Our Gospel for Feb 4. Herod's Opinion of Jesus and the Death of John the Baptist.

Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;That is why mighty powers are at work in him.”Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said,“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,and kept him in custody.When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,yet he liked to listen to him.Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her,“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,even to half of my kingdom.”She went out and said to her mother,“What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,“I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison.He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
  
Pinugutan si Juan na Tagapagbawtismo

Marcos 6:14-29

 ¹⁴Narinig ni Herodes ang patungkol sa kaniya sapagkat bantog na ang pangalan ni Jesus. Sinabi ni Herodes: Si Juan na tagapagbawtismo ay bumangon mula sa mga patay kaya nakakagawa siya ng ganitong mga himala.    
 ¹⁵Ang iba ay nagsasabi: Siya ay si Elias.
   May nagsasabi naman: Siya ay isang propeta o gaya ng isa sa mga propeta.
   
 ¹⁶Subalit nang marinig ito ni Herodes, sinabi niya: Ito nga si Juan na siyang pinapugutan ko na ng ulo. Bumangon siya mula sa mga patay.
   
 ¹⁷Sinabi ito ni Herodes dahil siya ang nagsugo noon ng mga tao upang dakpin at itanikala sa bilangguan si Juan. Ito ay sapagkat kinuha niya si Herodias para maging kaniyang asawa. Si Herodias ay asawa ni Felipe na nakakabatang kapatid ni Herodes. ¹⁸Dahil sinabi ni Juan kay Herodes: Hindi matuwid na kunin mo ang asawa ng iyong kapatid. ¹⁹Kaya si Herodias ay nagkimkim ng galit kay Juan at hinangad niyang ipapatay ito ngunit hindi niya ito magawa. ²⁰Wala siyang pagkakataong ipapatay si Juan sapagkat natatakot si Herodes kay Juan. Talastas niyang si Juan ay matuwid at banal na tao, kaya ipinagsanggalang niya siya. Sa pakikinig ni Herodes kay Juan, maraming bagay siyang ginawa. Gayunman, natutuwa siyang makinig sa kaniya.
   
 ²¹At dumating ang pagkakataon ni Herodias. Kaarawan noon ni Herodes kaya ipinaghanda niya ng isang piging ang kaniyang mga matataas na opisyal, pinuno ng hukbo at mga pangunahing mamamayan ng Galilea. ²²Ang anak na babae ni Herodias ay pumasok at sumayaw. Nasiyahan si Herodes at ang mga kasama niya sa kainan.
   Dahil dito sinabi ng hari sa dalagita: Hingin mo ang anumang ibigin mo at ibibigay ko sa iyo. ²³Nanumpa siya sa dalagita: Ibibigay ko ang anumang iyong hingin kahit na kalahati ng aking paghahari.
   
 ²⁴Lumabas ang dalagita at tinanong ang kaniyang ina. Ano ang hihingin ko?
   Sinabi ng ina: Ang ulo ni Juan na tagapagbawtismo.
   
 ²⁵Nagmamadaling pumasok ang dalagita sa kinaroroonan ng hari at humingi na nagsasabi: Ibig kong ibigay mo kaagad sa akin ang ulo ni Juan na tagapagbawtismo na nakalagay sa isang bandehado.
   
 ²⁶Ang hari ay lubhang nagdalamhati. Ngunit dahil sa mga ginawa niyang panunumpa at sa mga panauhin hindi niya matanggihan ang dalagita. ²⁷Kaagad na isinugo ng hari ang kaniyang sundalo na dalhin sa kaniya ang ulo ni Juan. Umalis ang sundalo at pinugutan ng ulo si Juan sa bilangguan. ²⁸Dinala ang kaniyang ulo na nasa bandehado at ibinigay ito sa dalagita. Ibinigay naman ito ng dalagita sa kaniyang ina. ²⁹Pumunta roon ang mga alagad ni Juan nang marinig nila ito. Kinuha nila ang bangkay at inilibing.

Our Gospel for Feb 3. The Mission of the Twelve.

Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.He said to them,“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons,and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Isinugo ni Jesus ang Labindalawang Alagad

 Marcos 6:7-13

 ⁷Tinawag niya ang labindalawang alagad. Sila ay isinugo niyang dala-dalawa at binigyan ng kapamahalaan laban sa mga karumal-dumal na espiritu.    
 ⁸Inutusan niya sila na huwag magdadala ng anumang bagay sa paglalakbay kundi tungkod lamang. Hindi rin sila pinagdadala ng pamigkis o tinapay o salapi sa bulsa. ⁹Pinagsusuot sila ng sandalyas. Gayundin hindi sila pinagsusuot ng dalawang balabal. ¹⁰Sinabi niya sa kanila: Saan mang bahay kayo pumasok, manatili kayo roon hanggang kayo ay umalis. ¹¹Ang sinumang hindi tumanggap o makinig sa inyo, sa pag-alis ninyo roon, ipagpag ninyo ang alikabok ng inyong talampakan. Gawin ninyo ito bilang patotoo laban sa kanila. Katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Higit na mabigat ang parusa sa lungsod na iyon kaysa sa parusa sa Sodoma at Gomora sa araw ng paghuhukom.
   
 ¹²Sa kanilang paghayo, ipinangaral nila sa mga tao na magsisi. ¹³Gayundin, maraming mga demonyo ang kanilang pinalabas, pinahiran nila ng langis ang maraming maysakit at pinagaling sila.

Choose Faith and Ask for Help

Choose Faith and Ask for Help by Rick Warren “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT) "It does not bother God when you ask for help. He stands ready to help you in every moment of life." When faced with the reality of a situation that is overwhelming, the best thing you can do is focus on God. The disciples, in Matthew 8, knew that Jesus could do something about the storm that threatened their lives as they were tossed on the sea. Their answer to the overwhelming storm was to ask Jesus for help. “The disciples went to him and they woke him up, shouting, ‘Lord save us, we are going to drown” (Matthew 8:25 NLT). Why is it that we wait until it gets really bad before we think we have to pray? One of the keys to dealing with anxiety is to cry for help earlier because God wants to help. Instead of trying to live life on your own and let the worry overwhelm you, turn to God. He wants you to live life connected to him, talking to him, and getting connected with others because when you try to do it on our own and never ask for help, worries just multiply. Maybe it’s hard for you to admit your needs. Maybe you think no one cares. Maybe you’re convinced you know the answer and no one else does. I think a lot of people don’t ask for help because they don’t want to be a bother to anyone. It does not bother God when you ask for help. He stands ready to help you in every moment of life. “Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Talking to God in prayer is the single most effective cure for worry, and it needs to be the attitude of your life. Our verse today gives us the formula for how this works. “Pray about everything.” First, you talk. As you talk to God about everything, you will find the anxiety level lessening in your life. “Tell God what you need.” That’s the second thing. A lot of times people go to God in prayer and tell God about everything and everyone else, but don’t share their needs with him. Tell him what you are worried about! “Thank him for all he has done.” There is something about gratitude that lessens anxiety and opens the door to peace and incredible faith in your life. No matter what you’re going through in life right now, there is something you can look back on and say, “God, I’m grateful for that.” So hang on to that.

Our Gospel for Feb 2. The Presentation in the Temple.

Luke  2:22-32

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses,Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord ,
and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ,in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

Dinala ni Jose at ni Maria si Jesus sa Templo

Lucas 2:22-32

²²Naganap na ang araw ng kanilang pagdadalisay ayon sa kautusan ni Moises. Pagkatapos nito, dinala nila si Jesus sa Jerusalem upang iharap sa Panginoon. ²³Gaya ng nasusulat sa kautusan ng Panginoon: Ang bawat batang lalaki na nagbubukas ng bahay-bata ay tatawaging banal sa Panginoon. ²⁴Dinala nila siya upang maghandog ng hain ayon sa sinabi sa kautusan ng Panginoon. Ang hain ay isang tambal na batu-bato o dalawang inakay na kalapati.
   
 ²⁵Narito, sa Jerusalem ay may isang lalaki na ang pangalan ay Simeon. Ang lalaking ito ay matuwid at maka-diyos na naghihintay sa kaaliwan ng Israel. At ang Banal na Espiritu ay sumasakaniya. ²⁶Ang Banal na Espiritu ay naghayag sa kaniya na hindi siya mamamatay hanggang hindi niya nakikita ang Mesiyas ng Panginoon. ²⁷Siya ay pumunta sa loob ng templo sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu. Dinala ng mga magulang ang maliit na batang si Jesus sa templo. Ito ay upang magawa nila sa kaniya ang naaayon sa naging kaugalian sa kautusan. ²⁸Nang dinala nila ang maliit na bata, kinarga siya ni Simeon at pinuri ang Diyos. ²⁹Sinabi niya: Panginoon, ngayon ay papanawin mo na ang iyong alipin na may kapayapaan ayon sa iyong salita. ³⁰Ito ay sapagkat nakita na ng aking mga mata ang iyong pagliligtas. ³¹Inihanda mo ito sa harap ng lahat ng mga tao. ³²Ang kaligtasang ito ay isang liwanag upang maging kapahayagan sa mga Gentil. Ito ay kaluwalhatian ng Israel na iyong mga tao.
   

Our Gospel for February 1. Jairus"s Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage.

Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,“My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.”He went off with him and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had.Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”Immediately her flow of blood dried up.She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling.She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking,people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.

 Ang Babaeng Maysakit at Batang Babaeng Patay

 Marcos 5:21-43

 ²¹Si Jesus ay muling tumawid sa kabilang ibayo sakay ng isang bangka. Nagsiksikan sa kaniya ang napakaraming tao at siya noon ay nasa tabi ng lawa. ²²Narito, lumapit ang isa sa mga pinuno ng sinagoga na nagngangalang Jairo. Pagkakita niya kay Jesus nagpatirapa siya sa kaniyang paanan. ²³Siya ay namanhik nang lubos na nagsasabi: Nag-aagaw-buhay ang anak kong dalagita. Sumama ka sa akin, ipatong mo sa kaniya ang inyong mga kamay upang siya ay gumaling at mabuhay. ²⁴Sumama si Jesus sa kaniya.
   Sumunod kay Jesus ang napakaraming tao at nagsiksikan sila sa kaniya. ²⁵May isang babae roon na labindalawang taon nang dinurugo. ²⁶Siya ay lubhang naghirap sa maraming manggagamot na tumingin sa kaniya. Naubos na ang lahat niyang ari-arian ngunit hindi pa rin siya napabuti kahit kaunti, bagkus ay lalo pa siyang lumubha. ²⁷Nang marinig niya ang patungkol kay Jesus, nakipagsiksikan siya sa napakaraming tao hanggang sa likuran ni Jesus. Hinipo niya ang damit ni Jesus. ²⁸Iniisip niya: Kung mahihipo ko lang ang kaniyang damit, ako ay gagaling. ²⁹Dagling naampat ang kaniyang pagdurugo at nalaman niya sa kaniyang katawan na magaling na siya mula sa sakit na nagpapahirap sa kaniya.    
 ³⁰Kaagad ding nalaman ni Jesus sa kaniyang sarili na may kapangyarihang lumabas sa kaniya. Pagbaling niya sa karamihan, nagtanong siya: Sinong humipo sa aking damit?
   
 ³¹Sinabi sa kaniya ng kaniyang mga alagad: Nakikita mong nagsisiksikan sa iyo ang napakaraming tao. Ngayon ay nagtatanong ka: Sinong humipo sa akin?
   
 ³²Nagpalinga-linga pa rin siya sa palibot upang tingnan ang babaeng gumawa nito. ³³Ang babae ay natatakot at nanginginig sa pagkaalam ng nangyari sa kaniya. Siya ay lumapit at nagpatirapa sa harap ni Jesus at ipinagtapat ang buong katotohanan. ³⁴Sinabi ni Jesus: Anak, pinagaling ka ng iyong pananampalataya. Humayo kang payapa. Gumaling ka na sa sakit na nagpapahirap sa iyo.
   
 ³⁵Habang nagsasalita pa si Jesus, may mga taong dumating mula sa bahay ng pinuno ng sinagoga. Sinabi nila: Ang anak mong babae ay patay na. Bakit inaabala mo pa ang guro?
   
 ³⁶Ngunit nang marinig ito ni Jesus, kaagad niyang sinabi sa pinuno ng sinagoga: Huwag kang matakot. Manampalataya ka lamang.
   
 ³⁷Hindi niya pinahintulutang sumama sa kanila ang sinuman maliban kina Pedro, Santiago at Juan na kapatid ni Santiago. ³⁸Siya ay dumating sa bahay ng pinuno ng sinagoga. Nakita niya ang pagkakagulo ng mga tao, may umiiyak at humagulhol nang husto. ³⁹Nang nakapasok na siya, sinabi niya sa kanila: Bakit kayo nagkakagulo at umiiyak? Ang bata ay hindi patay kundi natutulog lang. ⁴⁰Pinagtawanan nila si Jesus.
   Nang maitaboy niya ang lahat, isinama niya ang ama at ina ng bata at ang mga kasama niya. Pumasok sila sa kinahihigaan ng bata. ⁴¹Hinawakan niya ang kamay ng bata at sinabi sa kaniya: Talitha kumi!⁴²Agad na bumangon ang dalagita at lumakad. Siya ay labindalawang taong gulang na. Lubhang namangha ang mga tao. ⁴³Mahigpit na ipinagbilin ni Jesus sa kanila na huwag itong ipaalam kahit kanino. Sinabi rin niya na bigyan nila ng makakain ang dalagita. Ang ibig sabihin nito ay: Dalagita, sinasabi ko sa iyo: Bumangon ka.