15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B, Year II)
Readings:
- Amos 7:12-15
- Psalm 85: 9-14
- Ephesians 1: 3-10
- Mark 6: 7-13
Community Word: Our faith in the Good Shepherd gives power to our community.
Theme: We demonstrate faith in the Good Shepherd when we respond to His call with enthusiasm.
Promise: “Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.” (Ps 85:10)
Reflection:
If you are reading this reflection now, you must be one of those chosen by God and called by Him to go and proclaim the Good News to the world. We, of the Bukas Loob Sa Diyos Covenant Community, “born again” through the Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS), are called. It was not our doing that brought us to this community but rather, it was Jesus Christ Himself who chose us, through this community, to continue His mission on earth. “It was not you who chose me but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” (John 15:16a). In the midst of our busy-ness with community activities, it is good to pause and ask ourselves: “How am I responding to my calling to “make disciples of all the nations…” (Mat 28:19)?” Am I making significant progress with joy in my heart, as I go about serving the Lord, St. Paul in his counsel to Timothy exhorted him: “Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them so that your progress may be evident to everyone,” (1 Tim: 15).
Our readings remind us of our calling to be “Fishers of men.” This is our theme for this week: “We demonstrate faith in the Good Shepherd when we respond to His call with enthusiasm.” Are we eager, passionate and enthusiastic about our tasks, as we go about gathering the lost sheep of Jesus? The ECSL has been doing the rounds of BLD Districts conducting Revival Conferences with the aim of rekindling the fire of the Spirit in the hearts of BLD members to empower them, through grace, to face the challenges facing the world today. FIRE symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit’s actions as demonstrated on Pentecost Sunday. Throughout these weekend conferences, the hearts of participants are being rekindled to set our community on F.I.R.E. again – F ruitful, I nspired, R enewed, and E mpowered.
Thus far, ten (10) BLD Districts have been set on FIRE at the “BLD On FIRE Revival Conference” including Zamboanga, Dumaguete, Pagadian, San Pablo North and South, Davao, Lucena, Jaro, Cagayan de Oro and the most recent being the Manila District.
Fruitful – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23). We bear fruit through the exercise of the spiritual gifts or charism of the Holy Spirit and there is no power that can stand against any person in whom the fruit of the Holy Spirit is present.
Inspired – We are inspired through constant prayer, faithfulness to the Word of God and frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist.
Renewed – With this new spirit in us, we are being commanded “not to conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom 12:2a) We all must come to an understanding and appreciation that our old nature is gone and we have become new (2 Cor 5:17; Exek 11:19) when we accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
Empowered – “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you,” (Lk 10:19). We must be empowered, not by our own human efforts, but by the Grace of God to do ordinary things extraordinarily well and to move us to work in the mission fields.
“BLD on F.I.R.E.” was initiated by our Global Community Spiritual Director, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo, in pursuit of the new BLD Vision and Mission. The revival conference is conducted by the Executive Council of Servant Leaders (ECSL) as a 2-day weekend of prayer, faith practicum, worship and testimony of one’s new life through talks and workshops. “You yourselves will not be the speakers; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you” (Mt 10:20). It is just one way by which BLD members are empowered to respond to their calling with enthusiasm. Only then can we claim our promise for the week, “Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.” (Ps 85:10)
Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for calling me among so many others to be one of Your chosen ones to go and build Your kingdom. You called me to share the new life You have given me and be a witness to others. I know Lord that the “harvest is abundant but laborers are few” (Mat 9:37), and You need me to work in Your vineyard. You have bestowed upon me so many gifts and it is Your desire for me to share these gifts for the common good. On my own I am unworthy and helpless but You have said that Your grace is sufficient for me and it is in weakness that power reaches perfection. I humbly offer myself to You now with joy and enthusiasm in my heart. I want to respond to Your call and reach out to others. Here I am Lord, use me as You please, in Jesus mighty name I pray. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1. What two or three actions can you take to demonstrate renewed enthusiasm as a worker in the Lord’s vineyard?
2. Are you willing to expand your personal mission fields to show the Lord your desire to spread the Good News to others? What do you have in mind?
Next Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
July 16, 2012 (Mon) Is 1:10-17/ Ps 50:8,9,16,17,21,23/ Mt 10:34-11:1
July 17 2012 (Tue) Is 7:1-9/ Ps 48:2-8/ Mt 11:20-24
July 18, 2012 (Wed) Is 10:5-7,13-16/Ps 94:5-10, 14,15/ Mt 11:25-27
July 19, 2012 (Thu) Is 26:7-9,11,16-19/ Ps 102:13-21/ Mt 11:28-30
July 20, 2012 (Fri) Is 38:1-6, 21,22, 7-8/ Is 38:10-12,16/ Mt 12:1-8
July 21, 2012 (Sat) Mt 2:1-5/ Ps 10:1-4,7,8,14/ Mt 12:14-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
