"Nanginbug-os ang akon kalipay"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Juan 3:22-30)

Sabado (Enero 11)

Sa tapos sini, si Jesus kag ang iya mga gintuton-an nagkadto sa probinsya sang Judea. Nagtener sia didto sing pila ka adlaw kaupod nila, kag nagpangbautiso.

Si Juan nagpangbautiso man sa Enon malapit sa Salim, kay madamo ang tubig didto. Ang mga tawo nagkadto sa iya, kag ginbautisohan niya sila.

(Si Juan wala pa sadto nabilanggo.)

Ang iban sang mga gintuton-an ni Juan nagpakigbais sa isa ka Judio nahanungod sang pagsulondan sa pagpaninlo.

Gani, nagkadto sila kay Juan kag nagsiling sa iya, "Manunudlo, nadumdoman mo bala yadtong tawo nga upod mo anay didto sa tabok sang Jordan nga ginsugid mo sa amon? Abi mo nagapangbautiso na sia karon, kag halos ang tagsatagsa nagakadto sa iya!"

Si Juan nagsabat, "Wala sing bisan sin-o nga makaangkon sang bisan ano nga butang kon indi pag-ihatag ini sang Dios sa iya.

Kamo mismo amo ang akon mga saksi nga ako nagsiling, 'Indi ako ang Cristo, kundi ako amo ang ginpadala sa pag-una sa iya.'

Ang nagaangkon sang nobya amo ang nobyo; ang abyan sang nobyo nga nagatambong kag nagapamati, nagakalipay sa pagpamati sang tingog sang nobyo. Sa amo man nga paagi, nanginbug-os ang akon kalipay.

Dapat sia magmangindaku, pero ako magmangindiutay."

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, may I never forget the love you have poured out for me when you shed your blood upon the Cross of Calvary for my sins and for my salvation. May your love always grow in me and your hope fill me with joy as I wait for your return in glory when all of your people will be fully united with you at your heavenly banquet feast in the New Jerusalem." 

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Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Do you know the joy of the Lord? When some friends of John the Baptist complain that all the people are now going to Jesus, John in his characteristic humility exclaimed that he was not the Messiah but only the messenger sent to prepare his way. John describes the Messiah as the Bridegroom and himself as the friend of the Bridegroom. The image of the groom delighting in his bride and the joy of the wedding feast is used in the Bible as a sign or symbol of God's covenant love and joy in being united with his people, whom he calls his bride. As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you (Isaiah 62:5). Through the gift of the Holy Spirit John recognized that Jesus was the annointed Messiah, sent from the Father in heaven to reunite his people to himself. John acted as the groom's best man in arranging the marriage and in making preparations for the marriage feast. John and his disciples now rejoice that the Bridegroom has come to make his bride, the people of God, ready for the marriage feast. The New Testament tells us that Christ's blood which was shed upon the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, seals us in a new covenant between God and his people. The Book of Revelation depicts the final fulfillment and consummation of this new covenant relationship at the marriage feast of the "Lamb and his Bride" in the New Jerusalem (see Revelations 21-22). Do you look with joyful anticipation to the consummation of God's plan for his people at the end of the ages?