THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA

The most important thing that the Lord expects of us when we sin is true conversion. We can say all the sorry/s we like but if it's not coupled with a transformation of our hearts then we are no better than the snakes that shed off their skin but come out the same. We've got to be like those caterpillars after shedding off their chrysalis or silk coverings emerges into a beautiful butterfly. Just like in today's 1st reading when David asked God for forgiveness, truly repented and mend his ways. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17

...Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan answered David, “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin you shall not die.14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die.” 15 Then Nathan returned to his house. The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and it became desperately ill. 16 David besought God for the child. He kept a fast, retiring for the night to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor would he take food with them.

Today's psalm is a song that I have come to know and sing by heart without the aid of a song book. I always love to sing it and hear it being sung most especially by the choir during mass. It is well for us to not just love to sing it with our voices but with the sincerity of our hearts. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 13 [15] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. (R) 14 [16] Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in your justice. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. 

The Sea of Galilee has taken on a deeper meaning in my life way back in 2007 when I decided to come here to the US. In Mt. 4: 18 the sea of Galilee is where Jesus' call to the first disciples took place. It is good to recall and look back where our own Galilees are. I can still remember very well my own Sea of Galilee and should always keep in mind and never forget. As we gather all our strength and courage we, too like the disciples should never turn back and go forth to our own Galilees. I could still recall the bible story in Luke 5 entitled, "The call of Simon (later on named Peter) the Fisherman." It was way back in Feb. 4, 2007, during those times when I was discerning and weighing my decision to come here to the US with my friend Joy. This gospel reading from Luke specifically caught my attention, confirmed and gave me confidence in what I was planning to do and eventually did. Just like Peter who was skeptical at that time I was also feeling so unsure about my decisions then and this phrase really had a great impact on me back then coupled with the priest's homily that went with it. That was like more than 4 years ago now. I feel like God is reminding me again of that scene at the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Sea of Gennesaret) when I, just like Peter decided to respond to God's call in my own personal way. This message has been very persistent and I have been writing and sharing about. The Sea of Galilee is the place where Jesus chose His Apostles and also where the apostles immediately left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:10-11). Which reminds me too of that song entitled, "Lord, you have come"  The background setting of this song is biblically based on the gospel stories of the call of Jesus to Peter and the apostles at the Sea of Galilee.  It held a special and deep meaning that touched my heart in an unexplainable way owing to the occasions and incidences that were connected and related to it. But I believe God in His awesome and almighty wisdom, intelligence and knowledge reveals things in stages for the benefit of our limited capacities and understanding. The series of events and daily readings became an eye opener and has given me a better understanding of all the things that have happened since. I realized it is always good to look back, recall and never forget those times in our lives when Jesus was calling us for a certain task and decided to follow and obey. As I develop in myself a broader understanding of the Call at the Sea of Galilee I also realized the need to go across it and experience a higher level of union with God. In the gospel of Luke back then, the situation was different since the Sea of Galilee in that given bible passage was very reassuring since it gave an impression of peace and calm which was very conformed to my situation back in the Philippines before I left for the US. When I finally arrived here in the US and experience life away from my loved ones and encountering the challenges I now face I was able to relate to that gospel in Mark 4:35-41 also at the Sea of Galilee when the disciples were faced by a violent squall and big waves filling up the boat to the brink of causing it to sink. Very much unlike the gospel in Luke when Peter having obeyed and followed to put out into the deep water was rewarded with a miracle, Lk. 5:6-8 “... when they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing... and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.” Immediately upon arriving the US I was also greeted with a lot of pleasant surprises like passing the NCLEX-RN, getting a hospital petitioner, being able to travel to the East Coast (New York, Michigan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington DC) for free and winning the grand prize in the Nurse Expo. All these experiences of the disciples in the Sea of Galilee I have noticed that I can personally relate to especially in the manner of the sequence I have encountered them. In both occasions, the disciples having followed and obeyed Jesus in both gospels of Luke and Mark came to this scenario or condition of their boats both in danger of sinking. Although both happened in the Sea of Galilee, as I look at my own life the gospel in Luke which I encountered before I left the Philippines reflected the positive and confirming things that were happening  back then just as the disciples having followed and obeyed Jesus' specifically the bible passages at the Sea of Galilee in Luke 5:4-6 "Jesus said to Peter, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master we have worked hard all night and caught nothing  but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this they caught a great number of fish their nets were tearing." On the other hand the gospel in Mark which I have encountered now that I am already here in the US reflects the trials and difficulties which I can relate to the disciples response to the bidding of Jesus to cross to the other side were greeted by a not so pleasant surprise with a violent squall to the point where the boat was already filled up with water and in the brink of sinking. After having made those decisions in 2007 which eventually brought me to my present situation here in the US, I must say I can somehow relate to how the disciples felt back then. It made me realize that I have also come to a point in my sailing with Jesus in my very personal Sea of Galilee when I have also witnessed violent squalls in my life here in the US and been brought to situations to the point of sinking but have been constantly assured of God's tremendous power. I have witnessed Him pacify the turbulent winds in my life which have left me with a great calm in the midst of the storm.  It is cited that Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee  in today's gospel which reflects the need to go beyond this call of Jesus at the seashore of Galilee. In the same way we are called to respond in our own personal way to Jesus by carefully looking at our own lives as we go through a series of stages and discover the various experiences we had which led us to accepting His call at our own Sea of Galilee, sail with Him across it, not be afraid of the storm that assail us, and even go up with Him to the mountain and witness the amazing and wonderful miracle that only Jesus can give. We should be able to look at the scriptures in different levels and senses. We can say that St. Mark with regards to today's gospel is speaking to us a historical event which did happen at the time of Jesus. Squalls are common in the Sea of Galilee because of the mountains that surround it. It is known for its violent storms, which can come up suddenly and be life-threatening for any on its waters. These tempests are caused by the situation of the lake in the Jordan Rift with steep hills on all sides. The cooler air masses from the surrounding mountains collide with the warm air in the lake’s basin. Winds sometimes funnel through the east-west-oriented valleys in the Galilean hill country and rush down the western hillsides of the lake. The most violent storms, however, are caused by the fierce winds which blow off the Golan Heights from the east. If we are to look in the spiritual sense we are invited to stand in awe and wonder at who is this as spoken of by the disciples in the gospel. He is the mighty God who has in his hands the very depths of the earth. He is God. He said, "Quiet and be still!" These are the same words he commanded to the evil spirit in Mark 1:25, Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" This is the same command to the destructive power of the storm which is equal to the power of evil to the soul. Unexpected storms that come out of nowhere can be compared to the evil in the heart of man. We all know the destruction brought about by tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. We look at that and see the absolute devastation and helplessness that people experience. No one can control it. The weatherman would warn the people to just run. We leave and get out of there. We evacuate lest we be destroyed in the presence of the act of nature. We treat the devil in the same way because that’s the power he has here on earth. This is what happens at the level of our souls, it has devastating effects. What does the spiritual weatherman say to us? Run for shelter, get out of there, get away from temptation and stay close to the Lord. How can we look at this in the spiritual sense? It’s like we too are on cold waters and out of nowhere there’s this something that causes destruction and violence in our lives. We can identify it in our interior lives. It comes over us and we cry out for help. There are moments when we say we can’t take it anymore, we’re going down, and all we can do is cry out. We sometimes have this feeling that God does not recognize what’s happening to us. We sometimes ask if God can possibly be asleep. Or does He realize what’s happening. When I have decided to leave the confines of my home country the Philippines and embark on this journey away from the security that I have been for so long a time been accustomed and used to, I did not fully realize that the challenges or storms in my life would bring me to new heights and depths in my personal relationship with God. It made all the difference knowing that Jesus is in the boat with us. God has authority over all creation. We need to recognize who He is. Jesus is there to help us so we don’t perish. God has the power to bring peace in the midst of the chaos in our lives. We have to recognize that He is present in our lives or in our boat. We belong to Him. We always pray the Lord’s prayer that Jesus Himself taught us. We say, “Deliver us from every evil and grant us peace.” We’re the disciples of the Lord in this boat of life. We receive a sense of peace that can only come from God. He is the God of the universe and has the power to protect us from all anxiety and bring us this profound peace.

 Jesus is teaching us to continue trusting and believing that all kinds of storm that are tormenting us and will still come our way are just background effects and all we have to do is focus on the main scene which is Jesus is God, He is in charge and always in control. There is no reason to be terrified if we have faith in God. God does not stop in filling us all with great awe knowing that He is a God whom even the wind and sea obey. God never stops in giving us the inspiration to keep on going and continue the good work He has done for all of us

Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 4:35-41

35 On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said  to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” 41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

NEVER DESPAIR

David in today's 1st reading was confronted with a temptation. As we go through life, we sometimes encounter similar situations and also end up succumbing to it. These are times in our life when we get caught in the crossfire of life's battles. We need to learn how to handle such situations and learn from the pitfalls of King David. At the time he had this temptation he was in an idle moment. Take note of this specific bible passage which states that while the army of Israel was in battle David, however, remained in Jerusalem. It pays to always be busy doing something for God’s work. As the saying goes an idle mind is the play place of the devil. We must know that one of the things we have to watch out for are these unguarded moments when we become vulnerable to temptation. We must remember and pay attention to these situations that we are in when we fell into sin. We must learn from that experience and know how to overcome it when we encounter it again. We need to be wiser and more able to fight it. It helps to also remember H-A-L-T. This stands for hungry, angry, lonely and tired. We must be aware of these very dangerous state of body and mind and learn how to guard ourselves from it because we are more susceptible to doing something wrong. We need to counteract the work of the enemy by staying within the protection of our Lord. Whenever we are confronted with such situations we have to assess and evaluate it. We should focus on the power of God to get us through anything that He put us through for nothing is really too difficult for our powerful God. Amen. Hallelujah!

 2 Samuel 1: 1-4A, 5-10A, 13-17

At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem. One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he had relations with her. She then returned to her house. But the woman had conceived, and sent the information to David, “I am with child.” David therefore sent a message to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.”

So Joab sent Uriah to David. When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.

David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”  Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house. David was told that Uriah had not gone home. On the day following, David summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home. The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. In it he directed:

“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.” So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong. When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David’s army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died.

Organizing all my daily reflections since 2007 made it easier for me to locate and retrieve them. I have found it very rewarding and beneficial. It has given me the opportunity to access with ease, the insights and reflections I wrote in the past. Thus paving the way to recall, reflect, and share it again. In light of the readings today I am reminded of Fr. Alex Amayin, the associate priest in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. His talk was about reconciliation which is very much in line with the 1st & psalm readings for today. It was centered on 4 things which is 1. SIN 2. GRACE 3. FORGIVENESS 4. RECONCILIATION. He said that the 1st 3 are all a reality but #4 is only a possibility. There is no doubt that SIN happens but the GRACE of God is always present and available for us even before we ask for FORGIVENESS. When we ask FORGIVENESS, God is always ready to give it.  RECONCILIATION calls us to true conversion. We should always find our way back to God and never doubt His mercy. He cited the example of a snake and caterpillar since both of them undergoes conversion. The snake sheds off its old skin but comes out the same while the caterpillar emerges into a butterfly. We can either choose to be the snake or the caterpillar. Take your pick. It is important that we always maintain a clean heart and a steadfast spirit so that we are constantly in God's presence. It's not that God loves us any less, no matter what we do, He will always love us. It's just that a Holy and Loving God can not dwell in an impure heart and spirit. 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.”  - said 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.” The center of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Enthronement of the image of the Sacred Heart in the home. By the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, we link the tabernacle of our parish church to our home, inviting our Lord to be our constant and most intimate companion.  The Enthronement is a way of life. It means that Christ is King of our hearts, and we desire Him to be present with us always. In other words, by the Enthronement we signify our desire to make our hearts and our homes holy, to sanctify our lives in every aspect. God will not refuse nor turn His back on us if we are truly sorry for our sins and are willing to mend our ways. Let us not be so naive into thinking that we can get away with anything and cheat God. Let us be fair and truly square in dealing with things that concern not just our future but our eternal destiny. Whether it's heaven or hell, we would have to decide for that not God. If we choose to do evil then we are surely headed where it's bound but if we remain faithful to God and all that He represents then we are headed to a place prepared for us by God in heaven. We are sure to go where our hearts lead us. 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 stronger 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. Let us always ask God's mercy for our sins and repent of it. The Lord said that He is not sent for the well but for the sick. We have a disease in our souls that if left uncared for can cause death. We all have a terminal disease called sin, we need a doctor to give us advice. We have been saved by God but we can lose it just as we can lose our human life for not caring for it. We go to God who is our Divine Physician to be healed. He alone can make us whole. God's presence in our lives is inevitable just like the coming of dawn before the break of day and if we have mastered the art of loving back God then we become a pleasing sacrifice before Him. And in his good pleasure makes us prosper, then we find ourselves rebuilding the walls of our boundaries as we expand our borders. It is of prime importance that we take extra care in attending not only to our temporal needs but our spiritual as well. We have this mindset that it pleases God whenever He sees us going through hardships and difficulties in life. We tend to equate God to an oppressing tyrant that would pin us down for every wrong move. Or worst to a slave driver that would not be satisfied unless his subjects exhaust all their strength to his service. The people during the time in the Old Testament could borrow a good excuse for having this kind of mindset because Jesus has not come yet. We who live in this time of the New Testament do not have a good alibi because God already demonstrated the greatest expression of His love for mankind when He sacrificed His only begotten son, Jesus, to suffer and die for our sake. With this truth always engraved in our hearts and minds we could no longer harbor wrong impressions and mindsets of our God. Whenever a particular human right is being violated certain activist groups passionately rally to defend such right that is in question. What about the right of God? We are so concerned about our own personal agenda and we fail to realize that we need to address it more than anything else. According to Pope Benedict XVI, Jus Divinum is the right of God which constitutes the proper and correct response of God’s creatures such as man to his Creator. This we ought to realize and take action. We should do all the good that we are supposed to do to a God who created us. There is something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. It's in knowing what is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can see through our hearts? Nobody but God alone. What is unknown and hidden from us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Dirt stain in clothes sometimes doesn't want to come off even after several times it has been machine washed. There are really some dirt and stain that do not go away that easily with regular washing. There is a need to scrub it manually with soap and water so that it will come out clean. Our souls are just like clothes which are stainable by our sins. It is a consolation to know that our sins are washable in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can always come to Him and acknowledge our sins with a sincere and repentant heart so He can cleanse us, wipe out our offenses and blot out all our guilt. There is nothing that could separate us from the love of God. Let us not be deceived nor dissuaded to believe otherwise. Just like clothes that need to be washed after being worn and got dirty so our souls need to be cleansed too by the blood of the Lamb. God’s love ever present in the body and blood of Christ is always present and available for us. All we need to do is reach out for it because God is a gentleman and would never force Himself on us. There has always been a raging battle between God and satan. Though it has already been won, satan just won’t give up. He continues to wreak havoc and evil among us in his desperation to bring misery into our lives and share in his condemnation. He doesn’t have the tiniest power over us and he can only have it if and only if we give in to his lies, deceptions and false promises. We need to make this conscious decision each and every single day for the Lord. We need to purge ourselves of the impurities of our souls we have to go through a certain process that will render us with a clean heart. As we strive to nurture a heart that beats for God alone we also go through a process of cleansing as stated in the psalm today. God's mercy is greater than any of our sins. If we are to repent and turn away from our sins then we've got to do it right now and really do it fast. God sees through our hearts, our motives and intentions. What God wants of us is to truly acknowledge His great mercy and goodness to us that in doing so will abound a natural inclination to repent and repair all our iniquities and lead to a brand new, wholesome and clean Christian in the truest sense of the word. We need to stand in all humility before God and confess our sins. The body and soul are good but it demands a need for physical asceticism. We have to submit our bodies to an act of sacrifice without neglecting that conversion is first of all interior. Total conversion demands not only expression in works of penance but also of the heart. God is able to do anything. All the more should we be full of confidence that He can create a clean heart and steadfast spirit for us if we truly ask for it. God our Father will never turn His back on us. Let us get this straight, it is the sin that God hates and not the sinner. If we are in sin then that's the time we drive away God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us for it is impossible for God's presence to exist with sin. It's our call then to respond to the psalm's invitation to rise and go to God or remain slumped in the mud of sin. Our God will always be the best Father a child could ever have, the best Brother/Friend and the best Comforter and Guide all in one. Bottom line, to Him alone shall we go because we don't know that much and if we don’t then we end up doing one of these things, take for granted, ignore, forget or neglect the things God is telling us to do. What's worse it could be all of the above! We get blinded and become preoccupied with a lot of things that lure us away from doing what God wants us to do. We are deceived into believing all the lies of this world disguised and packaged by the enemy in an inviting and convincing truth. We should realize that it is always for our own good that He commands us to do the right thing. It is not merely to impose but for us to freely decide for a life lived to the full. There is no other way to maintain the Holy Spirit dwelling in us but to let it reside in a clean heart.  We drive away God's Spirit in us if we don't strive to let our hearts remain clean. Today's psalm is a song that I have come to know and sing by heart without the aid of a song book. I always love to sing it and hear it being sung most especially by the choir during mass. It is well for us to not just love to sing it with our voices but with the sincerity of our hearts. The words "take not your Holy Spirit from me" made me realize that God has the power to give and take. The thought of the Holy Spirit being taken away from us is the worst thing that could ever happen. If we don't feel God's presence in our life anymore and we've become numb and insensitive to the promptings and guidance of the Holy Spirit then now is the time to reconnect and realign ourselves to God's Spirit. It is important that we always maintain a clean heart and a steadfast spirit so that we are constantly in God's presence. It's not that God loves us any less, no matter what we do He will always love us. It's just that a Holy and Loving God can not dwell in an impure heart and spirit.  It is of prime importance that we take extra care in attending not only to our temporal needs but our spiritual as well. Amen. Hallelujah!  

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6A, 6BCD-7, 10-11

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. R. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” R. I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. R. Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed shall rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my  guilt. R.

Our God is good all the time! God does not expect us to be instant saints. He assures us that all we need is a small seed of faith sown in our hearts. As it grows, God can do wondrous things beyond our expectations. Each one of us with no exception has a seed that God has planted in our hearts. God is always at work in us. Whether we are doing something or not, He is the Mastermind, Creator and Executor of everything. It is not through our efforts and abilities that we are able to accomplish anything. All we have to do is just allow this growth to take place in us and not hinder or obstruct it. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. All we need to do is just cooperate as He operates. Sometimes we have this impression that we can effect change on other people so when they don’t we succumb to despair or blame ourselves for not doing a good job. Or when people come out renewed we sometimes take the credit for it and say that it if it wasn’t for us that person would not have made it. It is simply presumptuous on our part to think this way. We may think that we know better but we can never deny that God knows best. It is definitely true what this sharing in Companion tells us. That’s why we really have to keep this in mind. “It is God’s work to convert people and transform their lives. As much as a preacher and teacher can convince people of the truth of the Gospel, it is still only the Holy Spirit who has the power to convict us of these truths such that we will be willing to live and die for them. Open my heart, Lord, to the truth of the Gospel so that my mind and heart would be truly formed in all that is good and perfect.” No matter how hopeless and discouraging things may seem to appear we have to be fully convinced in the power of God to produce great outcomes from very humble beginnings. All we've got to do is stick to God through and through and things will always turn out for the best. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 4:26-34
26 Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade." With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

In the silence of the heart

Is there a specific bible verse or passage in the bible that is very dear to your heart and which touches you the most? I do. Most of us have and whenever we encounter it there's something very special that we can associate with it. I guess, I have shared this favorite bible passage of mine many times already, the prophecy of Habakkuk in 2:2-3 which is: Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. This Word of God came to me as the 1st reading on that day of Oct 7, 2007 when I was about to make a major decision which made all the difference in my life from that day on. I am standing on the promises of God my Savior, standing on firm ground, I will not be moved. Things may still not be looking up and great at the present time but I am still firm in my faith  as on that day I held on to this prophecy as in today's 1st reading where King David professes his confidence in God's words and promise. Amen. Hallelujah!

2nd book of Samuel 7,18-19.24-29.

And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant. Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord GOD, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever."

There is no doubt that God is able to fulfill all His promises and carry out everything that He said. A confirming event that I consider very special was whenever we chance upon Fr. Mike Barry. We have been following him wherever he has a healing session nearby and to have an unexpected chance of attending mass celebrated by him is something I consider a great blessing and indeed a very pleasant surprise. It has always brought joy to all of us most especially to me. He is a priest whom I consider my personal prophet due to the many times I have personally experienced his gift of discernment and prophecy which I have shared several times already in my previous reflections. I have been getting messages of confirmation through the things he said to me about my PAST and affirmation through the things that are happening to me at the PRESENT thus giving me hope for the things that I have been praying for and are bound to come in the FUTURE. These things happen one after the other in an orderly sequence every time he prays over me despite the fact that he doesn't know a single thing about me. Although he didn't say the homily and did not conduct a healing session I was able to get another confirmation through Fr. Alex Amayin who said in his homily at that same time that, "The Word of God is like rain, it will not go back to the clouds without fulfilling first its purpose of watering and nourishing the earth and its vegetation in the same way that His words will not go back to Him without doing what it said it would do. We should also be proud of our parents. They may not be perfect but they are the arms that cradled us when we were still babies, guided us through the different stages of our lives and stood with us through thick and thin. So wherever they may be now whether still living or resting in peace let us give back to them the honor and praise they deserve. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 132:1-2, 3-5, 11, 12, 13-14 R: The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
1 LORD, remember, for David all his anxious care...The LORD swore an oath to David a firm promise from which he will not withdraw...

I could remember a time when I hesitated for a moment when I was about to hand over to this home health nurse a copy of a daily reflection that I wrote and got inspiration through him the way I normally do with most of the people I am around. A lot of questions popped into my mind like, Would he mind receiving a bible reflection? Is he Christian? Can I really do this? I've encountered a lot of sensitive issues here in the US when it comes to religion and the faith. I suddenly felt like chickening out. We haven't known each other long and might take it in a different way. God is good that when I am about to back out I suddenly received from this very sweet lady who dispelled all my doubts and fears a boost of confidence and courage to carry out this task. Although she did not say the exact words from today's gospel it was just like I was hearing them from the silence of her good heart. For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. We should take every opportunity to let the people we meet see clearly the light of the lamp shining from the lampstand by spreading the Good News. We also recall how in Mt. 13:10-11 the disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.” The seed of the Kingdom of God is planted in mystery and it grows in secret and hidden. We can not fully comprehend it for God is infinite and so is shrouded in mystery. Jesus and the Kingdom can be found at the heart of parables but with certain obscurity and in a sense with a hidden nature.  Faith is a personal adherence to God and as we grow in our faith in Him the mysteries are revealed to those who draw close to Jesus in the condition that we adhere and cling to him. If we remain outside and do not enter into His love then we remain in obscurity. It is not true that the Kingdom of God is just for a selected few, everyone is invited and no one is shut out. In order to enter the kingdom we have to accept the invitation to repentance, conversion and faith.  We have to make a radical choice to give up everything and embrace it. Words are not enough, because we are not just called for lip service. In Mark’s gospel we often see the words of Jesus not to say anything or tell anyone. This is because of the danger to misunderstand the kingdom and misinterpret it. At that time they were under the oppression of the Roman empire. They think of the Messiah as the one to free them from the Roman rule and use the knowledge of the kingdom for power and control. It is like putting Jesus in a box and keeping Him at a distance so as not to allow Him to change us. We have to follow and submit to God. The seed planted in our hearts although a mystery and can not fully be comprehended will draw us closer to him through faith and good works.  It is much different if we are to live our vocation and grow in our knowledge and understanding of the faith. We develop trust and personal adherence in a form of clinging to God. We see this in the life of people with no high theological understanding. They articulate their deep love for God and understanding in simple ways. With people who are still suffering and struggling with difficulties that are not taken away, the hidden nature of the mystery persists. Just like this particular time that was very difficult for a friend of mine whose husband passed away to see the light of hope. But we continue to believe that in a moment of darkness filled with grief and despair of losing a loved one there is still hope that light is still shining through and is bound to be known to all in His most perfect time. We have to have faith in the heart and believe that everything will unfold in His time and be able to discover the light in the midst of trying and uncertain moments. We may not grasp the meaning of all the things at the moment but everything will soon come to pass and only the light of God's truth will prevail.  The veil is lifted and finally see God for who He is through faith, obedience and generous living in the gospel. This is the only way we can experience His love in a very real way. Though, still with the cross but still following his inspiration. This means real change in our lives that only the gospel can bring about as we remain faithful to it. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lamp-stand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.

STAND FIRM

We have a God who never fail and will always fulfill what He said He would do. This prophecy of Samuel in today’s 1^st reading explains why Jesus was often referred to in the scriptures as Son of David. The long history of the chosen people of God speaks of a Messiah whom they have long waited for. The more we get familiar with the scriptures the better our understanding of the prophecies from the Old Testament in connection with the New Testament. The deeper we know more about them the better our amazement and appreciation of how God works in mysterious, wonderful and miraculous ways. The long span of more than 4 thousand years that date way back to the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus speak of God's faithfulness to His covenant with His people. I often hear people say that life is so uncertain and that nobody knows what's going to happen next. Everything that we do seems to be a gamble for we are so imperfect and bound to make mistakes and wrong decisions. There are times when we look at our lives and ask where it is headed, when are things going to happen and change for the better and what awaits us in the days to come. It is so appeasing to know that we have a God who always speaks to us through the events, people and circumstances that surround us. In today's 1st reading, it tells us that only time can tell, all we have to do is remain faithful to God and persevere to the end since it speaks of Samuel telling David of a prophecy which was fulfilled 900 years later in Jesus. God's promises will always be true and can stand the test of time all throughout generations. Before I got myself involved in bible study I was just taking the title of Jesus as "Son of David" for what it is, just a title they have decided to call him. After several sessions things become clearer to me and taken on a deeper meaning. People who address him in the New Testament as Son of David are people who know of the salvation history of Israel or the chosen people. They are the very people who have come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah because they have been promised of one who will come from the House of David as foretold by the prophets of old.  This is very interesting that we find our Christian faith rooted in Jewish heritage. The more we know of the ancestral beginning of Christianity the better our appreciation of it and eventually and inevitably lead to awe and marvel of God's wonders and miracles. St. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family. Joseph is an unwitting accomplice to the work of salvation. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is his betrothed. He is given no options as to what he wants as regards the birth of Jesus. Yet somehow Joseph manages to allow the grace of God to lead and guide him such that he willingly accepts his role as foster father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family. We, too sometimes find ourselves in a situation when we have no idea how things came about, it just happened without exerting any effort on our part. It just shows how God is able to do wonderful things in our life. All we need to do is follow the example of Joseph who at that time did not have any idea whatsoever that those were going to happen to him. Joseph is a righteous man; he stands in the line of righteous men stretching back to Abraham. It was mentioned above that he had little choice about the direction of his life. However, we must not fail to reflect upon the option that he could have simply walked away and left Mary and the child in her womb to fend for themselves. He could not do this as he was a good man and could see that Mary was going to need his help. Though he may seem to be a somewhat silent observer in the work of salvation, he plays a much greater and more important role than most give him credit for. He allowed God to lead and guide him through that situation which he obviously did not plan or intend to happen.  In whatever situation we are in right now, whether it's all part of our plans or not, let us continue to allow the grace of God to work for He can surely bring about goodness and prosperity in our lives. We may be in a situation where we are not truly satisfied with what is happening around us but we must continue to believe. What a glorious promise from God to His faithful servant David. He has the same words for those who will faithfully and perseveringly follow His lead. If we can only look back and examine carefully our lives in the past then we can gauge from there if we have been totally obedient to His will in our lives. Are we missing out on something? Let us be quick and diligent to assess our lives so as not to miss out on the best things that God has in store for us. We can always count on God to carry out the plans He has for His people and always be true to His word. There is no greater joy in the knowledge of the hope, joy and love that Jesus is our Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Samuel 7:4-17
...Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’ ” 17 Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

We are assured of a God who never breaks His promise and will see everything come to fulfillment. He will not disappoint nor let us down for His love for us endures forever. The promises of our God will stand firm. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 89:4-5, 27-28, 29-30 R: For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
3 [4] “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 [5] I will make your dynasty stand for ever and establish your throne for all ages.”...

The legacy of King David has been handed down to us through Jesus. We have all been given the opportunity to prosper and bear much fruit as in today's gospel but all of it remains a seed with all its potential that still needs to be realized through our cooperation. I remember when I was picking out a specific greeting card that I was planning to give to someone. From out of the many greeting card choices, I suddenly singled out this particular greeting card with a picture of a bird which I had not chosen and just made fun of, since we were laughing and joking about it. Today's gospel contains this bible verse, "some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up...As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them." It just dawned on me that these birds can pose as a very enticing and interesting view for us with regards to our life in the same way that Satan can deceive us all. We can just watch them and be fascinated as they eat the seeds without realizing that we are being robbed of God's Word in us. This particular scene reminded me of a time when I had the opportunity of enjoying this picturesque garden overlooking a small stream, with lots of birds in it and almost looks like paradise. I enjoyed the view and even fed the birds. God’s message with regards to the gospel today has become more intense as these circumstances start to unfold before me. Its urgency tends to be heightened even more by the fact that we are constantly in a battle, day in and out which we might not be completely aware of since we do not know what’s really going on around us. Sometimes we can be lured into something very beautiful without realizing that there is a catch to it. We must not forget that the choice is completely ours. We have all been chosen, qualified and equipped for a fruitful harvest but it is all up to us to respond in accordance to this great privilege. Let us all seek to nurture this seed that Jesus has planted in our hearts. Just like any other plant that grows, it needs to be well taken care by regularly watering it and exposing to air and sunlight depending on the specific demand of the plant. The same way with us who have already been planted with God's word. Let us constantly ask God to always open our minds and hearts to the mysteries of His Infinite love and mercy that we may become the rich soil where the seed of the Word of God can be cultivated and bear much fruit. Let us guard with all our strength this perfect gift of God to us in Jesus Christ and never let it be stolen away by the enemy. We have the power and the will to drive it away. In today's gospel the Lord is inviting us to examine ourselves closely and become the rich soil and produce fruit. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 4:1-20

...“The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you.But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that ‘they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.’” Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

THE FAMILY OF GOD

We might have witnessed certain occasions wherein we have been confused, puzzled and even shocked of some people who got so carried away with their emotions and just acted in a way that they could not care less how they look in front of other people. This is usually the case with people who have totally surrendered themselves to someone or something that they are in love with that they have become enslaved by their feelings and just follow its dictates. It is just so overwhelming to see how it can compel people to do the strangest and unimaginable acts. Nowadays, we see people who abandon themselves to following such desires. It is just sad that there are times when we fall for the wrong desire that drives us to action. We sometimes end up regretting what we did after finding out that it is for the wrong conviction that we acted foolishly.  It is good to imagine what David did in today’s 1^st reading.  It must have been quite a sight to see royalty, king and mighty warrior dancing without a care in the world. We all know that what he had done is all worth it because he danced before the Lord who is King of kings, Lord of lords and worthy of all our honor and praise. Amen. Hallelujah! 

2 Samuel 6,12-15.17-19.

....Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the LORD with abandon, as he and all the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.....

We can't claim to be this kind of person, a Christian but conduct ourselves in a very unlikely way. Let us no longer be deceived by the false and misleading truths and principles that this world presents to us every single day. We have to be grounded at all times on this truth that today's psalm is telling us. There was a time when Tita Neds complained that something is wrong with the television. She said that somebody fixed it already but it didn't stay fixed for long. It wasn't the manufacturer who repaired it that was why. If it was brought to its manufacturer they would definitely know what to do with it. We've got to be conscious of this reality and apply it to ourselves. When something goes wrong we should know where to go, to whom we really belong, the Lord. This is the covenant: we belong to the Lord and He belongs to us for we are His people and He is our God. If we look at what's happening in the world today most especially the economic crisis wherein even the leading nations are being challenged by the present situation then we are really bound to anticipate the worst. Not even those people who used to be very confident of their present jobs in their respective stable companies can be too sure of what's going to happen next. There have been so much speculations of what will be the outcome of this worldwide problem of the economy and most of them are not good. With all these rubble, there is just really one thing we need to focus on and that is God. It is not easy to live life in this world but we can rejoice and be glad, we have an army, a battalion, a full house of saints with all the angels constantly and endlessly praying and singing in heaven, the so called triumphant Church/army of God, who intercede in our behalf and is joyously inviting us to be one of them. We are being reminded by the readings today to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord no matter how tough things are. God wants to be with us, there is no doubt about that. But just like water and oil which can not be put together and mixed so is God and man if we are in sin or harbor anything that can not be attributed to the holiness of God. We can not force two different things to go together. Water is a polar molecule and oil is non polar. They do not mix because they are two different substances as in the adage, "Like dissolves like." God can not change. He is already who He is, Holy in all His ways. We can change. We can be like God in His holiness and goodness if we want to be with Him forever. Let us not lose sight of what a mighty God we serve who made the heavens and the earth. We pray to God to open our eyes that we may see the wonders of His love. We should think profoundly of our daily walk with the Lord which consists of not only a leisure stroll in the plains and valleys of life but a steep climb up to the top of the mountain. We must avail of the sacrament of reconciliation. It gives us renewed strength and hope. Our life consists of steep and dangerous climbs but we must not forget that God is always at our side. If we are to carefully assess our life we would find that it feels good whenever we are able to overcome most of our pitfalls though there are some that still needs improvement. We must praise and thank God that every time we experience a fall back and backslide we can immediately go back to Him through the sacrament of confession which restores us to our original path and right track. It is God's desire that we will someday come face to face with Him. There is a need for us to prepare for that day. We are sometimes guilty of not focusing on God's countenance alone, there are times when we get distracted by other things and today's psalm reading serves as the reminder. I heard a story about God's radiating and blinding light that when we stand before Him nothing is hidden from Him, He will never turn away from us but if we ourselves are tainted with the guilt of our sins then we can not withstand His presence and will definitely hide and ran away from Him, far from His ever blinding Light that penetrates us. Let us all hope that when that day comes we can stand in His Holy Presence and claim with confidence our rightful place in His Kingdom. For our information, all of us are eligible to be in heaven with God. There is no doubt about this since we have been made and washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. A virgin is with child. The Old Testament scriptures have foretold of this and point to the coming of Christ. The prophets preannounced and prefigured His coming and pointed to the fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament. He has loved us first and continues to do so. He encounters us ever anew in the sacraments especially in the Eucharist. The Church helps us to respond to God’s initiative through word and teaching and the gathering of believers who respond faithfully. We have to be firm, resilient and faithful people of God. We’ve got to really focus on what is truly important and essential. We live in a world where there are so many distractions that we tend to lose sight of what should be our greatest and most important concern. After all has been said and done we will find in the end that what truly matters is not what will last only in this lifetime but for all eternity, a reward from God our Savior. When somebody invites us for a party we just don't go there without preparing ourselves for it. Much more gatecrash and just go to a party without an invitation. We are blessed that God has invited us. The best we could do being privileged, honored and counted to come to His banquet in heaven is to make preparations and always be ready to take part in it, really belong and not end up an outcast. We should not lose sight of this standing invitation that God gives us in our daily life. There is indeed a need to always be prepared so that when the final moment comes we can reside in the heavenly abode of God. In every game there is a rule to follow and only those who play it fair and square can finish to the end and win their prize. Today’s psalm gives us a guideline to follow in order to make it through. We should always long to see the face of God at all times in every person, event and circumstance in our lives. Let us always hold on to this image so that someday when we finally come face to face with God we will receive a blessing and reward for He will surely bring about what He said He would do. In the course of the time and in the history of mankind we hear of people like Abraham chosen by God. The chosen people were given laws and ordinances to follow. The remnants of the chosen people or those who were faithful to God in keeping these commandments like Simeon and Anna, Joachim and Anne are those who belong to the Hebrew generation, kept the Jewish tradition and prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. This initiation of God in loving us first should bring us to act and make love blossom as a response on our part. We've got to be consistent to the kind of people who longs to see God's face. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 24,7.8.9.10.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! R. Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. R. Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! R. Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory. R.

God wills all to be saved. There is no doubt that the grace of God is enough and we are all called in every walk of life to respond freely to this. The choice is ours to make. We just have to remember always and never forget that God has already won over any pain, suffering and ultimately death. Absolutely nothing is too difficult for Him. All we have to do is lay claim every waking moment that we have already been purchased for a price and saved by the blood of Jesus on the cross. Let us not lose our salvation by turning our backs on the family where God wants us to belong. Nothing else in this world should give us joy and confidence other than the truth that we are part of the great family of God. Nothing compares to having the privilege to be called the child of God as His will becomes enthroned in our lives. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 3,31-35.

And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. (For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." 

SIN & PLAQUE

Our God is our stronghold, in Him alone we must trust. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Samuel 5: 1-7, 10

 But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.  David grew steadily more powerful, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

If we enter into agreement with any person we have to make sure that we are able to fulfill it and vice versa for the person whom we make a contract with. It is so disappointing when things do not turn out the way it should be and terms and conditions are not followed. I guess, we have all encountered mishaps and are dismayed along the way.  It is always best that if there's someone whom we should observe and maintain a covenant with then there should be no other but God. For His words and promises will always remain true. As in Habakkuk 2:2-3, "Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late." We can be assured that His covenant will last and stand firm. Thousands of years have passed and only one name remains tried and true and continues to stand the test of time and even eternity, the name above all names, Jesus. If we are to look closely and pay attention to the succession of events of the salvation history or covenant history which goes back to the time of Adam & Eve and Noah and dates way back to 1800 BC during the time of Abraham, Moses (1200), David (means the favored one,1000), Exodus (600) to the birth of our Lord Jesus we will see God’s faithfulness and steadfast love for His people.  In this time line are significant events that happened from the time of Creation when God created man who fell into sin and became unfaithful and how God continuously called us back to Him by showing us who He really is throughout the length of time. As dramatic events unfold, like the entrance of the Israelites to the promised land, the pockets of rebellion as they took over the 12 tribes and settled into a life of monarchy (kings) from their 1st king (Saul) to King David and King Solomon, the time of David is described as the greatest time of the people of God. Today’s psalm speaks of how God is pleased with His faithful servants and promises to maintain kindness forever. If we look at St. Joseph in the eyes of the Jews, we find that he is the person who gave Jesus His proper name and claim as descendant of King David. Joseph was more of a foster father, because he was truly the legal father of Jesus. In like manner, he was not just the guardian of Mary. Before the law and traditions of Israel, he was the husband of Mary of Nazareth, the one who legitimized the “virgin birth” of Jesus to Mary. In the church’s liturgy, Joseph, aside from the Blessed Mother, is the only saint mentioned in the “Divine Praises” for the Eucharistic Benediction.  Then, according to experts on the apparitions of Fatima, Joseph was the only saint who appeared with the Blessed Mother in those phenomena that happened in Portugal." All these things tell us that there is really no cause for worry and fear for we have a God who is faithful to all His promises. We should always be reminded of this reality and never doubt that everything will come to pass. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 89: 20, 21-22 , 25 -26

R: My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

....Once you spoke in a vision, and to your faithful ones you said “On a champion I have placed a crown; over the people I have set a youth. R. “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” R. “My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand upon the sea, his right hand upon the rivers.”

The truth is that there is no sin that God can not forgive. No sin is greater than the mercy of God. Now what is this in today's gospel that speaks of unforgiveable sin? God the Holy Spirit dwells in us and if we continue to dishonor Him with our persistent and unstoppable sinning then it could already be called blaspheming because we are continuously ignoring the constant presence of God in us. It's totally refusing God's mercy. It's plain and simple. God forgives all sins but can't forgive those who do not ask for it nor are those who aren’t sorry for it. This happens when our hearts are hardened by sin. I had been bothered by this sensitivity in my tooth and found out that it has hardened plaque and can not be fixed by a simple oral prophylaxis. It needed deep cleaning and costs much more in order to save the tooth. We need to give proper attention like constant and regular check up to the dentist in order to avoid something like this from happening. The same is true if we do not take care of our souls and continue to sin. Sin and plaque may have something in common after all.  If it becomes too hard, we may come to a point when we are beyond repair. Let us not allow this to happen and be forever stained with everlasting sin. We are all called by God to receive the promised eternal inheritance. No one is exempted or excluded from it only those who by their own free will refuse to respond to this wonderful gift. It sometimes happens when we tend to take for granted what is being given to us by setting it aside and forgetting about it. Let us be perfectly aware of this gift and get a hold of it for it is ours to keep. The good news of our salvation which was obtained for us more than 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ on the cross is still being proclaimed to this very day. There is no way we can deny the truth for heaven and earth will fade but God's words will remain. We are not bound of any chains for God has set us free, we claim victory in Jesus name. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 3:22-30

....But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

THE BATTLE IS ON

We can not deny the fact that we all have a darkness lurking within us. It could be in the form of a sickness, financial problem, stressed relationship with family or a loved one and a work problem that cause heartaches. The good news is that we have already been saved by God. There’s no need to be tied down to this darkness for the light of God has shone. There is hope that the Lord will deliver us from our miseries and bring joy in our hearts. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Isaiah 8:23-9:3

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. 2 You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils. 3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed

Brothers and sisters, if we are confident that we are where we are supposed to be and the Lord allowed things to happen in our life the way they are happening right now then we should be still and know that God is in control. We need to understand the mysteries of our faith in order to appreciate it better. We have to go near as much as possible to the Word of God and experience it come to life and see His glory shining on us. As we go near Him we see his face and feel His love. We always have hope in the Lord who knows what's best for each one of us. There should be no doubt in our minds that He answers prayers. All we have to do is call on the Lord, trust that He hears the sound of our call and wait for Him with courage. When we get carried away by all the commotion there is a tendency that we neglect the essential and most central issue which is to always believe that we shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. There is really nothing that we should worry about if we always hold in our hearts the truth about Jesus. There may be times when we encounter disappointments and setbacks in life but this doesn't mean that God has stopped becoming the Loving God that He is, who suffered His only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sake. Our focus should be on the truth of this love and everything that it stands for. This reminded me of a mini play staged in EWTN of a passenger waiting to be boarded on the airplane. He was the 1st and only person in the boarding area waiting patiently for his seat reservation to be called. He got surprised when someone came along and hardly ever waited when his seat number was called. He felt somehow annoyed at the idea of someone who just came and did not wait but got on the plane first although he managed to stop himself from making a scene. A lady with her young child also came and looked very excited to board the plane but he tried to warn them not to keep their hopes up too much because it would definitely take time and said that he had been waiting for a long time and came early but his number had not been called yet. To his surprise their numbers were called and happily boarded while he was once again left behind. He simply couldn't stand it anymore when a pleasant young lady came with all smiles on her face and speaking of how excited she is to board an airplane for the first time. The company of this nice lady kept her impatience at bay. She advised him to stop thinking about how the others were able to get there quickly but rather think of the joy he would have once he gets there. She assured him to just relax and make the most of his time because he has a reservation and a ticket all he needs to do is just wait. He did exactly just that and found himself at peace until the time his number was called. The same thing happens to the best of us when we are confronted with a tedious and exasperating process of waiting. We tend to lose our peace and joy and succumb to worry and doubt. If we are holding on to something that was assured to us by a trustworthy and reliable source we can put our worries to rest. Although sometimes anxiety can still find its way to our hearts and forget on whom our confidence lies.  If we remain in the Lord and put our trust in Him then there is nothing we should worry about. In life, there are 4 things which are 1. sin 2. grace 3. forgiveness 4. reconciliation that we could all learn a lot from. The 1st 3 are all a reality but #4 is only a possibility. Reconciliation calls us to true conversion. An example that fits this is a snake and caterpillar since both of them undergoes conversion. The snake sheds off its old skin but comes out the same while the caterpillar emerges into a butterfly. We have to ponder and think about setting our goals high, keeping our thoughts positive and coming up with new solutions. There is no room for fear for He is consistent to His nature as God. Let us strive to become the child He has meant us to be. Another thing we could learn something about is a puzzle. I am one person who never even thought of working on a jigsaw puzzle. I am not the type of person who would bother to even buy one. It just happened that when I was in Japan and saw all sorts of things which are being sold in a bazaar, I ended up buying one for no reason at all. In fact it took years before I finally opened it and put the puzzle together. That was when I actually experienced how to do it. It takes patience and perseverance to do it especially with the complicated puzzles. Sometimes in life we just back out and give up when things become complicated and when we do, we fail to witness the bounty of the Lord. As today psalm tells us, we've got to wait with courage and be stout hearted. We should all long for the day when we will have 100% confidence level in all our decisions for God. When the time comes it will totally remove all forms of anxiety and fear and incline ourselves to Him at all times. It should be our ultimate desire and nothing else, to always be in the presence of the Lord. To abide in Him at all times even when things are not very good. I could never forget and would always remember those times when I used to pick figs at Sis Loreta's garden. It was then that a thought came to my mind while I was climbing a ladder in order to get the figs in hard to reach places. Despite the fact that I was already on top of the ladder there were still some figs that I was not able to see and pick up right away although it was already right in front of me. They are being covered by the leaves of the tree and some are hidden in between branches. I just realized that it could be compared to how God showers us with all the blessings and graces that we need. There are times when we fail to see it though it is already right in front of us. Sometimes we have to really look very closely and try to turn our gaze into different angles in order to see it. What's funny was that when I thought that I've got almost every ripe fig in the tree, I noticed one big ripe fruit at the lowest part of the tree, there was even no need to use a ladder in order to get it. Sometimes in life we resort to a lot of means that are sometimes no longer necessary. All we have to do is believe that we will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living if we will just be patient and full of courage. We ought to realize that if we wait on the Lord patiently and persevere long enough we will never be disappointed for He alone is our light and salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (R) 4 One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. (R) 13 I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

We all belong to Christ and there should be no divisions among us. Although this is something that is very difficult to achieve at times because of differences in the personalities of people but we can always strive to do our best. We know that Christ died not just for a selected few but for all. He loves us all without any partiality. Let us not look on the weaknesses of each one but rather magnify the goodness that every person has and avoid making comparisons for the saving power of the cross is offered to us all.  The value of the cross embedded in us is worth more than all the shortcomings and deficiencies we have. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17

10 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. 12 I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Kephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Maintaining a physically fit and healthy body is not an easy task. We may have seen athletes train really hard in most days of the week or even everyday just to achieve their goals. Sometimes when we do make a decision to embark on an exercise program there are times when we feel so sluggish and feels like we just want to sit back and relax. We know for a fact that if we want to see results we have to commit to a fitness regimen and follow it strictly. Although there are some issues with regards to some really obese people who were thought to have the fat genes and are more predisposed to being fat which I guess would make things more difficult for some people to really stay in tip top shape, physically speaking. But we have also seen extremely obese people who were able to win the battle of the bulge. Their determination and dedication really paid well. Although for some there are those who yo-yo back to their old shape so it is not just about committing to it for a certain period of time but for life. It just dawned on me that aiming for a spiritually fit and healthy body works in a similar way. In today's gospel God is urging us to rise up from darkness and respond to His call and follow Him. Although we have already been endowed by God with the gift of eternal life the battle for our souls does not stop.  Though, we have been purchased for a price by God’s own Son who gave His life and shed His blood on the cross. The enemy who has been defeated just doesn’t want to give up. We can only marvel at its persistence in getting a hold of our souls. We just have to always be in touch with the truth and never let it slip our minds. We are destined for the Kingdom of God right now and that is to come I have been watching a lot lately of the EWTN Channel and the homilies of the priests in the TV masses have inspired me to a great extent. I was able to get some very inspiring words of wisdom from Fr. Wades Meneses that would make us really think. Some of these were, “If you’re back is against the wall, His was on the cross.” Instead of pointing a finger, lend a hand.” “Anger is just one letter away from danger.” “7days w/o prayer makes us weak.”  “If you kneel before God then you can stand before anyone.”  “Give satan an inch and he will become your ruler.” “Satan subtracts and divides, Jesus adds and multiplies.”  Words are important. Today’s words of Jesus from the gospel are just plain and simple and also the very first words before He started His Public Ministry. “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand.  There’s nothing more to it than what it says. For it is exactly what we’re supposed to do whoever we are, whatever we do and wherever we are right now. Just like the 3 magi whose feast we celebrated this month, we should also faithfully follow the star that leads to Jesus and bring with us the best offering that is fitting for a King. And we must keep in mind that as we travel through life we ought to be always sensitive and wise enough to know the messages that God is sending our way whether in a form of a confirmation or a warning so as to be well guided in our journey. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 4:12-23

…the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” …From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”…