul."
Gospel: Mark 12:18-27
"He is not God of the dead but of the living."
God is the God of Life. God sustains our daily lives. He provides us with instruments that we can use in order to survive the challenges we face in our life. God gives life to our lives when our lives are dim and in the verge of darkness. Therefore, God is the God of Life not of the dead.
To quote: "Our hope in the resurrection rests on the power of the living god revealed in Christ Jesus. As 2 Timothy declares, ‘Christ Jesus…destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.’" (Par 2, p. 494, Vatican II Daily Missal). Amidst the challenges of today, we still believe in the belief of the resurrection of the dead. We must proclaim this, knowing in whom we have trusted.
June 2, 2005 Thursday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time (Year I) - Green
First Reading: Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128: "Blessed are those who fear the Lord."
Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
"…To love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
On the last day of our liturgical novena, the Lord Jesus teaches us to be loving. Loving God is the greatest of all laws. But loving our neighbor as we do love oursleves is greatest than offering sacrifices, as the hypocrites do. This immense teaching is the foundation of the Church law: LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL AND; LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR JUST AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF. There is no commandment greater than this. Walang silbi ang sakripisyo mo kung hindi ka nagmamahal. You did not even sacrifice when you do not know love. Therefore, make it a point to do the following things:
1. Know what LOVE is and people will learn how to LOVE.
2. Learn how to LOVE and you will be LOVED.
3. LOVE everyone, no matter who he is or what he is.
This is true: when you love the least of our brothers, we had the greater love for God.
Follow-up Question
Have you loved somebody? What did it feel like? Therefore, if you have loved the least of your brothers, then you have loved God the more. Now, do you feel God’s warm embrace?
Liturgical Notes:
1. The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is June 3. It is a first Friday. It is, however, a non-obligatory feastday. Liturgical color is WHITE (maybe that of festive color).
2. On the solemnity itself, in any church, public and semipublic oratory, the Prayer of Reparation should be read and the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus should be sung or recited before the Blessed sacrament exposed.
3. It is good that the image of the Sacred Heart be enthroned at an altar, adorned with flowers and candles.
