Monday (October 27): “The whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.”

Mabuhay at Mabuting Balita!
Month of the Most Holy Rosary
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
60 Days Before Christmas
80 Days Before the Visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines
 

First Reading: Ephesians 4:32–5:8
Psalms 1:1-4, 6:  Behave like God as his very dear children.
Gospel: Psalms 1:1-4, 6

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him. http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102714.cfm

Reflection:  Is there anything that keeps you bound up or oppressed? Infirmity, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can befall us for a variety of reasons and God can use it for some purpose that we do not understand. When Jesus encountered an elderly woman who was spent of her strength and unable to stand upright, he gave her words of faith and freedom and he restored her to health. She must have suffered much, both physically and spiritually for eighteen years, since Jesus remarked that Satan had bound her. How can Satan do this? The Scriptures indicate that Satan can act in the world with malice and can cause injuries of a spiritual nature, and indirectly even of a physical nature. Satan’s power, however, is not infinite. He cannot prevent the building up of God’s kingdom or reign in our lives.

Jesus wants to set free us from oppression
Jesus demonstrates the power and authority of God’s kingdom in releasing people who are oppressed by physical and emotional sickness, by personal weakness and sin, and by the harassment of the evil one in their lives. It took only one word from Jesus to release this woman instantly of her infirmity. Do you believe in the power of Jesus to release you from affliction and oppression?

The Jewish leaders were indignant that Jesus would perform such a miraculous work on the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. They were so caught up in their ritual observance of the Sabbath that they lost sight of God’s mercy and goodness. Jesus healed on the Sabbath because God does not rest from showing his mercy and love, ever. God’s word has power to change us, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Is there anything that keeps you bound up or that weighs you down? Let the Lord speak his word to you and give you freedom.

“Lord Jesus, you grant freedom to those who seek you. Give me freedom to walk in your way of love and to praise and worship you always. Show me how I can bring your mercy and healing love to those in need around me.” http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/oct27.htm http://www.dailyscripture.net author Don Schwager © 2014 Servants of the Word

Saint of the Day: St. Frumentius, Patron of Aksumite Empire (d. 380)

Called “Abuna” or the father of Ethiopia, sent to that land by St. Athanasius. Frumentius was born in Tyre, Lebanon. While on a voyage in the Red Sea with St. Aedesius, possibly his brother, only Frumentius and Aedesius survived the shipwreck. Taken to the Ethiopian royal court at Aksum, they soon attained high positions. Aedesius was royal cup bearer, and Fruementius was a secretary. They introduced Christianity to that land. When Abreha and Asbeha inherited the Ethiopian throne from their father, Frumentius went to Alexandria, Egypt, to ask St. Athanasius to send a missionary to Ethiopia. He was consecrated a bishop and converted many more upon his return to Aksum. Frumentius and Aedesius are considered the apostles of Ethiopia. http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=648

More Saints of the Day

• Abraham the Poor
• Abban of Murnevin
• Frumentius
• Vincent, Sabina, & Christeta
• Capitolina
• Desiderius of Auxerre
• Elesbaan
• Florentius
• Gaudiosus of Naples
• Namatius
• Odhran of Iona
• Odran of Iona
• Abraham the Poor
• Abuna (Frumentius)
• Frumentius of Ethiopia

Let me be the change I want to be. Even if I am not the light, I can be the spark. RAM