ASH WEDNESDAY

Today is the beginning of Lent. It is Ash Wednesday. We are called by the Church to a supreme act of obedience to God the way Jesus did. This is the time of fulfillment to repent and believe in the gospel. We have to do it now and everyday. Lent brings that message at the forefront. We are called by the Church as Catholics to take advantage of this Lenten season to receive God's grace and mercy. Our first conversion is in baptism when we are made into a new creature. Our 2^nd conversion should take place daily, the act of having to turn from sin and turn to God everyday. This is why we practice abstinence and fasting as part of our penitential practices that express our change of heart and conversion during this season. The Liturgical seasons bring into focus the different mysteries especially the need for penance and repentance. We are always in need of purification. We should constantly follow the path of penance and renewal. This is the sign of ashes. The sign of repentance that reminds us that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. We are sinners and mortals that are destined to one day die. We are on a journey and everything we see here is passing. This is the despair of men when we trust in ourselves and become hopeless without God. We need Him for conversion. The outward sign we bring to the world is the ashes on our forehead. We acknowledge Jesus and the power of the cross. We admit that we are sinners. In doing this, as to acknowledge and admit who we are before God is a relief. We should know why, as the 1^st reading tells us today, the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Everything that the bible tells about God is true. There is no doubt about this but can we truly testify to this with all our hearts, minds and souls? Are we really convinced about this truth all the time? If not then we should, because we have the Most Perfect God whose love for us knows no boundaries. There is no out giving or over praising a God of Infinite Mercy, Goodness and Love. I guess we can only give to God and do so much as provided by our imperfect and limited nature. But since our God is Perfect and Limitless then there is only one solution to that, to always go back to God who alone can make all things beautiful and perfect. There is really nowhere to go but to God. This we should have figured out by now. How come we kept on doing the same old wrongs over and over again? This is precisely why we have to be reminded always. Amen. Hallelujah!

Joel 2:12-18

12 Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 13 rend your  hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

Organizing all my daily reflections since 2007 made it easier for me to locate and retrieve them. I have found it very rewarding and beneficial. It has given me the opportunity to access with ease, the insights and reflections I wrote in the past. Thus paving the way to recall, reflect, and share it again. In light of the readings today I am reminded of Fr. Alex Amayin, the associate priest in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. His talk was about reconciliation which is very much in line with the 1st & psalm readings for today. It was centered on 4 things which is 1. SIN 2. GRACE 3. FORGIVENESS 4. RECONCILIATION. He said that the 1st 3 are all a reality but #4 is only a possibility. There is no doubt that SIN happens but the GRACE of God is always present and available for us even before we ask for FORGIVENESS. When we ask FORGIVENESS, God is always ready to give it.  RECONCILIATION calls us to true conversion. We should always find our way back to God and never doubt His mercy. He cited the example of a snake and caterpillar since both of them undergoes conversion. The snake sheds off its old skin but comes out the same while the caterpillar emerges into a butterfly. We can either choose to be the snake or the caterpillar. Take your pick. The sacred heart of Jesus should be our model and guide as we strive to live out the call to be a genuine follower of God. “When we open our heart to the love of God and to others, it makes us capable of shaping history according to God’s plan.”  - Pope John Paul II. In His fourth apparition to St. Margaret Mary, our Lord revealed His Sacred Heart, declaring: "Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it spared nothing, even going so far as to exhaust and consume Itself, to prove to them Its love.” The center of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Enthronement of the image of the Sacred Heart in the home. By the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, we link the tabernacle of our parish church to our home, inviting our Lord to be our constant and most intimate companion.  The Enthronement is a way of life. It means that Christ is King of our hearts, and we desire Him to be present with us always. In other words, by the Enthronement we signify our desire to make our hearts and our homes holy, to sanctify our lives in every aspect. God will not refuse nor turn His back on us if we are truly sorry for our sins and are willing to mend our ways. Let us not be so naive into thinking that we can get away with anything and cheat God. Let us be fair and truly square in dealing with things that concern not just our future but our eternal destiny. Whether it's heaven or hell, we would have to decide for that not God. If we choose to do evil then we are surely headed where it's bound but if we remain faithful to God and all that He represents then we are headed to a place prepared for us by God in heaven. We are sure to go where our hearts lead us. The problem is that there is a great propaganda out there. It makes sin appear with all its fun, excitement and glamour. It makes virtue appear boring, lame, bland and unexciting. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not. The pleasures that God created in this world are enjoyed the most by those who don’t abuse them and use it simply. Who do we think enjoys food most? The person who doesn’t know how to fast and engorges all the time or a person after a fast experiences a feast? The virtuous person enjoys life the most. The person who uses creation and all things according to God’s plan enjoys it the most. It is because pleasure is God’s idea. All the good things in the world that people want are God’s idea. Satan can’t invent even one bit of pleasure.  But God commands them to be used so that it leads to life and a part of life is joy. The way to enjoy life is to follow God’s commands. Life is not all about rules and regulations. God did not just give us a bunch of rules and regulations that we are supposed to obey like machines. What we do does not just proceed from who we are but also makes us who we are.  The actions we engage, the words that we say and the things that we do have an impact on us. We are making ourselves all the time. God created us when we came out of the womb, our mothers and father have a great role in that but our creation continues every single day of our lives. We’re even becoming someone more beautiful, mature and stronger or someone weaker and more despicable. There’s no middle ground. We’re going one way or another. Life leads either to heaven or to hell. That’s what the acts that we commit do. Let us always ask God's mercy for our sins and repent of it. The Lord said that He is not sent for the well but for the sick. We have a disease in our souls that if left uncared for can cause death. We all have a terminal disease called sin, we need a doctor to give us advice. We have been saved by God but we can lose it just as we can lose our human life for not caring for it. We go to God who is our Divine Physician to be healed. He alone can make us whole. God's presence in our lives is inevitable just like the coming of dawn before the break of day and if we have mastered the art of loving back God then we become a pleasing sacrifice before Him. And in his good pleasure makes us prosper, then we find ourselves rebuilding the walls of our boundaries as we expand our borders. We have this mindset that it pleases God whenever He sees us going through hardships and difficulties in life. We tend to equate God to an oppressing tyrant that would pin us down for every wrong move. Or worst to a slave driver that would not be satisfied unless his subjects exhaust all their strength to his service. The people during the time in the Old Testament could borrow a good excuse for having this kind of mindset because Jesus has not come yet. We who live in this time of the New Testament do not have a good alibi because God already demonstrated the greatest expression of His love for mankind when He sacrificed His only begotten son, Jesus, to suffer and die for our sake. With this truth always engraved in our hearts and minds we could no longer harbor wrong impressions and mindsets of our God. Whenever a particular human right is being violated certain activist groups passionately rally to defend such right that is in question. What about the right of God? We are so concerned about our own personal agenda and we fail to realize that we need to address it more than anything else. According to Pope Benedict XVI, Jus Divinum is the right of God which constitutes the proper and correct response of God’s creatures such as man to his Creator. This we ought to realize and take action. We should do all the good that we are supposed to do to a God who created us. There is something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. It's in knowing what is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can see through our hearts? Nobody but God alone. What is unknown and hidden from us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Dirt stain in clothes sometimes doesn't want to come off even after several times it has been machine washed. There are really some dirt and stain that do not go away that easily with regular washing. There is a need to scrub it manually with soap and water so that it will come out clean. Our souls are just like clothes which are stainable by our sins. It is a consolation to know that our sins are washable in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can always come to Him and acknowledge our sins with a sincere and repentant heart so He can cleanse us, wipe out our offenses and blot out all our guilt. There is nothing that could separate us from the love of God. Let us not be deceived nor dissuaded to believe otherwise. God’s love is always present and available for us. All we need to do is reach out for it because God is a gentleman and would never force Himself on us. There has always been a raging battle between God and satan. Though it has already been won, satan just won’t give up. He continues to wreak havoc and evil among us in his desperation to bring misery into our lives and share in his condemnation. He doesn’t have the tiniest power over us and he can only have it if and only if we give in to his lies, deceptions and false promises. We need to make this conscious decision each and every single day for the Lord. We need to purge ourselves of the impurities of our souls we have to go through a certain process that will render us with a clean heart. As we strive to nurture a heart that beats for God alone we also go through a process of cleansing as stated in the psalm today. God's mercy is greater than any of our sins. If we are to repent and turn away from our sins then we've got to do it right now and really do it fast. God sees through our hearts, our motives and intentions. What God wants of us is to truly acknowledge His great mercy and goodness to us that in doing so will abound a natural inclination to repent and repair all our iniquities and lead to a brand new, wholesome and clean Christian in the truest sense of the word. We need to stand in all humility before God and confess our sins. The body and soul are good but it demands a need for physical asceticism. We have to submit our bodies to an act of sacrifice without neglecting that conversion is first of all interior. Total conversion demands not only expression in works of penance but also of the heart. God is able to do anything. All the more should we be full of confidence that He can create a clean heart and steadfast spirit for us if we truly ask for it. God our Father will never turn His back on us. Let us get this straight, it is the sin that God hates and not the sinner. If we are in sin then that's the time we drive away God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us for it is impossible for God's presence to exist with sin. It's our call then to respond to the psalm's invitation to rise and go to God or remain slumped in the mud of sin. Our God will always be the best Father a child could ever have, the best Brother/Friend and the best Comforter and Guide all in one. Bottom line, to Him alone shall we go because we don't know that much and if we don’t then we end up doing one of these things, take for granted, ignore, forget or neglect the things God is telling us to do. What's worse it could be all of the above! We get blinded and become preoccupied with a lot of things that lure us away from doing what God wants us to do. We are deceived into believing all the lies of this world disguised and packaged by the enemy in an inviting and convincing truth. We should realize that it is always for our own good that He commands us to do the right thing. It is not merely to impose but for us to freely decide for a life lived to the full. There is no other way to maintain the Holy Spirit dwelling in us but to let it reside in a clean heart.  We drive away God's Spirit in us if we don't strive to let our hearts remain clean. Today's psalm is a song that I have come to know and sing by heart without the aid of a song book. I always love to sing it and hear it being sung most especially by the choir during mass. It is well for us to not just love to sing it with our voices but with the sincerity of our hearts. The words "take not your Holy Spirit from me" made me realize that God has the power to give and take. The thought of the Holy Spirit being taken away from us is the worst thing that could ever happen. If we don't feel God's presence in our life anymore and we've become numb and insensitive to the promptings and guidance of the Holy Spirit then now is the time to reconnect and realign ourselves to God's Spirit most especially during this Lenten season. It is important that we always maintain a clean heart and a steadfast spirit so that we are constantly in the God's presence. It's not that God loves us any less, no matter what we do He will always love us. It's just that a Holy and Loving God can not dwell in an impure heart and spirit.  It is of prime importance that we take extra care in attending not only to our temporal needs but our spiritual as well. Amen. Hallelujah!  

Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always. 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

We should not delay in doing any good thing. Let us not put off for tomorrow what we can do today. A day spent is past and over but we still have today and we should make good use of it while we still can. We are called in today’s 2^nd reading to be no less than anything or anyone else for we are ambassadors for Christ. It is through Jesus that we are now enjoying the gift of eternal salvation, let us not forfeit nor miss this great opportunity of accepting wholeheartedly this gift that is above any other and greater than anything that we can ever receive here on earth. Let us seize the time and opportunity to be the best child our Father could have, the best brother/sister/friend and most obedient Christian to the inner voice/Spirit of God dwelling in us. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

20 Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 6: 1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

We should respond to God in a way that is coming from our hearts and not just our minds alone. If we feel that at the moment God is not answering our prayers then we ought to be thankful that God is still giving us all the chances to earn more and receive more in ways that may not be known or visible to us. It is only right that we work to our full potentials and give our best to God. We can sometimes work our way out to win the approval and favor of men, how much more our God who only wants the best things for us. For God sees everything and nothing is in vain if we offer all our sacrifices and sufferings to God whether it be known or unknown to everyone. We can be assured that every single thing that we do for his greater glory and honor will go back to us in full recompense and to the overflowing for nothing compares to God's payback. Whatever difficulty we may all be going through let us always have a good disposition and be very confident of the God in whom we place our trust that no one would even guess that we are experiencing something really problematic knowing that God got us covered. Whatever problems we are encountering at the moment just think that we are on a fast. Fasting on worries, fears and anxieties causes us not to be troubled and brings about the fruits of the Holy Spirit due to our confidence in God's loving providence. We live in a physical world and we can't help it when we conform to its standard. Though, we must keep in mind what St. Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 "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. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." When we speak of spiritual things we are sometimes bound to the unseen and hidden things of this world we are in. This should not discourage us to grow in this aspect because we are assured by the Lord Himself when He pointed out in today's gospel that whatever we have worked and done for the glory of God's Kingdom will never go unnoticed before Him. Nothing is hidden from the Lord. He knows every single thing we do, whether good or bad, because He knows and sees all. We need not worry about anything at all, nothing is ever wasted if we entrust all our concerns to God. Though there are times when it doesn't seem to be the case, for as long as we have strived hard and done what is expected of us then it doesn't really matter what may seem to be. What matters most is that God doesn't just seem to be who He is but is truly, deeply and genuinely who He really is. All knowing, loving and always act accordingly in the most acceptable time. This is why the gospel warns us today of the danger of putting on a big show without real change in our hearts. Interior conversion is primary. If our main goal is that we want men to see our penance then it is just for nothing. To truly repent of our sins is the start which is what happens in baptism. We need to change in relation to ourselves, God and to others. Fasting aids in a change in regards to self. Alms giving is in relation to our neighbors. Through these things, real growth is experienced here. If we spend more time in prayer then we can experience prayer growth. It fights the threefold concupiscence in our being which is a disordered drive to satisfy the flesh that our culture is so adept in presenting to us. The distractions that we are confronted with in the form of various entertainments that make us fall into lust are the tools of satan. This enemy is having a field day in our culture by bombarding us with these thoughts of wanting to have more and more. We aim for what seems to be pleasing in the eyes of others and to be in control. This is pride when we want to be the one who call the shots. Satan can device all forms of marketing strategies to get our attention and interest. We need to taper our desires and come to a point when we fast from it. We need to be open and docile to the Lord. We can begin the day by looking at the crucifix. We can see Jesus who followed His Father’s will. We are not out here to accumulate in worldly achievements but rather to follow more and more God’s will for us. We should turn from evil and reclaim the filial relationship with God. We can learn much from what Jesus demonstrated to us especially in the desert when He was tempted. We just surrender and cling to Him with all our beings. We should never doubt God's perfect timing in everything that happens in our lives. Our God is a generous God, He will not withhold from us every blessing  so let us always keep in mind that everything we do for the Lord is never in vain.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you...But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

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. For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion, 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.

Many 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! 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.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”

IN A ROW

We have some fairly easy questions in life that we can answer right away but the committing part is the one thing we all have difficulty in doing. In this regard we can start by heeding the warning in today's 1st reading. We have to abandon all our hurts and injuries to the Lord, be turned to compassion for those who have caused us so much pain and forgive. God who is full of mercy and love is the one who did it first for us and we ought to follow. We must surrender and abandon everything to the Lord especially when we go through suffering and trials. We will do well to learn the basic thrust of this reading and apply it in our lives. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 27:30-28:7
30 Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. 28: 1 The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. 2 Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. 3 Could anyone nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing from the LORD? 4 Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? 5 If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? 6 Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! 7 Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; of the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.

There is really none like our God. We may search long and hard but we can never really find true satisfaction and remain restless unless we have God in our life. 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. Furthermore, God wanted to take our transgressions as far as the east is from the west as spoken of in the responsorial psalm. Are we ready and willing to turn to Him? 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. Amen. Hallelujah!

There is no conflict between faith and reason. There is no divide or arch rivalry between Church and Science. In fact, they imply a real need for each other. It's either we don't know our Science or we don't know our faith. It is overwhelming to know this information about the Human Genome Project. It is comprised of 2,000 scientists who worked to identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA and determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make it up. The project was completed in 2003 but analyses of the data will continue for many years. The philosophical implication of real science is so huge we can only conclude one thing, it is the language of God. We can benefit a lot from Science through good research that are producing cures rather than do something that is totally wrong. The scientists could sometimes cross the line. There is nothing wrong about being dedicated to the work that one does but there is a need to be passionate to the truth rather than in the political sense. This must not be contingent to any person or circumstance. Our faith calls us to goodness, play our part well and give all the glory to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

R: Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

1 [2] It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High, 2 [3] to proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night. (R) 12 [13] The just one shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow. 13 [14] They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. (R) 14 [15] They shall bear fruit even in old age; vigorous and sturdy shall they be, 15 [16] declaring how just is the Lord, my rock, in

whom there is no wrong. (R)

These past few days we've been getting very valuable information from Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. What he said in today's 2nd reading makes a lot of sense and we should give credit and spend some time thinking about seriously. We are all aware of our natural body and could easily comprehend its presence through the 5 senses we got. It is our spiritual body that we have a hard time being aware of. We simply tend to neglect, overlook or worse ignore its existence. We've got to be aware of the fact that our spirit has power over our physical bodies more than we ever know. As the song goes, "a joyful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones". As years pass by, we come to realize that we are not getting any younger and what we used to do before is no longer applicable to us now. We may have started drinking vitamins already but we still encounter some imbalances in us that we need decided to pay attention to and give remedy. There are some things we have to modify as we go on with our lives if we want to maintain a healthy body and avoid sicknesses. It is perfectly alright to be health conscious and do everything to maintain a good body but it is of prime importance that we attend to our spiritual needs. Our physical bodies will eventually rot away when we die. Our body grows old, weak and dies but the spirit lives on. The same is true with our spiritual life. We just can't go on doing the same thing over and over again. We need to improve and become better each day if we want to maintain a healthy spirit. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Brothers and sisters:
When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility
and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,
then the word that is written shall come about:
 Death is swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we really want to lead our brothers and sister to the right path then there is no other way to do it than to be a living example of Jesus Christ. We can’t just go around preaching about the gospel without preaching through our life’s example. We should become what we preach. As the saying goes, “The best sermons are lived not preached.” It is of prime importance that we take every opportunity that God sends our way. Of course, God will never leave us empty handed all we have to do is follow the advice in the gospel. When we train hard just like any other athlete aiming to win the gold then we become good, better and eventually the best Christian for the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Luke 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

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. 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. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 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.” …