Pag-ibig sa Diyos Catholic Community

HOUSEHOLD REFLECTION GUIDE FOR SEPTEMBER 2018

Theme for 2018: Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit

September Theme: “Remain Faithful to the Lord with all Your Heart”

REFLECTION ON SEPTEMBER THEME

“When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them
all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” Acts 11:23 NIV
“Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Rev 2:10 NABRE

Central Message:
God is faithful to His people, and He expects us to be faithful to Him and to one another.

Points to Consider:
1. Next to love, Faithfulness (Greek- pistis, Lat- fides, Pil- katapatan) is the most important
ingredient of a strong, joyful relationship. To be faithful means to be consistently loyal and
to keep one’s word. Katapatan is also described as the virtue of trustworthiness or
dependability (W. Barclay). Another word for it is fidelity.

2. The world has its version of faithfulness but more often, it is selfish, inconstant and
exclusive, ie, limited to the people who benefit us. An example is fidelity in marriage. God,
whose faithfulness is closely related to His love (“Your constant love reaches the heavens;
Your faithfulness touches the skies.” Ps 57:10), calls us to a deeper faithfulness which is
founded on Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 1:9)
3. God wants us to trust Him completely in good and bad times, to be loyal to Him and His
teachings, and to be consistent in our faithfulness. Why should we do this? - as our response
to God’s faithfulness to us. He is reliable and trustworthy toward His children. He does not
allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear and He protects us from the evil
one. “The Lord’s acts of mercy are not used up, His compassion is not spent; They are
renewed each morning—great is your faithfulness!” Lam 3:22-23

4. We practice our fidelity to God by following His will, by being a faithful steward, by our
diligent service, and most especially, by being faithful in all our relationships – with our
spouse and family, the Church and our community, co-workers/business associates, friends,
and our nation. Faithfulness to God, like our love, is shown in our faithfulness to each other.

5 Once we repent and enter into a personal relationship with the Lord, there is no turning
back – ever! We promised this at our LSS. Sadly, we have broken this promise - we have been
unfaithful at times. How can we then remain faithful to God? We need to rely on the Holy
Spirit for He is the only One who can empower us to persevere. Then, we actively practice
our decision to make God first in our life. And we work hard to nurture and appreciate our
human relationships. What if after doing all these we fail again? Then we try and try again.
Let us be inspired by God’s promise: “Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the
crown of life.” Rev 2:10
Reflection Questions:
1. I will reflect on God’s faithfulness to me during crises in my life. Have I been as faithful
to Him? Do I need to repent of any recent failures?
2. Please list what you consider your crucial human relationships (ref Par 4 above). Have
you been faithful in these relationships? Please mark those you feel you can improve on.
3. What can I do to nurture these relationships further? How can the community help me?

Prayer: “O God of love and faithfulness, help me to remain faithful to You. Inspire me so I can
relish my relationships, especially with my spouse and children. Thank you, Lord, for Your
love and faithfulness. I love You too. Amen.”

WEEKLY REFLECTION GUIDE.

Week 1 - September 2 (22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Dt 4:1-8/Jas 1:17-18,21-22,27/ Mk 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 – Jesus corrects the pharisees’

practice of the law.
Central Message: The essence of “pure and blameless religion” is love, and giving it to the poor
and the anawim.
Points to Consider:
1. Jesus makes it clear no law is good if it is not based on love. The pharisees’ emphasis on
rituals like washing one’s hands before eating is mere lip-service since their hearts are far
from God.
2. The Lord also explains we fall into sin when we yield to temptation and keep evil thoughts
and desires in our heart, which lead to wrongdoing.
3. Our hearts are with God when we live His word by resisting evil and doing works of mercy
especially for the poor.
Reflection Questions:
1. How have I lived my faith – from my heart like Jesus or from my lips like the pharisees? How
does this make me feel?
2. What usually happens when I entertain resentments, anger, lust, and other negative feelings
in my heart? What does this teach me?

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, teach me to be like You – to choose to understand and love people instead of
judging them by their words and actions.”

Week 2 - September 9 (23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Is 35:4-7/ Jas 2:1-5/ Mk 7:31-37 – Jesus heals the deaf-mute man.
Central Message: God calls us to be healers and ‘carers’ of all people, but especially those who
have less in this life.

THIS WEEK WE WILL ALL REFLECT AND SHARE ON THE MONTHLY THEME
INSTEAD OF THE SUNDAY GOSPEL.
Week 3 - September 16 (24th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Is 50:5-9/ Jas 2:14-18/ Mk 8:27-35 – Jesus reveals He is the Messiah.

Central Message: Whoever wants to follow Christ hasds to deny his will and selfish ways, and
wholeheartedly obey God’s will.

Points to Consider:
1. Jesus began His revelation of God’s redemption plan by asking the disciples, “Who do you
say I am?” Peter gave the right answer, "You are the Messiah", but his subsequent protest
against the coming Passion showed he did not understand what it meant.
2. Our answer to the same question – Who do you say Jesus is? - defines not only our
relationship with the Lord but also who we are as individuals. We can be like Peter, so eager
but not realizing the cost of discipleship.
3. Or we can be a committed follower of Jesus (Pag-ibig Vision), understanding and willing to
accept the tough conditions of discipleship He laid down at the end of this gospel reading.

Reflection Questions:
1. Who is Jesus to me? Who do I want to be to Jesus?
2. What am I willing to commit to the Lord?

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, you gave everything to the will of the Father, even your life. Help me to follow
in Your footsteps. Amen”

Week 4 - September 23 (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Wis 2:12,17-20 / Jas 3:16- 4:3/ Mk 9:30-37 - The greatest in the kingdom.
Central Message: Jesus came to the world to be the servant of all. True greatness can only be
found in serving others especially those in need.
Points to Consider:
1. Jesus’ idea of greatness clashes completely with that of the world, which teaches that to be
great, a person has to have wealth, power, knowledge, etc. Instead He equates greatness
with service or going down instead of up in status. The Beatitudes say “blessed are the poor
in spirit, the meek…”
2. This means we have to detach ourselves from the trappings of the world so we can be free
to use God’s blessings to serve Him and other people. For example, a rich person can
provide jobs, price his goods and services reasonably and share his earnings with the
community, instead of keeping these only for himself and his family. Likewise, those with
talents can use them in the service of the poor.
3. The little child is a symbol for people who are poor and lowly (the anawim). The Lord wants
us to care especially for those who are deprived not only of material resources but of
dignity, human rights, and knowledge of God.

Reflection Questions:
1. Do I want to be great? How have I pursued greatness? Is this in accord with the Lord’s
teaching?
2. Have I grown in humility and trust in the Lord? How can the community help me?
3. Does my life give glory to God or do I tend to glorify myself?

Prayer: “O God, change me so I may have the humility to accept that all I have and all I am come
from You, and the courage to serve selflessly like Jesus. Amen”
Week 5 - September 30 (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Readings: Num 11:25-29/ Jas 5:1-6/ Mk 9:38-48 – Whoever is not against us is for us.
Central Message: God wants us to be open to all people and not build walls and fences
between us.

Points to Consider:
1. There is a great temptation in society and even in the Church to adopt a “tayo-tayo, sila-sila”
mentality just like Joshua and John in the 1st and 3rd readings. This attitude has created great
divisions and even enmity among races, among religions, even among Christians.
2. But God’s plan is for all to be one under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:10). Hence, we
need to learn to be inclusive, to be open to all kinds of people regardless of background,
belief, status. We need to look at people with the eyes of Jesus and desire for them the good
that we want for ourselves. We need to stop being tribal. Perhaps this is one meaning of the
“hand, foot, eye that cause one to sin” v 43-46.
3. This choice is as difficult as cutting off the erring hand, foot, eye but do-able when we allow
the grace of God to work in us, that is, when we grow in the fruit of the Spirit, especially
Love!

Reflection Questions:
1. Am I open to all kinds of people in my life, in community? If not, why not? What can I do
to be more inclusive?
2. Is our community an inclusive community or do we practice “tayo-tayo, sila-sila” among
ourselves? What can we do to be more united?

Prayer: “Holy Spirit, soften my heart and teach me to love all people as God does, and treat them
all with respect and compassion. Amen”

MAY OUR REFLECTIONS ON GOD’S WORD MAKE US TRULY FAITHFUL TO HIM!