PERFECT

We often typecast people based on what we see in them. No other title can surpass the privilege of being identified as a “people peculiarly his own” meaning we are unique, extraordinary, special, exceptional and exclusively belongs to God. Today's 1st reading is about the covenant that God has made to His people with a clause attached to it. There is a condition in the agreement which is to keep all His commandments. It is not easy to be a Christian meaning we follow the things that God tells us to do. Whenever we work hard for something we can expect great results and it is exactly what we are supposed to do for it will always be to our advantage that we follow God. If human beings can easily break their promises we are very sure that God doesn't and never will. Let us just focus on His promises always so as not to be disheartened and easily discouraged knowing that the One who promised is trustworthy. If we are to look very closely at all His commandments and then to all His promises, we'll find out that it is really for our own good that He has given us these commands. We've got to remove all wrong impressions and notions that His commands are meant to make life difficult for us but rather as a guide that can direct us to a life of freedom. In one of our Apologetics class the speaker said that the commandments are not given to us to limit our freedom but in fact it is the formula for a truly happy life and enhances our freedom even more. He cited the example of driving in the freeway. He told us to imagine the kind of scenario if there are no rules and regulations to be followed in driving especially in the freeway. He said there would be a lot of chaos. He added by saying how can we imagine leaving our children in a day care with a playground without any fences. These rules help us enjoy life and have more peace and joy. They do not limit but instead protect freedom. To the extent that you can follow the 10 commandments and become free. This we have to realize, the more we disobey the more we become bound and become a slave of sin therefore the more we obey God the more we become free. Amen. Hallelujah!
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
...And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, 19 he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised.”

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

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

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

Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R: Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
1 Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. (R) 4 You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept. 5 Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes! (R) 7 I will give you thanks with an upright heart, when I have learned your just ordinances. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.
Today's gospel is another mission impossible based on human standards. But let us not forget that we are not the children of God for nothing. I have seen many people who were able to transform themselves and have inspired many people to change. There was one friend of mine when I was still in college who used to be very skinny and weak, he was the laughing stock of the group and called "Palito" because they say he is as thin as a matchstick. After several years that we haven't seen each other I got the shock of my life when I finally saw him. He is so physically fit. I couldn't have recognized him if he hadn't called my attention. When I asked him what he did, he said he enrolled in a gym and worked out. He hired a fitness trainer who coached him with the proper diet and exercise. The most important thing of all was he followed and did everything that was required of him. He said it wasn't easy but he said "no pain, no gain!" If we really want to be perfect like our Father in heaven then it's time we start working out  by engaging in an aerobics of faith and feeding ourselves with all the nutritious and healthy stuff and stay away from food that is not beneficial not only to our physical but our spiritual bodies as well. Let us start developing not only physical but spiritual muscles as well. Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfill the law of the prophets. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly. We have to exceed the letter of the law and know that the Spirit of the law gives life and understand it better. St. Augustine said, "Love and obey God then do what you will." We must be united to the will of God to the best of our abilities in order to always be aligned to His will.
GOD'S LAW MAKES US LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE (CCC 1803 "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. Today’s gospel also teaches us what Christianity is all about. Here it goes again. The mind boggling and endless train of thoughts that follow once the faith and reason argument ensues. Not a lot of people will agree with its recommendation and may even end up twisting its real meaning by adding up some justifications and excuses. To love one's enemies and be perfect just God is perfect may seem impossible. But our God is very clear in this and if we will also be serious and really commit to it then nothing is hard and impossible since we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We need not be told dear friends since we have been tutored by the years that all of this loveliness is not of our own making. The ability to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us and understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compelled Mother Teresa to do the things she did? Who compels the mothers and the fathers to sacrifice themselves and do without so their children can be educated and grow up and take their place in life. All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.” Another very significant event I could associate with the gospel today is an incident in a graduation party almost 3 years ago where all the God's Children members were gathered together seated in a big table. There was a very interesting conversation among us. We all actually didn't know how it started but the topic shifted to purgatory. There was one person there who said there is no such thing as purgatory. The Catholic Church teaches us that all of us whether living or dead belong to the Church. The living are members of the militant church, those in heaven are the Church triumphant and those who are yet to enter heaven or in the so called "purgatory" are the Church suffering. We are taught that people who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior but die with unrepented sins and have not asked forgiveness are in purgatory to be purged and made clean before facing God. It was said that God is All Holy and Ever Bright and Shining in Perfection that just a single stain of sin left in our soul makes us shy away from His presence. It is said that we, ourselves would rather be purged first than stand not properly clothed of holiness before God. This reminds me of the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:11-14, "But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen." Although this passage depicts being thrown in hell it is implied that we have to be properly dressed before we face God. The only thing left when we die is our soul because our mortal bodies are left to rot on earth and turned to dust. We have a merciful God that is why we have purgatory. God knows that it is not easy for man to maintain a perfect, free of stains and spotless soul at all times during our lifetime and could still have the hope of being with God in heaven. Based on our Catholic teachings and in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:32-35, this place being spoken of here where the servant was tortured until he was able to pay back the whole debt is like purgatory. It is written, “You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." In this place he was given the chance to pay back the whole debt unlike in the Parable of the Wedding Feast when he was immediately thrown away in darkness. Before this story gets any longer and even more elaborate without the main point being stressed, the emphasis lies in the fact that we are all called, as the gospel today tells us and what I also mentioned to the unbelieving person in purgatory, to be perfect just as our Heavenly Father is Perfect. For the purpose of giving glory to God, it is noteworthy to mention that this person who was so antagonistic at that time and had already distanced herself to the Catholic faith is now back to the fold. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 5:43-48

43 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you  may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

A HOLY CHAIR

Today we celebrate the "Feast of the Chair of St. Peter.” Since this is the case, we might as well think of what kind of chair we are sitting at. All of us have been given a certain post in life by the Lord. We can call it a mission or a purpose in life. We have to give it our best shot and be the person God has meant us to be as we aim to fulfill our God given destiny. Whatever that is to us, it should bring about what we should all look forward to receive on that final day when we bid goodbye to our present life here on earth, our reward in heaven and the unfading crown of glory. The feast today also reminds me of Sis Mila Perez with regards to some pointers for review while serving as communion minister. She told me that if I would like to serve during Sundays, I should come at 12 noon when our group is scheduled to serve. I could never forget that time when I was getting ready for Church a thought suddenly came to me and felt the need to dress up differently for the Mass. I had this feeling that I may be able to serve as Communion Minister for the 12 noon Mass at St. Martha. This meant not wearing my usual outfit of jeans and rubber shoes like I used to. And so I did, but I failed to arrive early enough since it was just a couple of minutes before the mass starts when I came to church and was a bit late already if I intended to serve as communion minister. I just guessed that somebody must have been assigned already. The moment I stepped inside the Church and walked toward the center I immediately saw Sis Mila Perez and was drawn to come near her. After that everything just fell quickly into place and was assigned a station for communion and served during the mass. I had been serving during weekday masses then but it was my first time to serve on a Sunday and a Filipino Mass at that. There is a great responsibility attached to being entrusted the body and blood of Christ. Today's 1st reading is indeed very appropriate for what I experienced at that time. I am very thankful to Sis Mila Perez for the trust and confidence she is giving me to be able to serve the Lord as a Communion Minister despite my shortcomings and inadequacies. I should say that as Communion Team Leader, she has tended her flock well and will receive the unfading crown of glory. We should always do things with a holy disposition offering to God our service rather than to man so that we will not be disappointed for nothing escapes the notice of God for He knows and sees every good deed we do. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Peter 5:1-4

Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. 2 Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. 3 Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Psalm 23 assures us where the road of God’s love will lead us because it tells us exactly what kind of road we are heading to if we accept the love of the Good Shepherd. When I was a young child, I used to sing and imagine the scenario in the psalm reading for today. Psalm 23 has a Tagalog song version in the Philippines entitled, “Ang Panginoon ang aking Pastol” I have always loved singing it because of the very comforting words in the song. It has always given me an impression that with God on our side nothing can go wrong and if things seem to look like there is something wrong there is really nothing to fear for He will always be there to defend and protect. Let us not stray away from the Lord and always stay in the flock that He cares for. We may have heard a story of how a lion attacks its prey by separating it from the flock and once it has cornered it and all alone that's the time it devours it. It pays to always stay in the flock under the care of our Good Shepherd. We have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. If we are just to read and understand very well every word said in today's psalm then we ought to find ourselves the most contented and secured person in the whole wide world. There should be no more room for fear, doubt and anxiety. We've got to develop the confidence and faith of a person who have truly believed that the Lord is our shepherd. A sheep without a shepherd doesn’t know where to go and get food. They just stand there looking dumb and hungry. Today's psalm is a reminder and great consolation that we are the sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd as stated in today's psalm. He makes us want for nothing more. We are so caught up with our problems and concerns in life that we become oblivious of God. We do not see the love of God in the midst of these disturbing events. In our journey here on earth we are all confronted with the bitter and harsh realities of life. Let us always remember and never forget that on top of those realities is the resounding truth and most essential one that we have a Good Shepherd. We should praise and thank God for those experiences although difficult served as an inspiration which we could hold on to at times when things do not turn out right. We can be assured that everything is in control although there is really a need to go through a so called "dark valley" of our lives in order for us to be fully aware that we have a God who looks after our welfare no matter how things turn out unexpectedly and not according to what we have in mind. We always have to believe that in the end, God is always on our side to give us the courage to carry on and find that God got us covered. There is one thing sure if we hold on to God as a sheep to the Good Shepherd, we will never be disappointed. The words of God in today's readings give us an assurance that He is always there for us. He said it and He means it then so be it. There is nothing more He could possibly mean when He said that He is the Good Shepherd other than He cares for us. He never forsakes nor abandons any single one of His flock. Sometimes we are confronted with situations that push us to the limits and thus we give way. This should never be the case at any single time. We should not entertain the option that is clearly not pleasing to the Lord even beyond the point of maximum tolerance. We may find ourselves able to resist up to a certain extent only. Thus when the tough gets really tough we would suddenly find ourselves shifting our loyalty. We only find ourselves proclaiming God in our life when situations are favorable. It's such a pity if we would ever come to this point where almost everybody in this world found themselves comfortably positioned. We can easily change positions when things get uncomfortable and easily turn our backs on what is ultimately God’s will for us. As in Rev. 3:16, So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. It is time to make a stand and know which side we really are rather than continue making excuses and justifications. We must not doubt God's ability to be the  Good Shepherd that He really is to us and trust Him rather than ourselves to carry out the plan He has for us.  Just like this old adage, "Never put the law into your hands." We should not take away God's plan from His hands into ours and act like we know better. If there's someone who could perfectly carry out this plan for our lives then that is no other than God Himself. Nothing could be more perfect than entrusting our life in God's hands. Just try to imagine ourselves right now, as is, where is with all our cares and problems in this world. Then try to paint another picture, this time with God as the Good Shepherd that tends the sheep, then picture ourselves as that sheep that the Lord tends. Be still for a moment and try to absorb and allow to sink in the words in the responsorial psalm. In God's loving embrace we are secured and satisfied that there is nothing we stand in need of. If the Lord is our shepherd who could ask for more? Goodness and love pursue us all the days of our life. For as long we're sure that the Lord Jesus is indeed the shepherd who leads us and whom we follow then there is no doubt about this. We should thank the Lord for our daily assurances, confirmation and in all circumstances. God will never allow us to go hungry and will always give us what we need and even more. God is a generous God that when we're feeling hungry or in need of something He is always there to provide, all we have to do is trust Him in His ways, as He has promised. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

At this point in my life as a Catholic, I should say that I have come to appreciate our faith now more than ever. Considering all of these things happening and the fact that today is the Feast of the Holy Chair. Read on in this article of Fr. Rudy Horst in Sabbath.
A Holy Chair?
Somebody asked me once on February 22, “Father, since when did we venerate chairs as saints? Isn’t that idolatry?”
Don’t laugh! It’s a very good question. Does a chair become holy because St. Peter used to sit on it? Did he in his time actually have a special chair? Probably not. So, what is today’s feast all about?
The ancient Romans celebrated on February 22 the festival of “Parentalia.” It was a day when the ancestors were remembered — as we do today on November 2, All Souls Day. During the celebration, usually a meal, a chair was decorated to represent and honor the dead. In other words, not the chair was honored or venerated but the deceased person(s) the chair represents. For the Christian community in Rome, Peter was without doubt the most important ancestor and so this feast became part of the liturgical calendar.As you know very well, Peter was not a hero from the beginning even though he was able to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, which Jesus saw as a special inspiration from God. But he denied Jesus. Peter also was not near the Cross. And when we read the Acts of the Apostles carefully together with the letters of St. Paul, we can see that Peter had difficulties to stand up for what he believed in.
There is a nice legend about Peter and a small church in Rome commemorates the event. During the persecution Peter got scared — again. So he left Rome and outside the city he met the Lord. “Quo vadis, Domine?” he asked, “Where are you going, Lord?” And Jesus answered, “I go to Rome to be crucified in your stead.” Ashamed, Peter turned around and was arrested. When he was about to be crucified he asked to hang there upside down because he did not feel worthy of dying the same way his beloved Master died.
It is never too late to become a hero of faith. It might not be death that makes us finally heroes; it may be a situation when we have to stand up for our faith, for our Christian values and convictions. May we not miss that most important moment – as St. Peter did not miss it. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
 Reflection Question:
Do I pray regularly for the successor of St. Peter? Do I prepare myself in prayer for that moment when courage is demanded from me to defend my faith?
Lord, today I pray for the successor of St. Peter, our Holy Father. May he have the strength and courage to guide Your Church through difficult times and guide us without fear. Amen.
-end of his article-

 Aren't we glad that today's gospel assures us that we have a Church built by Jesus Christ and nothing can prevail against it? We can actually learn a lot from Sts. Peter and Paul and their example. Both were very committed to our Lord. They were willing to leave everything behind and follow Him. They both lived out the cross of Jesus. We see the recognition of St. Peter in today's gospel which shows that he is very committed to our Lord and followed Him. Peter's proclamation of the truth made him a solid foundation of the Church that not even the gates of hell shall prevail against it. As members of the Church that is founded on solid rock may we become like Peter always ready and confident in announcing the truth about God. Although there is a series of problems despite this commitment, Peter was the one who told Jesus not to talk about His dying and being crucified in Jerusalem and got told, "Satan, get behind me." He was also the one in the Garden of Gethsemane after a series of important events like the transfiguration with James and John and the raising of Jairus' daughter, cut off the ear of the high priest servant with such impetuosity but also the one who denied Christ 3x.  St. Paul was also a man who made a serious commitment to Christ. He has a Roman citizenship and came from the tribe of Benjamin. He came from an affluent family that he was educated under the supervision of this prominent teacher, Gamaliel. St Paul mentioned in the scriptures that he was a persecutor of the Church but was converted to Christ. With true humility he recognized how bad he really was and doesn't deserve the favors that Christ has given him. He was willing to talk about his failures. We look at Peter and Paul who both gave a testimony of their blood for the gospel. They preferred to be executed and tormented rather than change their testimony. In doing this they both highlight something else especially St. Peter. This is the kind of man that is chosen. He is very much the man like each one of us. We can also make the best choice that is presented to us. We must recognize that our lives have to be a life of dying to ourselves. This is something that we could learn from and be the Lord's instrument for the redemption of our world. Praise and thank God for sending not only angels but also saints to the rescue. Let us try to remove all obstacles in our path. This reminds me of Sister Loreta's garden in Walnut. I am so impressed at how it looks like. Despite the scorching heat of the sun during summer time her garden remains beautiful. It is does not dry up. I found out from her that whenever the gardener comes to mow her lawn she will immediately water it while the roots are exposed. Just like in our life we really have to cut off or remove excess baggage or useless garbage in us that prevents us from making the garden of our life emerge in full bloom. Funny, how we sometimes find ourselves saying one thing this minute and then another thing the next. Just like Peter in today's gospel, we witnessed the sudden shift when in the first part of  the gospel, Jesus was commending him for having professed a truth that can not be revealed through flesh and blood but through our Heavenly Father. But in the latter part, Jesus rebuked him for behaving otherwise. This tells us that no matter how totally unreliable we are, at times. God does not give up on us. He continues to shower us with grace and mercy and it is all up to us if we will respond with faith and humility the way Peter did who persevered despite of all the struggles until the last hour. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 16:13-19

...He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

SO SHALL GOD

Today's 1st reading tells of the legendary Queen Esther who for her great courage and faith in the Lord saved her people from being exterminated. It was not an easy task for a woman like her to do at that time but she was able to do it through God's power, might and faithfulness to His people. Speaking of bravery reminded me of our trip 3 years ago in Crestline. At first, it was like a glimpse of heaven on our way up to the mountain on the "Rim of the World Scenic Byway" but it suddenly turned to a near death experience. We have been completely caught off guard by the sudden change of the weather plus the fact that the place had been destroyed by fire and the streets and landmarks might have been erased or changed and the information in the mapquest had not been revised. We had no idea anymore where we were going. We were confronted with a no room for mistake, one wrong move and you're doomed worst case scenario as the surroundings turned dark and became close to zero visibility in just an instant. The panic and fear we felt back then must have been like Queen Esther’s as she pleaded to God for help. It was like nothing could help us and all we did was to completely trust God.  We surrendered everything to the Lord and before we know it the roads suddenly cleared up and the directions we were following made sense. God’s goodness and mercy showed us His saving power and grace. The experience up on that mountain was really something but more than anything else was the realization that God in His goodness is able to give us the help that we need which leads us to finding the right path. I am also reminded of my mother, I still miss, long for and my heart aches for her. Although she is no longer physically present with us, she never fails to constantly make me feel that she is still watching over me especially with the dream I had before on the very day of her death anniversary or birthday in heaven. This was further confirmed by Eileen a friend and a former classmate. I told her how I would never forget her birthday since it is also the date when my mother left us and went to be with God. Another thing was that my mother's name is Cecilia but her nickname is Ely so it is almost close to Eileen. Does this sound lame? But on top of it was the fact that she said things that I would always treasure in my heart. Although this happened a couple of years ago I could never forget it because I was deeply touched by the words she said about my mother. I never quite expected that she still has such a clear recollection of her. She brought back very nice memories of my departed mother. Looking back at such experiences has brought so much joy into my heart. It makes us see as today's 1st reading tells us, that God only wants us to go nowhere but through the door to His Perfect Will and Plan. Indeed, God allows things to happen for a reason, which is far greater and divine than our own intended purpose. Amen, Hallelujah!
Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, likewise had recourse to the Lord.

Then she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: "My Lord, our King, you alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand...Save us by your power, and help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord. "You know all things...Be mindful of us, O Lord. Manifest yourself in the time of our distress and give me courage, King of gods and Ruler of every power...Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.

I could never forget the experience when we were in that very hazardous place in Crestline without any idea where we were going. I am thankful for the lesson learned from it. All we have to do is completely trust Him that in His goodness and mercy will show us His saving power and grace. If there's one thing for sure, that is the truth that God knows everything we are going through and He will not withhold the help that we need from Him in His most appropriate and best time, place and situation. All we need to do is just give our trust completely to Him who will complete what he has done for us and would not forsake the work of His hands. Just constantly pray and sing out our praises to God to unleash the power within us. We can always count on God at all times in all circumstances. Let us not stall any longer and finally respond to His call without any reservation. We should entrust all our cares and concerns to the Lord and be assured that He is true to His promise and will fulfill it. Our God is faithful and He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it in all of us. God never fails in sending us people, circumstances and situations that always build up strength in us. I have always believed in angels even before I got the miracle petal with a cherubim’s image. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was still less than 2 months old and fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to regain consciousness within an hour then he said I could die. To everybody's surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the school where my mother used to teach. She said she was standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud engine of the jeep.  It was just a miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road she said that I suddenly stopped and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my guardian angel that held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep.  I don't remember personally any of those experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my chair.  My classmates were really shocked and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. There is no doubt, angels are obviously at work. Today God assures us that we can always stand secure for as long as we remain united to Him through the aid of His Holy angels and saints. There is no doubt that we should sing the praises of the Lord in the sight of the angels. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
R: Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
...Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. 3 When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me. (R) 7 Your right hand saves me. 8 The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.

If we will just keep the words of God in our hearts, minds and souls and live by it every single day then we can never go wrong. Today's gospel is one of the first bible passages that have really caught my attention when I was just new to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. There were a lot of bible verses which are worth memorizing but this one I never had any difficulty remembering. Being a parent and mother myself and imperfect at that, I am still capable of doing the best that I can for the sake of my children. If we can do it for our children so shall God who is perfect in every way. Knowing this to be true in my heart and mind then we should never have any doubt about the love, care and concern that God our Father has for all of us, His children. We have an all knowing God and Father who is always ready to provide for everything that we need except for those things which are not good for us. We may think that the things we have been praying for are good for us as presented and dictated by our limited minds, imperfect ways, yearnings and plans. We are God's children and we are destined for greater things and more than what our minds could ever comprehend. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 7:7-12
7 Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.9 Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 10 or a snake when he asks for a fish? 11 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you...

THE GREATEST SIGN

The story of Jonah who got swallowed by a whale before he finally committed to doing what God asked him to do could very well be our own story. Jonah 1:17, Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Oftentimes we are confronted with difficult decisions in our lives and are full of fear and doubt. Sometimes we all end up like Jonah when we refuse to follow and obey what God is telling us to do. We tend to underestimate and doubt the power of God in our life. When we waver and falter in our faith in God and refuse to act according to the Lord's bidding then we end up trusting more, our own personal strength and understanding rather than God's. No matter how difficult the things may seem to be it is always for the best that we seek God's will and approval in everything that we do. Just like Jonah, all we have to do first is obey even without first seeing results and everything else will follow. In today's first reading we are reminded not to hesitate but to obey the Lord's bidding. For it will always be the right thing to do for no matter how impossible a task may be, He can always work things to our advantage. But things can get mixed up and can be misinterpreted, misunderstood, overlooked and taken for granted. It's a good thing we all deserve a second chance just like Jonah. If at first we thought we were doing the right thing but ended up mistaken then we should not despair rather be thankful to God for the experience of being able to find out what we should have done or not. God allows us to live our lives the way we wanted it in order to become fully capable of making decisions based on our everyday experiences. It is a consolation to know that whenever we are off track He never fails to bring us back to our senses. This 1st reading taken from the Book of Jonah has very significant signs and symbols that we can attribute to our Lenten observance. The theme for Lent is penance from sin and conversion. The Ninevites believed in God, converted and repented of their sins. The Church reminds us of these very important things that we should always keep in mind so as to gain the favor rather than the wrath of God. Here is a question that each one of us would like to know the answer. Could God ever threaten to do evil on His people? Isn't it true that God is All Goodness and Holy? Then how could He possibly carry out evil? There is a misunderstanding if we would ever think that this bible passage in today's 1st reading is meant that way. I somehow believe that it may have caused some miscommunications when it comes to the way we see God. In truth, God can never threaten nor carry out something that is evil. It is the evil ways that we resort to and refuse to turn away from that threatens the peace and tranquility in our lives and not God. Come to think of it, but we are in reality sometimes led to believe that we have a punishing God who will annihilate us whenever we do something wrong. I guess, it is time to revise our old edition beliefs and upgrade it to the loving and merciful God revealed in the image of Jesus who died on the cross for our sake. This is also the same message that Fr. Corsie Legaspi conveyed to the people in a healing mass. He said that we are in a way blaspheming if we ask God, “Why me?” or “What have I done to merit such kind of illness or suffering?” God only sanctifies and heals and could never cause anything evil. What we can be very sure about is that evil begets evil. We reap what we sow. We should see it coming our way, sooner or later whenever we do something evil. But God can combat and reverse evil if we make a decision to turn away from it. This is how we should look at it. The people during the Old Testament are savage and their understanding of God is limited to their experience in which we are definitely at an advantage. Why? In the New Testament, we have Jesus, God's only begotten son who came to us to suffer and die for our sake. The ultimate sacrifice of love the world has ever known. This we really ought to see, feel and experience. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jonah 3:1-10

...it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” 5 when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth...When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he relented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

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

Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R: A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R)  …For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart.

Stubborn, stiff necked, hard headed and what else can we say to ourselves when we still doubt and falter in our faith in God. For so many times already, God has moved and shown His mighty power working in our lives in many instances and yet we still fail to act and respond in accordance to what God has done for us. We still insist on doing things in our own way instead of acknowledging the truth that there is nothing really more we ought to see and witness.  For the love of God manifested in Jesus is the greatest love and sacrifice ever known. If we can think of something greater than this then maybe we can continue to be stubborn and be justified in our evil ways but we can search long, far and wide and find none. Sometimes we rely on our feelings, intuition, prevailing situation, by trend and popular choice. Sometimes too there is nothing wrong with it because these are all part of our human nature. Our God relates to us in a very personal way. He knows the exact message that we need at the right moment. God in His Infinite goodness and intelligence wanted to communicate His love and mercy to us but we are limited in our capacities to understand everything that there are times when these creative means as in signs help us when we make decisions. God never stopped showing us in a variety of means His great love and mercy for us throughout generations. It is very sad that in spite of it all we sometimes just don't get it. How many more signs are we waiting for to come to us before we do what we have to do? In the fullness of time God has already sent the most perfect sign of all. Let us no longer be like this evil generation who continue to be blind of it. Let us not look any further. Let us not be fooled or tempted by the false propaganda of the world and its lies. If we are to look very closely and think deeply we are not going to end up making the wrong decisions and choices. God never runs out of things, situations and circumstances that constantly remind us of what we are supposed to do. We should be grateful for all these experiences that keep on coming one day after another to us. We must admit that somehow it gives us a boost in the midst of all the turmoil in this world we live in. Sometimes we take these things for granted and become insensitive. We fail to see the real meaning of the things we encounter and continue in our careless and stubborn ways. When this happens we end up missing the real point, the so called "greater than Jonah here". If we continue this attitude day in and out then we might find ourselves being condemned. Today's gospel warns us of this fate if we keep on passing up on all the countless signs that God has given us from the very beginning most especially the biggest and greatest sign. We ought to keep our hearts, minds and souls open to these inspirations that God gave, is giving and continues to give and not miss the greatest sign ever known. There is indeed something greater than Jonah that we ought to have seen by now. There is no other sign that could best lead us to the right path than the sign of God's love. What our human minds can not fathom God communicated to us in the flesh in no less than His only Beloved Son who came down from heaven in order to suffer and die on the cross and save us from our sins. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 11:29-32

29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. 32 At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

PRAY WISELY

 Don't we feel good that we have a God who can always bring to fulfillment what He has promised? The Lord has spoken and it is our duty to nurture and always remember the words He has spoken to us. Not a lot of people like winter especially those people accustomed to the tropical weather. It’s still winter in several parts of the world but spring is just around the corner. Just like these seasons, God will fulfill all His promises just like the blooming of the flowers in springtime. He sees our hearts and knows our thoughts; we simply have to trust in His great power that He is able to make all things beautiful. We have a very rich treasure of faith as Catholics and one of them is our belief in life after death. We all know that our faithful departed loved ones are now enjoying the beatific vision of God and are constantly praying and interceding in our behalf. As Catholics, we believe that one’s death anniversary is a person’s birth to eternity. Everyday we get blessings from the Lord there is no doubt about it but for these blessings to be explicitly shown and demonstrated to us in a very special way is another thing. I could never forget the dream I had of my mother on her death anniversary. In my dream she was showing me underneath our green sofa a lot of duck eggs. There was even one that hatched right before my eyes. When my mother was still living she has not failed in showing us how much she loves us. Even up to this time I could still feel the love she has for us in ways that are beyond what I could see with my physical eyes just like the dream I had. The Lord God has given us so many promises like in today's 1st reading which is just one of the many promises He has given us. It is one of the bible passages which for quite a long time already hold a special meaning and inspiration for me. It has kept me very positive in the midst of trials and sufferings. Some people have always marveled at the inspiring stories of people who emerged victorious and triumphant after a tragedy or a depressing and defeating situation. Whenever they are asked to share their experience and impart their wisdom about what they went through they come up with all sorts of things which kept them going like a goal, dream, their family or a specific person whom they love most. But let us be reminded where it's all rooted and founded on, in the truth that God has blessed us with a lot of promises that is all bound to give us success and that we can hold on to for sure and without a doubt will carry out what it has said it will do. Unlike humans, God is able to fulfill all of them without any doubt. We can always count and depend on Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 55:10-11

10 Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

The considered powerful and mighty of this world is what appear to be the blessed and favored ones as far as human logic and reason are concerned. The exact opposite of what Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount and Plain (Beatitudes) in the gospels. A lot of people find it difficult to really understand the beatitudes since it contradicts the values of this world we live in. The poor, weak, hungry and sorrowing are called blessed. This may not sound acceptable for everybody and would even go around its meaning to get away with the real issue that Jesus wants us to face. Whatever it may be that's still stopping us from grasping the wisdom of God let us pray to God that we will always hold on to His word as He assures daily. Our God indeed is a perfect God and we must entrust everything to Him without  questioning believing that He knows what's best. We must be aware of the truth that it is by His power that we exist in this world. We’ve got to have the right heart, mind and attitude. Be poor in spirit and receptive to the Word of God. It doesn't make sense that despite these truths that are ever before us we still reject Jesus. Let's admit that we do it one way or another, knowingly or unknowingly. Pope John Paul II narrated a story when he was in the hospital for his operation. Just before the surgery, he went out of his room unnoticed and visited a very sick boy on the verge of dying. His mother was so depressed that no amount of words was able to console her. She told the Pope to tell God to go away. The Pope answered her that he did tell God to go away but He wouldn't listen. He embraced the inconsolable mother and told her that God knows exactly the place where He needs to be and that is none other than with her. We should realize that God never leaves nor forsakes most especially in times of despair. He is always there for us. Our God indeed is a perfect God and we must entrust everything to Him without questioning believing that He knows what's best. We must be aware of the truth that it is by His power that we exist in this world. Have you heard of blind obedience? Following without knowing exactly why you follow. Take the example of suicide bombers, who willingly die to spread terrorism. What courage! We should know that it is always worth it to obey God, obeying and knowing fully well that it is for our own good. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. We may have encountered situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position.  They just happen suddenly that we have no time to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss. Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going and do exactly what we are told. The Light of the World already came and judgment day is coming soon. In fact, judgment is happening even now. In Deuteronomy 30:15 "Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom..." God asked us to choose. It's got to be one way or another. There should be no mingling or ambiguity. It is all up to us. We can be assured that if we take God’s side then we’ll definitely taste and see His goodness. If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find Him. Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves rescued, saved and  truly blessed. We should always keep our hopes up in the Lord no matter what our situations are because it can never change the fact that He is God and always in charge and in control. There are times when we feel forsaken or abandoned but we must always hold on to the truth that He loves us so much. He would never leave us in misery. Let us remove all doubts and fears. Nothing should make us feel afraid for God hears our cry. He will surely carry out what is clearly for our own good and the best. All we need to do is allow God to work in our lives and stop hindering His grace to flow in our lives. If there's one big obstacle that is blocking this flow then it is surely not God. It is time we analyze the things in our life that continue to build up and shut out God. We don't want that happening and it's all up to us for the Lord hears and saves us. Although there are times when we do not have to sweat at all and things just come and fall into place we also have to know that our life is mostly a product of the choices we make. Our choices must always be responsible and carefully decided on. We've got to have a reliable standard for it. One without fail and is sure to work. Actually there is only one thing that we can surely depend on and that is the goodness of the Lord. If we always have this in mind then nothing should stop us to always look at God, listen and follow Him. We should not care so much about gaining the approval and admiration of men rather than God. Our focus first and foremost should be to please God and everything else will follow. Even if it sometimes does not work the way we expected and planned things to be. We can be assured that the Lord heard, hears and will hear all our prayers and surely has the best answer at hand in His most perfect time. In guarding our faith the bible passage from Ephesians 6:10-11 which is about the armor of God is an important tool. If we read it we will find the only weapon mentioned in the said bible passage is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We should check it once again and be aware of this important information as Catholic Christians. Last Sunday's gospel was about the temptation of Jesus wherein the devil also demonstrated his knowledge of the scriptures. As it is written, we need to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. We are undoubtedly engaged in this battle every single day that's why we are in need of a weapon. This reminds us of the importance of knowing the word of God by heart since it is our only weapon. God never fails. He would always make things work for our good and rescue us in our distress. I have always believed in angels even before I got this petal from a healing service with the image of a cherubim miraculously imprinted on it. It's been a while since I got it and has served as a testimony of God’s abiding love. I have no doubt in my mind that God will always deliver me from all my fears. I always keep my rose petal with me and show it to almost everyone I meet, as a way of propagating God's goodness to me. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was about 2 months old, and I fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to regain consciousness within an hour then he said I am gone. To everybody's surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the school where my mother used to be a public school teacher. She said she was standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud engine of the jeep.  It was just a miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road, I suddenly stopped and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my guardian angel who held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep.  I don't remember personally any of those experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my chair.  My classmates were really shocked and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. One of my bestfriends, Myrsa got me even more scared of what could had happened when she said that fluorescent lamps are laden with poison that once it gets broken, the poison is released and if the broken glass cuts your skin open the poison will get in and the wound caused by it will never dry up or get healed. From then on I developed this childlike trust in God and thanked God for saving me from death. There was another instance in my life as a child when Myrsa and I were left all alone in school while waiting for our ride home and the deafening sound of lightning and thunder got me very scared. Myrsa played the role of my guardian angel when she tried to calm and stop me from crying by telling me that I should not be afraid because the lightning is the flash bulb of God's camera. She continued by saying that I should not cry but instead smile for God was just taking our picture. Myrsa's legendary stories played a role in my developing a great faith in God. Another funny story was what she told me about the needle. She said that we must be careful with needles because it will find its way into our bodies and once it's inside it will go to our bloodstream and very quickly end up pricking our hearts which can cause us to die right away. There was one time when I lost a needle and couldn't find it anywhere. I went to bed very early that day which surprised my mother and was asking me if there was anything wrong. I decided to myself that I would just wait for my death silently and not tell anybody. I was praying to God not to give me a painful death and let me not feel it once the needle pricks my heart. When I woke up the next day I was so glad that I was still alive and thanked God for sparing me from death. Those were the early formative years of my faith which started out in a funny, amusing but definitely amazing way. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. If we will just constantly nourish and fill ourselves with the words of God in scriptures then there is really no reason for us to fear rather be always filled with joy. He will never allow us to be defeated and conquered for He is always there to rescue us. Amen, Hallelujah!

Psalms 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19

R: From all their distress God rescues the just.

...When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

We should pray the "Our Father" and look at it in so many different aspects. We have prayed it so often that it's very easy for us to forget the power of this prayer and what they mean. We should pray it like we have never prayed it before and take time to really think about what the words mean. What a wonderful thing it is that Jesus, Himself taught us how to pray. He told and allowed us to call His Father, our Father. Who does that make us? What a great privilege and honor to become children of God and call Him Father. It is so important that we take the time to think about this prayer and let the words that we say all the time come alive in all different aspects. He said when we pray say, "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven" If only we will do the will of God instead of our own twisted wills then even if we are not yet in paradise it will become very much like heaven. Again he said, "Give us today our daily bread;" Whenever we say this we tend to think only of the material needs but St. Thomas Aquinas said that the spiritual should have a predominance over the material. We've got to have a love for the spiritual things more than the material things. God wants us to ask for the material things but He wants us even more to ask for spiritual things. A temporal thing could have something to do with a job, food, fulfillment of our ambitions and all sorts of things along with many others. Spiritual blessings would be the grace of true, deep, loving and humble acts like faithfulness in marriage and to rear the children. When Jesus said whatever you ask in my name, God the Father would grant it, He didn't mean for us to ask something out of vain glory.  To ask in His name means that it has something to do with His purpose of coming here on earth. It has something to do with eternal salvation and to grow in His grace. Whenever we ask for something material we should add in our prayer that it would be God's will but when we ask for something spiritual then we already know that it is God's will.  Today's gospel and all the readings are telling us that God’s word will always achieve its end.  Pope Benedict XVI said that Jesus is the definitive and perfect Word made flesh who dwelt among us. The Word exists before creation, the 2nd person of the Trinity and everything that exists is willed by God. The very basis of reality is pulled together because of Him. If we build our lives on this Word we build our lives on rock. We’re made through and in Him. The fulfillment of creation and this fullness we are to have finds its true meaning in Him since we come from God. Verbum Domini, the Word of God precedes and exceeds sacred scriptures. We find that necessary truth in the sacred scriptures. It renews the Church and gives life. The Word is the constant source of renewal. When we encounter Jesus Christ we are renewed. We become His disciples and He gives us His teachings. He speaks to us and gives us eternal life. In the gospel we read that the disciples approached Jesus and asked how to pray. Catholics are often accused of babbling on like the pagans because of memorized prayers. We see that today Jesus teaches us the Our Father prayer. The misunderstanding with memorized prayers came from the practices of pagans at the time of Jesus who babble on while thinking that they can manipulate their gods if they do such a thing. Our Catholic prayers are not a form of manipulation. When we pray we also seek to listen and we don’t try to control God in some way. A good suggestion of the Holy Father is the prayerful reading of the scriptures. We have to spend time in the scriptures and prayerfully read. It is good to study but we must not neglect to go to the scriptures in prayers. This is fundamental in spiritual life. The Word of God is at the basis of all spirituality of a Christian life. We need to pray and meditate on the scriptures. Apply the scriptures in our life with perseverance and doing it while believing in and pleasing God. We ask God in prayer what it means and listen to God. As in Matthew 7, Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find and knock it will open unto you. We need to ask from God for the meaning of the scriptures through the Holy Spirit. Pope Benedict XVI gives a method for prayerful reading in the following. 1. Reading of the text and find what’s the literal meaning which leads to a desire to its content, 2. Meditation, know what the biblical text says to us and must ask ourselves and know what it says to us. 3. What do we say to God? Offer Him prayers, adoration and speak to Him. 4. Contemplation, is a gift of God. It is His own way of seeing things which leads us to conversion. We need to know where we need to change. This is the concrete reality of our life, to conform our lives to the word of God. Sometimes we are more infected by the worldliness than we are by the Word of God. God gives in His Word the gift of renewal that creates within us a truly wise and discerning reality which leads to forming the mind of Christ that brings about a conversion. God wants to join us in this journey of conversion and penance. When we take the scriptures in faith it's like we walk once more with God in the Garden of Eden like in Genesis when Adam & Eve walked with God in the garden and received the fullness of life. This is what He wants to give us now that Jesus Himself obtained for us. I love this quotation that I got from an email, "When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better." We should always have the confidence of what today's gospel is telling us and have no more reasons to doubt. There is an unexplainable joy in knowing that Almighty God is not unreachable for He is always with us. All we have to do is just pray wisely. It is in knowing the words of God that we can always stand firm, confident and unafraid in His promises in the midst of the chaos of this world. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 6:7-15

7 Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what youneed before you ask him. 9 “This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; 13 and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil.’ 14 “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”