UPDATES

 

An oak will produce its first good seed crop when it is 40-50 years old, and acorn production varies, with trees sometimes producing very few in a given year. Large numbers of acorns are produced intermittently, and these occur every three to five years, when a mature tree can produce up to 50,000 acorns. The acorns are shed before the leaves fall, and they begin to germinate almost immediately.

The leaf litter which accumulates on top of them provides protection from frost and hides them from seed-eating animals and birds.
When possession, power and pleasure are put into play and are used interchangeably because one backs the other, no one would be contented to be ordinary. It is unthinkable for anyone to be satisfied in being a commoner when possession, power and pleasure become handy for one’s benefit.   It is difficult to gauge one’s success based on integrity when power or possession are at play. However, the means to reach one’s goal is sometimes irrelevant as we tend to be more focused on the result rather than on how we achieve it.

Jesus, though God, chose to be human like us in all things, except sin. He chose to belong to a poor and ordinary family of workers in Nazareth. He worked, prayed and socialized like any commoner in his village.  He possessed nothing magnificent but brought healing, liberation and Good News of God’s Kindom.  He made everything ordinary extra-ordinary, depending only in God for his well-being.

Following Jesus in Nazareth, Bonifacia lived and dedicated her life for the poor women workers and girls at risk.  Coming from the working class, Bonifacia knows their needs, problems as well as their aspirations. As one among them, she responded to the situation.  Misunderstood, she was humbled, ridiculed and rejected by her own sisters like when they replaced her as their superior at a time when she was out of the community for an errand or when the community she was asked to establish in Zamora was not included for Pontifical approbation.  Her strength in those trying moments, like any commoner sprang forth from her trust and dependence on God, the source of everything for her.

Reflection:

  • How far can you allow yourself to be “one among many”, to be an ordinary person or a commoner in a society that looks up to those who go for possession, power and pleasure
  • How much of your time and effort can you give to the service of those who are less privileged in life?  How much is spent for achieving personal goals and ambitions?

Scripture:            Lk 21: 1-4
when he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.  He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."

Prayer:  Prayer of Serenity
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.