We should make a clear stand on whom our loyalty lies
because God's call is clear to us from today’s 1st reading "To
the angel of the church in Laodicea ,
write this: " ...I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were
either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will
spit you out of my mouth..." This is a picture of hypocrisy and duplicity
which the Lord rejects. When we spend our time in activities for the building
up of God's kingdom and turn our back on other things that is not within the
context of what God has called us to do at a particular period or time of our
life when things are not going well is one big statement that we are firmly
standing by our convictions and principles for the Lord at all cost no matter
how difficult it may seem. We have a
double door at home. The first door is a screen door which has no key, once it
has been locked from the inside then it can never be opened from outside. We
just have to keep it open if we know that someone is still outside or else he
or she can not get in. Although we know this, there are times when we forget
and still lock the door which has become kind of automatic for us to do. What
happens is that the person left outside is locked out and could not enter.
Today's 1st reading tells us too that Jesus is standing at the door and
knocking, it is up to us to open the door. Of course if we know that Jesus is
standing there no one in his or her right mind would refuse to make Him enter. Even
if we have this intention of letting Him in we forget that we have a first
screen door with a latch that is in the inside. It remains locked and no matter
how welcome Jesus is, in our lives He just can't enter unless we open that
first door and leave it always open for Him. What is this first door in our
life that keeps Him from coming in? There are things that we do that lock this
first door. It could be something that we are perfectly aware of, not aware of,
taken for granted and just don't pay attention to. We've got to be conscious of
these things that lock Jesus out of our lives. It is important that all our
actions lead to not just the entry of Jesus but most importantly for Him to
find shelter and reside in our hearts. I
am sure Jesus would love to be with us.
Can we imagine ourselves like a home where Jesus would be very
comfortable to live in? If not, it is time that we start cleaning ourselves so
as to remove whatever it is in us that would drive away Jesus from our hearts. There
is this story in the gospel where someone is found not wearing the wedding
garment. We must put on Christ as stated in 1 Cor.13 4-7. Love is Christ.
Christ is patient, kind and we must substitute with our name. This is the
garment that we must wear in order to be adopted sons and daughters of God. We
pray that the Lord will give us strength to love and hope that the Lord is our
final glory. Amen. Hallelujah
Rv 3:1-6, 14-22
...So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will
spit you out of my mouth...“‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with
him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my
throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.
If we read and follow carefully these words in today’s psalm
reading then we can truly say that we’ve found the perfect advice to which we
can pattern our lives after. God relates with us in a very personal way and
precise in His timing for as long as we stand by the principles and values of
God then we can never be wrong. God knows our every thought, motive and
intention and if we act on it based on what is just, true and peaceful then we
will never be disturbed. The commandments do not limit but protect freedom.
Since the more we disobey the more we become bound and become a slave of sin.
If we follow the full extent of the 10 commandments we become free. We see
people who repeatedly commit the same mistakes over and over again. And yet
they never learn anything from the lessons that go with it. The frightening
truth about this is the fact that they prefer to be disturbed and miserable not
because they love misery but because they prefer to stay in the dark. Jesus has
a standing invitation to us in John 12:35, "Jesus said to them, "The
light will be among you only a little while. Walk while you have the light, so
that darkness may not overcome you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know
where he is going." It is a choice and decision that we alone can make.
It’s not surprising to know that most of us think that God doesn’t want us to
have fun. It’s like all the things that we want to do with our friends that are
interesting and exciting when we were young, were against God’s commandments.
It may seem like we have to settle for less. What’s worse is that all the
faithful Catholics get less out of life. This is part of the propaganda way
back in the Garden of Eden. God gave us a magnificent paradise wherein there is
perfect intimacy and no shame with each other. In the Garden they have
everything they need but gave just one limit, not to eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting because God said, “Don’t do
this because you will die.” The reason why God commands us something is because
He is a loving Father who cares for us. He wants us to have the best. But then
came the serpent, it didn’t create Adam & Eve, nor gave the garden or
anything at all. All the serpent gave was a lie and told Adam & Eve not to
listen to God or they’ll lose out and won’t become like God. They were made to
believe that God is holding out something from them and is actually their rival
because God doesn’t want them to have what He has. So instead of trusting the
one who gave them everything, they trusted a stranger. They disobeyed God and
listened to the liar. They were hooked into a downward spiral of destruction.
This is what sin is all about. It is a trap. It is disguised as an apparent
good because the fruit looks good and desirable but it ends in disaster. The
relationship with God is messed up and so creation turned against them, thorns
and thistles appear and things in life become hard. This is what sin does, it
seemed small but it gets out of control. Things get worse and worse and there
are broken lives everywhere. This is the reality about sin, we are draining
life out of ourselves unless we recognize the one true source of life. The
problem is that there is a great propaganda out there. It makes sin appear with
all its fun, excitement and glamour. It makes virtue appear boring, lame, bland
and unexciting. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not. The pleasures that
God created in this world are enjoyed the most by those who don’t abuse them
and use it simply. Who do we think enjoys food most? The person who doesn’t
know how to fast and engorges all the time or a person after a fast experiences
a feast? The virtuous person enjoys life the most. The person who uses creation
and all things according to God’s plan enjoys it the most. It is because
pleasure is God’s idea. All the good things in the world that people want are
God’s idea. Satan can’t invent even one bit of pleasure. But God commands them to be used so that it
leads to life and a part of life is joy. The way to enjoy life is to follow
God’s commands. Life is not all about rules and regulations. God did not just
give us a bunch of rules and regulations that we are supposed to obey like
machines. What we do does not just proceed from who we are but also makes us
who we are. The actions we engage, the
words that we say and the things that we do have an impact on us. We are making
ourselves all the time. God created us when we came out of the womb, our
mothers and fathers have a great role in that but our creation continues every
single day of our lives. This is the reason why we call each day the 8th
day of creation. We’re even becoming someone more beautiful, mature and strong
or someone weaker and more despicable. There’s no middle ground. We’re going
one way or another. Life leads either to heaven or to hell. That’s what the
acts that we commit do. If we read and follow carefully these words in today’s
psalm reading then we can truly say that we’ve found the perfect advice to
which we can pattern our lives after. Though, we may still fall and fail we
must not forget that Jesus has triumphed over sin and death. He is victorious
and is now sitting at the right hand of God the Father. He is able to carry us
through. We must always focus on this truth in order for us to attain a life
free of worry, anxiety and is never disturbed. When everything is over and
done, we look forward to God's reward of endless worth as we emerge as the
champion, crowned with the victory won by Christ and live on the holy mountain
of the Lord. Heaven is the realization of being a champion. In heaven we will
be glorified magnificently. We will live forever with strength, power and
beauty sharing a new humanity with Jesus. If we emerge as the champion who does
justice then we will live in the presence of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my
throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the
truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue. Who harms not his fellow
man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is
despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD. Who lends not his money at
usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall
never be disturbed.
It is remarkable how Zacchaeus in today's gospel was willing
to give up half of his possessions and repay 4x those he had extorted money
from. This is a total change of heart. He is a perfect example of a person who
has heard the knocking of Jesus in his heart and responded to it. Or he could
also be described as the person that was lost and found. We are all being
sought by Jesus in whatever situation we are in right now. It is up to us to
follow the example of Zacchaeus who did not hold back but totally surrendered
when found. Not all of us although have been definitely sought after and found
by God would do the same thing that he did. To acknowledge God is one thing but
to give up basically everything that he used to hold most dear, treasured and
valued in his life is another thing. Only those who have discovered who God
really is and what He is worth can do such a thing and make this truly wise
exchange. One way or another there will come a time in our lives when we have
to decide to go down from wherever place we are right now. In doing so we might
have to let go of our personal agenda and strip ourselves of our sinfulness,
accept our wrongdoings, repair the damage we've done and stand with all
humility before the Lord the way Zacchaeus did in today's gospel. We’ve got to
be a risk taker like Zacchaeus. He took a great risk of appearing foolish
before other people when he climbed on a tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus
and what did he get. He did not just get a glimpse but Jesus went into his home
and dined with him. He did not stop there, when Jesus finally went into his
home he offered to give up half of his possessions to the poor and repay four
times those he had extorted money from. We are headed to a much greater
blessing if we will learn to take great risks in the name of our faith in God.
We can never outdo or out give God in His generosity. It is time we let go of
our narrow mindsets and boxed up notions of what a true blessing is. It is
about time we realize that God alone can make us whole. We should not hold back
as we open ourselves up to God’s work and saving power as He seeks and restores
us to Himself. Time and again, Zacchaeus has always been part of the daily
gospel readings in the Church. You know why? We are no different from
Zacchaeus, because just like him we are sinners and unworthy but God in His
infinite kindness and mercy singled him out among the crowd and called him
specifically by his name. I am sure God is calling each one of us by name. And
just like Zacchaeus may we also respond to him in a personal way and hear the
same announcement from Jesus," Today salvation has come to this
house." Amen. How can we not be full of hope and confidence in Him? God
will never stop at anything just to carry out the plan He has for all of us and
be victorious in Him. Amen. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 19,1-10.
...When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to
him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your
house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all
saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house
of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold,
half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted
anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to
him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a
descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was
lost."
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