INSPIRATION AND WARNING

This morning the moment I woke up a thought crossed my mind. It just dawned on me that God can will anything to happen. There is nothing in this world that God should give and do for us that He did not do, is not doing and will not do for us. Although there are times when the situation doesn't seem like it. We need to keep holding on to God who knows all and has our best interests in mind at all times. Let us always be confident of the fact that God makes all things beautiful in His time. He knows everything with perfection because He is who He is. No words are enough to express who really God is.  His greatness, good ness and mercy know no boundaries. Amen. Hallelujah!

Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15

...Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replied, “I am who am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites I AM sent me to you.” God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. “This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations.”

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!

P S A L M 

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11 (8a)

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

...He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. (R) 8 Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

Today's 2nd reading serves as an inspiration and warning to all of us. It is an inspiration since we are asked to always be aware of the wonders that God has done for us. If we look very closely then we will discover that there are a lot of things in our lives that we have to be thankful to God. It is a warning, too because we are asked to not just look at the good things but the not so good things that happened to us. Whether good or bad we ought to realize that they can both be used to our advantage. The 1st as an inspiration to keep us going and not be discouraged and the second as a warning so as not to take things for granted in order to remain standing secure and not fall. Amen. Hallelujah!



1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12

1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2 and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 All ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. 6 These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. 10 Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Today's parable in the gospel inspires and warns us once again as that of the rest of the readings for today. This also reminds me of the several trees I had the enjoyment of picking fruits from. I could still remember when Sis Zeny's sister in Baldwin invited us over to harvest the tangerines in their home. It was like an endless harvesting because of the numerous fruits hanging from it. The same with Jackie's tangerine and lemon trees in Placentia which my aunt and relatives and a lot of people from West Covina look forward to having a share of, whenever I bring  it home and is extended to Bernadeth's place of work in Rancho Cucamonga. Also with Sis Angela's persimmon in her previous place of work and Sis Fe's guava and lemon trees in Walnut, whom the people from San Lorenzo Bible Study gets to enjoy. Not to forget Sis Loreta's fig tree also in Walnut whose fruits sometimes end up falling to the ground before it gets picked since there are so many. It was like we were picking a lot of the fruits this moment and the next few days it would be sprouting with more fruits. Sis Loreta even calls her fig tree the tree of Jesus. This is why this experience with these richly productive trees always made me think of today's parable. I used to say that these trees would never end up being cut. This should also make us realize that our life should also be like these trees whose fruits have gone a long way in benefiting not just the people around and close to us but extends even to those who are not close to us and believe it or not people whom we don't even know. Jesus challenges us today to bear fruit so as to become a beautiful sight and example for others to see and follow. This should drive us to bear fruits that can be shared and enjoyed by not just the people who are near to us but by everybody. Speaking of the fig tree in today’s parable we should realize that it could be cut down after a certain period if it does not bear fruit. It is the same with our covenant with God if we read today's gospel. It reminds us that just like any other agreement there is a specified period which only lasts until we are still alive once we die, the contract is considered fully paid by Jesus but there are some conditions that apply. Let us examine our part of the deal and make sure that we don't end up like this fig tree in the parable it might finally be cut down unless we take action, allow ourselves to be cultivated, respond positively and bear fruit. The figure of speech used in the passages sounds scary. They were meant to give emphasis on the need to bear fruit as heirs of the kingdom of God, endowed with a gift, we should not waste our inheritance and be aware that although we have a merciful and loving God, He too is a God of justice and order. He has to be consistent to His nature. God is always patient with us but He must also discipline us, if at the appointed time we haven't responded yet after so many pleadings from the Lord then it is not Him who turned away from us, it is by our own decisions that we strayed far away from God, though, He is God, He can easily snatch us from the enemy lines where we have lead ourselves, He can not force us to be in a situation because He loves us so, He has given us the  freedom to choose. Although, we know that  we should choose the  path  to God, the distance  and  hindrances, represented  by  our sinfulness,  have  become  so great that it  will be  more  difficult  for us to find the right path. An example of this is when we decide to go on a trip away from home the longer the distance traveled the longer the time needed, we sometimes grow weary and tired that in our stubborn ways we just opt to stay behind and lose our way. If we haven't prepared ourselves for this trip then we fail to reach our final destination and get lost. I pray that we will prepare wisely for our journey in this present life that we may find ourselves in the loving embrace of the Lord. We must praise and thank God for the patience, opportunity, time and attention He has been giving us in order for us to grow and prosper most especially in the aspects of our life where we really need to improve. God does not give up on us. We all have a reservation in heaven but just like any reservation, it has a validity period and can be forfeited. We don't want that happening to us. We would surely want to avail of it when the appointed time comes. There is a need to fulfill certain requirements in order to fully enjoy it. It is a consolation to know that the hardest part of the requirement has been fulfilled by our Lord Jesus. All that is left for us to do is to respond to it the way the fig tree in the gospel is supposed to do after it has been cultivated and fertilized, bear much fruit. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 13:1-9

...And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, 7 he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. [So] cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ 8 He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; 9 it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’ ”

EVERLASTING LOVE

 We can sometimes easily change our minds and decide against something that we were just considering at one moment. It could be contradictory to what we were earlier stating but it happens to all of us and can not deny that's how we are at times. Our minds can only be occupied with and focused on a few things if not just one at a particular time. No matter how good and brilliant we may be, we all have our limitations. We may be up to something yesterday but can suddenly change today and could definitely not tell what tomorrow may bring. Everything seems to be uncertain except for the fact that we have a God that is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever as in today's 1st reading and that is all that matters. There is none like God. There is no one and nowhere to go but only to God. We have to decide once and for all to live for Jesus alone.  It is time we have a grasp of the depth of God's love and mercy. Without realizing this we can never come to appreciate how much God wanted us to be in a relationship with Him. Today's 1st reading tells us that He is willing to go as far as the unreachable just so He can get this everlasting love across to us. 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. What could be clearer than what the 1st reading is telling us today? The time to act is now. Amen. Hallelujah!

                                 

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
…Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. 18 Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, 19 and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;20 you will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.

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 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion, ...As the heavens tower over the earth, so God's love towers over the faithful...Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. (R) 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.

We will never ever come to the full realization of this great and immense love that God has for us until the time we come into perfect union with God in heaven. For that to happen we have to die first, leave our human bodies and depart from earth. For the mean time God is trying to get this across to us in a variety of ways that we can relate to, in the things that we are familiar of, here on earth. Today's gospel, Jesus cited not just 1 but 3 parables like the love of  the Holy Trinity, just to get His message across. The story of the Prodigal son never ceases to amaze us. By man's standards what the son did was unforgivable for it is an act of disrespect and dishonor for a father. By God's standards we may not fully understand for it is simply His nature to love us with such careless abandon even if we don't measure up. In other words we have a God who loves us to the max, no holds bar. Thus, these passages of the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the gospel today invite us especially during this Lent to be like the son who rehearses his lines when he said “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” In response, his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Or we could be like the older son who became angry and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. Judging from these we can say that neither of these sons younger or old truly knew their father. When the younger son squanders the property and said "I am not worthy, just treat me like your hired hands." He did not grasp the depth of His father's love and mercy. Sometimes we are like this when we are not totally convinced that God will receive us back. Many of us can identify with the older son upon coming back and hearing the celebration instead of welcoming back his younger brother was dominated with the hardness of his heart. When his father came to him, the oldest son reveals his depravity and voices out his bitterness as he recounts the sins of the younger brother. This is what resentment does, he makes his own the sins of his brother. He was not able to welcome back the younger brother. He is in fact like the younger brother to a certain degree. This is because every single thing that he does he will calculate as shown by his words as he said that all these years the father hasn’t given him a darn thing. This is deep seated resentment and bitterness. Both sons wanted to lay claim of all that their father possess. They just wanted to take hold of what their father has. All that the father wanted them to do is to be like him. This is very important in our relationship with God our Father. We need to become better in whatever relationship we presently have with God. We could be one of the 2 sons and could definitely learn a lesson from this. There is a need for us to assess what kind of relationship we have with God. We might think we are in a higher level of relationship with God but we could be wrong. In the same way that the older son taught that what he and his father had was the real thing. It turned out that he had not perfected yet the kind of love that God wanted us to have in our hearts. We sometimes fall into the same trap when we think we are doing everything that is good. Our love should know no boundaries in the same way that God loves us. We should realize that if we become like God the Father that’s when we truly inherit everything. Do we truly know our heavenly father? Well, we can do better than these two sons, if we wish to lay hold of heaven and the glory that is His.  The beautiful thing to effect here is that God has given us Jesus and the way to do it is through Him. Jesus knows the Father and He and the Father are one. Since the story tells us of a father's great and unconditional love for his son this reminds me of the 4 levels of happiness. The 1st level is known as laetus which is short lived just like eating a favorite dish. The 2nd one is felix and is much like the 1st one also. It could be something that we've been hoping to have and received as a gift from someone. Although the happiness here is not as short lived as the 1st and may last longer it would still eventually wear off. The 3rd is beatitudo which is the happiness coming from service to others and emanates from the joy that we feel when we help other people. We could probably take the example of the saints who lead a selfless life dedicated to others. This is long lasting happiness. Although this definitely lasts longer than the 1st and 2nd it is still not everlasting happiness. The 4th level of happiness is gaude which is perfect since it is depicted by agape, unconditional love of God. This produces everlasting happiness. Let us not settle for anything less. It should drive all of us to attain and reach this level as the father who loves his son so dearly in today's parable in the gospel. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

...“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” ’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, youare here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

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 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’? 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 disciple 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. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 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. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 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.’ 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. 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.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 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; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 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.”

ST. JOSEPH, PRAY FOR US

We have a God who never fail and will always fulfill what He said He would do. This prophecy of Samuel in today’s 1^st reading explains why Jesus was often referred to in the scriptures as Son of David. The long history of the chosen people of God speaks of a Messiah whom they have long waited for. The more we get familiar with the scriptures the better our understanding of the prophecies from the Old Testament in connection with the New Testament. The deeper we know more about them the better our amazement and appreciation of how God works in mysterious, wonderful and miraculous ways. The long span of more than 4 thousand years that date way back to the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus speak of God's faithfulness to His covenant with His people. I often hear people say that life is so uncertain and that nobody knows what's going to happen next. Everything that we do seems to be a gamble for we are so imperfect and bound to make mistakes and wrong decisions. There are times when we look at our lives and ask where it is headed, when are things going to happen and change for the better and what awaits us in the days to come. It is so appeasing to know that we have a God who always speaks to us through the events, people and circumstances that surround us. In today's 1st reading, it tells us that only time can tell, all we have to do is remain faithful to God and persevere to the end since it speaks of Samuel telling David of a prophecy which was fulfilled 900 years later in Jesus. God's promises will always be true and can stand the test of time all throughout generations. Before I got myself involved in bible study I was just taking the title of Jesus as "Son of David" for what it is, just a title they have decided to call him. After several sessions things become clearer to me and taken on a deeper meaning. People who address him in the New Testament as Son of David are people who know of the salvation history of Israel or the chosen people. They are the very people who have come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah because they have been promised of one who will come from the House of David as foretold by the prophets of old.  This is very interesting that we find our Christian faith rooted in Jewish heritage. The more we know of the ancestral beginning of Christianity the better our appreciation of it and eventually and inevitably lead to awe and marvel of God's wonders and miracles. St. Joseph is the foster father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family. Joseph is an unwitting accomplice to the work of salvation. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is his betrothed. He is given no options as to what he wants as regards the birth of Jesus. Yet somehow Joseph manages to allow the grace of God to lead and guide him such that he willingly accepts his role as foster father of Jesus and protector of the Holy Family. We, too sometimes find ourselves in a situation when we have no idea how things came about, it just happened without exerting any effort on our part. It just shows how God is able to do wonderful things in our life. All we need to do is follow the example of Joseph who at that time did not have any idea whatsoever that those were going to happen to him. Joseph is a righteous man; he stands in the line of righteous men stretching back to Abraham. It was mentioned above that he had little choice about the direction of his life. However, we must not fail to reflect upon the option that he could have simply walked away and left Mary and the child in her womb to fend for themselves. He could not do this as he was a good man and could see that Mary was going to need his help. Though he may seem to be a somewhat silent observer in the work of salvation, he plays a much greater and more important role than most give him credit for. He allowed God to lead and guide him through that situation which he obviously did not plan or intend to happen.  In whatever situation we are in right now, whether it's all part of our plans or not, let us continue to allow the grace of God to work for He can surely bring about goodness and prosperity in our lives. We may be in a situation where we are not truly satisfied with what is happening around us but we must continue to believe. What a glorious promise from God to His faithful servant David. He has the same words for those who will faithfully and perseveringly follow His lead. If we can only look back and examine carefully our lives in the past then we can gauge from there if we have been totally obedient to His will in our lives. Are we missing out on something? Let us be quick and diligent to assess our lives so as not to miss out on the best things that God has in store for us. We can always count on God to carry out the plans He has for His people and always be true to His word. There is no greater joy in the knowledge of the hope, joy and love that Jesus is our Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16

4 The LORD spoke to Nathan and said: 5 “Go, tell my servant David, 12 ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. 13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

If we enter into agreement with any person we have to make sure that we are able to fulfill it and vice versa for the person whom we make a contract with. It is so disappointing when things do not turn out the way it should be and terms and conditions are not followed. I guess, we have all encountered mishaps and are dismayed along the way.  It is always best that if there's someone whom we should observe and maintain a covenant with then there should be no other but God. For His words and promises will always remain true. As in Habakkuk 2:2-3, "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." We can be assured that His covenant will last and stand firm. Thousands of years have passed and only one name remains tried and true and continues to stand the test of time and even eternity, the name above all names, Jesus. If we are to look closely and pay attention to the succession of events of the salvation history or covenant history which goes back to the time of Adam & Eve and Noah and dates way back to 1800 BC during the time of Abraham, Moses (1200), David (means the favored one,1000), Exodus (600) to the birth of our Lord Jesus we will see God’s faithfulness and steadfast love for His people.  In this time line are significant events that happened from the time of Creation when God created man who fell into sin and became unfaithful and how God continuously called us back to Him by showing us who He really is throughout the length of time. As dramatic events unfold, like the entrance of the Israelites to the promised land, the pockets of rebellion as they took over the 12 tribes and settled into a life of monarchy (kings) from their 1st king (Saul) to King David and King Solomon, the time of David is described as the greatest time of the people of God. Today’s psalm speaks of how God is pleased with His faithful servants and promises to maintain kindness forever. As we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph we look at him in the eyes of the Jews, he was the person who gave Jesus His proper name and claim as descendant of King David. Joseph was more of a foster father, because he was truly the legal father of Jesus. In like manner, he was not just the guardian of Mary. Before the law and traditions of Israel, he was the husband of Mary of Nazareth, the one who legitimized the “virgin birth” of Jesus to Mary. In the church’s liturgy, Joseph, aside from the Blessed Mother, is the only saint mentioned in the “Divine Praises” for the Eucharistic Benediction.  Then, according to experts on the apparitions of Fatima, Joseph was the only saint who appeared with the Blessed Mother in those phenomena that happened in Portugal." All these things tell us that there is really no cause for worry and fear for we have a God who is faithful to all His promises. We should always be reminded of this reality and never doubt that everything will come to pass. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
R: The son of David will live for ever.
1 [2] The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness, 2 [3] for you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. (R) 3 [4] “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 [5] Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.” (R) 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior!’ 28 [29] Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.

We can see from the readings today that the big moments of history are based on the simple, intuitive comprehension of the faith of David, Abraham and Joseph, the so called the Anawim of God. We have all the reasons to rejoice and be glad. God is always true to His word and fulfills His promises to the poor in spirit. We can trust God to always bring about the best situation for us. Especially when we look back at the times when we think we are in big trouble. God has the ability to bring about good in everything. The will of God is really wide between choices that are good and good. It is always a consolation to know that whichever way we go, granted of course that these choices are all good, we can also be assured of the wide array of good things waiting to happen to us. If our God is faithful, so must we be faithful, too. God guarantees to fulfill all His promises to those who remain steadfast in their faith. Believe and have faith, push aside all doubts that God is able to fulfill all his promises. Be proud and shout to the whole world of his goodness. Today's 2^nd reading should make us realize that we have a God who guarantees to fulfill all His promises for as long as we have faith in Him. We should believe what has been promised to us and it shall be done. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22

It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.

For this reason, it depends on faith,so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,…He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.” 22 That is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Today’s gospel speaks of the Annunciation scene of Joseph when the angel said to him not to be afraid to take Mary into his home. He woke and did so as the angel had commanded him. God’s beauty and Mary are one in the heart of Joseph. Pope John Paul II said in his book that Joseph did not suspect Mary but was afraid and held back since did not want to interfere in this great mystery of God’s plan. He has great respect for her holiness and felt unworthy but the angel assured him and he obeyed. We can see the inner drama of Joseph and the test of faith that we sometimes think holy people do not encounter. We have this notion that when we’re holy we don’t have to walk in the darkness of faith. Even Mary had her dark night of faith in Calvary. We are invited to emulate her faith and Joseph’s too. We can see Joseph’s radical humility at his disposal to God’s will and his quiet and firm determination to obey God and be at the service of God’s plan. He shares in the very faith of Mary. They have a union of hearts and souls through marriage since he is the husband of Mary and so is considered the father of Jesus although not biological. In this union, we see the humble service of Joseph. He does not speak any words and yet achieves his great holiness through his loving service to love the Church and Jesus and takes Mary into his home. The word of God comes to us through the Church and calls us like Joseph to bring out the fullness of Christ in whatever situation. Joseph is there at the birth, the presentation, the circumcision, the flight to Egypt and all other mysteries of the life of Jesus. Jesus comes to us in the beautiful institution of the sacraments we should radiate His presence to the world. This is the challenge being posed on us today as we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. He is an icon of faith and obedience to God. He followed well the example of his ancestors, Abraham and King David. We can see how the hand of God made all things possible throughout all generations what He said would be. We should never have any doubt in our minds that God has a great plan for all of us and He is able to carry them out for our welfare. We find out from the gospel that Joseph had other plans and intentions in mind but God’s plan and will prevailed over him. This is how we should follow his example. We may have other things in mind and think that it is for the best but we must not lose sight of what God has in mind for us. We may be encountering some disappointments and struggles at the moment as most people do but our faith, hope and love should always rest firm in the Lord who is able to make us stand firm forever. These experiences should give us the courage and conviction to keep us going and not be afraid since it could help us build up confidence and faith in God who never abandon nor forsake. God will not allow us to go through something without seeing us through it. There are so many parallels in today’s readings pointing to St. Joseph and the angel in our very own lives if we come think of it and look at it very closely.  When things happen to us in an entirely different manner that we imagined and planned it to be let us always remember that God is faithful and would surely send us angels along the way who would guide us to the right path. It has always been divine intervention rather than what people commonly say as coincidence, since with God there is no such thing. We may never have thought things to happen and be the way it turned out but we must always yield to the will of God. It is through obedience that we can show our unwavering faith in God.
We may think that if we will just go by what is fair then we are already justified. Sometimes we encounter circumstances that require us to do more than what is fair. We are challenged by God to always deepen our faith with one step more. Joseph in today's gospel did not go with what is fair for him during his time but did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. With that I quote what Companion says of this:, "Jesus’ birth is no sure thing given that He is a child out of wedlock in a world where Mary could have been stoned for this! Following the will of God will always have its challenges and difficulties but they should not daunt us to the point that we give up. This would be giving in to the sin of despair, a response unbefitting a disciple of Jesus. Let us resolve that no matter what the future holds for us we will persevere in doing God’s will to the end."  St. Joseph is an ever faithful father and protector to Jesus and he could be one to us too. There were several circumstances that I could attribute to the intercession of St. Joseph. I can still remember when I had to make a major decision way back in Oct 2007 and at that same time was gifted with a rare and miraculous sign of being able to get a rose petal with an angel imprinted on it in a healing service I attended. This gave me the courage and conviction to keep on going and not be afraid. I should say that it helped me a lot during that time in building up my confidence and faith in God who never abandon nor forsake. There are times when we have doubts about a certain decision and the Lord sends us his message through an angel it could be disguised in a dream or in any other manifestations but what's most important is to listen to God's message and act on it like what Joseph did.  We all have our plans in life and these are all good plans, I suppose. We should know by now that whatever it is that we plan to achieve, God is with us all the way. But sometimes our plans are just good but not the best. Joseph being a righteous man remained calm and quiet in the midst of all these unexpected developments in his life. Thus he was sensitive and receptive to the angel's instruction to him. He did as he was told with all obedience. We can learn a great deal from Joseph's trusting attitude in God's plan over his personal plans. Sometimes we get disappointed at how things turn out in our lives but we just have to believe and have faith that there can never be something better than what God has planned for us. St. Joseph's example reminded us of this virtue that in spite the uncertainties of events he continued to trust in God's goodness and followed what he was told to do. We should remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and let go of our plan in exchange of God's plan. St. Joseph inspires us to always do what the Lord is leading us to do. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 

Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.