Misa de Gallo Day 5 Reflection: Salvation for All

by Br. John Lowell N. Jacob

The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as the Messiah and Lord whose life, death and resurrection make salvation available to all people on earth. We can reflect on three things:  

First, the biblical passage today presented us the divine power of God using human instrument to promulgate and accomplish his plan of salvation to the world. He chose Samson and John the Baptist to be his instruments to bring hope and peace in time of spiritual darkness and difficulties of the people.

In our everyday journey in this world, we experience a lot of problem and trials. But despite of this, the fact is there are people around us that is being used by God in order to help us to overcome these trials. In this trying time, allow God to use you as his INSTRUMENT OF HOPE THAT PROMOTES AND CREATES SPACE WHERE LIFE CAN GROW?

Second,the Gospel shows us how powerful the Word of God is and we are askedto listen to it. Zechariah was doubtful on what the angel Gabriel said to him, that her wife Elizabeth would bear a son even though she was an old woman. Zechariah was not able to speak because he lacked faith to listentowhat the Lord was telling him.

In this techno-world, it is a fact that despite of the advancing technology, we have lost our time in listening to others, for the reason that we are so engrossed with our gadgets. In many ways, this has affected our listening to the word of God. Do we have time to listen to Him? Our celebration of the Holy Mass in which we are daily invited and on Sundays where we are duty bound to participate, is an encounter where we could LISTEN WITH FAITH TO THE WORDS OF THE FATHER.

Third, the readings are replete with descriptions of the Lord showing his concern and love for his sheep. In the case of Elizabeth and Zechariah, the Lord liberated them from the malice and stigma of their human conditions created by a mischievous cultural perception. The couple is expected to spread the Good News of Love.   Today, in this modern world there is a growing tendency to humanize everything (leaving everything on man’s capacity) but not neglecting the cultural heritages and traditions. However, everything is adapted to what makes an individual happy. And Christmas is part of it. I say, we can celebrate Christmas in many ways but don’t forget that it is about God’s expression of his love for all of us. He sent his only Son to make us happy because with Him is our Salvation. Indeed, this Season of Love, the coming of our Lord is not only about what makes us happy but what we can do to make the One who is to come happy. Let us SPREAD THE LOVE!

In this time where modernity becomes a fashion and technology becomes essential in our way of living. A world seemingly endless with the dawn of the new things that resulted to hedonism, disparity, and division among us. Yet, in an instance, we were limited to what are essentials in our life. The pandemic has led us to pay attention to what is really important in our life. In this trying time let us reflect on simple things that really lead us to CHRIST who is very ESSENTIAL to our life. Allow ourselves to be God’s INSTRUMENT OF HOPE! Take time to LISTEN WITH FAITH to the Words of God! Maximize your talents, resources and capabilities to SPREAD THE LOVE!