THE DECEPTION

Today’s readings remind me of that incident in 2008 at St. Martha’s when a lady lost her purse. We had already started the Divine Mercy and Rosary Devotion that we regularly pray after the morning mass when the said lady approached us and inquired if we have seen her purse. When we responded that we didn’t see her purse I could tell that she even became more anxious and very worried. The moment we resumed our prayer, I silently prayed for her and felt God spoke in my heart with the message that her purse is not really lost it was just misplaced. I whispered to Sister Marcy who was sitting beside me the message that I got. True enough, after a while the woman came back with her purse, she said that she got it from the rectory because somebody (a senior citizen) took her purse by mistake and she was already on her way home when it dawned on her that she did not bring any purse to church and got somebody else's purse. Upon realizing it she immediately went back to Church but just decided to give it back to the Rector's office since she didn't know who owns the bag. This experience with the woman who found her purse is one of those times when I actually felt and found God speaking to me in my heart that's why Sis Marcy who was with me at that time told me that I have the gift of discernment. Just like this woman who was spared from more worries because she finally found her lost purse may we also find our way to following the will of God. We should all yearn for the gift of discernment so that we are well guided in the things we do.  It is sad that we sometimes have to wait for something very tragic and terrible to happen before we realize our shortcomings to God. Just like in today’s 1st reading we, too have a tendency to think that the misfortunes happening are caused by God. It is usually our guilt that makes us think this way rather than our sincere intention to repent and repair the damage we have caused. Whatever it may be, which could be a number of reasons that we sometimes realize sooner, later or never, it should always be the great love of God for us that should be our driving force and wind beneath our wings. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3

8 The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD.”...“Go, consult the LORD for me, for the people, for all Judah, about the stipulations of this book that has been found, for the anger of the LORD has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfill our written obligations.”

The decrees of our Lord are not meant to make things difficult for us nor do they burden or tie us down. This is the deception and we should start looking at it the right way. Just imagine life without God's decrees to guide us, it would be very disorderly and chaotic. It's like driving in the freeway wherein one can just go his or her own way without any regard for any traffic rules and regulations. Real freedom is the ability to follow God and being totally free of the grasp and hold of sin that brings death. Some sins bring instant death but others just like cancer slowly creep in and before we know it has already eaten us up whole.  God loves us so much that He has given us His decrees because it is in following them that we become totally free and live. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40

R: Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

33 Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them. (R) 34 Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. (R) 35 Lead me in the path of your commands, for in it I delight. (R) 36 Incline my heart to your decrees and not to gain. (R) 37 Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain: by your way give me life. (R) 40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your justice give me life.

When we are unaware of some things that are going on around us we end up doing the wrong things. Only after we’ve done it do we realize it and sometimes we are still blessed that we can still undo or edit what we did but sometimes too, there are things that are so difficult to undo or edit or no longer possible at all. Today’s gospel gives us an important tip in order for us not to fall into this trap. It is important that we know what fruits we should look for. It is not the fruits that this world bears that should serve as our guide but the fruits of the Holy Spirit. They are love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. I believe that God is continuously manifesting His gifts to us. Together with all the gifts that He wants to bestow us through the Holy Spirit are the fruits that will mark our whole being as God's own. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 7:15-20

15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them.”