DWELLING PLACE

We associate a lot of things to places where we live. How about associating things to ourselves by examining closely who lives in us. We are without a trace of any doubt as proclaimed in today's 1st reading a dwelling place of God. Just like any other places where we can live, if the conditions are no longer favorable, or we are forced to relocate due to work reasons, buy a new house and move to a place where we can call our own and other reasons we can all think about when transferring to a new place to live. Sometimes we can use this analogy to ourselves as God's dwelling place. Are we trying our best to make feel God at home in our lives or are we driving Him away from us? For God is always the perfect gentleman and would never force Himself if we do not welcome Him the way we should. Let us be careful just as what sometimes happen when we may not be aware of it but we are already kicking Jesus out of our lives. He patiently waits for us to open the doors of our hearts.  We prevent God's miracles in our lives when we suppress it by our wrongdoings. Why not allow the Spirit of the Lord that dwells in us triumph, unchain the spirit and unleash its power to work in us. The 1st reading assures the Christian community of a future of unending glory for all who have been loyal to God. The assurance of resurrection is nothing less than the spirit dwelling in us. We are released from the graves that we create for ourselves. The resurrection is the ground of our faith and basis for our hope. Let us be conscious and truly nurture God's spirit in us.

Amen. Hallelujah!

Romans 8:1-11

"...For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.

We can't claim to be this kind of person, a Christian but conduct ourselves in a very unlikely way. Let us no longer be deceived by the false and misleading truths and principles that this world presents to us every single day. We have to be grounded at all times on this truth that today's psalm is telling us. There was a time when Tita Neds complained that something is wrong with the television. She said that somebody fixed it already but it didn't stay fixed for long. It wasn't the manufacturer who repaired it that was why. If it was brought to its manufacturer they would definitely know what to do with it. We've got to be conscious of this reality and apply it to ourselves. When something goes wrong we should know where to go, to whom we really belong, the Lord. This is the covenant: we belong to the Lord and He belongs to us for we are His people and He is our God. If we look at what's happening in the world today most especially the economic crisis wherein even the leading nations are being challenged by the present situation then we are really bound to anticipate the worst. Not even those people who used to be very confident of their present jobs in their respective stable companies can be too sure of what's going to happen next. There have been so much speculations of what will be the outcome of this worldwide problem of the economy and most of them are not good. With all these rubble, there is just really one thing we need to focus on and that is God. It is not easy to live life in this world but we can rejoice and be glad, we have an army, a battalion, a full house of saints with all the angels constantly and endlessly praying and singing in heaven, the so called triumphant Church/army of God, who intercede in our behalf and is joyously inviting us to be one of them. We are being reminded by the readings today to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord no matter how tough things are. God wants to be with us, there is no doubt about that. But just like water and oil which can not be put together and mixed so is God and man if we are in sin or harbor anything that can not be attributed to the holiness of God. We can not force two different things to go together. Water is a polar molecule and oil is non polar. They do not mix because they are two different substances as in the adage, "Like dissolves like." God can not change. He is already who He is, Holy in all His ways. We can be like God in His holiness and goodness if we want to be with Him forever. We can change not on our own but by God’s grace. Let us not lose sight of what a mighty God we serve who made the heavens and the earth. We pray to God to open our eyes that we may see the wonders of His love. We should think profoundly of our daily walk with the Lord which consists of not only a leisure stroll in the plains and valleys of life but a steep climb up to the top of the mountain. We must avail of the sacrament of reconciliation. It gives us renewed strength and hope. Our life consists of steep and dangerous climbs but we must not forget that God is always at our side. If we are to carefully assess our life we would find that it feels good whenever we are able to overcome most of our pitfalls though there are some that still needs improvement. We must praise and thank God that every time we experience a fall back and backslide we can immediately go back to Him through the sacrament of confession which restores us to our original path and right track. It is God's desire that we will someday come face to face with Him. There is a need for us to prepare for that day. We are sometimes guilty of not focusing on God's countenance alone, there are times when we get distracted by other things and today's psalm reading serves as the reminder. I heard a story about God's radiating and blinding light that when we stand before Him nothing is hidden from Him, He will never turn away from us but if we ourselves are tainted with the guilt of our sins then we can not withstand His presence and will definitely hide and ran away from Him, far from His ever blinding Light that penetrates us. Let us all hope that when that day comes we can stand in His Holy Presence and claim with confidence our rightful place in His Kingdom. For our information, all of us are eligible to be in heaven with God. There is no doubt about this since we have been made and washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. A virgin is with child. The Old Testament scriptures have foretold of this and point to the coming of Christ. The prophets preannounced and prefigured His coming and pointed to the fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament. He has loved us first and continues to do so. He encounters us ever anew in the sacraments especially in the Eucharist. The Church helps us to respond to God’s initiative through word and teaching and the gathering of believers who respond faithfully. We have to be firm, resilient and faithful people of God. We’ve got to really focus on what is truly important and essential. We live in a world where there are so many distractions that we tend to lose sight of what should be our greatest and most important concern. After all has been said and done we will find in the end that what truly matters is not what will last only in this lifetime but for all eternity, a reward from God our Savior. When somebody invites us for a party we just don't go there without preparing ourselves for it. Much more gatecrash and just go to a party without an invitation. We are blessed that God has invited us. The best we could do being privileged, honored and counted to come to His banquet in heaven is to make preparations and always be ready to take part in it, really belong and not end up an outcast. We should not lose sight of this standing invitation that God gives us in our daily life. There is indeed a need to always be prepared so that when the final moment comes we can reside in the heavenly abode of God. In every game there is a rule to follow and only those who play it fair and square can finish to the end and win their prize. Today’s psalm gives us a guideline to follow in order to make it through. We should always long to see the face of God at all times in every person, event and circumstance in our lives. Let us always hold on to this image so that someday when we finally come face to face with God we will receive a blessing and reward for He will surely bring about what He said He would do. In the course of the time and in the history of mankind we hear of people like Abraham chosen by God. The chosen people were given laws and ordinances to follow. The remnants of the chosen people or those who were faithful to God in keeping these commandments like Simeon and Anna, Joachim and Anne are those who belong to the Hebrew generation, kept the Jewish tradition and prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. This initiation of God in loving us first should bring us to act and make love blossom as a response on our part. We've got to be aware that the no one but the Lord is the King of glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M 

Psalm 24:1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6

R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

1 The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it... Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely. They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.

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

Luke 13:1-9

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

GOD'S WAYS

In the beginning God created everything to be in harmony, man, the land and all creatures. But man sinned leading to a rupture with God, one’s self and others. We have to go back to where God had intended it to be. If we believe that everything happened by chance there is a tendency for us to wane in our resolution and our responsibility is deemphasized. The understanding that a Creator made the world leads to a fundamental responsibility to it.

When we watch these movies about the end of the world it gives the impression that our world exists by random and we look upon the universe as a product of chance. We need to be firm in our belief that everything that exists comes through Jesus. Everything in the universe came through Christ. He is the foundation of all reality. Creation is existent and made through and for Him. It does not exist by chance and is ruled by God and His plan. Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved… Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.  John1:3 All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; …We are capable of reason because of our mind. God gives choices but we also have a free will we can go beyond instinct and go against the will of God. We are the image of God and we have a unique personality because of the dignity of a person. We are unrepeatable which makes us distinctive and like God. Man and animals have some similar gifts like emotions and body but what distinguishes us is reason. Our freedom to choose what is right and wrong is conscience. We choose good and avoid evil. It is easier said than done. How many people want to lose weight but it is not easy to lose weight because there are a lot of temptations aside from food. The same is true with our conscience. The natural law is humanizing, but it is dehumanizing when we don’t obey the natural law. Human beings should make a decision to accept Christ as the one mediator so we can go to heaven not in hell.  We all have our own struggles in life. This is something we are confronted with every day of our lives. Sometimes it reaches to a point where we feel so helpless and miserable. The truth is we really don't have to since God created man to be on top of all His creation. The bible tells us that even the finest robe of King Solomon can not compare with the lilies in the valley that neither toil nor sow but bloom and clothed everyday only to dry up the next day and thrown away. Also with the sparrows in the field that never worry what to eat. We are worth more than the lilies and the sparrows. Even the stars do not struggle to shine and rivers do not struggle to flow then we will never struggle to excel and be the best since God will deliver us from all of these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hallelujah! 

 

Romans 7:18-25a  

Brothers and sisters: I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand...Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

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

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

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

P S A L M 

Psalm 119:66. 68. 76. 77. 93. 94

R: Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust. R. You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes. R. Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants. (R) 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. (R) 93 Never will I forget your precepts, for through them you give me life. (R) 94 I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. 

We should make an effort to be really wise according to God's standards since we all have a tendency to be experts when it comes to matters that is not really essential. Time will come when we will realize the importance of  knowing  more  about God  which will lead to  loving Him more not because  it  will  benefit our  God  and  add anything  to His glory but  for our  own sake that we enjoy the gift of salvation. Since God is God, He is consistent to His nature and proclaims justice that after all chances have been given to us He will appear to us on the last day as the judge. God has given us everything we need. He will never be lacking in anything at all. In fact all the signs and wonders around us that we often leave unnoticed and take for granted all point to God. It is a pity that we still go astray from the right path when we already know it and confuse ourselves when there is really nothing confusing about it. It all boils down to the fact that we have our own free will and we can define and decide for ourselves what's right and true. This happens when our circumstances don't fit or conform to our expectations we immediately dismiss it and resort to our own ways without realizing that if we really believe that we have an Almighty and All Knowing God then nothing ever happens outside His will. It may not be favorable according to our own standards but God's ways is not like man's ways. We simply have to be open to God's truth by trusting that God will always make things right for us. We ought to be wise and sensible Christians. If we are so good in managing our earthly affairs all the more should we be good in conducting our spiritual affairs which last not just here on earth but to eternity. God left us in today’s gospel with a challenge to gain knowledge, be wise, think right with the beautiful mind of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 12:54-59

54 Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain — and so it does; 55 and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot — and so it is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 57 “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. 59 I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

UNDERLYING REASONS

One of the things that I find strange in people like us most especially here in the US is the fact that we have this tendency to work endless hours to the point of exhaustion to earn a living but end up tired and sick. We sometimes lose sight of what life is really all about. When we work we have to make sure that our goals are clear to us and we get what it is worth. When we work we hope to get something in return for the time, talent and effort we invested in it. Today's 1st reading tells us that death is something we work for and earn every time we offend God since it is the wage of sin. Funny how the word wages is used in this bible passage to emphasize the fact that death is the corresponding wage of something that we work for. Come to think of it, why in the world would we work for something like death? Sometimes we take things for granted, but if we come to think of it we'll find out that it is exactly what we're doing whenever we sin. Why labor for something like death when it is clear that there is something that we don't even have to work for but given to us as a gift. Let us not exchange our eternal life for death and consciously and actively accept the gift. Like any other gift that is being given to us if just left unopened and kept in the closet without finding out what good the gift can do to us then it becomes a useless gift. We've got to be fully aware of this wonderful gift which is already in our hands and just waiting to be opened, used and benefit from. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Romans 6:19-23

... For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

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

P S A L M 

Psalm 1:1-2. 3. 4 and 6

R: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

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

Today's gospel seems to contradict what Jesus came here for when He denies to have come to bring peace, where He announces division and fire. There is really a need for us to not just reflect on the words of God but know the underlying reasons for such statements. This is one of the reasons why I will forever be grateful for those times when I attended the San Lorenzo Bible Study. It is through it that we learn a lot of things that we just don't get from reading the bible. I have always appreciated the generosity of our teachers to impart and share to us their knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus and more. The more here stands for a lot of things like the in between the lines and behind the scenes scenarios that I would have never known but have come to learn about it, that I will forever be grateful of. No matter what situation there is around us, there is only one thing required of us. That is to fully decide for and stand by what God wants us to do. It may be difficult and not in accordance to this world's standard causing you to look queer and different but if it's God's will then it must be the best. God is good and God really provides. I would also like to quote what is written in the Kerygma reflection I read. "Let us seek to imitate this all-or-nothing attitude of Jesus in the way we follow Him as His disciples. Let us live for excellence in obedience to God’s will and never be willing to settle for second best!" We all have a mission in life that we have to fulfill when we were born here on earth. The Baltimore Catechism explains it to us in simple terms. God made us to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in heaven. To gain the happiness of heaven we must know, love, and serve God in this world. We learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church. In today's gospel, Jesus is full of zeal to accomplish what God has sent Him to do without regard for the manner it is to be carried out. He is detached from the things of this world and is on fire with passion to fulfill God's mission. Sometimes we, too become so restless when we know that there are things we ought to do but haven't done them. Somehow we know this feeling and could very well relate to it. The only difference lies in this question, what are the things we want to accomplish. It would help to consider this powerful statement from Companion which says, THINK: The best way to honor the Lord is by living according to His plan and promoting the Gospel in all that we say and do. In addition to this, is the reflection question from Sabbath. Do you get going even when the going gets rough? Do you find company in the Lord during these times? Do you accept challenges as opportunities to prove your faith in God? By Your grace, Lord, let me not compromise my faith when life gets tough. You are my strength and my shield. Amen. Hallelujah!

                     

Luke 12:49-53

49 Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 

WE HAVE A CHOICE

It is indeed a challenge for us but God calls us to always conduct ourselves according to what is pleasing in His eyes. It is important that we always reflect in our lives the righteousness that the Lord God expects of us. Though, hard let us always equip ourselves with the Word of God and be constantly reminded that in Christ we can do everything. We sometimes hear people say, "I don't have a choice." The truth is that we always have a choice, it's just a matter of deciding what choices we make. It's time we realize this and not take for granted the fact that we are always confronted with choices and we have to own every single decision we make, be responsible for it and be ready for whatever it brings about. This is definitely the case for all of us and there is no exception to this. Today's 1st reading tells us exactly just that. Amen. Hallelujah! 

 

Romans 6:12-18

...Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 

Today's psalm reading reminds me of several occasions in my life when I almost got bitten by a dog. So I know exactly how it feels to be in that situation when you are face to face with some kind of danger and don't know what to do but just wait for that impending doom. And I am also aware of the unexplainable feeling of joy and relief when you are spared from it. It is of greatest consolation knowing that we have a God who is always ready to rescue us in times like these. Time and again, history has always displayed the undeniable mighty power of God in each and every generation from the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and up to the present time. We should be able to see how God is working in us in the same way that He did for our ancestors. The life of the patriarchs and the prophets should serve as a constant reminder that God is faithful and always come to our rescue.  Today's psalm speaks of the fowler's snare and stumbled on this sermon in the internet and felt the need to share some of the important points I got from it.

            Satan is the fowler who betrays unguarded souls. He is the arch-enemy of souls, the great deceiver and prince of the power of this world who always attempt to destroy us. The devil of this day is a well-spoken gentleman: he does not persecute—he rather attempts to persuade and to beguile. There are several ways a fowler attempts to take his birds.  First, the fowler's snare is intimately connected with secrecy. The fowler, when he goes after his birds, is very careful. Therefore the fowler carefully covers up his trap so that it is utterly ignorant of his intention to take it in the trap, little thinking that the food laid there for its banqueting is really placed there for its enticement and destruction. The temptations of the world are of this secret sort to a Christian and could often hear them say, if I were perfectly convinced of its wrongfulness, I would give it up. Sin is usually hidden, and the snare is not often made apparent. We have to take care of things that are secret and the common doings of the world.

In the second place, the snare of the fowler is generally noted for its adaptation. You do not find a fowler setting the same snare for one bird as for another; he knows his bird and he adapts his bait to it. The fowler is wise and he adapts his snare to the condition of the bird which he desires to take. Satan the fowler does just the same. He will always adapt his trap to his man, and his bait to his bird. He will not tempt you all with the same temptation he would tempt me with; nor me with the temptation with which he would naturally assail another. "The snare of the fowler." A cunning enemy we have to deal with; he knows our weak points; he has been dealing with men for these last six thousand years; he knows all about them. He is possessed of a gigantic intellect; though he be a fallen spirit and he is easily able to discover where our sore places are, and there it is he immediately attacks us. If we be like Achilles, and can not be wounded anywhere but in our heel, then at the heel he will send his dart, and nowhere else. He will find out our easily besetting sin, and there, if he can, he will attempt to work our ruin and our destruction.

In the next place, the fowler's snare is frequently connected with pleasure, profit, and advantage. In the bird's case it is for the seed scattered on the ground that he flies to the snare. It is some tempting bait which allures him to his death. And usually Satan; the fowler, uses a temptation wherewith to beguile us. "O!" says one, "I can not give up such-and-such a thing, it is so pleasant. Sir, you never knew the charms of such-and-such a pursuit, otherwise you could never advise me to relinquish it." Yes, my friend, but it is just the sweetness of it to you that makes it the more dangerous. Satan never sells his poisons naked; he always gilds them before he vends them. He knows very well that men will buy them and swallow them, if he does but gild them beforehand. Take care of pleasures; mind what you are at when you are at them. Many of them are innocent and healthful, but many of them are destructive. It is said that where the most beautiful cacti grow, there the most venomous serpents are to be found at the root of every plant. And it is so with sin. Your fairest pleasures will harbor your grossest sins. Take care; take care of your pleasures. Cleopatra's asp was introduced in a basket of flowers; so are our sins often brought to us in the flowers of our pleasures. Satan offers to the drunkard the sweetness of the intoxicating cup, which rejoices him, when his brain is rioting in frolic, and when his soul is lifted up within him. He offers to the lustful man the scenes and pleasures of carnal mirth, and merriment, and delight, and so he leadeth him astray with the bait, concealing the hook which afterwards shall pain him. He gives to you and to me, each of us, the offer of our peculiar joy; he tickleth us with pleasures, that he may lay hold upon us, and so have us in his power. I would have every Christian be especially on his guard against the very thing that is most pleasing to his human nature. I would not have him avoid every thing that pleases him, but I would have him be on his guard against it. Just like Job, when his sons had been feasting in their houses. He did not forbid them doing it, but he said, "I will offer a sacrifice, lest my sons should have sinned in their hearts, and should have cursed God foolishly." He was more careful over them at the time of their feasting than at any other season. Let us be the same. Let us remember that the snare of the fowler is generally connected with some pretended pleasure or profit, but that Satan's end is not our pleasing, but our destruction.

In the next place, sometimes the fowler very wisely employs the force of example. We all know the influence of the decoy-duck, in endeavoring to bring others into the snare. How very often Satan, the fowler, employs a decoy to lead God's people into sin! You get with a man; you think him to be a true Christian; you have some respect for his character; he is a high professor, can talk religion by the yard, and can give you any quantity of theology you like to ask for. You see him commit a sin; ten to one but you will do the same, if you have much respect for him; and so he will lead you on. And mark, Satan is very careful in the men whom he chooses to be decoys. He never employs a wicked man to be a decoy for a good man. It is very seldom, when Satan would decoy a Christian into a snare, that he makes use of an open reprobate. No; he makes use of a man who is pretendedly religious, and who looks to be of the same quality as yourself, and therefore entices you astray. Let a bad man meet me in the street, and ask me to commit sin! The devil knows better than to set him at any such work as that, because he knows I should pass by directly. If he wants his errand well done, he sends one to me whom I call brother; and so through the brotherhood of profession I am apt to give him credence and pay him respect; and then if he goeth astray, the force of example is very powerful, and so I may easily be led into the net too. Take care of your best friends; be careful of your companions. Choose the best you can; then follow them no further than they follow Christ. Let your course be entirely independent of every one else. Say with Joshua, let others do what they will, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Note, once more, that sometimes the fowler, when he faileth to take his bird by deceit and craft, will go a hawking after it—will send his hawk into the air, to bring down his prey. It often happens, when the devil can not ruin a man by getting him to commit a sin, he attempts to slander him; he sends a hawk after him, and tries to bring him down by slandering his good name. Do with the slanderous hawk what the little birds do, just fly up. The hawk can not do them any hurt while they can keep above him—it is only when they come down that he can injure them. It is only when by mounting he gets above the birds, that the hawk comes sweeping down upon them, and destroys them. If any slander you, do not come down to them; let them slander on. By the grace of God, let them say what they please against you, never answer, but go straight on. All shall end well, if the character be but kept clean; the more dirt that is thrown on it by slander, the more it shall glisten, and the more brightly it shall shine. The surest way in the world to get rid of a slander is just to let it alone and say nothing about it, for if you prosecute the rascal who utters it, or if you threaten him with an action, and he has to apologize, you will be no better off—some fools will still believe it. Let it alone—let it keep as it is; and so God will help you to fulfill by your wisdom his own promise, Let us bless God that it is written, "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler."

We should stop doing the sinful thing that we really don't want to do because we have already been saved. We are no longer bound to the yoke of sin and death, we are free. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M 

Psalm 124:1b-3. 4-6. 7-8

R: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

2 Had not the LORD been with us — when men rose up against us, 3 then would they have swallowed us alive. When their fury was inflamed against us. (R) 4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 over us then would have swept the raging waters. (R) 7 Broken was the snare, and we were freed. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Luke 12:39-48

...You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” .....Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. .....Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

PERSONAL ARMAGEDDON

We can never outdo the generosity of our God. Thus we should always look at the positive side of things. We should dwell on the goodness of God rather than on the misconceptions or wrong mindset we have of God. We could probably have a better understanding of God if we are truly open to the truth that we have a God who is abounding in grace and mercy who can always give and provide whatever we need whether it be material, spiritual and any other aspect that God is able to make right. We have to be more inclined to think of the greatness and infinite love of God our Father. God doesn’t want us just to be whole human beings and restore us to what Adam & Eve were when they blew it in the Garden. God wants us to be more than that. He wants to elevate our human nature and divinize it. He wants us to share in His own Divine nature. This is an incredible thing and call. It was only possible because God became man and we can share in his virtue. This is what the real Catholic life is all about. It’s not just about making it or going to heaven by the skin of your teeth after struggling. It’s about growing in holiness and becoming like Jesus all throughout our life, a champion not without struggles. As a matter of fact without the struggles we can never become a champion. But with victory and excellence not with hopelessness, despair and frustration. This is God’s desire for us which is a fantastic calling. The power to do this has already been given to us. We should continuously be thankful that though we deserve to be punished for all our sins, Jesus took it upon Himself because of His great love for us. We are truly blessed! Amen. Hallelujah!

Romans 5:12. 15b. 17-19. 20b-21

Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned. If by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many. For if, by the transgression of the one, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace

and the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one the many will be made righteous. .Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We need to persevere in prayer so that as we improve and daily grow in His knowledge and ways then we can easily discern and be more sensitive of how God speaks to each one of us in a very close and personal way. We should always listen intently to what God is telling us so we could effectively carry out what He wants us to do. It is God's will that we engage in activities that will enrich and deepen our faith in Him. In order to love someone better we have to know him/her better. The more you know about a person the more you become close to each other. The same way with God there is a need to really know more or everything there is to know about God. We must not be distracted and dissuaded to do otherwise when beset with problems and difficulties. If we have developed a great sense of confidence and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ then we can fearlessly and undauntedly do whatever He wills for us. We've got the very best friend we can ever have in Jesus. All we have to do is listen to and follow Him. He is the Rising Sun and Light of the world who came to live with us to direct our feet into the path of peace.  Doing God’s will may not be easy but if we have placed it in the center of our hearts then it will just come naturally as it becomes the powerhouse or mitochondria of our beings. The transcendent nature of humanity calls for dialogue and human understanding. In the face of difficulty and sign of contradiction we should never lose heart. Remember these words from the gospel, Mt. 5:10-12, “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Violence is not overcome by violence. The world needs God. Authentic weapon for peace is religious freedom as in to practice faith without coercion. Today we remember the plight of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who suffer greatly for the faith. We pray that religious freedom will not be eroded for those who can practice it. We continue to hope in the grace of God for that alone will suffice. It is also very important that we follow the example of Mary's perfect obedience to God's will so that we can find delight in following God's laws. May our Lord show us the path to peace and use us as instruments and builders of peace. Nothing should ever stop us from doing the will of God for it is ultimately the best option we've got. If we have developed a great sense of confidence and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ then we can fearlessly and undauntedly do whatever He wills for us. Once we've known who God is and what He is capable of doing in our lives then there is really nothing that should stop us in saying with all our hearts the responsorial psalm for today. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M 

Psalm 40:7-8a. 8b-9. 10. 17

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

6 [7] Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; 7 [8] then said I, “Behold I come.” (R) In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”  (R) I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. May all who seek you exult and be glad in you, And may those who love your salvation say ever, “The LORD be glorified.” (R)

God is fair and just in all His ways. We can rely on Him to carry out everything perfectly. We should be relieved in the fact that everything will come to pass in His perfect time in accordance to God's standard and not ours. In the meantime, we should always be prepared. If we don't know what to expect then we are at a loss. Jesus in today's gospel tells us that sooner or later we will all come face to face with God on our last day here on earth. No one can deny the fact that we will all die and it is something that we must not be afraid of. Instead we should all be ready for it when it comes and while we still have time. There is always hope as long as we live. Those who have prepared and acted in vigilance will never be caught unaware. Nothing beats those who are always ready and prepared. We have a responsibility in our hands and we are accountable for it. Let us do all in our power to measure up and give it our best. We sometimes get shocked at how this modern world of ours have drifted further down the pit of moral decay and got into the lure of what seemed to be the accepted and existing norms of our society. It is so difficult most especially for us trying to live the call of Jesus in our lives. It looks like wherever we go we are faced by these challenges. Sometimes we feel like people have no more room for godly talk. Just when we thought that we're running out of godly resources in our environment today's gospel served as a reminder of the movie, "Spiderman". The following words of Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility" is a modern version of the bible passage from today’s gospel. Although we are sometimes overwhelmed by the discouraging reality of the kind of world we live in, God never runs out of occasions and circumstances to always reinforce His words which serve as guiding principles in life that can always keep us attuned and conformed to Him rather than to this present world. Although there are times when we find ourselves overwhelmed by the tasks in our hands, we should be glad and rejoice that we are continuously being entrusted with responsibilities knowing that God will not give us anything that we can not accomplish. There is a need to be really vigilant at all times. Being always on the watch and careful of our actions at all cost. We must admit that there are moments when we become out of focus but God has always been faithful in giving us reminders. We need to have the confidence and conviction that we are where we are and doing what we are doing today because God has lead us to it. If such is the case then there is no reason to be afraid for we will surely be blessed. Today we should commit ourselves to the vigilant waiting for the Lord, for in Him alone, we place our trust. Doing God's will in our lives at all times is a sure way of preparing for the 2nd coming or the return of Jesus. There were lots of predictions as to when will this day come. Sometimes we lose track of what the 2nd coming of Jesus is all about and tend to be out of focus. Instead of focusing on the end of the world or the Armageddon in which the signs of the times that accompany the 2nd coming of Christ being proclaimed like the so called earthquakes, floods, fire and hailstorms and tornadoes are already happening and rattle us by causing so much fear, anxiety and confusion it would be better if we focus more on the reality that the Kingdom of God is at hand and is here right now within our individual selves. It would help us stay in focus and more in control if we concentrate more on our personal lives and mind our very own armageddon on our last day here on earth that we should all prepare for. Each day of our life is a battle being fought for the ownership of our souls that we really have to be mindful of right now, whether we will come to see the end of the world or not and it is coming soon or later that we really don't know. One thing is sure, we will all leave this earth and die and that is the reality that we all have to face and prepare for. During my nursing student days we used to make a lot of NCPs (Nursing Care Plan) especially in our clinical rotations in different hospitals. These NCPs based on our instructor's format are composed of 5 columns namely, ADPIE which stands for A- Assessment, D- Diagnosis, P-Planning, I-Implementation and E - Evaluation. We are able to carry out our duties well and give the optimum care to patients if we can come up with priority NCPs. It's just as the name itself says, nursing care plan with its important components (ADPIE). We all need to have a good NCP not just in the hospital setting but in our daily lives. In doing so we are well prepared and ready for anything that might or is bound to come up. If we are always on the look out and well equipped then we can picture ourselves just like those servants in today's gospel, truly blessed. There is really much and still more to learn from today's gospel. Jesus has left us with a vast resource of learning to attain to the kingdom of God. We could no longer make excuses for everything else has been provided for us by the Lord. If we will only take to heart and act with diligence all these wonderful advice or words of wisdom that Jesus has given us then we can definitely reach our God given destiny without fail. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 12:35-38

35 Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.”

TREASURES IN HEAVEN

What people commonly refer to as coincidence is in truth undeniable proof that we have a God of perfect timing and precision. In today's 1^st reading, it is emphasized that apart from God’s ability to fulfill His promise we are also expected to not doubt in unbelief. Jesus is the seed of Abraham. When baptized we are joined to Jesus and confirmed when Jesus even said to St. Paul on the road to Damascus, whatever Saul is doing to the Christians is being done to Himself. (Acts 9:4) We are members of the body of Christ. We belong to Abraham by virtue of baptism and Jesus being seed of Abraham. Through Christ we belong to the people of the promise. We who belong to Him are the new chosen people. But it was not for him alone that it was written that “it was credited to him”; it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification. The readings these past few days have been consistently proclaiming about God's promise to Abraham. He is the model of faith in the Old Testament because he did not withhold sacrificing his son, Isaac to God. In effect, today's 1st reading assures us that it was not for him alone but also for us who believe and follow his example of great faith. Amen. Hallelujah!

Romans 4:20-25

20 Brothers and sisters: Abraham did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God 21 and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do...But it was not for him alone that it was written that "it was credited to him"; it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification. 

We may have been in a situation wherein we are at a loss and torn between doing and not doing something. There may be times when we are confronted with several mind bogglers and twisters due to certain situations and people we meet and talk to. All of them may be pointing to something we have been very unsure of doing. God is always generous in His response to us and would let us know what to do if we truly seek His will. Try God in prayer and He will surely show us the way. Although there are times when we are having cold feet we should continue to hope that God is always consistent and never fail or falter. No matter what our situations are we must not lose sight of the fact that we have a loving God who never miss a single day in reminding us that He is God and in control. The Lord our God is able to carry out what He has promised to do. He is God and Lord of the Universe. There is nothing more that God can do for us that He did not do. Let us always have this confidence and trust in the Lord, the same God of Israel who came to them and has come to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 1:69, 70, 71-72, 73-75

R: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

69 He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. (R) 70 Through his holy prophets he  promised of old 71 that he would save us from our sins from the hand of all who hate us. 72 He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant. (R) 73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to set us free from the bonds of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, 75 holy and righteousness in his sight all the days of our life.

Today’s gospel is definitely not a far cry from the messages being conveyed in all the other readings for today. In fact it is explicitly stated what will become of those who fail to store up treasures in heaven. Everything else will be for nothing if we are not wise enough to realize what’s truly important and essential in this life. We should not continue wasting and throwing away precious time and opportunities to invest and be rich in what matters to God. God is indeed a God who will always assure us and will never leave us feeling at a loss. There are so many conflicts going on around us and sometimes we get too carried away by the concerns of this world we sometimes overlook what's most important and essential. Although we are part of this world we should not forget that at the end of it all, the only thing that will matter is our stored up treasure that matters to God. What is our main focus in life? If we still find ourselves attached more to other things than what God calls us to do then we are in danger of missing the true wealth. It is easier when we have to choose between good and bad but more difficult when we are confronted with choices that are both good. Today's gospel speaks of a fool who did not make the wisest choices. We must pray for the gift of discernment in order for us to recognize what is truly important and essential in life. Today’s gospel is also another assurance from the Lord that He will never forsake nor leave us and will always uphold our cause. It is only right and fitting that we continue to give honor and praise to Him by reflecting God in our lives. We have to be rich in the eyes of God and not in the eyes of men. God's impression of us is what matters most and everything else will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

                             

Luke 12:13-21

...“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”... … God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ 21 Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

TEAMWORK

Even during the time of Moses, teamwork was already being practiced by believers and they benefitted a lot from it. It is surely better to work together as family of God by supporting rather than pulling each other down. When we engage ourselves into something it is always a good question to ask this. Do we pull someone down or do we lift them up? Today's 1st reading shows us how the support they gave to each other made them win the fight. In a way the Lord is telling us also to always keep our hands raised up to him in prayer and never grow weary or tired and all our battles will be won. So whatever it is, we have been praying for, God is telling us right now to persevere and He will never forsake us in our persistence.  Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Exodus 17:8-13

...As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight. Moses’ hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Today’s psalm brings back memories of my angel petal. It was in October 2007 when I got this petal from a healing service headed by Bro. Carmelo. It was also the birthday of my mother at that time, she already passed away and since then I've always felt that she has always been watching over us just like a guardian angel would, which is symbolized by the angel image which appeared on the petal given to me by Bro. Carmelo. When I further researched from the Catholic Encyclopedia it only made it more significant since it is stated that "Cherubim means the Seat of the Glory of God and is interpreted: Fullness of Knowledge. Though we realize that cherubim are exalted heavenly powers and virtues; yet if thou wilt, thou too shalt be one of the cherubim. For if cherubim means, Seat of God, remember what the Scripture says: The soul of the just is the Seat of Wisdom. The word cherub (cherubim is the Hebrew masculine plural) is a word borrowed from the Assyrian kirubu, from karâbu, "to be near", hence it means near ones, familiars, personal servants, bodyguards, courtiers. It was commonly used of those heavenly spirits, who closely surrounded the Majesty of God and paid Him intimate service. Hence it came to mean as much as "Angelic Spirit". No human brain could fully comprehend what sort of mutual understanding is going on between a loving and merciful God and His child who knows only one thing, to trust. If we are building faith on an uncertain god then we ought to be afraid and anxious about our concerns. The Good News is that we have a God who is All Powerful and is at work. We have a God fighting our battles and is in control. If we stay in faith we can be assured that God will see us through everything. Although He did not promise to stop every adversity nor did not promise a smooth sailing journey or flight but we are assured of a safe landing. We just have to keep God first place and He will take us to places we never ever dreamed of. He is lining up the right people, right places, right circumstances at the right time. He is preparing for our victory and we have to get ready for God's favor right now. Even if we run out of people who are willing to help us or the situation we are in doesn't look good, today's psalm tell us not to despair for we can be assured that help is on the way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R: Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

1 I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me? 2 My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (R) 3 May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he slumber not who guards you: 4 Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps, the guardian of Israel. (R) 5 The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. (R) 7 The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. 8 The LORD will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever.

The instruction to Timothy gives us the classic test showing us the Divine inspiration of the scriptures. All of the books of the Old Testament (OT) are divinely inspired as it prepared the New Testament (NT) while the NT fulfilled the OT. One who belongs to God should be competent. We need to know sacred scriptures and live it. It is important for us to be fully equipped by sacred scriptures as understood by the church. God Himself came up with His own plan on how to make of this. As to how all men and women can be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and Jesus Christ. This is brought about by apostolic tradition, transmission of the message of Jesus Christ through preaching, bearing witness, instruction, worship, holy mass and inspired writings. The Apostles transmitted all that they received in Christ to all generations. As we listen to the same content of Divine revelation in Jesus Christ, we need to internalize, practice and help transmit it to someone else throughout the world. We can always rely on the scripture to guide and enlighten us always. It is like an instruction manual that goes with a product. In order for it to operate well there is a need to follow instructions with regards to its use. When God created us He gave us His words in scripture to keep us going the right way. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. .All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 4: 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: 2 proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Sometimes we feel that God is slow in answering us despite our constant and persistent prayers since nothing seems to happen. We must keep in mind that God is on our side. "We can stand secure and put our hope in His Holy Word." This is one of the lyrics of the inspirational songs of Renee Bondi entitled, "Back on my feet again" She was at the prime of her life and about to marry her fiance, many years ago when she met a bizarre accident which left her quadriplegic. She kept on with her faith in God. She is now happily married to her husband who never left her side since then, gifted with a teenage son, continues to make waves in the Christian recording industry and have been traveling all over in spreading God's word through her testimonies and songs. When we hear stories of people like Renee who encountered mishaps in life but emerged victorious through the help of God, it gives us hope to always go to God in prayer. Just like in today's gospel where a widow did not give up in imploring the judge for a just decision on her behalf, we too, must not falter or faint in praying to God. In our daily circumstances we sometimes meet people like this judge in the gospel who is supposed to protect the interests of those treated unjustly but turned out to be the one making things even more difficult. Today's gospel gives hope to us all who continuously rely on God's goodness, never give up and persevere in prayer. For in the end of it all, God will always look after our welfare. We may have been praying for a particular intention and until now we are still waiting. We should wait patiently and continue to strive although sometimes struggling in our faith in God because He who allowed us to be in such situation will surely see us through it. We have probably heard the story in today’s gospel for quite a number of times already.  It usually leaves us with the wrong impression that we have to be very persistent in our prayers in the wrong sense. There is this tendency to think that God is like this judge in the gospel whom we can gain approval through constant persistence and prodding. As if we can delude and sway God over to our whims and caprices. God does not change, we change. As the song goes, “His works are perfect and all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, good and upright is He.” For a change why don’t we think of the judge as ourselves and the widow as God since He has been persistently following us and never stopped getting our attention. We can be assured that our God is not anything like this dishonest judge from today's gospel. And yet crooked and wicked as he is, he was still able to render a just decision for the widow. Come to think of this bible passage especially the questions that go with it.  Several times in our lives we are confronted with so many hard to deal questions that we simply can't lock it in. It is just like this game show when contestants find it very difficult to answer when the host asks them this question, "Deal or No deal?" They are full of doubt and uncertainty because they can never be sure if they answered right unless the case is opened. But do we doubt God who is all good and perfect not to do more than this judge in the gospel and deal fairly with us? Have we answered the question and are we so sure that we could lock it in? We better be. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 18:1-8

Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily...