THE GAME

Only the tough gets going and the survivor lives. This is a standing regulation in most extreme challenge game shows or high rating reality shows that are very popular nowadays. This is exciting for most of us to watch on television because we see how they battle with their skills and find their way up to the winner’s spot. The winner gets home with the trophy and the most exciting prizes that they could think of. A very attractive package of gifts and surprises are in store for the winner. This is one of the things that lure people to go for it. Only those who dare to take the challenge can emerge as the winner. It’s funny how I somehow got to connect this type of thing with this passage from today’s 1st reading. We ought to realize that just like those extreme challengers, we are also participants of this game called life and in the end when everything is over and done, a prize awaits us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
...“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”


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. Amen. Hallelujah!


Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
...Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who may stand in his holy place? 4 He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R) 5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior...

Aside from the rules to follow there are also certain criteria to meet in order to qualify for such games. It is a consolation to know that we have all been pre-qualified through our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into His Kingdom. We are God’s children and the rest is up to us. If we are to live up to this honor and privilege or not is all in our hands. Amen. Hallelujah!


1 John 3:1-3
1 Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.


We have all been called to take part in this game called life. The best way to win the game is to know how to play it and be actively involved in it. How would you like the idea of a game wherein you need not run all the way to the finish line to get your prize? We may not be aware of it but we could already be winning prizes along the way and need not wait for the final moment. The answer lies in today’s gospel and also in the version of Luke's gospel. It got me so interested when I learned from a Lenten retreat I attended that the beatitudes has a semi hidden meaning in it. When we were asked to read them all and find out what that is, nobody was able to come up with the answer. It was just very simple. All the beatitudes are in the future tense only the first one which is “Blessed are the poor in spirit” is in the present tense. It means it is already happening right now and it is already in their hands. For it is written, theirs is the kingdom of heaven and it didn’t say will be. Amen. Hallelujah!


Matthew 5:1-12a
...“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. 6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”