We should always hope to see all people come to know and
believe in God. If this happens then this world will become a much better place
to live in. We should remove jealousy and ill feelings toward one another. At
the slight hint of these negative feelings we should at once put a stop to it.
We are all guilty of it one way or another because we all have this tendency to
be self centered but if we closely guard ourselves against it and really make
an effort to be self conscious of this very destructive attitude then we can be
as firm as Moses by not succumbing to this self centeredness and sincerely hope
for the betterment of all people. Amen. Hallelujah!
Numbers 11:25-29
... “Moses, my lord, stop them.” 29 But Moses answered him,
“Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the LORD were
prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!”
It always pays to be watchful and alert at all times.
Although we sometimes fail to measure up due to our own shortcomings or could be
the doing of another, God assures us in today's psalm that if we fall into the
trap of the enemy we can always repent with a deep remorse for our sins and
resolve to make the precepts of the Lord the joy of our hearts. In doing so, we
find ourselves naturally restrained from sin and maintain our innocence. It is
so hard to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord if we do not know exactly
how to go about with it. It's just like when we have to comply to certain
requirements in school and follow the standard set by it. We need to have a
pattern or outline from which we can base our work. Just as it is so in other
things, the more we are all in need of God's precepts. The absolute bedrock of
spiritual life is to follow the 10 commandments. We are sometimes misled into
thinking that when we have a type of prayer then we think that we already have
a spiritual life. We’ve got to have the humility to admit that God is smarter
than we are and we need to follow and obey what we are told in the 10
commandments. We should be totally and absolutely convinced that He knows best.
Satan uses half truths and half lies in his devilish tricks. Satan’s claims
seem to come true in one level. Take the example of our 1st parents
after eating of the forbidden fruit their eyes were opened and did become in
one sense like God. The fallen angels made their free choice by radically and
irrevocably rejecting God so in turn they seduce and mislead Adam & Eve. It
was through sin that humanity was afflicted by death. Because of one man’s disobedience
many were made sinners. When tempted in the Garden, Adam failed to remain
faithful to God and His commands. Jesus, the New Adam, is God’s servant totally
obedient to the Divine will. Jesus is the devil’s conqueror and takes back the
plunder. What the devil has stolen from us, Jesus has recovered for us. Pope
Benedict XVI commented about what the Lord experienced in the desert and said
that at the heart of all temptations is the act of pushing God aside because we
conceive Him as secondary. It is an act of constructing our world with our own
lights and building our own foundation and setting God aside as an allusion.
Temptations come in many varied forms but one thing is sure, it does not invite
us to directly do evil because it is too blatant and would outright turn us
off. It is very subtle and yet an act of pushing God’s commands aside and
placing the devil’s temptation as primary. If we want to remain victorious
throughout life, we have to keep Him in the center of our life and hold on to
His words which are Spirit and life. God’s ever present help can be found in
the scriptures. It's just like a soldier going to battle wearing the armor of
God. It never fails and always there to defend and protect from the snares of
the evil one. So always take up our sword which is the word of God. God's
perfect word can refresh the soul. Have you ever wondered really how it feels
to be refreshed? Whenever we take a shower or a warm bath and put on clothes
that are well fitted and comfortable it refreshes our body. It could also be
whenever we go to a place where we can unwind, relax, be away from the
tensions, stresses, noise and turmoil of the fast paced lives that we lead and
just appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds us and the peace and quiet
it offers to our tired bodies in order to be more in touch with God's voice in
us. It is so refreshing it gives our minds and hearts a better view and
perspective of how to live our lives. The same thing with our souls, we should
always keep it clean, healthy and clothed with maximum security, protection but
comfortable enough we don't even know it's there. Like it has become fused in
us, there's nothing more right than following and obeying the law of God.
Today's psalm reading guides us on how we should go about with our lives by
always keeping in mind God's laws. None of us is perfect but through our
imperfections we can always run to God for help and guidance. He will never
refuse nor forsake us for He can only love and care for us. There are people
who have alienated themselves from God and we can’t just force them to go back.
God does not do that, it’s not how the Lord works, instead we pray and pray for
them. If we wait long enough and adhere to God’s precepts then we will finally
obtain joy in our hearts. As water prevails over the rock throughout the course
of time so does the Holy Spirit that is continuously flooding or washing over
the man’s heart. The Holy Spirit moves
in and continues to work upon us and tenderizes us. The song entitled,
"Your Words Are Spirit and Life" by Bernadette Farrell was impressed
to me. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved to sing and I just
realized that the words of this song are taken from this psalm which made me
start singing it. Well, we just have to fully discover what the words of God
can make us do. When things get out of hand we have no one to blame but
ourselves for God is surely not lacking in everything that He has given us for
our own welfare. We've got everything we need because there's nothing more that
God could and should do for us that He has not done. All we have to do is
completely trust and obey the judgments of the Lord. GOD'S LAW MAKES US LIVE A
VIRTUOUS LIFE (CCC 1803 "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever
is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there
is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these
things.") May we truly recognize the genuine and precious treasures that
we should all strive to achieve and work for which is none other than these
things spoken of in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 19:8. 10. 12-13. 14 (9a)
R: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
7 [8] The law of the
LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring
forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. (R) 11 [12]
Though your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them, 12 [13]
yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults! (R) 13 [14]
From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over me.
Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin.
Today's 2nd reading
serves as a warning for all of us not to be led astray by the values that this
world hold dear. It is so hard not to be influenced by it because we are still
in this world and detaching from it poses a more difficult task than to imbibe
the ways of the world and just go with the flow without any resistance. We must
master all our courage and strength in sticking to the truth and values that
Jesus teaches us in the bible as in the Book of James. Amen. Hallelujah!
James 5:1-6
1 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending
miseries. 2 Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, 3
your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony
against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure
for the last days. 4 Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who
harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have
reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and
pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. 6 You have
condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you non resistance.
Mark the writer where today’s gospel is taken from was very
much around the very people whom we usually look up to as the leaders of the
community but fail to reach the mark. If we read further in the gospel in Mark
9: 49-50 it is written, "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good,
but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt
in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." During his time,
salt was stored in a bag and used in the cooking the way in the same manner tea
bags are used. This is to filter the impurities so after use the taste is gone
and what's left is just a bag of dirt. Mark was very much around these kinds of
people and this is what he was trying to convey in his writings. We should
promote the improvement and betterment of our fellow men instead of being
suspicious or jealous of them. I t is God's will for us that we all become
better and improved people and eventually become the best. We may be
encountering some problems at the moment but this should inspire us to see
beyond the imperfections of our present situation for God is always at work in
our lives and we should not lose sight of what God has in store for those who
obey and follow Him. Jesus tells His disciples not to prevent those who drive
out demons in His name. Although they are not part of their group, they are not
doing something against them. Sometimes we get offensive and instead of
attracting people to the faith we tend to drive them away. We can not claim to
know everything so it is better to just give people the benefit of the doubt or
not judge them outright and just entrust them to Jesus who definitely knows
best. Jesus also warns us of hell. Let
us recall also that it is also written in the scriptures about the fig tree
which bears no fruit and was thrown into fire to burn. We have to realize that
in every sin there is pride. Our sins can bring us to hell if left unrepented. There is a real need to live in virtue and
strive to bear fruit as a Christian. Amen. Hallelujah!
Mark 9:38-43. 45. 47-48
38 At that time, John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone
driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does
not follow us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who
performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. 40
For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Anyone who gives you a cup of water
to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose
his reward. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to
sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into
Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 44 45 And if your foot causes you to
sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two
feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [46] 46 47 And if your eye causes you to sin,
pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God
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