Sometimes we come to a point in our lives when we have questions and doubts especially when we encounter situations that cloud our thinking. It may be foolish to even do so but there are times when we are not so sure about our beliefs and what to believe in. When we profess that the Lord our God is over all, in all and for all, this becomes especially difficult at times when we are confronted of the fact that we live in a world ruled with chaos, disorder and so much imperfection. We may come up with all kinds of denials, excuses and justifications but they are just what they really are, as the word and name itself suggests. In the midst of all these things there are just two things we can do, to listen and act on the word of God or not. The message from today's 1st reading is very clear. It is just a matter of living for this truth or against it. There are no ifs, buts and no in between. Everything that happens in this world is within the will of God. Sometimes terrible and unpleasant things happen and we tend to ask ourselves if they are also part of God's will. This has always been a very difficult question to answer. We all have questions and it is so inconsolable when we come to a point when we are at a loss for answers to these questions. It is like someone groping in the dark, don't really know and can't find the answers to it then we should get out of the dark and just decide not to dwell on the things that we do not know rather just focus on the things that we know. It is not, what we don't know but what we know and believe about God. He is loving, merciful, all powerful and that is all that really matters. It should and must be enough to settle us down for He will not put us through something without seeing us through it. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 10:9-18
...“No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”...But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?” 17 Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly they did; for “Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
Upon reading the psalm today the song entitled, "Your Words Are Spirit and Life" by Bernadette Farrell was impressed to me. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved to sing and I just realized that the words of this song are taken from this psalm which made me start singing it. Well, we just have to fully discover what the words of God can make us do. We've got everything we need because there's nothing more that God could and should do for us that He has not done. All we have to do is completely trust and obey the judgments of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R: The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
7 [8] The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. (R) 10 [11] They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.
It happens that every time I become part of a certain parish I make it a point to know about its patron saint because of certain events that led me to it. Call it supernatural or extraordinary or whatever we prefer to call it but it has always been this way. It is like something would come up like knowing a particular thing about these saints that would make me realize how they impact my personal life. It is always good to read about the life of the saints. God is pleased with the way they lived their lives here on earth. We can always learn something from them especially in making better our relationship with God. This is what the example of their holy and exemplary life give, not just to us but also to the rest of our family to follow. Today is the feast day of St. Andrew, pray for us. Happy Feast Day! St. Andrew was also known as the Apostle of the Greek World, had a Greek name it is not Hebrew, as might have been expected, but Greek, indicative of a certain cultural openness in his family. He also became the preacher and interpreter of Jesus for the Greek, who were also known for their pagan beliefs. Andrew, only Andrew, seemed to have kept his contemplative spirit. When there was the occasion of feeding the five thousand, it was Andrew who naively presented to Jesus the little boy who had some loaves and fish. He trusted Jesus' ability to do something from such a small and impossible beginning. When my husband Edwin and I decided to buy a lot where to build our house, way back in 1990, we chanced upon this lot in Greenwoods Pasig and bought it. It took us 4 years before we were finally able to build a house and move in 1994. Now I know why God chose this place for us to raise our two boys Jude and Allan who are now 22 and 19 years old respectively. Today also there is a fiesta in Greenwoods since St. Andrew is the patron saint in our parish. I am very thankful for the San Andres Apostol Parish in Greenwoods for adopting our family most especially my two sons, being a part of it has been a blessing. My sons have become active members of the Youth For Christ (YFC). They are now actively serving the Lord through this community. They have met very nice friends in Greenwoods, too. It helped to know that even if we're miles apart, I am confident in the knowledge that St. Andrew the patron saint of Greenwoods who have always sheltered the families there will continue to intercede for us. My sons were able to build their circle of God fearing friends founded on the activities under the roof of this church. I hope and pray that these bonds will continue to strengthen with the help of St. Andrew as he has done for so many years in the past up to the present. Over all, in all and for all, God makes all things work for the good. We are all called to discipleship by God. It just depends on how attentive we are to His call and do we hear it at all. We have our own personal plans and expectations and God's call to us may seem unfit and does not conform to what we have in mind. This is where the problem lies when we assume things in a different way or plainly unwilling to respond to the call in the manner that God would have it. We sometimes think that we know better by having things our way especially when times are tough. Today's gospel tells us that when the first apostles were called they left their nets and boats and followed Him. It may help us to think of our own nets and boats in life and ask ourselves if we would also be willing to leave them behind. It is definitely not an easy task but it will all be worth it in the end. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 4:18-22
18 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. 19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
THINK, FEEL, SEE AND HEAR...
Today the Lord reminds us in the 1st reading that we have to be careful in our words, thoughts and action. Sometimes we easily get carried away by the things we see and hear that we judge wrongly. It is important that we pray and think long and hard before we act on something. We can never be too careful especially when we are not at peace with God and ourselves at the time we are confronted with these things. There is more to it than meets the eye. We tend to see and hear things in various ways and the difference matters a lot. We encounter all kinds of people and situations in life. We sometimes succumb to the pressure and tension that build up when we are confronted with the anxiety and turmoil it brings about. We should always seek to follow the standard of God in our judgments and we will never be led astray. God is good. He will always save us in our distress even before we call on Him. We should always be joyful because of the imminent and looming presence of God in everything that surrounds us which is so awe inspiring. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 11:1-10
...Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide... There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.
We must always develop a kind of surrender and dependence on the Lord that is total and be confident that He is our Savior. The psalm reading should inspire us even more because it is a confirmation of God's abiding presence in our thoughts, feelings, sight and hearing. We should experience peace in the midst of all the problems and concerns that beset us knowing that we have a God who knows, hears and sees all. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. He shall rescue the poor man when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.....
We are never alone because God is always with us. All we have to do is be aware that God reveals Himself in a very mysterious way that we have to continuously work for a heart and mind that is focused on the Lord, remove all distractions in our life so that He will reveal Himself to us. Have you ever experienced talking to someone but it seems that he/she is not paying attention. Let us not miss a single detail about our Lord and always be attentive to Him. If we are caught up in our own personal lives then we have a tendency to misunderstand the messages sent our way. Let us develop an attitude of total surrender to God and He in His goodness will make known to us things beyond our understanding. When we're on the phone we sometimes fail to hear what's being said to us on the other line. We can always hear this being said, Hello are you still there? It may be due to a low signal, our lack of attention and other things that disrupt the communication. We are reminded by God through the gospel to remove all hindrances and be able to hear him loud and clear. It is imperative that we heed his call and the time is now. Sometimes we end up doing things that we are not supposed to do and we get confused and that's because we are not attuned to our Life Coach, who is God and no one can lead us to the right direction only Him. We should be so thankful to God for all the wonderful things He allowed us to think, feel, see and hear. The readings for today from the 1st, psalm to the gospel all speak of the importance of our senses. We need to sharpen and make our senses very keen so that we will not miss out on anything. Some people who lack one of the senses like for example the blind people develop a keen sense of hearing, feeling and smelling. The blind have mastered well their other senses that they can hear, feel and smell the slightest sound, touch and scent that can be unnoticeable for some. We should say from this point of view that the lack of one sense can enhance the other senses. We can also say that there are moments in our life when we have to shut out one of our senses, too. There are a lot of things being presented to us day in and out. We should know that some things are better left unsaid and ignored. In times like these we need to know exactly what we need to take in and which of our senses do we need to pay attention to and focus on in order to see and hear what the Lord is showing and telling us and be truly blessed. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 10:21-24
...for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike... anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him....
Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
Isaiah 11:1-10
...Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide... There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea.
We must always develop a kind of surrender and dependence on the Lord that is total and be confident that He is our Savior. The psalm reading should inspire us even more because it is a confirmation of God's abiding presence in our thoughts, feelings, sight and hearing. We should experience peace in the midst of all the problems and concerns that beset us knowing that we have a God who knows, hears and sees all. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
R: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. He shall rescue the poor man when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.....
We are never alone because God is always with us. All we have to do is be aware that God reveals Himself in a very mysterious way that we have to continuously work for a heart and mind that is focused on the Lord, remove all distractions in our life so that He will reveal Himself to us. Have you ever experienced talking to someone but it seems that he/she is not paying attention. Let us not miss a single detail about our Lord and always be attentive to Him. If we are caught up in our own personal lives then we have a tendency to misunderstand the messages sent our way. Let us develop an attitude of total surrender to God and He in His goodness will make known to us things beyond our understanding. When we're on the phone we sometimes fail to hear what's being said to us on the other line. We can always hear this being said, Hello are you still there? It may be due to a low signal, our lack of attention and other things that disrupt the communication. We are reminded by God through the gospel to remove all hindrances and be able to hear him loud and clear. It is imperative that we heed his call and the time is now. Sometimes we end up doing things that we are not supposed to do and we get confused and that's because we are not attuned to our Life Coach, who is God and no one can lead us to the right direction only Him. We should be so thankful to God for all the wonderful things He allowed us to think, feel, see and hear. The readings for today from the 1st, psalm to the gospel all speak of the importance of our senses. We need to sharpen and make our senses very keen so that we will not miss out on anything. Some people who lack one of the senses like for example the blind people develop a keen sense of hearing, feeling and smelling. The blind have mastered well their other senses that they can hear, feel and smell the slightest sound, touch and scent that can be unnoticeable for some. We should say from this point of view that the lack of one sense can enhance the other senses. We can also say that there are moments in our life when we have to shut out one of our senses, too. There are a lot of things being presented to us day in and out. We should know that some things are better left unsaid and ignored. In times like these we need to know exactly what we need to take in and which of our senses do we need to pay attention to and focus on in order to see and hear what the Lord is showing and telling us and be truly blessed. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 10:21-24
...for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike... anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him....
Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
Monday, November 28, 2011
OVER ALL
We should always come to God in prayer every single day and humbly ask for His instructions and directions especially at times when we are about to make certain decisions in our life. Without fail, God always show us a well lighted path where we are secure to go. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 2:1-5
...“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” ...come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
We are confronted with a lot of things every day and if there is one thing we should choose and decide for then peace is one of them. It is important that we work and pray for peace to always reign in our midst. If we have peace that passes understanding always safeguarded in our hearts then we can rejoice in the Lord at all times. We should always be confident of the truth that we are blessed and secure in the knowledge and truth that we are where we are right now, doing what we are doing right now at the exact time God has provided for us, for with God there is always a perfect time for everything. It gives us this joy of knowing that we are always able to go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
...May those who love you prosper! 7 May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings...
The gospel speaks of one's love and concern for a fellow human being no matter who that person is. It also serves as a reminder to us that just like that centurion we should have that unwavering faith in the word of God and seek to follow His lead always. It is very overwhelming to know that such power and authority of God is existent in all people, places, time and circumstances. There is no limit in what God can do for our lives. Just like this Gentile Roman centurion who did not belong to the race of the Chosen People and yet was reached by the power of God we, too should develop in ourselves this great faith in God no matter what. In fact, the words of this Roman Centurion resound up to this moment and time as it is being recited in the Communion Rite every time there is Holy Mass being celebrated all over the world. Jesus has defied the cultural barriers of faith and demonstrated in today's gospel that He is indeed over all, in all and for all. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 8:5-11
5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”
Isaiah 2:1-5
...“Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” ...come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
We are confronted with a lot of things every day and if there is one thing we should choose and decide for then peace is one of them. It is important that we work and pray for peace to always reign in our midst. If we have peace that passes understanding always safeguarded in our hearts then we can rejoice in the Lord at all times. We should always be confident of the truth that we are blessed and secure in the knowledge and truth that we are where we are right now, doing what we are doing right now at the exact time God has provided for us, for with God there is always a perfect time for everything. It gives us this joy of knowing that we are always able to go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
...May those who love you prosper! 7 May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings...
The gospel speaks of one's love and concern for a fellow human being no matter who that person is. It also serves as a reminder to us that just like that centurion we should have that unwavering faith in the word of God and seek to follow His lead always. It is very overwhelming to know that such power and authority of God is existent in all people, places, time and circumstances. There is no limit in what God can do for our lives. Just like this Gentile Roman centurion who did not belong to the race of the Chosen People and yet was reached by the power of God we, too should develop in ourselves this great faith in God no matter what. In fact, the words of this Roman Centurion resound up to this moment and time as it is being recited in the Communion Rite every time there is Holy Mass being celebrated all over the world. Jesus has defied the cultural barriers of faith and demonstrated in today's gospel that He is indeed over all, in all and for all. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 8:5-11
5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”
Sunday, November 27, 2011
WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT?
If there is anything that we should really work hard for, first and foremost then that is to enrich ourselves spiritually then every other gift will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
... No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him...
As we continue to be confronted with the mystery of our everyday living, may it gives us a better view and understanding of what life should be all about here on earth. May our perspective about our existence here on earth continually grow and prosper in the knowledge of our Infinite God. For to Him alone do we come for help for there is really no one to go but to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 (4)
R: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
...May your help be with the man of your right hand, with the son of man whom you yourself made strong. 19 Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name...
With all the shortages that affect the whole world and the different crises that we are all facing today we can't help it, if we feel insecure and afraid. Especially in times when we start to run out of resources, this usually happens to most of us these days. We must realize that there is only one thing needed and we have to make it our choice so that it will not be taken away from us. We need not be worried and anxious about a lot of things. As in Lk. 10:41-42, The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." If we choose the right thing then we can claim all other things, as in Mt. 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." To top it all, we are assured in today's 1st reading that we are sufficient for God alone provides. If there is anything that we should really work hard for, first and foremost then that is to enrich ourselves spiritually then every other gift will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
...5 that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, 6 as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our everyday circumstances teach us that nothing in this world is permanent and all life on earth will eventually come to an end. May we always strive to work for the benefits of our souls which is eternal and permanent than for the goods of this earth which will pass away. Let us make a habit of vigilance so that we will all be ready when the appointed hour comes and not miss an opportunity of spending eternity with God in Heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Mark 13:33-37
...“Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come...May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping...
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
... No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him...
As we continue to be confronted with the mystery of our everyday living, may it gives us a better view and understanding of what life should be all about here on earth. May our perspective about our existence here on earth continually grow and prosper in the knowledge of our Infinite God. For to Him alone do we come for help for there is really no one to go but to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 (4)
R: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
...May your help be with the man of your right hand, with the son of man whom you yourself made strong. 19 Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name...
With all the shortages that affect the whole world and the different crises that we are all facing today we can't help it, if we feel insecure and afraid. Especially in times when we start to run out of resources, this usually happens to most of us these days. We must realize that there is only one thing needed and we have to make it our choice so that it will not be taken away from us. We need not be worried and anxious about a lot of things. As in Lk. 10:41-42, The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." If we choose the right thing then we can claim all other things, as in Mt. 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." To top it all, we are assured in today's 1st reading that we are sufficient for God alone provides. If there is anything that we should really work hard for, first and foremost then that is to enrich ourselves spiritually then every other gift will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
...5 that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, 6 as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our everyday circumstances teach us that nothing in this world is permanent and all life on earth will eventually come to an end. May we always strive to work for the benefits of our souls which is eternal and permanent than for the goods of this earth which will pass away. Let us make a habit of vigilance so that we will all be ready when the appointed hour comes and not miss an opportunity of spending eternity with God in Heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Mark 13:33-37
...“Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come...May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping...
Saturday, November 26, 2011
NEVER COMPROMISE
It is very sad that nowadays, people are no longer interested in matters about God the way they are with matters of this world. It could have been a lot more understandable if people who are caught up between the conflict of secular and religious matters would just keep silent or remain neutral about it but what’s worst is that these very people who claim to be believers and followers of God are the very same people who disregard the feast days and the laws of the Church and speak ill about the faith. Sometimes we fall prey into the same trap without realizing it whenever we fail to focus on what’s really most important and essential in life. Today is the last day of the Liturgical Calendar of the Church and tomorrow we will celebrate the 1st day of Advent and the New Liturgical Calendar. Sometimes I wonder why we do not give much attention to such occasions in the Church the way we do when we celebrate New Year. I guess we sometimes lose our sense of priority and direction as to where we should be heading because we are bombarded by the commercialism of this world that our judgment gets clouded. We tend to be slowly and discreetly lured to compromise. If there’s one thing we should keep in mind that is to never deal with the enemies of our faith that can be compared to a beast which is exactly what today’s 1st reading is about. Amen. Hallelujah!
Dn 7:15-27
But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others,… He shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law…
These past few days I noticed that the Response (R) for the psalm readings were all the same which could probably due to the fact that we are coming to the end of the Liturgical Calendar of the Church and preparing to usher a new one. I also noticed that on the previous days, non living things and all that is part of nature followed by animals or living creatures of all forms that inhabit the earth are being called to give glory and eternal praise to God. On this last day of the Liturgical Calendar, the most priced creation of God whom He has chosen and destined to be holy are the ones called to give glory and praise. On the last and final day nothing else matters everything in this world will cease to exist. Only those people called (Sons of men), who faithfully responded, finally chosen to be priests and servants of the Lord whose spirits and souls are just and holy with humble heart will remain standing. No other than us, humans whom God has chosen to be the leader of His handiwork are given this privilege and honor to share in His Kingdom which emphasizes the truth that we are God’s beloved and on top of His creation. Amen. Hallelujah!
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“You sons of men,… “O Israel,… “Priests of the Lord,… “Servants of the Lord,… “Spirits and souls of the just,… “Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
I could never forget the time when I was watching “Deal or No Deal” on TV and saw this lady contestant who was so full of confidence when she bravely and proudly said that she is going home with a $1,000,000. As the game went on, her confidence started to ebb down when one by one she was opening very high amounts and started to lose the confidence that she had during the start of the show. It finally came to a point when only cases containing very low amounts as low as below $400 and the $1,000,000 were left behind. Her defenses finally gave way and made a deal for $115,000 instead of continuing to play. Only to find out in the end that the case she had chosen really contained the 1 million dollars. It gave me the impression that sometimes we are like that with God when everything seems to be safe and sure we hold on to God’s promise and continue to hope for the best but when the tough gets going that’s when we start to doubt if there’s really something good in store for us if we continue to stick to the Lord through thick and thin. When the lady contestant finally decided to deal she said these words, “I may believe that my case has the 1 million dollars but it may not be so.” She doubted her gut feeling in the beginning. We can not blame her for what she did because she just wanted to make sure that she can at least win something from the game instead of going home with nothing. With regards to our dealings in the matters of our faith we should never make a deal nor compromise for we are 100% sure that we will come out as the winner if we choose God above all. When we engage ourselves in things that we consider worthy of our time and energy then we should always make a conscious effort to examine it if they will lead us to something that draws us away from God. We can do this by always lifting to God in prayer whatever decision we make whether it is big or small. As we do this more often time will come when we will eventually develop sensitivity and an open mind to the will of God. As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect." At first it may not seem to be relevant at all because people make wise decisions every day and nothing seems to make any difference at all whether it is offered to God in prayer or not for as long as it is the right thing to do. As rational human beings we are all capable of making a logical decision. The big difference lies in the fact that every time we make decisions and develop a conscious act of placing God in the center we strengthen our bond with God. It is just like when we want to involve someone in our life then we eventually develop a close relationship with the person because of the constant interaction that is being formed which eventually leads to a more meaningful relationship. Today's gospel is a warning to all of us not to be lenient about our faith. An evil force is out to destroy this bond and if we are not going to actively participate in keeping it intact then we may easily fall into the trap. We should take every opportunity that comes our way to exercise our faith. As we grow in strength and work our way to developing a strong and spiritually fit soul we make ourselves ready and able to stand firm on that final day. Amen. Hallelujah!
Lk 21:34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Dn 7:15-27
But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others,… He shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law…
These past few days I noticed that the Response (R) for the psalm readings were all the same which could probably due to the fact that we are coming to the end of the Liturgical Calendar of the Church and preparing to usher a new one. I also noticed that on the previous days, non living things and all that is part of nature followed by animals or living creatures of all forms that inhabit the earth are being called to give glory and eternal praise to God. On this last day of the Liturgical Calendar, the most priced creation of God whom He has chosen and destined to be holy are the ones called to give glory and praise. On the last and final day nothing else matters everything in this world will cease to exist. Only those people called (Sons of men), who faithfully responded, finally chosen to be priests and servants of the Lord whose spirits and souls are just and holy with humble heart will remain standing. No other than us, humans whom God has chosen to be the leader of His handiwork are given this privilege and honor to share in His Kingdom which emphasizes the truth that we are God’s beloved and on top of His creation. Amen. Hallelujah!
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
“You sons of men,… “O Israel,… “Priests of the Lord,… “Servants of the Lord,… “Spirits and souls of the just,… “Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
I could never forget the time when I was watching “Deal or No Deal” on TV and saw this lady contestant who was so full of confidence when she bravely and proudly said that she is going home with a $1,000,000. As the game went on, her confidence started to ebb down when one by one she was opening very high amounts and started to lose the confidence that she had during the start of the show. It finally came to a point when only cases containing very low amounts as low as below $400 and the $1,000,000 were left behind. Her defenses finally gave way and made a deal for $115,000 instead of continuing to play. Only to find out in the end that the case she had chosen really contained the 1 million dollars. It gave me the impression that sometimes we are like that with God when everything seems to be safe and sure we hold on to God’s promise and continue to hope for the best but when the tough gets going that’s when we start to doubt if there’s really something good in store for us if we continue to stick to the Lord through thick and thin. When the lady contestant finally decided to deal she said these words, “I may believe that my case has the 1 million dollars but it may not be so.” She doubted her gut feeling in the beginning. We can not blame her for what she did because she just wanted to make sure that she can at least win something from the game instead of going home with nothing. With regards to our dealings in the matters of our faith we should never make a deal nor compromise for we are 100% sure that we will come out as the winner if we choose God above all. When we engage ourselves in things that we consider worthy of our time and energy then we should always make a conscious effort to examine it if they will lead us to something that draws us away from God. We can do this by always lifting to God in prayer whatever decision we make whether it is big or small. As we do this more often time will come when we will eventually develop sensitivity and an open mind to the will of God. As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect." At first it may not seem to be relevant at all because people make wise decisions every day and nothing seems to make any difference at all whether it is offered to God in prayer or not for as long as it is the right thing to do. As rational human beings we are all capable of making a logical decision. The big difference lies in the fact that every time we make decisions and develop a conscious act of placing God in the center we strengthen our bond with God. It is just like when we want to involve someone in our life then we eventually develop a close relationship with the person because of the constant interaction that is being formed which eventually leads to a more meaningful relationship. Today's gospel is a warning to all of us not to be lenient about our faith. An evil force is out to destroy this bond and if we are not going to actively participate in keeping it intact then we may easily fall into the trap. We should take every opportunity that comes our way to exercise our faith. As we grow in strength and work our way to developing a strong and spiritually fit soul we make ourselves ready and able to stand firm on that final day. Amen. Hallelujah!
Lk 21:34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Friday, November 25, 2011
Be prepared
Today’s 1st reading is taken from the Book of Daniel which is written even before the time Jesus was born. This passage which speaks of the Son of Man refers to Jesus. This I’ve learned from our bible study and since then I have come to learn, discover and appreciate better a lot of things in the bible more than I used to. Especially the relevance of the scriptures in the Old Testament to the New Testament and the overwhelming connection to each other which is shown in the gradual but steady building up of the realization of the ancient prophecies in Jesus. All the prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!
Daniel 7:2-14
…One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed…
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Mountains and hills,… “Everything growing from the earth,… “You springs,… “Seas and rivers,… “You dolphins and all water creatures,… “All you birds of the air,… “All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.”
God never runs short of the nicest things to convey to us every day. All we have to do is look around us and see the wonderful creation of God. From the sun that shines, the rain that waters the earth and the air we breathe, how can we miss it? We are filled with so many signs and wonders of God's love to us that never fails. Amen. Hallelujah!
I believe that God speaks to us through the daily circumstances and events in our lives. When we see these things happening to us we must consider them as like the fig tree and all the other trees in today’s gospel that served as an indicator of something that is coming our way. It is always good to look back and recall the things that we’ve been through as a form of assessing our lives in order to gain insights, important tips and strategies to be well prepared for something or to really recognize what needs to be done. In the same way that the fig tree became a sign that summer is near, we also must learn how to detect or identify some events in our life that can serve as an aid to guide us to make better decisions with regards to our life. I just realized that these words that I just wrote in relation to the fig tree in the gospel are the very words that I always quote whenever I counsel someone who is having trials and difficulties. What made me remember it even more is the fact the word of God as spoken of in the gospel is the very foundation of our hope and trust in the Lord as it is written, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” With this we pray that we continue to hold on to the Lord's promises for in it alone we can trust. We may have said things that we shouldn't have said and can no longer take back but what He said we can have full confidence for we have a God who fulfills His word. We can stand secure. Amen. Hallelujah!
Gospel
Lk 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Daniel 7:2-14
…One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed…
Responsorial Psalm
Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Mountains and hills,… “Everything growing from the earth,… “You springs,… “Seas and rivers,… “You dolphins and all water creatures,… “All you birds of the air,… “All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.”
God never runs short of the nicest things to convey to us every day. All we have to do is look around us and see the wonderful creation of God. From the sun that shines, the rain that waters the earth and the air we breathe, how can we miss it? We are filled with so many signs and wonders of God's love to us that never fails. Amen. Hallelujah!
I believe that God speaks to us through the daily circumstances and events in our lives. When we see these things happening to us we must consider them as like the fig tree and all the other trees in today’s gospel that served as an indicator of something that is coming our way. It is always good to look back and recall the things that we’ve been through as a form of assessing our lives in order to gain insights, important tips and strategies to be well prepared for something or to really recognize what needs to be done. In the same way that the fig tree became a sign that summer is near, we also must learn how to detect or identify some events in our life that can serve as an aid to guide us to make better decisions with regards to our life. I just realized that these words that I just wrote in relation to the fig tree in the gospel are the very words that I always quote whenever I counsel someone who is having trials and difficulties. What made me remember it even more is the fact the word of God as spoken of in the gospel is the very foundation of our hope and trust in the Lord as it is written, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” With this we pray that we continue to hold on to the Lord's promises for in it alone we can trust. We may have said things that we shouldn't have said and can no longer take back but what He said we can have full confidence for we have a God who fulfills His word. We can stand secure. Amen. Hallelujah!
Gospel
Lk 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Thursday, November 24, 2011
THANKSGIVING
With all the shortages that affect the whole world and the different crises that we are all facing today we can't help it, if we feel insecure and afraid. Especially in times when we start to run out of resources, this usually happens to most of us these days. We must realize that there is only one thing needed and we have to make it our choice so that it will not be taken away from us. We need not be worried and anxious about a lot of things. As in Lk. 10:41-42, The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." If we choose the right thing then we can claim all other things, as in Mt. 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." To top it all, we are assured in today's 1st reading that we are sufficient for God alone provides. If there is anything that we should really work hard for, first and foremost then that is to enrich ourselves spiritually then every other gift will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
...5 that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, 6 as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Nothing is indeed by accident everything is under the will of God. We just need to always trust God in all circumstances that whatever happens, God will always make a way. It is important that we are always in touch with this reality and truth about our God who is Lord of lords and King of kings and gain confidence from it as if we are already seated and counted among the leaders of His people. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 113:1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8
R: The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
1 Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. ..
Our gratitude to God should have no limit. He has given us so many blessings but we have a tendency to take it for granted and just turn our backs on him just like those 9 lepers in today's gospel. There is no doubt that Jesus is able to do all things even the most impossible ones. The problem lies not in the part of Jesus to do what is supposed to be done it is in our part that we fail. Sometimes we go through life complaining and moaning about our problems without realizing that we have a lot more to be thankful to God for. The gospel is a statistical illustration of it since only 1/10 lepers came back to God and recognized what He has done. It's time we realize which part of that statistic do we belong? Or better yet, to try to make a statistical shift from that number to 10/10 as we all go to God and give Him thanks. Technically speaking if we are to refer to this statistical formula we will find it to be known as shift invariance. In other words, if a statistic, S is shift-invariant, then addition of an arbitrary value, a, positive or negative, to all elements of the sample results in the increase/decrease of S by the same amount a. We can take it as something that is subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion: an arbitrary decision. Let us do our part in making a difference for in the end it will all return to us more than a hundredfold. Can we expect to hear the same words of Jesus spoken to the cleansed leper to be spoken to us? Are we the grateful Samaritan or one of the other 9 who did not return to give thanks. Giving thanks come in so many ways and Jesus tells us the importance of it not for His own sake but for ours. Our thanks to God will not add anything to the greatness of God. God is great and mighty with or without our thanks. It is us who needs it. The more thankful we are the more we acknowledge God's goodness and become more open to His graces. Giving thanks to God works for our own good and to our advantage more than anything else. God can take away all our sufferings if He wills it just like the instant healing of the ten lepers in the gospel. So why does he still allow suffering? This world we live in is the way it really is, imperfect. We need to be content in every circumstance and must not depend on anything in order to be contented or happy. We can decide to be content and grateful where we are right now and not end up like the ungrateful 9 lepers who were healed. It is very sad that only a few people recognize the goodness and blessings that God bestows on each one of us. Just like in today's gospel where only one gave thanks to God for the healing that they received. We tend to always assume that God owes us something and become ungrateful for the blessings we received. Or we take for granted the things that God gives and tend to focus more on our personal agenda which surely is not always the best thing for us. Only God knows what's best for us and by accepting our circumstances right at this very moment the more God can bless us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 17:11-19
As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
...5 that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, 6 as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Nothing is indeed by accident everything is under the will of God. We just need to always trust God in all circumstances that whatever happens, God will always make a way. It is important that we are always in touch with this reality and truth about our God who is Lord of lords and King of kings and gain confidence from it as if we are already seated and counted among the leaders of His people. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 113:1-2. 3-4. 5-6. 7-8
R: The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
1 Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. ..
Our gratitude to God should have no limit. He has given us so many blessings but we have a tendency to take it for granted and just turn our backs on him just like those 9 lepers in today's gospel. There is no doubt that Jesus is able to do all things even the most impossible ones. The problem lies not in the part of Jesus to do what is supposed to be done it is in our part that we fail. Sometimes we go through life complaining and moaning about our problems without realizing that we have a lot more to be thankful to God for. The gospel is a statistical illustration of it since only 1/10 lepers came back to God and recognized what He has done. It's time we realize which part of that statistic do we belong? Or better yet, to try to make a statistical shift from that number to 10/10 as we all go to God and give Him thanks. Technically speaking if we are to refer to this statistical formula we will find it to be known as shift invariance. In other words, if a statistic, S is shift-invariant, then addition of an arbitrary value, a, positive or negative, to all elements of the sample results in the increase/decrease of S by the same amount a. We can take it as something that is subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion: an arbitrary decision. Let us do our part in making a difference for in the end it will all return to us more than a hundredfold. Can we expect to hear the same words of Jesus spoken to the cleansed leper to be spoken to us? Are we the grateful Samaritan or one of the other 9 who did not return to give thanks. Giving thanks come in so many ways and Jesus tells us the importance of it not for His own sake but for ours. Our thanks to God will not add anything to the greatness of God. God is great and mighty with or without our thanks. It is us who needs it. The more thankful we are the more we acknowledge God's goodness and become more open to His graces. Giving thanks to God works for our own good and to our advantage more than anything else. God can take away all our sufferings if He wills it just like the instant healing of the ten lepers in the gospel. So why does he still allow suffering? This world we live in is the way it really is, imperfect. We need to be content in every circumstance and must not depend on anything in order to be contented or happy. We can decide to be content and grateful where we are right now and not end up like the ungrateful 9 lepers who were healed. It is very sad that only a few people recognize the goodness and blessings that God bestows on each one of us. Just like in today's gospel where only one gave thanks to God for the healing that they received. We tend to always assume that God owes us something and become ungrateful for the blessings we received. Or we take for granted the things that God gives and tend to focus more on our personal agenda which surely is not always the best thing for us. Only God knows what's best for us and by accepting our circumstances right at this very moment the more God can bless us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 17:11-19
As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
NOT A HAIR...
Mene, Tekel and Peres is what today's 1st reading speaks about. If we would apply the message it conveys in our lives then this is how we should see it. Mene means that our days here on earth are numbered because we would all have to leave behind everything. No human being living here on earth can deny the truth that we will die because no one has ever been known to escape death except for Jesus who resurrected after 3 days. Time will come when the only thing that will matter is the Tekel. How we lived our life is what would be left of us and be judged accordingly. As to whether we would be found adequate, in excess or wanting would all depend on how we choose to live the life given to us by God. When everything is done and over with and then we would have to face reality that we must be able to surrender all that we have and leave everything behind as in Peres. If this is the case then we might as well know how to set our priorities right and do what is pleasing before God. We should guard ourselves from falling into the same trap that the king in today's 1st reading fell into when he got lured into the enticements and false promises of the world. We should only glorify one God to whom we owe our life breath and the whole course of our life. A constant communication line with God through prayers, good deeds, daily mass and the Eucharist, associating ourselves with the people of same faith like in prayer meetings and the reading of the Word of God is a sure way to clear up all cloud of doubt. Whatever plans we have, be sure to consult it to God and really be keen on listening and interpreting His word just like DANIEL in the first reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
Daniel 5:1-6. 13-14. 16-17. 23-28
....I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;...Daniel answered the king: “You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means. 23 you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your life breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify. 24 By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down. 25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean: 26 MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it; 27 TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; 28 PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Isn't it great? Knowing exactly what God wants us to do and be on the right track. We, too can aim for that if we only take every opportunity and subject ourselves into the rigid exercise of faith. In God's generosity we must not doubt that we are able to do great things beyond our expectations, we can do all things in Christ, even to be like Daniel. For days, Daniel has been part of the readings and it is shown that he has been prepared physically and spiritually before he emerged into a full servant of God with all his wisdom and intelligence proclaiming God's glory. We should not leave any aspect of our life behind when it comes to surrendering to God. Our full loyalty should only belong to Him alone who is God of heaven and earth and everything in it. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67
R: Give glory and eternal praise to him.
39 [Dan 3:62] “Sun and moon,...“Stars of heaven,...“Every shower and dew,...“All you winds, ...“Fire and heat, ...“Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.”
It doesn't mean that if we have surrendered everything to God then we can be rest assured that all things will work out well for us. We must always be prepared for the worst since our faithfulness to God will always be put to the test. As the bible says, gold is tested through fire and so is our faith. No matter what happens, we have God's assurance that if we persevere then not a hair on our heads will be destroyed. I have a thick hair and it has become very long already because I haven't had a haircut for a long time already. I guess this is one of the things that distinguish me from other people. I am suddenly reminded of someone who told me that when she was looking for me from a multitude of people, it was my hair that set me apart and helped her recognize me from the others. You can already imagine how long and thick it is, it has become so distinct. This is why every time I encounter a bible reading that says something about the hair, I've always considered it very personal and especially meant for me. This hair thing is very personal to me. Every time I encounter a bible passage about hair it really strikes me owing to the soft spot it holds in my heart. Some people may find it very strange when we make certain decisions in life that may not conform to their own personal beliefs. Life is like that, we encounter circumstances that tend to pull our spirits down and we can only hope that things will get better. There are times when we get bombarded by criticisms left and right for certain decisions that we make to the point of feeling insulted. We can not blame these people since they may be voicing out their opinion from a different point of view and do not understand specifically from where we are coming from. There are times when we think of one thing and thought it to be the right thing but turned out to be the other. These things that come our way, that could be related or in confirmation to it or could be other things, sometimes we can never really tell or have no way of knowing at all. Today's gospel assures us that whatever comes our way, for as long as we try our very best to our utmost ability to persevere in the Lord then we will surely be secured. As we aim to be great before God, trials and difficulties may come our way, the way people in trial are experiencing right now, that none could ever imagine. Let us continue to hold on to God's promise that if we are faithful to Him then He is also faithful to us amidst all the difficulties we are facing as written in today’s gospel, “.... but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives...” The word perseverance is defined in the dictionary as - steadfast, faithful 1 a: firmly fixed in place : immovable b: not subject to change 2: firm in belief, determination, or adherence : loyal. When we decide to always be in the loving presence of God it means we stay away from sin. This is not an easy thing to do in fact it is written in Mt. 18:21-22, "Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. Our faith demands a great deal from us even to the point of being hated by all. Our focus should not be on what seems to be the downside of it because God assures us that not a hair will be destroyed and our perseverance will secure our lives. This, we could definitely count on. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:12-19
12 Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Daniel 5:1-6. 13-14. 16-17. 23-28
....I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;...Daniel answered the king: “You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means. 23 you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your life breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify. 24 By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down. 25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean: 26 MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it; 27 TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; 28 PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Isn't it great? Knowing exactly what God wants us to do and be on the right track. We, too can aim for that if we only take every opportunity and subject ourselves into the rigid exercise of faith. In God's generosity we must not doubt that we are able to do great things beyond our expectations, we can do all things in Christ, even to be like Daniel. For days, Daniel has been part of the readings and it is shown that he has been prepared physically and spiritually before he emerged into a full servant of God with all his wisdom and intelligence proclaiming God's glory. We should not leave any aspect of our life behind when it comes to surrendering to God. Our full loyalty should only belong to Him alone who is God of heaven and earth and everything in it. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67
R: Give glory and eternal praise to him.
39 [Dan 3:62] “Sun and moon,...“Stars of heaven,...“Every shower and dew,...“All you winds, ...“Fire and heat, ...“Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.”
It doesn't mean that if we have surrendered everything to God then we can be rest assured that all things will work out well for us. We must always be prepared for the worst since our faithfulness to God will always be put to the test. As the bible says, gold is tested through fire and so is our faith. No matter what happens, we have God's assurance that if we persevere then not a hair on our heads will be destroyed. I have a thick hair and it has become very long already because I haven't had a haircut for a long time already. I guess this is one of the things that distinguish me from other people. I am suddenly reminded of someone who told me that when she was looking for me from a multitude of people, it was my hair that set me apart and helped her recognize me from the others. You can already imagine how long and thick it is, it has become so distinct. This is why every time I encounter a bible reading that says something about the hair, I've always considered it very personal and especially meant for me. This hair thing is very personal to me. Every time I encounter a bible passage about hair it really strikes me owing to the soft spot it holds in my heart. Some people may find it very strange when we make certain decisions in life that may not conform to their own personal beliefs. Life is like that, we encounter circumstances that tend to pull our spirits down and we can only hope that things will get better. There are times when we get bombarded by criticisms left and right for certain decisions that we make to the point of feeling insulted. We can not blame these people since they may be voicing out their opinion from a different point of view and do not understand specifically from where we are coming from. There are times when we think of one thing and thought it to be the right thing but turned out to be the other. These things that come our way, that could be related or in confirmation to it or could be other things, sometimes we can never really tell or have no way of knowing at all. Today's gospel assures us that whatever comes our way, for as long as we try our very best to our utmost ability to persevere in the Lord then we will surely be secured. As we aim to be great before God, trials and difficulties may come our way, the way people in trial are experiencing right now, that none could ever imagine. Let us continue to hold on to God's promise that if we are faithful to Him then He is also faithful to us amidst all the difficulties we are facing as written in today’s gospel, “.... but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives...” The word perseverance is defined in the dictionary as - steadfast, faithful 1 a: firmly fixed in place : immovable b: not subject to change 2: firm in belief, determination, or adherence : loyal. When we decide to always be in the loving presence of God it means we stay away from sin. This is not an easy thing to do in fact it is written in Mt. 18:21-22, "Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. Our faith demands a great deal from us even to the point of being hated by all. Our focus should not be on what seems to be the downside of it because God assures us that not a hair will be destroyed and our perseverance will secure our lives. This, we could definitely count on. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:12-19
12 Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
END TIMES
God never leaves us hanging in the air with nothing to hold on to. Everyday God is speaking to us in his words through the gospel and through the people around us. God is always urging us to go beyond our boundaries and never underestimate the capabilities that God is continuously giving us. We can always do better and do best for the Lord as He will always be true to His promise and will never let us down. We should never doubt that God will make things beautiful in His time. For God is able to see through our future and will put to completion His grand plan for us. Today’s 1st reading brought back memories of the great time I had with Sister April at the English Springs Park and St. Paul the Apostle Church both in Chino Hills. It was a day filled with enlightenment after spending time meditating and contemplating on scriptures while enjoying the beauty that surrounds us. I was able to R-E-S-T, S-urrender T-ime to R-eceive E-nlightenment. It was indeed a very rewarding day spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally. It was such a refreshing view that my mind felt so relaxed and renewed. I got so inspired as I was suddenly filled with a lot of beautiful memories that started coming back to me the moment I stepped in the park. Beautiful and inspiring pictures in my mind as in a vision started to abound and continued to flow in a constant and consistent manner just like the sound of the water falls rushing down the big and wide stream situated in the middle of the park. When I closed my eyes for several minutes I had a vision of a ladder and Sister April shared her beautiful insights to me. The things she said to me has given me strength, courage and inspiration to look forward to a bright future waiting ahead of me as in climbing up each and every step of the ladder to reach the top. It was definitely a day worth remembering. At that time it served as my confirmation which encouraged and inspired me even more. It leaves me without a doubt that it is something very nice to share every time I encounter today's 1st reading which speaks about dreams and visions interpreted by Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar. Amen. Hallelujah!
Daniel 2:31-45
31 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar: “In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you...“This was the dream; the interpretation we shall also give in the king’s presence. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory;...The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future; this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure.”
God really loves us. He always sends us His army of angels wherever we go. We must consider this truth always. This time it is the psalm reading that brings back memories when I had to travel for the first time all by myself to a very unfamiliar place just using the public transportation. God sent angels who taught me the right buses and trains to ride and did not get lost. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:57. 58. 59. 60. 61
R: Give glory and eternal praise to him.
34 [Dan 3:57] “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.” Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
I believe that all of us will be given ample time to prepare for the day of judgment but there is a need to recognize that the time and the hour is at hand so as not to miss our appointment and always be ready for it. We really have to prepare well, that's the message. Have you heard of athletes preparing for a competition like Manny Pacquiao having to train rigorously before a boxing match. God is urging us to do the same for our faith. Take every possible means of enriching our faith and love for God so that we can always withstand whatever is coming our way. When we go beyond our limits we also exercise our endurance so that we not only benefit physically but spiritually as well. We are the children of God and we are born to be winners so let us always train hard to maintain that wonderful physique that God has given us for His greater glory. Strong and mighty is our God and so are we! There are several things happening in our life one after another and sometimes we are overwhelmed by it that we tend to be sidetracked and distracted as to what we are supposed to do. We see and hear a lot of things around us and we come to a point when we are no longer sure which one to follow. If there's one sure thing that we can be assured of that is we should not be terrified despite the enemy's deceptions for as long as we are able to live our lives according to the truth of God which we all have a responsibility to know and uphold. There is a vast source of information and knowledge that we need to learn about our Infinite God and sometimes we make the mistake of rushing and go in strides but with our limited human capacities we always fall short and come up inadequate. Once again my vision of a ladder is coming to view as if telling me that God will always be with us every single step of the way, guide us through by showing us every facet of life from the 1st or easiest to the succeeding and more difficult steps and finally to the highest level. Today's gospel tells us of the certainty that this world will come to an end but when it is going to happen, nobody knows. Whether it is going to happen sooner or later should be the least of our concerns. What's most important is that we are always ready. It is easy for us to say, "Do not worry." or "I am not worried." but are we a picture of what we say we are. Our actions speak louder than the words we say. We ought to make a firm stand on this and really mean it. It is not like we just believe in something then that's it. It will require more than that in order for us to truly be a reflection of what we believe is true. If we think that we can just go along with the majority or we have won over the support of many and we are safe already then we are wrong. It is more of a personal conviction on our part to really stand by it no matter what. What's worse is that when we don't know what we really believe in then the worst happens. As the gospel says, we should not be deceived. We've got to grow in wisdom and understanding not as the world may put it but as the Holy Spirit of God fills and empowers us. It is especially important that we build confidence on the One True God, the source of our strength and courage. As in Ephesians 6:10-18, "Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones..."
These are the things we ought to focus on rather than be bothered of the frightening things that are being said about the end times. No one can really say when it is going to happen but one thing is sure we all have to prepare and be ready for it right now. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:5-11
5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 6 “All that you see here — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”
Daniel 2:31-45
31 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar: “In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you...“This was the dream; the interpretation we shall also give in the king’s presence. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory;...The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future; this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure.”
God really loves us. He always sends us His army of angels wherever we go. We must consider this truth always. This time it is the psalm reading that brings back memories when I had to travel for the first time all by myself to a very unfamiliar place just using the public transportation. God sent angels who taught me the right buses and trains to ride and did not get lost. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:57. 58. 59. 60. 61
R: Give glory and eternal praise to him.
34 [Dan 3:57] “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.” Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
I believe that all of us will be given ample time to prepare for the day of judgment but there is a need to recognize that the time and the hour is at hand so as not to miss our appointment and always be ready for it. We really have to prepare well, that's the message. Have you heard of athletes preparing for a competition like Manny Pacquiao having to train rigorously before a boxing match. God is urging us to do the same for our faith. Take every possible means of enriching our faith and love for God so that we can always withstand whatever is coming our way. When we go beyond our limits we also exercise our endurance so that we not only benefit physically but spiritually as well. We are the children of God and we are born to be winners so let us always train hard to maintain that wonderful physique that God has given us for His greater glory. Strong and mighty is our God and so are we! There are several things happening in our life one after another and sometimes we are overwhelmed by it that we tend to be sidetracked and distracted as to what we are supposed to do. We see and hear a lot of things around us and we come to a point when we are no longer sure which one to follow. If there's one sure thing that we can be assured of that is we should not be terrified despite the enemy's deceptions for as long as we are able to live our lives according to the truth of God which we all have a responsibility to know and uphold. There is a vast source of information and knowledge that we need to learn about our Infinite God and sometimes we make the mistake of rushing and go in strides but with our limited human capacities we always fall short and come up inadequate. Once again my vision of a ladder is coming to view as if telling me that God will always be with us every single step of the way, guide us through by showing us every facet of life from the 1st or easiest to the succeeding and more difficult steps and finally to the highest level. Today's gospel tells us of the certainty that this world will come to an end but when it is going to happen, nobody knows. Whether it is going to happen sooner or later should be the least of our concerns. What's most important is that we are always ready. It is easy for us to say, "Do not worry." or "I am not worried." but are we a picture of what we say we are. Our actions speak louder than the words we say. We ought to make a firm stand on this and really mean it. It is not like we just believe in something then that's it. It will require more than that in order for us to truly be a reflection of what we believe is true. If we think that we can just go along with the majority or we have won over the support of many and we are safe already then we are wrong. It is more of a personal conviction on our part to really stand by it no matter what. What's worse is that when we don't know what we really believe in then the worst happens. As the gospel says, we should not be deceived. We've got to grow in wisdom and understanding not as the world may put it but as the Holy Spirit of God fills and empowers us. It is especially important that we build confidence on the One True God, the source of our strength and courage. As in Ephesians 6:10-18, "Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones..."
These are the things we ought to focus on rather than be bothered of the frightening things that are being said about the end times. No one can really say when it is going to happen but one thing is sure we all have to prepare and be ready for it right now. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:5-11
5 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, 6 “All that you see here — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 7 Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”
Monday, November 21, 2011
HEART OF THE GIVER
What seems to be folly to man is wisdom in the eyes of God. When we truly and sincerely desire to do things that are most pleasing to God, we sometimes come to the point of being misunderstood or worst the laughing stock of some. There are times when most people already get used to the existing and prevailing accepted norms of our society that the most practical is mistaken as the right and fitting thing to do. Daniel in today's 1st reading firmly stood by the principles of God by refusing the so called food from the royal table. Come to think of it, who would not do anything for the sake of being favored by a king or who would even think or do something to jeopardize this chance and refuse such a privilege to be counted as one of the King's chosen few who could enjoy the richness and luxury of royalty. In the eyes of man it seems very foolish to decline and refuse such a lucrative and tempting offer. For Daniel there is more to life than just power and prestige that the men of this world consider very precious and dear. Instead of giving in to the pressures of his faith he chose to stand by God's principles and was willing to risk all at stake for he believed that nothing else matters more than following and obeying God through and through. All we have to do is first decide for God in everything we do and all else will follow. As we read on in the bible, Daniel was eventually rewarded with the best of both worlds when he decided to do things in God's way. Amen. Hallelujah!
Daniel 1:1-6. 8-20
...The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table. 6 Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 8 But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement. 9 Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, 10 he nevertheless said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see.” 14 He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days; 15 after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table. 16 So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king’s service. 20 In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.
There is a need for us let go and avoid too much attachment to the things that the world offers and learn the art of fasting and abstinence which not only in the form of food and could be in any other things. A little sacrifice goes a long way with God and can truly rid ourselves of the hindrances and obstacles that keep us from truly giving glory and praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:52. 53. 54. 55. 56
R: Glory and praise for ever.
29 [Dan 3:52] “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” (R) 30 [Dan 3:53] “Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.” (R) 31 [Dan 3:54] “Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 32 [Dan 3:55] “Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 33 [Dan 3:56] “Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
Today's gospel teaches us to be totally dependent on the Lord and always put our faith and trust in the Lord in order to develop an attitude just like this poor widow. What this poor widow contributed was merely nothing as compared to the wealthy people but God sees and honors the heart of the giver that goes with the offering. We may think of it as very foolish for someone to offer her whole livelihood and be left with nothing. The point here and what is being emphasized in today's gospel is the sincerity of the heart in giving and our complete trust in God whom we can not out give. We can never outdo God's generosity. The question here is, do we sincerely do it when we do something like giving of our time, talent and treasure? We should come to a point just like this poor widow when we do and give our all for the glory of God. Not holding back anything knowing in our heart that God deserves the best and the most that we can give. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:1-4
1 When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; 4 for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
Daniel 1:1-6. 8-20
...The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table. 6 Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 8 But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement. 9 Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, 10 he nevertheless said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see.” 14 He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days; 15 after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table. 16 So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king’s service. 20 In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.
There is a need for us let go and avoid too much attachment to the things that the world offers and learn the art of fasting and abstinence which not only in the form of food and could be in any other things. A little sacrifice goes a long way with God and can truly rid ourselves of the hindrances and obstacles that keep us from truly giving glory and praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Daniel 3:52. 53. 54. 55. 56
R: Glory and praise for ever.
29 [Dan 3:52] “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.” (R) 30 [Dan 3:53] “Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.” (R) 31 [Dan 3:54] “Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 32 [Dan 3:55] “Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” (R) 33 [Dan 3:56] “Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
Today's gospel teaches us to be totally dependent on the Lord and always put our faith and trust in the Lord in order to develop an attitude just like this poor widow. What this poor widow contributed was merely nothing as compared to the wealthy people but God sees and honors the heart of the giver that goes with the offering. We may think of it as very foolish for someone to offer her whole livelihood and be left with nothing. The point here and what is being emphasized in today's gospel is the sincerity of the heart in giving and our complete trust in God whom we can not out give. We can never outdo God's generosity. The question here is, do we sincerely do it when we do something like giving of our time, talent and treasure? We should come to a point just like this poor widow when we do and give our all for the glory of God. Not holding back anything knowing in our heart that God deserves the best and the most that we can give. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 21:1-4
1 When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; 4 for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
Sunday, November 20, 2011
HEAVEN'S PHILOSOPHY
There are times when we may not be able to give a logical explanation for everything that happens to us but the truth remains that what the Lord said in today's 1st reading is true. No matter what our situations are we can always be assured that God looks after our welfare more than we ever know. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
...I myself will look after and tend my sheep. 12 As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep.
The words of God in today's readings give us an assurance that He is always there for us. He said it and He means it then so be it. There is nothing more He could possibly mean when He said that He is the Good Shepherd other than He cares for us. He never forsakes nor abandons any single one of His flock. But we have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (1)
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
...In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
We are victorious and reigning with Jesus. We are seated in heavenly places with Him. For God has the power, we should know no defeat only victory. Our God reigns forever more and He is victorious. To whom will we go but to the sure winner and the One who will emerge triumphant. It is all worth it and a win-win situation to give our all and surrender everything to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
...“he subjected everything under his feet.”...
We really have to take charge of our lives and be focused on what we really want. If we want the inheritance of God then let's work our way to it. We have to let go of things that we are too attached and do something intentionally like alms giving as a form of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What we do, we don’t do for Jesus according to Mother Teresa rather we do it to Jesus. There was a story of a young man who inherited a large fortune and decided to just eat drink and be merry throughout his life. But what he was experiencing in that is depression and suicidal thoughts which he can’t get out of his dark thinking. Until one day someone suggested him to see Bishop Fulton Sheen. When they finally met, Bishop Sheen listened to him and when the young man had concluded he handed to him in a piece of paper, a telephone #. He was told to call the # and volunteer there for a year in an orphanage in Mexico. He did as he was told and after a year came back to Bishop Sheen with his attitude changed. He has experienced being with the least of his brothers and sisters. It was there that he experienced the joy and blessing of giving more than receiving. He finally discovered the meaning of his life and how to grow in love of God and neighbor completely rather than practice the philosophy of hell where we live in isolation and just for ourselves. Heaven is a communion with God and eternal fellowship with all the angels and saints. We are called to that life of communion right at this very moment so we might as well practice heaven’s philosophy. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 25:31-46
...‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
...I myself will look after and tend my sheep. 12 As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep.
The words of God in today's readings give us an assurance that He is always there for us. He said it and He means it then so be it. There is nothing more He could possibly mean when He said that He is the Good Shepherd other than He cares for us. He never forsakes nor abandons any single one of His flock. But we have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (1)
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
...In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.
We are victorious and reigning with Jesus. We are seated in heavenly places with Him. For God has the power, we should know no defeat only victory. Our God reigns forever more and He is victorious. To whom will we go but to the sure winner and the One who will emerge triumphant. It is all worth it and a win-win situation to give our all and surrender everything to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28
...“he subjected everything under his feet.”...
We really have to take charge of our lives and be focused on what we really want. If we want the inheritance of God then let's work our way to it. We have to let go of things that we are too attached and do something intentionally like alms giving as a form of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What we do, we don’t do for Jesus according to Mother Teresa rather we do it to Jesus. There was a story of a young man who inherited a large fortune and decided to just eat drink and be merry throughout his life. But what he was experiencing in that is depression and suicidal thoughts which he can’t get out of his dark thinking. Until one day someone suggested him to see Bishop Fulton Sheen. When they finally met, Bishop Sheen listened to him and when the young man had concluded he handed to him in a piece of paper, a telephone #. He was told to call the # and volunteer there for a year in an orphanage in Mexico. He did as he was told and after a year came back to Bishop Sheen with his attitude changed. He has experienced being with the least of his brothers and sisters. It was there that he experienced the joy and blessing of giving more than receiving. He finally discovered the meaning of his life and how to grow in love of God and neighbor completely rather than practice the philosophy of hell where we live in isolation and just for ourselves. Heaven is a communion with God and eternal fellowship with all the angels and saints. We are called to that life of communion right at this very moment so we might as well practice heaven’s philosophy. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 25:31-46
...‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Saturday, November 19, 2011
THE COMING AGE
With great power comes great responsibility. This is the moral lesson of the story of King Antiochus in today's 1st reading. Each one of us are all given a task/ mission or purpose to achieve in life. We must take special care in carrying this out in our lives. We are responsible for our actions and must own every single one of it. Let us not be deceived by the notion that we can get away with what we have done. We have to be careful in the conduct of our affairs so that we do not end up overtaken by the evils we have done, in fear and sorrow but rather find ourselves loved and forgiven. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Maccabees 6:1-13
...When the king heard this news, he was struck with fear and very much shaken. Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed. 9 There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die. 10 So he called in all his Friends and said to them: “Sleep has departed from my eyes, for my heart is sinking with anxiety. 11 I said to myself: ‘Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! 12 Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.’ But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. 13 I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”
Since I had been sharing these past few days about my laptop that almost became unserviceable due to viruses today’s psalm reminded me of how happy I felt after I finally got a hold of my laptop from Hendrie and declared free of all threats. It became a very significant event for me owing to the things I have experienced and witnessed in relation to it which became a symbol of victory making me rejoice in the salvation of the Lord even more. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 9:2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19
R: I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.
...Because my enemies are turned back, overthrown and destroyed before you. 5 [6] You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; their name you blotted out forever and ever. (R) 15 [16] The nations are sunk in the pit they have made; in the snare they set, their foot is caught. 18 [19] For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor shall the hope of the afflicted forever perish.
Time will come when everything in this world will cease to exist and nothing in it will matter anymore to us the way we used to feel and think about it. Although it may all seem unimaginable at this time especially for us who are still bound to this world and still attached to it, it can help us a lot if we reflect carefully on what Jesus said in today's gospel. Let us all strive to attain a deeper understanding of the message being conveyed to us and be deemed worthy to attain to the coming age. Just when we thought that a lot of things seem to be unanswered, let us not forget that God in His ultimate intelligence is capable of answering everything we can ever imagine, that we should never doubt. His greatness encompasses all that is concrete or abstract so let us not dare to question His will in our lives. We are all looking forward to that one unsurpassed, unequaled and endless glory of being in union with God. There is life after death. Just when others may think that death is the end of everything and nothing else follows, for those of us who believe in the resurrection, we hope to discover on that dreaded day for unbelievers that it is just the beginning of new and eternal life with God in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 20:27-40 (or Matthew 12:46-50)
...Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; 35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise...
1 Maccabees 6:1-13
...When the king heard this news, he was struck with fear and very much shaken. Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed. 9 There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die. 10 So he called in all his Friends and said to them: “Sleep has departed from my eyes, for my heart is sinking with anxiety. 11 I said to myself: ‘Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! 12 Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.’ But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. 13 I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”
Since I had been sharing these past few days about my laptop that almost became unserviceable due to viruses today’s psalm reminded me of how happy I felt after I finally got a hold of my laptop from Hendrie and declared free of all threats. It became a very significant event for me owing to the things I have experienced and witnessed in relation to it which became a symbol of victory making me rejoice in the salvation of the Lord even more. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 9:2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19
R: I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.
...Because my enemies are turned back, overthrown and destroyed before you. 5 [6] You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; their name you blotted out forever and ever. (R) 15 [16] The nations are sunk in the pit they have made; in the snare they set, their foot is caught. 18 [19] For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor shall the hope of the afflicted forever perish.
Time will come when everything in this world will cease to exist and nothing in it will matter anymore to us the way we used to feel and think about it. Although it may all seem unimaginable at this time especially for us who are still bound to this world and still attached to it, it can help us a lot if we reflect carefully on what Jesus said in today's gospel. Let us all strive to attain a deeper understanding of the message being conveyed to us and be deemed worthy to attain to the coming age. Just when we thought that a lot of things seem to be unanswered, let us not forget that God in His ultimate intelligence is capable of answering everything we can ever imagine, that we should never doubt. His greatness encompasses all that is concrete or abstract so let us not dare to question His will in our lives. We are all looking forward to that one unsurpassed, unequaled and endless glory of being in union with God. There is life after death. Just when others may think that death is the end of everything and nothing else follows, for those of us who believe in the resurrection, we hope to discover on that dreaded day for unbelievers that it is just the beginning of new and eternal life with God in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 20:27-40 (or Matthew 12:46-50)
...Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; 35 but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise...
Friday, November 18, 2011
HOLY
We must keep in mind that every time we go to Church it is a day that is made holy not only because of certain events that we celebrate and observe but especially because of the people who come to church. Sometimes we don't really need an occasion to make each day holy, it is made possible if we will just respond to God's call of holiness. Whatever situation we are in right now is a call to holiness. No one is exempted from it no matter what our profession in life may be. Whatever it is that we do at the present time whether we think of it as something big or small, something that we enjoy doing or not or something we are good at or not, we must realize that it could be made holy by offering it to God. What's most important is the true desire to do things for the Lord through the people around us. Although, not at all times will people see it that way but the Lord God who sees through the heart and knows the motives behind every action will bless the action and thus made holy. As I was sharing yesterday, my laptop that was made unserviceable by some viruses got fixed through Hendrie’s help. I could never forget it because it gave me that feeling of relief since the problem was a lot worse than before and could have caused irreversible damage. Hendrie did not even charge me anything for fixing it and even went to the trouble of delivering it to me. I can not thank him enough for his goodness and offered to pay for his services but he declined. He even told me just to buy an antivirus software for my computer instead of pay him. It was like the same advice being said in today's 1st reading. Judas Maccabees and his companions knew for a fact that after obtaining victory in crushing the enemies as being referred to in today's 1st reading or in the case of my laptop after eliminating all viruses in it that there is a need to maintain and sustain it. The same thing applies to our lives in relation to Jesus. He does not require us to pay Him back for what He has done in saving us for it is impossible to repay the victory He has won us over but we always have to make a conscious effort to keep ourselves pure, always dedicated to God and treasure the success granted to us. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59 (or Acts 28:11-16, 30-31)
36 Judas and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” 37 So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion… For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered holocausts and sacrifices of deliverance and praise. They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields; they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers and furnished them with doors.
Let us just hope and pray that every family that is celebrating a special occasion will always center on the greatness of God who made all good things possible most especially the chance to still celebrate important events. We should make a firm stand on whose side we really are. Why would we settle for something less when we can settle for what is best. In all our words, thoughts and actions we must give glory to our Mighty God. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
1 Chronicles 29:10, 11, 11-12, 12 (or Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6)
R: We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
10 “Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.” (R) 11 “Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory. For all in heaven and on earth is yours.” (R) “Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all. 12 “Riches and honor are from you.” (R) “You have dominion over all. In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.” (R)
We’ve got to maintain and stay within the context of what has been written. People sometimes overlook things and take it for granted. The church is a house of prayer and should keep it that way. Although some people may think that it is not the external appearances that matter most but what’s inside our hearts we still need to realize the importance of observing proper behavior and decorum when inside the church. Sure enough, this is all for the greater glory of God. The Jews are stubborn and remained in their unbelief in Jesus as the Messiah. They have a wrong notion of the Messiah which is based on the political image that the Jews have which is far from the lasting and eternal Kingdom that Jesus offers us. Today's gospel is a clear demonstration of how the Jews disobeyed God in the conduct of their activities and not only rejected Jesus but hated Him. They were the chosen people and yet it was to their loss that they did not accept Jesus and to our gain that salvation was extended to us all not only by virtue of blood but by faith. Whenever we go to church, God in His goodness does not strike anyone unworthy to enter the Church. Although he is reminding us in the gospel that when we go to the house of God it is important to make ourselves pleasing not only physically but spiritually before Him. When we pray to God and do good things with a hidden agenda then we are no different from a thief. Thieves know that there are things they can't have and thus resort to stealing. Sometimes we too, are like thieves when we pray to God and do good things with the sole purpose of pleasing God and eventually hope to have things in our own way. Behind every prayer intention there should be a sincere openness to the will of God and the total surrender to Him and not the other way around wherein we expect God to bend to our own personal wishes and caprices. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:45-48
45 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” 47 And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, 48 but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.
1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59 (or Acts 28:11-16, 30-31)
36 Judas and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.” 37 So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion… For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered holocausts and sacrifices of deliverance and praise. They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields; they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers and furnished them with doors.
Let us just hope and pray that every family that is celebrating a special occasion will always center on the greatness of God who made all good things possible most especially the chance to still celebrate important events. We should make a firm stand on whose side we really are. Why would we settle for something less when we can settle for what is best. In all our words, thoughts and actions we must give glory to our Mighty God. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
1 Chronicles 29:10, 11, 11-12, 12 (or Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6)
R: We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.
10 “Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.” (R) 11 “Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory. For all in heaven and on earth is yours.” (R) “Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all. 12 “Riches and honor are from you.” (R) “You have dominion over all. In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.” (R)
We’ve got to maintain and stay within the context of what has been written. People sometimes overlook things and take it for granted. The church is a house of prayer and should keep it that way. Although some people may think that it is not the external appearances that matter most but what’s inside our hearts we still need to realize the importance of observing proper behavior and decorum when inside the church. Sure enough, this is all for the greater glory of God. The Jews are stubborn and remained in their unbelief in Jesus as the Messiah. They have a wrong notion of the Messiah which is based on the political image that the Jews have which is far from the lasting and eternal Kingdom that Jesus offers us. Today's gospel is a clear demonstration of how the Jews disobeyed God in the conduct of their activities and not only rejected Jesus but hated Him. They were the chosen people and yet it was to their loss that they did not accept Jesus and to our gain that salvation was extended to us all not only by virtue of blood but by faith. Whenever we go to church, God in His goodness does not strike anyone unworthy to enter the Church. Although he is reminding us in the gospel that when we go to the house of God it is important to make ourselves pleasing not only physically but spiritually before Him. When we pray to God and do good things with a hidden agenda then we are no different from a thief. Thieves know that there are things they can't have and thus resort to stealing. Sometimes we too, are like thieves when we pray to God and do good things with the sole purpose of pleasing God and eventually hope to have things in our own way. Behind every prayer intention there should be a sincere openness to the will of God and the total surrender to Him and not the other way around wherein we expect God to bend to our own personal wishes and caprices. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:45-48
45 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’ ” 47 And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, 48 but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
MATTATHIAS, HENDRIE AND MORE…
In the daily readings these past few days there seems to be violence and merciless killing of those people who are faithful to God and His commands. In today's 1st reading there is a sudden shift in this trend when all of a sudden Matatthias a person with great faith in God was the one on the offensive. He took arms and even killed somebody in defense of His faith. If there's one thing impressed on my mind based on this reading that is the need to take action and be full of courage. If we are confident in God whose All Powerful and Almighty then we should reflect that in ourselves and remove all traces of fear. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves if we are unable to follow what the Lord commands us in His laws given to us through the church. If Mattathias fought hard for his faith during that severe time of trial and hardship for the people of God, all the more should we be able to stand firm in our faith at this present time when we are free to exercise our faith in God without fearing for our lives. Mattathias eliminated the enemy of his faith and every time I encounter this bible passage it reminds me of Hendrie. I could never forget the time when he told me how critical the condition of my laptop was being in the point of crashing that could have affected my hard drive which was definitely not good news. This incident is also related to the healing mass I attended at St. Christopher officiated by Fr. Joseph Magdaong because it was at that exact day too when I turned over my laptop to Hendrie for him to fix it. This is why this sharing always go hand in hand with his homily about a tailor who is about to die. This tailor was asking his loved ones to bring before him his key to heaven. At first they were confused as to what key he is referring to but later on find out being a tailor that it was his needle that he considers his key to heaven. This made me say that I consider my laptop as my key to heaven. When my laptop was assailed with very harmful viruses that rendered it unserviceable, it was Hendrie whom I thought of asking help at the time I got very scared upon finding out that the virus of my laptop was a lot worse than the one that he fixed before and could have caused irreversible damage so when he broke the good news that it's back in good shape that was when I thought of considering Hendrie as the fixer of my key to heaven and also called him Mattathias who eliminated and tore down all threats and viruses of my key to heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices. 16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart...Mattathias answered in a loud voice: “Although all the Gentiles in the king’s realm obey him, so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers and consents to the king’s orders, 20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers. 21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments. 22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree.” 23 As he finished saying these words, a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein according to the king’s order. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar. 25 At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar...
God saves. There is no question about that but we have to also be diligent in fulfilling our part of the bargain. This reminds me of the vow I have made when it was impressed to me way back Oct. 7, 2007 in the reading from Book of Habakkuk 1,2-3.2,2-4. “Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”
From then on I've been writing daily reflections that can be read by everybody and to my surprise it has become integrated in my daily activities. As time and days go by, a lot of things started to unfold before me, most especially the enormous message contained in that prophecy in Habbakuk. This has given me inspiration and joy to continue doing it. Praise the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 50:1b-2. 5-6. 14-15
R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
...“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; 15 then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”
We sometimes wonder why things happen unexpectedly in our lives like we have no clue that it's going to happen. But there are times when we could have known for sure that it certainly was headed our way but we were just too busy minding other things that it just faded in the background and we failed to recognize that very critical hour of our visitation. As stated in Companion we must not take for granted the grace of God when it is offered to us, as our refusal always will have dire consequences. We should always place God in the center of our lives. It should not be a surprise at all if we only take with great seriousness the message being conveyed to us in today's gospel. Once again I am reminded by the participation of a mentally challenged person who regularly attends Wednesday evening mass with his caregiver who happens to be a member of the choir. In spite of his mental disabilities he still managed to mumble some words as he tried to keep up with the singing in the choir and the responses all throughout the mass. Although he is unable to receive Holy Communion, he still eagerly lined up as he was given a blessing by the communion minister. I know that in God's infinite goodness and mercy, He still looks with so much love, compassion and understanding at this man. He may be mentally incapable of knowing the things going on around him during the mass but it doesn't stop God from loving him just the same. So when we are confronted with our incapacities and shortcomings let us not be hindered by it and still go to God no matter how we may look or appear before others. A mentally disabled man is free of any liability that has something to do with any exercise of the mind due to his condition but we who are mentally sound and given the full capacity of the use of our minds will have to measure up to it for us not to end up in a miserable, pitiful and weepful situation. We may end up saying a mental retard is better off than we are if such will be the case. God is weeping for us, for there is really a need for us to answer His call and take responsibility for our actions lest we lose time and forfeit it. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:41-44
41 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. 44 They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices. 16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart...Mattathias answered in a loud voice: “Although all the Gentiles in the king’s realm obey him, so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers and consents to the king’s orders, 20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers. 21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments. 22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree.” 23 As he finished saying these words, a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein according to the king’s order. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar. 25 At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar...
God saves. There is no question about that but we have to also be diligent in fulfilling our part of the bargain. This reminds me of the vow I have made when it was impressed to me way back Oct. 7, 2007 in the reading from Book of Habakkuk 1,2-3.2,2-4. “Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”
From then on I've been writing daily reflections that can be read by everybody and to my surprise it has become integrated in my daily activities. As time and days go by, a lot of things started to unfold before me, most especially the enormous message contained in that prophecy in Habbakuk. This has given me inspiration and joy to continue doing it. Praise the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 50:1b-2. 5-6. 14-15
R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
...“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; 15 then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me.”
We sometimes wonder why things happen unexpectedly in our lives like we have no clue that it's going to happen. But there are times when we could have known for sure that it certainly was headed our way but we were just too busy minding other things that it just faded in the background and we failed to recognize that very critical hour of our visitation. As stated in Companion we must not take for granted the grace of God when it is offered to us, as our refusal always will have dire consequences. We should always place God in the center of our lives. It should not be a surprise at all if we only take with great seriousness the message being conveyed to us in today's gospel. Once again I am reminded by the participation of a mentally challenged person who regularly attends Wednesday evening mass with his caregiver who happens to be a member of the choir. In spite of his mental disabilities he still managed to mumble some words as he tried to keep up with the singing in the choir and the responses all throughout the mass. Although he is unable to receive Holy Communion, he still eagerly lined up as he was given a blessing by the communion minister. I know that in God's infinite goodness and mercy, He still looks with so much love, compassion and understanding at this man. He may be mentally incapable of knowing the things going on around him during the mass but it doesn't stop God from loving him just the same. So when we are confronted with our incapacities and shortcomings let us not be hindered by it and still go to God no matter how we may look or appear before others. A mentally disabled man is free of any liability that has something to do with any exercise of the mind due to his condition but we who are mentally sound and given the full capacity of the use of our minds will have to measure up to it for us not to end up in a miserable, pitiful and weepful situation. We may end up saying a mental retard is better off than we are if such will be the case. God is weeping for us, for there is really a need for us to answer His call and take responsibility for our actions lest we lose time and forfeit it. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:41-44
41 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. 44 They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
PROS AND CONS
We may never come to fully understand those saints who have chosen to abandon everything even their own lives just to uphold their faith in God. What made them do the things they did made us all wonder. Today's 1st reading is another unbelievable story of great faith in God. We can all draw inspiration from the life of these people who have totally dedicated their lives to God. They have left behind a great example of their lives for us to learn from and follow. They were able to see beyond the here and now and look forward to spending life in eternity with God. Amen. Hallelujah!
2 Maccabees 7:1. 20-31 (or Acts 28:11-16, 30-31)
...Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. 21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:22 “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. 23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”
In this present time when we are still bound to this world we may not be able to fully comprehend the glory that awaits those who live life in the presence of our God and hope in that eternal life to come but we who are faithful will experience joy in full when His glory appears. There are times when we are being tested by the Lord to a point of almost giving up. But we simply and definitely must not as stated in the Psalm reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 17:1bcd. 5-6. 8b and 15 (or Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6)
R: Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
1 Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 5 My steps have been steadfast in your paths, my feet have not faltered. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. (R) 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
Our God is an all or nothing God. It's either you are with Him or against Him because there is no in between. We've got to make a stand whether we are really for God in all aspects of our life. We can never be a half hearted Christian or a Sunday Catholic but not for the rest of the days. Sometimes we think that we can fool God by not totally committing to Him and still think that we can play safe by continuously patronizing both worlds that of God's and the enemy. Today's parable shows us what will happen if we do not take the right course of action and fail to make the right move. In the end, we have to be ready for the pros and cons of our action. The Lord is a just God and will reward us according to his riches and glory. Let us never doubt a single minute that whatever we are working for at this present time will never be in vain if we offer everything to God. Whatever it is that we devote our time, money and effort, we often hear this question, "Is it worth it?" God is always worth it. After all these things are done, may we find ourselves in the shoes of the trusted servant in the gospel. Let us pray that we'll not end up like this unworthy servant that even the little he had was taken away. May the Lord find us worthy of the blessings He has given us and we continue to cultivate whatever is entrusted to us, be it a big or small blessing and find ourselves bearing fruit for the greater glory of God. Sometimes we commit the same mistakes over and over again and we never seem to learn. There has got to be a time when we have to learn and change for the better. We just can't keep on doing it and be sorry for it repeatedly and not change the vicious pattern. Eventually we will have to take responsibility for all those things and suffer the consequences. Today's gospel is more of a reminder that we can't get away with things by playing around the rules. It has to be clear for us what specific course of action we have to take. Or else we might end up in trouble with the game we wanted to play and find out that the trick is on us. As in Jesus' words from the gospel, "‘With your own words I shall condemn you,..." We can't expect to get away with something that we are responsible of. We need to realize that the servant who was punished by being deprived of even the little he has was not totally wicked as compared to those who despised the master, don't want him as king and rallied against him. This servant was discreet enough, so he thought, not to make any bold or open move as to announce publicly that he dislike the master. He is neutral in the sense that he still accepted the gold coin entrusted to him but decided not to do anything about it. He was punished not for doing something bad like the enemies of the master or for what he did but for what he did not do. Sometimes we think that by being neutral, not making a stand or playing safe is safe enough. Well it isn't. The Lord encourages us to take an active part in our salvation. It is something that we have to respond in the most enthusiastic, productive and effective way just like those 2 other servants who were entrusted with more. Now this is safe enough. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:11-28
...“A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; 23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26 ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ”
2 Maccabees 7:1. 20-31 (or Acts 28:11-16, 30-31)
...Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. 21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:22 “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. 23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”
In this present time when we are still bound to this world we may not be able to fully comprehend the glory that awaits those who live life in the presence of our God and hope in that eternal life to come but we who are faithful will experience joy in full when His glory appears. There are times when we are being tested by the Lord to a point of almost giving up. But we simply and definitely must not as stated in the Psalm reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 17:1bcd. 5-6. 8b and 15 (or Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6)
R: Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
1 Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 5 My steps have been steadfast in your paths, my feet have not faltered. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. (R) 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
Our God is an all or nothing God. It's either you are with Him or against Him because there is no in between. We've got to make a stand whether we are really for God in all aspects of our life. We can never be a half hearted Christian or a Sunday Catholic but not for the rest of the days. Sometimes we think that we can fool God by not totally committing to Him and still think that we can play safe by continuously patronizing both worlds that of God's and the enemy. Today's parable shows us what will happen if we do not take the right course of action and fail to make the right move. In the end, we have to be ready for the pros and cons of our action. The Lord is a just God and will reward us according to his riches and glory. Let us never doubt a single minute that whatever we are working for at this present time will never be in vain if we offer everything to God. Whatever it is that we devote our time, money and effort, we often hear this question, "Is it worth it?" God is always worth it. After all these things are done, may we find ourselves in the shoes of the trusted servant in the gospel. Let us pray that we'll not end up like this unworthy servant that even the little he had was taken away. May the Lord find us worthy of the blessings He has given us and we continue to cultivate whatever is entrusted to us, be it a big or small blessing and find ourselves bearing fruit for the greater glory of God. Sometimes we commit the same mistakes over and over again and we never seem to learn. There has got to be a time when we have to learn and change for the better. We just can't keep on doing it and be sorry for it repeatedly and not change the vicious pattern. Eventually we will have to take responsibility for all those things and suffer the consequences. Today's gospel is more of a reminder that we can't get away with things by playing around the rules. It has to be clear for us what specific course of action we have to take. Or else we might end up in trouble with the game we wanted to play and find out that the trick is on us. As in Jesus' words from the gospel, "‘With your own words I shall condemn you,..." We can't expect to get away with something that we are responsible of. We need to realize that the servant who was punished by being deprived of even the little he has was not totally wicked as compared to those who despised the master, don't want him as king and rallied against him. This servant was discreet enough, so he thought, not to make any bold or open move as to announce publicly that he dislike the master. He is neutral in the sense that he still accepted the gold coin entrusted to him but decided not to do anything about it. He was punished not for doing something bad like the enemies of the master or for what he did but for what he did not do. Sometimes we think that by being neutral, not making a stand or playing safe is safe enough. Well it isn't. The Lord encourages us to take an active part in our salvation. It is something that we have to respond in the most enthusiastic, productive and effective way just like those 2 other servants who were entrusted with more. Now this is safe enough. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 19:11-28
...“A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; 23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26 ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ”
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
DIGNIFIED IN THE EYES OF BOTH GOD AND MAN
There are times in our life when we are confronted with very critical decisions and sometimes forced to abandon our comfort zones to make way for something we need to do or being called for at the present moment and this could be to the disgust/dismay or admiration of some who think the same or otherwise. Some people would never understand nor can relate with what we're going through or have to go through but all these are worth it if we have the same conviction as Eleazar in today's 1st reading to offer to God our motives and intentions for such decisions. He could have escaped death but he chose to maintain his dignity as a believer before God and man. There are times when we have to really go out of our way to the point of discomfort, inconvenience and embarrassment just to prove to God and everybody that we are for Him. Leaving behind a good example of virtue for the present and coming generation and be able to stand before God without shame and doubt. Amen. Hallelujah!
2nd book of Maccabees 6,18-31.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king; in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him. But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: "At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws."
..."The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him." This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.
We should all realize and be aware of the fact that the Lord who sees all the good things we do will never abandon us. Nowadays we need not go through the same agony as what the early Christians suffered because we are free to express our praise to God. Let us hope and pray that just like those Christians in the olden times we, too, may develop that same kind of devotion. It is no longer an obligation and duty that we do things for the Lord but out of pure and voluntary act of love for God which produces joy in our hearts. If we sometimes feel uncertain of some decisions we may have made, not everybody seem to agree with it and we really have no way of finding out what the future holds for us then we can always count on God to uphold our cause. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (6b) The Lord upholds me.
But you, LORD, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high.
Whenever I cried out to the LORD, I was answered from the holy mountain. Selah
Whenever I lay down and slept, the LORD preserved me to rise again.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side.
One way or another there will come a time in our lives when we have to decide to go down from wherever place we are right now. In doing so we might have to let go of our personal agenda and strip ourselves of our sinfulness, accept our wrongdoings, repair the damage we've done and stand with all humility before the Lord the way Zacchaeus did in today's gospel. We’ve got to be a risk taker like Zacchaeus. He took a great risk of appearing foolish before other people when he climbed on a tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus and what did he get. He did not just get a glimpse but Jesus went into his home and dined with him. He did not stop there, when Jesus finally went into his home he offered to give up half of his possessions to the poor and repay four times those he had extorted money from. We are headed to a much greater blessing if we will learn to take great risks in the name of our faith in God. We can never outdo or out give God in His generosity. It is time we let go of our narrow mindsets and boxed up notions of what a true blessing is. It is about time we realize that God alone can make us whole. We should not hold back as we open ourselves up to God’s work and saving power as He seeks and restores us to Himself. Time and again, Zacchaeus has always been part of the daily gospel readings in the Church. You know why? We are no different from Zacchaeus, because just like him we are sinners and unworthy but God in His infinite kindness and mercy singled him out among the crowd and called him specifically by his name. I am sure God is calling each one of us by name. And just like Zacchaeus may we also respond to him in a personal way and hear the same announcement from Jesus," Today salvation has come to this house." amen. How can we not be full of hope and confidence in Him? God will never stop at anything just to carry out the plan He has for all of us and be victorious in Him. Amen. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 19,1-10.
...When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."
2nd book of Maccabees 6,18-31.
Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king; in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him. But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: "At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws."
..."The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him." This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.
We should all realize and be aware of the fact that the Lord who sees all the good things we do will never abandon us. Nowadays we need not go through the same agony as what the early Christians suffered because we are free to express our praise to God. Let us hope and pray that just like those Christians in the olden times we, too, may develop that same kind of devotion. It is no longer an obligation and duty that we do things for the Lord but out of pure and voluntary act of love for God which produces joy in our hearts. If we sometimes feel uncertain of some decisions we may have made, not everybody seem to agree with it and we really have no way of finding out what the future holds for us then we can always count on God to uphold our cause. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (6b) The Lord upholds me.
But you, LORD, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high.
Whenever I cried out to the LORD, I was answered from the holy mountain. Selah
Whenever I lay down and slept, the LORD preserved me to rise again.
I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side.
One way or another there will come a time in our lives when we have to decide to go down from wherever place we are right now. In doing so we might have to let go of our personal agenda and strip ourselves of our sinfulness, accept our wrongdoings, repair the damage we've done and stand with all humility before the Lord the way Zacchaeus did in today's gospel. We’ve got to be a risk taker like Zacchaeus. He took a great risk of appearing foolish before other people when he climbed on a tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus and what did he get. He did not just get a glimpse but Jesus went into his home and dined with him. He did not stop there, when Jesus finally went into his home he offered to give up half of his possessions to the poor and repay four times those he had extorted money from. We are headed to a much greater blessing if we will learn to take great risks in the name of our faith in God. We can never outdo or out give God in His generosity. It is time we let go of our narrow mindsets and boxed up notions of what a true blessing is. It is about time we realize that God alone can make us whole. We should not hold back as we open ourselves up to God’s work and saving power as He seeks and restores us to Himself. Time and again, Zacchaeus has always been part of the daily gospel readings in the Church. You know why? We are no different from Zacchaeus, because just like him we are sinners and unworthy but God in His infinite kindness and mercy singled him out among the crowd and called him specifically by his name. I am sure God is calling each one of us by name. And just like Zacchaeus may we also respond to him in a personal way and hear the same announcement from Jesus," Today salvation has come to this house." amen. How can we not be full of hope and confidence in Him? God will never stop at anything just to carry out the plan He has for all of us and be victorious in Him. Amen. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 19,1-10.
...When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."
Monday, November 14, 2011
THE BLIND
The first reading is in accordance to the previous readings wherein God urges each one of us to remain steadfast in Him. We will always be tempted to stray away from the path but no matter what the cost is, we should always stand firm on the solid ground where our faith is built. This reminds me of the time when my husband and I got married at the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church. I was very young then and had just given birth to our 1st born son, Jude so I was advised to take the pills to prevent another pregnancy to follow right away. Although I know about the stand of the Catholic Church with regards to artificial contraception I felt I had no better choice then but to take the pills. It was during my 2nd month of taking the pills that I decided to finally stop it due to a persistent message I heard during the prayer meetings I was attending back then. Nobody knew that I was taking the pills except for my husband that was why I got the surprise of my life when the preacher said this," I know that you know who you are and the Lord is telling you that He is not pleased with artificial family planning." It happened for 3 consecutive prayer meetings and was consistently being said in the end like a parting word for all of us. The preacher didn't even know me personally then. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence but when she consistently said the same message for the 2nd and 3rd time that was when I finally got bothered and gathered all my courage and determination to stop taking the pills. I was determined to just stick to the natural family planning method despite the serious warning of the doctor that an abrupt stop in taking it could cause another pregnancy right away. I am perfectly aware of the repercussions of my sudden decision which somehow parallels the plight of the Israelites in today's 1st reading. Although my situation was a lot less difficult than theirs I felt the same determination and firmness in my heart to stick to my part of the covenant with God. The terrible did happen when immediately after I stopped taking the pills I suddenly missed my period. It was the month of the feast of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and was more than a month delayed. I can never forget what happened on the feast day (Nov 27) itself when I went to attend mass and was asking Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to intercede on my behalf because on that very day after coming home I got my period. Amen. Hallelujah!
2nd book of Maccabees 1,10-15.41-43.54-57.62-63.
....Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath... But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel
Another interesting event I am reminded of is one of the MI (Militia Immaculata) Meetings we had in the past wherein we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly by saying our names, parishes where we belong and the time when we were consecrated to the Mother Mary. I can never forget the date I was consecrated (March 15, 2008) since it was the same date, but in 1995, of my mother's death anniversary but I would rather call it her birth to eternal life. It was highlighted by another significant event which was a dream I had at that same time of my aunt, Tita Edna who also passed away on the same date, March 15 in the year 1992. The dream was quite interesting and very vivid because I saw Tita Edna riding in a van and the moment I saw her I took off immediately and ran after the van which I almost missed if I did not leap and managed to make it to the door of the van from which I almost fell. When I finally made it inside the van, I saw that she was about to eat so I offered her a hand sanitizer and saw that it made her so glad that I had it. She immediately applied it in her hands and thanked me for it. It suddenly gave me the impression that the van could be a symbol of our transportation to heaven. It is very difficult to catch that ride, we have to be always alert and vigilant we might end up missing it and worst never be able catch the ride ever again. That is, if we are too busy with other things we tend to neglect what should we be paying attention to and end up missing out on our ride and get a different ride which instead of bringing us to heaven, be brought to another destination which I guess none of us would like to be. We must always know on whose authority we are basing our actions. It will always help to examine ourselves and really be aware where our loyalty lies. Are we for God or against God or are we just for God in the superficial sense? If we are deeply rooted in Him then we can withstand that horrible day of trial and still find ourselves persevering in our faith. Just the thought of ending up in hell should really make us pray fervently to God the responsorial psalm for today. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 119:53. 61. 134. 150. 155. 158
R: Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
53 Indignation seizes me because of the wicked who forsake your law. (R) 61 Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me your law I have not forgotten. (R) 134 Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may keep your precepts. (R) 150 I am attacked by malicious persecutors who are far from your law.
A lot of things that already happened many years ago are all suddenly coming back to me now. The apparitions of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to Catherine Laboure is related to the apparitions to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France. This struck me as very significant information. Aside from the fact that we were married in the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, our 2 sons are both products of the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. Our lives are very intertwined with the Blessed Mother in a very special way. I choose to give importance to these things and treasure it very dearly in my heart. Today's gospel speaks of a blind man who was healed by Jesus. He called out to Jesus as Son of David which means that he was able to recognize Him as the Messiah unlike the Jews who remained stubborn in their unbelief. We too, are blind at times of the good things that God has been doing to us since we came to be. Or we may not be necessarily blind but slow in recognizing God in every single turn in our life just like the Jews. I am saying this because of what had been happening to me these last few days which left me in awe of how God can really make things happen and not happen in our lives and how these can just pass by unnoticed or taken for granted if we do not learn from the enthusiasm, determination and most of all faith of this blind man in today's gospel. It also shows us how a blind man gained his eyesight and gave glory to God. This means that blindness can be a barrier to giving praise and glory to God. We may not be physically blind but our souls are. We've got to see not only with our physical eyes but most importantly our souls should have eyes too. In this way we can respond and act in accordance to what is truly essential and lasting. We should always be alert, sharpen our senses just like the blind man who was able to hear that Jesus is passing by, though his sense of seeing is impaired he was able to call Jesus' attention and it did not stop him from drawing Jesus near to Him. We may be broken in some aspects of our life but let us not be stopped in utilizing other faculties in order to receive the miracle of Jesus in our lives. We should continue to seek other means to attain our goals and let us continue to call on Him no matter how big the obstacles are in front of us. Just like the blind man in this gospel, we need to see more clearly and have a glimpse of how to serve a God who is more than enough. Unless we see God face to face, we can never fully understand the totality of who our God is. His infinite goodness to us makes us long to serve Him more but our disabilities like this blind man keeps us from doing so that there is really a need to be persistent and calling out to God all the more no matter how embarrassing and difficult our situation happens to be. We simply should never stop and give up for not even our entire lifetime can ever live up to a Holy, Mighty and Immortal God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 18,35-43.
Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, What do you want me to do for you? He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
2nd book of Maccabees 1,10-15.41-43.54-57.62-63.
....Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath... But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel
Another interesting event I am reminded of is one of the MI (Militia Immaculata) Meetings we had in the past wherein we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly by saying our names, parishes where we belong and the time when we were consecrated to the Mother Mary. I can never forget the date I was consecrated (March 15, 2008) since it was the same date, but in 1995, of my mother's death anniversary but I would rather call it her birth to eternal life. It was highlighted by another significant event which was a dream I had at that same time of my aunt, Tita Edna who also passed away on the same date, March 15 in the year 1992. The dream was quite interesting and very vivid because I saw Tita Edna riding in a van and the moment I saw her I took off immediately and ran after the van which I almost missed if I did not leap and managed to make it to the door of the van from which I almost fell. When I finally made it inside the van, I saw that she was about to eat so I offered her a hand sanitizer and saw that it made her so glad that I had it. She immediately applied it in her hands and thanked me for it. It suddenly gave me the impression that the van could be a symbol of our transportation to heaven. It is very difficult to catch that ride, we have to be always alert and vigilant we might end up missing it and worst never be able catch the ride ever again. That is, if we are too busy with other things we tend to neglect what should we be paying attention to and end up missing out on our ride and get a different ride which instead of bringing us to heaven, be brought to another destination which I guess none of us would like to be. We must always know on whose authority we are basing our actions. It will always help to examine ourselves and really be aware where our loyalty lies. Are we for God or against God or are we just for God in the superficial sense? If we are deeply rooted in Him then we can withstand that horrible day of trial and still find ourselves persevering in our faith. Just the thought of ending up in hell should really make us pray fervently to God the responsorial psalm for today. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 119:53. 61. 134. 150. 155. 158
R: Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
53 Indignation seizes me because of the wicked who forsake your law. (R) 61 Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me your law I have not forgotten. (R) 134 Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may keep your precepts. (R) 150 I am attacked by malicious persecutors who are far from your law.
A lot of things that already happened many years ago are all suddenly coming back to me now. The apparitions of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to Catherine Laboure is related to the apparitions to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France. This struck me as very significant information. Aside from the fact that we were married in the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, our 2 sons are both products of the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. Our lives are very intertwined with the Blessed Mother in a very special way. I choose to give importance to these things and treasure it very dearly in my heart. Today's gospel speaks of a blind man who was healed by Jesus. He called out to Jesus as Son of David which means that he was able to recognize Him as the Messiah unlike the Jews who remained stubborn in their unbelief. We too, are blind at times of the good things that God has been doing to us since we came to be. Or we may not be necessarily blind but slow in recognizing God in every single turn in our life just like the Jews. I am saying this because of what had been happening to me these last few days which left me in awe of how God can really make things happen and not happen in our lives and how these can just pass by unnoticed or taken for granted if we do not learn from the enthusiasm, determination and most of all faith of this blind man in today's gospel. It also shows us how a blind man gained his eyesight and gave glory to God. This means that blindness can be a barrier to giving praise and glory to God. We may not be physically blind but our souls are. We've got to see not only with our physical eyes but most importantly our souls should have eyes too. In this way we can respond and act in accordance to what is truly essential and lasting. We should always be alert, sharpen our senses just like the blind man who was able to hear that Jesus is passing by, though his sense of seeing is impaired he was able to call Jesus' attention and it did not stop him from drawing Jesus near to Him. We may be broken in some aspects of our life but let us not be stopped in utilizing other faculties in order to receive the miracle of Jesus in our lives. We should continue to seek other means to attain our goals and let us continue to call on Him no matter how big the obstacles are in front of us. Just like the blind man in this gospel, we need to see more clearly and have a glimpse of how to serve a God who is more than enough. Unless we see God face to face, we can never fully understand the totality of who our God is. His infinite goodness to us makes us long to serve Him more but our disabilities like this blind man keeps us from doing so that there is really a need to be persistent and calling out to God all the more no matter how embarrassing and difficult our situation happens to be. We simply should never stop and give up for not even our entire lifetime can ever live up to a Holy, Mighty and Immortal God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 18,35-43.
Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, What do you want me to do for you? He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
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