REFLECTIONS TODAY
I heard from a father how he trained his daughter to trust him when she was young. He would put the little child atop the tall refrigerator and tell her to jump. She hesitated at first, but her father coaxed her to push through.
The father caught her every time, and after a few more tries, she was more thrilled than ever to jump from the ref. The surety that her father would catch her gave her the confidence that made her put all her trust in the Father in heaven.
There are many trying times that we experience in this life, among them, the times of need and want when it seems that we have no one to turn to, except the Lord.
Are not these the moments when we are being trained to put our trust in him?
He will surely provide, for he knows how to give exactly what we need and what will really help us.
First Reading • Gal 3:1-5
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain? — if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?
Responsorial Psalm • Luke 1
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.”
Gospel • Luke 11:5-13
Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.