PATIENCE

Let us not miss that appointed time and day when God takes action. Has it ever happened to you before when we miss something that we have been waiting for quite some time? Today's 1st reading reminded me of this person who is very patient in waiting for the grand prize winner in the hope that his name would be called. Just like him all the other employees patiently wait for the Grand Prize raffle before leaving the Christmas party because they know the rule that the winner has to be present in order to claim the prize. For the entire duration of his work in this company which is more than 20 years, I should say that he has never missed a single opportunity to win the grand prize. He would patiently wait for the Christmas party to be over and the grand prize winner to be called before going home. His perseverance all throughout these years in waiting every year for his name to be called is really amazing. But it doesn't stop there since he is also very dedicated to his work, their living room would be full of plaques of recognition if he would hang them all in the wall. I have never seen anyone as dedicated and persevering in his work as him. There were times before when I would think that he loves his work more than anything and consider it as his top priority. He is so devoted to their company that he would never patronize counterpart products manufactured by other companies. I have never seen anyone as dedicated to his work like he is. I have always admired his dedication and became a source of inspiration. Despite his extraordinary kind of loyalty and dedication to his company he was still laid off when the company has to resort to streamlining. Come to think of it, if he has offered this much to his company why not to our God, Creator, Redeemer, King of kings, Lord of lords and Supreme Being who is much more capable of granting all of us the Grandest Prize that can ever be known to man. I bet we will never be streamlined and laid off if we remain faithful to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Malachi 3:13-20b
...And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my own special possession, on the day I take action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. 18 Then you will again see the distinction between the just and the wicked; between him who serves God, and him who does not serve him. 19 For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. 20 But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.

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. 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 tells us that God won't neglect us and always provide for all our needs. It also talks of a man who is very persistent in asking for something from his friend. We should praise and thank God because the gospel assures and gives us new found strength and confidence that whatever we have been praying for a long time already has been heard by God. We just have to continue lifting everything to God unceasingly. We must always have that attitude of hope and expectant faith in our God the Father in heaven. We must believe that our persistent prayers to God will bear fruit. God is merciful, loving and concerned over our own welfare that He continues to be the perfect Father and parent to us always. Amen. Hallelujah!


Luke 11: 5-13
8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9 “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?”