Daily Reading for Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

I used to make myself believe I would die till I am 98. Yes, that is how I love life no matter the difficulty. Somehow I thought that's already being in the stage where you find meaning in your existence. But the past days, events in my life are unfolding so many new things, I realized I have just got to know another meaning in this existence. It is not how long I want to stay in this kind of existence, in this kind of euphoria over the present bliss. But it is more on how much I give myself each day. As I grow older,  happiness assumes a different meaning. It keeps changing. And I am amazed at each new discovery. Ah, happiness has this shape and color, ah, happiness has this texture, ah, happiness can be this simple. And then I realize, ah, I can still give so much. Indeed I can still give so much until I am empty and there is nothing left inside me but God. All of it.

When I was younger and happiness had a different definition, "leaving everything" to follow the Lord seemed so alien to me. It seemed impossible. I thought that was very drastic. Surely we cannot interpret the Bible too literally. But now that I am almost turning another chapter in my life, I look at myself and I say, "Who are you really without anything that you posses?" I do not want to be defined by what I wear, by the color of my hair, by the size of my body. I do not want to be defined by where I live in, where I go to work, who my friends are. I do not want anymore to be defined by these tangible things that I cannot at all bring with my to my grave. I want to be defined by something else more infinite, and my search starts now.

Reading 1, First Peter 1:10-16

10 This salvation was the subject of the search and investigation of the prophets who spoke of the grace you were to receive,

11 searching out the time and circumstances for which the Spirit of Christ, bearing witness in them, was revealing the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow them.

12 It was revealed to them that it was for your sake and not their own that they were acting as servants delivering the message which has now been announced to you by those who preached to you the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

13 Your minds, then, must be sober and ready for action; put all your hope in the grace brought to you by therevelation of Jesus Christ.

14 Do not allow yourselves to be shaped by the passions of your old ignorance,

15 but as obedient children, be yourselves holy in all your activity, after the model of the Holy One who calls us,

16 since scripture says, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

1 [Psalm] Sing a new song to Yahweh, for he has performed wonders, his saving power is in his right hand and his holy arm.

2 Yahweh has made known his saving power, revealed his saving justice for the nations to see,

3 mindful of his faithful love and his constancy to the House of Israel. The whole wide world has seen the saving power of our God.

4 Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth, burst into shouts of joy!

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Gospel, Mark 10:28-31

28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'

29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

31 Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.'