BETTER AND IMPROVED

We should always hope to see all people come to know and believe in God. If this happens then this world will become a much better place to live in. We should remove jealousy and ill feelings toward one another. At the slight hint of these negative feelings we should at once put a stop to it. We are all guilty of it one way or another because we all have this tendency to be self centered but if we closely guard ourselves against it and really make an effort to be self conscious of this very destructive attitude then we can be as firm as Moses by not succumbing to this self centeredness and sincerely hope for the betterment of all people. Amen. Hallelujah!

Numbers 11:25-29

... “Moses, my lord, stop them.” 29 But Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!”

It always pay to be watchful and alert at all times. Although we sometimes fail to measure up due to our own shortcomings or could be the doing of another, God assures us in today's psalm that if we fall into the trap of the enemy we can always repent with a deep remorse for our sins and resolve to make the precepts of the Lord the joy of our hearts. In doing so, we find ourselves naturally restrained from sin and maintain our innocence. Amen. Hallelujah!

 P S A L M

Psalm 19:8. 10. 12-13. 14 (9a)

R: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

 ... the decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. (R) 11 [12] Though your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them, 12 [13] yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults! (R) 13 [14] From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over me. Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin.

 Today's 2nd reading serves as a warning for all of us not to be led astray by the values that this world hold dear. It is so hard not to be influenced by it because we are still in this world and detaching from it poses a more difficult task than to imbibe the ways of the world and just go with the flow without any resistance. We must master all our courage and strength in sticking to the truth and values that Jesus teaches us in the bible as in the Book of James. Amen. Hallelujah!

James 5:1-6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. 2 Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, 3 your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. 4 Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you non resistance.

Mark the writer where today’s gospel is taken from was very much around the very people whom we usually look up to as the leaders of the community but fail to reach the mark. If we read further in the gospel in Mark 9: 49-50 it is written, "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." During his time, salt was stored in a bag and used in the cooking the way in the same manner tea bags are used. This is to filter the impurities so after use the taste is gone and what's left is just a bag of dirt. Mark was very much around these kinds of people and this is what he was trying to convey in his writings. We should promote the improvement and betterment of our fellow men instead of being suspicious or jealous of them. I t is God's will for us that we all become better and improved people and eventually become the best. We may be encountering some problems at the moment but this should inspire us to see beyond the imperfections of our present situation for God is always at work in our lives and we should not lose sight of what God has in store for those who obey and follow Him. Jesus tells His disciples not to prevent those who drive out demons in His name. Although they are not part of their group, they are not doing something against them. Sometimes we get offensive and instead of attracting people to the faith we tend to drive them away. We can not claim to know everything so it is better to just give people the benefit of the doubt or not judge them outright and just entrust them to Jesus who definitely knows best.  Jesus also warns us of hell. Let us recall also that it is also written in the scriptures about the fig tree which bears no fruit and was thrown into fire to burn. We have to realize that in every sin there is pride. Our sins can bring us to hell if left unrepented.  There is a real need to live in virtue and strive to bear fruit as a Christian. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:38-43. 45. 47-48

38 At that time, John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 44 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [46] 46 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’” 

ANGELS TO THE RESCUE

Today is the Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels. Gabriel means ‘messenger of God;’ Raphael means ‘healing of God’ and Michael means ‘strength of God.’ It is so reassuring that as Catholics we believe in their existence as the bible tells us so and can call upon their intercession and help in our lives. For example, we invoke Michael for protection in our lives. I have already shared this several times and I will not hesitate to share it again in order to give due recognition to the angels that God sends our way to help us. I can never forget when I attended a prayer healing in the Holy Family Church here at Glendale headed by Bro. Carmelo from Sta. Maria Bulacan. He gave each one of us a fresh white rose petal which he placed on our chest and after praying we were told to remove it in order for us to take a look at it. At first, I thought I was seeing a butterfly but when I looked at it closer I saw an image of an angel. It was the image of a cherubim, a very cute angel that I still carry with me to this day and served as a constant reminder that I am loved since I got it from this healing service in Oct 21, 2007 which happened to be also my mother's birthday. There are many special events that I can associate with the angel miraculously imprinted in the fresh petal I got. Prior to this I had extraordinary experiences within the month of Oct. 2007 surrounding and pointing to it.  This coming October 2 is the feast day of the guardian angels and it was at that time in 2007 when I almost lost my wallet with all my cash money in it. My friend Joy and I were already 2 blocks away from the restaurant where we ate when I suddenly felt a tap in my shoulder which alerted me to the fact that I do not have my wallet inside my purse. It was a tap so quick and it felt like I was just imagining it. We quickly returned to look for my wallet but Joy told me that there is a chance we might not find it anymore because she saw a bum circling around the place before we left. Both to our surprise, I found my wallet lying on the floor and picked it up immediately. A woman who was also there and saw what happened told me that I am very lucky. 2 weeks after that, still within Oct 2007 my name got picked in a Nurse Expo lottery and won a $1000 gift card. It is a testimony of God's everlasting love and mercy. There is no doubt that angels are always about us, ministering and attending to our needs. Thanks be to God that He has sent His angel to always guide and protect me. If we allow God to take full control in our lives then we can be assured of His everlasting dominion and glory that can not be taken away nor destroyed. Amen. Hallelujah

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (or Revelation 12:7-12a)

...Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him...

I have always believed in angels even before I got the miracle petal. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was still less than 2 months old and fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to regain consciousness within an hour then he said I could die. To everybody's surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the school where my mother used to be a public school teacher. She said she was standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud engine of the jeep.  It was just a miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road she said that I suddenly stopped and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my guardian angel that held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep.  I don't remember personally any of those experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my chair.  My classmates were really shocked and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. There is no doubt that we should sing the praises of the Lord in the sight of the angels. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5

R: In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

1 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; 2 I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name. (R) Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 4 All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth; 5 and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD: “Great is the glory of the LORD.”

If we just try to look back and recall we will find that all throughout our lifetimes we really have a lot of things to be thankful for. We should continue to trust God who knows the things that happened, happening and is bound to happen as in today's gospel. I should say that God is reminding me once again of some special events in my life. Firstly because the gospel reading is about the story of Phillip who was the one who introduced Nathaniel or St. Bartholomew to Jesus which reminds me of this person in my life who was also instrumental for the deepening of my faith in Jesus. I could still remember the homily of Fr. Rolly when he said that today's gospel should remind us of the person who brought us closer to God. In my life she is Gloria Dar. I consider her a part of my Christian life in almost the same manner that Philip in today's gospel was to Nathaniel/St. Bartholomew. I was just new in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal then and I must admit that she was one person that God has used tremendously in my life. I could never forget when I was still pregnant with my son Jude most especially because it was Sis Gloria Dar who envisioned Jesus carrying a baby standing in the middle of our prayer circle and specifically described Him wearing the Sacred Heart attire and said these words, "I have a message for my daughter, consecrate the baby in your womb."  This happened in a prayer meeting I attended during that time which happened to be on the 9th day of my Sacred Heart novena, and Sis Gloria, the prayer leader whom I just met, did not know of my novena neither of my pregnancy nor would even suspect of it. Looking back at my life back then most especially at that time when I first had this devotion to the Sacred Heart, I can never deny and forget for the rest of my life the dramatic and significant events that happened during my novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Jude Thaddeus which opened up the door for miracles to happen.  I have witnessed the revelation of God's great love to me especially when I gave birth to Jude, my 1st born son, as proof of His undeniably awesome and unbelievable miracle when he came out normal and healthy despite my problematic pregnancy. From that day forward, God never ceased to amaze me every single turn in my life since His love is beyond comprehension. Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that today’s gospel happened to be the same gospel when I shared about my younger son, Allan’s experience with Bishop Soc Villegas who told him to become a priest. If we are clueless about a lot of things then we can be assured that there is someone who knows all these things. Today's gospel gives us a glimpse of Jesus' true divinity. He is God and Immortal, nothing is hidden from Him and everything is known to Him. It gives us confidence knowing that we have a God who is able to carry us through. We can learn from Nathaniel or St. Bartholomew as we profess with confidence the very words that he said to Jesus and really believe in words, thoughts and deeds. Signs and wonders are wrought by God's mighty hand each and every day. On top of it all is the promise of Jesus our Savior to see greater things than we have all witnessed for the best is yet to come. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 1:45-51

...Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

A REASON & A MISSION

We may be going through some kind of difficulty at this time and there seems to be no end to it. It may feel like everything has turned against us and there is no way out. When things are looking bad it is always good to focus on this very popular statement of Fr. Gerry Orbos from the Philippines, "There is a reason and a mission and everything is in transition wag na makunsumisyon." The last 3 words in Tagalog can be translated as "do not fret."  God answers all our prayers and never ignores us. He will never leave us confused and groping in the dark. There may be days when we have been getting sure ball and direct messages from the Lord but we may also have a lot of things going on in our mind and we can't help having some regrets and think if we had not done what we've done, did otherwise then things may have been different. We start to doubt whether we did the right thing and it may even cross our  mind, we should have been better off if we did otherwise. But God in His goodness and mercy despite our wavering and doubts would always speak in our hearts and assure us that He will always guide and direct our steps and will never put us astray. His faithfulness we can always count on to make all things beautiful in His perfect time. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

1 There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens...

In spite of all the discouraging and heart rending events that we’ve experienced and witnessed in our lives there is one thing sure about it. In every tear that fell and heartache, God’s mercy is always upon us. He is our fortress and stronghold that we can not be moved. A preacher on TV said that we have to go to the right frame and never turn back.  Once we are in the right frame then we should not be dissuaded because only immovable people can move mountains. We have to stick to the right frame because it is our fight of faith. It was also Jesus who told us in Mt. 17:20, “…Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." We should not lose focus and realize that we are standing on a firm foundation, solid as rock, and we can entrust everything unto Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4

R: Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, 2 my mercy and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust...

There are times when our judgment gets clouded with the trials and difficulties we encounter in life. We always expect things to happen the way we expected and planned it to be. We sometimes overlook things because we are so preoccupied with other things. There are times when we fall into the trap of irritability and anger whenever our situation does not look good. Instead of succumbing to it, we should just thank God in whatever circumstance we are in and count our blessings instead. We have to remain calm. It is all worth it, because we are able to practice patience. These experiences, no matter how little, insignificant or not noteworthy they are, we can still learn some lessons from them which can make us better every little step of the way. Just like Peter in today's gospel, his constant following, closeness and interaction with Jesus eventually brought him to his present place and standing in our Church. But we all know how this relationship of Peter with Jesus started out and tried several times especially with Peter's denials. Even then we can always hope and aspire that as we go along life and grab or take advantage of opportunities that God sends our way or allows to happen, we can develop a better understanding of who really God is in our life and what He is doing with our life which will eventually turn out for the best. Just as His suffering and death on the cross paved the way for His resurrection and our salvation we should always believe that God has the best reason for everything. Our life is full of choices. We need to make the right choice. We need to make a good judgment with regards to the choices we make. It is not wise to go by the prevailing standard that is being offered by the world. We may find ourselves secured now but not later; happy and contented for the time being but not meant to last; and at peace with the world but is shallow and easily disturbed. Sometimes when we have solicited the support of the majority or won the people’s approval, we have a tendency to cloud our judgments especially when our egos become inflated with pride. Rather than focus on what is right and proper before the Lord we go by popularity.  We should always keep in mind that the saying, “Majority wins” is not always what is right before the Lord. Nor should we be bothered by the opposition of other people if we do not go with the flow. In today’s gospel it is very clearly illustrated that the crowds are greatly misled and only Peter got it right. It doesn't matter what others may say or if some or most people disagree or are not pleased with our decisions what matters most is that we are right and at peace before God.  The top choice should always be Jesus if we truly wish to be saved. God is the ultimate and perfect lover whom we can not compare to the fleeting and passing love of this world. And as sure as the dawning of this new day, is the precise message of the intense, sacred, deep and indescribable love that is reserved and attributed to God alone. Our conviction and stand on certain things should always be dependent on what Jesus tells us for He is the way, the truth and the light. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 9:18-22

...Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said in reply, “The Messiah of God.” 21 He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone. 22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

ONE STEP MORE

I have often heard a similar line from today's 1st reading in the movies, stories that I read and even from people in real life. These are words of desperation of a person after having worked and done everything and yet in the end nothing seems to amount to anything at all.  We can also ask ourselves the same question. Why do we work so hard and for what is it all about. Is it just about the money, the fame, power, sense of self fulfillment or just for the sake of being useful and doing something. Nothing is wrong with all these things for as long as we keep the balance or not let it rule over us. As we go through our life we find that we live like most people do. Living a good and abundant life is what we ought to do. This is what God wants us to have so as to reflect His goodness. As in John 10:10, " ...I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." All of these abundance will turn into vanity if we fail to put God in the center for in the end it is all that will matter. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

2 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! 3 What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun?...

We are destined for much greater things that we can see right now. Thus we should set our goals higher than what people normally aim for in this life. Let us not reach the end of our lives regretting what we should have done or not and do what we have to do right now. We marvel at the capability of the human mind to function the way it was made to be but how much more can we not be amazed at how the mind of the Lord works from whom all things come. As humans we can not even go past a hundred years old and too lucky to be able to make it to that age nowadays. Everything passes away but what we can depend on to last for a lifetime through eternity is to fortify our soul with wisdom of heart. Time will come when there is no more room for sadness once we've decided for happiness for we have a God who prospers those who offers all his/her work for the Lord. God is Almighty and Powerful. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He has the final say on all things. Nothing is beyond His power and might. Isn't it a very nice thing to know that this very same God has also been our refuge and strength in every age. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 , 17bc

R: In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

3 You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. (R) 5 You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, 6 which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades. (R) 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart...Prosper the work of our hands!

We can say all the nice things about God and believe everything about Him and think that we are the better Christians but if we remain as the spectators of our faith rather than doers then we are no different from Herod. He also came to a point when he questioned and searched for answers but he never crossed that line and did not move forward. We should be bold enough to cross that dividing line not just once but throughout our lifetime. It's like we should always pray to God as in this song, "give us faith for one step more" and another until we reach to the point of being the best Christian. If we continue to let our chances pass us by and always miss out on all the opportunities that God is always sending our way to develop a deep and personal relationship with Him then we'll all end up greatly perplexed and no matter how hard we try to keep on seeing Him, we'll never find Him because our minds can only process what it is trained to do which is think. If our thinking has become defective then no amount of thinking can make us come up with the right answers. The time to act is now before it's too late when our minds has become so influenced by the perverse thoughts of this present generation, or worse when our brain has deteriorated and no longer functioning as effectively as it should be. Just like Herod in today's gospel he heard a lot of things from all over but can't decide and discern the truth. It is so frustrating when we are confused and undecided because we are unsure of what the truth is when it is plain simple that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. We don't want to end up like Herod, perplexed, we would rather be sure and confident that we have a God who will never forsake nor abandon the moment we decide for Him. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 9:7-9 7

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; 8 others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 9 But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.

GO FORTH, THE TIME IS NOW

We can always take refuge and shelter in God's word in the midst of all the uncertainties and confusion that surround us. We may be hearing this and that and we may never be able to grasp what has to be done but we can always consult, find consolation and direction in God's word. In doing this we also have to attune ourselves the same frequency and wavelength of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we're at a loss, God is always there to direct, guide and confirm us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 30:5-9

5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him...

Just imagine ourselves walking in the dark without knowing what we are stepping on and where we are headed. It is very difficult there is no doubt about it. We need light to guide our steps and show the way.

1. Do we see God as the Primary agent?
God is the Primary Agent of Evangelization. It is not about us but about God.
2. Do we see Evangelization as everyone's responsibility?
We must not end up like the Dead Sea that just received water but did not give out. The same thing happens to us when we do not take the responsibility of evangelization as our own. We have to work on improving our skills for the work of God.
3. Do we communicate God's love?
4. Is total human betterment part of the ministry?
5. Do we respect other traditions?
God does not take sides. There is an equal opportunity for all but we have to make sure that we are on God's side. We need to rid ourselves of any triumphant or arrogant attitude towards people of other faith. The Abrahamic religion has a common denominator which is belief in God. We are not the sole professor of truth. We need to listen for God's revelation from others, too not only from us.
6. Does our love go beyond Catholic borders?
The kingdom of God is older and a broader reality than the Catholic Church. We need to live a humble life and forgive each other.
7. Is our approach ecumenical?
We do not have the monopoly of God because the Good News has no border and dealt with a common faith.
8. Do we use all available media?
The best media is our own life, no need for TV. The example of how we live our life is the best means to evangelize. Walk the talk.
9. Do we fully utilize existing groups like ministries that renew and energize members?
10. What is our total image?
We've got to maintain a wholesome image unlike the Crusaders, though they were able to convert many to the faith, the spread of the Good News was carried out using the sword. We must take extra care in projecting the right image as Good Messengers of the Good News.

Today's psalm teaches us the way to always be attuned to God's Spirit in order for us to truly see the word of God, as the light shining like a lamp for our feet. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163

R: Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

29 Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law. (R) 72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (R) 89 Your word, O LORD, endures forever; it is firm as the heavens. (R) 101 From every evil way I withhold my feet, that I may keep your words. (R) 104 Through your precepts I gain discernment; therefore I hate every false way. (R) 163 Falsehood I hate and abhor; your law I love.

When we were baptized we all became God's children and each of us has been given the rights and privileges of being one. We have been richly endowed and blessed. Thus we should not hesitate nor back out in fulfilling the mission that the Apostles in Jesus' time were called to do. There is no reason to be afraid, feel insecure or inadequate. We have been equipped well by God's power and authority as today's gospel is telling us. If we are really up to it then all our words and actions should be congruent to the greatest mission we all ought to take. We have to go forth, whether young or old, proclaim the good news and spread the gospel. We have the power, whoever we are, whatever we do, wherever we are and the time is now. We are all called for a mission to spread the good news of salvation. The Balloon Story tells us of a child who saw balloons of different colors rising up in the sky. The child exclaimed how beautiful it looked up there with all the different colors. An old man told the child that it's not the colors that makes the balloons rise up but what's inside of it. As we become formed and equipped for evangelization we become Good messengers of the Good News. It is crucial that we reflect the values of Jesus. God is the Primary Agent of Evangelization. It is not about us but about God. He is the Chief Architect of it all. There is the so called "Equipping the Saints". We need to go through a process to achieve this. We process information in the mind, it is mind centered since it is a quest for knowledge. Formation is soul centered, it is a quest for wisdom and go through it by making decisions in the heart. Transformation is the meeting of mind and soul since it is a quest for spirituality. Propagation is the fullness of mind, body and soul resulting to authentic and meaningful faith in action. Furthermore, we need to differentiate between good and great leaders.  A good leader when the company is doing good, is one who faces the mirror and look back at the reason why the company is doing well but looks out of the window and to others when the company is performing bad. On the other hand, a great leader is one who looks out of the window and point to others as the reason why the company is doing well but when things are bad, looks at himself and ask what he can do to help. Jesus is a great leader because when things got really bad for humankind, He did not point any finger but instead came as man and redeemed us all. Evangelization should work towards making humanity whole again and free men and women from things that hinder them from being whole again. This we can faithfully and sincerely do if we first cultivate in ourselves the love for the word of God as we truly experience it in our personal lives and be able to preach the word by becoming a living testimony as in the word that was made flesh. The Principles of Catholic Evangelization
1. Live the gospel-use words only when necessary. Walk the talk
2. Challenge others by one's example and lifestyle
3. Uphold true values. People first than profit. Embrace peace and justice. A Capitalist value works differently, it upholds profit at all cost.
4. Open our hearts to the saving power of God. From a distance foolishness and wisdom look alike but if we come closer we'll find that foolishness is an open mouth and wisdom is an open mind. In evangelization we need to approach it in a manner of discovery with an element of surprise rather than deciding which means we already have an idea of it. In discovery, God brought us to where we are although not fully revealing but trusting. We discover God and the wonders of His wisdom.
5. Build community
6. Identify and really call injustice as injustice. Accept and handle the truth. Sometimes the closer we are to power the farther we become to truth.
7. Work for a better society. "Life is God's gift to us. What we make of it is our gift back to God. We only pass this way once. We better know life's reason and purpose. Our ultimate happiness depends on it. Life is a terrible thing to waste. At the end of the day, we should all leave this world a better place than the way we found it. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 9:1-6

1 Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal [the sick]. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. 5 And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” 6 Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

THE HEART

I am reminded once again of the vision I saw several years ago at St. Martha's Church. It was the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It appeared to me, as I looked at it a few meters away, like Jesus was extending his arm offering His heart on his hand. So I asked Tita Piling who was with me at that time if that is a statue of the Sacred Heart because I had never seen like one before with the heart of Jesus being offered in His hand, and she simply nodded her head.  To my surprise when I came close to the statue the day after that was when I realized that it was indeed the Sacred Heart of Jesus on His chest but not as I had seen. A lot of people may find it hard to believe that I had seen Jesus holding His heart on His extended hand but the eyes of my faith can not deny but proclaim God's miracle for His greater glory. I really felt God's love being offered to me as symbolized by His heart held on His extended hand. It is indeed very consoling. I felt so relieved to be reminded constantly of God's great love. As I always draw closer to Him the more I get to know and love Him better. The sacred heart of Jesus should be our model and guide as we strive to live out the call to be a genuine follower of God. “When we open our heart to the love of God and to others, it makes us capable of shaping history according to God’s plan.”  - Pope John Paul II. In His fourth apparition to St. Margaret Mary, our Lord revealed His Sacred Heart, declaring: "Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it spared nothing, even going so far as to exhaust and consume Itself, to prove to them Its love.” Amen. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13

1 Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the LORD; wherever it pleases him, he directs it. 2 All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the LORD who proves hearts...

The Lord knows exactly what's in our hearts and He alone can lead us to the right path. There are times when people judge us based only on what they see but what matters most is that we are right before God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44

R: Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

1 Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD… Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart.

Today's gospel speaks of a big gathering or crowd that prevents the people closest to Jesus to come near Him. Whenever there are big gatherings in the Church you can be sure that Filipinos are actively taking part in these activities. I am sure God appreciates our efforts to always become part of feasts and celebrations in His honor but what's most important is that as we are active in taking part in these activities we not only become physically present and close to God but really live, act, and put into practice His word with all our minds, hearts and souls. Let us follow the example of our Blessed Mother Mary who heard the word of God and acted on it. In doing this we can be instruments of bringing more people to God through the Church. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 8:19-21 19 The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. 20 He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” 21 He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

THE SUN AND THE RAIN

What today's readings are telling us make perfect sense. They are simple and logical. It doesn't require anyone to be well educated and learned in order to understand them. It's just a matter of yes or no and do or don't. Everything is very clearly stated and no one can ever deny its applicability in all circumstances. If we say yes to it and do what it tells us then we can expect the blessings of God flowing to us freely and openly without any hindrances. Just imagine the sun and the rain, it shines and falls on anybody without fail unless we cover ourselves to prevent it from coming to us. The same is true with God's blessings. The things that are stopping it are the defenses that we put up for ourselves. It's like we want to stay away from the heat and warmth of the sun and avoid being drenched by the rain. We do not realize that allowing ourselves to bathe in the warmth of the sun and the rain drops is the best way to enjoy the goodness that they bring to us. It simply tells us that there may be a hindrance to God’s blessings or worse we are the ones who keep on blocking and running away from it for He does not withhold it from us. It just keeps on coming to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 3:27-34

28 [27] Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. 29 [28] Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once. 30 [29] Plot no evil against your neighbor, against him who lives at peace with you.  31 [30] Quarrel not with a man without cause, with one who has done you no harm. 32 [31] Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways 33 [32] To the LORD the perverse man is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship. 34 [33] The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses; 35 [34] when he is dealing with the arrogant, he is stern, but to the humble he shows kindness.

For as long as we stand by the principles and values of God then we can never be wrong. God knows our every thought, motive and intention and if we act on it based on what is just, true and peaceful then we will never be disturbed. The commandments do not limit but protect freedom. Since the more we disobey the more we become bound and become a slave of sin. If we follow the full extent of the 10 commandments we become free. We see people who repeatedly commit the same mistakes over and over again. And yet they never learn anything from the lessons that go with it. The frightening truth about this is the fact that they prefer to be disturbed and miserable not because they love misery but because they prefer to stay in the dark. Jesus has a standing invitation to us in John 12:35, "Jesus said to them, "The light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going." It is a choice and decision that we alone can make. It’s not surprising to know that most of us think that God doesn’t want us to have fun. It’s like all the things that we want to do with our friends that are interesting and exciting when we were young, were against God’s commandments. It may seem like we have to settle for less. What’s worse is that all the faithful Catholics get less out of life. This is part of the propaganda way back in the Garden of Eden. God gave us a magnificent paradise wherein there is perfect intimacy and no shame with each other. In the Garden they have everything they need but gave just one limit, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting because God said, “Don’t do this because you will die.” The reason why God commands us something is because He is a loving Father who cares for us. He wants us to have the best. But then came the serpent, it didn’t create Adam & Eve, nor gave the garden or anything at all. All the serpent gave was a lie and told Adam & Eve not to listen to God or they’ll lose out and won’t become like God. They were made to believe that God is holding out something from them and is actually their rival because God doesn’t want them to have what He has. So instead of trusting the one who gave them everything, they trusted a stranger. They disobeyed God and listened to the liar. They were hooked into a downward spiral of destruction. This is what sin is all about. It is a trap. It is disguised as an apparent good because the fruit looks good and desirable but it ends in disaster. The relationship with God is messed up and so creation turned against them, thorns and thistles appear and things in life become hard. This is what sin does, it seemed small but it gets out of control. Things get worse and worse and there are broken lives everywhere. This is the reality about sin, we are draining life out of ourselves unless we recognize the one true source of life. The problem is that there is a great propaganda out there. It makes sin appear with all its fun, excitement and glamour. It makes virtue appear boring, lame, bland and unexciting. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not. The pleasures that God created in this world are enjoyed the most by those who don’t abuse them and use it simply. Who do we think enjoys food most? The person who doesn’t know how to fast and engorges all the time or a person after a fast experiences a feast? The virtuous person enjoys life the most. The person who uses creation and all things according to God’s plan enjoys it the most. It is because pleasure is God’s idea. All the good things in the world that people want are God’s idea. Satan can’t invent even one bit of pleasure.  But God commands them to be used so that it leads to life and a part of life is joy. The way to enjoy life is to follow God’s commands. Life is not all about rules and regulations. God did not just give us a bunch of rules and regulations that we are supposed to obey like machines. What we do does not just proceed from who we are but also makes us who we are.  The actions we engage, the words that we say and the things that we do have an impact on us. We are making ourselves all the time. God created us when we came out of the womb, our mothers and father have a great role in that but our creation continues every single day of our lives. We’re even becoming someone more beautiful, mature and strong or someone weaker and more despicable. There’s no middle ground. We’re going one way or another. Life leads either to heaven or to hell. That’s what the acts that we commit do. If we read and follow carefully these words in today’s psalm reading then we can truly say that we’ve found the perfect advice to which we can pattern our lives after. Though, we may still fall and fail we must not forget that Jesus has triumphed over sin and death. He is victorious and is now sitting at the right hand of God the Father. He is able to carry us through. We must always focus on this truth in order for us to attain a life free of worry, anxiety and is never disturbed. When everything is over and done, we look forward to God's reward of endless worth as we emerge as the champion, crowned with the victory won by Christ. Heaven is the realization of being a champion. In heaven we will be glorified magnificently. We will live forever with strength, power and beauty sharing a new humanity with Jesus. When everything is over and done, we look forward to live on the holy mountain of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R: The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

2 He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart 3 and slanders not with his tongue. (R) Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; 4 by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD. (R) 5 Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed.

When we do covert things and continue to pretend that everything we do is good and try to camouflage the real thing then we are just putting ourselves deeper into the pit of danger. Do we really think that we can get away from all these things without having to face its consequences? We've got to take courage and face head on the things that we have done and take responsibility for it. We may think that in doing so we are heading to our own grave. Let us not be deceived further by the threats that this world we live in present to us rather hold on to the words and promise of God. There is no need to be afraid for God is on our side. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 8:16-18

16 Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

W-O-R-D

I am reminded once again of this telenovela in The Filipino Channel (TFC) entitled "Tayong Dalawa" It was the part where a mother (Marlene, portrayed by Cherry Pie Picache) was kneeling before God and crying out loud because of the depressing events that are happening in her life one after another especially with her 3 sons. First was the death of her mother, then her good son almost beaten to death coupled with her 2 other sons shooting each other and left the other son good as dead. She was blaming God for all the bad things that are happening and was even challenging God to just get all her 3 sons. She was in a very depressed mood and though it was just a telenovela we can not deny the fact that we sometimes fall into the trap of the enemy by thinking that it is God causing all the bad things to happen in our life. We have this image of a punishing God who would inflict us pain whenever we did something wrong. Today's 1st reading is a kind of an eye opener for us that we have to be aware of the wicked one who watches our every move in the same way that God does. Sometimes, what we are supposed to do about this if we are beset with a lot of trials and torturous circumstances is continue to be just in all our ways and make ourselves aware of the truth that God will defend and deliver us from the hand of our foes. But God is gentle and can not take away our free will. It is the actions we make and of others that has an effect on everything that happens to us. It is for our own good to practice and prove our gentleness and patience if we are truly confident that God will always take care of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Wisdom 2:12. 17-20

The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. 17 Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. 18 For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. 19 With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.

There is no doubt that only with God’s help can we make things right. If ever we are experiencing tough times lately and falling into the trap of hopelessness and despair then we should keep in mind that our circumstances does not change the fact we have a God who upholds our life and we should not let it get in the way for this truth to be known and proclaimed by not entertaining any trace of doubt about this. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 54:3-4. 5. 6. 8 (6b)

R: The Lord upholds my life.

1 [3] O God, by your name save me, and by your might defend my cause. 2 [4] O God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth. (R) 3 [5] For the haughty have risen up against me, the ruthless seek my life; they set not God before their eyes. (R) 4 [6] Behold, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life. 6 [8] Freely will I offer you sacrifice. I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.

During the homily, Fr. Mau, the parish priest of St. Martha's Church asked us to close our eyes and think of a word from the gospel that was impressed to us. Sometimes we are lacking in direction because we fail to follow the simple and effective strategies in life that we can all avail of. Just like the advice of Fr. Mau, we should always follow the rule of the W-O-R-D. W stands for the word that strikes us the most while listening or reading the gospel. O stands for the order of God in relation to the word impressed to us. R stands for reflection on the word as to its significance in relation to our present situation and circumstance. D stands for direction, after having thought of the word of God, discerned God's order, reflected on it based on our lives then we can follow the right direction leading us to the right path. We sometimes fail to achieve our goals because we did not follow the W-O-R-D. Amen. Hallelujah!

James 3:16–4:3

16 Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. 4: 1 Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? 2 You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. 3 You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Haven’t we noticed that most of the saints have their images depicted as carrying the baby Jesus. This is because the characteristics of a child that are so often associated with helplessness, full dependence, trusting and innocence makes them a perfect example of how we should be before God. And also how we should not undermine people but instead welcome everybody in the light of the truth that Jesus is in each one of us. There are so many explanations for it but one of the best is stated in today's gospel. We must read our bibles. We must all consult the word of God which is living and true. We could apply the principle of the W-O-R-D for today’s gospel. In doing so we could realize that God is telling us to aim high and be the first. If we truly believe that we are God's children then we ought to be the first and the best within the context of the gospel. Our life on earth is just temporary and we will all come to leave everything behind here on earth. If we truly believe in life after death which is eternity then we should work hard to attain this goal of achieving to be first in the life that awaits us for eternity rather than working to be the first in this temporary life. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:30-37

...Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the one who sent me.

THE SPIRIT LIVES ON

These past few days we've been getting very valuable information from Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. What he said in today's 1st reading makes a lot of sense and we should give credit and spend some time thinking about seriously. We are all aware of our natural body and could easily comprehend its presence through the 5 senses we got. It is our spiritual body that we have a hard time being aware of. We simply tend to neglect, overlook or worse ignore its existence. We've got to be aware of the fact that our spirit has power over our physical bodies more than we ever know. As the song goes, "a joyful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones". As years pass by, we come to realize that we are not getting any younger and what we used to do before is no longer applicable to us now. We may have started drinking vitamins already but we still encounter some imbalances in us that we need decided to pay attention to and give remedy. There are some things we have to modify as we go on with our lives if we want to maintain a healthy body and avoid sicknesses. It is perfectly alright to be health conscious and do everything to maintain a good body but it is of prime importance that we attend to our spiritual needs. Our physical bodies will eventually rot away when we die. Our body grows old, weak and dies but the spirit lives on. The same is true with our spiritual life. We just can't go on doing the same thing over and over again. We need to improve and become better each day if we want to maintain a healthy spirit. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49

...If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one...Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one...

We only rely on people whom we can depend and whom we know are trustworthy. We are just setting ourselves for a disappointment if we risk trusting people whom we know can not deliver. Even if they are dependable enough there are some instances when things still do not work out the way it should. We just can't get total control and charge of everything no matter how perfect things may seem to be. This is because we have limited knowledge, capacities and resources no matter how hard we push ourselves to our maximum level. Our limitations show how imperfect we are and we can only make all things perfect and beautiful if we walk in the presence of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 56:10c-12, 13-14

R: I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

9 [10] Now I know that God is with me. 10 [11] In God, in whose promise I glory, 11 [12] in God I trust without fear; what can flesh do against me? (R) 12 [13] I am bound, O God, by vows to you; your thank offerings I will fulfill. 13 [14] For you have rescued me from death, my feet, too, from stumbling; ...

I used to experience shoulder pains when I was in the Philippines and it recurred again here in the US. Due to this I have been traumatized by the experience that I never want it to happen again. The only thing that the doctors could offer at that time was pain relievers. I tried to do some research about it and there have been some wrong information, too that I got but as I continue to study more and after several trial and error I guess I finally found the right cure and the appropriate regimen for my condition. What I'm trying to say here is that we should not just sit and wait for things to happen. We've got to be like the ones referred to in today's gospel who took the right course of action. We find that there are people who don’t go to the doctor or they continue to ignore the signs unless their symptoms have become so severe. Some people refuse to go to the doctor unless they discover the truth. This is surely the way we react to the word of God. The truth for us is that we are the children of God. We are here on earth for only a few fleeting years. Our names have already been written down in the palm of God’s hand before we were born but we refuse to think about it. Our instinct tells us of these things but we refuse to listen. The word of God never penetrates our minds. The devil tempts us by saying there is no heaven or hell but our instincts tell us that there is indeed heaven and hell. We say instead there is still time, there is no need to hurry the world is at my feet, when I’m old and sick then I will have time to think about it. All we have is today, yesterday and tomorrow is a word. This is the sacrament of the present moment, our lives are given to us moment by moment in love. We only have the present moment to be aware of who we are. Our good resolutions are not good enough. What are we doing today? Today is all we have. The seed that fell on hard ground grows but was choked. How easily it happens to us whenever we are preoccupied, worried and distracted. The words of God and their idealism are stunted when we never become what God intended us to be. The seed that falls on good ground brings forth a great harvest. Every one of us can love. We must learn to love a person that is demanding and unlovable. We must learn to understand that every human being has their own problem. We have not walked in their shoes and must learn to love them right at this moment. Today it is all we have. Living is giving and giving is living. We must go on living and giving again. We only stop giving when God stops giving. We all know that God speaks to us in many unique and different ways through circumstances and people we meet everyday. These should inspire us always, though it may have been a long time ago, our experiences with people like whom we can consider an instrument of God in placing the seed in our hearts during that planting season should always remain there, continue to grow and nurture whether in or out of season as in seed planted in rich soil. It may be a bit confusing at first. Jesus says, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” Then after a few statements he said,"...‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’" He first asks us to hear his words and then later on say would not understand. Isn't it contradictory why would He ask us to listen if He knows we can't understand. Which of these are true, we might say or think. They are both Jesus' words and they are both true and correct. In fact both are not contradicting the other. We are all called to open our ears to God's words, there is no doubt. As to the understanding we are warned as if saying that we may not understand right away but it doesn't mean that we should stop there. Can we remember the times when we fail to grasp the meaning of the things that are happening to us at first. Only after experiencing and going through some things did we come to a better understanding. Jesus simply tells us not to give up so easily rather we should put up a good fight. We simply have to trust God and have a firm faith. No matter how confusing things may seem to be or how difficult it is for us to understand the things that are happening to us we just ought to walk on and put our best foot forward. God will not put us through something without seeing us through it. This is based on the truth and knowledge that we can always count on God 100% of the time. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 8:4-15

...“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” 9 Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. 10 He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’ ...“This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God...But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.”...

THE CALL

I've been privileged to watch shows about our Blessed Mother Mary and almost all of the other shows in EWTN have always something about her. Mama Mary just celebrated her Feast of the Our Lady of Sorrows (Sept. 15). We have a mother in Mary who understands every single sorrow and anguish we are going through. There is nothing that she wouldn’t understand because she experienced the killing of her son. Mary accepted to become Mother of Jesus whom only a woman full of grace is highly honored and privileged to be called. When she responded "Yes" and obediently accepted the plan of God in her life she faithfully submitted to God's will like a handmaid to her master. She did not only accept the honor and privilege that goes with it but also the 7 sorrows which pierced her heart. She left us an example of how we should ponder in our hearts, the word of God that is being conveyed to us through our daily lives. We are God's children and He is calling us in the same way Paul in today's 1st reading is calling the Ephesians. This call is not exclusive and should therefore be taken by everybody as his or hers too. We tend to overlook, set aside and neglect this important call that we all have to respond and take action. If we look at the way most people of this world live then we can say that we are not following this call rather we are heading towards a different path. We ought to stop living like we've forgotten and abandoned the purpose for which God created us and make a decision to heed His call. He is over all, through all and in all. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 4:1-7. 11-13

1 Brothers and sisters: I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all...

Hearing about the stories of people who used to be Protestants and became Catholic converts is evidence that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not in this world to win arguments but to reach out to others with God's unifying love working through the Holy Spirit overshadowing us the way it did the Blessed Mother. We may still be wrestling with the truths of our faith at this time but we are a work in progress. Let us not be the skeptic that we are anymore and truly believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. If we are just to make sense of everything that goes on around us each and every single day then we can never be far away nor get lost in this reality that Jesus is telling us. It is undeniable what God has done for all of us from the dawn of man to this present age of modern civilization. Let us not continue to be negligent, mindless, thoughtless, careless and apathetic of the truth that the Church is teaching us. Until when will we remain deaf and blind to all of these things that have been for a long time being conveyed to us from time immemorial, from the time of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the Judges, the Kings, the Prophets, in exile until the return and ultimately to the time of Jesus more than 2,000 years ago when God did the unimaginable and stooped down to become man. The bible itself speaks for the long span of time that God has been trying to lure us into an intimate relationship with Him. Are we really that insensitive not to see all of these and remain unaffected by this astounding truth? Can we afford to play hard to get with God, who is as irresistible as He is. The time to enter into that relationship is now, not later nor tomorrow. Let us not waste any more of the precious time we still have in our hands. There is no denying to the greatness of God which is displayed day in and day out. God's power and dominion is declared throughout the world. The wonders of all the things in this world which extends throughout the universe declare the glory of God. Who is greater than He? No one but God alone can make all these wonderful signs and miracles that are before us day and night. No longer can we deny it for God's glory is further emphasized by the psalm reading. There is really no more room for doubt and fear for everywhere we turn we can clearly get the message of God. Just turn on God always and He will never forsake nor abandon. There is no denying to the glory, power and might of God that is displayed throughout the earth. We simply become immune to the wonderful things that God has given us like the importance of the air we breathe that we often take for granted and do not realize most of the time. The ABC of Nursing Care stands for Airway, Breathing and Circulation. Airway is considered the topmost priority of care. The principle is that if the airway is blocked or compromised then this immediately becomes a priority care that needs to be addressed. It follows that the air we breathe is something we owe our life to. Every single thing that surrounds us if we will just take a close look at it is a testimony of God's glorious creation. How it all came to be remains a mystery no matter how hard they try to figure out how the world we live in evolved. Our God is an awesome God. It made so much sense to me when I heard somebody said, "Look up in to the heavens and see the sun, moon and sky. Who can ever deny the greatness of such a creation? Every great artist places their signature in their masterpiece, leaves a mark and fashions a style that is uniquely their own. Our God is holy, mighty, immortal and the greatest artist ever known. A long time ago, I heard of this information that the astronomers found out about the universe/milky way in particular. They reported this unprecedented double helix nebula they saw near center of the Milky Way. To be more specific, it was in March 15, 2006, the date is something I should note of since it is exactly the same date when my mother died only a year after and also the same date of my consecration to the Militia Immaculata (March 15, 2008)  It makes it all the more significant that at the time I found out about this, I was working on my thesis which deals greatly about the DNA. We all know that all living beings have a DNA which is a double helical structure found inside the cell. What these astronomers found out is just another signature of our Master Creator. Can we try erasing or writing over a signature written in the sky? This can never be denied and by all means can not be tampered. There are certain truths that we sometimes take for granted and even pre-existing conditions that we have become used to that make us immune to God's message to us. We sometimes go astray and tend to be lenient in our principles for the Lord due to the pressures of the modern world we live in. Our values have become loose to the point of succumbing to compromise. We have lost touch of what is truly pleasing before the Lord because of our endless justifications and rationalizations. We come up with all kinds of excuses without realizing that we only fool ourselves. In doing this we can declare ourselves justified through our self righteous acts but never in accordance with God's righteousness. Today's psalm encourages us to truly listen to God's message and never be mistaken. All the things around us echo God's glory and power which is undeniable and displayed throughout the earth. God is constantly connecting with us and it's undeniable. We can be disinterested and lacking in enthusiasm but we can never be justified in failing to respond appropriately to a God whose presence is all around us. Let us not continue to be deaf, blind and mute to this message that goes out through all the earth. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

 Psalm 19:2-3. 4-5

R: Their message goes out through all the earth.

1 [2] The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 [3] Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 3 [4] Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; 4 [5] through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.

  

 During our clinical rotations when I was just a student nurse I have encountered several patients who are already terminally ill. One of them can no longer tolerate his oral medicines and just vomit it out. When they tried to give it intravenously the veins ruptured. No amount of medicine can heal a terminally sick person. Let us not wait for the time when we are already too sick to respond to God's healing and end up rejecting it rather than accept it. It is written in Isaaih 55:6, “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.” And also in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.” We all know too well, that God will never get tired of loving, caring and running after us, for He is a perfect God  but we are imperfect and the problem lies not on the love of God but on our response to His love. If only love can be forced then God would have done that to us but He never did and never will. Love is perfect, patient and kind. Let us respond to this love while we're still in perfect shape. Jesus has the biggest and most compassionate heart for sinners especially those who choose to respond to His call, leave everything behind and follow Him. Despite the stigma attached to tax collectors and sinners during His time, He did not hesitate to call them. We are all being called to live a life with Him no matter what our situations are. Whatever we may be going through right now, a problem, difficulty or sin that is preventing us from responding to His call, we have to always believe that God can overcome all of these if we are willing to give Him room to act in our lives. Once we turn our backs on our sins, leave it behind and give God the go signal then He can accomplish almost anything. If we really believe this then it doesn't matter if we may be experiencing already a life of comfort and ease, our acceptance and consent to shifting to the unknown will only serve to emphasize the extraordinary nature of both our unwavering faith and the grace of God. The grace of God is worth celebrating as it can bring about wonders that will stretch the ability of our imagination. And we can not deny the fact that we’ve been privileged to watch this happen not only in the lives of people on a number of different occasions as in the life of our forefathers like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the life of the Blessed Mother but also to us. For He doesn't only call the qualified but He also qualifies the called. No one is hopeless and desperate for God. Nothing is beyond His healing love and mercy. We must not be impatient or judgmental of our brothers and sisters who have strayed from the Lord. We must keep in mind that He has a special eye for the sick and the sinners. We have all sinned and fallen ill because of the disease that sin brings to us. No matter how big and grievous our sins are, God is always able to heal us. This song tells us about it, "He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him for by His wounds we are healed." It should inspire us to reach out to Him more than anyone or anything else. God is indeed an Almighty God who knows our specific needs be it spiritual, emotional or physical and He will surely heal every single one of them. He is a God who makes us whole. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 9:9-13

9 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

JESUS IS OUR REASON

All the readings for today point to an overwhelming truth that no matter how sinful and broken we are, God is able to do wonders for us. In today’s 1^st reading Paul said that he is the least of the Apostles or not even fit to be called an apostle and yet he became what he is, all because of the tremendous grace of God. We should focus on the greatness of God’s power  and never underestimate or overlook what He is able to do for us. To all of us who are fellow believers in Jesus Christ, it feels good to read and be reminded of something that we should always hold on to more than our own precious lives, that is  the Word of God. We should always have this attitude of always consulting and presenting to God all our plans in prayer for guidance and direction, especially at times when we are confronted with difficult life decisions. If we do this God will surely not refrain from helping us. Everything that we needed to work on would be one by one complied with and fulfilled despite our doubts and inadequacies. Amen. Hallelujah!

First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.

Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain...For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.

We can rely on God’s goodness and build confidence on that knowing that with God on our side we are undefeated. His might knows no limits and His power is able to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Everything fits like a key in a hole. There is only one thing that is conveyed here that God allows things to happen for a reason and everything falls into its perfect place. God's love and mercy endure forever and do not fail. We can always count on the goodness of God at all times and in all circumstances all the days of our lives. Truly knowing and proclaiming that God is Lord of all our days makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness for heaven and earth will fade but His words will remain Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 118:1b-2, 16ab-17, 28

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 “The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right hand of the LORD is exalted.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

I have always loved to hear and read about this bible passage in today's gospel. It has taken on a deeper and personal meaning in my life since I have very thick hair and have always worn it long. At this present time it has become even thicker and the longest it had become. This adds up to the significance of this bible passage in my life even more. I just can't help it that every time I encounter this bible passage I always end up thinking of wiping Jesus' feet with my own hair. I fervently hope and pray that as Jesus recognized the great love that this woman had shown and forgave her sins may we too be worthy and likewise be acknowledged personally by Jesus Himself in our efforts and genuine display of affection to Him. Our sins no matter how big and many they are should never stop us from turning away from them and turning to God. We should realize with all our minds, strengths and souls that if we are able to do what this sinful woman did in the gospel today then we are indeed forgiven regardless of who we are and what we did. There is no denying that she has truly repented in thoughts and in deeds. According to the Jewish tradition anyone who would unroll her hair in public is exposing herself to a great scandal and humiliation. Even in this present time of ours, anyone who would kneel down at the feet of a person, cry and bath the feet with tears, wipe it with the hair and anoint it with oil is already something out of the ordinary and is definitely an intense demonstration of affection. No woman whether during the past, present and future time could have done such an act if not for her tremendous love. We all have sinned and defied our Savior and Redeemer and we are all called not just to respond but to give our all. We reserve nothing and give our all for the Lord. Sometimes we cringe at the thought of being embarrassed and humiliated. This is just natural because some people could really be discreetly rude and mean that there is no getting away with it. This is why we have second thoughts and hesitate before we engage ourselves into doing something especially if it would unavoidably attract attention. This is a wise move actually because we have to really watch our actions so as not to cause any scandal or chaos of some sort. We all differ in how we do things. In the way of showing our affection, we all have our own ways and means in making it known to the one we love and care for. Not everybody shares the same opinion and stance on a single matter. Some may find it very good but others may just dismiss such act as nothing or worse could think of it as just a fake, a show or a lack of taste and finesse. Whatever it may be, it is our call and we have to make sure that it would be worth it. During the time of Jesus, untying a woman’s hair in public is considered scandalous. This sinful woman being spoken of today in the gospel did just that. None of these discouraging and degrading remarks that were hurled at her by the scribes, Pharisees and the people around her stopped her from doing what she did. In the same way that nothing should be in the way when we approach Jesus. We are assured that Jesus does not judge by human standards and can surely see through the depths of our hearts. When we take risks or cross some lines it is always a consolation to know that it would all be worth it if we do it knowing that Jesus is our reason. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 7:36-50

...Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”...

LOVING FEELING

In whatever state of life we are in we should all be aware that God has given us everything. There is nothing more that He should give that He has not given to us. We should always glory in this truth that we have a God who is more than enough, Yahweh, El Shaddai. Today's 1st reading focuses us to this unsurpassed and everlasting gift that God has given us which is love that conquers all. Amen. Hallelujah! 

1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13

31 Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way...Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, 6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails...So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 No matter how hard we try to succeed in what we do if it's not in accordance to God's plan then nothing will ever come out of it. We may succeed in one aspect but we will never be totally at peace for in the end it will always be the will and plan of God that will prevail. We just have to acknowledge that we are sparing ourselves of all the trouble and heartaches if we will just be obedient and completely trust in the Lord's plan. We all have our personal plans and designs and we may not be able to fully understand what is going on at the present time. It is not easy for the wisdom in the eyes of God is foolishness to the world but what's most important is that we should always consult everything to God first, just believe and surrender everything to Him for He knows best. It may have happened to most of us when we get disappointed at how we still miss something so quickly despite our close watch. We sometimes end up confused and discouraged when things don’t happen the way we expect it despite our accurate and strict monitoring. We even ask ourselves how it could have happened. We may have heard and seen some terrible and frightening things in our life but we should always hold on to the truth that no matter how horrible the things that are happening around us it does not change the fact that our Lord is God and always in charge and in control. The Lord did not promise us to be totally problem free but He gave His assurance that He will always be our Savior and Redeemer. We should place our trust not in men or in things but in God alone. It is a consolation to know that we are constantly assured by God especially in today's psalm to never doubt His power and goodness. His loving eyes is always upon us not leaving us for a single moment nor removing his stare even with a wink of an eye. It feels good to know that someone's eyes is upon us and looking after us. When we come to a point of despair and feel like things are not getting better, we ought to remember always that we are God's people and we are His own. We have to realize this one most important truth that we should all subscribe to, which is to constantly align ourselves and conform to the will and plan of God in our lives. The power of God knows no limits and we can always rely on Him for anything that we are in need. Let us rely on God's power and completely trust Him to bring to fulfillment everything that He has promised. All we have to do is just trust that the Lord will carry out with perfection all His plans for us no matter what situations or circumstances may arise in our midst. Let us not lose hope and have faith in the Master Plan and Grand Design that God has for all of us. When God created this world and everything in it including us, He did not ask permission from anybody. It means that He has chosen us to be His own and not the other way around. This is the reason why the fallen angels/demons are so jealous of men. We are indeed special in the eyes of God that in Gen 1:26, "Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion..." We are not just chosen by God to be His own even before everything came to be but we are on top of His creation. If this is the case it is only right and fitting that we do exactly what the psalm reading tells us. Let us truly be wise in the real sense of the word rather than of the world and not forfeit all our benefits from the Lord. Our present situation may not be a perfect picture yet but we should all rejoice and be glad knowing that God was the one who chose us first and He will carry us through. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 33:2-3, 4-5, 12, 22

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

2 Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. 3 Sing to him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness. (R) 4 For upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. (R) 12 Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

Everything we intend to do must be laid down before Him to seek His approval. He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the answers that we seek if we strive to do what is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. If we sometimes forget these and tend to stray away from the right path then we should always be aware that everything that we say, think and do must always have reference to God our Creator. It doesn't matter that much how we think and feel but what matters most is how to feel and think just like God. For we can always rely and depend on it, 100%, fail proof and success guaranteed. God's power is beyond our full comprehension. He is Holy, Mighty, Immortal and Infinitely Great. Did it ever occur to you how all these things that surround us, from the skies, to the mountains, plains, the seas, the wind, all the heavenly bodies above, the things down below, all the creatures of the earth especially us, human beings came to be. Not a single theory about creation could suffice and would ever satisfy the wonders and marvelous things that God has done. Just thinking about all these things should make us always put our hope in Him, feel confident and assured that we are safe under His care, to help us from all our problems and shield us from all harm. We should not give room to any doubt, fear, anxiety, impatience, irritability, hatred, sadness, iniquity, unfaithfulness, disloyalty, pride and loss of self control. Let us not choose to give in to these. They are all characteristics that should not be found in a people the Lord has chosen to be His own. Let us never lose sight of this wonderful plan that God has for all of us. We may not be seeing it right now, having doubts about it, not paying attention to it or unable to commit to it. Whatever it may be, these are all hindrances that prevent us from gaining access to the goodness of the Lord. Never allow ourselves to miss out on this privilege that is accorded to all of us as the children of God. God chose us first and it is only right and fitting that we choose Him too. If we always focus on the Lord and put His words in our presence at all times then we can be assured that we have a lamp unto our feet that is lighting our path. We have to entrust all our cares and worries to the Lord for He can do better things for our lives than all our works combined. Let us not end up to be an unfeeling generation. Let us not lose the awe in the loving feeling that God has shown and given us through His ultimate sacrifice of His own Son on the Cross. Nothing is hidden from God and everything is known to Him. It pays to always consult our plans to God in prayers. Prayer is very important in maintaining a good relationship with the Lord. There are different forms of prayer and the kind of prayer that God wants from us is the prayer of our very own life. The kind of life we live if lived in accordance to God's will is the best kind of prayer we can offer to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 7:31-35

31 Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”