Nolite peccare | Stop sinning

"Be sensible and stop sinning" - 1 Cor 15:34.

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Apostle Paul reminds us about eternal life in the heavenly kingdom. Since we involve ourselves in our daily duties so much. We pay a lot for health, well-being, furniture, clothes, jewelry, etc. When we go to the shopping center, we see hundreds of people looking for promotions. Of course, it is not bad to live a pleasant life and enjoy it,  but we cannot forget our future life and prepare ourselves for it.

Because of the pandemic, we lost so many friends and this fact made us sad. So, we should appreciate the gift of life from God. We live today and tomorrow we can die. Are we ready for that? As baptized people, we need to live as Christ lived. We should be brave and know how to face death (v. 31). We can learn from the example of Paul who was with Christ Jesus all the time. He was not afraid even when he stayed at the risk of death. With the Lord, he was capable of fighting beasts. These beasts were temptations, desires, weaknesses, pleasures, dangers, sickness, etc.

Apostle Paul lived a sensible life as a soldier of Christ. He was not a fool when he changed his way of life and followed Jesus. He stopped sinning and said goodbye to bad friends (v. 33). As a follower of Christ, he felt embarrassed that some people still were far from God (v. 34). He did his best and offered life for the salvation of human souls. Let us do the same. 

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:29-35 by Fr. Józef Trzebuniak SVD.

(Listen to the Podcast here)

In Christo Omnes | All In Christ

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive." — 1 Cor15:22

Photo by Diana Vargas on Unsplash

I have had to read the verses for today several times before it spoke to me and before I understood what the message was.

 

The verses today started with “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” It has been said that death is the wages of sin. The consequence of the first man’s sinfulness is death. And so, to redeem us from death, to save mankind from its own sinfulness, Jesus Christ came down on earth to conquer death. It leaves me in awe every time I think – how much must God loves us so that He comes down on earth for us. I am humbled by such love, and think, what made me worthy for such? This tells me so much of both the Lord’s dominion and power over death and his gentleness and immense capacity to love. How can we not love in return, a God so powerful and so loving?

 

“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” There is hope in Christ. For when all was lost and seemingly gone, He comes for us and save us. In Jesus we can trust because He loves us. What hope, what love, and what power God has.

 

“For he has put everything under his feet.” God has dominion over the world, and so even if all in the world may seem crazy right now with the pandemic and the different calamities, take heart. God has destroyed every enemy, of which the last one is death and He has destroyed it too. God loves us as much.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 by Blessie Sto Tomas

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Sperantes | Hope In Christ

"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are people most to be pitied." - 1 Cor 15:19

In this verse we are invited to always put our trust in Jesus our Lord, who once lived as a human just like us. There are many events in life that involve God in solving hard times and overcoming obstacles and difficulties. When we are helpless and in despair, actually that's the time when God is very close to us, but often we ignore. Anywhere and anytime we are in difficulties, He is waiting for us to call on His name. He waits for us to surrender to His will. But often we pretend not to hear and not to feel any spiritual callings in time of crisis. 

There are people who search for their gods and run away from the One True God. It leads themselves to drunkenness, narcotics and many other crimes. We were created by God, we are fragile and sinful.  We are mortal beings who in time will disappear without a trace just like dust on the streets. Whether we were born as rich or poor, in a city or a village, disabled or healthy, God only wants us to trust Him and involve Him fully throughout our lives. May God bless us and give us peace. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 by Sr. Yanti Purnawati SFSC

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Gratia Dei | By The Grace of God

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." - 1 Cor 15:10.

Reflecting on what the blessed St. Paul had written in verse 10. He started his journey to Damascus, armed with letters from the high priest, and bent on a mission to arrest all followers of the Christ - a new movement viewed as a threat against Jewish ways and blasphemous towards the laws of God as imparted by Moses in the Torah - until he was struck blind and was asked by Jesus the Risen Christ, "Saul Saul, why are you persecuting me?". 

It was a pivotal moment that enabled this Pharisee of Pharisee to recognise the spiritual blindness of himself and his fellow Pharisees who were given the Holy task of guarding the Jewish faith and Mosaic traditions. It was in a way understandable in light of how the Jewish nation had suffered humiliation of being conquered and enslaved by pagan nations and witnessing a blasphemous desecration of the Jewish Temple, to the point that God's presence had left His chosen people. There was a visibly silent Voice for 600 years until the mysterious appearance of an unschooled rabbi who was creating miracles of feeding thousands and healing thousands more of demonic possessions and sicknesses. Surely as a Zealot of God, he had a religious duty to investigate the eye-witness accounts and had successfully witnessed the first martyr of the newly rising Church of Christ. 

It was through the Holy and Divine Encounter with the Son of God en route to Damascus, that Saul changed his name to Paul, and was pivoted towards a new Mission of God, to bring the Good News of Christ's incarnation, death, and glorious resurrection unto the Gentile nations. Something of which I am thankful as a Gentile believer, while I can't boast of the same wisdom of Paul in expounding theology nor his tenacity to remain joyful even under severe trials of imprisonment and shipwrecks among other earthly travails. He was able to write beautiful pastoral letters like his beautiful Epistle to the church in Philippi (while being imprisoned):

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

(Phi 4:4-9, 13)

But I can truly join St. Paul in declaring "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me" on my personal journey. Because, by my own power, I wouldn't have survived the devastating loss of my marriage and job. Only 2 years after an acute right-brain stroke had brought me to the end of my limited human ropes, and discovered Christ Jesus, my One and Only Living Hope. 

It was His Grace, I have been able to mend a fractured relationship with my aged mom, and through His Grace, I was able to break free from the chains of a hopeless addictive behavior. It was His Amazing Grace, that I was able to finally forgive my (late) father for all the emotional neglects or any perceived hurts in the growing years, and through His Grace, I was able to slowly temper my explosive anger. It was most of all His Grace that enabled me to live with clinical depression and general anxiety disorder without succumbing to hopelessness or even taking my own life, because I know deep in my heart that I belong to Him, today, tomorrow, and the rest of my life. 

I will close with the beautiful words from Chris Tomlin's Spirit-inspired worship because like Paul, I was once walking around blinkered by my own limited earthly achievements, until the light of the Christ shone from Heaven and tore through the darkness dwelling in my heart...

Amen.

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – Chris Tomin

Amazing grace

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood, His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me

His word my hope secures

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures

My chains are gone

I've been set free (been set free)

My God, my Savior has ransomed me (ransomed me)

And like a flood (like a flood) His mercy rains (mercy rains)

Unending love, oh, Amazing grace

The Earth shall soon dissolve like snow

The sun forbear to shine

But God, Who called me here below

Will be forever mine

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood, His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace (grace)

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind (was blind), but now (but now) I see

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 by Chris Tan

Perfecti | Be Mature

“Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.” – 1 Cor 14:20 (NASB).

 

Photo by Jason Peter on Unsplash

The First Corinthians Chapter 14 talks about the gift of tongues or speaking in tongues. The Apostle Paul explains that by the power of Holy Spirit, someone who has it will be talking to God only because other people will not be able to understand it, as it will all be mysterious (Verse 2). It seems like the believers in Corinth were so eager to have this special gift that Apostle Paul needed to address this issue deeper (Verse 12).

He encourages anyone who has it to pray for the ability to interpret it also. Because the person’s spirit is praying but he does not understand what he’s saying (Verse 13-14). Moreover, it does not strengthen other people who hear it (Verse 17). It strengthens the person who speaks it personally, but it is useless for the whole congregation. It’s sad that some believers, even churches, still boast on their abilities in this gift. Apostle Paul himself spoke in tongues more than others but he rather chose five understandable words to help others more than ten thousand words in an unknown language (Verse 19).

Paul used the word ‘children’ as an analogy to describe the behavior of the Corinthians towards this gift (Verse 20). They were encouraged to desire another special ability of the Spirit which is to prophesy. Because anyone who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them (Verse 3). The unbelievers or people who don’t understand will be convicted and called to account by the prophecy and it will lead them to repent and acknowledge the presence of God (Verse 24-25). On the contrary, when all people are speaking in tongues, the unbelievers or outsiders who enter will think they are insane (Verse 23).

It’s our human nature that we want to stand out from the crowd. We tend to be proud of having abilities no one or not many people possess. This would be a pitfall in a ministry. When we preach or teach or even write a reflection on scriptures like this, who exactly are we serving - the Lord, other people or our own pride? Are we still immature like children who want to show off our abilities? What do we seek when we wish for any spiritual gifts? Apostle Paul said, “…seek those that will strengthen the whole church”. May God help us all. Amen.

 

 

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 by Desire Litaay

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Caritatem Habere | Have Love

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" — 1 Cor 13:1 (NIV).

 

Photo by ATC Comm Photo from Pexels

 

The Corinthians were completed with many spiritual gifts. One of them was the gift of tongues. Paul reminded them that even the gift of tongues was meaningless without love. A person may speak many languages, but without love, it is meaningless, like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. It is just an empty noise. Whatever does not proceed out of love is only a noise. The apostle Paul emphasized to the Corinthians that having spiritual gifts without having love was useless. Spiritual gifts can fulfill God's will only if they are controlled by the principle of love.

People can give without love. This makes me think of how some people give money to the poor just for showing off and not out of love. They only want to show. People can teach without love. Some people could have all the faith in the world that they could move somebody's heart or literally move mountains but it means nothing without love. People can sacrifice without love. They are not moved by love, but by pride and the need to be recognized.

When I read this letter of the Apostle Paul, I was surprised because so many good values would be in vain without love. Even if people have many talents, have a willingness to sacrifice, have a gift of prophecy, and so on, all of those things are in vain if they do it without love. So what is true love really like?

The perfect model of true love is like what Jesus did for us. He still loves even though he suffers a lot. It was love that made the Lord Jesus forget to rest for the sake of healing many people. It was love that made the Lord Jesus never stop teaching even though he was rejected many times. It was love that put Jesus on the cross and in the cold tomb. He loves not for His own benefit but for love itself. Let's imitate the Lord Jesus in love.

May God bless you always.  

 

 

Reflection on 1 Cor 13:1-13 by Fr. Fransiskus Diaz, SVD

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Unum Corpus | One Body

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body... Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many" —1 Cor 12:13-14.

Our reading today came from 1 Corinthians 12:13-31. Apostle Paul was a master teacher. As he was admonishing the church of Corinthians to be in one Spirit in serving the Lord, he used the story to bring the point home. The story he used was the human body. 

He portrayed the church as a human body wherewith the body parts were interconnected one with another. Hand couldn't boast itself, eyes couldn't either. All body parts must work together for one goal. The same with the church, everybody has their own jobs in the church with one goal, which is to glorify God.

May we as God's people in His church, work together to bring glory and honor to His name by doing our parts in the local church. May God bless and keep us.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 12:13-31 by Pst. Devy Nanlohy

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Manifestatio Spiritus | The Same Spirit

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit” - 1 Cor 12:5.

As Christians who believe in Jesus Christ, we know that we all are different. Each of us is a special child of God.

We have much in common, but we have special spiritual gifts to serve others. Apostle Paul teaches us we should be friendly and compassionate. It is the foundation of our spiritual life.

If we want to progress and know ourselves better, we ought to live in peace. We need to receive God's Spirit and to accept Jesus as our Lord. 

Personal maturity consists in knowing our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. I cannot know myself if I do not allow the Holy Spirit to work on me. I cannot receive all the gifts of the Spirit if I do not accept the truth about myself.

God the Father enriches and blesses each person. Thus, each of us has different spiritual gifts (v.4) and can do different things (v.5). But we are one in God.

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to let us know the best way of serving others (v.7).

O Holy Spirit, we praise you and worship you. Let us recognize our talents and skills to build one Church of Christ. We understand that all good things come from you. Thanks to your gifts we have great faith, we can heal the sick and even perform mighty miracles (v.10). We want to become your prophets in the present situation. We want to recognize your presence in the world. So we read the Scriptures and explain what your words mean. We pray in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Reflection on 1 Cor 12:1-11 by Fr. Józef Trzebuniak, SVD.

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Corpus Meum | My Body For You

 "This is my body that is for you. Keep doing this in memory of me"  —  1 Cor 11:24. 

Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash

Today’s verses remind me of the mass, as it is the very words that are said in the mass. 

It still leaves me in awe how much the Lord could possibly love us that He went to us and saved us. How He was willing to offer Himself - the only true worthy sacrifice for our salvation. How He communes with us, and how He was only too willing to be one with us - in Spirit, in Body and in love. I cannot even begin to imagine how much the Lord truly loves us, and I sit in peace knowing I am loved.

I pray I may always examine my conscience to stay in grace and be worthy of God’s presence. Even so, I am thankful that even in times I fall and I sin, and most especially on these times when I am unworthy, that God’s light will always shine upon me. 

We may not be worthy, but even so, we are always loved.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 by Blessie Sto Tomas

In Unum | Unite

“For there must be divisions among you, in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” - 1 Cor 11:19

 

 

Does God really want division among His people? Of course not. God wants His people to always be united. But because of the stubbornness of our human hearts, God allowed mankind to be divided.

Basically, if anything is scattered, it will be difficult to maintain something. On the other hand, if they stick together, they will be strong even though they have been separated. Likewise, God's people, both individuals and groups, will remain strong in faith in God, if we do not separate ourselves from Jesus, who is the Source of our lives.

Sometimes we face various temptations and challenges in life, just like global pandemic of Covid 19 that still haunts us today. In uncertainty, we should remain united with God who may have his own plans behind this pandemic. The best option for us is to pray and surrender completely to God's will and power because only He alone could find the answer, why this pandemic happened. If we lose hope, we will find ourselves hopeless, restless, and sad because of many questions are still unanswered.  

God doesn’t want us to lose hope. This is the time for us to prove our loyalty to Him. Stay strong in obstacles of life, so that God who is faithful will be happy to see us faithful. God bless us all.

 

 

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 by Sr. Yanti Purnawati SFSC

(Listen to the Podcast here)

Viri Caput | Head of Every Man

"But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God... but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or head shaved, then she should cover her head." - 1 Cor 11:3, 6

Looking at Paul's admonishments to the young church in Corinth, it must be taken in the context of the culture during the time of his writing. Long hair was considered as a feminine trait of beauty, whereas men generally kept shorter hair as a sign of masculinity. 

It was also written in a patriarchal era where women with a head covering were generally considered as modest and pure, whereas it was the immoral women who kept their hair loosely or unbound like the woman who had anointed Jesus with perfumed oil and wiped His feet with her unbound hair. Notice that our LORD did not condemn the sinful woman for her chequered past but rather exemplified her use of expensive perfumed oil as a form of extravagant worship that He deserved.

Similarly, I like the famous quote from Oscar Wilde, "Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." I too had once walked in darkness, speeding on a highway of sensual indulgences towards Hell and eternal damnation and was ignorant of the immense grace that had been poured into my life after an acute stroke. But Jesus Christ had shouted to Heaven, "It is finished!" when He gave up His life on earth for my rightful death as a sinner, forgiven by a merciful God. 

And knowing that Christ is the True Head in my life, I just want to lay down my life at His Feet as a fragrant offering to Him, my LORD, and KING. By recognizing the Godhead in every man, woman and child He brings into my life, including the difficult ones who might seem a lot harder to love by my own power but only by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, can I love as Jesus does. I will close with this simple children's hymn, as a reminder of Jesus' immense love, death, and glorious resurrection for every man, child, and woman...

Jesus Loves Me (This I Know)

Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, He who died. Heaven's gates to open wide. He will wash away my sins. Let his little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, loves me still. Though I'm very weak and ill. From his shining throne on high. Comes to watch me where I lie. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me He will stay, close beside me all the way. If I love Him when I die, He will take me home on high. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.  The Bible tells me so.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 11:1-15 by Chris Tan 

Non Omnia | Not Everything Is Beneficial

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive." - 1 Cor 10:23

The Indonesian government sets an enforcement of restrictions on community activities during 3-20 July, 2021. This influences my community life in Jogjakarta that we have to keep staying at home again and only go out if we have an urgent thing. This rule restricts my movement to socialize while it is beneficial for my safety and many people. 

Indeed, when I decide to go outside as far as with obeying the health protocol and not being harmful for others, I am not to be blamed. But for the safety of many people, I have to control myself. I think it relates to what Paul the apostle said to the Corinthians that he had the right to do anything yet not everything was constructive. In other words, even if something is legal, we should consider others before doing it.

Sometimes, we do something without considering others even though we have the right to do it. Besides, we think that what we have done is right and not against the rule. However, we are not living alone. We live together with people surround us. We should consider if what we do is beneficial and constructive for others not only for our self-importance.

Reflection on 1 Cor 10:23-33 by Fr. Aris Mada, SVD 

(Listen to the Podcast here)