Our Gospel for January 2, 2011. The Visit of the Magi.

Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

 Ang Pagdating ng mga Pantas

 Pagkatapos na maipanganak si Jesus sa Bethlehem ng Juda, sa panahon ng paghahari ni Herodes, may dumating sa Jerusalem mula sa silangan, na mga lalaking pantas sa pag-aaral ng mga bituin. Sinabi nila: Saan naroroon ang ipinanganak na Hari ng mga Judio? Ito ay sapagkat nakita namin ang kaniyang bituin sa silangan at naparito kami upang sambahin siya.    
 Nang marinig ni haring Herodes ang mga bagay na ito, naligalig siya at ang lahat ng mga tao sa Jerusalem. ⁴Tinipon niya ang lahat ng mga pinunong-saserdote at mga guro ng kautusan ng mga tao. Tinanong niya sa kanila kung saan ipanganganak ang Mesiyas. Sinabi nila sa kaniya: Sa Bethlehem ng Judea sapagkat ganito ang isinulat ng propeta:
      Ikaw Bethlehem sa lupain ng Juda, hindi ikaw
      ang pinakamaliit sa mga gobernador ng Juda
      sapagkat mula sa iyo ay lalabas ang isang pinuno
      na siyang mamumuno sa aking bayang Israel.
   
 Nang magkagayon, tinawag ni Herodes nang palihim ang mga pantas na lalaki. Itinanong niyang mabuti sa kanila kung kailan nagpakita ang bituin. At pinapunta niya sila sa Bethlehem. Sinabi niya: Pumaroon kayo at matiyaga ninyong ipagtanong ang patungkol sa bata. Kapag natagpuan ninyo siya, balitaan ninyo ako upang makapunta rin ako at sambahin siya.
   
 Pagkarinig nila sa hari ay tumuloy na sila sa kanilang lakad. Narito, ang bituin na kanilang nakita sa silanganan ay nanguna sa kanila. Nanguna ito sa kanila hanggang sa sumapit at tumigil sa tapat ng kinaroroonan ng maliit na bata. Nang makita nila ang bituin, lubos silang nagalak. Nang sila ay nasa loob na ng bahay, nakita nila ang bata, kasama ang kaniyang inang si Maria.

Sila ay nagpatirapa at sinamba ang bata. Nang mabuksan na nila ang kanilang mga kayamanan, naghandog sila sa kaniya ng mga kaloob. Ang mga ito ay ginto, kamangyan at mira. At nagbabala ang Diyos sa kanila sa isang panaginip na huwag na silang bumalik kay Herodes. Kaya sila ay nag-iba ng daan pauwi sa kanilang sariling lupain.

Our Gospel for January 1, 2011. Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mother of God.

Luke 2:16-21 

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and 

Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
 

All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
 

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,  just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Lucas 2:16-21

Sila ay nagmadaling pumunta roon. Nasumpungan nila roon si Maria at si Jose, at ang sanggol na nakahiga sa sabsaban. Pagkakita nila, kanilang ipinamalita ang salitang sinabi sa kanila patungkol sa sanggol na ito. 

Ang lahat ng mga nakarinig ay namangha sa mga bagay na sinabi sa kanila ng mga tagapag-alaga ng tupa. 

Sinarili ni Maria ang lahat ng mga salitang ito, at isina-alang-alang sa kaniyang puso. 

At bumalik ang mga tagapag-alaga ng tupa na niluluwalhati at pinupuri ang Diyos dahil sa lahat ng mga bagay na kanilang narinig at nakita tulad ng pagkasabi sa kanila.

Dumating ang ikawalong araw para sa pagtutuli sa maliit na bata. Ang kaniyang pangalan ay tinawag na Jesus. Ito ang ipinangalan ng anghel bago siya ipinagdalang-tao sa bahay-bata.

 

Our Gospel for Dec 31. The WORD.

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light,  so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,  to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,  “This was he of whom I said,  ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,  grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,  has revealed him.

Our Gospel for Dec 30. Perseverance is the Key to a Good Prayer Life.

Luke 2:36-40

There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

Matiyagang Pananalangin.

Lucas 2:36-40
 
 Naroroon din si Ana, isang babaeng propeta na anak ni Fanuel, mula sa lipi ni Aser. Siya ay lubhang matanda na. Mula sa kaniyang kadalagahan, pitong taon siyang namuhay na may asawa. Siya ay mga walumpu't-apat na taon na at siya ay isang balo. At hindi na siya umalis sa templo. Araw at gabi siya ay naglilingkod na may mga pag-aayuno at mga pagdalangin. Sa oras ding iyon, pumasok siya sa kinaroroonan nila at nagpuri sa Panginoon. Nagsalita siya patungkol kay Jesus sa kanilang lahat na nasa Jerusalem na naghihintay ng katubusan.
 
Naganap na nila ang lahat ng mga bagay ayon sa kautusan ng Panginoon. Sila ay bumalik sa Galilea, sa Nazaret na kanilang lungsod. Ang bata ay lumaki at lumakas sa espiritu. Napuspos siya ng karunungan at ang biyaya ng Diyos ay sumakaniya.

Our Gospel for Dec 29. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

Luke 2: 22 -35

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him 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:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”  The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about  him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”