Feb 1 2021

First reading Hebrews 11:32-4

The example of the Old Testament saints

Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets – these were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises. They could keep a lion’s mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders. Some came back to their wives from the dead, by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or beheaded; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of sheep and goats; they were penniless and were given nothing but ill-treatment. They were too good for the world and they went out to live in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines. These are all heroes of faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.

Responsorial Psalm 30(31):20-24

Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

How great is the goodness, Lord,

that you keep for those who fear you,

that you show to those who trust you

in the sight of men.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence

from the plotting of men;

you keep them safe within your tent

from disputing tongues.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me

the wonders of his love

in a fortified city.

‘I am far removed from your sight’

I said in my alarm.

Yet you heard the voice of my plea

when I cried for help.

Love the Lord, all you saints.

He guards his faithful

but the Lord will repay to the full

those who act with pride.

Gospel Mark 5:1-20

The Gadarene swine

Jesus and his disciples reached the country of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake, and no sooner had Jesus left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him. The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!’ – for Jesus had been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit.’ ‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘My name is legion,’ he answered ‘for there are many of us.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.

Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid. And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. Jesus would not let him but said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

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1st February 2021 Monday 4th Week of Ordinary Time

Reflection
Hebrews 11:32-40, Mark 5:1-20
“What do you want with me, Jesus?”
In today’s gospel, Jesus met with a very troubled and violent man who was outcast from the rest of the town. In fact, he was so uncontrollable that the people tried to chain him up but to no avail. Jesus looked at him with love and spoke to him as a person, not as a monster. After that encounter with Jesus, the violent recluse was freed from all his inner turmoil and anger and went off to proclaim all that Jesus had done for him.Jesus comes so that we can have fullness of life (cf. John 10:10). There are times when we are entrapped by anger towards others, unforgiveness of the past, fear towards the future and hopelessness at all what we see. Let us, like the man in the gospel, approach Jesus and ask Him, “Lord, what do you want with me?”

Jesus is here with us to free us from the turmoil we have within us so that we can live with His peace. When we experience being touched, healed, freed by Jesus, He sends us out to proclaim His love and bring His peace to others.

Question for reflection:
What is Jesus’ invitation to me in this time of prayer?

Hari Isnin Minggu Biasa Ke-4

Renungan
Ibrani 11:32-40, Markus 5:1-20

“Apa urusan-Mu dengan aku, hai Yesus?”
Dalam injil hari ini, Yesus bertemu dengan pemuda yang bermasalah dan kejam yang diasingkan dari seluruh kota. Pemuda ini tidak dapat dikawal sehingga orang ramai cuba untuk mengikatnya tetapi tidak berhasil. Yesus memandangnya dengan kasih dan berbicara kepadanya sebagai manusia, bukannya raksasa. Setelah pertemuannya dengan Yesus, pemuda yang ganas tersebut dibebaskan dari segala kekacauan dan kemarahan dan pergi mewartakan segala perbuatan yang dilakukan Yesus terhadapnya.

Yesus datang agar kita mempunyai hidup dalam kepenuhan (Yoh 10:10). Ada kalanya kita terperangkap oleh perasaan marah terhadap orang lain, tidak dapat memaafkan masa lalu, takut akan masa depan dan keputusasaan dalam segala perkara. Marilah menjadi seperti pemuda dalam injil hari ini, mendekati Yesus dan bertanya kepada-Nya, “Tuhan apa yang Engkau kehendaki dariku?” Yesus ada di sini untuk membebaskan kita dari segala kekacauan ada ada dalam hati kita agar kita dapat hidup dengan damai-nya. Apabila kita mengalami sentuhan, penyembuhan, pembebasan dari Yesus, Dia akan mengutus kita untuk mewartakan Kasih-Nya dan mengongsikan damai-Nya kepada orang lain.

Soalan renungan:
Apakah jemputan Yesus kepada saya saat ini?

1 Februari 2021, Orou Kasaa’ Minggu’ Kaindalaman Kaapat

Ibrani 11:32-40; Markus 5:1-20

“Atan raguon Mu raki’, inda’ Jisus?”
Ralalom Injil ra orou raiti’, pakatuum i Jisus ra sangulun ungkuyon mamulok ondo’ sinubol ru riwato am malaat ondo’ pinasuai intor ra bandar no. Ungkuyon mamulok no kalo maalap kagula’ saboi ulun masuang kuminam mompogonggong riso kaa’ kalo noyo maalap. Monontong i Jisus riso ra togom am mindagu riso koson ra ulun, sala’ ka maayo ulun. Kopongo pantuuman nano ri Jisus, ungkuyon mamulok ondo’ mapanggol no pinalabus intor ra ngaangai’ kajajawan am sangit am minongoi pampatanou ra ngaangai’ ondo’ binaal ri Jisus riso.
Matong i Jisus maa’ raginio itakau mokoondo’ boo ra kaayagan ra mototop (Juanis 10:10). Mokoondo’ ra sanganuan no itakau maaput ru pamalimanan sumangit ra ulun bokon, kalo maapon orou ra nakasail, malaa’ ra orou matong am pangkausan ralalom ngaangai’ baal. Ibok no sumauk koson ra ungkuyon mamulok ralalom Injil ra orou raiti’, minggaar ri Jisus am mangkuot Riso, “Tuhan atan kasagaan Muti intor raki’?” Soroi i Jisus ragiti koson mampalabus ritakau intor ra ngaangai’ kajajawan ondo’ soroi ralalom guang takau maa’ raginio maayag takau boo ralalom pabansayan Nano. Paat ra itakau makaili’ ra kambong, pamabasan, kalabusan intor ri Jisus, manusub Io boo ritakau koson mampatanou ra togom Nano am magapu ra pabansayan Nano ra ulun bokon.

Pangkuatan ra paguangin:
Atan kia pangkimaitan ri Jisus raki’ paat ragitio ti?

01-02-2021 Hari Satu Minggu Selama Ka-4

Renungan
Hebrews 11:32-40; Mark 5:1-20

“Nama utai ti deka dikereja Nuan ba aku, Jesus?”
Ba Bacha Injil saritu, Jesus betunga mua enggau siko orang ti nadai menuku pendiau sereta dibuai ari kota. Mensia ba kota dia nanchang iya ngena rantai tang iya mechah ka rantai nya. Jesus meda iya enggau pengerindu lalu bejako enggau iya. Sepengudah nya, iya dilepaska ari kuasa ti nanchang iya lalu iya bejalai nusi pasal kereja to udah diadu Jesus atas iya.

Jesus datai awak kitai bulih pengidup ti belipat-lipat (John 10:10). Kitai mensia mudah ditanchang ulih pengeringat ngagai orang bukai, nadai pengampun ari utai ti udah nyadk, takut ka utai ti bedau tentu nyadi lalu meda semua utai baka ka nadai pengandal. Aram kitai, baka orang ti ba bacha Injil saritu, mansang ngagai Jesus lalu minta Iya, “Nama utai ti deka dikereja Nuan ba aku, Jesus?” Jesus sertai kitai ditu deka ngelepas kitai ari utai ti ngachau ngeregau kitak ngambi kitai bukih diau dalam pemaik Iya. Lebuh kitai udah ngasai ditegu, disumanka, dilepaska ulih Jesus, Iya ngirum kitai awak bejalai nusi Pengerindu Iya lalu mai pemaik Iya ngagai orang bukai.

Nama kangau Jesus ka aku ba awak sembiang saritu?

2021年2月1日常年期第四周单数年星期一

省思
《希十一：32-40》
《谷五：1-20》

“耶稣，我与祢有何相干？”

今天的福音里，耶稣遇见了一位身陷附魔的困境及对自己暴力的人，他被城里的居民给驱逐了出来。事实上，他是难以受到控制的附魔者，以致于虽然人们尝试把他拷上锁链，但是没有凑效。耶稣以仁爱的心看着他，并且以看待他为正常的人与他对话，而没有把他视为一个妖魔。遇见了耶稣之后，因他内心动荡不安及愤怒而造成的暴力行为被隐去了，同时他也四处宣扬耶稣在他身上所施行的圣迹。

耶稣的临在是使得我们的生命得以完整（《若十：10》）。我们有时候会因为对他人的愤怒、对过往的仍然耿耿于怀、对未来无知的恐惧、及对我们所见所闻的感到彷徨等，而使得自己的身心深陷困境。让我们，就像福音里的那个人，靠近耶稣及询问祂，“主呀，我与祢有何相干呢？”。耶稣就在这里，祂要让我们从内心的动荡不安释放出来，并且能够以祂的和平活在世上。当我们已经体验了被耶稣的触动、耶稣的治愈、及耶稣的释放等，祂派遣我们到周遭去宣扬祂的爱及为众人带来祂的和平。

省思题：
耶稣在这一次的祷告中给予了我什么邀请呢？

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.