"Si Raquel nagahibi tungod sa iya mga kabataan"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 2:13-18)

Sabado (Disyembre 28)

Sang makahalin na sila, ang anghel sang Ginoo nagpakita kay Jose sa damgo kag nagsiling, "Bangon ka, dalha ang bata kag ang iya iloy kag magpalagyo kamo pa Egipto. Pabilin kamo didto tubtob magsiling ako sa inyo nga magbalik na kamo, kay si Herodes magapangita sang bata sa pagpatay sa iya."

Gani sa sina gid nga gab-i si Jose nagbangon kag gindala ang bata kag ang iya iloy pa Egipto, sa diin sia nagpuyo tubtob nga si Herodes napatay. Ini nahanabo agod matuman ang ginsiling sang Ginoo paagi sa propeta, "Gintawag ko ang akon anak nga lalaki halin sa Egipto."

Sang mahibal-an ni Herodes nga ginpalapaw sia sang mga dumoloaw gikan sa sidlangan, naakig gid sia. Nagmando siya nga pamatyon ang tanan nga mga bata nga lalaki sa Betlehem kag sa iya sini palibot nga mga banwa halin sa duha ka tuig paidalom, suno sa tion nga iya nahibal-an sa mga dumoloaw.

Sa sini natuman ang ginsiling ni Jeremias nga propeta: "Isa ka tingog ang nabatian sa Rama, Ang tingog Sang panalambiton kag paghinibi. Si Raquel nagahibi Tungod sa iya mga kabataan, Nagahibi sia kag indi gid malugpayan, Kay sila tanan nagkalamatay."

Prayers:

"Lord, you gave your life for my sake, to redeem me from slavery to sin and death. Help me to carry my cross with joy that I may willingly do your will and not shrink back out of fear or cowardice when trouble besets me."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Who can explain suffering, especially the suffering of innocent children? Herod's massacre of children who gave their lives for a person and a truth they did not know seemed so useless and unjust. What a scandal and stumbling block for those who can't recognize God's redeeming love. Why couldn't God prevent this slaughter? Suffering is indeed a mystery. No explanation seems to satisfy our human craving to understand. What does Paul the Apostle mean when he says: We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called to his purpose (Romans 8:28)? These innocent children and their parents suffered for Christ. Suffering, persecution, and martyrdom are the lot of all who chose to follow Jesus Christ. There is no crown without the cross. It was through Jesus' suffering, humiliation, and death on a cross, that our salvation was won. His death won life – eternal life for us. And his blood which was shed for our sake obtained pardon and reconciliation with our heavenly Father.

Suffering takes many forms: illness, disease, handicap, physical pain and emotional trauma, slander, abuse, poverty, and injustice. Jesus exclaimed that those who weep, who are reviled and persecuted for righteousness sake are blessed (Matthew 5:10-12). The word blessed [makarios in the Greek] literally means happiness or beatitude. It describes a kind of joy which is serene and untouchable, self-contained and independent from chance and changing circumstances of life. There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way. Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust?