GOODNESS, BEAUTY & TRUTH

There is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes in contributing not only to our future but to the future of others. Today's 1st reading speaks of this basic principle of moral life that Amos prophesies today, "Seek good and not evil...Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail..."  It will always be easier said than done. We need to take things one step at a time and before we know it we've come a long way and reached our goals no matter how long and difficult it may seem. Just think of people who need to exercise but always end up quitting, a fitness expert said that if we can commit to doing exercise for 21 consecutive days then it will become a way of life. We can apply the same principle to doing good in our own little way daily so that it can eventually become a habit thus it will inevitably come out naturally like a flowing water and an unfailing stream. Amen. Hallelujah!

Amos 5:14-15, 21-24

14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! 15 Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; ...24 then let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.

There is this Catholic convert who was raised in the belief that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon. When he encountered for the first time listening to the Palestrina, he said that it doesn't sound like it came from hell and sounded much more like what the angels sound in heaven. When he visited for the first time, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, he figured that the whore of Babylon could not be something this beautiful. He realized and understood that there could not be such a disconnection of what could be so beautiful and what is good and true. He could find all of these elements of goodness, beauty and truth in the Catholic faith and what eventually brought him to the faith. The beauty that the faith produces is something that shines throughout more than 2000 years of the Church. Let our words coincide with our work and action so that men will see and become convinced that we are God's obedient people. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

...“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” 

Let's think about the gospel today. Where did those demons ask to be sent today? They asked to be sent to the pigs. It is very disheartening that much of our culture today are forcing people to become like pigs, beasts and beless than we are as stated in Gen. 1:31,"God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good." Those demons that were sent there were created good by God. It was through their own radical choice of rejecting God, that they become much less. Just recall what they said, "Send us into the herd of swine." This is what the life of people around us choosing evil become. They just choose to become like beasts and pigs when in fact, we are called to reach a higher, spiritual life. This could be described as climbing a mountain. It is difficult and it requires perseverance, daily efforts and God's assistance. What happens when we continue to climb up that mountain? It is hard but eventually we begin to see a wider distance, comprehend in a greater way the beauty that surrounds us, draw closer to God and finally see what we are called to become. Pope Benedict said that this is the greatest defense of our Christian faith. What confirmed his conviction that the true apology of Christian faith is the most convincing demonstration of its truth against every denial like the saints and the beauty that the faith has generated. The light of Christ shines in the life of the saints. Today for faith to grow we must lead ourselves in the persons we meet to encounter the saints and enter into contact with the beautiful. St. Augustine described God as the source of all beauty, goodness and truth that is ever ancient, ever new. We are attracted to that because we are called to that. In order to grow those attributes that are God's we have to hold to our faith to bring about these things. Let us bathe ourselves with God’s grace and be filled to become more and achieve our potential. The whole person needs to grow and advance not just in technical knowledge which is very limited but also in character and virtue. This is what God wants for us. To find our greatest aspects which is not always easy but it is good. If we search deep down, it is what we reach out and long for, our potential and fulfillment. God is a God of order and has given a time for everything but will always act in accordance to what will be for the greater good. Let's just continue to trust God's perfect will and timing in every aspect of our lives. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 8:28-34

28 When Jesus came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. 31 The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go then!” ...