BIG OR SMALL

God does not present to us a confusing maze that is impossible to figure out. Come to think of it, God communicates to us through our very lives and daily circumstances. It may not be as plain and simple as it may appear to be but we can be sure that nobody knows what's going on in our lives more than ourselves. If we will just stop for a while and try to ask, seek and knock at the door of God's heart then we'll surely receive, find and discover God's door opened for us. Thus it will pave the way for us to quickly see God in everything. We have to always focus our gaze on the Lord, sober up and we'll see!. How can we not, everything around us is a testimony of God's goodness. Amen. Hallelujah!

Wisdom 13:1-9
For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them...for they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. 7 For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. 8 But again, not even these are pardonable. 9 For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its LORD?...

No longer can we deny it for God's glory is further emphasized by the psalm reading. God is constantly connecting with us and it's undeniable. We can be disinterested and lacking in enthusiasm but we can never be justified in failing to respond appropriately to a God whose presence is all around us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 19:2-3. 4-5ab
R: The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
1 [2] The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 [3] Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 3 [4] Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; 4 [5] through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.

Not everybody will be saved that is a fact and we really have to run the race well. Sounds scary, huh? This gospel is a challenge if we choose to be in Noah's and Lot's side of the boat. From the story that we hear way back when we were still kids, Noah's family was spared in the great flood but the bible also says that Lot's very own wife was not spared, why? Because she looked back, the Lord is urging us to always focus our gaze on Him and not get distracted no matter what happens around us. It is not an assurance that if we belong to a certain group or family then we are guaranteed of being saved, it will always depend on our response to God's offer of salvation if we want to accept it wholeheartedly or not. How can we not believe in a God who constantly makes His presence known to us all? God responds to us in the sweetest and most personal way. It is very fascinating and inspiring if we will really take time to always connect to God through the daily scriptural readings in the mass then we'll often find that they match our daily circumstances very well. Like what usually happens when we are in a situation wherein somebody has to choose someone. And we ended up being the one chosen. Or it may be just something that is not really worth paying attention to for some people but it still is something, no matter how trivial it may seem, that reminded me that God makes Himself known to us whether in big or small things. Then again we may ask ourselves after reading these passages from today's gospel, isn't it just the luck that one will be taken, the other left. No, it isn't. Like what Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed." Luck in this case won't bring us anywhere we would like to be on that final day. We have to be perfectly aware of this and not leave any of these things to chance nor should we take it for granted for what’s at stake here is our final destiny and salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 17:26-37
26 Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; 27 they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. 30 So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. 32 Remember the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” 36 37 They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”