RELIGIOUS STUDIES

gospel reflections
In today’s Gospel, Jesus criticized the Scribes and Pharisees
for imbedding laws which results for people to stay further
away from the Kingdom of God. He called them out for their
hypocrisy and showed how Jesus cared for people. He is fair
and just, as which we are to aspire from Him. Over the years,
August 23, 2021 I know how much I’ve been unfair at times and selfish. Still,
this Gospel made me realize that beyond this improper
Matthew 23:13-22 behavior, I have still the chance to widen my thoughts and
perspective. To not become like the Scribes and Pharisees
who are called hypocrites, but to become a person who can
influence other people to come together and unite as one.

August 24, 2021

John 1:45-51
Today’s Gospel talks about how Jesus met Nathanael and
how he was somewhat reluctant about Him, yet he still
believed. I do think that we are all like Nathanael in terms of
meeting someone new; we get judgmental and hesitant. “I
saw you under the fig tree,” was what Jesus said, Nathanael
then believed Him as Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus Christ,
pleased, promised him a great future. I say that when we all
believe and follow Jesus, we are on the path of His plans. He
always knew of us, and He knows what is good. He can do
August 25, 2021 greater things, and as we know how much He cares for us, I
know that we are in for something great as well.
Matthew 23:27-32

Another Gospel of which Scribes and Pharisees were called out as hypocrites. This
tackled more on how people can go far as to maintain their image yet still coerce
others against their supposed principles. I have met a lot of people like this, “two-
faced” as we call them, who cannot walk the talk. I do think that they have their own
circumstances in being that way, yet still can’t deny the fact that it is wrong. We are
given precious lives to live the way we want; however, it does not harm anyone to live
a righteous one. God graced us with His wisdom, and we are supposed to live by it.
We are humans, and I know that we can improve and be better. We are still capable of
changing and not inherit the unjust deeds of our past.
 The Gospel speaks more about God’s descent to our land, the moment of His
August 26, coming, the end of time. It portrayed as we are the maids who are waiting for our
2021 master’s arrival. We are to be vigilant and prepared, to make Him see that we are
living the way He wanted us to. As He will be glad and grant us His blessings and
Matthew 24:42-51 grace. The God Almighty will come one day whom no one would expect, yet it still
doesn’t mean that we are to neglect our duties. Our mission is to follow Him and
spread His teachings, and as we do that, we must prepare for His arrival. When that
August 27, happens, we are to live in His presence and prove ourselves worthy in the kingdom
He prepared for us.
2021
Matthew 25:1-13
Today’s Gospel talks about the ten (10) wedding attendants who all took
their lamps to meet the bridegroom. It was stated that five were foolish
and five were sensible, as to the former didn’t bring oil with them while
August 29, 2021 the latter did. By the end of the Gospel, they were late due to their own
faults and complacent attitudes, and were not able to get in. This goes to
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 show that we must know to be wise in dealing with certain situations
because we are not guaranteed to always be given a second chance. As a
clumsy person myself, this is what I need to improve. I must always think
ahead and be someone who’s independent in facing such situations.
Being sensible is certainly an advantageous skill and I reflected how I am
August 30, 2021 still lacking. As the Gospel says, we must stay awake, because we are not
capable of knowing of what’s to come.
Luke 4:16-30

This Sunday’s holy Gospel focuses more on how we are

seen as clean disciples of Christ. Hypocrisy and two-faced
personalities are often times existing within a person. Jesus
sees not how unclean hands are used for eating, but in how
unclean a person is to other fellow disciples. To be faithful
of the given commandments and to not commit crimes
against the will of God. This shows how much Jesus values
the inner heart more than the outer appearance. He knows
who’s good and who’s pretending. To live by His teachings
and follow them by heart shall bear our sincerity and how
much we believe in Him.
 In this time’s Gospel, it showed how Jesus helped the man in the synagogue who
was possessed by an evil spirit; His first miracle. Everyone then saw how much
power and authority Jesus holds as the unclean spirit went out of the body
without harming it by the Lord’s words. It goes to show that even unclean spirits
are made obedient under His grace and power. This can also be reminded of us
that Jesus is always there to ease up our worries. He has the power of granting us
our peace as we offer ourselves to Him and ought to have faith in Him. When
we feel down, we can always trust in our Lord Jesus Christ as He is always with
us, to guide us, and help up whenever needed.

Today’s Gospel focused more on how Jesus created more miracles as He healed
many people trying not to reveal His identity. When He was about to leave,
people held on to Him asking Him to stay, yet Jesus declined. He said that He
had to go to the other towns to proclaim the Good News, as it was His duty to do
August 31, 2021 so. Moreover, as God’s followers, we are ought to do our mission like how the
Lord Jesus Christ did. We must spread His teachings and proclaim the Good
Luke 4:31-37 News to everyone and help them heal from their own anxieties. We are to live
along His path and become people of His love and compassion.

September 01, The Gospel for today speaks about how Jesus The passage of Luke showed us
helped Simon Peter to acquire fish as they did how the Scribes and Pharisees
2021 not have any catches. To their surprise, they all criticized Jesus for seeing how His
Luke 4:38-44 worshiped Him as they said they were not disciples are not fasting, unlike the
deserving for they are such sinful men. others. Jesus then expressed how
However, God did not care for any of this and fasting is not needed as being with
told him that he shall now look for people Him is like having a wedding feast
instead of fish. This then expressed how Jesus already. As the bridegroom
gathered for His disciples and followers and welcomes a new chapter of their
told us that this is our mission as well. We lives, we are also facing a new
were told to spread and gather more, to beginning with Christ, along with
September 02, proclaim His teachings and the Good News. God the Father as soon as we unite.
2021 Even though we started with nothing He has Jesus is our path to the Kingdom of
the power to give us everything, like how He God, and I know that when the right
Luke 5:1-11 Today’s passage
showed this to Simon Peter. As we are for focused on
timeJesus’ words
comes, Heas will
He talked to theus
embrace
Him, and He is for ours. people in the synagogue. It showed how Jesus emphasized
with His light and bless us a new
the reminder that God is for
lifeall when
with He talked about Elijah
Him.
and Elisha. This also expressed the usual nature of the
people, being selfish; as they did not want to let Jesus be
embraced by others, but only for themselves. However,
Jesus did not want it to be like this as He was meant to be
for everyone. He wants to tell us that He does not do
favorites, but He dotes on every single one of us with fair
September 03, 2021 treatment. God is enough for all of us and there is no reason
for us to keep Him for ourselves, hence, gathering more
Luke 5:33-39
people to enter with us to the Kingdom of God.
 'Everything He does is good; He makes the deaf hear and the
dumb speak.' This circulates on this Sunday’s Gospel. He who
carries the power to heal us and the power to make everything
good, He is the Son of our God, Jesus Christ. This goes to show
how much Christ performed miracles on His time. He gathered
more disciples which have been shown what we are today. He
always looked out for us and made sure we are all well. Indeed so,
all the things He did was good, and is good up to this day.

September 05, 2021

Mark 7:31-37 Today’s Sunday Gospel speaks about how
Jesus openly explained to His disciples the
fate He has to face. “Anyone who wants to
save his life will lose it; but anyone who
loses his life for my sake, and for the sake
of the gospel, will save it,” He proclaimed.
September 12, 2021 It shows how no one can separate Christ
Mark 8:27-35 from His own fate. He was meant to be
sacrificed and suffer, and we, as His
followers, are now carrying the role of
pursuing what He wanted: proclaiming the
Good News and teachings of God. We are
meant to face our own path of fate, to
September 19, 2021 continue our missions as one of His, to
gather more disciples, and carry on the
Mark 9:30-37 words of God.
The Sunday’s Gospel carries on how
Jesus explained that if we accept and
welcome each other in His name, is
the same as welcoming Him, and the
one who sent Him. We are all facing
our own lives, yet we must not
forget how God wanted us to unite
and live by His will. Growing up, I
always wish to form connections
with other people, to befriend them,
and form the sense of friendship. I
ought to live with someone by my
side who supports and loves me the
same as God showed me. This is
what He wanted us to live like:
welcome each other as we welcome
Him, because we are all His family,
who shall be together when the holy
time comes.

September 26, 2021

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
As for this Sunday’s Gospel, the apostles expressed how they stopped a
person who’s performing miracles instead of Christ. However, Christ
explained how one is not to be stopped if one isn’t against them. People
who are doing good for the sake of the betterment of all are people who
lived by principles who only wants the best for everyone. It is no mistake
that when a person who only helps with pure intention, is someone who
Jesus approves of. To speak the good and good for others, to see the good
and good of others, and to live for the good and good of others, are the
things we must abide as we are all following the same path as God
planned as to walk on to.