Tuesday, January 12, 2016

ALLAN’S TURN

It has been a nostalgic couple of days due to the readings. If yesterday I was sharing about my son, Jude, now it’s Allan’s turn. Today’s 1st reading brings back memories of the time when Allan was still undecided what course to take and what school to go to for College. At that time he had several options. It was kind of hard to say what he would finally decide on since he was still waiting for the results of his other exams in other schools. Although I had spoken my mind to him and said my piece of advice, I knew then that he has plans of his own. We see the importance of this story of Samuel when we come to the so called crossroads in our very own lives. We may all have reached a point where we should make major life changing decisions.  No matter how good and helpful it is to solicit the good advice and opinion of others in the end we would have to decide for ourselves. We can not make others decide for us. We would have to own our actions and make the decision ourselves. Thus it is important that we establish a living relationship with the Lord. Only in this way can we truly listen and open our hearts as Samuel did.  Today's 1st reading speaks of Samuel unable to discern God's call right away and so I spoke the same words of Eli to Samuel to my son, Allan. We may have other things and plans in mind for our loved ones that don’t fit in their own. But no matter what they have decided to do and what they have been working hard for to achieve the bottom line here is to know that it is always for the best to pray, entrust everything to God and always listen to the instructions that come from Him. We could almost feel what Samuel felt in today’s 1st reading because just like any other person who is comfortably lying and sleeping very soundly through the night of our lives, we never want to be disturbed. Whatever disturbance and discomfort we may be all going through right now we must not lose hope and realize that it is through our deficiencies, imperfections and inadequacies that we continue to seek God. For only Him can make us whole. There are times when we don't realize that God is calling us several times and we don't know where to go and what to do. One very important thing we should do is to respond to Him in the way Samuel did and find ourselves growing in faith in the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20
1 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent. 2 One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see. 3 The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. 4 The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep. 6 Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.” But he answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.” 7 At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet. 8 The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, 10 the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 19 Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. 20 Thus all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.

We need to persevere in prayer so that as we improve and daily grow in His knowledge and ways then we can easily discern and be more sensitive of how God speaks to each one of us in a very close and personal way. We should always listen intently to what God is telling us so we could effectively carry out what He wants us to do. It is God's will that we engage in activities that will enrich and deepen our faith in Him. In order to love someone better we have to know him/her better. The more you know about a person the more you become close to each other. The same way with God there is a need to really know more or everything there is to know about God. We must not be distracted and dissuaded to do otherwise when beset with problems and difficulties. If we have developed a great sense of confidence and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ then we can fearlessly and undauntedly do whatever He wills for us. We've got the very best friend we can ever have in Jesus. All we have to do is listen to and follow Him. He is the Rising Sun and Light of the world who came to live with us to direct our feet into the path of peace.  Doing God’s will may not be easy but if we have placed it in the center of our hearts then it will just come naturally as it becomes the powerhouse or mitochondria of our beings. The transcendent nature of humanity calls for dialogue and human understanding. In the face of difficulty and sign of contradiction we should never lose heart. Remember these words from the gospel, Mt. 5:10-12, “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Violence is not overcome by violence. The world needs God. Authentic weapon for peace is religious freedom as in to practice faith without coercion. Today we remember the plight of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who suffer greatly for the faith. We pray that religious freedom will not be eroded for those who can practice it. We continue to hope in the grace of God for that alone will suffice. It is also very important that we follow the example of Mary's perfect obedience to God's will so that we can find delight in following God's laws. May our Lord show us the path to peace and use us as instruments and builders of peace. Nothing should ever stop us from doing the will of God for it is ultimately the best option we've got. If we have developed a great sense of confidence and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ then we can fearlessly and undauntedly do whatever He wills for us. Once we've known who God is and what He is capable of doing in our lives then there is really nothing that should stop us in saying with all our hearts the responsorial psalm for today. Amen. Hallelujah! 


P S A L M
Psalm 40:2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
1 [2] I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. 4 [5] Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. (R) 6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.


Today's gospel speaks of the exact bible passage which a friend of mine considers instrumental in her healing. She specifically cited this story while praying fervently to God. She mercifully pleaded to God and called on Him not to deprive her of the healing she has bestowed on Peter's mother-in-law. At that time, she was already on the verge of drinking her sleeping medications but was afraid that she also might develop dependence since she's been on it for quite some time. She was battling then with not just one but several other medicines prescribed by her doctor which are all known to cause drug dependence. She had ready the medicine and a glass of water on top of the table but it was morning already when she realized that she was able to go to sleep without having to take any medication. Now, she's is totally free of all these medications. It is through our deficiencies, imperfections and inadequacies that we continue to seek God. For only Him can make us whole. Today's gospel is a similar version of the one in Matthew 8. It is a figurative form of telling us the importance to stay within the confines and teachings of the Church. It is important to study and learn about our faith. We need to see the plan of God in Jesus. Notice the difference in Matthew 8:14-15, “Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. “  And also in Matthew 13:1, “On that day, Jesus went out of the house …” Matthew 13 is all about parables of the Kingdom of God and the people did not understand Him but when He went into the house of Peter the disciples understood Him. The house of Peter signifies the Church, and outside the church there is no understanding of Jesus’ teaching. When we stand from outside of the Church and the faith there is no understanding of Jesus and the plan of God. Just imagine ourselves standing inside the Church and looking at the stained glass windows. We see the images in detail and in full color but if we are from outside the Church what we see is darkness, and kind of shadowy unable to see its full color and detail. This happens when we stand from outside of the faith. The light illuminates the window and we see clearly from inside the church and believe as it illuminates the life of Jesus. Only from within the Church can we understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God which is actually what Jesus is teaching us. St. Thomas Aquinas a well known saint and scholar draw us heavily upon philosophers, especially Aristotle and even Plato.
He gives pertinent formulations to the faith but also has a saintly approach. His book, Summa Theologica has 512 questions and many articles to each question like a debate. He has a style in his presentation of the faith. It contains a concentrated reasoning in which the human mind is applied to the mysteries of the faith. He comments on scripture, on the writings of the pope fathers and especially knew about St. Augustine’s work very well. We see how he champions philosophy and reason well. He makes a distinction between Theology and Philosophy but very much sees philosophy as the handmaid of theology. He could see this beautiful relationship how faith corrects and even purifies reason and how reason helps in the deepening and understanding of the faith. Pope Benedict XVI in his recent reflection on Thomas’ contribution quoted Pope John Paul VI asking “Thomas our teacher, what lesson can you give us?” He says, “Trust in the truth of Catholic religious thought as defended, expounded and offered by him to the capacities of the human mind.” As we are to receive the faith fully and receive it, it must be reasonable. We must be able to process and understand it. It’s a mystery, always infinite and beyond us but must be able to explore it by reason with much confidence in the truth and revelation. We must have the capacity to use our reason when unpacking the truth. The 1st part of the Summa teaches of the knowledge of God. He is the beginning and the end. He is the last end of all things especially rational creatures. The 2nd part teaches us of the rational creatures and angelic beings that advance towards God. It tells human beings, how we are to live the moral principles as we develop a moral theology. It centers on the teaching on grace and how we need it to find our way back to God and to be turned and transformed in holiness to be happy in time and eternity. We need that revelation of God’s law and we also need His grace to be happy. In this life, to find Him and to live that blessed eternal happiness in the beatific vision. It also cites teaching on the virtues, faith, hope and love and also 50 more virtues on how to live a good life. The last part speaks of the saving mysteries of Christ. It presents to us Jesus, how He saves, the sacraments and the mysteries. God directs us from within since we are unique in this sense. We are different from animals and plants and inanimate objects. He directs us to Himself to God as our last end with our free will choices to move by grace and desire happiness. We desire joy and fulfillment and we find that in God. Jesus was very focused on the mission that God the Father has for Him. In the same way that we must not be distracted and dissuaded to do otherwise when beset with problems and difficulties. Amen. Hallelujah!


Mark 1:29-39
29 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door.


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