Bisaya Bloggers

John 20: 24-29 Eph 2: 19-22 / Ps 117: 1- 2 Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. (John 20:29) Those without faith are never sure They’ll realize what they conceive; But they have peace and feel secure Who have not seen and yet believe. Thomas, called Didymus, one [...]

The 49th International Eucharistic Congress is currently being held in Quebec, Canada. The theme of the weeklong (June 15-22) assembly is “The Eucharist, Gift of God for the Life of the World.” The program of activities includes a mix of artistic and religious celebrations, workshops, symposia and catecheses.

The organizers have created a media portal where visitors can follow the Congress live via streaming media. Videos of the liturgical celebrations, homilies, conferences, testimonies and other important events are available for free. A number of documentaries are also included in the list of videos for online viewing. It is best to start with the “Just Added” folder because it contains the latest video resources.

The text of the multilingual Congress theme song can be downloaded in PDF format but you have to visit this page to listen to the audio. You can also listen to a good number of Gregorian chants recorded for the Congress here. The Theological Document prepared for the Congress is available in seven languages and can be downloaded from this page.

John 6: 52-59 Acts 9: 1-20 / Ps 117: 1-2 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. (John 6:53) I live because my life is You, The promised Word God has given; I eat Your flesh, my soul renew, Bread of Life [...]

John 6: 44-51 Acts 8: 26-40 / Ps 66: 8-9, 16-17, 20 I am the bread of life … the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die … If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever … the bread that I will give for the life [...]

John 6: 35-40 Acts 8: 1b-8 / Ps 66: 1-7 I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35) In Jesus we shall not hunger, If in faith we do not resist; God’s love in Him we discover, Receive Him in the Eucharist. Then Jesus [...]

Luke 1: 67-79
2 Sm 7:1-5.8-11.16 / Ps 89:2-5,27,29

He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David.
(Luke 1:69)

Be of good cheer, He is coming,
Christ, the Horn of our salvation!
A peaceful year He is bringing,
The prize for our preparation.

Zechariah prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and brought redemption to His people. He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David His servant, even as He promised through the mouths of His prophets from of old: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers, and to be mindful of His holy covenant, and to the oath He swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that, rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1: 67-79)

Reflection

Right after Zechariah wrote on a tablet “His name is John”, his mouth was opened, and his tongue was freed, and he started to praise God (v.64). For nine months he had been rendered deaf and dumb (v.62) as a result of his lack of faith that he and his wife, now well beyond bearing age would be the parents of John the Baptist, as the Angel Gabriel had declared. But Zechariah’s 9-month “incarceration” in a prison of silence served a greater purpose: to be able to meditate deeply on Scriptures, and then filled with the Holy Spirit, to proclaim the beautiful canticle that has become our Gospel for today for our reflection on the eve of our Savior’s birthday.

Today, many of us have finally ended the nine-day novena of waking up very early in the morning to attend the Misa de Gallo. This novena has been quite a big sacrifice for most of us, considering the holiday night-outs that we had to forego in order to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior. But this sacrifice was nothing if we compare it to the 9-month period that Zechariah had to endure, living in total silence to fully comprehend God’s plan of salvation and his son’s participation in it.

Just as Zechariah’s long period of silence was a prelude to a great event, it is hoped that our novena of going to the Lord’s Eucharistic celebration before dawn for nine consecutive days would also be the perfect preparation for the coming of the “Horn of our salvation,” Jesus Christ. He is the “daybreak from on high” Who is now living in our hearts, so that we too may “shine on those who sit in darkness” and be guided in the path of peace. May His peace reign in our land now and in the coming year!

We thank You, Father God, for the hope of salvation that we have acquired through Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, Whose coming we greatly anticipate and celebrate. Grant us Your grace to be worthy to welcome Him into our hearts. Amen.

Luke 17: 20-25 Wis 7:22–8:1 / Ps 119 The kingdom of God is not like something you can observe and say of it: ‘Look, here it is! There it is!’ See, the kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:20-21) God will transform our state of mind If we seek His will and wisdom; Then in our hearts one day we’ll [...]

Luke 5: 33-39 Col 1:15-20/Ps 100:1-5 No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed as well. (Luke 5:37) Nothing will last, but in its place, The old will be replaced with the new; Leave the comfort of tested ways, And choose the path taken by [...]

Luke 4: 31-37 1 Thes 5:1-6.9-11/Ps 27:1,4,13-14 What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out! (Luke 4:36) If we follow Jesus our Lord, We’ll have no fear of plague or sword; As God’s children we’re all assured Of the protection of His Word. Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and [...]

John 1: 45-51 Rv 21:9-14/Ps 145:10-13,17-18 Before Philip called you I saw you under the fig tree. (John 1:48) Like Nathaniel we sometimes doubt, We don’t believe until we see... God touched our hearts we soon found out Sin kept us bound, Christ set us free. When Philip became a follower of Jesus, he went to his friend Nathaniel, and told him, “We [...]