THE PUZZLE

It amazes me how jigsaw puzzles can look so topsy-turvy when piled in a disorderly heap but can turn into something beautiful once the pieces are put together right. All that is needed is to take time to figure out which pieces should stick together. There might be a need to sit down, be patient and really look at each piece very closely. Upon reading this bible passage from today's 1st reading it made me realize that our life is like a jigsaw puzzle at times. We are God's children and we have to see and recognize the work of God in our lives. We may be seeing a disorderly heap at the moment but we have to believe that there is more to it. Let us pray that the understanding of the instruction being spoken of from today's 1st reading will be upon us. May we come to see the tiny scattered pieces of our lives that we find hard to make sense of as part and parcel of the big and beautiful picture of God’s plan. Sometimes we make a lot of excuses and alibis to the point of lying in worst case scenarios when we are confronted by difficult situations. We tend to justify our shortcomings just to get away with it. Today's 1st reading tells us of a time when we will no longer have an excuse and alibi because God will make perfect every situation that everything that is left for us to do is decide for Him alone. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 29:17-24
...On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel...Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel. 24 Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

I am one person who never even thought of working on a jigsaw puzzle. I am not the type of person who would bother to even buy one. It just happened that when I was in Japan and saw all sorts of things which are being sold in a bazaar, I ended up buying one for no reason at all. In fact it took years before I finally opened it and put the puzzle together. That was when I actually experienced how to do it. It takes patience and perseverance to do it especially with the complicated puzzles. Sometimes in life we just back out and give up when things become complicated and when we do, we fail to witness the bounty of the Lord. As today psalm tells us, we've got to wait with courage and be stout hearted. We should all long for the day when we will have 100% confidence level in all our decisions for God. When the time comes it will totally remove all forms of anxiety and fear and incline ourselves to Him at all times. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (R) 4 One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek, to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. (R) 13 I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD with courage; be stout-hearted, and wait for the LORD.

It is very sad to know that there are times when we always expect something great and extraordinary to happen before we get excited about who Jesus is and what He can do with our lives. Sometimes our sense of awe and wonder in the miracles He has done for our lives has a tendency to lessen or worst even take away its real essence. That even without it we should always have the same feeling of great admiration for Jesus no matter what happens be it awe inspiring or not for it doesn't change the fact that He is always God Almighty. We need not say and have all the thrilling and exciting encounters with God for us to say that He is indeed present for He is supposed to be felt and experienced in all circumstances and will always be present with or without the so called "miracle" for each day given to us is already a miracle in itself. Today's gospel is very timely, as always, I should say. It reminded me of a friend who was so apologetic for what she did and admitted to being hard headed and stubborn for not following the warning given to her. Just like these 2 blind men who were healed and were warned sternly, she did not follow instruction. Sometimes we just can't blame them and her for acting the way they did. It was something they thought was the right thing to do and could be the right thing or nothing wrong with it. It happens to most of us when we think we know better but we really don't. It's always good to follow what God tells us to do as based in the scriptures than just rely on our "good old feelings" like what we usually do. It boils down to one important thing, obedience because we can sometimes be blinded by pride and stubbornness as Fr. Martin Macasaet said in Companion with regards to the gospel. Furthermore he wrote this, Reflection Question: Are you proud? Would you rather have your own way than follow what God instructs you to do, as written in the Scriptures? Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart and humble me. Teach me to follow You with utmost obedience. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 9:27-31
27 As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.