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Living Water– January 20, 2017 1
January 20, 2017
BUKÁS-LOÓB SA DIYÓS • OPEN IN SPIRIT TO GOD
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THEME
We experience God’s presence when we re-
spond joyfully to the call of Jesus.
WORD
Is 9:1-4/ Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14/ 1Cor 1:10-13, 17-18/ Mt
4:12-23
ORDER
“Be strong, take courage.” (Ps. 27:14) DIRECTION
Live in the house of the Lord. Believe and see the goodness of
the
Lord. REFLECTION
The prophet Isaiah announces in the first read-
ing that the time of darkness is at an end, re-
placed with a time of great joy. He says “The
Lord spoke to me and said – there will be no
gloom for those who were in anguish. In the
former time the Lord brought into contempt the
land of Zebulun and Naphtali, but in the latter
time he will make glorious the way of the sea,
the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the na-
tions”. This is the essence of Jesus’ ministry: A
light has come, the light of life that would result
to the people being filled with joy (Is. 9:3). That
joy and hope was proclaimed by the Psalmist “I
believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).
In the second reading, Paul addresses the prob-
lem of competition and division happening in
the church at Corinth. The church members had
seen the light of God, yet factions occurred.
Some became followers of one leader, some of
another, as though Christ was divided among
them. This was the reason for the appeal of Paul
to the Corinthians to be in agreement...see P.2
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
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“Be strong, take courage.” (Ps. 27:14)
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2 Living Water - January 15, 2016222
Living Water - January 20, 2017 BLD TORONTO MID-YEAR RETREAT
(Cont’d from P.1) ...(1Cor. 1:10), and be united in the same
mind
and the same purpose. Paul’s message applies
at the present time as they were for the Corin-
thians of his time, as divisions are sometimes
happening even among us in Community. Fac-
tions or disagreement disrupt the smooth flow
of community work and therefore should be
avoided. We have to reconcile our differences
quickly in order to remove any obstacles in ful-
filling our goals, especially in the mission work
outside of our Community. As our theme for
this week says “We experience God’s presence
when we respond joyfully to the call of Jesus.”.
The Gospel reading shows us the beginning of
Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (Matt 4:15), which
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. A light has
come, the light of life which brings joy to all
believers. While the light of life is a free gift
from the Lord, we have to claim it by reforming
our lives as we turn away from sin. People
were drawn to Jesus from all walks of life to see
him perform wonders and heal the sick. Jesus
called his disciples to follow him. They gave up
whatever they were doing and just followed
Jesus without even asking why he wanted them
to join him. His apostles included fishermen
who had no education at all, and a tax collector.
Despite their diverse backgrounds, Jesus called
them so that they could be trained by him and
later sent out to preach the gospel.
Jesus called the twelve apostles and indeed,
they changed the course of history and Christi-
anity. Through faith and baptism, we too have
been called to be disciples of Jesus entrusted
with the task of bringing about the kingdom of
God by preaching the good news and by fish-
ing for people to respond in repentance and
faith. He has given us the responsibility to fish
for others so that they too will be saved when
his kingdom comes in power and glory. We are
commissioned to go forth and be a model of
God’s presence in the world for others to see.
We have nothing to fear for the Holy Spirit will
empower us in the tasks ahead “The Lord is
my light and my salvation; whom shall I
fear” (Psalm 27:1) .
PROMISE
“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Matt.
4:19
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Living Water– January 20, 2017 3
During those times when life gets a little insane and
overwhelming, it has become a habit for us to go to a quiet place,
collect our thoughts and dialogue with our Lord. And in those brief
moments of solitude and prayer, its amazing how grace finds us ---
grace that presents itself not as something we deserve and have
earned, but as a gift we simply accept. This is how the poet
Wendell Berry chanced upon it:
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night
at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and
lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, where the great heron feeds. I
come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come
into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their
light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. —“The Peace of
Wild Things” Wendell Berry
SEEKING GRACE
LOVE NEVER ENDS
For Gie and Beth and Bing and Emma, marriage means
choosing to let their love grow as they age through life. It
is
caring about each other -- picking up from work, doing the
laundry, taking out the garbage, cooking dinner, tending to
sickness – sacrificing for one another in myriad little
ways,
day in and day out.
That’s the wonder of love! It’s so unfathomably arduous
and yet, so miraculously beautiful….and endless.
Happy 40th
Anniversary,
Gie and Beth!!
Happy 42nd
Anniversary,
Bing and Emma!!
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Living Water - January 20, 2017
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Youth Life in the Spirit Seminar # 18 Registration for YLSS# 18
is on-going and is open to all youth who are turning 14
this year, including those who have not taken YE. Please contact
Froilan/Charito
Piamonte at [email protected] or speak to any YM members for
registration
and for more information.
YLSS # 18 Shepherding Schedule January 20, 27 – Registration
/Orientation February 10 – Salubong/Welcome February 17 – God’s
Love February 24 – Salvation March 10 – New Life/Receiving God’s
Gifts
March 17— One on One March 24 – Invocation Mass March 19-20 –
YLSS 18 Weekend (St. Martin Secondary School, Mississauga) March 31
– Growth/Transformation
YOUTH MINISTRY
KORNER
On behalf of our Family Encounter Class No. 18, we would like to
thank all of you who have made the 2016 BLD Advent Celebration a
joyful and memorable event. To those who have contributed gifts for
our door prizes and gifts from Santa, thank you for your generous
hearts. To those who have performed... thank you for sharing your
God given talent of music and rhythm. To our caterers who have
pre-pared the sumptuous food and to the servers who have helped us,
we thank you for your sacrifice. To all who assisted, God bless you
for your labor of love. We apologize if we did not meet your
expectations or if we did not provide enough for your enjoyment or
comfort. Thank you and God bless, The Jacintos
