IT’S THIS ONE OR THE OTHER

The promise of God will always press on to fulfillment. We are God's child. This is a reality that we should be aware of at all times. This truth allows us to build within our souls a refuge that no storm or tribulation could ever disturb. It serves as a room into which we can be alone with God and find peace as we maintain communication and a life of prayer. Sometimes we tend to forget this life giving truth that we are God's child. He would never will anything bad to happen to us. We go to mass daily and go through the routine and rituals of our Christian life. But as soon as it is over, we go out to the world and confront the daily anxieties and chaos around us we immediately find ourselves throwing God out of the window. There should be this constant place within us that we could find serenity deep in our hearts and experience the peace that comes from the Lord even when we go through pain and suffering. In times of grief it is indeed consoling that we make ourselves aware of the truth of our faith. We are all heirs to the kingdom of God. What a great privilege that we can all have access to that great gift and inheritance that Jesus has fought and won for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 13:26-33

...We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors 33 he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you.’”

We have a God and Father who loves us so much. We need not always seek for answers and expect things to go our way. All we have to do is to keep on trusting God's goodness and mercy because there are really no answers to most of life's questions. These words in today's Psalm reading are the ones quoted by Luke in the 1st reading that we belong to God, we are begotten by Him. I have always believed in the power of the word of God. There is a need for us to study and know the scriptures for our own welfare. God in His ultimate wisdom and love gave us access to the Holy Scriptures in the bible. We are so blessed that we are living in a time and place where we have the freedom to take part in studying the Word of God and freely express it. Nothing could be more valuable than this. If we are totally convinced that we are God’s children then we ought to rejoice and be glad. The Lord has spoken and promised in today’s psalm and so shall it be. Remove all traces of fear and doubt for our God is able. This reality should not leave our consciousness every waking moment of our lives. There was one time during our bible study although it happened a long time ago I could never forget it when I was particularly touched by the closing prayer by Sis Lucille because she specifically cited that particular verse in Habakkuk 2:3-4 "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." It has given me renewed strength and courage having to be reminded again of that promise and the assurance of God that He will bring to fulfillment all His promises and felt that it was another boost and assurance for me especially at that time when I sometimes succumb to despair and hopelessness. Since it was the book of Habakkuk we were discussing at that time, Sis Millie also shared of his brother who had a problem and was just holding on to the word of God particularly the one from Habakkuk which also holds a special meaning in his life and even shared about it. It was very inspiring and had my spirits lifted up. God is good. He'll never leave nor abandon us. We are all special to Him. God never really disappoints even though we are already on the verge of failing and falling, He will always be there to make a way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

R: You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

7 The Lord said to me, “You are my son; this day I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession 9 You shall rule them with an iron rod; you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.” (R) 10 And now, O kings, give heed; take warning, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him; with trembling rejoice.

Today's gospel is very appropriate especially when we grieve for the loss of a loved. It confirms and is a consoling truth for us who believes in Jesus, the Son of God. For those who do not, then life would all be meaningless in the end. If this present life that we have in this world is the only thing we hold on to then we are the most pathetic people ever known. There is a great schism going on daily within our midst, of people who know, believe and live the truth and those who do not. Those who are in between do not exist or are considered gone as the Lord said in Revelation 3:16, "So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." It's one or the other. I just hope that all of us have a clear, genuine and broad understanding of this mind blowing but awesome reality and live it in our lives. We must thank God for all the people He sends our way and uses to be instruments of His love, care and concern. We look at every single day as very significant because of the circumstances and events that make possible for us to still live the following day. It is a testimony and constant reminder of this bible verse in today's gospel and assurance that He is always mindful of us, His most precious creation. We are the child of God and God the Son lives in us. Everyone can sing “I am special”. As stated in Psalm 8:2-9 ...What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.” God created us especially with something to do on this earth that no one else can do and we must love ourselves for who we are. We have to realize the dignity of being a child of God. So we must love our neighbor for God lives in each one of us. C.S. Lewis said that there are 4 kinds of love, 1^st the love of a mother for a child which is beautiful, 2^nd of a man for a woman which is romantic, 3^rd of a friend for a friend which is inspiring, and 4^th is the agape love which tells us to do good to those who hate us because we are the child of God and Christ is in him. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the person who was robbed and left for dead has no name and it doesn’t matter. Love is no respecter of persons. We have to do our task to love beyond the call of duty. God never have to create us but He created us. He did it and destined us for glory.

There are times when we speak words that we don't really mean or speak words out of anger, desperation and any other strong emotion which can cloud our judgment. Let us always be reminded that our words are powerful and we should have a conscious effort to mirror God in us by always speaking in behalf of our Father in heaven. We are created by God for a special place in heaven even before we were born and gave each one of us a name. In fact I have heard a couple of times already that when we die, God utters our name and so we will fly to Him faster than sound. The big question that God would ask is not, why aren’t we like Pope JPII, St. Francis of Assisi or St. Therese of the Little Flower. Rather He would ask each one of us, “Why aren’t you like you? My unique creation and that radiant human being I put in this earth in who I can shine?” How disappointed we can be if we find that we have disappointed God and find ourselves not the person for which we are created, for glory and honor. We must all pray St. Ignatius’ prayer: Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous; teach me to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward save that of knowing I am doing Your Will. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 14:1-6

 1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. 4 Where I am going you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

THE EXTERNALS

God had it all prefigured. God's promise to King David that from His descendants will come forth a Savior who is to rule the world was fulfilled when our Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's plan. At the time when the Angel Gabriel announced to her that she will bear Jesus, the Son of God she just surrendered her will to God. It was not an easy decision for her at that time but she trusted God completely. She may not have understood everything but she entered into that deep trust in God and believed. It was a decision not merely based on some vague feeling or a pleasant emotion that makes people good when times are good. Thus the title "Seat of Wisdom" perfectly fits her. Our Lady not only does the normal part of loving. She is filled by the love of her Son that is given to her in very extraordinary circumstances. Not by a normal birth and conception before marriage. She conceived in her womb the Son of God and with that conception is a God sent promise. Her motherhood goes beyond the normal sufferings that any mother experiences. She traveled to Bethlehem in her pregnancy, was refused of a place to stay and gave birth in a manger. She had to give up a home and went into exile in Egypt. She continues to believe in that Son of hers, the Son of God as He perplexed her. In the finding of Jesus in the temple, when she heard the words of Simeon in the Presentation,"...a sword will pierce your heart..." The wedding in Cana when she said, "Do whatever He tells you". She stored and kept it in her heart although she did not understand everything. She loved and continued to believe until she saw and heard the mocking words addressed to her Son during the scourging and the crowning with thorns until she stood at the foot of the cross. That was not what's in her mind when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her to inherit the throne of King David. At the foot of the cross she was given a sad substitute in St. John when told, "Mother, behold your son" She accepts that and enters into an experience of charity and suffering. Normally a person would fight back to those who hurt our children. It is a normal reaction if we see others harm our child. Jesus truly became flesh in the womb of Mary. We have to take the reality of the choice that Mary made, the reality of the incarnation. What we need is true devotion to Mary that brings us close to God. We look through the gospel and see the dividing line whether we accept or reject it. We have to recreate and enter into that Incarnation without over spiritualizing or rejecting it which brings us away from God. Some Catholics has the temptation of being accustomed like the people of Nazareth. They grew up with Jesus and Mary as part of their environment but never live it seriously. Sometimes we become overly familiar. We become horrible hypocrites. Our devotion to Mary turns out to be a skirt where we can hide in. We claim to be on a pilgrimage with Mary but it makes no impact in our lives. We never understand the suffering of Christ. We misuse the scapular but continue to live our sinful behavior. The scapular should be worn as if we are putting on the yoke of Christ. The externals of this devotion becomes a block when we fail to understand and live the charity that Mary did. Let us be careful that everything we do is not just superficial. We have to enter into the love of Mary in which she felt the love of Jesus in what He did for us to redeem us. Bring us to a deeper love of Christ our Lord and look at Jesus through her perspective and love. Let us follow the example of Mary, from that joyful moment of the annunciation as she fulfilled the promise of God to the throne of King David to the sorrowful sight of her only Son as she stood at foot of the cross and ultimately to the glorious resurrection. The bible passages from the Old Testament down to the New Testament are all confirmed and fulfilled. It proves that God has great plans for all of us laid out even before we came to be. One of the most important things that we need to fulfill is found in today's 1st reading which is to be "a man after God's own heart and carry out His every wish" It's not that difficult after all if we'll keep on focusing on our Savior, Jesus, who have won for us our salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 13:13-25

...‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus....

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. We look at St. Joseph in the eyes of the Jews, he was 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!

P S A L M

Psalm 89:2-3. 21-22. 25 and 27

R: For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

1 [2] The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness, 2 [3] for you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R) 20 [21] “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 [22] that my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” (R) 24 [25] My faithfulness and my kindness shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior!’

There are some things that we knew even before it happened, some call it gut feeling. Why is this so? For He is God who knows our past, present and future. We should always remember, He is a considerate God who care for our feelings and longings. The only problem is that even if it's right before our very eyes we sometimes don't see it. We are too preoccupied, all we have to do is be very attentive and focus on God's goodness and divine providence. God deemed it so that all the messages proclaimed by the prophets from of old have come to pass and were fulfilled. Sometimes we go through difficult times and the future seem so dark and dreadful. Whenever this happens let us not forget and always remember the promises that He has long ago planted in our hearts and never lose hope in a God who is able, the great I AM. Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 13,16-20.

...If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. 18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled,.. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM...

CALL OF DUTY

Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. It's a good thing we have a Good Shepherd in the Lord Jesus who never fails. If He is our Shepherd then that is very consoling. If we look closely around us we can still find good shepherds among us who continue the work of God tirelessly. There is no indication that the hired hand is a bad shepherd. Not all the money in the world could compel a man to give his life for the sheep. Our Lord tells us that He is the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep. Remember the Good Shepherd knew each sheep by name. He loves the sheep and would die for the sheep. When our Lord went to Calvary he was going away beyond the call of duty.  No one could compel or coerce any man to give his life for others. But our Lord made it clear that no one was taking away His life away from Him freely He was laying it down as a sacrifice of love to the Father for you and for me. I wonder if we in our lives have learned that lesson. There are certain demands, certain duties imposed on everyone on this earth. The employee has to go to work every morning, spends a certain number of hours on the job and performs certain duties as expected. It is the same with the mother and father. They must feed and cloth their children, educate them and treat them humanely. And so it is with the husband and wife, certain obligations are laid to them by the fact that they are one and two in one. It is the same with the priest, with the lawyer, doctor and student. There is another dimension to life that we have to learn if we are going to live radiantly on this earth. The student will never learn the meaning of education until he goes to the library himself beyond what is demanded of him by the professor and study and research on his own. Then will he begin to enjoy learning in itself. The mother and the father and the children will never become a family as such until they could go beyond what the law demands. And the man who works would never enjoy his occupation until he stops thinking about the paycheck. In every country and every community there are 3 kinds of people, 1st the lawless who break the law, refuse to do their duty and have to be taken care of with the penal system. 2nd there is the man and the woman who are the people who do what the law demands. Everyday they are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13). Last, there are the volunteers who go beyond the call of duty. They are the backbone of every country and every community. But isn’t it what Christianity is all about. Isn’t this what our Lord has taught us, to give our cloak as well as our coat and to go the extra mile. Not to turn away from him who would borrow from us. To forgive not 7x but 70x7 (Mt. 18:21-22) that same person who does the same stupid things all the time who is indifferent and callous who never says thank you and takes us for granted. Our Lord said if you love those who love you what is there to that? The pagans do that. You and I must love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us that we may be the child of our Father in heaven who causes the rain to fall on the good and the bad (Mt. 5:45) and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. We have been tutored by the years that all the good things and its loveliness is not of our own making. This comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us, understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compelled Mother Teresa to do the things she did. Who compels the mother and the father to sacrifice themselves and do without so their children can be educated, grow up and take their place in life? All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day, we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.” We are set apart from the very beginning even before we were born for a specific mission in life. There are times when we feel useless and unworthy when we do not measure up to the accepted truths, perceived and set criteria or popular opinion of the majority but no matter how great or small, significant or insignificant it may seem we must not hesitate to do it. For as long as we've committed to doing and fulfilling it then it becomes an offering of ourselves. Let us take time to spend it on things that give glory to God. The power of praying and fasting stood the test of time. The early Christians were practicing it already as they gathered in order to receive guidance and direction from God. Let us make this very first statement in today's 1st reading our main reason and goal to achieve. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 12:24 -13:5a

The word of God continued to spread and grow...“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”...

God has indeed demonstrated his love and mercy to us in so many ways for always. Sometimes we tend to overlook and take it for granted. What I have been writing and sharing these past years since 2007 made me realize to not overlook nor take for granted the very obvious fact that God never leaves, forsakes nor abandon us 100% of the time.  Just looking back at what happened from the moment I started to commit to writing reflections up to the present makes me see very clearly the significance of those events in my life in relation to the life of Jesus here on earth. This is not just for me but is a calling for all of us who believes in Jesus the Son of God who became man. In October 7, 2007 which I mark as my 1st day, I received this message from Habakkuk 2:2-3, 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. It all started with the realization that I am headed for the unknown especially with frightening consequences that followed when I found out some information that are not in accordance to my personal plans and expectation. After careful thought of these series of events it impressed several significant occasions related to the scriptures and the life of Jesus. I decided to document all my reflections as recommended in Habakkuk. Thanks to Jesus being presented to us in every possible and even impossible means especially at times when we encounter trials and difficulties. Every turn of events should make us think of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus who was born as man, suffered, died and resurrected on the 3rd day. These things should really open up a lot of thoughts in our hearts. It proves that we have a God who constantly wants to connect with us in countless and various ways. In God's persistence He has to repeatedly announce His blessing upon us so that we will be surely reminded of how much He wishes to make us prosper this year. In Romans 8:14-15 it is written, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" We can give glory and praise to God right from where we are. All we have to do is be faithful to the One and True God. We may not be living in that time of the Maccabees when the Jews were forced to embrace pagan practices. It was at that time when the ruler of the land wanted to eliminate Jewish tradition and replace it with Greek. When they failed to carry this out, Greek ways were imposed by force. This was at the time before Jesus came when Jerusalem was torn down. Anyone who owns a Torah and those who circumcise their children were sentenced to capital punishment. It was period of great struggle and difficulty. A man named Judas Maccabeus became the leader of a Jewish revolt against the repressive policies of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the king of Syria. He led the Jewish people in recapturing their temple from Syrian occupying forces in 164 B.C. preventing the imposition of Hellenism upon Judaea, and preserving the Jewish religion. Those who followed him arose and won in their struggle. The temple was reclaimed and purified from the stain of idolatry. Thus the institution of the Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) , when the temple was rededicated. We have to maintain our fidelity to the Lord. It is in doing this that we truly attain freedom by following and staying in the way of the Lord. We need a Helper in the person of God the Holy Spirit. The Spirit dwelling within us should be unleashed in order to dispel all kinds of darkness in order to see God's face shining upon us. All our thoughts, words and deeds should be directed to giving praise and honor to God. It may sound so easy to say but it is not an easy thing to do. But we must realize that directing it to anyone or anything other than God makes it all the more difficult and complicated in the long run. We must not be tempted to make the short cut and take the easy and well travelled road. Most often people will choose this path but we may be surprised at what is waiting for us at the end of the road. We should choose the less travelled road although it is narrow and small. As in Mt. 7:13-14, “"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”  Mother Mary serves as a special channel that God has given to humanity to receive His graces. It does not obscure or diminishes the one and only Mediator, Jesus Christ, rather she shows God's power even more. Jesus, the Son loves His mother and gives her the greatest grocery of graces in heaven. Mary totally depends on her Son as in the wedding feast in Cana by saying, "Do whatever He tells you." Mary knows that her Son is the ultimate source that's why she leads us to Him, the true Mediator. God Himself ordained that His only Begotten Son be born of a human mother through Mary's obedience and perfect surrender. When the angel appeared to Mary, he wasn't speaking his own thoughts and words. He was sent by God to speak God's words. In Greek, the Hail Mary is translated as Hail most highly graced one, meaning so completely graced. Mary truly is filled with God's grace. When God conceived Mary she was free from the stain of original sin. He is getting ready the 1st tabernacle of His Son here on earth. She is made holy, unstained and created in the fullness of grace. God has placed in Mary the fullness of grace. Mary conceived by her virginity and humility. It should be in our hearts to honor Mother Mary because the Son is within her body. The Father is in the Son. It is by grace that we are saved. Through Jesus and Mary all things are restored. Everything is possible with God. Who are we to defy the manner that God Himself has chosen for His Son to come to this world. This pattern of going to the Son through the mother is a fool proof plan after all it is the plan of God.  Do you feel at times that there is something that God can do for us that He has not done? I don't think so, He has done everything through Jesus Christ His Son. But if we sometimes feel this way then maybe it's time to check our blocked list and start unblocking those that keep us from receiving God's blessings.  This sharing by Bro. Bo Sanchez in Didache really touched me and I'm sure it will touch you, too.

BLESSING ACCOUNT

Imagine if one day I ask for your bank account number and tell you, “I’ve deposited one million dollars in your bank account.” Naturally, you’d laugh and say, “Sure, Bo. Thanks. That’s a good one.” Of course, you don’t believe I can give you a million bucks.

But let’s just say I really did put a million dollars in your account. Would you benefit from it?

No, you wouldn’t. Unless you believe that I really gave you a million dollars and withdrew it.

I believe God has deposited zillions of heaven’s resources to your Blessing Account. You’ve got all the love, joy, peace, wisdom, holiness and, yes — finances — that you need in this world to serve Him and live a happy life.

But much of these zillions of blessings are unclaimed because you say to yourself, “There are no blessings. God won’t bless me.”

Believe that your Blessing Account is full and withdraw from your account.

God created the entire universe for you — a universe of blessings that are only waiting to be claimed. Bo Sanchez

REFLECTION:                                             

Have you claimed from your Blessing Account?

Today, I claim from my Blessing Account all that I need. In Jesus’ name!

  

It boils down to one thing, only God can truly bless us in the most wonderful and everlasting way. Although God's mercy is enormous and endless, we should not take it for granted and think that we can do what we want right now in a wayward manner. It is only wise that we avail of God's mercy while we still can. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

R: O God, let all the nations praise you!

May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation...

Are you afraid of the dark? I often hear people say and warn others to stay away from the dark. A lot of terrible things happen in the dark that we should always stay under the protecting and guiding light of Jesus. Pagan altars may not be in our midst anymore unlike in those days of the Maccabees. But we have to guard ourselves from this masquerade of these seemingly valid laws and policies against human life. We have to resist it and try to remove this culture of death that has gripped the human race. We have to resist the idea that degrades human life. Our helpless brothers and sisters in the womb are being slaughtered by the millions every day. Abortion has to end. People are being torn apart by the abortion industry. We have to stand up for these rights that are being trampled upon. We can only attain freedom when we serve and do the right thing. We have to be Pro-Life. All these things and efforts make sense only if we are able to stand up for these rights. All people are equal and no one is less than others. Let us not remain in this cloud of deception that segregates, classifies and downgrades people of who we really are. Freedom from this lie is for everyone not only for those who has done what is right but also for those who did wrong as we aim to follow Jesus to eternal life. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 12:44-50

44 Jesus cried out and said: “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, 45 and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. 48 Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, 49 because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

IT’S ALL UP TO US

There are certain issues in our faith that we need to clarify and be confident of. We need to face them and clear things up rather than remain unsure about it. When we encounter people who are not well informed about these things we need to do all in our power to correct them and guide them to the truth. If we ourselves are not clear about it how can we guide them? In our Catholicism study it was mentioned by Atty. Jess Moya, the speaker that we should always be guided by the core teachings of the Catholic Church and should never stray away from it. We should stick to this and really believe in the Church since it was Peter who was appointed by Jesus as the head of the church and the Pope as his successor. In the light of this we should always consult the Church about matters concerning our faith. Just like the apostles in today’s 1st reading we have a responsibility in our hands that we must not take for granted because it concerns not just them but all of us. When everything has been said and done then we can be ready to face our God anytime. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts of the Apostles 15,1-6.

...telling of the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers... some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.” 6 The Apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.

Today's psalm reminds me of this popular game called, "Trip to Jerusalem" I guess, everybody's familiar with it. We may all have played this game when we were young or even when we're older. The fastest, quickest, most alert person who gets the last seat wins. If we are not paying attention or are too slow then we are bound to lose. We have to put up a good fight in this game in order to win because the chairs are always lacking so every round there is always one person who doesn't get a seat and gets eliminated. It is just a game but people have a lot of fun doing their best so as not to be eliminated and win. People who engage themselves in this kind of game and want to win exert a lot of effort. It is so tiring and can exhaust one's energy in the game. And to think that after all our efforts only one person gets to win. Isn't it a relief that we can go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.  We need not worry that all our best efforts would just be wasted because God has reserved a seat for each one of us. If we are all set and very sure where we are headed then nothing can stop us from being there. Considering, too that we have a God who has secured a place and our future for us. John 14:1-3, " Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." Nothing or no one can prevent us unless we ourselves decide not to go. The truth is, it's all up to us. We are confronted with a lot of things every day and if there is one thing we should choose and decide for then peace is one of them. It is important that we work and pray for peace to always reign in our midst. If we have peace that passes understanding always safeguarded in our hearts then we can rejoice in the Lord at all times. We should always be confident of the truth that we are blessed and secure in the knowledge and truth that we are where we are right now, doing what we are doing right now at the exact time God has provided for us, for with God there is always a perfect time for everything. When we are feeling tired from all the day's work all we want to do is just go home. Nothing could be more rewarding than coming home to a place where we find rest and peace. Our life here on earth could be compared to something like this. It is nice to know that at the end of the day or our life's journey we can go rejoicing to the house of the Lord and find ourselves welcome there. Ideally, there should be no other place we want to be, more than a place where there is peace and prosperity. It is a choice we have to make but sometimes we make the wrong choices and choose to be just anywhere but in a place such as this. We have all the time to be in different places that is fun and exciting. There is nothing wrong with being in these places for as long as we know our limitations but do we get the same joy and fulfillment when we go into the house of God. We should be balanced human beings. We should not just seek to satisfy our physical but spiritual needs as well. Let us tap our dormant souls that are left unattended for so long and revive it to really feel what the psalm tells us today. As much as we are confronted by the fact that we are still inhabitants of this imperfect world we are in we can not live as if it does not exist. We might as well make the most of what we can do while we are part of it. We’ve got to set goals in order to achieve this and keep our eyes focused on it. It helps to go through our daily life if we have set goals that we want to achieve and fulfill. The SMART acronym tells us that our goals should be S for specific, M for measurable, A for attainable or achievable, R for realistic or relevant and T for timely or time based. This is very effective in helping us improve as a person especially at times when we can't get our acts together. We can always set SMART goals from time to time in order to keep track of our performance in whatever field we want to work on and excel. It helps a lot in assessing ourselves in order for us to make an evaluation on how we our doing with our life. After each SMART goal we set for ourselves and have achieved it gives us a sense of fulfillment knowing that we have accomplished something. Little by little everyday we step up the ladder of our SMART goals. All of these should eventually come up to rejoicing with what we have made of our life. These we continue to do until it all sum up to bring us to that ultimate SMART goal. It should all lead us and point to our final destination when we go up to the house of the Lord. There is no greater joy than being with the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

                                                                                                  

Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5

R: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

1 I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” 2 And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. (R) 3 Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. 4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD. (R) According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5 In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David.

 Every tree that bears fruit undergo pruning in order for it to bear more fruit. The same with our lives there are times when we think that we are doing what is pleasing to God but we are still beset with a lot of problems. There seems to be no end to it but we must realize that in order for us to continue and persevere we have to be tested and stand firm in our faith in God. We have to be stimulated constantly in order for us to be always on the go and active for God and inevitably bearing much fruit. Satan, the ruler of this world is taking over by means of his lies and deception. From the very beginning he has no power over Jesus Christ. When he has taken over Judas it was through a lie disguised in a kiss. When Judas lied and said to Jesus, "Is it I, Lord?" he led Jesus to death by deception with a kiss. Satan is still in this world but he has no power over Jesus even when it seemed as if Satan has defeated Jesus.  With Pilate's cynicisms when he asked, "What is truth?" and the existing government's inability at that time to protect the innocent. Jesus can have power over us. Satan can have power over us. Will we allow Jesus Christ to have power over us and defeat the role of evil in our life? That decision between good and evil, truth and deception, death and life is ours to make. Do we follow Him or not? Once again, it's all up to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 15:1-8

...Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY

When I heard the story of Fr. Manuel Julian Zapanta from Cartago, Columbia I was so amazed. Every Sunday this priest goes out to the streets and gives out a written catechesis for his parishioners especially to those who seldom go to church. A lady approached him and asked if he had seen or recognized the devil who he handed out the catechesis. The priest said that he didn't see anybody that looked like the devil nor had he ever seen one before. Once he was asking who might be able to help him because he was looking for someone who could provide a ride for him to fetch a fellow priest. A little boy approached him and asked if he would like the devil to take him. There he was and saw the devil for the first time. Their conversation during the trip turned into an interview. The devil said that he couldn't remember anymore why he was called the devil. The priest invited him to attend holy mass but he said not now maybe someday. He further said that he had his reasons. Before the priest got off the car he left a scapular of the Blessed Mother in his car. One day a boy came to him in the Church and said that a very sick person is in need of a priest. When he reached the place he found out that the gravely ill person is Ramon, the one whom they call the devil. Ramon asked him if the priest remembers him. He said that he is the one whom they call the devil but he doesn't give his soul to the devil because it belongs to God. He asked the priest to hear his confession so he heard the devil's confession and saw that he was holding in his hand the scapular of the Blessed Mother that he had left in his car. Before he left the house he also caught sight at his bedside the written catechesis he has been giving out every Sunday. He said in conclusion, “How great and mysterious is our God. He works in silence and simplicity but in addition he lets us share the gift He has given us.” Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 11:19-26

...The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord...

It is just overwhelming whenever people meet as one family of God during occasions like prayer gatherings. It feels good to be always reminded of how God looks after the needs of each member of a community and how each one should commit and encourage one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. He is indeed, God with us. Fr. Joseph Mary said in one of his homilies  that he was given a Peanuts calendar by a friend which has this funny cartoon story. Linus and Charlie Brown were having a conversation. Linus said that when he grows up he would like to study about people because it interests him. Charlie Brown in reply said," I see, you want to study about them because with your knowledge you will be equipped to help them." But Linus said, "No, I am just nosy." Knowledge can be puffed up in such a way that is only limited to self advancement and tends to leave out the most important thing. It is important to advance in knowledge and works to our advantage but our knowledge especially of the Lord should be shared to others for all the nations to know. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: All you nations, praise the Lord.

1 His foundation upon the holy mountains 2 the LORD loves: The gates of Zion, more than any dwelling of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God! (R) 4 I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those that know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia “This man was born there.” 5 And of Zion they shall say “One and all were born in her; and he who has established her is the Most High LORD.” (R) 6 They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled: “This man was born there.” 7 And all shall sing, in their festive dance: “My home is within you.” (R)

Sometimes we hear so many voices from all around telling us what to do.  We need to concentrate or focus which voice to listen so we do not end up distracted. We may have experienced getting two different opinions at the same time and become lost. There's nothing to worry about if we've accustomed ourselves to God's voice. We will surely distinguish it from the nuisances. Especially when God's heart and our hearts have become hearts beating as one. No one can snatch us away from God's strong and caring hands.  We need to have faith and believe. It is not enough that we simply accept His propositions but in general we have to accept Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We have to do the right thing in order to go to heaven. We hear the word of God speaking to us in the gospel. We listen to the words of Jesus but also have a private time with Jesus in order to think, look, feel, love and act like Jesus. We shape our heart like His heart. Just like in Matthew 7 when He said those who hear my word and act on them is the kind of knowledge that Jesus expects from us. We have to do an examination of conscience. If we are confident in this truth and really believe this then there is no more room for us to fret and be anxious for we are under His care, safe and secure. We better put our act together and make a stand for it. We follow Him which entails following the commandments and let Him guide us through life. We put everything in perspective and that will bring us to eternal life that no one can't take away. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 10:22-30

...“I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand...

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

God's gift of forgiveness and salvation is not exclusive to only a selected few, it is open to all. Let us broaden our perspective with regards to this and always extend a welcoming spirit to everyone regardless of who they are. We do not have to belong to a particular race. We have all been qualified by God Himself. We are expected to extend this same love to our brothers and sisters regardless of race and culture. Oftentimes we are guilty of discriminating whenever we come in contact with people who are different so to speak or those who do not conform to our standards. Whether we admit it or not we are all guilty of this and we should follow Peter's example of acknowledging God's universal love to all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 11: 1-18

...‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane...If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles, too.”

Only Jesus can make us whole and satisfy our soul. We should take note of the fact that we are not just physical human beings. The moment we leave and pass away from this world we cease to be in our physical state but our souls live on. If at this present moment we attend to the needs of our physical bodies we should also do the same for our souls which will pass from this world to life eternal. There is an end to all that we hold and see right now since we are just passing by. Our true and everlasting home belongs with God. If our physical bodies need nourishment in this life in order to live so does our souls. When we are in a state wherein we feel so deprived and famished, a helping hand can go a long way. We may not totally understand the concept of purgatory as a whole but this is what we are supposed to be to our brothers and sisters who long to see God face to face but is yet to happen. We, the Church Militant active and living can serve for them as a beaming light in the darkness and a guide to the right path. Let us not neglect to pray for the faithful departed souls of our loved ones, family and friends. Have you heard of this very vital information about survival. Our bodies can go without food for a long time but not without water. We can all die of dehydration faster than starvation. Let us make sure we don't dehydrate our souls to the point of death and exhaustion. Just like Naaman the Syrian who plunged into the water of the Jordan River and was cleansed, we should also drink from the river of God's living water and live. It always make the crowd or audience laugh whenever asked who want to go to heaven and everybody started raising their hands but if the question is changed to who want to die everybody started putting down their hands. The truth is we can only see God face to face when we die if we are worthy to stand before Him. And we have all become worthy because of Jesus' sacrifice but can we handle the truth. People who are on the verge of dying and have come to accept their situation and longed only to be with God are the luckiest people since they have found the ultimate satisfaction and consolation to all their longings. Considering that they died in the grace of God, which made me think of people who died and happened to have a lot of unfinished businesses here in this world. We may have a lot of questions about such things but we must believe that God is in control and in charge. He will take care of whatever we left behind. According to Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, a Jesuit priest and author of the book, "Holy Longing", man's desire is so intense that he called it a raging inferno. It's unstoppable and powerful that it creates holes in our souls. We can attempt in our human nature to fill in these holes but we still end up with a hollow feeling. These holes come in different shapes. We may be trying to fit in the wrong shape into these holes. These holes can only be filled in by God. Only God our Creator knows best and He is the only one who can determine which will fit into our soul. We all have our desires and longing in life but if we insist on doing it our way and not follow the pattern and shape that God has given us then we will never be truly happy.  Just like the deer in today's psalm, only God can quench the thirst in our souls. May all our basic instincts be rooted from our longing for God. Only in God can we find true satisfaction. In Him alone is the thirst of our soul quenched. If we hear the song composed from the psalm reading for today we may imagine and picture a deer panting and drinking water in the stream. This kind of longing and thirst we have all experienced one way or another in our lifetime whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. We may search long and hard but find none that can fully satisfy if we fail to recognize the rivers of Living Water which only God can give and provide. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4

R: Athirst is my soul for the living God.

1 [2] As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 [3] Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and be hold the face of God? (R) 43: 3 Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. (R) 4 Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God!

There is no indication that the hired hand is a bad shepherd. Not all the money in the world could compel a man to give his life for the sheep. Our Lord tells us that He is the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep. Remember the Good Shepherd knew each sheep by name. He loves the sheep and would die for the sheep. When our Lord went to Calvary he was going away beyond the call of duty.  No one could compel or coerce any man to give his life for others. But our Lord made it clear that no one was taking away His life away from Him freely He was laying it down as a sacrifice of love to the Father for you and for me. I wonder if we in our lives have learned that lesson. There are certain demands, certain duties imposed on everyone on this earth. The employee has to go to work every morning, spends a certain number of hours on the job and performs certain duties as expected. It is the same with the mother and father. They must feed and cloth their children, educate them and treat them humanely. And so it is with the husband and wife, certain obligations are laid to them by the fact that they are one and two in one. It is the same with the priest, with the lawyer, doctor and student. There is another dimension to life that we have to learn if we are going to live radiantly on this earth. The student will never learn the meaning of education until he goes to the library himself beyond what is demanded of him by the professor and study and research on his own. Then will he begin to enjoy learning in itself. The mother and the father and the children will never become a family as such until they could go beyond what the law demands. And the man who works would never enjoy his occupation until he stops thinking about the paycheck. In every country and every community there are 3 kinds of people, 1st the lawless who break the law, refuse to do their duty and have to be taken care of with the penal system. 2nd there is the man and the woman who are the people who do what the law demands. Everyday they are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13). Last, there are the volunteers who go beyond the call of duty. They are the backbone of every country and every community. But isn’t it what Christianity is all about. Isn’t this what our Lord has taught us, to give our cloak as well as our coat and to go the extra mile. Not to turn away from him who would borrow from us. To forgive not 7x but 70x7 (Mt. 18:21-22) that same person who does the same stupid things all the time who is indifferent and callous who never says thank you and takes us for granted. Our Lord said if you love those who love you what is there to that? The pagans do that. You and I must love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us that we may be the child of our Father in heaven who causes the rain to fall on the good and the bad (Mt. 5:45) and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. We have been tutored by the years that all the good things and its loveliness is not of our own making. This comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us, understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compels Mother Teresa to do the things she does. Who compels the mother and the father to sacrifice themselves and do without so their children can be educated, grow up and take their place in life? All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day, we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.”

It is very important that we follow the Good Shepherd so that we don't end up in the hands of the enemy whose only goal is to steal, slaughter and destroy. We are safe in the guiding love of Jesus as long as we consciously follow Him. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls and make us whole. He'll give us peace we never knew, sweet love, joy and heaven, too. These are the lyrics of a charismatic song that I have always loved to sing. In today's gospel the message of God is very clear, we should know and recognize the voice of God and the path that leads to Him. Let us not allow ourselves to be led astray by the deception of the enemy whose only aim is to steal our joy, slaughter and destroy our peace. If we are bothered by some concerns let us always approach and never leave the flock that our Good Shepherd cares for. In Him we are surely safe and secure. We ought to be careful though that we do not fall for the trap of the enemy and this world. We have to know and identify who really is the Good Shepherd. We've got to know the difference and be very discreet in whom we place our confidence and trust. The false shepherd exploits, feeds his ego and makes himself the center. He takes rather than gives. These things might be very familiar to us and might have experienced it with friends, relatives, even institutions and groups. Instead of leading us to green pasture we suffer in the process as we follow the hired hand. The Good Shepherd on the contrary does not run away when danger is imminent but rather is willing to die for the sheep. Jesus is dedicated to protect and keep us safe from the many dangers of this world. He is willing to be betrayed, denied, humiliated and crucified for our sake. We are like lost sheep and we need to follow Jesus all the way to the cross in Mt. Calvary. We must not be afraid for God's yoke is His will for us which we should accept. It does not take away our freedom nor it wears us down since the good news is out, the Good Shepherd is risen. He came for us that we might have life and have it abundantly. Amen. Hallelujah!

 John 10:1-10

1 Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. 2 But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice...A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

LOOK BACK & RECALL

We can successfully battle all the evils that beset us. It is a standing reality that we live in a world full of temptations and difficulties but we can always emerge victorious if we have Jesus in us. Let us cleanse our hearts, minds and bodies that just like Mary we become a fitting vessel and dwelling place of Jesus. Let us not miscarry Jesus and give birth to Him full term.  I am reminded once again of today's 1st reading of Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik's homily in the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral when he said this: "The farther away we are from God, the more destructive our life become and the greater fear we have." Peter in today's 1st reading is totally different and transformed from that fearful man who denied Jesus 3x. He has become full of courage, strength and all of a sudden is boldly proclaiming about Jesus without fear of being arrested or killed. The Holy Spirit filled him up with all the gifts and fruits to announce and live out this truth about Jesus knowing that there is no other name by which we are to be saved. Today's 1st and psalm readings have a phrase and word that were repeated twice. They are worth looking into. The phrase: "the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone", and the word: name. Once again, we are faced with the reality of the undeniable and repetitive truth of the prophecy in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament. It was David in the Psalms of the Old Testament and Peter in the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament. I believe and agree that we need to look back and recall this truth which needs to be repeatedly proclaimed and believed in for life. There is power in the name of Jesus. We might have seen instances when people use an access or entry code or just say the name of the person who lives in certain subdivisions or gated homes in order to be allowed to go inside. These are restrictions in order to ensure safety and maintain order in the places where people live. It just made me think that God has given us a powerful name in order to have access to the many blessings and promises that are in store for those who would believe. What a glorious privilege and blessing that all can come to know and avail of the power of the name Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts of the Apostles 4,8-12.

... If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

God is the source of all good things. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this whole wide world. All we need to do is trust that the Lord will always take care of all our needs we need not tire ourselves to the point of exhaustion because it is better to take refuge in the Lord than resort to trusting in or own strength and others. According to Fr. Joseph Koterski a Jesuit priest and a professor in Fordham University it helps to always have GRACE. G stands for Gratitude, R for Respect, A for Account (have an accounting of the things we have done whether good or bad), C for Charting (to chart our course of action in order to see where we're going) and E to Entreat the Lord for the energy  and enthusiasm He has been giving us in this life. We need to always think of the things we are grateful for. It will help us examine our conscience and live a holy life that is fitting for a people of God. There are times when we don’t feel like saying our prayers. Whenever we feel this way but still managed to gather all our strength to still commit to our prayers then we will surely find ourselves with renewed strength to start our day right. When we master the art of praying and always drawing near to God then we become "Untouchables".  This is due to the fact that no one is like God. There is none like Him, for no one else can do as much as the Lord God Almighty and All Powerful can. We can rely on God’s goodness and build confidence on that knowing that with God on our side we are undefeated. His might knows no limits and His power is able to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Everything fits like a key in a hole. There is only one thing that is conveyed here that God allows things to happen for a reason and everything falls into its perfect place. God's love and mercy endure forever and do not fail. We can always count on the goodness of God at all times and in all circumstances all the days of our lives. Truly knowing and proclaiming that God is Lord of all our days makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness for heaven and earth will fade but His words will remain. We may not have witnessed first hand when Jesus walked and lived on earth but we can never deny witnessing to God's miracles working in our lives every day. Truly knowing and proclaiming what we are celebrating this easter season makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness that never fade. We should have the confidence to joyfully shout out what the psalm tells us today.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

...It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in princes.

  ... Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

Aside from the rules to follow there are also certain criteria to meet in order to qualify for certain games. It is a consolation to know that we have all been pre-qualified through our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into His Kingdom. We are God’s children and the rest is up to us. If we are to live up to this honor and privilege or not is all in our hands. Let us always be faithful to Him, who alone can deliver us. We may have heard stories of how people who died come rushing to be with the Lord and describe the unexplainable joy of being able to see God face to face. Since we are still part of this mortal body we still do not feel the urgency of being with the Lord since we still belong to this world as stated " See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. " That is why we are always continuously struggling between good and evil because technically we are still in this world and somehow attached to it that we should make a conscious effort to always cling to the Lord. But as earlier stated in the bible passage only the clean and pure of heart can stand before Him so we should always guard our actions that each day be an offering to the Lord as we continuously work toward this goal. It is not easy but it is also said that the Lord will bless and save those who love Him. It is with this hope that we persevere in what we do. The 2nd reading for today emphasizes to us the truth and privilege we have as God's children. We must not neglect and forfeit this by always being mindful of the good things that God is continuously showering upon us and strive to really be deserving of the blessings He has bestowed on us. With the confidence of a beloved child of God, we all strive to become like Him in every way. Human parents although imperfect are capable of giving to their children all the best that they could offer. Parents could relate to this and would definitely agree to it. What can our Father in Heaven give to us more than the title, children of God? Today's 2nd reading gets even better by continuously affirming not just me but each one of us as well, who long and hope in the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

First Letter of John 3,1-3.

1 Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Our Lord draws a comparison between 2 shepherds, hired hand and the Good Shepherd.

There is no indication that the hired hand is a bad shepherd. Not all the money in the world could compel a man to give his life for the sheep. Our Lord tells us that He is the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep. Remember the Good Shepherd knew each sheep by name. He loves the sheep and would die for the sheep. When our Lord went to Calvary he was going away beyond the call of duty.  No one could compel or coerce any man to give his life for others. But our Lord made it clear that no one was taking away His life away from Him freely He was laying it down as a sacrifice of love to the Father for you and for me. I wonder if we in our lives have learned that lesson. There are certain demands, certain duties imposed on everyone on this earth. The employee has to go to work every morning, spends a certain number of hours on the job and performs certain duties as expected. It is the same with the mother and father. They must feed and cloth their children, educate them and treat them humanely. And so it is with the husband and wife, certain obligations are laid to them by the fact that they are one and two in one. It is the same with the priest, with the lawyer, doctor and student. There is another dimension to life that we have to learn if we are going to live radiantly on this earth. The student will never learn the meaning of education until he goes to the library himself beyond what is demanded of him by the professor and study and research on his own. Then will he begin to enjoy learning in itself. The mother and the father and the children will never become a family as such until they could go beyond what the law demands. And the man who works would never enjoy his occupation until he stops thinking about the paycheck. In every country and every community there are 3 kinds of people, 1st the lawless who break the law, refuse to do their duty and have to be taken care of with the penal system. 2nd there is the man and the woman who are the people who do what the law demands. Everyday they are the salt of the earth (Mt. 5:13). Last, there are the volunteers who go beyond the call of duty. They are the backbone of every country and every community. But isn’t it what Christianity is all about. Isn’t this what our Lord has taught us, to give our cloak as well as our coat and to go the extra mile. Not to turn away from him who would borrow from us. To forgive not 7x but 70x7 (Mt. 18:21-22) that same person who does the same stupid things all the time who is indifferent and callous who never says thank you and takes us for granted. Our Lord said if you love those who love you what is there to that? The pagans do that. You and I must love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us that we may be the child of our Father in heaven who causes the rain to fall on the good and the bad (Mt. 5:45) and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. We have been tutored by the years that all the good things and its loveliness is not of our own making. This comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us, understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compels Mother Teresa to do the things she does. Who compels the mother and the father to sacrifice themselves and do without so their children can be educated, grow up and take their place in life? All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day, we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.”

It is always a consolation and a relief to know that we have a Good Shepherd who loves and cares for us and more. We can be assured that everything on heaven or on earth is under and within the power of Jesus and above all else our Mighty Savior and Redeemer. Only in Jesus can we find everlasting peace and comfort. The Good Shepherd is one who forms and unites the flock as a special people of God. In Matthew 28 and John 20 we read about the great commissioning of the apostles by Jesus. He said to them, “whose sins that you forgive, are forgiven and as the Father has sent me, so I send you, and he who receives you receives me.” He left this ministry to continue the shepherding. This entire mission is directed in gathering the flock, transform and save all of us, the people of God by the word of the gospel and the redemptive paschal mystery of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Those who follow Him are His ministers and they are to hand on what is given to them. As Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."..."Tend my sheep."..."Feed my sheep... He told him 3x to shepherd the flock but he must be united with Jesus before he can properly tend the flock. Peter had to learn humble discipleship. When Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the cross he was rebuked “Get behind me satan.” Peter had to follow Jesus. The critical part is when he realized and said in Peter 2:20-25 “…follow in His footsteps, stay close to the shepherd and guardian of our souls.” Peter followed Jesus and recognized His voice. Man needs God. We have to be shown the path to God and this is what real shepherds do unlike the hired hand. According to Blessed Pope John Paul II, priests are called to authoritatively proclaim God’s words. The thieves and robbers apply to those people who exploit, serve themselves, use to their advantage and teach their own gospel not of Jesus. We are all called to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit in order to be saved from this corrupt generation. We need a shepherd because we can’t do it on our own. When we look at our own lives evil is constantly present to us in the world. It’s ridiculous to go into this dark valley without Jesus. People are scandalized by how the world turns out. It could be such a terrible place if people fail to depend on God in prayer. We need to hear His voice, follow Him and be led to find the verdant pastures. If we follow Him then we can drink of the restful waters, He will never abandon us and there is nothing we shall want. The saints would say, “Only the Lord.” To have life more abundantly, this is what we crave for. It is the life in the sacraments and in the gospel that lead us to follow his footsteps to the endless restful waters in green pastures. In John 6, He told us to eat His body and drink His blood to have eternal life. He used the Hebrew word to chew or gnaw, as in eating of the animals. It is the more graphic word to describe it and not just symbolic. The Church can understand the real presence of God in the Eucharist. Transubstantiation where real change has taken place makes His body and blood available to us. If we have Jesus in our life who lays down His life on the cross, bring sheep that are led astray home and continually make Himself available in the Holy Eucharist then we will have the fullness of life in abundance. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:

"I am the good shepherd.

A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...This is why the Father loves me,

because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.

I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.

WHAT A FEELING

Today’s readings bring back memories of all sorts. My son, Jude when he was still a few months old and he sees me coming home from work he would giggle and start to raise his hand as a gesture that he wanted to be carried. I was always full of joy whenever I see him do that. These kinds of emotions impressed to me that God our Father feels even more strongly for us. Let us think of ourselves kneeling before Him absorbed in prayer that cultivate in us a surge of strong emotion the kind that suddenly envelops us whenever we are on the verge of shedding tears of joy. This we can feel if we imagine God right before us, looking at us so eagerly and excited to give us a kiss and wrap us in His arms like an eager parent is for a beloved child. While this is the case for Jude it is not so for Allan. It made me think why my 2nd and youngest son, Allan did not cling to me as much as Jude did when he was his age. I realized that when I was still pregnant with Allan, Jude who was barely 3 yrs old then would always embrace my tummy and stand in front of me as if saying that nobody can come near me. That's why when I gave birth to Allan he would always cuddle him and be very protective of him. In a way, God is reminding me that during those times when I am at work or not around his Kuya Jude reflected to Allan the love and care an infant normally longs for. Love is indeed transferable for our God has a vast supply, it overflows. Another incident I am reminded of is my being prone to bruising. In fact I have a big one right now in my arm. I have noticed that I easily get bruised and must admit was a bit scared about it. Especially when I realized that these bruises were caused by very mild pressure for example the handle of my bag which is not too heavy that was pressing on my arm can cause me to develop rash like patches which usually appears whenever blood pressure cuffs are tightly wrapped around my arm. There was one time when I laid my hands over my arm and prayed over myself hoping that it will not result to something serious but was a bit surprised when somebody told us that if we want to become saints in heaven someday then we are really bound to suffer. I just didn't get it at first when he suddenly said those things and was even rejecting the thought in my mind. But everything is coming to me now. I am finally making more sense out of it especially when I read today's 1st reading. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Peter 5:5b-14

...So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. 8 Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. 10 The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little...Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

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. As we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph we look at him in the eyes of the Jews, he was 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 89:2-3. 6-7. 16-17

R: For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

1 [2] The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. 2 [3] For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. The heavens praise your marvels, LORD, your loyalty in the assembly of the holy ones...

We see in today's gospel the divine power of Jesus Christ as He ascended into heaven. He is now seated in the throne at right hand of the Father. He has passed from death to another life beyond time and space after His resurrection. The risen body of Christ was not recognized immediately by Mary Magdalene and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. His appearance was different in the resurrection from His earthly presence. His humanity has entered into the glory of God. He was filled by the power of the Holy Spirit and sharing in the divine light of God's glory. He is fully present in the spiritual realm of the God the Father. Something of course that He has from the very beginning since He shares in God's full divinity. He just wanted to share this glory to us. He has entered into the glory of God to inspire us, the faithful to offer our homage and adoration. The glory of God that appears and disappears can only be discovered in the realm of faith. He is inspiring faith in each one of us. His resurrection has reached its full significance in this salvific event, His triumph and victory over sin and death. We remember that He was condemned to death for claiming that He was the Son of God. With His resurrection, He is confirmed and raised by the Father. Not raised like Lazarus who died again but He is raised never to die again. He said that when He is lifted up we would know that He is the Son of God and confirms His claim about His divinity. He has defeated sin and death. We are truly free. His resurrection is the principle and source of our resurrection. He is the source of new life for everyone and manifests our adoption as children of God. He is life itself. It is a hope that inspires faith and charity in us towards Him. He is the source of life and our future resurrection. He dwells in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery we come in contact with in the resurrection. Today in the ascension we see an even greater or another difference in the veiled glory of the risen one and that of Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, who is His Father and our Father. Remember He said to Mary "Do not touch me as I have yet not ascended to the Father." As He ascended in the clouds and into heaven we look upon the full glory of God. The clouds symbolizes the fullness of glory as we recall in the Old Testament the clouds that descends in Mt. Sinai and the Transfiguration (Lk. 9:35) in the New Testament. These speak of the fullness of glory. The resurrection and ascension, all confirm that Jesus Christ is alive. Pope Benedict says that the ascension does not imply a temporary absence in the world but rather inaugurated the new, definitive and insuppressible form of His presence by virtue of His participation in the royal power of God. We find in today's gospel that Jesus told them that all power in heaven and on earth has been given to him. This has inspired and empowered them as they became His witnesses and told the world of what He has done. In this communion with Jesus and in His power over death, to resurrect and ascend into heaven, we too have the power to proclaim what He has done for us. We all have the mission to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in whatever way we can by our actions, love and words. Jesus gives to us His Holy Spirit and He hands over to us everything that He is. Marvelous signs, wonders and miracles, these are only teasers of what really await us. We have to be wise and know where our loyalty lies. It helps to think of the precise and awe inspiring messages of the prophets in the bible who were able to confirm one another despite the vast difference of time and space when they got the messages and the time these messages were found, compiled and written. An example is in Dan 7:13, Ezekiel 2:1, John 19:5, Mt. 26:64 and Zechariah 12:10 wherein the the name "Son of Man" is mentioned and is also frequently used by Jesus in the NT referring to Himself. Also in Daniel 7:25-26, Leviticus 26:18, and Leviticus 23:34-35 which confirms each other in the message about obeying and making holy the Lord's day. And several others like in Daniel 12:2, Mt 25:46 and Jn 11:11-13 as the earliest clear enunciation of belief in the resurrection of the dead. The presence of angels in Daniel 7:10 and Mt. 4:11.  The book of Daniel is considered also the forerunner of the revelation. (Daniel 5:25, Daniel 7 and Revelation 12) Come to think of how God arranges the events in our lives in a wonderful pattern that if we really take a close look and pay attention to our God we'll find out that every single thing works and happen for a wonderful reason which are all bound to work for good. Each one of us has his or her own calling and it is well to know what God is asking us to do. In whatever it is that we do we can well be assured of the truth that He will always confirm it through accompanying signs. We would know deep in our hearts whatever it is that God wants us to do. No matter how big or small the task may be God will never leave us groping in the dark and will always hold us by the hand to guide and enlighten us in the path that He wants us to take. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 16:15-20

15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. 20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.