OVER & ABOVE

I have shared several times already about the frightening experience I had during one of our prayer meetings at the DOST Chapel Philippines when I was almost bitten by a cat who just gave birth to her kittens. I was not aware they were lying down in a chair situated near the switch of the lights so when I came near it to turn on the lights the cat growled at me fiercely as if it can swallow me in one piece and tear me apart, whew! I got so scared and was startled, I forgot where I was and screamed. Sis Au who was there started to walk near the cat where the light switch was. I warned her not to come near it but instead of backing off she continued to come close to it while saying these words, as if the cat could understand her, "Hey you cat, you are under my power and I am above and over you because that was what God said when He created everything in this world including you and me!" I can never forget how the cat looked like since it was suddenly subdued and did not even growl at her. Wow, I was so impressed and have always made use of what I've learned from that experience whenever I am confronted with such situations especially animals including cats and dog which are sometimes not friendly and cuddly. I am just so grateful that I am reminded once again of that experience since we can find in today's 1st reading the exact bible verse that tells us that we are over and above them all. Amen. Hallelujah!


Genesis 1:20-2:4
...Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”


My family was very over protective of us since we were orphaned when my father died when we were just very young, my grandparents and single aunt were the ones who helped my mother take good care of us. We were sheltered and protected in the most delicate way maybe because they felt sorry for us since we have to grow up without a father. All I know and remember is that I am scared of a lot of things that even the most simple thing like turning on the stove, plugging an electrical cord, seeing a frog, lizard and all those creepy little animals that seem to be very harmless make me nervous. I don't know if my being the only girl in our family of three contributed to this. But those days are gone, I know who I am now and what God made me to be, on top of all His creation. I am free of all my fears. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
...You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet.

The Pharisees and the scribes in today’s gospel who are so obsessed about the tradition but have missed the most important point. Jesus does not tell us that tradition is bad but if it goes to the point of disregarding the spirit of the law which is love then it is just for nothing because it does not please God at all. In everything we do we have to be clear with our motivations and agenda that we don’t tip the scale and do one thing for the extreme reasons and neglect a whole lot of things. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 7:1-13
...So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” 6 He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7 In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’ 8 You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”