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As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world"  - John 9:5

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A Man Born Blind Receives Sight – John 9:1-12

 ¹ As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' ³ Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, ⁷ saying to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸ The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, 'Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?' ⁹ Some were saying, 'It is he.' Others were saying, 'No, but it is someone like him.' He kept saying, 'I am the man.' ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, 'Then how were your eyes opened?' ¹¹ He answered, 'The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash." Then I went and washed and received my sight.' ¹² They said to him, 'Where is he?' He said, 'I do not know.'

Reflecting on the Gospel, where our LORD answers the disciples' question as to the cause of the man's blindness:  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world".

In my own journey to recovery from clinical depression and suicidal thoughts, I've encountered well-meaning Christian friends. These friends urged me to pray more or read more scriptures. They were without understanding that there are spiritual, biological & social factors that affected my mental health. It caused more harm/hurt to assume that my mental health challenges were due to a spiritual defect without considering the other factors in my life.

As a closing prayer and worship, I offer this beautiful worship hymn Blessings. This song reminds me that sometimes blessings come in the forms of trials and suffering. Amen.

Blessings

Verse 1 We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering And all the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things. Chorus 'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise? Verse 2 We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough And all the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe.   Repeat Chorus Verse 3 When friends betray us And when darkness seems to win We know that pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home It's not our home   Repeat Chorus   Ending What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are Your mercies in disguise?

 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/XQan9L3yXjc?si=00w180M4kEf0iHNR Singer: Laura Story Copyright: Blessings lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc Reflection on John 9:1-12 by Chris Tan

Magna opera Domini (Ps 111:2)

 

Every year we celebrate our birthday. It is the best time to give thanks, especially to God the Father, and to our parents. Thanksgiving comes from our hearts and it is a sign of gratitude. Actually, we have experienced so many graces and blessings. There were so many people who have influenced us with their presence. That is a reason to pray for them all and praise the Lord. 

We usually are focused on bad news but the birthday is a special occasion to ponder all the good works of the Lord. If there were no love between our parents, we couldn't have appeared in the world. Moreover, each of us is a beloved child of the heavenly Father. We are so loved and wanted. We are expected and blessed. It is just and true that we didn't come to the world by a chance. It was an everlasting plan and the divine Providence that made us exist and love. In addition, we were created to live forever and ever in the presence of all saints and angels. 

Jesus Christ preached the Good News in order to ensure and encourage us in uprightness and truth. Obviously, there were many good and bad experiences in our life. However, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we could overcome everything. The real purpose of our existence is only love of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. So let us praise the Lord and rejoice with our brothers and sisters. We have received a beautiful gift to share with one another. May our life become a blessing for those in need. Overall, we are to get a reward in the heavenly kingdom where our loving Father is waiting for us to return home. 

By Fr. Jozef Trzebuniak SVD.

 

Tempus pariendi (Lk. 1:57)

Every 24th of June, Catholics usually celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Holy Gospel tells us about the joyful moment when John was born and also how his father Zechariah gave a name to John. He was named  John/ Yohan, which in Hebrew means “God is gracious”.  And indeed, God was gracious to John’s parents by giving them a child in their old age. They could not bear child, but with God’s blessing, they were worthy to become parents of a great prophet of God. John is unique among God’s prophets because when he was in his mother’s womb, he gave witness to Jesus already as the Son of God by leaping at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb.

John became a great prophet of God because of his humility and fidelity in carrying out the mission of God that God had entrusted to him. We could see his humility clearly when some people thought that he was the Messiah,  he right away clarified that he was just a man who prepared the way for the Messiah. 

On this red-letter day, the day of Nativity of John the Baptist; we ask God to bless us so that we can have humility like St. John the Baptist. Also,  we may have a joyful heart in bearing witness to Jesus Christ, our Lord. Keep in our mind that every day and every time, God is always gracious to us. Amen.

By Fr Risco Batbual, SVD