The 1st reading for today tells us of the very fascinating
story of Elijah who was already pleading God for death. Maybe he has reached
this point in his life where he was so exhausted and exasperated by the
concerns of the world during his time. We, too sometimes come to the same
situation when we feel we've reached the last breath of our strength and felt
like giving up. Just like Elijah we may have also decided to stop doing
anything about it. And when this happens we may also have encountered a
situation or a person that urges us to go on, similar like the angel who woke
him up twice and gave him food to eat which gave him the strength to carry on
with his task. It only means that we must not give up and continue to hope in a
God who looks after us and provides for all our needs. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Kings 19:4-8
Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came
to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death “This is enough, O
LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 He lay down and fell
asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to
get up and eat. 6 He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug
of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again, 7 but the angel of the
LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else
the journey will be too long for you!” 8 He got up, ate and drank; then
strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God
The considered powerful and mighty of this world is what
appear to be the blessed and favored ones as far as human logic and reason are
concerned. The exact opposite of what Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount
and Plain (Beatitudes) in the gospels. A lot of people find it difficult to
really understand the beatitudes since it contradicts the values of this world
we live in. The poor, weak, hungry and sorrowing are called blessed. This may
not sound acceptable for everybody and would even go around its meaning to get
away with the real issue that Jesus wants us to face. Whatever it may be that's
still stopping us from grasping the wisdom of God let us pray to God that we
will always hold on to His word as He assures daily. Our God indeed is a
perfect God and we must entrust everything to Him without questioning believing
that He knows what's best. We must be aware of the truth that it is by His
power that we exist in this world. We’ve got to have the right heart, mind and
attitude. Be poor in spirit and receptive to the Word of God. It doesn't make
sense that despite these truths that are ever before us we still reject Jesus.
Let's admit that we do it one way or another, knowingly or unknowingly. Pope
John Paul II narrated a story when he was in the hospital for his operation.
Just before the surgery, he went out of his room unnoticed and visited a very
sick boy on the verge of dying. His mother was so depressed that no amount of
words was able to console her. She told the Pope to tell God to go away. The
Pope answered her that he did tell God to go away but He wouldn't listen. He
embraced the inconsolable mother and told her that God knows exactly the place
where He needs to be and that is none other than with her. We should realize
that God never leaves nor forsakes most especially in times of despair. He is
always there for us. Our God indeed is a perfect God and we must entrust
everything to Him without questioning believing that He knows what's best. We
must be aware of the truth that it is by His power that we exist in this world.
Have you heard of blind obedience? Following without knowing exactly why you
follow. Take the example of suicide bombers, who willingly die to spread
terrorism. What courage! We should know that it is always worth it to obey God,
obeying and knowing fully well that it is for our own good. We all have fears
in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be
the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's
psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. We may have encountered
situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a
very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position. They just happen suddenly that we have no time
to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss.
Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the
dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and
deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let
us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in
our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going
and do exactly what we are told. The Light of the World already came and
judgment day is coming soon. In fact, judgment is happening even now. In
Deuteronomy 30:15 "Here, then, I have today set before you life and
prosperity, death and doom..." God asked us to choose. It's got to be one
way or another. There should be no mingling or ambiguity. It is all up to us.
We can be assured that if we take God’s side then we’ll definitely taste and
see His goodness. If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find
Him. Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be
firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and
principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called
wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves
rescued, saved and truly blessed. We
should always keep our hopes up in the Lord no matter what our situations are
because it can never change the fact that He is God and always in charge and in
control. There are times when we feel forsaken or abandoned but we must always
hold on to the truth that He loves us so much. He would never leave us in
misery. Let us remove all doubts and fears. Nothing should make us feel afraid
for God hears our cry. He will surely carry out what is clearly for our own
good and the best. All we need to do is allow God to work in our lives and stop
hindering His grace to flow in our lives. If there's one big obstacle that is
blocking this flow then it is surely not God. It is time we analyze the things
in our life that continue to build up and shut out God. We don't want that
happening and it's all up to us for the Lord hears and saves us. Although there
are times when we do not have to sweat at all and things just come and fall
into place we also have to know that our life is mostly a product of the
choices we make. Our choices must always be responsible and carefully decided
on. We've got to have a reliable standard for it. One without fail and is sure
to work. Actually there is only one thing that we can surely depend on and that
is the goodness of the Lord. If we always have this in mind then nothing should
stop us to always look at God, listen and follow Him. We should not care so
much about gaining the approval and admiration of men rather than God. Our
focus first and foremost should be to please God and everything else will
follow. Even if it sometimes does not work the way we expected and planned
things to be. We can be assured that the Lord heard, hears and will hear all
our prayers and surely has the best answer at hand in His most perfect time. In
guarding our faith the bible passage from Ephesians 6:10-11 which is about the
armor of God is an important tool. If we read it we will find the only weapon
mentioned in the said bible passage is the sword of the Spirit which is the
Word of God. We should check it once again and be aware of this important
information as Catholic Christians. In the gospel about the temptation of Jesus
the devil also demonstrated his knowledge of the scriptures. As it is written,
we need to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. We are undoubtedly
engaged in this battle every single day that's why we are in need of a weapon.
This reminds us of the importance of knowing the word of God by heart since it
is our only weapon. God never fails. He would always make things work for our
good and rescue us in our distress. I have always believed in angels even
before I got this petal from a healing service with the image of a cherubim
miraculously imprinted on it. It's been a while since I got it and has served
as a testimony of God’s abiding love. I have no doubt in my mind that God will
always deliver me from all my fears. I always keep my rose petal with me and
show it to almost everyone I meet, as a way of propagating God's goodness to
me. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to
us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was
about 2 months old, and I fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the
nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and
upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic
tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to
regain consciousness within an hour then he said I am gone. To everybody's
surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I
was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's
house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the
school where my mother used to be a public school teacher. She said she was
standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good
view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she
got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading
toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I
would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to
stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers
who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail
for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud
engine of the jeep. It was just a
miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road, I suddenly stopped
and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my
guardian angel who held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep. I don't remember personally any of those
experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about
them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was
spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top
of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my
chair. My classmates were really shocked
and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. One of my
bestfriends, Myrsa got me even more scared of what could had happened when she
said that fluorescent lamps are laden with poison that once it gets broken, the
poison is released and if the broken glass cuts your skin open the poison will
get in and the wound caused by it will never dry up or get healed. From then on
I developed this childlike trust in God and thanked God for saving me from
death. There was another instance in my life as a child when Myrsa and I were
left all alone in school while waiting for our ride home and the deafening
sound of lightning and thunder got me very scared. Myrsa played the role of my
guardian angel when she tried to calm and stop me from crying by telling me
that I should not be afraid because the lightning is the flash bulb of God's
camera. She continued by saying that I should not cry but instead smile for God
was just taking our picture. Myrsa's legendary stories played a role in my
developing a great faith in God. Another funny story was what she told me about
the needle. She said that we must be careful with needles because it will find
its way into our bodies and once it's inside it will go to our bloodstream and
very quickly end up pricking our hearts which can cause us to die right away.
There was one time when I lost a needle and couldn't find it anywhere. I went
to bed very early that day which surprised my mother and was asking me if there
was anything wrong. I decided to myself that I would just wait for my death
silently and not tell anybody. I was praying to God not to give me a painful
death and let me not feel it once the needle pricks my heart. When I woke up
the next day I was so glad that I was still alive and thanked God for sparing me
from death. Those were the early formative years of my faith which started out
in a funny, amusing but definitely amazing way. We all have fears in life and
sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case.
If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells
us then there is no reason for it. If we will just constantly nourish and fill
ourselves with the words of God in scriptures then there is really no reason
for us to fear rather be always filled with joy. He will never allow us to be
defeated and conquered for He is always there to rescue us. Amen, Hallelujah!
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall
be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear
me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his
name. 4 [5] I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my
fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces
may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 7 [8] The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the
LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
There are times when we tend to forget and get carried away
by our feelings, emotions or give in to temptations without realizing that it
could harm our relationship with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The 2nd
reading today reminds us of this very important tip to always keep watch and
guard our motives, intentions and actions.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Ephesians 4:30–5:2
Brothers and sisters:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of
redemption. 31 All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be
removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another,
compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. 5: 1 So
be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved
us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a
fragrant aroma.
Today's gospel which speaks of the Bread of Life is one of
the most significant events I can always associate with my Christian Life
Program (CLP) experience. I have already shared this before in my previous
reflections. At around this same time in 2008, I had the chance of attending
the CLP in Pomona
sponsored by the Couples for Christ (CFC). I had an unforgettable experience
during the Baptism in the Spirit when I had a vision of the scene of the
crucifixion of Jesus in Mt.
Calvary Jerusalem
and the Sea of Galilee are only a few of these
when Jesus took bread and fish, broke it and gave to His disciples. The
temptation of Jesus in the desert to turn the stone into bread and His response
based on scripture in Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live on bread alone
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." There is a need to
correct the misunderstanding. The Old Testament mentality tells us that the
brain is not associated with thinking rather with the senses to feel, hear, see
etc. It is the marrow of the head and thinking is associated with the heart,
stomach and kidneys. Humans process thought in the internal organs as in the
digestive system. In Sirach 21, "Come to me, eat and be satisfied."
Wisdom that can be processed inside and stay within us. The word of God
nourishes us more than bread. The Old Testament prepares us to something more
profound. We need to recall these instances and the miracles especially of the
multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish. An example that could give
light to this is the concentration camps during the time of the Nazis. It was
said that people who are more focused on the word of God lasted longer than
those who are physically fit. Those who do not have the physical strength were
sustained. The act of faith is necessary in every walk of life. It could be
faith in anything, in science, logic and other things. There are so many things
we can take from faith but not everything will ultimately lead to life that
removes ultimate hunger. The physical things like riches, power and fame could
lead us to destruction. Nowadays, we see the effects of drugs, sex and other
things. People are dying from overdose, sexually transmitted diseases and more
that we may not know of. We have to refrain from things that are not necessary
and take things that God gives us. We need to cooperate by believing in Christ.
They say experience is the best teacher, and God wanted us all to learn from
Him by living it out in our own lives whatever instructions we heard from God
and was taught to us. And who could best teach us other than Jesus who
experienced it all. Accept the word of God, digest, process and be nourished.
We tend to ignore the deeper meaning and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. It is
not simply a philosophy like the others which are great tools and help a lot
but can never sustain us. Easter invites us to reflect on these miracles of the
bread and wine in the scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and still
understand our faith today. The nature of Jesus’ death on Calvary
is a sacrifice. All Christians recognize this sacrifice as a mystery. That
Jesus offered His life on the cross as a supreme sacrifice but most Christians
don’t realize how difficult it would have been for 1st century
Jewish Christians to come to that conclusion. Why? If we were there on Calvary on Good Friday even the most devout Jewish
disciples would have been unable to describe that experience as a sacrifice
because for them there’s really nothing more to it than a Roman execution. It
took place outside of the walls of Jerusalem ,
far from the place where there were no burnt offerings, odors and no priests
and thus there is no sacrifice. And yet in one generation all Christians came
to conclude that indeed what Jesus suffered on the cross was the supreme
sacrifice. How did they reach such a conclusion? Only by looking at Good Friday
in a light of what Jesus did on Maundy Thursday. When He instituted the
Eucharist He didn’t simply celebrate the feast of the Passover He established
the Passover of the New Covenant and it was more than just words. He took bread
and said, this is my body which is given up for you and then he took the
chalice and spoke about how this blood of the new and everlasting covenant will
be poured out for the remission of sins do this in remembrance of me. Was this
just a rhetoric and ritual or is there a reality and truth to what Jesus said
and did? The proof that Jesus really gave us His body and allowed his blood to
be poured out for the remission of sins is precisely given to us there on the
cross. But the nature of Jesus’ death on the cross is illuminated as a
sacrifice only by retracing and looking at it in the light of the Passover of
the new covenant. The Eucharist and Calvary
are inseparable. There are 2 sides to
the same sacrifice. Jesus shows us that in His death He did not lose His life
for in the Eucharist He already made His life a gift of love. This love is what
conquers death and the conquest of death is what occurs on Good Friday. As
Catholics we have a lot to teach other Christians who do not understand the
mystery of the Mass.
For indeed it’s the Eucharist that illuminates the mystery of Jesus’ death as a
sacrifice just as Jesus’ death shows us that the Eucharist is more than just
mere ritual but is the mystery of Jesus high priestly act of self giving
love. We have witnessed nice things, places
and situations in our lifetime that help us to appreciate the goodness and
graciousness of God. No one in this whole wide world can ever claim that he or
she has not been given the chance of knowing our Supreme God and Creator for it
is written in the scriptures that all will be taught and come to know about
God. It is just a matter of listening well, making a decision to come to Him and
really believe. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 6:41-51
44 Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless
the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is
written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who
listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has
seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread
of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this
is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will
live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the
world.”
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