WORSHIP

Today’s reading from Sirach presents a very profound level of wisdom for offering sacrifices. It is written, "To keep the law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering." To show obedience to the moral law of God is as important as the offering of animal sacrifices in Israel. It is counted as being as good as the offering up of sacrifices. It should not call for rebellion against the law for the just one’s offering is most pleasing, as written, "The just man’s offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High." The offering up of sacrifices is very much part of what people ought to do. Doing so and obeying God's commands are both morally right.  In the book of Pope Benedict XVI he said that Israel is freed from Egypt not just to gain freedom but in order for them to go to the land of promise and worship properly. This is the goal of the liberation from Egypt not just for freedom alone. It causes confusion to live with the worship of Egyptian gods and goddesses. There is a need to separate from them to avoid confusion and not be drag down to a low level of religion. In the Torah, the 1st 5 books of the bible, there are sections on moral commandments and how to offer sacrifice. There are significant parts of the book of Numbers on how to offer sacrifice. To worship is an important element of Israel’s identity but it is not meant to be used as some form of magic to buy God’s favor. They have to obey the moral law which came before the liturgical law. A person has to be righteous in order to offer a righteous sacrifice. One has to be moral to offer a moral sacrifice. The moral code is in itself a form of worship and offering of a high level of sacrifice. Worship itself is important but the living out of God’s moral commands is in itself worship. In Hebrews 10:7-10 it is written, “Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.'" First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in." These are offered according to the law. Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second. By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” This is a dialogue between Jesus and God the Father. Christ makes it clear that He has received a body with which to do the Father’s will. The offering of animals is not as good as Jesus’ offering of Himself. His act of worship and sacrifice is obeying the Father all the way to the point of death on the cross. He is both the priest and victim. Christ came to offer His sacrifice that is why Pope Benedict XVI said that the cross is where this new kind of worship goes on. It is an obedience to God and the sacrifice. We should reflect on this more deeply. To keep the law is a great oblation and a peace offering. In a great sense, doing the moral law is a delight to God and a very good idea but there is one difficulty namely, us. As much as we know and see that this is the idea, our obedience does not match up with the moral law. Our sacrifice of doing what God asks of us, falls short of God’s glory. The attraction to do our own will rather than make a sacrifice of obeying the commandment is great. Christ has done this law. He has turned His obedience to every law and turned it to the sacrifice of the law. Through Him, we are able to come to that one act of obedience that is our worship. We may be weak, small and a nobody but we are in the immense worship of Jesus. We can make it to be our act of worship in the Holy Mass so that what we offer in the Consecration is going to be our obedience. We are taking that one moment of obedience of Jesus on the cross and join it to our own sacrifices. As in Romans 12:1 “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. We join our own suffering with Christ on the cross, a spiritual offering.  Through obedience to the word of God, we are uniting ourselves, giving our hearts, minds, souls and bodies through the Holy Mass.  A sacrifice of ourselves poor as it can be, with Christ it becomes as rich and as powerful as it can be. We have to live out our priesthood that comes to us by our baptism. We also exercise our kingly element when we bring our own bodies under the control of God’s law and the prophetic when we bring the word of God to form our very minds. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 35:1-12

...Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. 10 For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. 11 But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion, 12 for he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.

God saves. There is no question about that but we have to also be diligent in fulfilling our part of the bargain. This reminds me of the vow I have made when it was impressed to me way back Oct. 7, 2007 in the reading from Book of Habakkuk 1,2-3.2,2-4. “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.”

From then on I've been writing daily reflections that can be read by everybody and to my surprise it has become integrated in my daily activities. As time and days go by, a lot of things started to unfold before me, most especially the enormous message contained in that prophecy in Habbakuk. This has given me inspiration and joy to continue doing it. Definitely God is not asking us to resort to some extreme or out of this world act. The emphasis is on the importance of following the commandments of God and doing what we've got to do. We need not wait any longer and see any further for God wants us to start paying attention to His commandments and apply it in our very own lives in order to make a return for all the good He has done. There are times when we just have to ignore what other people may say or think and continue in the belief that we are God's people and have to be obedient in what He has asked us to do and stay loyal to Him no matter what the cost is. We've got to make things very clear for us. Sometimes we insist on doing things our way and more often than not we end up in trouble. It's about time we realize that there is no other way but the Lord's way. We get the impression that if we do one good thing for the Lord then the rest of our actions are already covered and justified. Well, that's what the enemy wants us to think so we can go on doing our own thing without much care whether is it really pleasing to God or not. Our God is perfectly and wholly good in every aspect and we can't expect Him to yield to a partly good and bad child. Because He loves us, we need to be disciplined in order for us to straighten up. There is this Catholic convert who was raised in the belief that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon. When he encountered for the first time listening to the Palestrina, he said that it doesn't sound like it came from hell and sounded much more like what the angels sound in heaven. When he visited for the first time, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, he figured that the whore of Babylon could not be something this beautiful. He realized and understood that there could not be such a disconnection of what could be so beautiful and what is good and true. He could find all of these elements of goodness, beauty and truth in the Catholic church and what eventually brought him to the faith. The beauty that the faith produces is something that shines throughout more than 2000 years of the Church. We are not supposed to engage in a battle that is not destined to win at all. If we know that we are losing in the first place why pursue it? There are so many battles in life that we have to face everyday but there is no need to fight them all. It is not about us but about God. The only guarantee that we are going to win it through and through is to be sure first which side we are on and make sure that it is God's side. Let our words coincide with our work and action so that men will see and become convinced that we are God's obedient people. Sometimes we say one thing and mean something else. If we can confuse, convince and win people over to our side then we are definitely wrong if we think that we can do the same with God or even get away with it. If there's something we should be doing with our life then that is to be upright before the Lord first and foremost and everything will follow. It is not wise to gain the admiration of men at the expense of losing the approval of God. Nothing else matters more than being upright in the eyes of God. No matter how difficult things may seem to be at present we can always count on God at all times. The Lord hears our cries and supplications. He knows and sees all and He will surely make things right for us. No matter what happens to us we can always be assured of a God who will always look after us and will make sure that we are not taken advantage of. If God is for us, who can be against us? If we respond to His call and faithfully follow His precepts and be the person He has meant us to be then we are assured of His saving power. There are moments in our life when things happen to us and we feel that God is touching us in a special way. It seems so obvious that God is speaking to us in a variety of ways through our situations and circumstances. Today’s psalm reading tells us something very specific. It says that God will not just make us feel that we can somehow conclude that He is trying to communicate something to us but really show and demonstrate to the upright His saving power. There will always be times when we seem to not know where to go. No matter how difficult our situations may be, God will never leave us groping in the dark. All we have to do is to really take into serious consideration the words in today's psalm reading. The present civilization is in decline. There is so much moral decline and decay going on around us. The solution can be found in the psalm today. We have to have self discipline and will power to put a stop to the atheistic society that is on the rise. We need to become an active participant of the on going seminar for self restraint to control our appetites. To not pursue our own selfish good but the common good in order to rebuild our society and witness the saving power of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 50:5-6, 7-8, 14, 23

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

...Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offering are before me always. (R) 14 “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”

Nothing is ever wasted or taken for granted if we work for the glory of God. We have a Generous and Almighty God who doesn't need anything from us but whom we need everything from. What's at stake here is not just a limited period of time here on earth but eternity. It surely is worth all our time, effort and resources. Let us not continue to be duped by the enemy into believing his lies and deception and switch our total allegiance to God. Be wise and act now. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 10:28-31

28 Peter began to say to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

TWO WOLVES

Today's 1st reading calls us to repentance. We may not be aware of this but we are sometimes doing things differently than what we are called to do. All the things that are happening to us call us little by little to conversion. We have to make that step of faith and trust in God as we are encouraged to do in the reading. If we do it would be like the obstacles that stand in our way to God were removed. If we give in to sin we would only find that it provides satisfaction only for a fleeting moment. We turn only to the Lord for only Him can truly satisfy us in an everlasting way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 17:20-24

To the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! 20 Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few. 21 Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes;...

Jesus is fully human and fully divine. These are the 2 opposite parts that make up the arch of Mark's gospel and joined in the fulcrum or apex of its architectural structure.

 The first half of the gospel represents the Jesus as the Son of God and image of power and might and can be found in Chapters1-8:26, Jesus who is in charge, giving orders, an exorcist, and walks on water. Jesus is in control and source of strength, drive and power. The Son of God focused on His mission who engages into rapid phase of exorcisms and healing. He is truly the Son of God. Second half of the gospel (Ch. 11:1-15:47), Jesus as the Son of Man and image of weakness and suffering. No longer in charge and the one receiving orders, suffered greatly which is the prelude to the Paschal Mystery, the suffering, dying and rising of Jesus from the dead. We can often encounter in Mark's gospel, Jesus ordering them not to tell anyone about the miracles He had done. It's because they won't understand until Jesus is nailed on the cross. This is core purpose of Jesus' becoming man to save mankind. The fulcrum or apex of the arch is found in the middle of the gospel, Jesus as Savior which is the central theme of Mark's gospel where Jesus' divinity meets His humanity in the cross as the perfect victim (sacrificial lamb/scapegoat) of man's salvation. Mark is telling us and intended for us to discover the arch in ourselves that will bring us closer to the center/apex/fulcrum of our lives who is Jesus. We are too preoccupied with our physical and material needs that we end up neglecting the most important need, that of our eternal soul. When we get sick, we try to look for cure and treatment in order to bring our bodies back in shape. We even resort to different means in order to maintain our health and keep it in perfect shape by eating the right kind of food and exercising. This kind of care that we give our bodies should also be the same and even more for our spiritual bodies, our souls. There is not much difference, when our souls are inflicted with wounds of our sins, we must try to cure ourselves by going to God and asking forgiveness right away before it gets any worse. We have to treat our souls with utmost care and diligence. Though, nothing is ever impossible for God because He can make us whole. The problem lies with us when we are deeply stuck in our sins or we could also be just comfortably wading in the seashore of sins. When these happen we either fall into the trap of false impressions that little things won't hurt but before we know it we have become entangled in those little things that we thought we could easily get away with. As scriptures say, we ought to be ready at all times we might be caught unaware and empty handed just like the Parable of the Virgins and the song which says, "Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning until the break of day." We don't want to be found with no more oil in our lamps. Or we could be too deeply stuck in the mud of our sins that we tend to choose just to be left in our misery. The small and unnoticeable wounds that we inflict on ourselves can eventually amount into a big and ugly scar so it would be easier for us not to wait until we're in a total wreck before we go to God. Leprosy is a disease that makes a person look very ugly and unwanted. I remember this time when a friend and I shared some thoughts about physical beauty when we met a priest from Italy. Just by looking at him, one could not help but think that he could really pass off as an actor in Hollywood. He is very tall and handsome. During our conversation we both came up with this thought that physical beauty could sometimes obstruct a person's holiness if the person is not careful of his/her choices. It could lure him/her to a lot of worldly options that are presented to him/her. It is a lot better to have a beautiful soul for eternity than to be physically beautiful for a limited time. We admired this priest for offering himself to God for he was not only handsome physically but surely very wise for he realized the importance of making it big in the kingdom of God and chose it over the glitter and glamour that this temporary world can offer. We should not ignore or overlook this truth about our God who is loving, merciful and forgiving. Let us not delay any longer and go back to Him with a contrite and repentant heart. No matter how big our sins are, we are blessed to have a God bigger than any of our sins. No matter how big a mess our first parents got into, no sin is bigger than God's mercy. Let us just do as the psalm tells us today. Let us not lose confidence in a God who forgives all our sins. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

R: Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.

1 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD," and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) 6 For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him. (R) 7 You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.

Several years ago we had the opportunity to take part in a very unique activity in the prayer meeting facilitated by a guest speaker from the Philippines. It was an enjoyable and learning experience for all of us that made us more focused on what Jesus is trying to tell the rich man in today's gospel. The activity was likened to an auction sale but the things on sale are not material things but values that are most important to us. The Values for Auction Sale are the ff.:

1. Integrity & good reputation

2. Gaining respect and recognition in my parish, community, office, etc.

3. Being united with God in heaven

4. Lasting marriage or relationship, loyalty of spouse and family

5. Clean conscience, precious in God's eyes

6. Having someone to love me or take care of me

7. Peace of mind

8. Intimate relationship with God

9. Having plenty of money for my needs and to secure my future

10. Accomplishing my parish projects and witnessing the fruits of my labor

11. Having plenty of friends and/supporters

12. Academic excellence-like advance/special studies locally or abroad

13. Enjoying life comforts-house, car, appliances, provision for night life, etc.

14. Getting higher position in my company, parish, community

15. Good health, free of any chronic disease

16. Making a big difference in the lives of others

17. Long life 

The following statement which is very enlightening came with the speaker's module, "It is our investment in these accounts that our real worth and value is measured before God and humanity. And it is in this measure that our life finds real meaning and purpose. We have to start looking for our wealth. And if we have not invested enough, we still have time. Don't wait until it is too late."

We have to be wise in our investments and willing to make the highest bid, let go of the lower values to lay claim on the higher values and truly benefit from it not just in this temporary life but in eternity. It is not true that God makes it difficult for us to enter heaven rather it is ourselves who make it difficult. When we cling to people and things more than we cling to God then that's when it becomes difficult. We've got to realize by now that nothing is impossible for God and by uniting ourselves to Him we can overcome anything. Instead of focusing on the enormous problems and impossibility of the tasks we are facing it is better to dwell on the truth that we can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength. We've got to surrender everything to God and unite our wills with Him so that what seems to be impossible becomes possible. St. Dominic Sabio said that he would choose death rather than sin. We have to know what helps us to overcome sin in our life. St. Ignatius of Loyola said that we have to retrace the steps that led us to fall into sin and strive to eliminate it. It is in the beginning when sin is easily overcome. We have to attack sin at a point where it can still be easily removed or put to a stop. One more important thing is to avoid occasions of sin. We must not underestimate the effects of original sin. If we play with fire we will get burned. Furthermore, "Curiosity kills more than just cats, it can kill the soul." We have to resist temptation and offer negative resistance but when a temptation is difficult, we offer positive resistance through prayer. We do this by invoking the presence of God in moments of temptation. We can also do the opposite virtue for which we are being tempted. For example we are tempted to hate and despair we make an act of love and hope. If it's an attack to chastity then we direct ourselves to other things. There is a parable about making it is easy to live virtuously. It is about a man who said that there are 2 wolves fighting within us. When asked who won he answered it is the one who we feed the most. We have to feed the good wolf in us through spiritual reading, frequenting the sacraments, spending time in prayer and engaging in healthy spiritual friendships or anything that can inspire and strengthen our character to what virtue is in need of. We’re not Pelagians who believe in the theory that we can be holy by our own strength alone. We need the grace of God. If we know we are lacking in devotion we ask for fervency and a fiery love of God. We should work and develop abhorrence for sin as in hate intensely what God loathes. We should see sin for what it really is. Eve looked upon the fruit and saw that it is pleasing to the eyes. It may have an appeal but it brings destruction. An offense to God is an attack to our own dignity.  Sin is a threat to our union with God because it delays or prevents it. Sin may appeal to us in a very irresistible way but we have to keep in mind that all it can give is just a momentary sort of delight. We need to think of ourselves walking on the edge of a cliff. If we want to strive for holiness and perfection we need to move further away from the cliff so as to increase the distance between us and the cliff and thus prevent falling into sin. It is a difficult task but as the gospel tells us today, "All things are possible for God.” Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 10:17-27

...“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ...“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

TIPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL

The love of God knows no limits. The song, “Hindi Kita Malilimutan” (“I will never forget you” in English) is taken from today’s 1st reading. I am a mother myself and I could not imagine forgetting my infants, (I had 2, now fully grown J) or be without tenderness for them and I couldn’t even come close to being perfect. So every time I hear it and basing from this love I have  for my sons, I just can’t help feeling that gush of emotion coming from the fact that even if a mother forgets and be without tenderness for her baby, God does not forget and does not cease to love us with an immeasurable love. This also reminded me of the dream I had about my mother. It happened several years ago but it is still clearly etched in my mind. I was in a hurry to leave and she just stopped me right there and gave me a tight embrace. It was so real I could almost feel her arms around me and my arms embracing her back. Once again I felt the love and care that my mother used to shower on us when she was still living. This was somehow preempted by what my son, Allan did a week before the dream when all of a sudden he sent me a baby picture of him and his kuya (elder brother). In fact, I still have it in my Yahoo messenger and even made it my profile picture. Every time I look at it, it makes me smile and brings back pleasant memories of the times when I used to care for them when they were still very young. It was also at about the same time when I saw on Facebook Lindsay’s open declaration of her love to her dad (Kuya Babette) who was celebrating his 1^st death anniversary at that time. These related and uniform flow of events happening one after the other steadily built up or triggered feelings and emotions only a loving mother/parent and beloved child can feel. It made me even more aware of the wonderful feeling that makes the bond of a mother/parent and child bring joy to our hearts. What made this experience even more meaningful to me is the fact that this bible verse in today's 1st reading speaks of the same great love of a mother for her child. Though it may seem great and awesome enough, we are still assured of the greatest love ever known. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 49:14-15

14 Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.

We should not be influenced or governed by the manipulations of this world which are the easy come and quick fix deals that most people of our time subscribe to. The psalm reading is very clear in what it is telling us today. Let us choose to do things according to God’s way for He indeed gives back to everyone according to his works. What a consolation it is to know that we have a God whom we can rest our souls. There is no need to fret or worry for God is our safety, the rock of our strength. If we are secured in the love of God then there's nothing we should be afraid of. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R: Rest in God alone, my soul.

1 [2] Only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation. 2 [3] He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all. (R) 5 [6] Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from him comes my hope. 6 [7] He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed. (R) 7 [8] With God is my safety and my glory, he is the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God. 8 [9] Trust in him at all times, O my people! Pour out your hearts before him.

Faith alone doctrine states that justification simply means being "declared righteous" We can not just be declared righteous but instead we have to be made righteous by not continuing to sin. Whenever things become complicated and difficult with the people around us because of differences in opinion and points of view all we need to do is refer to today's 2nd reading. Justification actually means being "made righteous" i.e. it entails the sanctification of his whole being (CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) 1989, 1990, &1995) We are justified not by faith alone nor by works alone. Justification has its stages i.e. initial and progressive. Initial justification takes place at our baptism. We still have a tendency to backslide and during the hour of death is the period of intense spiritual battle over our soul. That is why we need to mature in our faith.  Certainty of salvation which states, "Once saved, always saved." tends to put off our guard if we believe in this. (1 Jn 5:13-14) We should say instead "I know I am saved, still being saved and will continue to be saved." Justification is a life long process as we can read and stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” Another thing I am reminded of is what my mother used to tell me, "Please all and you please none." We can not go on living our lives seeking to gain the admiration and approval of men. We are just setting ourselves for a big disappointment. We only seek to please God. Thus we can learn from Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. He tells us not to make any judgments because we do not know everything. Nothing is final until God says so. It is best that we just rely on God who knows and sees all. We may be in a difficult situation at present or at one time in our life. During this time we can never deny the fact that God sends us direction and guidance. We will never feel lost for He will surely bring all things to light and manifest it in its appointed time. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Brothers and sisters: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; 4 I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.

There is a need to focus on God alone so that we will not be led astray. In everything we do, we have to make sure that we are completely aware of who the real Master of our life is, the God for whom our hearts beat, the motive and reason for our every action and the Light and Shepherd that leads our paths. There is this little piece of doggerel about a sparrow that says to the robin, “Do you really like to know what motivates those foolish mortals as they rush around and worry so? The robin says to the sparrow, “I think that it must be that they have no Heavenly Father such as one that cares for you and me.” We say we believe in God as not some vague deity above the tower but the God of love who took us out of nothingness in love. Who came down and died for us in love. Who sustains us in love. Who has destined us for an eternity of love. Do we really believe in Him? When trouble comes, we wring our hands, we furrow our brows, we get sleepless nights and headaches. In the official thanksgiving of the priest after mass every morning, there is the use of the Canticle of Daniel, when Daniel calls all creation to praise and worship God, the sun, the moon, the stars, the valleys and the hills. Then there is this line that every bird in the sky bless the Lord. There are birds that fly by very often and sometimes one will alight by the window, rustle the leaves of the bushes and peck the glass in the window to remind us that they neither sow nor spin nor gather into barn and our Heavenly Father takes care of them. How much more will He take care of us? I have always loved this passage from today's gospel. Whenever I encounter it I am always reminded of a good friend of mine during my high school days. I just got into College then and was totally unfamiliar of the hardships and difficulties it entailed. This friend always wrote to me words of wisdom that left me with a certain kind of peace and serenity in me. I have always drawn inspiration and strength from it.  It has been like that for as long as I could remember. What has been planted in my heart remained in me from that time on until this present time. As I look back and recall, I know that I would always be grateful to this friend who is already a priest. Thanks, Father Mike Samaniego. What amazes me is the fact that I never knew back then that those words were taken from the bible. It was for quite some time already when I found out. The words of God has proven once more its double edged quality that never fails to cut through the flesh, bone and to the depths of the soul. The gospel for today is also part of the sermon on the mount and contains valuable information on how to be successful in life. This is what Fr. Glenn said in one of his homilies in The Filipino Channel (TFC) He asked the audience, "Do you want to be successful in life?" The answers and tips to this can be found in the gospel today. The first tip is from Mt 6:24. No one can serve 2 masters. According to Biblical literature mammon is described as greed, avarice, excessive materialism and also referred in the New Testament as a false god. Money if used properly is not mammon. The 2nd tip is from Mt. 6:25 which tells us, "Do not worry." Look at the birds in the sky and the wild flowers as written in the gospel. Did you get it? Did you feel it? There's no reason to worry anymore. The 3rd tip is Mt 6:33, "Seek 1st God’s kingdom..." We must look at the Source and Creator and everything will be added unto us. Let's just take the example of the air we breathe. We are not being charged for every breath of air we take. We are God’s children and we belong to God, what God owns we also own. According to Sis Del Vitangcol, we have to serve the real master if we want to become successful. She gave us the acronym UNLAD meaning Unahin Natin Lagi Ang Dios. Unlad in English is progress and its acronym meaning can be translated as, "Always put God first." Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 6:24-34

...“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

BE GROUNDED

We have been wonderfully created by God. This is something that we all so often neglect or sometimes do not realize.  Let us live up to this image that He made us to be and show forth the beauty of God's creation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 17:1-15

God from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him...He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth. 4 He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds. 5 He forms men’s tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart. 6 With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them.

We can never fathom the wisdom of God but we can always remain confident in the truth that His kindness is perfect and everlasting. He makes all things work for good. When we feel so helpless, miserable and alone, never ever doubt that He can't help but be the loving God that He is. God loves us so much that he will adjust to our needs and make things work for good. There is no reason for us to even doubt and hold back anything from the Lord for nothing is too difficult for Him. If we are confident of God's Providence in our lives then nothing should even make us doubt that God is able to redeem us and take us out of misery. God has made known His kindness, mercy and secures justice for all. He knows exactly what we need at the precise moment and brings forth everything in its appointed time. Furthermore, God wanted to take our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. How far is the east from the west? Only God knows. We know that the distance is unfathomable, that’s what the Lord does with our sins. How much does He loves us? We know that His love and mercy is immeasurable. There is really none like our God. And reading part of the psalm reading made me remember the song "Loving and Forgiving". He is our best bet for always and there is no one or nothing else that could or should take first place in our lives more than the Lord. Whenever we receive goodness and kindness from people we meet we are very much delighted and pleased with it. How much more would we feel if we have God's favor resting upon us. There is nothing else better compared to this. We may search long and hard but we can never really find true satisfaction and remain restless unless we have God in our life. We only have to believe in God's kindness and mercy and we will surely see it happen in our life before our very eyes. He is our refuge and strength. To whom can we go but to God alone. The world’s point of view is very contradictory to the message that God wanted us to live by.  We need to pray hard for the desire to always follow what is pleasing before the Lord and not forget that it is what really matters first and foremost. We are so blessed that we did not live during the time when Christians were being persecuted and martyred and what we are enjoying right now are already the benefits of God's marvelous work wrought by His mighty hand. This is why we should stop complaining and just keep our hope if we truly believe that we have a God and Father who is full of kindness and goodness. This reminds me of the prophet Amos. He is a prosperous herdsman/farmer, well educated and traveled. His time (746-786) was an age of prosperity but severely marked with moral decay and spiritual bankruptcy. He experienced a luxurious life, lived in the garrison city a place dominated by people of power and had all the time to study the scriptures. He lived in affluence, belonged and embraced the "clan system/wisdom" which is a guild or crusade to maintain the purity of the tradition of the temple of Jerusalem which houses the "Ark of the Covenant". He saw the evil of excess in Tekoa, he witnessed the "left" (poverty) and the "right" (wealth and affluence) side. Being himself a dresser of the sycamore tree who worked with his people, he also saw the plight and injustice that is existent during that time. His prophetic mission emerged as an offshoot of his kingly and priestly status and was able to go through all these stages making him a good "nabi" hebrew word for prophet. We, too as followers of Jesus should also go through certain stages and fulfill our call or mission to be king, priest and prophet in our own personal lives. What I learned in the bible study about the very relevant and essential Hebrew word "pescher" which means repetitious study, reading and pronunciation of the word of God is a tool to achieve this goal and always be reminded about the goodness and benefits of being a genuine, equipped and well fulfilled follower of Jesus. The God of yesterday, today and forevermore. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 103:13-14, 15-16, 17-18

R: The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, 14 for he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust. (R) 15 Man’s days are like those of grass; like a flower of the field he blooms; 16 the wind sweeps over him and he is gone, and his place knows him no more. (R) 17 But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity to eternity toward those who fear him, and his justice toward children’s children 18 among those who keep his covenant.

If God said so then we should know better than to disobey. Actually this kind of thinking and belief has a tendency to make us react negatively. It's not because obeying God entails a lot of hardships and trials but in truth our human nature is inclined to rebel whenever we are being told by someone of what to do. We sometimes assert our independence in the wrong way. It would help us if we first assess the situation before we react. If somebody not trustworthy or not knowledgeable tells us something it would really benefit us if we just ignore and let the words that our left ear heard just pass through our right ear. We should be careful in dealing with other people and could really help if we lessen our interactions with them. But if our God speaks to us about something then we can never question the credibility of His words because He is a God who knows best. And if we are hoping and looking forward to a life of peace and joy we just better have to take His word for it and be like the children spoken of in the gospel today. Children have the gift to just receive and let their minds go to a place where adults don’t. They have the ability to animate things and have joy. They are always intently listening and receiving. This is the key to having access to the continuous existence of the flow of grace. If we look at the world around us and hear the news of what’s happening then we could lose hope if we listen to everything that’s going on around us. Unless we’re grounded in faith we could not survive it. We should pray that we continue to mature as  Christians. We have always come to mass and witness in the altar what priests are doing all over the world. We have to come into touch with the reality that the Holy Eucharist, the Most Blessed Sacrament is what’s redeeming the world. The world is fragile and unstable. We need to be around this table in the altar for constant infusion of God’s life and grace. This is our life, destiny and future. We need to be grounded in this truth and be able to say that we are stable in our relationship with God. We need to have a conviction in this world that the Lord is present to us in the altars of sacrifice. The Lord Himself established this act of worship that contains incredible power. We need to be grounded to our faith in the Eucharist and truly enter completely for us to be nourished and strengthened. It should not become just an act of routine. If this happens then this could be very sad and empty of its true meaning. Being grounded to the truth of the Eucharist could really change our faith and belief and therefore bring forth change in our lives. We always go to mass but our act of worship in the Eucharist table should change us for the better. We have to believe that the Lord is working in our lives whenever we come to receive the Eucharist. This should be firmly based on the stability of the truth that God is really present for us. It is like when we run in the sand and mud, we become unsteady because it is unstable, our feet can sink. We need stability in order to stand. We need a firm ground to walk on and find something to anchor ourselves to. We look at a child's heart that is fully grounded. We need to follow its example so that no matter what we see in our experiences, the trials and the tests, if we’re grounded and stable we can always surrender our life to God and live in peace. We have to be firmly grounded on the truth of the Lord's presence in the Eucharist in order for a fountain of joy and excitement to burst forth from us. This is in the knowledge that something new is going to happen each time we receive Him in the Eucharist. Let us pray that we be like children and utilize our inventive hearts so as to enter into an act of worship and believe.  We are always confronted with the greatest temptation of not entering into the act of worship and know in our hearts and minds that God is present completely in this Most Blessed Sacrament.  We have to develop this attitude that the Eucharist is indispensable and what’s most real and powerful for us. We need to be able to say that this is what matters most to us. In doing so we can make decisions that needs to be done and say, "Here I am Lord here is what I’ve done help me to be better tomorrow." Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

We should value our friends with all our hearts. They are God's gifts to us. It is through them that we feel the love of God for us. A true and faithful friend is the manifestation of God's friendship for us. Praise and thank God for such friends that He brings to our life. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 6:5-17

...A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. 15 A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. 16 A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; 17 for he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.

“Don't trust too much, don't love too much, don't care too much because that "too much" wiil hurt you so much...” This is a quotation I came across on Facebook. It somehow answers the part where we have to hurt so much. We use our mind to sort out what is true. God has given us the intellect, will, passions and emotions. Sometimes our emotions lead and carry us away in the search and to discern the truth. Our mind can seek the truth and our will can choose the truth freely. After the fall of our 1^st parents, even if we know what is right we have been infected by the malice of the world and our will have become weakened. Our emotions play a big role in our will. This is why it should be properly directed. Our emotions go up and down and it is not the proper gauge. Some relationships should not just be built upon a bunch of good feelings. It is a very dangerous basis for love. We need to ask the question of truth and get a hold of our emotions so that we can put our relationships in proper perspective. There are so many things that we are worried about but only one thing is needed and we have to be sure that we pick the best option. We need not confuse ourselves by even considering the options that the world enticingly and seductively present to us. Does this song sound familiar? "Gusto kong bumait pero di ko magawa." (I’d like to be good but I just can’t) Because we are still in this world and its laws  dominate  us it  is  indeed  hard  to  serve the  law of  God.  But we are constantly reminded  that  if  we   only  make a stand  on which side we are then God will deliver us. There is only one thing needed and we have to choose the best part. We have to do things according to God's statutes and precepts which is the only sure way to live a happy and abundant life first here on earth and then for eternity.  There is one thing we need to do. Let us always focus on Jesus and follow the example He has left for us to live by. What a friend we have in Jesus. He is never amiss on anything. Let us not hesitate to reach out to Him for in Him we find a true friend who is ready to help us. If we come to Him at all times for guidance and direction, He will always be there to take our hand and lead us to the right path. The Lord knows exactly what's in our hearts. There are times when people judge us based only on what they see but what matters most is that we are right before God. The truth is that we ought to realize by now that only God can deliver us from all evil and there is no one else to whom we can go but to Him. The Lord has promised and He will fulfill. This should give us so much joy and peace in knowing this. There is no doubt that God in His goodness surely sheds light, giving understanding to the simple in times of affliction. We need to always hold on to God at all times and never lose hope in Him. We just got to hold on tight! No matter what happen let us always keep in mind that God fulfills all His promises. It may not be right away and could be later but He will surely reveal things in His most perfect time. We've got to realize that there is no love greater than the love God is offering us. We need to make sure that what we sought and yearn for, is what should bring us genuine riches, true delight and the most precious treasure which the world can not give and only God can bring about. Just imagine ourselves walking in the dark without knowing what we are stepping on and where we are headed. It is very difficult there is no doubt about it. We need light to guide our steps and show the way. We have to realize that loving God means obeying with all our heart. Have you experienced waking up or going to bed at the same time everyday? It's because of the circadian clock or the rhythmic biological cycles that happen or recurring everyday in us. Let us pray to God that we develop in ourselves an instinct and discipline to naturally follow His commands like the circadian clock. The time to act is now. Let us seize every opportunity to know the Word of God while we still can.

1. Do we see God as the Primary agent?
God is the Primary Agent of Evangelization. It is not about us but about God.
2. Do we see Evangelization as everyone's responsibility?
We must not end up like the Dead Sea that just received water but did not give out. The same thing happens to us when we do not take the responsibility of evangelization as our own. We have to work on improving our skills for the work of God.
3. Do we communicate God's love?
4. Is total human betterment part of the ministry?
5. Do we respect other traditions?
God does not take sides. There is an equal opportunity for all but we have to make sure that we are on God's side. We need to rid ourselves of any triumphant or arrogant attitude towards people of other faith. The Abrahamic religion has a common denominator which is belief in God. We are not the sole professor of truth. We need to listen for God's revelation from others, too not only from us.
6. Does our love go beyond Catholic borders?
The kingdom of God is older and a broader reality than the Catholic Church. We need to live a humble life and forgive each other.
7. Is our approach ecumenical?
We do not have the monopoly of God because the Good News has no border and dealt with a common faith.
8. Do we use all available media?
The best media is our own life, no need for TV. The example of how we live our life is the best means to evangelize. Walk the talk.
9. Do we fully utilize existing groups like ministries that renew and energize members?
10. What is our total image?
We've got to maintain a wholesome image unlike the Crusaders, though they were able to convert many to the faith, the spread of the Good News was carried out using the sword. We must take extra care in projecting the right image as Good Messengers of the Good News. We can't just take one passage and take it as a whole, we have to consider the entire scriptures. It must be read within the living tradition of the Church. It is written in the Church's heart in the very essence of who Jesus is. The analogy of faith and inner harmony should co-exist and take all of them together as a unity. To take just one part of the truth and depend solely on it for everything else to unravel would end up in heresy and find ourselves outside the truth. The depository of faith is entrusted by the apostles to the whole of the Magisterium of the Church. This task of giving an authentic teaching of the depository of the faith is given to the living successors of Peter who is the Pope and the Bishops in our Catholic Church. We must have the guidance of the Holy Spirit with the Magisterium of the Church. If the Church is not a Divine institution it would have crashed 2000 yrs ago. Living tradition and sacred scriptures are the means to transmit the faith. We need to know this to understand how God's plan works through things revealed by God to us and recalled by faith.

Another interesting event I am reminded of is one of the MI (Militia Immaculata) Meetings we had in the past  wherein we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly by saying our names, parishes where we belong and the time when we were consecrated to the Mother Mary. I can never forget the date I was consecrated (March 15, 2008) since it was the same date, but in 1995, of my mother's death anniversary but I would rather call it her birth to eternal life. It was highlighted by another significant event which was a dream I had at that same time of my aunt, Tita Edna who also passed away on the same month, March 24 in the year 1992. The dream was quite interesting and very vivid because I saw Tita Edna  riding in a van and the moment I saw her I took off immediately and ran after the van which I almost missed if I did not leap and managed to make it to the door of the van from which I almost fell. When I finally made it inside the van, I saw that she was about to eat so I offered her a hand sanitizer and saw that it made her so glad that I had it. She immediately applied it in her hands and thanked me for it. It suddenly gave me the impression that the van could be a symbol of our transportation to heaven. It is very difficult to catch that ride, we have to be always alert and vigilant we might end up missing it and worst never be able catch the ride ever again. That is, if we are too busy with other things we tend to neglect what should we be paying attention to and end up missing out on our ride and get a different ride which instead of bringing us to heaven, be brought to another destination which I guess none of us would like to be. We must always know on whose authority we are basing our actions. It will always help to examine ourselves and really be aware where our loyalty lies. Are we for God or against God or are we just for God in the superficial sense?  If we are deeply rooted in Him then we can withstand that horrible day of trial  and still find ourselves persevering in our faith. Just the thought of ending up in hell should really make us pray fervently to God.  Today's psalm teaches us the way to always be attuned to God's Spirit in order for us to truly see the word of God, as the light shining like a lamp for our feet. If we really want to be truly happy then there is just one thing we have to always do that is to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord. We can never run away from the probing eyes of God because nothing is hidden from Him. We sometimes have this impression that our God requires impossibilities from us. We misinterpret and take things in a different way whenever we hear of rules and regulations to be followed. The decrees of our Lord are not meant to make things difficult for us nor do they burden or tie us down. This is the deception and we should start looking at it the right way. Just imagine life without God's decrees to guide us, it would be very disorderly and chaotic. It's like driving in the freeway wherein one can just go his or her own way without any regard for any traffic rules and regulations. Real freedom is the ability to follow God and being totally free of the grasp and hold of sin that brings death. Some sins bring instant death but others just like cancer slowly creep in and before we know it has already eaten us up whole.  God loves us so much that He has given us His decrees because it is in following them that we become totally free and live. The only way to true freedom is by following God's commands. In doing this we become free of the bondage of sin and live a power filled life based on the Truth. We should believe that if there is someone in and out of this world who is most reasonable, just, fair and at the same time loving, caring, slow to anger and rich in kindness that is no other than our God. One thing for sure, if He requires us something, He will definitely equip us for it because it is written, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If we commit ourselves to following God then we will surely be blessed. Allow me to use the word "luck" or "swerte" in Tagalog in lieu of any other more appropriate word like blessed or pinagpala in Tagalog since I have always been hearing this word being used very often by some people in reference to certain situations within the broad context of this word. I just couldn't help but share it, first and foremost due to some personal circumstances. We often hear people say to another who is about to embark on something challenging, “good luck” If the word luck may have been associated with whatever negative meaning then consider it excluded from here and out of context for the mean time. Let's just say we would like to broaden the scope of our vocabulary. This is to further drive the point or message in today's psalm and is actually the catch here. This is to come up with an induction that following the law of the Lord is just as synonymous to being blessed, lucky, swerte or pinagpala or any other word that we could closely associate with this. It is not very easy to lead a life like that of the saints who followed the example of Jesus. Ignorance is not an excuse. We should always seek to enrich our knowledge about God so that we will continuously grow in our faith. Our world is ever changing with all the new technology coming up, it's so surprising that whatever is considered the latest and gold standard today may not hold true the following day. If there's one thing we should rely and hold on to in this very dynamic world of ours, then it should be something constant and enduring.  It gives us great consolation that we have a God who is true to His word. We may have heard it but we haven't learned yet. It is a lifelong journey and quest to know God better. Nothing can be more rewarding than having great peace in our lives. We can make this possible by adhering to God’s law and committing to following it in word and deed. It will always be well for us to consult the scriptures that shed light and give understanding. We've got to make sure that what we sought and yearn for, is what should bring us genuine riches, true delight and the most precious treasure which the world can not give and only God can bring about. It is only right that we follow the law of the Lord if we are really for God then our works should follow us and testify to who we really are. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35

R: Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes. (R) 16 In your statutes I will delight; I will not forget your words. (R) 18 Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law. (R) 27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds. (R) 34 Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. (R) 35 Lead me in the path of your commands, for in it I delight.

God's laws and commands are always perfect. There is no doubt about it. We just have to follow what He tells us to do and we will see as we go about with our lives that there is no other way we would rather have it. There are times when we question and wanted to have things our way but there is no other way. We'll just have to trust God no matter how difficult things may seem to be for in the end we will see that only Jesus can make all things beautiful. We should trust not ourselves but rather trust Him for He is most able to do it. If God said so then we should know better than to disobey. Actually this kind of thinking and belief has a tendency to make us react negatively. It's not because obeying God entails a lot of hardships and trials but in truth our human nature is inclined to rebel whenever we are being told by someone of what to do. We sometimes assert our independence in the wrong way. It would help us if we first assess the situation before we react. If somebody not trustworthy or not knowledgeable tells us something it would really benefit us if we just ignore and let the words that our left ear heard just pass through our right ear. We should be careful in dealing with other people and could really help if we lessen our interactions with them. But if our God speaks to us about something then we can never question the credibility of His words because He is a God who knows best. And if we are hoping and looking forward to a life of peace and joy we just better have to take His word for it and be like the children. Children have the gift to just receive and let their minds go to a place where adults don’t. They have the ability to animate things and have joy. They are always intently listening and receiving. This is the key to having access to the continuous existence of the flow of grace. If we look at the world around us and hear the news of what’s happening then we could lose hope if we listen to everything that’s going on around us. Unless we’re grounded in faith we could not survive it. We should pray that we continue to mature as Christians. We have always come to mass and witness in the altar what priests are doing all over the world. We have to come into touch with the reality that the Holy Eucharist, the Most Blessed Sacrament is what’s redeeming the world. The world is fragile and unstable. We need to be around this table in the altar for constant infusion of God’s life and grace. This is our life, destiny and future. We need to be grounded in this truth and be able to say that we are stable in our relationship with God. We need to have a conviction in this world that the Lord is present to us in the altars of sacrifice. The Lord Himself established this act of worship that contains incredible power. We need to be grounded to our faith in the Eucharist and truly enter completely for us to be nourished and strengthened. It should not become just an act of routine. If this happens then this could be very sad and empty of its true meaning. Being grounded to the truth of the Eucharist could really change our faith and belief and therefore bring forth change in our lives. We always go to mass but our act of worship in the Eucharist table should change us for the better. We have to believe that the Lord is working in our lives whenever we come to receive the Eucharist. This should be firmly based on the stability of the truth that God is really present for us. It is like when we run in the sand and mud, we become unsteady because it is unstable, our feet can sink. We need stability in order to stand. We need a firm ground to walk on and find something to anchor ourselves to. We look at a child's heart that is fully grounded. We need to follow its example so that no matter what we see in our experiences, the trials and the tests, if we’re grounded and stable we can always surrender our life to God and live in peace. We have to be firmly grounded on the truth of the Lord's presence in the Eucharist in order for a fountain of joy and excitement to burst forth from us. This is in the knowledge that something new is going to happen each time we receive Him in the Eucharist. Let us pray that we be like children and utilize our inventive hearts so as to enter into an act of worship and believe.  We are always confronted with the greatest temptation of not entering into the act of worship and know in our hearts and minds that God is present completely in this Most Blessed Sacrament.  We have to develop this attitude that the Eucharist is indispensable and what’s most real and powerful for us. We need to be able to say that this is what matters most to us. In doing so we can make decisions that needs to be done and say, "Here I am Lord here is what I’ve done help me to be better tomorrow." Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 10:1-12

...“Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” …

THE DIFFERENCE

Today's readings are a truckload of advice and information that we can all benefit from as Christians. God never falls short of reminding us and teaching us of the things we need to know and do. This reminds me of the 10^th commandment which forbids covetousness and the motivation is greed. It is the desire for too much like greed for money, power and things. Envy or desire for what belongs to others is the only kind of sin that does not give any pleasure. We need to develop an attitude to rejoice in the success of others knowing that God will provide for all our needs. But we have to make a distinction between our needs and wants. The truth is we can never say that God failed to do His part. His ways are all perfect, it is in our part that we have to work on and make perfect through His grace. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 5:1-8

1 Rely not on your wealth; say not: “I have the power.” 2 Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. 3 Say not: “Who can prevail against me?” for the LORD will exact the punishment. 4 Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?” for the LORD bides his time. 5 Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. 6 Say not: “Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.” 7 For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath. 8 Delay not your conversion to the LORD, put it not off from day to day.

Today’s psalm brought back memories of what I witnessed on television in 2010 when miners in Chile had to be rescued in a mine. Nobody would ever want to be trapped in a dark mine that is 2000 feet below. What caught my attention was the fact that although some of them had been rescued and brought up to the light they were still prevented from exposing their eyes to the light and were given dark shades to wear to protect them. This is what happens when we dare to step into the darkness and stay there too long we adapt to it and wanting to go back to the light instantly could be harmful. Let us not be led into the dark and imbibe it for too long that we find it difficult to adapt to light. Until now, we have no idea who we are and still in a conflict. Look at the things we do and engage in. This is because we don’t understand who we are. We will be judged by God according to our behavior. We should have God in the core of our identity. What builds our confidence? Think about it. This same reason should apply in our relationship with God. If we know and are aware of how we look right before God, then we should have the confidence of a beloved child of the God most high. How can we not be, knowing that we are covered by the most precious blood of His Son Jesus who took all our sins and died on the cross for our sake then we should be the most confident person of all. Remember, we have the composure of a child of God.  Nothing should stop us from behaving in the way He has meant us to be, lifted up on a pedestal as His very dear children. Today's psalm tells us that if we follow the Lord we will not be in darkness and will have the light of life. God is true to His word and we can always hold on to it more than we can hold to our life. Just like any person striving to maintain a good standing in any aspect of life there are some rules to be followed. People nowadays have become increasingly divided, there are the poor and the wealthy and sometimes we see the not so good, arrogant, bad people cheat in order to get money and get away with it. We must always have this hope in God and not be tempted by the evildoers of their taunting that despite the goodness we do we are not getting anything out of our sacrifices. God knows the private conversations and thoughts and He exposes them and records everything. The idea that we can get away with anything we do is not a good idea. God knows our words, thoughts and deeds. Fear of the Lord in a positive way is one of the greatest virtues as in the book of Wisdom. It is stated that it is the beginning of wisdom if it is paralleled with trust that we will not be put to shame. Those wicked people who think that they have a lot of money, power, disobey God and don't use their resources in accordance to God's will can be compared to chaff that can easily be burned. If we have the right relationship with God then we too can be exposed to the heat of God's love like the sun that can make things go on fire but instead of burning becomes a source of healing like the rays of light shown in a monstrance which symbolizes being in God's presence. We should never lose hope nor fall into despair. Whenever we sin, we must not just acknowledge it. The lesson we always have to remember is to have humility to approach Christ as we acknowledge our sins. This should remind us of Peter and Judas, they both sinned and acknowledged it. Peter wept bitterly after denying Jesus 3x while Judas threw away the silver coins that were paid to him. The difference lies in the fact that Peter as the scriptures say, when he wept, looked at Jesus with a heart, humble and contrite, which God would not despise and ran to Mary. While Judas, fell into despair and hanged himself. Thus we remember these things and always run to God with humility and also to Mary, the mother of Christ who will obtain for us true contrition. There is really a need for God's people to always be connected to Him in order to survive whatever is going on at present and what is to come. We've got to always keep ourselves motivated to do all in our power for the glory of God. All other things fade in the background and should not get our attentions any more than we ought to believe that God is our only hope. We may have started at the peak but as time goes by we may have started to lag or worse go on a downward path. Or could have started off but never worked our way up then it's time we get things straight and be focused so as not to lose sight of the unsurpassed and unfading trophy and blessing that await those who are victorious in the Lord. Today’s psalm continues to give us the guidelines we need to live by to truly prosper in the Lord. God assures us that even though life may bring us so many heartaches and pains we can still stand firm and hope that we will have the light of life if we will persevere, not waver nor falter in following the Lord. Let us choose to live in the light rather than stay in the dark.  God gave us the freedom to choose let us hope and pray that we are always inclined to do the will of God in our lives to carry out His plan of prosperity in our life. It has been impressed to me that God has already given us the gift, all we have to do is open it and use it as intended to serve its purpose. Sometimes we remain stubborn in our old ways we don't realize that everything is just within our reach, it's just a matter of committing and deciding what is right before God. We all know that life becomes difficult when it comes to commitments and making decisions but it will always be worth it after all the hard work as implied in the psalm reading. It doesn't matter who or what we are, whether young or grown up, God will always find a way to bless us in various ways. We just have to open ourselves to Him and always draw near to Him and never stray away from His side. The scriptures say it all. We need not hesitate, stall, delay nor look for anything else further but just follow what the scriptures tell us to do. In fact the bible has an acronym which stands for (B) Basic (I) Instructions (B) Before (L) Leaving (E) Earth. Another thing I am reminded of is my son Jude when he was just a little boy aged 6. When my mother was hospitalized I was the one taking care of her during the day and my brother who is the eldest is the one who slept in the hospital at night and stayed by her bedside. When she died we were both not by her side or no one for that matter because she was brought to a different room for removal of water in her lungs and also the time when my brother and I had changed shift. I just arrived home coming from the hospital and had no thought whatsoever that my mother already passed away. I was in complete denial of the fact that she would be leaving us soon during that time, I had always hoped for a miracle and extension of her life although my mother kept on telling us back then that she is ready to go anytime. I could never forget when I was just entering our home, my son Jude suddenly came up to me while holding a bible in his hand and opened a page in front of me with a picture of a tree beside a river and animals grazing on the land. What my son told me was this, "Nanay (Mother) let’s do a bible study." Since I was so tired, I got the bible from him closed it and told him that we'll do it later. But he was persistent he opened the bible again and lo and behold saw the same picture and page that he showed me a few seconds ago. He did it again for the 3rd time and the same page in the bible was showing up. Because of that I was prompted to finally give in to his persistence and read the bible passage underneath the picture. It was exactly the same message in today's psalm reading. After reading it something in me prompted me to say to him that her grandmother is already healed and will soon be coming home to us from the hospital. This is without knowing yet that it was the same time too when she passed away. Later on I realized that it was God's way of telling us that indeed my mother is healed and has gone home although not to our earthly house but to a place of eternal rest and perpetual light, in paradise. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. (R) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

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. 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 9:41-50

41 Jesus said to his disciples: “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] 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] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 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.”