Daily Gospel (2738)
April 13, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 11:45-56
Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what he did; but some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called together the Council.They said, “What are we to do? For this man keeps on performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, all the people will believe in him and, as a result of this, the Romans will come and destroy our Holy Place and our nation.”Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! It is better to have one man die for the people than to let the whole nation be destroyed.”In saying this Caiaphas did not speak for himself, but being High Priest that year, he foretold like
April 12, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 10:31-42
The Jews then picked up stones to throw at him; so Jesus said, “I have openly done many good works among you, which the Father gave me to do. For which of these do you stone me?”The Jews answered, “We are not stoning you for doing a good work, but for insulting God; you are only a man, and you make yourself God.”Then Jesus replied, “Is this not written in your law: I said, you are gods? So those who received this word of God were called gods, and the Scripture is always true. What then should be said of the one anointed, and sent into the world, by the Father? Am I insulting God when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’?If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you have no faith in me, believe because of
April 11, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 8:51-59
Truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death.” The Jews replied, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets as well, but you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never experience death.’ Who do you claim to be? Do you claim to be greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets who also died?” Then Jesus said, “If I were to praise myself, it would count for nothing. But he who gives glory to me is the Father, the very one you claim as your God, although you don’t know him. I know him, and if I were to say that I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I know him and I keep his word.As for Abraham, your ancestor, he looked forward to the day when I would come; and he
April 10, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 8:31-42
Jesus went on to say to the Jews who believed in him, “You will be my true disciples, if you keep my word. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are the descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean by saying: You will be free?”Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave. But the slave doesn’t stay in the house forever; the son stays forever. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free.I know that you are the descendants of Abraham; yet you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you. For my part, I speak of what I have seen in my Father’s presence, but you do what you have learned from your father.”They answered
April 09, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 8:21-30
Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and though you look for me, you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” The Jews wondered, “Why does he say that we can’t come where he is going? Will he kill himself?”But Jesus said, “You are from below and I am from above; you are of this world and I am not of this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you shall die in your sins, unless you believe that I am He.”They asked him, “Who are you?”; and Jesus said, “Just what I have told you from the beginning. I have much to
April 08, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 8:12-20
Jesus spoke to them again, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light and life.” The Pharisees replied, “Now you are speaking on your own behalf, your testimony is worthless.”Then Jesus said, “Even though I bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.You judge by human standards; as for me, I don’t judge anyone. But if I had to judge, my judgment would be valid for I am not alone: the Father who sent me is with me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid; so I am bearing witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.”They asked him, “Where is your Father?”
April 07, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 8:1-11
As for Jesus, he went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak Jesus appeared in the temple again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. Then the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone. “Master,” they said, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now the law of Moses orders that such women be stoned to death; but you, what do you say?” They said this to test Jesus, in order to have some charge against him.Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. And as they continued to ask him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who has no sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And he bent down, again, writing on the ground.As a result of these words, they went away, one by one, starting with the elders, and Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing before him. Then Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go away and don’t sin again.”
Lectio Divina
READ: A woman who was caught committing adultery was brought to Jesus. Isaiah calls the people not to lose heart but to anticipate God‘s promise of redemption. Paul kept his eye on the goal, which is “to gain trust.
”REFLECT: The teacher of the law and the Pharisees were never interested to learn a lesson from Jesus. Their question was simply “to test“ Jesus, so they could have an argument against him. Instead Jesus asked them to scrutinize themselves “ if no one among them has no sin“. In the end, the woman was left alone standing before Jesus. he did not condemn her, but gave her freedom form sin.
PRAY: Ask the Lord to maintain his presence in your heart. You pray and receive Holy Communion regularly and listen to the Word of God.
ACT: Consciously behave like a renewed person who lives in freedom from sin and gives love to others.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
April 06, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 7:40-53
Many who had been listening to these words began to say, “This is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some wondered, “Would the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn’t Scripture say that the Christ is a descendant of David and from Bethlehem, the city of David?” The crowd was divided over him. Some wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.The officers of the temple went back to the chief priests, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man.” The Pharisees then said, “So you, too, have been led astray! Have any of the rulers or any of the Pharisees believed in him? Only these cursed people, who have no knowledge of the law!” Yet one of them, Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier, spoke out, “Does our law condemn people without first hearing them and knowing the facts?” They replied, “Do you, too, come from Galilee? Look it up and see for yourself that no prophet is to come from Galilee.” And they all went home.
Reflections
“No one ever spoke like this man.”Jesus catches the attention of each one in the Temple. They do not know how to handle him. To those who believe he is a prophet, he must be treated as such. They should be careful what to do with him. Otherwise, they will be condemning an innocent man.To those who know their little faith in him argue that he cannot be a prophet because he is a Galilean, though he can do wonderful things.To those who do not give him an inch, even a benefit of the doubt, like the elders and Sadducees, he must be arrested and eliminated. Such person should not be allowed to disturb their peace and the status quo.Jesus can be a source of controversy. Until now, we have different views of Jesus. It depends on where we are coming from. Catholics can avoid being embroiled in useless debates if they study their faith, the scriptures and truly have a sense of belongingness to the Church. We get Jesus wrong if one of these elements is absent. We can do harm to our faith and to others when we just say anything about Jesus without knowing his context.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
April 05, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
After this, Jesus went around Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews wanted to kill him. Now the Jewish feast of the Tents was at hand.But after his brothers had gone to the festival, he also went up, not publicly but in secret.Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this not the man they want to kill? And here he is speaking freely, and they don’t say a word to him? Can it be, that the rulers know that this is really the Christ? Yet we know where this man comes from; but when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.”So Jesus announced in a loud voice in the temple court where he was teaching, “You say that you know me and know where I come from! I have not come of myself; I was sent by the One who is true, and you don’t
April 04, 2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
Gospel: John 5:31-47*
If I bore witness to myself, my testimony would be worthless. But Another One is bearing witness to me, and I know that his testimony is true when he bears witness to me. John also bore witness to the truth when you sent messengers to him, but I do not seek such human testimony; I recall this for you, so that you may be saved.John was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were willing to enjoy his light. But I have greater evidence than that of John—the works which the Father entrusted to me to carry out. The very works I do bear witness: the Father has sent me. Thus he who bears witness to me is the Father who sent me. You have never heard his voice and have never seen his likeness; therefore, as long as you do not believe his messenger, his word is not in you. You search in the Scriptures, thinking that in them you will find life; yet Scripture bears witness to me. But you refuse to come to me, that you may live. I am not seeking human
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April 03,2019
Written by Jason Gil Serrano
April 02, 2019
Written by Jason Gil SerranoGospel: John 5:1-16*Gospel: John 5:1-16*
After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, there is a pool (called Bethzatha in Hebrew) surrounded by five galleries. In these galleries lay a multitude of sick people: blind, lame and paralyzed. (…) There was a man who had been sick for thirtyeight years. Jesus saw him, and because he knew how long this man had been lying there, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?“ And the sick man answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; so while I am still on my way, another steps down before me.“Jesus then said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk!“ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his mat and walked.Now
April 1, 2019
Written by Charmaine
Gospel: John 4:43-54 -
When the two days were over, Jesus left for Galilee. Jesus himself said that no prophet is recognized in his own country. Yet the Galileans welcomed him when he arrived, because of all the things which he had done in Jerusalem during the Festival, and which they had seen. For they, too, had gone to the feast.
March 31, 2019
Written by CharmaineGospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 -
Meanwhile tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what he had to say. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law frowned at this, muttering, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them this parable:
Jesus continued, “There was a man with two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Give me my share of the estate.’ So the father divided his property between them.
