Mar 8 2021

First reading 2 Kings 5:1-15

There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman, the Syrian, was cured

Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper.

Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’

Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’

‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’

So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’

When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, ‘Why did you tear your garments? Let him come to me, and he will find there is a prophet in Israel.’

So Naaman came with his team and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more.’

But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprous part. Surely Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than any water in Israel? Could I not bathe in them and become clean?’ And he turned round and went off in a rage.

But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’

So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.’

Responsorial Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Like the deer that yearns

for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

for you, my God.

My soul is thirsting for God,

the God of my life;

when can I enter and see

the face of God?

O send forth your light and your truth;

let these be my guide.

Let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

And I will come to the altar of God,

the God of my joy.

My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,

O God, my God.

Gospel Luke 4:24-30

No prophet is ever accepted in his own country

Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

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8th March 2021 Monday 3rd Week of Lent

Reflection
2 Kings 5:1-15, Luke 4:24-30
“God has no favourites”
“When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged”: They were in great fury to the point that they wanted to throw Jesus off the cliff because they regarded themselves as God’s special people, His chosen nation. They could not accept the message that Jesus came to present which was about God’s love and care for all people regardless of their religion, race, gender or nation. Therefore, their closed and fixed view of God prevented them to accept Jesus and His Good News.

God has no favourites. He loves all people with His universal love. Today, let us reflect: Is this my understanding of God? Do I then open my heart to welcome and love those beyond my race, religion, nation? Today, let us not be like the people of Nazara, who cannot let go of their fixed view of God. Instead, let us allowJesus to open our hearts to see there is much more to God than we conceive.

Question for reflection:
How do I understand this phrase: “God has no favourites” in the context of today’s gospel?

8hb Mac 2021. Isnin Minggu Prapaska Ke-3

Renungan
2 Raja-raja 5:1-15, Lukas 4:24-30

“Tuhan tidak mempunyai kegemaran”
“Mendengar hal itu, semua orang dalam rumah ibadat menjadi marah”: Mereka sangat marah sehingga mereka ingin menolak Yesus ke dalam jurang kerana menganggap diri mereka orang istimewa di mata Tuhan, bangsa pilihan Tuhan. Mereka tidak dapat menerima pesan yang disampaikan Yesus iaitu tentang kasih dan pertolongan Allah kepada semua orang tanpa mengira agama, etnik, jantina atau bangsa. Oleh kerana itu pandangan mereka yang tidak terbuka tentang Allah menghalang mereka untuk menerima Yesus dan Khabar GembiraNya.
Tuhan tidak mempunyai kegemaran. Dia mengasihi semua orang dengan kasihNya yang tidak terbatas. Hari ini marilah merenungkan: Adakah ini pemahaman saya tentang Tuhan? Adakah saya membuka hati saya untuk menerima dan mengasihi orang-orang yang diluar etnik, agama dan bangsa saya? Hari ini janganlah menjadi seperti orang-orang di Nazaret yang tidak dapat melepaskan pandangan mereka tentang Tuhan. Sebaliknya marilah membenarkan Yesus membuka hati kita untuk melihat bahawa Tuhan lebih dari apa yang kita bayangkan.

Soalan renungan:
Bagaimana saya memahami frasa ini: “Tuhan tidak mempunyai kegemaranNya” dalam konteks injil hari ini?

8 Mac 2021, Orou Kasaa’ Minggu’ Katalu Prapaska

2 Raja’-raja’ 5:1-15; Lukas 4:24-30

I Aki Kapuuno’ kolondo’ undungon
‘Paat ra ilo nokorongog ragitio ngaangai’ ondo’ giu’ ra baloi sambayangan no siminagit’. Siminangit ilo tojojo suku’ masaga’ nilo juulin i Jisus ra kiing ru bulur ondo’ mapasuk sabap ra karaan nilo ra ilo galama’ no ulun ri Aki Kapuuno’ ondo’ maatang tojojo. Bansa’ ondo’ pinili’ Nano. Kalo mangapu ilo ra bilin ra matong i Jisus koson mambala’ ra togom ri Aki Kapuuno’ am mampalio ngaangai’ ulun ra kalo mangkara’ ra ugama nilo, papag, ungkuyon kia kapoam ruandu’ am bansa’. Ginio nai sabap ra, inangaban am siliin nilo magilong ri Aki Kapuuno’ ondo’ mongompong risilo mangapu ri Jisus am Tanou Moonsoi Nano.
I Aki Kapuuno’ kolondo’ undungon. Motogom Io ra ngaangai’ ulun ra togom Nano ondo’ maayo no. Orou raiti’, ibok takau mampaguang: Gitio kia pangaratian ku ri Aki Kapuuno’? Maukab ku kia guang kuti koson manguma’ am motogom ra ulun ondo’ suai ugama, papag, ungkuyon kia kapoam ruandu’ kapoam bansa’? Orou raiti’, ibok takau pai’ koson ra ulun ru Nasarit, ondo’ siliin nilo magilong ri Aki Kapuuno’. Kaa’, ibok takau mangiou ri Jisus mangukab ra guang takau koson makakito ra mauli tojojo ondo’ ri Aki Kapuuno’ intor ra ondo’ soroi ritakau.

Pangkuatan ra paguangin:
Ati kulaan maratian ku ragau ragitio: ‘i Aki Kapuuno’ kolondo’ undungon’ ralalom ragu ru Injil ra orou raiti’?

08-03-2021 Hari Satu Minggu Lent Ka-3

Renungan
2 Raja 5:1-15; Luke 4:24-30

“Allah Taala enda pilih bulu.”
“Lebuh sida ninga nya, semua sida ke dalam balai gempuru nya lalu balat amat pedis ati.”
Sida balat pedis ati lalu deka nikau Iya ari pala tingkah laban sida ngaku diri Orang ti dipilih Allah Taala, Bansa enggi Iya. Sida enda ulih nerima pesan ti ditusi Jesus pasal pengerindu enggau pengasih Allah Taala ka semua mensia, pengarap, indu tauka lelaki tauka ari semua menua. Laban runding sida pasal Allah Taala udah ditutup diri empu nya kebuah sida enda ulih nerima Jesus enggau pesan Berita Manah.

Allah Taala enda milih bulu. Iya rindu semua mensia enggau pengerindu Iya ti besai. Saritu, aram kitai belemati:kati tu jalai aku mereti ka Allah Taala? Bisi aku muka ati nerima sereta rindu orang ti enda sama bansa, pengarap enggau menua? Saritu, awak kitai enda nyadi baka orang ari Nazara ti enda ulih ngubah runding pasal Allah Taala. Tang, aram kitai meri awak ngagai Jesus muka ati kitai awak meda pemesai Allah Taala lebih jauh agi ari runding kitai.

Kati aku ulih mereti ka jako tu: “Allah Taala enda milih bulu” dalam bacha Injil saritu?

2021年3月8日四旬期第三周星期一

省思
《列下5:1-15》
《路4:24-30》

“天主没有专宠的”
“在会堂中听见这话的人，都愤怒填胸”。他们很生气的要把耶稣扔下山因为他们自认自己是天主特别的子民，被选中的民族。他们不能接受耶稣的到来是与人民分享天主的爱和关怀，不管他们是什么宗教，种族，性别或国籍。因此，他们封闭了并要阻止人民接受耶稣和天主的好消息。
天主没有特别宠爱的人。祂是以大爱爱祂的人民。今天就让我们反思。我们是否了解天主？我是否欢迎和爱戴我之外的种族，信仰和国籍。今天让我们不要像纳匝肋人那样，不能改变自己对天主以往的看法。反之，让我们允许天主打开我们的心房了解天主而不是我们所接受多少。

省思题:
1)我是如何了解今天福音里提到的这个短语:”天主没有专宠的?”

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.