We can sometimes easily change our minds and decide against
something that we were just considering at one moment. It could be
contradictory to what we were earlier stating but it happens to all of us and
can not deny that's how we are at times. Our minds can only be occupied with
and focused on a few things if not just one at a particular time. No matter how
good and brilliant we may be, we all have our limitations. We may be up to
something yesterday but can suddenly change today and could definitely not tell
what tomorrow may bring. Everything seems to be uncertain except for the fact
that we have a God that is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever as
in today's 1st reading and that is all that matters. There is none like God.
There is no one and nowhere to go but only to God. We have to decide once and
for all to live for Jesus alone. It is
time we have a grasp of the depth of God's love and mercy. Without realizing
this we can never come to appreciate how much God wanted us to be in a
relationship with Him. Today's 1st reading tells us that He is willing to go as
far as the unreachable just so He can get this everlasting love across to us.
We always see these words of Jesus in the gospel, "Repent for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand.” As the Apostle Paul says, “On behalf of Christ, we are
acting as ambassadors and appealing that you return to God.” God is appealing
to us to be reconciled to Him through Christ. What could be done so that God is
pleased with us rather than angry at us? Who can have qualms about God's mercy
if we seriously return to Him? He will certainly welcome those who return as
the Loving Father to His prodigal son. We are free to sin but later on must pay
the heaviest penalty of the consequences of sin. When we have returned to God
how can we can continue receiving His forgiveness and remain His friends, sons
and daughters. What does He asks of us? Nothing except that we keep His
commandments. The Apostle John explains that His commandments are not
burdensome, if it is to us how much more are the torments of hell. Unless we
are mad, we don't dare want to experience it. We have to think of it over and
over again and never forget. Now is the time of mercy but later the time of
justice. One can easily square accounts with God with a small effort of
repentance we can gain great forgiveness. With a brief mourning one can avoid
eternal wailing. But later the riches of the whole earth could not even gain a
single drop of cold water or a dip in a burning tongue as in the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:24). On the other hand any good work done now in
account of charity can obtain the kingdom of heaven. What could be clearer than
what the 1st reading is telling us today? The time to act is now. Amen.
Hallelujah!
…Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. 18 Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, 19 and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;20 you will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.
What a wonderful world this place that we live in could be
if only we listen to the instructions constantly being given to us in the
scriptures. We have an awesome God who always speaks to us in a very timely and
specific manner. His messages are fitted to the situation we are presently
experiencing right now. We should remain confident that God will make a way.
There is really nothing more that God can do for us that He has not done. God
is never short of blessings to shower on us. He has made it all available to us
through His Son. All that is needed is for us to make our move. Let us open
ourselves to God's presence in our lives and know that there is never a moment
in our life when He is away from us for it is always the other way around. For
we are the ones turning away from Him and placing blocks and hindrances between
us whenever we can't find Him.
We are constantly being faced by challenges to our faith
especially at this present time. It is easier to be firm in our faith when
times are easy but when tough times come that is when we are put to the test.
No matter how difficult things may seem we should never give in to the pressure
and remain steadfast. We can always choose to do the right thing if we
safeguard in our hearts the truth about God knowing that it is always for the
best. We need not be afraid of anything although this is something that we all
find very difficult to do. They say faith and reason do not work together just
like science and religion. This is not a fact but a fallacy. These things in
fact compliment each other because one supports the other. There is no faith
without reason and vice versa. We can not just have one and lack the other.
This has to be very clear in our heads. We should always try to condition
ourselves in the atmosphere of God's presence. We should gear ourselves toward
that direction so that we place ourselves within His reach, it's not that God
can not reach us but we hinder God from reaching out to us. When we do not
respond to His call and shut off our ears although we are within hearing range,
we fail to get the message. Which reminds me of Bernadette's ear, when we went
to her doctor she underwent a procedure (ear lavage) in order to unclog her
left ear but prior to that she was already instilling ear meds for 4 days. The
nurse explained to her that it can be painful and can cause her to feel dizzy
and asked her if she still wants it done and she agreed. Sometimes we have to
resort to very uncomfortable measures in order to be cured in the same way we
should maintain such condition spiritually so that we can always keep our ears
open to God's word. Wherever God is, there is always peace and prosperity. It is
only natural that we have longings and desires because God Himself planted it
in our hearts. We all long for the good things in life and God Himself can
provide for all these things. It is just sad that we reach out for other things
that we thought are good for us. We do not realize that we have to seek first
the Kingdom of God
Ps 85:2-4, 5-6, 7-8Responsorial Psalm
R. (8a) Lord, show us your mercy and love.
...You have forgiven the guilt of your people; you have
covered all their sins. You have withdrawn all your wrath; you have revoked
your burning anger. ...abandon your displeasure against us.
May we all have a transforming experience all the days of
our lives brought and effected by the truth of the victory of Jesus'
Resurrection from the dead. Jesus has taken away the obstacle and hindrance for
us to enter into new life with Him by His resurrection. Let us not forfeit this
benefit and truly believe with the heart and soul of our faith. It seems
impossible for somebody to rise from the dead that is why Mary of Magdala got
confused despite her being able to witness with her own very eyes the many
wonders that Jesus did when He was still with them. There are some instances
when we just can't get it. But we should never doubt the truth that God is all
powerful and able to do beyond our imagination even though at times we fail to
grasp the meaning of some things happening in our lives. Through His
resurrection we are able to enter into new life with Him. I can still remember
very vividly what Fr. James de Souza preached when I attended his seminar way
back in the Philippines
more than 20 years ago when the gospel for today was the focus of his teaching.
He commended St. John
for being the most intimate and affectionate to Jesus. From that time on, I
always have this constant hope and prayer that I will grow more daily into that
overwhelmingly deep affection of St. John for Jesus to always see and believe
Him in order to run and go to Him first. John is the only apostle who did not
leave Christ and stayed beside Him all the way to the foot of the cross. He was
also the beloved apostle who rested his head at the chest of Jesus during the
last supper. It is him who Jesus
entrusted His mother with at the foot of the cross. This bible passage from
today's gospel has left a remarkable impression in my memory. He ran as fast he
could to be closest to the Lord. It made me think of our attitude towards God.
Do we also have the same enthusiasm and fervor as John? And yet he still
hesitated and got a hold of such strong emotions and still acted accordingly as
dictated by the virtue of prudence. He was full of love and devotion for the
Lord but he did not let it get in the way or disrupt the proper order of things
that needs to be followed. He outran
Peter in the rush to the tomb where Jesus was buried, but he let the more
superior leader of the Twelve enter the tomb first. We can follow the example
of St. John’s
humble deferment to someone higher, his self-sacrificing and humble disposition
vis-à-vis seniority. We should learn from him in the way he conducted himself
in such situations, full of love and abounding in grace. He definitely acted
the right thing at the right time in all the right places. We should focus and
hold on to things that are from heaven above rather than the things of this
world. We cling to temporary and material things without realizing that what
matters most is the permanent or the gift of eternal life. Mary of Magdala was
a woman of the world but she was restless until she found Jesus. The same way
with us, we could be experiencing some unexplainable emotions that make us
anxious but if we continue to see and experience God in our lives then we are
always assured that we are never alone and He will always be with us. All we
have to do is follow the example of Mary Magdalene by making a complete turn
(180 degrees) from our old ways and decide for Jesus. Let us get this straight,
apart from God we are nothing. We must
be able to connect, completely trust and surrender to God every single aspect
about us especially those that we are strongly holding on to and consider very
important and vital in our lives. We may be clinging on to something for the
wrong reasons. Our motivation and underlying reasons whether evident or not
should always have something to do with God. Whether it is a minor or major
thing it is always wise to align it to God. Our wills should no longer be our
own but of God our Father. Let us keep in mind that no matter how imperfect and
unlimited our capacities and capabilities are for as long as we put God first
in everything we say, think or do in the midst of trials and difficulties then
we can surely experience God's resurrection. We have dreams, desires and
longings that drive us to action. We sometimes get stuck with the idea that
life here on earth is all there is to it. We must look on and move forward to
the one ultimate goal that can make all things perfect and beautiful. It is
important that we all come to the realization that the fullness of all things
is in heaven. Mary Magdalene was in deep grief. She is one of the witnesses
that stood by the cross, watched and observed Jesus died and laid in the tomb.
Mary was not focused on the resurrection and did not recognize Jesus. Her mind
was focused on her assumption that someone has taken Jesus’ body. Whenever we
are gripped by grief, anxiety or any strong emotion it has a way of obscuring
our vision of God and blinds us from seeing His blessing or presence. When we
encounter moments when we are on the verge of weeping and depression we can
always remind ourselves that it doesn’t help at all rather we have to stay
calm. She did not expect the resurrection, only in the calling of her name that
she recognized Jesus. She was warned by Jesus not to cling or hold on because
she is being sent to spread the word as Greeks refer to her as the female
apostle to the Apostles. She did as she was told, went and announced to the disciples
that they too believed and came to faith. Thinking about these things is like
we are being given a picture and scenario to broaden our perspective and
understanding of the things that are happening in our life. Learn from the
experience, be imaginative and creative for better appreciation of the Word of
God as we reflect on it. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 20:1-2. 11-18
1 On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the
Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
...Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not
yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to
my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary of Magdala went
and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.
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