October 15, 2015
Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in
Ordinary Time
Saint of the day : Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (1515-1582) - Memorial
Readings
Readings
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested
apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe. For there is no distinction;
23all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
24They are justified freely by His grace through the
redemption in Christ Jesus,
25whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by His blood, to prove His righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins
previously committed, 26through the forbearance of God - to prove His
righteousness in the present time, that He might be righteous and justify the
one who has faith in Jesus.
27What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled
out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith. 28For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart
from works of the law.
29Does God belong to Jews alone? Does he not belong to
Gentiles, too? Yes, also to Gentiles, 30for God is one and will justify the circumcised on the
basis of faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
1Out of the depths I call to you, LORD; 2Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.a
3If you, LORD, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand?b 4But with you is forgiveness and so you are revered.
5I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word.c 6My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels for daybreak.d More than sentinels for daybreak.
47Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom
your ancestors killed. 48Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the
deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.
49Therefore, the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them
prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute' 50in order that this generation might be charged with the
blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,
51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who
died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this
generation will be charged with their blood!
52Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the
key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to
enter."
53When He left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with
hostility toward Him and to interrogate Him about many things, 54for they were plotting to catch him at something he might
say.
Notes on Readings:
A). Romans 3:21-31 - These verses
give a comprehensible declaration of Saint Paul's "gospel," that is
the principle of rationalization by faith in Jesus. God has found a measure of liberating
humanity from its desperate dilemma: Paul's general term for this divine
initiative is the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21). Divine mercy pronounces the culpable innocent and makes them so. God does
this not as a result of the law but apart from it (Romans 3:21), and not because of any merit in human beings but through absolution of transgressions (Romans 3:24) , in goodness of the redemption fashioned in Jesus for all who believe (Romans 3:22; 24-25). God has revealed His righteousness in the
advent of Jesus, whose redemptive work establishes a new era in human history.
B). Romans 3:21 - But now: Paul takes on a common phrase
used by Greek authors to illustrate movement from adversity to richness. The illustrations
points out that Romans 3:21-26 are the alleviating reply to Romans 3:9-20.
C). Romans 3:25 - Expiation: this representation is
preferable to "propitiation," which indicates aversion on the part of
God toward sinners. As Paul would be at pains to reveal (Romans 5:8-10), it is humanity that is unreceptive of God.
D). Romans 3:27-31 - People cannot blow
their own horn when it comes to holiness, since it is God's free gift (Romans 3:27-31), both to the Jew who serves
circumcision out of faith and to the Gentile who accepts faith without the Old
Testament religious culture symbolized by circumcision (Romans 3:29-30).
E). Romans 3:27 - Principle of faith: literally, "law
of faith." Paul is fond of wordplay pertaining to the term
"law"; Compare with Romans 7:21,
23; 8:2 . Since "law" in Greek may also mean "custom" or "principle,"
his readers and hearers would have discerned no disagreement in the use of the
term after the negative declaration concerning law in Romans 3:20.
F). Luke 11:49 - I will send to them prophets and apostles: Jesus links the mission
of the church (apostles) with the mission of the Old Testament prophets who
often suffered the rebuke of their contemporaries.
G). Luke 11:51- From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah: the murder of
Abel is the first murder accounted in the Old Testament (Genesis 4:8). The Zechariah pointed out here may be the Zechariah whose murder is narrated
in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22 , the last murder presented in the Hebrew canon of the Old Testament.
Reference: The New American Bible
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Dear Humanity,
I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.
And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.
Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.