Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Jude Thaddeus, Naga City | v.4, n.1 | issn 2599-5030 | 6 to 12 January 2019
giya sa prayer meeting
THREE STARS OR THREE KINGS?
T
he shepherds learned of the birth of Jesus through the angels or direct revelation from God. The three kings needed a star to find their way to Jesus. The star did not have all the information they needed. It required them to ask the people of Israel about the exact location where Jesus could be found. bundle of baby things to show that it was Some high school students wrote a the little ones, the babies, who brought a Christmas play which they intended to new meaning into my life. I feel that by stage. In the afternoon, before the play’s working and helping in their little world I performance, the students suddenly am bettering the whole family of mankind.” realized that they had forgotten all The third king was a young teenager. All about the three kings in the story. he brought along was a blank The director of the play came up SUNDAY with a solution. He would phone REFLECTION piece of paper. He laid it before the Infant Jesus in the crib and three people at random and ask explained: “My hands are empty; I have them if they would stand in for nothing to give. In my heart I long for the three kings. All they had to do was success and a meaning for my life. I lay this this: bring along some gift which was empty sheet of paper before you, Child in especially meaningful to them and then the crib and ask you to bring me an answer explain in their own words why they had to some of my problems. I feel empty on the chosen that gift. inside but my heart is open and receptive.” The first of the three kings was a Rarely will angels appear in our fifty-year-old father of five. He brought midnight sky. Most of us would have stars along a pair of crutches and explained: “Some years ago I was in a head-on collision to follow and they are not moving across on the highway. I spent many months in the the heavens. Our stars are people and places and things that show us the way, hospital with broken bones. No one was that inspire us, that attract us. Sometimes sure that I would ever walk again. But I a good example can be a star. It pulls us tried and tried and used these crutches for and draws us. A good idea can be a star. weeks. During that time my whole attitude Perhaps we get it from something we hear changed. I became happy and grateful for or read in the social media account of our every little daily success. I learned to take friends. Sometimes sickness and pain can nothing for granted. I bring these crutches be a star. It makes us useless for a while as a symbol of my personal thanks to God.” and gives us time to think. Yes, we are all The second of the three kings was really seekers of Jesus but may we not forget that a queen, a mother of two children. She brought along a bundle of diapers and baby we too are also sought by God. 4 fr. francis a. tordilla clothes. She explained: “I bring along this
lukas 3:15-16,21-22 Bunyag ni Jesus, Taon C
“N
agbubunyag ako saindo sa tubig; alagad maabot na an urog sako kakusog...” Dawa dakul an naghahangà ki Juan huli kan saiyang mga propesiya, tatao syang magtago sa headlines tanganing si Jesus an saindang LECTIO mamidbiran na Mesias. DIVINA May tulo syang paliwanag sa mga tawo. Enot, dai ngani sya maninigo na magin uripon na naghuhubad kan Saiyang sandalyas. Ikaduwa, an bunyag ni Juan simbolo sana sa paagi kan tubig, alagad an bunyag ni Jesus iyo an laog kan símbolo, an Espiritu Santo. Ikatulo, si Juan propeta sana na parahulit, alagad si Jesus totoong Dyos na parahukom. Bilang propeta, nadadara ko daw an iba ki Jesus siring kan gibo ni Juan?
“Bubunyagan nya kamo sa Espiritu Santo asin sa kalayo.” Sa Griego, an pneumati pwedeng espiritu o duros. An duros paagi tanganing masuway an trigo na magabat sa apá na magian. An kalayo man instrumento tanganing magin dalisay an bulawan asin mahali an mga ati. Iyo ini an kapangyarihan kan Espiritu Santo na nangyayari sa laog kan satong mga puso. Ini an nagpapakalayo sato tanganing higusan na ibalangibog an marhay na bareta. Yaon daw sako an kalayo kan Espiritu Santo sa pagbalangibog kan Marhay na Bareta?
“Ika an sakong aki, an namumùtan, ikinakaugma ko ikang gayo.” Dai sinambit ni Lukas kun sisay an nagbunyag ki Jesus asin iba pang ditalye lain kan pagbukas kan langit asin pagtaram kan tingog hali sa langit. Malinaw na idto an Saiyang Ama sa Langit. Digdi ipinapahiling ni LECTIO / Next Page