BE THE DREAMER

 The story of Joseph the Dreamer has become an inspiration to Christians throughout generations. It has been told from age to age for it displayed the power of God in people who remained faithful and proved themselves true to God against all odds.  It tells us of God's wonderful plan for Joseph who despite of the harsh blows and unfortunate events that happened in his life remained steadfast in his faith in God. What could be worse than being hated by his own brothers in flesh and blood to the point of wishing him dead. No matter how hard and difficult the path he had to go through, God was in it every step of the way and made it sure that his dreams all came to pass. Amen. Hallelujah!

Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic. When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him... They noticed him from a distance, and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another: “Here comes that master dreamer! 20 Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here; we could say that a wild beast devoured him. We shall then see what comes of his dreams.”

There is a lot to learn from the life of Joseph especially the part when he kept on with his faith in God when he became a slave and was almost driven to despair when he was tormented by a lot of trials during that time. All we need to keep in mind is that our time will come and all we have to do is just continue to trust God in His goodness and mercy and never let go of our faith. Just imagine what Joseph had to go through. We will never know of the physical torture and demand of being a slave nowadays. Thanks to God that slaves are already a thing of the past and no longer existent in today's world. But more than anything else is the mental torture of the fact that he was well loved by his father and would have not been in this kind of situation if his brothers had not done such a horrible and unfair thing to him. If it were us and not Joseph who had fallen into this kind of fate we could have responded and reacted to this situation differently. Are these words familiar to us? I do not deserve to be treated this way. I did not do anything bad for God to punish me like this, as if God is a tyrant that is ready to strike us with every wrong move. Why me and not the others who are a lot more sinful than I am. And all these kind of things that we say without much thought. If we are to look at the life of Joseph very closely we would discover that he never let go of his faith in God despite the seemingly desperate and hopeless situation he went through. He remained firm in his faith and continued to trust in the word of the Lord. Joseph was tested and found to be true. In our own lives, we too are called to prove ourselves worthy before the Lord in order for all of the blessings to flow freely without any block or hindrance. We don't expect a mango fruit if we planted a banana tree. It is pretty much the same with our lives. If we strive to live up to the expectations of a child of the Lord by giving Him honor and praise then we will surely be not disappointed with the outcome. For God inhabits the praises of His people. Although we have a tendency to forget or become out of focus since we are surrounded in this world we are in by elements most especially the physical ones that make us more inclined to pursue worldly things. We become sidetracked or worse completely off track of the path where God is leading us. Let us live every single day of our life conscious of the wonderful truth that we are God's people and He has made a covenant with us. Almost everybody knows this famous Christian song from kindergarten, “Father Abraham has many children, some of them are small, some of them are tall, all of them are beautiful...” We remain beautiful as long as we keep God's covenant and remain obedient and faithful to God. He is the reason for everything and the source of all good things. Sometimes morbid thoughts enter into our mind and immediately we'd think that it is always the devil who does it but whether it is true or not this thought could be a wake up call and reminder that in worst case scenarios or life and death situations there is always a God ready to help us at any time. All we have to do is call on Him. It is indeed good advice to always look intently on God and find all the joys waiting for us. There is really no doubt that we need to further explore, know and understand about our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him and recall His goodness. Jesus' name is undeniably powerful and beyond measure. Its worth is more than all the riches we can gain in this world. There is really nothing we can find even if we search far and wide, high and low more than what the Lord can offer.

We could go on and on with so many options we are confronted with daily in our lives. There is an endless list of "To Do Things" but what comes first and last is always dependent on our priorities. In deciding on our priorities we have to always involve God in all the things happening around us. We would  be so glad to discover that as we place Him in the center of our heart, body and soul He never fails in guiding and directing us. If we live by the word of God which is perfect and remains forever then nothing could go wrong. Our hearts will abound with joy and gladness. There is indeed great power in the name of Jesus. He is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. Every single day we are confronted with so many challenges in life and we have to be always hopeful that the fulfillment of everything that we have been praying for has come. We should believe that whatever delays or setbacks we are encountering serve as lessons to be learned that benefit our spiritual journey with Jesus. There is a need to go through the different seasons throughout the year for there is indeed a time and a season for everything. Thus, we all go through different situations and circumstances in life. Some of them do not make any sense if we fail to acknowledge the power of God moving in it. There are numerous things that we can think, focus and decide on but there’s only one thing I am sure of. We’ve got to acknowledge that despite of it all God’s power remains to be above all things no matter what it may seem to be. We should always keep in mind all the wonderful things He has done for us. The Lord will never forsake nor abandon us. In the midst of all the turmoil we inevitably face in our daily lives may we remain hopeful in the Lord who is Almighty, provides for all means and prevails now and forever. Whenever we experience difficulties in life we tend to question God right away and somehow blame Him for what came upon us. Sometimes we come to a point in our lives when we tend to question the will of God in our lives. I have plans and you have plans but sometimes things do not fall into place and ask why things happened the way it did and not the way we planned and expected. We just need to always remember the marvels the Lord has done and always hold on to it. If we live by the word of God which is perfect and remains forever then nothing could go wrong. Our hearts will abound with joy and gladness as we further explore, know and understand about our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him, recall His goodness, keep our spirits up and make our hearts rejoice like what today's psalm is telling us about. There is really nothing we can find even if we search far and wide, high and low more than what the Lord can offer. We may have experienced a situation in our life when we encountered a lot of trials and difficulties. Just when we're about to give up and lose hope, suddenly we came across a particular incident or inspiration that perfectly fits or matches our specific problem which gave us this hope and feeling that God knows exactly what we're going through and promises to see us through it. The Lord is telling us is in today's psalm and assures us that He remembers what He has promised and will surely bring about what He said to us that He would do. If God remembers, so must we. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R: Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Then he called down a famine on the land, destroyed the grain that sustained them.

He had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, sold as a slave.  (R) 18 They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains, 19 till his prediction came to pass and the word of the LORD proved him true. The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him lord over his palace, ruler over all his possessions,...

If we feel that we've been going through tough times, feeling rejected and we are already down on our knees then we need not despair for Jesus Himself stated in one part of the Gospels: “When the world hates you, realize that it hated me before you.” Let us persevere and not lose hope and be the people of God that can lay claim on His legacy and inheritance.  If we continue to live our lives without much care and attention to the building up of God's kingdom here on earth then we might end up forfeiting the benefits that is rightfully ours. We may not be fully aware of it but what we are doing right now may be rejecting God in our lives since we can easily be distracted and fooled by the false values and practicalities of this world. An example that came to my mind was during the grand draw of winners for a raffle in my previous place of work. Whenever a winner's name is called and the person was not present to claim the price then he/she lost the chance of claiming the prize. Lord, we pray that we may be always guided and led to bearing the fruits of your Holy Spirit and not lose the gift of God's Kingdom. May we always respond and be ever present to answer God's call. Let us not forfeit what is rightfully ours and end up empty handed. Seize the opportunity right now and right here which is right before us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
...Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’? 43 Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit...

HEAVEN RULES

 Men and women are always trying to unravel the secrets of how to look young and stay healthy. Scientists are working doubly hard to discover something that will reverse or arrest the aging process or find cure for certain illnesses and diseases. If the question is how to stay fresh amidst the harsh conditions we are in and still bear fruit, look no further for the answer is in today's 1st reading although it also contains a very unpopular part of Jeremiah’s prophecy. Everything we need has always been provided for by the Lord and all we have to do is follow His instructions to us. It is just right and proper that we constantly consult the word of God in order for us to not be led astray. The battle between good and evil is on and does not rest so we all need to always be vigilant and mindful of our every action. It will always depend on our choices, the enemy can only suggest but we are the ones who will ultimately decide and we always have a choice. It's up to us which ones we choose so we should choose the best part. In today’s 1st reading Jeremiah deals with the situation of the people of Jerusalem being divided into different camps. The cursed trust in human beings because they trust in the King of Egypt to save them from the king of Babylon. Jeremiah warns them to obey the law and stay out of any alliances with the King of Egypt but they don’t want to listen. They switched alliances on a regular basis. He told them that to trust in humans is their own doom but blessed is the man whose trust is in the Lord. This trust and hope can give life in the presence of difficulties. At that time Israel is in a real threat in the presence of Babylon but it is trust in the Lord that gives life. This applies not only in the time of Jeremiah but also to us. If we trust in human enterprises in the midst of the problems in our modern world despite the comforts and ease we enjoy today then we are doomed. We still have problems no matter how well developed a country can be there is the problem of nature. It affects their enterprises and can’t control nature like earthquakes and tornadoes. They need to do the best just as we too need to do the best we can with the gifts of the modern world but most of all is to trust in the Lord. We don’t accommodate ourselves to the culture instead we should be putting our trust in what God has revealed.  The curse is on us if we keep on putting our trust in human beings instead of what God has revealed in what’s right and wrong. God alone can probe the mind and test the heart. We should not look at the exterior. Even Jesus warned us not to judge one another. But we should never be afraid to call sin for what it is, that’s part of the good sense. God makes it clear what a person deserves. All we can do is see the outside behavior and know that what is bad is bad. We should never be afraid to say that those are wicked things but we’re not supposed to say that the person is going to hell. What we should worry about is if we’re going to hell or heaven since it is difficult enough to probe our own hearts let alone probe others. God probes our hearts but He gives us guidelines as Jeremiah tells us today. We sometimes encounter different scenarios in life that we thought we are totally unfamiliar of and had no idea what to do. We succumb to the difficulty of the situation and feel helpless without realizing that God has been showing us a very familiar scenario in our life like a door that has always been there and open for us to always enter. We thought that each situation is different but it's not. And as the 1st reading tells us, even though the heat comes as in the year of drought we need not be distressed. When we are confronted with what seems to be dauntingly unfamiliar then we are totally wrong because each and every situation in our life rings a bell. We should be aware of the truth that we may not remember always but that doesn't change the fact that we've been on that path before. A path no matter how unfamiliar it may seem, is paved by God for us. Our passion for God disappears when we doubt that God loves us. We have to make an effort to really believe that we receive His love daily. Loneliness hinders us from receiving God’s love. We sometimes become too secretive due to our fear of rejection. We make it a point to choose our friends and avoid focusing too much on criticism. It is not being proud if we parade our harvest  in order to remind ourselves that our work is not in vain. We have to be positive that God is using some problems in order for us to see His glory. The following things are also fire extinguishers of our relationship with God. Long standing conflicts and tough love sometimes it is better to err in the side of mercy than err in the side of justice. In Psalm 145:8 it is written, The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. We have to simplify our life and make Jesus the center. We have to know what is God’s direction in our life. Fear of the unfamiliar and the uncomfortable tends to limit what God can do in our lives. We need to expand everyday. It is important to strive daily to commune with the Lord, pray, read scriptures and go to mass.  Someday we will be tempted to give up our relationship with God. What are we going to do when we fall? We should go to confession, be reconciled to God and repent. Sin sucks out the joy in our relationship with God. Here are some guide questions to keep ourselves on fire for the Lord. Identify our top 3 fire extinguishers that are affecting our relationship and passion for God and why? How would we overcome this and grow deeper in our relationship with God? A disciples transforms his/her past for God’s purposes. God uses all our past experiences for us to attain the kingdom of God. We should obey God and be willing to live in the edge and take risks. This makes all the difference. If we look into the premise that God is constant then all other variables depend solely on God whom we can always count on. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.

He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth...Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. 8 He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. 9 More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? 10 I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.

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.

Today’s parable may make us want to think of the parable of the Prodigal Son because he got his inheritance but lost everything. He became impoverished but he repented. The parable in the gospel today is about a rich man who is not named and the poor man named Lazarus. His name means God is his help despite the catastrophe for him who is impoverished and sick. The rich man did not do anything particularly bad to Lazarus. He didn’t kick him nor did he steal money from him but he committed the sin of neglect when he had plenty. For that he ends up condemned and God judges him to be worthy of the flame while Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham for having suffered with God as his help. He trusted and hoped in God. The emphasis is on the fact that we will be held accountable for all our actions and also for our failure to act and do the good we ought to have done. Abraham said that the rich man received what was good during his lifetime but failed to respond accordingly to the blessing he was entrusted with. Lazarus was right in front of his door but he did not see the opportunity to share his blessing to him. It was not stated in the story that the rich man did evil things. We have to look into this very carefully. Sometimes it is not what we did wrong that will make us deserve hell but what we failed to do. Let us not miss out on these things while we still have time before it gets too late just like what happened to the rich man. His firm and determined effort for resolution was useless because he already came to a point of no return. May we not find ourselves in the same situation as the rich man when nothing else can be done. While there is still time we should act now and not delay. When this time comes for us, may we find ourselves in the same position of Lazarus, a place of comfort. It’s interesting that the rich man is burning in hell and still trying to give orders by saying, tell Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. Notice that he still doesn’t call him by name the second time when he asked to send him to their father’s house, for he has five brothers, so that they may be warned. He is still trying to run things on his own.  Hell does not rule in heaven. There is no authority as Abraham said a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing. He further reminded him they have Moses and the prophets and have plenty of warnings with the commandments, in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. We are shown how important it is to share with those who are poor. This is something very important. When the rich man insisted that it’s not enough because they need someone from the dead to tell them, it is also for us to realize that Jesus already came back from the dead. In the creed every Sunday we say we believe in the Holy Spirit who has spoken through the prophets. We trust that the Lord spoke through the prophets and still speak to us in the old and the new testaments. We will be amazed at how the Lord calls us away from the judgment as He infinitely do for He does want to send us all to heaven. Most of us want to go to heaven but God wants us there infinitely more. He gives us the means in the scriptures and the sacraments in the church where we belong. We trust in the Lord as Jeremiah said that He will bring us to heaven as we follow His ways, read scriptures and receive the sacraments so as to make it to that heavenly way to the heavenly joy. The gospel also reminded me of my commitment to always pray for the holy souls in purgatory and the faithful departed. As Christian Catholics we believe that we the living are all members of the Church Militant while those who have departed and passed away and are still undergoing a process of purification are the Church Suffering and those who already in perfect union with God are the Church triumphant. We are all part of the Church, the body of Christ. It is only right that we work altogether for our good and the good of all His Church. Whatever we are going through let us always offer it to God in prayers for nothing is ever wasted as pictured by the gospel story today. It also prompts me to always be mindful of not only the cares and concerns of this present life but most especially of the life thereafter that awaits those who will faithfully respond to the greatest gift that Jesus gave us. Let us take advantage of every situation in our life today to work for our ultimate goals knowing that we are bound for greater things and we are just temporary residents here on earth and we ought to focus on the permanent and everlasting. We always see these words of Jesus in the gospel, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” As the Apostle Paul says, “On behalf of Christ, we are acting as ambassadors and appealing that you return to God.” God is appealing to us to be reconciled to Him through Christ. What could be done so that God is pleased with us rather than angry at us? Who can have qualms about God's mercy if we seriously return to Him? He will certainly welcome those who return as the Loving Father to His prodigal son. We are free to sin but later on must pay the heaviest penalty of the consequences of sin. When we have returned to God how can we can continue receiving His forgiveness and remain His friends, sons and daughters. What does He asks of us? Nothing except that we keep His commandments. The Apostle John explains that His commandments are not burdensome, if it is to us how much more are the torments of hell. Unless we are mad, we don't dare want to experience it. We have to think of it over and over again and never forget. Now is the time of mercy but later the time of justice. One can easily square accounts with God with a small effort of repentance we can gain great forgiveness. With a brief mourning one can avoid eternal wailing. But later the riches of the whole earth could not even gain a single drop of cold water or a dip in a burning tongue as in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:24). On the other hand any good work done now in account of charity can obtain the kingdom of heaven. The time to act is now. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 16:19-31

19 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. 20 And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ 25 Abraham re plied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 27 He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

CROWNING GLORY

Sometimes we get carried away with our emotions and anger and we do things that we regret later. In today's 1st reading, Jeremiah showed us the perfect reaction which is to confide to God in prayers whatever complaints, feelings of vengefulness and retaliation we have. It is sometimes so difficult to understand the way some things work. Sometimes we just can't get a good picture of how the world operates. There are times when we have been doing everything good and yet something else happens apart from our expectations. We live in a world that is disorderly and full of chaos as we look all around us we can see its proof and evidence. Sometimes we encounter people and situations in life when we are confronted with evil in our midst. We can not discount the fact that this is a reality that we have to deal with everyday. This may be very true but let us not lose heart. In the complexities and complications of life all we have to do is trust in God. It should not cause us to despair but rather hold on to God even more who is the source of all that is good. He alone is King and Ruler of this world and is always with us to help and guide us every single step of the way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 18:18-20

"Come," they said, "let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah... Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say. Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.

The confidence of the martyrs in God did not waver up to the end. They stood firm in their faith and remained steadfast. I have read that the most critical point in our life is during the time of death because it is when a battle between good and evil is being waged over our soul. We might have heard of different stories of people about to die who were reported to have seen all sorts of vision. As we read the psalm for today may we find ourselves truly internalizing and believing the words thus visualizing the glory of God the way the saints and martyrs demonstrated for us during the critical hour of their life. We are a work in progress and we need to acknowledge our sins, mend our ways and surrender our life to the Lord. The world believes that it is foolish to believe what we can not see but we have to believe in what we do not see and face them all with faith, this is according to St. Thomas Aquinas. The testimony of those who believe help to build up our faith and the more witnesses we have the more solid it becomes. We look to the Gospel and see that there are so many witnesses and testimonies with very little variation. They speak of the truth of the life of Jesus. We have to accept everything that the Gospel tells us. With this great love that He offered to all of us, there is no doubt that God will make all things beautiful in our lives in His time. Our persistent cries and tears to God are always heard. God has given us very clear instructions from the very start. If only we will stick to it then we can be assured of a life lived to the full. We’ve got to have faith that of Abraham who believed even though his wife is with age that the one who made the promise is trustworthy. What God says is true and He does not lie. Padre Pio said that the most beautiful act of faith is one made with sacrifice and effort even in the presence of darkness. We have to believe that God has the best things in mind for us. If He allows some things that are not pleasant in life this is only to bring about the best. Although faith is not the best of the virtues, it is the rarest. Real faith inspires all actions and reveals God in everything. How rare is real faith next to danger. We sometimes feel that we do not see so much evidence of the reality of God. God does not give us so much light so that we are not forced to accept Him nor does He give too little that we can not find Him. He gives us just enough light so as to put to practice our faith. Nothing can ever frighten or scare us not even death if God is our stronghold. We can rely on so many things in this world like wealth, fame, power and success but only in the Lord can we find true security and satisfaction. There is no denying to the truth that we have a God who is always there for us whether in good or bad times. We can be assured that we can take comfort and hope in the Lord. Our enemies may be lurking from every side but we don't have to worry or be afraid. God is our refuge and strength. He can rescue us from the clutches of our persecutors and set us free. We should never have any doubt that God is able to do all things for our good for there is nothing more that He could do that He has not done. We should always be praising and thanking God in all circumstances knowing that God will always be there for us. He knows and sees all things much more than our limited points of view and angles of reference. God can view things in a multidimensional level while we can only see a single or at most double dimension. If we are looking at a not so pleasant view trust that God can see a better view than what is before us. If we have experienced an almost dangerously impossible situation wherein escape and deliverance seemed to be farfetched then we are in a worst case scenario. Believe it or not, this kind of situation could drive anyone to panic. Even the most steadfast in the faith community could succumb to anxiety and fear with regards to such situation. In fact, it could even come to a point where the most steadfast may go to a certain extent of negotiating for the sake of the lesser evil. It is this type of experience that could turn out to be unforgettable and could forever be etched in our mind not only because of the trouble and difficulty we went through but most of all the love and concern we experienced and witnessed from people in the community. Although it could indeed be a frightening experience when we could have just chosen to give up and succumb to the obviously convenient option for the sake of getting it over and done with but didn't for the sake of the truth of God. If we do then we would find that it is all worth it even though we have to learn some lessons in life the hard way. It is evident that the harder the situation we are in all the more could we feel God's ever reliable and strong hands secured all around us. We can not deny it and should always believe that God's truth and saving power prevails at all times. We look to God always in the midst of all the turmoil. No matter how long and hard we try to search for happiness outside God we can only find it in Him as St. Augustine says, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee." Only with Him do we find rest, fulfillment and satisfaction. Let us trust God in His divine providence and goodness that He will never abandon nor forsake us. He will rescue us at all times for He can turn back or fast forward the hands of time for everything is right on time with God. He is the God of the eternal now. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R: Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
4 [5] You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. (R) 13 [14] I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side, as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life. (R) 14 [15] But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 [16] In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.

In today’s gospel we can say that James and John have a bad timing. It is not exactly the time you ask for exalted positions or title of prestige or power when the Lord was just telling them of His passion and death but He does not come down hard with them unlike with the Pharisees. Jesus wanted them to understand the kind of Messiah He is and that Christianity’s greatness is not as the world sees it. It is because of His great love for us that He chose to become man. He left us with the greatest proof of love which is to give up His own life and suffer an excruciating pain in the most difficult way. Jesus wanted us to realize that as He drink the cup of His suffering and death on the cross and took upon Himself our sins we too, share in that baptism as we renew that on Easter. We have been baptized into His death and resurrection and we have to embrace that baptism. Jesus is the One Mediator who won our salvation. He redeemed all and gave His life as ransom for many. The cross is a unique sacrifice of God because of His Incarnate Divine Nature but we are called to share in the cross and be one with Him. Christ suffered for us and He desires to associate us with this sacrifice which we do in the Holy Mass. We can also offer our very selves as we offer it up to the Lord to draw closer to Him. As in Col. 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church,…” This is a challenging teaching and we can share in His redemption and be generous in the giving of ourselves to obtain graces for others those who do not know the Lord. We are pouring out ourselves and this becomes redemptive if we do it by faith and unite it with Christ. We totally abandon ourselves to Him. Unlike the world that exercise authority and make their authority felt by lording it over and chase power and success, to be great is to serve in Christianity’s view and the only path to holiness. The race that the world is after is for higher status, to dominate and lord our achievements, to wield our special knowledge and insights over others and try to beat off and fight them. St. Francis just totally took himself out of such a race of worldly power. For him, what a man is in the eyes of God is just so much he is and no more. In everything is grace by God’s election and no one could boast. We just have to go on living under obedience so we know for certain what the will of God is. We just have to trust God in everything. All we have to do is strive to follow the way of the Lord in our life and be confident that He is always looking out for our best interest. Sometimes we think that we can have our own way with God and that we are smarter than Him for devising our own plans and questioning Him when things do not turn out the way we wanted it. In moments like these can we truly exercise our faith in God and see how far we are willing to go with God's plan. When we see things happening to us and not understanding the reason for it we may as well look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said, "Let this cup pass me by but not my will, but Yours be done." We should have the same courage to say the same thing knowing that He will not put us through something without seeing us through it. THOSE THAT WAIT ON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS AN EAGLE. THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY AND WALK AND NOT FAINT. The trials and difficulties in life should serve as our crowning glory. We should thank God for the hardships we encounter because it is through it that we emerge stronger and better Christians. Things that we encounter the 2nd time will not be as difficult as it was during the 1st time. We get better and better everyday without sometimes realizing it as we widen and broaden our experience base and become tempered Christians. As we go along life we'll find that each passing day is a gift from God and should be spent for God's greater glory. It is indeed a challenge that God is extending to all of us who wishes to be great in God's sight. It's all up to us if we are willing to take it or not. The decision is always ours to make. We really have to treasure the love of God that is given to us. Jesus paid a high price for it. We are also called in our own way to respond to Him with all our best efforts. It is never easy but it is always worth it, so let us go for it. As humans, we all have that desire to be recognized and affirmed as in today's gospel that's why Jesus reminds and gives us the formula for this. It may not be sensible and practical in the world's point of view but we are assured of the authenticity of this formula as lived, witnessed and evidenced by Jesus. When He came to us more than 2000 years ago, He left for us the greatest example and pattern of life that we can all surely rely and depend on. It was the most amazing and credible true to life story ever told in the entire history of mankind that we can always look up to and follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 20:17-28

...“You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” ..."You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28 Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

THE WIDOW AND THE ORPHAN

Every time I encounter this bible passage from today’s 1^st reading which speaks of the orphan and the widow I am always reminded of my mother. She is a woman of great faith and courage. I have witnessed as I was growing up how she was able to storm through all the trials and difficulties of a widow left with the care of her 3 very young children.  She had a great responsibility in her hands at that time. Although she told us that there were moments when she was overwhelmed by the sudden shift of all responsibilities and felt inadequate and incapable of carrying out all the things that needed to be done. Through it all she saw how God looked after our welfare and never left us. He directed her steps to the right path and led her to the right people and situations. It was exactly what made her hold on God’s word and promise. It was also due to this faith of my mother that I got confidence and assurance that God hears all our prayers, confirms it and makes us feel that we have a very personal relationship with Him. What she relied, held on and constantly believed in is written in today's 1st reading that the Lord would never forsake the widow and the orphan.  The other verses contained in the 1^st reading today also reminds me of the time when I was just new in the Catholic Charismatic. It is this part stating, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.” It has become one of my favorites due to the fact that I often heard it from my prayer group leader during our prayer meetings and had naturally quoted and said it over and over myself even without knowing exactly where is it in the bible. It was quite a number of years already before I learned where to find it because I didn't memorize it, all I cared about before was the message that it brings to us, unconditional love and forgiveness. It was all I ever needed to hear and be assured of and nothing else matters. It was this impression that God is so forgiving that no sin is big and grave enough not to be forgiven. In fact, in one of the lenten retreats I attended I heard a speaker said that he has this personal belief that God's love is so great, no one will go to hell since Jesus said that it is the will of the Father that none that was given to Him will get lost. I agree with him since it is the will of God the Father, but the question lies in the truth that only we can answer. Is it also our own free and honest will? It's time we answer this question truthfully and really set things right. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

10 Hear the word of the Lord, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah! 16 Wash yourselves clean! Put away  misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; 17 learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. 18 Come now, let us se

t things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool. 19 If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you for the mouth of the Lord has spoken!

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 Habakkuk. 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 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
...“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” (R) 21 “When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it? Or do you think that I am like yourself? I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes. 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.”

We should always maintain a humble spirit and heart before God. Only God knows what's going on inside our minds and hearts. He will always lift up those who trust in Him. Let us offer to God all our brokenness and downtrodden selves and He will be the one to lift us out of it. God loves everybody but more so those who are being oppressed.  Do not despair. If we sometimes feel that life is so unfair and things have become so unfortunate that nothing or no one can help us then still be thankful that we've arrived in this situation for God who sees all things will definitely not allow such injustice and will surely uphold what is right and the truth. It is not enough that we follow and obey without understanding. There is a need to know our motivations and intentions in doing something. We should live by example. It is not enough that we claim to be good Christians for there is something more to that than just being called one but to live like one is another and most important at that. God's persistent reminder to constantly hear the word of God must compel us to really put it in our hearts and minds and drive us to act on it. There are so many points to consider in life. There are various faces and appearances that seem to present a certain thing but could bring about an entirely different or opposite thing. Just like in today's gospel, how could one thing mean something and bring about the opposite. It's all a mystery and behind all of it is a God who can make all things beautiful. He is able to bring about good things even in the most unlikely situations when we least expect it. In the gospel Jesus addressed the scribes and the Pharisees, He compliments but criticizes strongly. The Pharisees represent the lay party and the priesthood the Sadducees. At the time of Jesus during the Roman rule, they figured the way to peace is through adaptation. The houses of priests are decorated just as the Romans, as in Pompeii and very much like it. They had identified themselves with the oppressive dominant culture and though they kept some Jewish law they denied judgment, heaven, hell, and eternity. On the other hand, the Pharisees or the lay counteract the way priests are living. They had 2 principles, to take the rules of ritual purity so that the laity would be pure as they offer sacrifices like a kingdom of priests as in Exodus 19:6 “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites."  The people of Israel is a kingdom of priests and they put a fence around the law so that no one would break the law. An example is “Thou shall not use the Lord’s name in vain” In order to make sure they don’t break the law, no one is allowed to say the Lord’s name. A death penalty is given to those who break it. This is precisely the oral tradition that our Lord is talking about in the gospel. The Pharisees were not helping people live the law because they didn’t practice it themselves and made life complicated. In Chorazin, there was a seat of Moses for the Rabbi, which symbolizes the authority to teach in the synagogue. The Lord said pay attention to what they teach but don’t do what they do. One of the things they were being criticized for is pride and arrogance. Jesus warns us against that vice especially for religious people although not so much for the people outside. Church people just like us can try to show that we are holy so that people would compliment us and they would think that we’re religious and others are not. This is a constant problem for religious people at all levels, whether laity or the priesthood. The devil will try to tempt us with whatever works, if we’re not religious he can use things of the flesh to tempt us, but if we are religious then he can tempt us with our pride and change it into something spiritual. It is impossible to detect pride in ourselves. People around us will know so it’s important to pay attention to what they say to us so that so we learn from it. It is too difficult to detect a vice on our own because it is easier to detect it in other people or to listen to what other people say. Jesus mentions about those who widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. Jewish men wear a phylactery which is a small leather box that they wear on their forehead and one on their left arm as in Deut 6:8, Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead.  They took it literally as a part of the way to obey the law. They made it really big so to show people that they are more pious than others and because it is bigger they stand out more than them. The tassel is a sign of royalty in the ancient times. Jewish men wear this to show that they are a kingdom of priests for God. They even tie 613 knots in the tassel which represents one tie for every 613 laws as a sign of obeying the entire commandment. Jesus wears a tassel Himself if we can recall the woman who touched the tassel of Jesus and got healed. He’s not against it, but feeding the pride is the issue. He mentioned not to be called Rabbi or teacher which is important in this context because at that time there were different rabbis that start various sects called a House. They are rival sects of Pharisees and disagree among themselves which can be found in the collection of Rabbinic sayings, the Mishnah. What He is speaking about here is that we may not call anyone a Rabbi for He did not want us to be divided. Oneness is an important virtue that He commends among His disciples. He did not want Christianity to be divided and wanted us to submit to the oneness of the Church. Humility is the antidote to the pride as He said that the least is the greatest. We have to keep in mind the division among the Pharisees is the underlying reason for this restriction of why they should not be called rabbi or father. In Corinthians, Paul insists on being called a Father because he preaches to them. There is nothing wrong with it because he knows that the real work is done by the Holy Spirit and he is part of a community and known as a spiritual father but not in the sense of a father that Christ is speaking of in the gospel like sects which is something that we’re not supposed to do. Christ calls us to respond out of the ordinary and set things right. All of us need to have the sense to rid ourselves of religious pride. The readings call us to humility. It does not mean putting ourselves down but rather saying the truth about ourselves, not more not less. Pride is looking down at other people who are below us. We need to think of it in a way that when we look down on people, Christ hits us at the back of the head. We better just look up at people. When we are looking up at the skies, we feel small, so how much more would we feel looking up to God. That’s when we realize what humility is all about. We see our sinfulness and smallness in reference to God, which is the antidote to our pride. If we do, then Christ will save us and bring us to the joys of heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 23:1-12

1 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

ABC OF FAITH

As human beings we go through different stages in life as we grow old and should hope to become a better person in the process. It would always help to assess how we are doing with our life. This reminds me of an episode of Grey's Anatomy entitled, "I saw what I saw" The doctor was examining a conscious, up and about patient in the ER who had minor burns due to a fire that broke out in the hotel where they were staying. Her vital signs were all normal, in fact she was completely aware of what was going on around her. She was in the process of being examined further when she suddenly screamed because she saw another patient who just got admitted in the ER, with a big ax planted and poking out of his chest. He is a firefighter who tripped and accidentally axed his own chest. It was quite a scene that the doctor who was examining her got distracted and totally forgot about what she was about to do to her. Unfortunately, what was bypassed in her assessment is the most important and top priority in the care of a patient, airway. It is the A in the ABC of Patient Care and as I've already said is the priority care. She happened to inhale soot which caused the blockage of her airway and from there arose all other problems and eventually led to her death. This happened very quickly despite the remedy and eventually drastic measures implemented by not just one but almost all the good doctors in the ER who attempted to save her life. And to think, that it was all because of the failure to do just one step. In the procedure, the failure to look into the patient's airways, i.e, nostrils and throat is a simple and easy step of assessing the airway but spelled the difference between life and death. Today's 1st reading, Daniel reminds us of our top priority as Christians. There may be times when we are distracted, lured and carried away by the things that are going on around us. Let us not continue to be distracted. We ought to realize that an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure. It would always be for our own good that we always assess our standing before God so as not to end up in a hopeless condition when cure is already impossible before we pay attention to God. To love and observe God's commandments should always come first and be the A in the ABC of our faith in God. We should be rid of whatever it is that is keeping us from fully experiencing the compassion and forgiveness of God as spoken of in today's 1st reading. Let us not be tied down with our guilt and get it on with repentance. Our sins can never be bigger than the love and mercy of God. Never doubt God's goodness the same way we should never hesitate to love and obey God.

For we can never outdo, outgive and surpass whatever blessings God has in store for us. Our God's generosity is limitless and immeasurable that even if we have our hands full, He continues to shower us with His graces to overflowing. How much confidence and faith can we give to the promises being spoken to us by the Jesus not just on very few occasions but daily in the gospel readings? We might as well ask this question to ourselves whenever we fail to realize the impact of God’s promises that He delivers to us in the scriptures daily.  Heaven and earth will pass away but His words and promises will remain. If people break promises and their word, God definitely knows how to fulfill His word. It is only right and fitting to always sing of his praises just like in today's 1st reading. Amen. Hallelujah!

Daniel 9:4b-10

4 “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments!...O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. 9 But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you 10 and paid no heed to your command,...

Most people I believe will agree with me when I say that who we are today is the sum total of what we've done in the past and what we're still doing in the present. But the most important part of the equation that we should never forget to add in our life is the Multiplier, for whatever it is that we can do, is just a small fraction of what God can do in our lives. There is no doubt that the Lord will show us the right path if we go to Him at all times. Sometimes we go through life not really knowing what we're missing. Let us no longer miss out but rather benefit and enjoy in the goodness of God. We sometimes wonder how an act of obedience to God can seem so difficult at times even if we know for a fact that it is for our own good. It is our sins that draw us farther away from God, bury us deeper and bind us in chains. It all begins in just a slight act of disobedience or negligence on our part which takes a hold of us and before we know it we've gone so far away from God. Let's not wait any longer before it's too late. The time is now for us to repent and go back to God. There are 2 bible verses which I consider very special and of great importance to me. The first is from Romans 8:28 which says that, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God,who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son..." The second one is from Ephesians 6:10-17, "Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one.And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." It is noteworthy that we realize the important aspect in this bible passage about the need to wear an armor and most especially for us to realize the need for a weapon when we engage in battle and the only weapon mentioned is the sword which is the word of God. Sometimes we tend to look at things in a general way and miss the important details or only see, read and hear the things that we want and do not take the words of God in its entirety. There are lots of prosperity preachers who present the word of God in this manner and tend to overlook the equally important details and instructions that God also wanted us to pay attention to. God has definitely made it clear that everything will work for good but just the same, we have to take note of the following words which say that we need to conform to the image of Jesus. We definitely should not miss nor overlook this so that we can surely be saved and delivered. It is inevitable that we always give praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13

R: Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R) 11 Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. 13 Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise.

All these benefits and blessings that the Lord gives us come in a clause. As in today's gospel we are called to be just like God, loving, merciful and forgiving. Jesus speaks of it too in the Lord’s Prayer. We receive all the blessings "as we forgive those who trespass against us." We should always have compassion for our brothers and sisters especially those who have been in rough and grave situations. We should think in this way, "Had we been born in a different family and had these experiences they had then we could have committed the same thing they did, or had we been raised in much different circumstances we could have done the same thing." We should stop judging and condemning people and be more accepting of them. Our broken nature originated from original sin and thus we have this inclination to sin. In the Middle East we find an endless retribution in people always trying to get back at each other. We dread war and bloodshed that cause human sorrow needlessly. There is violence that go around the globe but if everyone will live the gospel today then we can witness how beneficial forgiveness is in our own lives. Resentment is just like drinking poison and sitting there while waiting for the other person to die. When we learn to forgive we set the prisoner free and find out that the prisoner is ourselves. Unforgiveness makes us smaller but forgiveness makes us go beyond. The past hurts devour the present and until we let go of the past we can never move forward. We should not choose to be miserable. We should rather be thankful for the suffering and think of the comradeship, humility, courage and greatness of our lives that are fruits born from it. We should put ourselves up to the challenge of great love to see how far we can go just like our Lord when He was nailed on the cross still asking forgiveness for us. We have to be ready to forgive as we study the crucifix and see the ability to do as Jesus did, even making excuses when He said, “they don’t know what they’re doing.” We are called to live differently today as the world is living today. Let us not waste our time while we still can, we have to do all in our power to take advantage of doing everything we can do for the glory and praise of our God. Nothing is outside the knowledge of God. Let us not delay nor stall for every single thing we do for the Lord will definitely count. For we can never outdo, outgive and surpass whatever blessings God has in store for us. Our God's generosity is limitless and immeasurable that even if we have our hands full, He continues to shower us with His graces to overflowing.

He will surely see to it that whatever we do for His sake will go back to us in a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing. I could never forget this passage because it is one of her favorites since I grew up always hearing her quote this. My mother was widowed at a very young age of 32 and left with our care when we were still very young, aged 4, 3 and 1. She never remarried and just devoted her life to us. She was not just our mother but stood as our father at the same time. She worked hard in order to provide for all our needs. As far as I can remember, we were never in want at any single time. My mother would always attribute this to God our Provider. She often said that widows and orphans are very special to the Lord. Another thing I am reminded of is my experience before when I was just new in the Charismatic Renewal and still in the honeymoon stage with the Lord. I was boldly declaring about my new found relationship with God and Mama Mary and somebody who happened to be a "born again" Christian kept on bluffing me. I should have been irritated and annoyed with her because I wasn't doing anything wrong with my outward display of faith. Instead of giving in to her I decided to keep up a nice face, still be gracious to her and just kept silent. I could have answered back and defended myself but I felt in my heart that it won't do any good to both of us. Although it should not always be the case we should fervently pray that we will always strive to be good and trust God. He knows perfectly well what's in our minds and hearts and what matters most is that we think, speak and act exactly the way Jesus would. Whenever we feel that someone doesn't like us we should still treat that person with the same kindness we treat a person who likes us. We must not have special preferences in people and try to treat them equally as best as we can. It is very difficult but if we continue to pray to God for grace then we can carry on with it and do exactly what the gospel says. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 6:36-38

36 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful. 37 Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

CAN'T RESIST

It doesn't matter much where we are going what matters most is that God is directing us every single step of the way. There is no doubt about the will of God to walk side by side with us but are we willing to walk side by side with Him. God and sin can never be put together. If we truly want to be united with God at all times we have to separate ourselves with sin. It is not so hard to know where God is leading us. We have been given long before we were born the 10 commandments and the teachings of the Church. They have all been planted in our hearts. Let us not stray any longer and truly follow where the Lord leads us. We all have experiences in life that could make us realize that each of us is called by God for a mission and a purpose in life. We could never deny it if we would just be sensitive to the promptings of the Lord. These circumstances can be coupled with several confirmations not only in terms of people and situations we’ve encountered but most especially through the word of God in the scriptures. We could identify somehow with any of these bible characters because the bible is in fact not just the story of God but ourselves, too. If we look back, recall and assess our lives then we would definitely witness successive confirmations from the Lord which would leave us in awe and with no more room to doubt. There are no coincidences with the Lord even though we have been experiencing trials, difficulties and storms in life we must continue to believe that He is God and in control. He is able. There is no reason to be terrified if we have faith in God. God never stops in giving us the inspiration to keep on going and continue the good work He has done for all of us. We just have to follow the example of Abraham in today’s 1^st reading who trusted and obeyed whatever God is telling him to do. Amen. Hallelujah!

Genesis 12:1-4

1 The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you...Abram went as the LORD directed him.

Nothing is hidden from God and everything is known to Him. It pays to always consult our plans to God in prayers and everything we intend to do we should lay before Him and seek His approval. He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the answers that we seek. If we sometimes forget these and tend to stray away from the right path then we should always be aware that everything that we say, think and do must always have reference to God our Creator. It may have happened to most of us when we get disappointed at how we still miss something so quickly despite our close watch. We sometimes end up confused and discouraged when things don’t happen the way we expect it despite our accurate and strict monitoring. We even ask ourselves how it could have happened. We may have heard and seen some terrible and frightening things in our life but we should always hold on to the truth that no matter how horrible the things that are happening around us they don't change the fact that our Lord is God and always in charge and in control. It doesn't matter that much how we think and feel but what matters most is how to feel and think just like God. For we can always rely and depend on it, 100%, fail proof and success guaranteed. We should place our trust not in men or in things but in God alone. The Lord did not promise us to be totally problem free but He gave His assurance that He will always be our Savior and Redeemer. God's power is beyond our full comprehension. He is Holy, Mighty, Immortal and Infinitely Great. Did it ever occur to you how all these things that surround us, from the skies, to the mountains, plains, the seas, the wind, all the heavenly bodies above, the things down below, all the creatures of the earth especially us, human beings came to be. Not a single theory about creation could suffice and would ever satisfy the wonders and marvelous things that God has done. Just thinking about all these things should make us always put our hope in Him, feel confident and assured that we are safe under His care, to help us from all our problems and shield us from all harm. It is a consolation to know that we are constantly assured by God especially in today's psalm to never doubt His power and goodness. His loving eyes is always upon us not leaving us for a single moment nor removing his stare even with a wink of an eye. It feels good to know that someone's eyes are upon us and looking after us. When we come to a point of despair and feel like things are not getting better, we ought to remember always that we are God's people and we are His own. We have to realize this one most important truth that we should all subscribe to, which is to constantly align ourselves and conform to the will and plan of God in our lives. Let us ask the Lord to lead us to the right path and decisions that we may work toward the building of God’s kingdom here on earth. We should not give room to any doubt, fear, anxiety, impatience, irritability, hatred, sadness, iniquity, unfaithfulness, disloyalty, pride and loss of self control. Let us not choose to give in to these. They are all characteristics that should not be found in a people the Lord has chosen to be His own. Our present situation may not be a perfect picture yet but we should all rejoice and be glad knowing that God was the one who chose us first and He will carry us through. All we have to do is just trust that the Lord will carry out with perfection all His plans for us no matter what situations or circumstances may arise in our midst. When God created this world and everything in it including us, He did not ask permission from anybody. It means that He has chosen us to be His own and not the other way around. This is the reason why the fallen angels/demons are so jealous of men. We are indeed special in the eyes of God for it is written in Gen 1:26, "Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion..." We are not just chosen by God to be His own even before everything came to be but we are on top of His creation. Let us never lose sight of this wonderful plan that God has for all of us. We may not be seeing it right now, having doubts about it, not paying attention to it or unable to commit to it. Whatever it may be, these are all hindrances that prevent us from gaining access to the goodness of the Lord. Never allow ourselves to miss out on this privilege that is accorded to all of us as the children of God. God chose us first and it is only right and fitting that we choose Him too. If we always focus on the Lord and put His words in our presence at all times then we can be assured that we have a lamp unto our feet that is lighting our path. We have to entrust all our cares and worries to the Lord for He can do better things for our lives than all our works combined. No matter how hard we try to succeed in what we do if it's not in accordance to God's plan then nothing will ever come out of it. We may succeed in one aspect but we will never be totally at peace for in the end it will always be the will and plan of God that will prevail. We just have to acknowledge that we are sparing ourselves of all the trouble and heartaches if we will just be obedient and completely trust in the Lord's plan. Let us truly be wise in the real sense of the word rather than of the world and not forfeit all our benefits from the Lord. We all have our personal plans and designs and we may not be able to fully understand what is going on at the present time. It is not easy for the wisdom in the eyes of God is foolishness to the world but what's most important is that we should always consult everything to God first, just believe and surrender everything to Him for He knows best. We have to realize this one most important truth that we should all subscribe to, which is to constantly align ourselves and conform to the will and plan of God in our lives. The power of God knows no limits and we can always rely on Him for anything that we are in need. Let us rely on God's power and completely trust Him to bring to fulfillment everything that He has promised. Just like the Blessed Mother Mary, who is Queen of heaven and earth, we too are destined for victory and royalty. If only we live out the example of her obedient life and carry Jesus in our hearts. Let us not lose hope and have faith in the Master Plan and Grand Design that God has for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

4 Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. The LORD loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness. But the LORD'S eyes are upon the reverent, upon those who hope for his gracious help, Delivering them from death, keeping them alive in times of famine. (R) Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

What is true in the name of the athletes who work so hard to win is also true for us. Just as St. Paul said in today’s 2nd reading, we have to do a little bit more beyond pushing ourselves until we acquire a new level of endurance and strength. We have to do some sacrifices in order to strengthen our will. As the saying goes, no pain, no gain. Lent is about giving up something as a form of sacrifice in union with Jesus’ own sacrifice. In the situation of the world today we have to bear our share of hardship for we are called for a holy life. We have to be determined to do this in proportion to the life we live. We all have our own hardships and we can overcome through God’s strength. May we always be open to His design in our lives and surrender in obedience to the gospel. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Timothy 1:8-10

8 Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 9 He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus...

Jesus' transfiguration in Mount Tabor is a glimpse of His glory and power that we can never fully comprehend. For the fullness of God's divinity will remain unfathomable. We pray that in the limited capacity of our hearts and minds to understand, may we find ourselves always listening to Him and following His guiding voice. There was a time when I struggled for months with a bothersome mild but consistent pain in my ear, although it didn't get worse and affected my hearing. In today's gospel, God is telling us that more than the hearing aided by our physical ears we should pay more attention to hearing God's call heard by our hearts. In the today's gospel in Matthew it is emphasized, so who are we to doubt God's great power. But there are times when we still do, what a shame! Let us always be reminded and confronted of the fact that there is none like our Lord Jesus, amen. The King of kings and the Lord of lords! To be a witness of an extraordinary happening is something that we can always remember and can not easily forget. Peter, James and John are among those few people who have been blessed with such a sight which is proof of Jesus' Immortality, Divinity and Majesty. Words are not enough to speak or describe God's glory. If we are to think of all the things that are memorable to us and considered unforgettable then we'll find the undeniable truth that God is always there wanting to be part of it no matter how pleasant or unpleasant it may be. The Transfiguration of Jesus reminds of good memories of the awesome creation of God at the Grand Canyon. Such experiences, I believe can bring us to our own transfigurations as we too, become witnesses of God’s beauty which is forever changing from glory to glory. In times like these whether it’s special or not, happy or sad, we ought to just always remember and bring everything to God in prayer. Just as He spoke of His exodus (Passion and Death) in Jerusalem during His Transfiguration so is He definitely conveying to us the complete and entire story which includes His Glory and Resurrection. Six days before His passion, Jesus showed to His the apostles His transfiguration to give them strength and courage in bearing witness to the gospel. We, too in our lives have our moments of transfiguration but we can’t always hold on to that in the same way that Peter intended it to be. We have to go down from the mountain and face the passion ourselves. Although this may sound so disheartening we know the end of the story, we know the reward that awaits those who will persevere. It is not easy but we go to the Lord for strength in our life so we can have peace in this valley of tears. As we go on from one event in our life to another we are being transfigured by the Holy Spirit. God transforms us to be in the glory and be stouthearted as we carry our crosses. We keep in mind that the glory prepared for us is far greater. St John Mary Vianney said that our soul know if  it receives Holy Communion well if it is mortified, gentle, at peace with everyone and is capable of every sacrifice and go to Jesus with love and confidence. Let us not always think that we have to much to do, rather think of His words, come to me all who are burdened for my yoke is easy and light, can we resist such an invitation so full of love? Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Matthew 17:1-9

...behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

Matthew 17:1-9

1 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him...