What was it that Jesus has done that many came to believe in Him? He raised Lazarus from death and this was when they started to plan to kill him. More and more people are following Jesus, they can’t control Him anymore. The Sadducees unlike the Pharisees were very political. They make sure that their relationship with the Romans are safe so that they do not lose their power, land and nation. This is what the human heart wounded by sin, is capable of doing. We see a mighty deed and yet it results to what we’re going to reflect this Good Friday, the sin of killing God. This is what happened so that we would not perish. There’s an irony here because Caiaphas said something not on his own but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. This concern about losing their land and nation to the Romans is connected to the 1st reading about the land and nation being spoken of. It is to unite and bring back the people that have been divided and scattered. This is the history of the Old Testament. It is about the division and the split of the northern and southern kingdoms. Some were faithful and unfaithful. God wants to deliver them from apostasy and idolatry that they imitated from the other nations. God gave them a land and a king and they were not to be overcome by the Assyrians but because of their sin of shedding the blood of the innocent they were swept away by the Babylonians. This reading according to Ezekiel is something that would happen in the future. At that time, listening to a prophecy like it is difficult to understand but we see its fulfillment in the gospel today. This is also connected to the promise to David and in conjunction with Caiaphas prophecy of gathering the nation into one. It is also talking about us. Nowadays, we see our nation dispersed by all kinds of indignity, violence by various forms of jealousies and rivalries, tensions and selfishness. Just like what Paul says in the scripture, I know the good I ought to do but can’t do it. We are torn among ourselves and we can be whole through the wound of the cross. This coming Friday we are invited to venerate the cross. Meditate on the body and blood of Jesus given up for us. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He has something to say about what kind of nation we’re supposed to be. He gathers the dispersed nation of God. We pray especially this coming week that the things that divide us will be healed. It is a good thing to pray for especially on those days. We pray for the unity of all Christians and for the church to come together to intervene for the rights of the oppressed, the poor and the helpless not only in the physical sense. It is important that we realize that unity doesn’t mean pretending that there are no differences among us but it is more of looking at our brothers and sisters as co disciples of Christ. We join hands and hearts to proclaim the truth that God so loved the world that He died for us, arose from the dead and He is coming back. We focus on the affirmations that we can strongly and consistently proclaim and seek opportunities to affirm the faith that we share in common. It is not pushing aside or pretending that the differences we have are not there but work together as dispersed children of God to bring us all into that unity and life. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ezekiel 37:21-28
21 Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land. 22 I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms. 23 No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people and I may be their God. 24 My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees ...They shall live on the land which I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children’s children, with my servant David their prince forever. 26 I will make with them a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD, who make Israel holy, when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
There are significant events in our life that we can associate with certain major decisions we made and can never forget. In everything let us always lift it to God in prayer. The place where we are right now is exactly where God wants us to be. If God brings us here then He will bring us through it. God knows exactly and with perfection what is being allowed to happen to us in our life at this precise moment. God's purpose for us is simply perfect. He wants to show us things that only we can understand by living what we are living and by being in the place where we are now. That's God, He passes us through a lot of things for us to see His glory. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13
R: The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock. (R) 11 The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. 12 Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings: The grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the oxen. (R) 13 Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
We become instruments of God for others knowingly or unknowingly. God uses us to profess His words to others in the same way that Caiaphas in today's gospel prophesied about the death of Jesus to serve as a ransom for many. There are times when we encounter people and situations that are related to the main message of the readings for a particular day. It is like getting confirmations that are undeniably orchestrated by a higher power capable of making things fall into place. No one or nothing can get in the way of God's plan. People, things, events and situations move in such a way to carry out the good God has intended for all of us. It is a consolation to know that despite of the imperfections and unpleasant things we are confronted with in this world, we are assured that God can make all things bright and beautiful. It is very undeniable that each day God is moving in power with tremendous signs, wonders and miracles. His Spirit moves in us and conveys a uniform message of love but it is us, sometimes who taints the purity and distorts the clear message of God when we resort to the negative attitude that is so evident in some of the Jews in today's gospel. Let us not end up in that part of statistics that Jesus offered His Saving grace but failed to respond properly and perished but instead belong and be counted as the children of God, saved and redeemed. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 11:45-56
45 Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. 53 So from that day on they planned to kill him.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
THE PATTERN OF A CHAMPION
The readings today speak of opposition gathering and enemies organizing. It’s not just about Jeremiah and Jesus, it’s also about us, our church and the journey of our lives striving to be faithful to God. No matter what those enemies do, the readings speak of the reward of those who are faithful to the Lord and many other passages show us a pattern. As we approach near and prepare for the events for Good Friday like the betrayal of Jesus when his enemies organize and attack, let us not overlook that the one being persecuted and attacked said sing and praise the Lord for He is victorious. The Church wants us to follow this pattern and interpret every persecution and suffering that we undergo in this manner. If we are in a way taken to captivity just as what happened to Jeremiah at that time there is no cause to resist. Jeremiah was even accused to be a traitor and out of his mind. He recognized that they are the instruments for his people to be converted by placing the responsibility right on the shoulders of his own people. The same is true with Jesus in today’s gospel when He is being opposed for claiming to be God and equality with the Father. They want to stop Him and considered Him to commit blasphemy. Both Jesus and Jeremiah expressed extreme confidence in the truth. They can say it with confidence and courage even as they see their enemies. Shouldn’t we have the same attitude knowing that the Lord is with us. Christ lives within us. We must have unshakeable confidence knowing that He has the indestructible victory. As we enter the Holy Triduum, we see Jesus crowned with thorns, spat upon and mocked while the disciples flee. Where were the people who saw the mighty miracles like the feeding of the 5,000 and the raising of Lazarus from the dead? They all fled in fear and left him alone. Why? They didn’t play this song in the psalm on their minds, they forgot and did not reflect the confidence that it tells us. We should know how to interpret the persecution and trials in our lives. God can prevent it and no weapon against us would work but we need courage that makes us act and speak just like Jeremiah and Jesus. Even if they knew that the people will lash out at them they stood by their faith. According to Fr. Frank Pavone of the Priests for Life the real danger lies in these things. The faithless vacillation, endless deliberation without action and the refusal to take any risk are the dangerous things we resort to. In the passion of Jesus, the real danger is not on those who crucified Jesus but on those who fail to speak for justice for fear of losing, prestige, power and popularity. Nowadays, nobody is sincere anymore. We have to mean what we say and say what we really mean. This should be part of our attitude and spirituality, to speak the truth, be sincere and not just think for ourselves. In the scriptures it is written that there is indeed a time to be silent and a time to speak but it doesn’t say a time to pretend. We can’t claim to pray the rosary, hang all religious items like the crucifix, rosary beads and have access to the holy water but if our actions are not converted and aligned to God’s Holy will then we are not safe. We have to remember that Christ suffered for all of us. We follow His footsteps as we speak for what’s right and work for justice. The pattern of today’s readings tells and reminds us that we are in God’s hands and not man’s. If we always keep this in mind then everything becomes easy even in the severest situations. We should entrust our lives to no one else but God alone. We can be assured that He will make everything fall into proper place. Although some things may not be working out the way we expected and planned it to be, there is no need to be afraid for God will surely and eventually make things work out to our advantage. Sometimes we ask ourselves why we have to go through difficult times, trials, persecutions and hardships in life. And why should we not? When we hear stories about people who were victorious and came out as winners in a certain competition we discover that they have to go through rigid training to endure, persevere and come up as the champion. If we are experiencing at the present moment a difficulty and hardship that seems to deplete our energies and push us to the limits then we ought to be thankful. It means only one thing that we are called to be a winner for as long as we draw strength from God our mighty champion. Just like any champion, we have to go through a certain test or competition to prove our worth. We have to defend our crown from the many challenges that we face. Just like anybody who has been declared a champion several times but continues to face other challengers. We'll just have to put up a good fight because we've already got what it takes to win and we are assured of our victory. Amen. Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 20:10-13
10 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion; my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause...Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!
There is no doubt that God has already won the crown for us, all we have to do is defend our title as heirs of the kingdom of God from the snatchers of this grace. Show forth God's power in our lives. All we need to do is always call upon the Lord and we are safe. We are constantly beset by troubles in life but we should never forget that God is always with us and for us to win all our battles. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
1 [2] I love you, O LORD, my strength, 2 [3] O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies...
God is able to do all things. He is Infinite, All Powerful, Immortal and Invincible. All we need to do is know exactly on whose side we are and we are sure to escape all dangers and harms that surround us. We can feel the presence of God in numerous ways which always strengthen us to withstand the flaming arrows of the devil. The enemy is mighty but our God is Almighty! It is always for our own good that we follow Jesus, the way, truth and life. Jesus is perfectly blameless, pure, inviolate and undefiled in all aspects. Nothing about Jesus can ever be found wrong for everything about Him is Holy and Perfect. No matter how rigid, the scrutiny of the Pharisees were, at that time they were unable to come up with anything that is genuinely wrong about Jesus. They can come up with all kinds of made up lies about Him but His actions speak for Himself. We should follow the example of the life of Jesus. Although it may sound very difficult and challenging for us, we can always rely on the premise that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. If we claim that we are indeed champions then we should reflect in our works the mark of victory that Jesus has won for us. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 10:31-42
31 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power...Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.
Jeremiah 20:10-13
10 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” 11 But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion; my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. 12 O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause...Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!
There is no doubt that God has already won the crown for us, all we have to do is defend our title as heirs of the kingdom of God from the snatchers of this grace. Show forth God's power in our lives. All we need to do is always call upon the Lord and we are safe. We are constantly beset by troubles in life but we should never forget that God is always with us and for us to win all our battles. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
1 [2] I love you, O LORD, my strength, 2 [3] O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies...
God is able to do all things. He is Infinite, All Powerful, Immortal and Invincible. All we need to do is know exactly on whose side we are and we are sure to escape all dangers and harms that surround us. We can feel the presence of God in numerous ways which always strengthen us to withstand the flaming arrows of the devil. The enemy is mighty but our God is Almighty! It is always for our own good that we follow Jesus, the way, truth and life. Jesus is perfectly blameless, pure, inviolate and undefiled in all aspects. Nothing about Jesus can ever be found wrong for everything about Him is Holy and Perfect. No matter how rigid, the scrutiny of the Pharisees were, at that time they were unable to come up with anything that is genuinely wrong about Jesus. They can come up with all kinds of made up lies about Him but His actions speak for Himself. We should follow the example of the life of Jesus. Although it may sound very difficult and challenging for us, we can always rely on the premise that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. If we claim that we are indeed champions then we should reflect in our works the mark of victory that Jesus has won for us. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 10:31-42
31 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; 38 but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 [Then] they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power...Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many there began to believe in him.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
PEOPLE OF HOPE
Today’s 1st reading speaks of God promising to Abraham that he’ll be a father of multitude. His name was changed from Abram to Abraham and exactly what his name means, father of all nations. Abraham was promised that his descendants will be so great just like looking at the stars and not be able to count them. When God gave this promise, he was 99 years old and Sarah was 90. All he did was trust God. It’s not hard to believe in a God who brought everything out of nothing. Are we going to trust or not? In Gen 18, Abraham was visited by the Lord’s angels. He exercises hospitality to them whereas Sarah laughed to herself when she heard that she’s going to bear a child at her age. And the Lord said to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh? God wants us to trust Him. There are times in our lives when we doubt the promise of God. Or worse, we sometimes laugh at the promises of God. We can be astonished and say how marvelous it is but we shouldn’t laugh. God made this promise and He will fulfill it. We can see that after God made a covenant with Abraham in Gen 15:12, As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. This is a foreshadowing of someone who fell into deep darkness in Good Friday. Abraham went into deep darkness as this deep sleep descended to Jesus on Good Friday. A soldier pierced His side from which flowed blood and water that fills the world, washes our sins and gives new life thus in the dark sleep a new humanity was born. We, the people of Christ belong to that humanity, a people of hope. There is no doubt that God is able to fulfill His promise thus it is imperative that we keep our part of the covenant, no matter how deep a darkness we may be going through. In doing so we sometimes have to go through our own Good Fridays in order to yield to God's will in our lives, be full of hope and thus become very blessed just like our father Abraham. Amen. Hallelujah!
Genesis 17:3-9
3 When Abram prostrated himself, God continued to speak to him: 4 “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. 5 No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. 6 I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. 7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”
Almost everybody knows this famous Christian song from kindergarten, “Father Abraham has many children, some of them are small, some of them are tall, all of them are beautiful...” We remain beautiful as long as we keep God's covenant and remain obedient and faithful to God. We should always keep in mind all the wonderful things He has done for us. We need to further explore, know and understand about our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him and recall His goodness. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.
All of the Old Testament is a preparation for Christ. Those who were faithful were all looking ahead for salvation. Jesus is the source of salvation that God has prepared for us. As in today’s gospel, Jesus said, “Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Jesus is the great I AM, which means saving God’s people from their enemies as in Isaiah 45 and in John 8. Jesus said, “I AM.” The sense of this name, I AM means life, being and existence. He brings us the way out of sin and death. He is life and being. He creates out of nothing. We are co creators of God as parents. Eve our 1st mother when she gave birth said, “I have brought forth a man with the help of the Lord” It is a marvelous thing that has happened in our lives as parents. This is a creation of God who allowed us to cooperate with Him. What we have brought forth we have done by cooperating in His decision to bring forth someone to this world who is our equal in dignity, a human person. We can always have hope that out of barrenness God will bring life. We live in a world where life is in such attack. We’re dealing with not just the sin against life where 50 M babies are aborted each year. No war, plague, poverty nor any sickness even cancer or AIDS are taking more life than abortion. We fight not just against the evil of abortion but what we’re confronting is a sin against hope. Abortion is a product of lost hope. People feel that they have no freedom of choice. They do not have freedom or no choice. What they often say is that they do not know how to bring a child in the world, without realizing that the child is already in the world. People often say that we bring a child into the world when it is born. The child in the womb is real and already in the world. If not, then what world is the child in them in? We should believe that the child fully exist and is already a person. We need to be careful about the way we talk about pregnancy and change about the way we talk about a child in the womb. The child is already in the world so we need not wait for the child to be born before choosing a name. We give it soon after conception as a way of acknowledging the presence of a person since we don‘t know anyone without a name. We need to restore hope, open the door to life and say yes to life. Hope leads to life. Jesus gives us life and hope and transforms the world in the process. We don’t pass from life to death but life through death. Thanks for Jesus’ words in today’s gospel. It tells us to move forward to salvation and keep His word and not see death. Death is something that we should not be afraid of because it is only our physical bodies that will die if we continue to nourish our soul then we can be assured of being able to stand face to face with God when that day comes. An article said that once we die physically our souls will immediately depart our bodies and run back to our Creator, God who breathed life/soul in our bodies. It is written in Genesis that when God created Adam, He breathed life into it. This explains why some people when they die look as if their catching their breath it's because that is the breath of life that God has given to us and will return to where it came from. Since we are all aware of the fact that God is Almighty, Holy and Immortal, His Divine Presence can blind anyone standing in His Presence. Although Jesus has gifted us eternal salvation we are supposed to decide if we will accept in our lives this gift. Take it or leave it. The same way when we accept gifts from other people, these people can not force us to like their gifts and make use of them, it's all up to us whether we'll keep it, dispose it, or make use of it. Unlike the time of Moses, when only him can stand before God's presence, on our final day here on earth we come face to face with God that is why we are supposed to prepare ourselves for that day when we neither know the day nor the hour. Let us always keep God's Word that we may enjoy the gift of eternal life. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:51-59
51 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” ...Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.
Genesis 17:3-9
3 When Abram prostrated himself, God continued to speak to him: 4 “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. 5 No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. 6 I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. 7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”
Almost everybody knows this famous Christian song from kindergarten, “Father Abraham has many children, some of them are small, some of them are tall, all of them are beautiful...” We remain beautiful as long as we keep God's covenant and remain obedient and faithful to God. We should always keep in mind all the wonderful things He has done for us. We need to further explore, know and understand about our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him and recall His goodness. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.
All of the Old Testament is a preparation for Christ. Those who were faithful were all looking ahead for salvation. Jesus is the source of salvation that God has prepared for us. As in today’s gospel, Jesus said, “Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Jesus is the great I AM, which means saving God’s people from their enemies as in Isaiah 45 and in John 8. Jesus said, “I AM.” The sense of this name, I AM means life, being and existence. He brings us the way out of sin and death. He is life and being. He creates out of nothing. We are co creators of God as parents. Eve our 1st mother when she gave birth said, “I have brought forth a man with the help of the Lord” It is a marvelous thing that has happened in our lives as parents. This is a creation of God who allowed us to cooperate with Him. What we have brought forth we have done by cooperating in His decision to bring forth someone to this world who is our equal in dignity, a human person. We can always have hope that out of barrenness God will bring life. We live in a world where life is in such attack. We’re dealing with not just the sin against life where 50 M babies are aborted each year. No war, plague, poverty nor any sickness even cancer or AIDS are taking more life than abortion. We fight not just against the evil of abortion but what we’re confronting is a sin against hope. Abortion is a product of lost hope. People feel that they have no freedom of choice. They do not have freedom or no choice. What they often say is that they do not know how to bring a child in the world, without realizing that the child is already in the world. People often say that we bring a child into the world when it is born. The child in the womb is real and already in the world. If not, then what world is the child in them in? We should believe that the child fully exist and is already a person. We need to be careful about the way we talk about pregnancy and change about the way we talk about a child in the womb. The child is already in the world so we need not wait for the child to be born before choosing a name. We give it soon after conception as a way of acknowledging the presence of a person since we don‘t know anyone without a name. We need to restore hope, open the door to life and say yes to life. Hope leads to life. Jesus gives us life and hope and transforms the world in the process. We don’t pass from life to death but life through death. Thanks for Jesus’ words in today’s gospel. It tells us to move forward to salvation and keep His word and not see death. Death is something that we should not be afraid of because it is only our physical bodies that will die if we continue to nourish our soul then we can be assured of being able to stand face to face with God when that day comes. An article said that once we die physically our souls will immediately depart our bodies and run back to our Creator, God who breathed life/soul in our bodies. It is written in Genesis that when God created Adam, He breathed life into it. This explains why some people when they die look as if their catching their breath it's because that is the breath of life that God has given to us and will return to where it came from. Since we are all aware of the fact that God is Almighty, Holy and Immortal, His Divine Presence can blind anyone standing in His Presence. Although Jesus has gifted us eternal salvation we are supposed to decide if we will accept in our lives this gift. Take it or leave it. The same way when we accept gifts from other people, these people can not force us to like their gifts and make use of them, it's all up to us whether we'll keep it, dispose it, or make use of it. Unlike the time of Moses, when only him can stand before God's presence, on our final day here on earth we come face to face with God that is why we are supposed to prepare ourselves for that day when we neither know the day nor the hour. Let us always keep God's Word that we may enjoy the gift of eternal life. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:51-59
51 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” ...Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
FORESHADOWING OF GOOD FRIDAY
In the 1st reading we see these 3 men who resisted the king's command, They knew the truth that there is only one God whom we should be faithful to even to the point of sacrificing power, fame, fortune and their very lives. They are so admirable in their courage. They were in the prime of their life and with a bright future ahead of them in the king's palace but did even not consider this. Nor did it make them falter in their conviction and firm stand. They did not fear death and gladly accepted it in testimony of their unwavering faith in God. Indeed this bible verse from Matthew resonates really well in their conviction and firm stand on their faith, "What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?" Our freedom consists in only obeying God not in inventing our own gods and laws. These 3 men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) said they don't have to answer the king. They didn't even acknowledge the king's question as valid when they said they need not answer his question. One of the things we have to understand is that during that time kings make it illegal for the Jews to practice their religion. Just imagine if it's illegal to go to mass and be arrested if we were to go to mass and profess our Catholic faith. Would we find the freedom or courage not to acknowledge the law that would be force upon us? When our Jewish brothers and sister can't practice their faith we should notice when they said "If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.” They stated that even if God doesn't they would still do the right thing and sacrifice their lives so the people would know that even if they're not rescued they obeyed God. This a kind of foreshadowing of Good Friday. When Jesus said, "Thy will be done" He was obedient unto death on the cross. Because of this, God highly exalted Him that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Take note of these 3 men in the flames according to what the king said “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” In the gospel Jesus stated "I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.” The Father sent Jesus Christ even from the beginning of human history to rescue and save us. Just as stated in today’s 1st reading, the 4th one walking with them in the flames. We have to realize that when we're ready to sacrifice ourselves to obey God, surely He is with us. As in the song, "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Blessed are we if we walk amidst the burning flames of these trials and persecution of the people around us. The ridicule when we live our Catholic faith is all around us. We need to know that we are free when we abide by our faith and the Church. We need to have this kind of freedom that these 3 young men have. They are not bound by fear because they are depending on Almighty God. Every time we hear stories of how people were able to escape unharmed from a sure death experience, we wonder how it all happened. This triggers our minds to think of countless possibilities and rational explanations in trying to figure it out. But how in the world can we explain such an event in today's 1st reading wherein Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when thrown in the furnace to be burned alive came out unfettered and unhurt. This only leads us to the one obvious truth that our God is faithful to those who are loyal and obedient to Him even in times of great trial and distress. He sends His mighty angels to guard, defend and protect us from all kinds of harm and even came Himself in the fullness of time to save us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
14 King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.” 19 King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. 24 [91] King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. 25 [92] “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” 28 [95] Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
Nowadays, we can no longer see or feel the presence of God like they used to experience during the time of Moses. Or see angels to the rescue coming down from heaven to minister to God's people. The reason it is so is because Jesus already came to this world. We sometimes long to see marvelous signs and wonders happening before our very eyes. Things that we could only imagine like the presence of mighty angels ascending and descending from heaven with lightning and thunder flashing from all sides and much like the things that we can only see in the movies or some sort of miracle like the death defying stunt in today's 1st reading. Though, we can not deny the fact that we have had experiences too when we are at awe at God’s wonders and miracles. But on top of everything, we should realize that if the reality of the only begotten and beloved Son of God came to this world became man, lived among us, suffered and died for our sake could not move us to such great awe and amazement for God's extraordinary act of love for man then nothing else could. We should never ran out of reasons to always praise and thank God for He never leaves us empty handed since everything is linked and works wonderfully well for those who stay connected most especially when the going gets really tough and the rough gets on going for we have a dependable God who comes up with more and more blessings and angels sent to us for our welfare. The same God who saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is the same God who continues to lift us up from our miseries for He is a God for all ages. 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...“Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”...
It's quite obvious that the men in today's gospel who claims Abraham as their father is confused because they claim to do one thing and yet do another. Our actions should be a clear statement of what we believe in. Let us clear our minds of things that are not in accordance and does not conform to the legacy handed down to us by our forefathers and put into action the truth that Jesus himself testified to. Let us fully orient ourselves to the real inheritance given to us so that we can consciously and rightfully identify ourselves as sons and daughters of God our Father. Nothing and no one else could be as great as this truth of Jesus who is God with us. Once we are truly in touch with this reality then we are no longer bound to anything in this world and absolutely free. There is really nowhere to go, no one else to believe in, remain in forever and truly be a follower of, for the rest of our life other than Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:31-42
31 Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”... They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this.
Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
14 King Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! 18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.” 19 King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual 20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. 24 [91] King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” “Assuredly, O king,” they answered. 25 [92] “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” 28 [95] Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
Nowadays, we can no longer see or feel the presence of God like they used to experience during the time of Moses. Or see angels to the rescue coming down from heaven to minister to God's people. The reason it is so is because Jesus already came to this world. We sometimes long to see marvelous signs and wonders happening before our very eyes. Things that we could only imagine like the presence of mighty angels ascending and descending from heaven with lightning and thunder flashing from all sides and much like the things that we can only see in the movies or some sort of miracle like the death defying stunt in today's 1st reading. Though, we can not deny the fact that we have had experiences too when we are at awe at God’s wonders and miracles. But on top of everything, we should realize that if the reality of the only begotten and beloved Son of God came to this world became man, lived among us, suffered and died for our sake could not move us to such great awe and amazement for God's extraordinary act of love for man then nothing else could. We should never ran out of reasons to always praise and thank God for He never leaves us empty handed since everything is linked and works wonderfully well for those who stay connected most especially when the going gets really tough and the rough gets on going for we have a dependable God who comes up with more and more blessings and angels sent to us for our welfare. The same God who saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is the same God who continues to lift us up from our miseries for He is a God for all ages. 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...“Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”...
It's quite obvious that the men in today's gospel who claims Abraham as their father is confused because they claim to do one thing and yet do another. Our actions should be a clear statement of what we believe in. Let us clear our minds of things that are not in accordance and does not conform to the legacy handed down to us by our forefathers and put into action the truth that Jesus himself testified to. Let us fully orient ourselves to the real inheritance given to us so that we can consciously and rightfully identify ourselves as sons and daughters of God our Father. Nothing and no one else could be as great as this truth of Jesus who is God with us. Once we are truly in touch with this reality then we are no longer bound to anything in this world and absolutely free. There is really nowhere to go, no one else to believe in, remain in forever and truly be a follower of, for the rest of our life other than Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:31-42
31 Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”... They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
5TH GOSPEL
Do you know that there is a commandment before the Decalogue or 10 commandments of God? Yes there is and it is called Pre-Sinai. It is noteworthy that today's 1st reading points to the reason behind this. I learned this from a Lenten Retreat. When the people of Israel complained to God, He sent them quail and manna as their food in the desert. Every morning they gathered food from the ground and whenever they get more than they could eat for a day they discovered the following morning that the excess got spoiled or rotten. The moral lesson of this commandment is social justice. We should remove greed in our midst and learn to care for others. We should also live within our means and not desire something that is beyond our reach. The Israelites were so discontented despite of the presence of manna in their midst. They did not appreciate and were not grateful that God has provided them food. They sinned against the Lord and directly rejected God's grace. Thus placing themselves outside the protection of God and being predisposed to danger and calamity which was exactly what happened to them when bitten by serpents in the desert. In their journey to the Promised land, Canaan, the 5th gospel which is now known as Palestine, the Israelites strayed away from God's path and went their own way. We should learn the lesson of their story and choose to always stay within the protective grace of God so as to attain the 5th gospel and Promised Land of God in our own lives. Amen. Hallelujah!
Numbers 21:4-9
...with their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”... ...Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover.” 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
PRAYER is the litmus test or yardstick of our faith. Our souls have holes that need to be filled or plugged and it is in prayer that we don't end up placing the wrong plugs that fit our souls. We develop a discerning power through prayer. The way of prayer is not a feeling but a decision. Prayer could very well be patterned after the seasons of the church. There's a part of our life when we need to die, suffer and rise and so are prayers should always be full of faith, hope and love. It prepares us to live a life of relationship. At the end of the day it's all about relationship. We might not be fully aware of this but we engage in relationships every single day of our life and they all contribute to this life of mystery we have. We just have to be careful by checking first with whom we are building a relationship with. We've got to make sure that we are progressing towards the fullness of our relationship with God. We need to remove the restrictions that we place on prayer. Though, we need to test if it's really God's Spirit. We need to keep in mind that we are in a journey to God and we are obliged to study and learn all there is to know because wrong spirit could be in the form of ignorance. I just found out that the word anti means in lieu. Satan is so envious of Jesus he wants to be Jesus and every time we do not decide for Jesus in our actions then we choose the act in lieu of Jesus and in effect become an anti-Christ. We need to be aware that whenever we are about to pray, go to church and do something good, Satan would do everything in his power to distract us. We need to cultivate our soul in order to grow. Anything that improves our relationship with God is prayer. In fact, the mere act of suddenly remembering to give a loved one a call is already a form of prayer. The way we relate to our loved ones, family, friends, relatives and the people around us could already be a form of prayer. When we are in the middle of a breath taking scenery in nature and become full of joy and awe brought about by it, it's almost like a prayer of appreciation for God's wonderful work and creation. The language of intelligence relies on rational thinking while the language of the soul appreciates beauty and makes use of images. In order to understand this more deeply we have to look at the Parable of the Seed and the Sower. This parable contains a lot of imagery to convey its message. Although the parable is about the seed and the sower, the soil is of utmost concern in this story. You know why? We are the soil. It is our soul and spirituality. In fact the name of Adam, the first man created by God was derived from the Hebrew word Adama, which means soil. We need to cultivate the soil, Prayer is the fuel that cultivates our soil. Prayer is God's gift. God's perfect love reaches out to us when we sin or commit mistakes. Remember when Adam & Eve fell into sin, God immediately searched for them, in Gen. 3:9, "Where are you?" Prayer is an act of raising one's mind to God. We need humility for it to be perfect. Humility comes from the word humus which means dirt. If only Adam & Eve were humble enough to admit their wrongdoings instead of point fingers at each other as in Genesis 3:11-13 ...You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!" The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it." The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it." Who knows we could have had a different story and could still be in paradise if they had instead admitted, asked for forgiveness and prayed in a posture of humility. We have a universal call to prayer thus our yearning for God. Man is naturally in search of God. It is God who called and thirsted for us first. Prayer is a response to man's thirst for the thirst of God. It is a response of faith to a God who is reaching out to us. God gives us the Living Water that will not make us thirst anymore. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
R: O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
...Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily. (R) 15 [16] The nations shall revere your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory, 16 [17] when the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; 17 [18] when he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer. (R) 18 [19] Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: 19 [20] “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, 20 [21] To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”
In today's gospel it is written that many came to believe in Jesus. "Are we not among them? Those who come to believe and embrace Him especially as we come near the final part of this Lenten journey. All who have been baptized should live this faith. Jesus described in the gospel that He is going away. It is a prediction of His passion, death and resurrection. Jesus is lifted up in the crucifixion and resurrection and these are the events that lead to eternal life. He said to the Pharisees, "Where I am going you cannot come" and also said,"...the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” It is not passed on like whispering a secret but the Christian truth is proclaimed from the roof tops. Jesus had spoken in the temple area and also in the church being proclaimed daily to the world. God wants all people to be saved but we have to believe. We need to come to the core of the revelation. What is Jesus saying? Going back to Moses when he asked what he's going to tell the people, God said, "I AM" Jesus too, said "I AM." He is claiming to be Divine and He is God. They refuse to accept. Those who do not believe that He is God only tell that He is just, upright and righteous. We have to realize that an upright and devout man does not claim to be God, it's either he is really God or a lunatic. The title "I AM" is always taken from the context of God saving his people from distress, captivity and slavery. God has heard His people cry, wanted to set them free and claim their promised land. We can also see from Isaiah 45, God raised up King Cyrus to set the people free, and several times mentioned God referred to as "I Am" This is to emphasize that God wants to rescue His people and save them. Jesus said again, "I AM" talking in the context of freedom from sin. He said, For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” He sets us free from this dominion of sin but we fail to trust Him. Just as we see in today's 1st reading in Numbers "...But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses." We, too are guilty of the same attitude at times. It would be nice if at once we received Jesus then we will be ushered into the perfect freedom, inability to sin anymore and the resurrection from death. Nevertheless, we still have this journey to make, have to battle, and even fight when they came to the promised land. We're all in a journey. Looking back at those people in Deuteronomy 1 we read that it took them 40 yrs to travel in the desert when all it takes is just 2 weeks. They wandered because of their lack of trust. They initially went to scout the land and came back with a report. The majority said that they can't do it because there are giants in the promised land and would just be like grasshoppers. They're stupid and forgot one basic fact, God is giving them the land. They forgot who was talking to them. When we believe "I AM", the great exile should come to mind, when they were freed from Egypt and should speak confidence. In our present time we should believe that we can overcome social injustice, sin and the culture of death. We have to believe in that because it is Almighty God telling them to come. We don't charge them for being at fault for seeing those realities, the giants and scary things in the promised land but we can charge them to be at fault for not trusting. When they complained against God, it is an insult to God for 2 reasons, first they forgot that God provides and He did provide the manna all the time and also of water from the rock through His power. In fact in 1 Cor. St Paul speaks of this water from the rock that followed them as they journeyed and the rock was Christ, "I AM" Jesus was with them in the desert. He is the same God as yesterday. We must trust God at all times. Those people in the desert however, lost their patience, was worn out and complained. Let us examine ourselves and see if we grumble like this? Sometimes we doubt if Jesus is really with us in this life journey. When we are trying to live the faith, whenever we are fasting and resisting temptation and we are being ridiculed and made fun of we also may come to a point when like these people would rather go back to Egypt and slavery. When we embark the journey of the Christian faith and indeed try to live up to all the teachings of the church, time will come when it is easier to say “Let's go back to our own Egypt.” But Jesus said, my yoke is easy and burden light. Let us not be fooled for the sins are the heavier burden. We have to embrace Jesus, the one who comes to save and have more confidence than ever in “I AM” that sets me free and truly believe we have eternal life. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:21-30
...I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.”...The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
Numbers 21:4-9
...with their patience worn out by the journey, 5 the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”... ...Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the LORD said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover.” 9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
PRAYER is the litmus test or yardstick of our faith. Our souls have holes that need to be filled or plugged and it is in prayer that we don't end up placing the wrong plugs that fit our souls. We develop a discerning power through prayer. The way of prayer is not a feeling but a decision. Prayer could very well be patterned after the seasons of the church. There's a part of our life when we need to die, suffer and rise and so are prayers should always be full of faith, hope and love. It prepares us to live a life of relationship. At the end of the day it's all about relationship. We might not be fully aware of this but we engage in relationships every single day of our life and they all contribute to this life of mystery we have. We just have to be careful by checking first with whom we are building a relationship with. We've got to make sure that we are progressing towards the fullness of our relationship with God. We need to remove the restrictions that we place on prayer. Though, we need to test if it's really God's Spirit. We need to keep in mind that we are in a journey to God and we are obliged to study and learn all there is to know because wrong spirit could be in the form of ignorance. I just found out that the word anti means in lieu. Satan is so envious of Jesus he wants to be Jesus and every time we do not decide for Jesus in our actions then we choose the act in lieu of Jesus and in effect become an anti-Christ. We need to be aware that whenever we are about to pray, go to church and do something good, Satan would do everything in his power to distract us. We need to cultivate our soul in order to grow. Anything that improves our relationship with God is prayer. In fact, the mere act of suddenly remembering to give a loved one a call is already a form of prayer. The way we relate to our loved ones, family, friends, relatives and the people around us could already be a form of prayer. When we are in the middle of a breath taking scenery in nature and become full of joy and awe brought about by it, it's almost like a prayer of appreciation for God's wonderful work and creation. The language of intelligence relies on rational thinking while the language of the soul appreciates beauty and makes use of images. In order to understand this more deeply we have to look at the Parable of the Seed and the Sower. This parable contains a lot of imagery to convey its message. Although the parable is about the seed and the sower, the soil is of utmost concern in this story. You know why? We are the soil. It is our soul and spirituality. In fact the name of Adam, the first man created by God was derived from the Hebrew word Adama, which means soil. We need to cultivate the soil, Prayer is the fuel that cultivates our soil. Prayer is God's gift. God's perfect love reaches out to us when we sin or commit mistakes. Remember when Adam & Eve fell into sin, God immediately searched for them, in Gen. 3:9, "Where are you?" Prayer is an act of raising one's mind to God. We need humility for it to be perfect. Humility comes from the word humus which means dirt. If only Adam & Eve were humble enough to admit their wrongdoings instead of point fingers at each other as in Genesis 3:11-13 ...You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!" The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it." The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it." Who knows we could have had a different story and could still be in paradise if they had instead admitted, asked for forgiveness and prayed in a posture of humility. We have a universal call to prayer thus our yearning for God. Man is naturally in search of God. It is God who called and thirsted for us first. Prayer is a response to man's thirst for the thirst of God. It is a response of faith to a God who is reaching out to us. God gives us the Living Water that will not make us thirst anymore. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21
R: O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
...Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily. (R) 15 [16] The nations shall revere your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory, 16 [17] when the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; 17 [18] when he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer. (R) 18 [19] Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: 19 [20] “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, 20 [21] To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”
In today's gospel it is written that many came to believe in Jesus. "Are we not among them? Those who come to believe and embrace Him especially as we come near the final part of this Lenten journey. All who have been baptized should live this faith. Jesus described in the gospel that He is going away. It is a prediction of His passion, death and resurrection. Jesus is lifted up in the crucifixion and resurrection and these are the events that lead to eternal life. He said to the Pharisees, "Where I am going you cannot come" and also said,"...the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” It is not passed on like whispering a secret but the Christian truth is proclaimed from the roof tops. Jesus had spoken in the temple area and also in the church being proclaimed daily to the world. God wants all people to be saved but we have to believe. We need to come to the core of the revelation. What is Jesus saying? Going back to Moses when he asked what he's going to tell the people, God said, "I AM" Jesus too, said "I AM." He is claiming to be Divine and He is God. They refuse to accept. Those who do not believe that He is God only tell that He is just, upright and righteous. We have to realize that an upright and devout man does not claim to be God, it's either he is really God or a lunatic. The title "I AM" is always taken from the context of God saving his people from distress, captivity and slavery. God has heard His people cry, wanted to set them free and claim their promised land. We can also see from Isaiah 45, God raised up King Cyrus to set the people free, and several times mentioned God referred to as "I Am" This is to emphasize that God wants to rescue His people and save them. Jesus said again, "I AM" talking in the context of freedom from sin. He said, For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” He sets us free from this dominion of sin but we fail to trust Him. Just as we see in today's 1st reading in Numbers "...But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses." We, too are guilty of the same attitude at times. It would be nice if at once we received Jesus then we will be ushered into the perfect freedom, inability to sin anymore and the resurrection from death. Nevertheless, we still have this journey to make, have to battle, and even fight when they came to the promised land. We're all in a journey. Looking back at those people in Deuteronomy 1 we read that it took them 40 yrs to travel in the desert when all it takes is just 2 weeks. They wandered because of their lack of trust. They initially went to scout the land and came back with a report. The majority said that they can't do it because there are giants in the promised land and would just be like grasshoppers. They're stupid and forgot one basic fact, God is giving them the land. They forgot who was talking to them. When we believe "I AM", the great exile should come to mind, when they were freed from Egypt and should speak confidence. In our present time we should believe that we can overcome social injustice, sin and the culture of death. We have to believe in that because it is Almighty God telling them to come. We don't charge them for being at fault for seeing those realities, the giants and scary things in the promised land but we can charge them to be at fault for not trusting. When they complained against God, it is an insult to God for 2 reasons, first they forgot that God provides and He did provide the manna all the time and also of water from the rock through His power. In fact in 1 Cor. St Paul speaks of this water from the rock that followed them as they journeyed and the rock was Christ, "I AM" Jesus was with them in the desert. He is the same God as yesterday. We must trust God at all times. Those people in the desert however, lost their patience, was worn out and complained. Let us examine ourselves and see if we grumble like this? Sometimes we doubt if Jesus is really with us in this life journey. When we are trying to live the faith, whenever we are fasting and resisting temptation and we are being ridiculed and made fun of we also may come to a point when like these people would rather go back to Egypt and slavery. When we embark the journey of the Christian faith and indeed try to live up to all the teachings of the church, time will come when it is easier to say “Let's go back to our own Egypt.” But Jesus said, my yoke is easy and burden light. Let us not be fooled for the sins are the heavier burden. We have to embrace Jesus, the one who comes to save and have more confidence than ever in “I AM” that sets me free and truly believe we have eternal life. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 8:21-30
...I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.”...The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
Monday, March 26, 2012
THE ANNUNCIATION
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Among all of God's creation, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the best and most perfect work of God's hands. For through her cooperation with God, salvation of mankind was made possible. Mary never doubted God's mercy and goodness to carry out His plan for she trusted God more than anything else. We should always be confident in the truth that God's will in our lives will always work out for our own good. Whenever we feel afraid let us always follow the example of Mary. No matter how bothering the news or instances that are happening before us we should always maintain the same total surrender and trusting attitude of our Blessed Mother. Just like Mary who agreed to conceive and give birth to Jesus we should also openly and freely accept Jesus in our lives. We should always follow after her example of a perfect handmaid of the Lord. We are destined for the Lord just like Mary, all we have to do is follow the example she set before us from today's gospel. The example of Mary's complete obedience and trust in God should compel us to do likewise and believe in the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives no matter how impossible and difficult it may seem. During the time of Mary, she knew perfectly well the implications of her total surrender to God in agreeing to become pregnant could make her the object of ridicule and can lead to a very humiliating and life threatening situation but despite all of these she consented willingly and obediently. We, too can learn a lot from her and not miss out on the glorious reward that the Blessed Mother is bestowed now in heaven and for all generations to come. Mary was predestined to take on this special role to be Mother of God. It wasn't easy for her during that time for she was still bound by human laws which meant being stoned to death if found pregnant out of wedlock. But she thought of accepting the will of God in her life first and foremost by consenting to God's word like a handmaid would do to her Master and God. We are also invited through our daily circumstances to live out the will of God in our lives against all odds. May we also have the courage to say the words that Mary said whenever we are confronted with situations in our life that calls us to carry out God's will rather than our own. May we find in our hearts doing God's will at every moment of our life and truly make it our own. God's and our own wills as one. We all have plans in life but as the scripture in Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the decision of the Lord that endures.” Mary knew of this and though she may have other plans for her life back then already betrothed to Joseph, she did not hesitate and accepted the will of God in her life and the rest is history. History that is forever etched in the pages of the bible, every kind of reading material and most especially in the heart, mind and soul of every Christian. The greatest miracle is the birth of our Lord Jesus made possible through the obedience and cooperation of our Blessed Mother Mary. May we in our total surrender to God's will become a vessel of the birth of our own miracles. God coming to us in the form of man is a truth so great and awesome that no one can fully understand all the mysteries that surround it. Even the Blessed Mother who was favored by God and given this great privilege of giving birth to Jesus, our Savior was troubled. Because of our probing minds we tend to question a lot of things and resort to various ways in order to get a better view and understanding of things but there are times, too when all we have to do is follow the example of Mama Mary's perfect obedience to the will of God. There is only one thing we need to know, meditate and internalize daily, that God loves us this much, He suffered His only Son to become man and die on the cross for us. From this standpoint I am sure that all other things will follow. There are famous stories that are very wonderful to tell that it continue to be spoken of throughout the length of time. It has been passed on from generation to generation and never lose the awe, wonder and mystery it holds for those who come to know it. There are some that never leave our memory and continue to inspire and give us hope. It serves as a driving force that keeps us going and lifts us up when we are down and out. These stories are a source of strength and courage at times when we feel like giving up. The story of how God came to save us. This is one story that we should take personally. It should never leave our hearts, minds and memories every waking moment of our lives. It is the greatest story, living and true, ever told. On the day that the angel appeared to Mary she may have already been praying for a Savior to come. We all have been praying to God for something. Le us not doubt that God answers all our prayers in the best way possible. We should not waver or falter and have faith in God who knows our past, present and future. He can make all things beautiful in His perfect time that is for sure. There is no question to this, God is moving in power. Everything lies in the hands of God but it is in our hands to respond in the way Mary did and say this to God with all humility and trust, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” St. Anselm brilliantly captures the crucial role of Mary in our salvation history. He said, “God... is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be redeemed.” This is an incredible thing. It was only possible because God became man. There is an interplay between God’s grace and Mary’s free acceptance. This is what the real Catholic life is all about. This is God’s desire for us which is a fantastic calling. The power to do this is given to us by God in Jesus through Mary. Let us no longer be tricked into believing otherwise and know that just like Mary we are also called to play our part in the history of salvation the way she did. The wonderful phrase from the lips of the angel is pregnant with meaning as He announces to Mary she is full of grace. When something is full there is no room for anything else just like a glass there’s a limit to what it can hold. When the angel announced the words in the present tense by saying you are full of grace. She has no room for sin and is where the Church got its dogma that Mary is conceived without sin. The angel could have said, hail who will be full of grace. She is already filled with the grace of God, special grace from God and for God so He can do His work. God made Mary the untainted human nature and spotless. There's this painting of the Annunciation where the angel is hovering over Mary with a ray coming from his mouth to Mary’s ear. Though, this is not a literal depiction of the Incarnation but a metaphor. The angel spoke the Word of God because the angel can only speak the word of God and this painting is a beautiful depiction of what happened in the annunciation. Jesus conceived in her womb without the assistance of husband or father but with the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary hearing the Word and accepts the Word became flesh. We also hear the Word and must accept that the bread and wine in Holy Mass is transformed in the Body & Blood in the Eucharist. We celebrate this when we pray the Hail Mary which is recorded by St. Luke spoken by the angel and also taken out from the words of St. Elizabeth inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is a prayer that we should say often each day. Mary is a part of what she heard, accepted and said yes. Eve was also created holy and in innocence. Eve and Mary are two innocent women created by God. Lucifer tempted and spoke a lie to Eve. The devil starts off by telling a lie while Mary is greeted by an angelic being speaking the truth. Eve gives in to the devil's allurement. At first Eve spoke the truth when the devil said in Gen 3:1-3, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?" The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'" but Eve was allured and gave in. Mary on the other hand when greeted by the angel, instead of propping herself up like God she said I am the handmaid of the Lord and said yes and her womb became God’s dwelling place. Eve is the mother of the living while Mary is our spiritual mother. In the beginning humanity fell flat on his face when Adam & Eve sinned so we needed a Redeemer. We should remember these words in Gen 3:14, "Then the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. These are the words we should say to the devil every time we are tempted. Following that, is Gen 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." We know that the woman spoken of is Mary, the New Eve, Mary crushes the serpent’s head by her Son and defeat the devil once and for all. Lucifer’s no to God made him lose heaven. God breaks into human history and becomes one of us, wanting to be like us, as true God and true Man, filled with divinity and humanity. This is a glorious day as we celebrate the Annunciation and every time we pray the Hail Mary. We should say it with love and not embarrassed. When we speak of something important we say it with intention, deliberation and reverence. We ought to keep this in mind that the Hail Mary is the inspired word of God. It is a beautiful prayer and a sign of God’s love for us. It is God's poem to us to get us to participate in the plan of salvation and to motivate us to say yes. If we say no to God then we’re in trouble but if we say yes then we are saved. There’ll be suffering, even Mary who is without sin suffered the 7 sorrows. When Jesus is just a baby she was told of the sword that will pierce her heart. The sword pierced her heart when Jesus was missing for 3 days but the most intense was when He died on the cross. She had to go through sorrow and she is without sin. Do we think we are to get away scar free? How we get there is not as important what matters most is that we get there. It is God's divine will that He chose Mary to be part of the equation. Her immaculate heart keeps the heart of Jesus alive while He was in the womb. He loves us and He loves her so we say yes to Mary and be a handmaid of the Lord. She will definitely help us get to where Jesus is. We will never regret it for we are a people of the Word like Mary is. We are in the 5th week of Lent and very soon we celebrate Palm Sunday when Jesus enters Jerusalem as He fulfills our salvation through His Paschal Mystery. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
...Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, 8: 10 “God is with us!”
Psalms 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
...“Behold I come”; (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”
Hebrews 10:4-10
...“Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
...Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, 8: 10 “God is with us!”
Psalms 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11
R: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
...“Behold I come”; (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, 8 [9] to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”
Hebrews 10:4-10
...“Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING
Have you heard this common and overused line in love story and drama movies, “Follow the dictates of your heart.” If we will honestly dig deep into our hearts we will find that true love, happiness and satisfaction lies deep within us. All we have to do is search deep into it by removing all blocks, obstacles and hindrances that prevent us from exposing to the surface what God has planted. If it remains hidden then we tend to be led astray. We forget and neglect what we are truly called for to do and fail to be the person God has meant us to be. Contemplating on the passion and death of Jesus makes us more in touch with the realities about God. It maybe a bit stressful and confusing whenever we try to consolidate, analyze and impart our limited thoughts and knowledge about our Almighty and Immortal God. Despite our limited capacities to understand everything about our Infinite and Boundless God we are assured by the truth in the 1st reading for today. It gives us hope that our limitations are being addressed constantly and without fail as the days go by as we hold on to God's word and promise. This reminds me of this old man who said that he was raised as a child not to believe in God but when he saw me praying he suddenly crossed his fingers and prayed too. When I looked at him, his eyes were closed and his hands are clasped together. I couldn't believe what I saw and just wondered how it ever came to be. This is no secret because today's 1st reading tells us why is it so. The passage stating “I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts” suddenly makes a lot of sense. Amen. Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 31:31-34
...But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more...
We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. There is something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. It's in knowing what is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can see through our hearts? No one, but God. What is unknown and hidden from us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.
...I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you... My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)
If Jesus Christ who is God chose to stoop down to the level of man and humbly accepted the conditions and situations that go with being human all the more should we be willing and not just compelled to obey and follow God. Indeed, no servant is greater than his master. Amen. Hallelujah!
Hebrews 5:7-9
In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Sometimes we grow impatient of the things that are happening around us and not just that we sometimes complain, become disappointed and discouraged and resort to our own ways and means. We succumb to the pressure of the people and situations that are sometimes our very own family and friends, circumstances and status quo around us. We sometimes misinterpret these things as God's will for our lives or just accept things as they come. We sometimes fail to realize that everything happens for a reason and there is a mission that goes with it. We should learn the art of patience and learn how to wait on the Lord. If at times there are moments when a particular situation calls for a specific course of action then it doesn't necessarily mean that this holds true at all times. We should not assume but should always consult and search God's wisdom on everything that we do. The same way that Jesus did, we too must follow where God the Father leads us. The gospel for today says it all. We can never be too sure of anything in this world. Everything seems to be a risk. There are times when we thought we are already cautious and careful enough and yet we still inevitably encounter things that we thought were already taken care of. Or we thought everything has been laid out and well planned and yet still get caught unaware by the surprises in life. This leads us to conclude that in this present life we ought to take chances, be willing to stretch out ourselves, give it our best shot, not be afraid and go for it. Too many dos and don’ts and should have done this or that. Though we may also end up regretting things we have or haven't done. But at the end of it all it is always for the good to have tried and done our best than to have not tried and done anything at all. Especially if we are rooted in the Lord and at the heart of everything we do, even the tiniest and most simple task, is the motivation to offer it to God as a form of service and make it a pleasing offering to Him. Let us not lose heart and always stand firm in our faith in God as in solid rock. It is not an easy task but a very difficult one in this world we live in but let us hold on to God's words in today's gospel and not be moved. We should always follow and do what God wills for us. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 12:20-33
24 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” ..."I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
Jeremiah 31:31-34
...But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more...
We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. There is something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. It's in knowing what is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can see through our hearts? No one, but God. What is unknown and hidden from us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.
...I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you... My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)
If Jesus Christ who is God chose to stoop down to the level of man and humbly accepted the conditions and situations that go with being human all the more should we be willing and not just compelled to obey and follow God. Indeed, no servant is greater than his master. Amen. Hallelujah!
Hebrews 5:7-9
In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Sometimes we grow impatient of the things that are happening around us and not just that we sometimes complain, become disappointed and discouraged and resort to our own ways and means. We succumb to the pressure of the people and situations that are sometimes our very own family and friends, circumstances and status quo around us. We sometimes misinterpret these things as God's will for our lives or just accept things as they come. We sometimes fail to realize that everything happens for a reason and there is a mission that goes with it. We should learn the art of patience and learn how to wait on the Lord. If at times there are moments when a particular situation calls for a specific course of action then it doesn't necessarily mean that this holds true at all times. We should not assume but should always consult and search God's wisdom on everything that we do. The same way that Jesus did, we too must follow where God the Father leads us. The gospel for today says it all. We can never be too sure of anything in this world. Everything seems to be a risk. There are times when we thought we are already cautious and careful enough and yet we still inevitably encounter things that we thought were already taken care of. Or we thought everything has been laid out and well planned and yet still get caught unaware by the surprises in life. This leads us to conclude that in this present life we ought to take chances, be willing to stretch out ourselves, give it our best shot, not be afraid and go for it. Too many dos and don’ts and should have done this or that. Though we may also end up regretting things we have or haven't done. But at the end of it all it is always for the good to have tried and done our best than to have not tried and done anything at all. Especially if we are rooted in the Lord and at the heart of everything we do, even the tiniest and most simple task, is the motivation to offer it to God as a form of service and make it a pleasing offering to Him. Let us not lose heart and always stand firm in our faith in God as in solid rock. It is not an easy task but a very difficult one in this world we live in but let us hold on to God's words in today's gospel and not be moved. We should always follow and do what God wills for us. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 12:20-33
24 Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.” ..."I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
Saturday, March 24, 2012
IN GOD’S HANDS
Jeremiah in today's 1st reading cried out for help to God. Our confidence should also be like his as we call on God in our prayers. He reflects the same kind of trust of a lamb led to slaughter and ultimately that of Jesus on the cross. There will always be discord and chaos for as long as we live. But this is so that we can draw closer to God and learn the perfect act of entrusting everything to God. We can never find real security in this world. We may be rich, powerful and successful but these things can only amount to something if we have totally surrendered our lives to God. Only God can bring about true and lasting happiness and security in our lives. It may be true that these things can bring joy to one's life but only up to a certain point. One day we will find out that all these things will never suffice. The world we are in right now is being presented to us in a way that we almost consider it as the only real thing that exists since it is the one that we can truly see and hold at the present moment. Let us not be deceived by this and try to look further and beyond. If we do, we will realize that only God can truly sustain us. We have to place God in the center of our life in order to draw meaning to all these things that this world offers. We can be rest assured that God will always uphold our cause and see to it that justice is served to all who remain faithful in Him. It is only right that we should consult all our plans and desires to God first before we decide to do something. God is good and He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the things that we need to know. He is always there to show us the right step to take. Although the road we may be traveling is difficult, tiring and taking too long before reaching our dreams and intended goals there is always a guarantee that God is able to fight for our cause and bring everything to fruition. Amen. Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 11:18-20
18 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. 19 Yet, I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!
We are not lost nor doomed no matter what kind of situation or circumstance we are facing because we can always take refuge in the Lord and be assured that He rescues us. We should realize by now that we have a big God as we look back at all the things that have happened to us especially during times when we are in dire need, big trouble and to the point of despair when all of a sudden it was lifted up just like that as if a big boulder or burden had been removed from our chest. We can turn to no one else but God for He alone can save us from all our distress. All we need to do is firmly decide on which side we really are through our thoughts, words and actions that reflect the goodness of God. Our confidence in God should be 100% no matter what our situation is. God shields us for as long as we hold on to Him and believe exactly what the psalm reading says. Amen. Hallelujah
Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
R: O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
...save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, 2 [3] lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me. (R) 8 [9] Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just, and because of the innocence that is mine. 9 [10] Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God. (R) 10 [11] A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart; 11 [12] a just judge is God, a God who punishes day by day.
There is power in His word. There is something that convicts, heals and attracts. This man who seems to be from Galilee is the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is no other than Jesus, the Son of God who is from heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. We have a lot of fears and doubts that cripple us and make us unable to participate in the Master plan that God has in store for us. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. We should not forget that God operates but we need to cooperate. For into the hands of our Creator we should confidently entrust and totally surrender everything in our life who knows perfectly what is best for all of us even before it came to be. Everything that we hold dear in this world will all come to pass and only one thing remains and will matter in the end. It is our relationship with God that we should work for at all times. In all the things we do, we must find God in the center of our will. If we fall into the trap of this world and start to work in favor of this world rather than of God then we are surely in big trouble if not now then sooner or later. Life here on earth is not fair. Even Jesus, the Son of God suffered unjustly in this world. Unbelievable but true. We feel bad when people don’t treat us right. How about Jesus? Let us take into consideration what He went through and still people doubted Him and even plotted to kill Him. They are guilty, but aren't we all? Nowadays, we all profess the same belief in Jesus as Messiah though our actions are not completely convinced of this truth. We do not differ from those people in today's gospel if we are not daring enough to really come out of the open, stand up for the call to live by example and dare to show the difference. If we hope to surpass all these things then we, too must place everything in God's hands like Jesus did. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him...
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53 Then each went to his own house.
Jeremiah 11:18-20
18 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. 19 Yet, I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!
We are not lost nor doomed no matter what kind of situation or circumstance we are facing because we can always take refuge in the Lord and be assured that He rescues us. We should realize by now that we have a big God as we look back at all the things that have happened to us especially during times when we are in dire need, big trouble and to the point of despair when all of a sudden it was lifted up just like that as if a big boulder or burden had been removed from our chest. We can turn to no one else but God for He alone can save us from all our distress. All we need to do is firmly decide on which side we really are through our thoughts, words and actions that reflect the goodness of God. Our confidence in God should be 100% no matter what our situation is. God shields us for as long as we hold on to Him and believe exactly what the psalm reading says. Amen. Hallelujah
Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
R: O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
...save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, 2 [3] lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me. (R) 8 [9] Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just, and because of the innocence that is mine. 9 [10] Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God. (R) 10 [11] A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart; 11 [12] a just judge is God, a God who punishes day by day.
There is power in His word. There is something that convicts, heals and attracts. This man who seems to be from Galilee is the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is no other than Jesus, the Son of God who is from heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. We have a lot of fears and doubts that cripple us and make us unable to participate in the Master plan that God has in store for us. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. We should not forget that God operates but we need to cooperate. For into the hands of our Creator we should confidently entrust and totally surrender everything in our life who knows perfectly what is best for all of us even before it came to be. Everything that we hold dear in this world will all come to pass and only one thing remains and will matter in the end. It is our relationship with God that we should work for at all times. In all the things we do, we must find God in the center of our will. If we fall into the trap of this world and start to work in favor of this world rather than of God then we are surely in big trouble if not now then sooner or later. Life here on earth is not fair. Even Jesus, the Son of God suffered unjustly in this world. Unbelievable but true. We feel bad when people don’t treat us right. How about Jesus? Let us take into consideration what He went through and still people doubted Him and even plotted to kill Him. They are guilty, but aren't we all? Nowadays, we all profess the same belief in Jesus as Messiah though our actions are not completely convinced of this truth. We do not differ from those people in today's gospel if we are not daring enough to really come out of the open, stand up for the call to live by example and dare to show the difference. If we hope to surpass all these things then we, too must place everything in God's hands like Jesus did. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him...
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53 Then each went to his own house.
IN GOD’S HANDS
Jeremiah in today's 1st reading cried out for help to God. Our confidence should also be like his as we call on God in our prayers. He reflects the same kind of trust of a lamb led to slaughter and ultimately that of Jesus on the cross. There will always be discord and chaos for as long as we live. But this is so that we can draw closer to God and learn the perfect act of entrusting everything to God. We can never find real security in this world. We may be rich, powerful and successful but these things can only amount to something if we have totally surrendered our lives to God. Only God can bring about true and lasting happiness and security in our lives. It may be true that these things can bring joy to one's life but only up to a certain point. One day we will find out that all these things will never suffice. The world we are in right now is being presented to us in a way that we almost consider it as the only real thing that exists since it is the one that we can truly see and hold at the present moment. Let us not be deceived by this and try to look further and beyond. If we do, we will realize that only God can truly sustain us. We have to place God in the center of our life in order to draw meaning to all these things that this world offers. We can be rest assured that God will always uphold our cause and see to it that justice is served to all who remain faithful in Him. It is only right that we should consult all our plans and desires to God first before we decide to do something. God is good and He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the things that we need to know. He is always there to show us the right step to take. Although the road we may be traveling is difficult, tiring and taking too long before reaching our dreams and intended goals there is always a guarantee that God is able to fight for our cause and bring everything to fruition. Amen. Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 11:18-20
18 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. 19 Yet, I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!
We are not lost nor doomed no matter what kind of situation or circumstance we are facing because we can always take refuge in the Lord and be assured that He rescues us. We should realize by now that we have a big God as we look back at all the things that have happened to us especially during times when we are in dire need, big trouble and to the point of despair when all of a sudden it was lifted up just like that as if a big boulder or burden had been removed from our chest. We can turn to no one else but God for He alone can save us from all our distress. All we need to do is firmly decide on which side we really are through our thoughts, words and actions that reflect the goodness of God. Our confidence in God should be 100% no matter what our situation is. God shields us for as long as we hold on to Him and believe exactly what the psalm reading says. Amen. Hallelujah
Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
R: O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
...save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, 2 [3] lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me. (R) 8 [9] Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just, and because of the innocence that is mine. 9 [10] Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God. (R) 10 [11] A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart; 11 [12] a just judge is God, a God who punishes day by day.
There is power in His word. There is something that convicts, heals and attracts. This man who seems to be from Galilee is the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is no other than Jesus, the Son of God who is from heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. We have a lot of fears and doubts that cripple us and make us unable to participate in the Master plan that God has in store for us. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. We should not forget that God operates but we need to cooperate. For into the hands of our Creator we should confidently entrust and totally surrender everything in our life who knows perfectly what is best for all of us even before it came to be. Everything that we hold dear in this world will all come to pass and only one thing remains and will matter in the end. It is our relationship with God that we should work for at all times. In all the things we do, we must find God in the center of our will. If we fall into the trap of this world and start to work in favor of this world rather than of God then we are surely in big trouble if not now then sooner or later. Life here on earth is not fair. Even Jesus, the Son of God suffered unjustly in this world. Unbelievable but true. We feel bad when people don’t treat us right. How about Jesus? Let us take into consideration what He went through and still people doubted Him and even plotted to kill Him. They are guilty, but aren't we all? Nowadays, we all profess the same belief in Jesus as Messiah though our actions are not completely convinced of this truth. We do not differ from those people in today's gospel if we are not daring enough to really come out of the open, stand up for the call to live by example and dare to show the difference. If we hope to surpass all these things then we, too must place everything in God's hands like Jesus did. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him...
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53 Then each went to his own house.
Jeremiah 11:18-20
18 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. 19 Yet, I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!
We are not lost nor doomed no matter what kind of situation or circumstance we are facing because we can always take refuge in the Lord and be assured that He rescues us. We should realize by now that we have a big God as we look back at all the things that have happened to us especially during times when we are in dire need, big trouble and to the point of despair when all of a sudden it was lifted up just like that as if a big boulder or burden had been removed from our chest. We can turn to no one else but God for He alone can save us from all our distress. All we need to do is firmly decide on which side we really are through our thoughts, words and actions that reflect the goodness of God. Our confidence in God should be 100% no matter what our situation is. God shields us for as long as we hold on to Him and believe exactly what the psalm reading says. Amen. Hallelujah
Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
R: O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
...save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, 2 [3] lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me. (R) 8 [9] Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just, and because of the innocence that is mine. 9 [10] Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God. (R) 10 [11] A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart; 11 [12] a just judge is God, a God who punishes day by day.
There is power in His word. There is something that convicts, heals and attracts. This man who seems to be from Galilee is the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is no other than Jesus, the Son of God who is from heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. We have a lot of fears and doubts that cripple us and make us unable to participate in the Master plan that God has in store for us. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. We should not forget that God operates but we need to cooperate. For into the hands of our Creator we should confidently entrust and totally surrender everything in our life who knows perfectly what is best for all of us even before it came to be. Everything that we hold dear in this world will all come to pass and only one thing remains and will matter in the end. It is our relationship with God that we should work for at all times. In all the things we do, we must find God in the center of our will. If we fall into the trap of this world and start to work in favor of this world rather than of God then we are surely in big trouble if not now then sooner or later. Life here on earth is not fair. Even Jesus, the Son of God suffered unjustly in this world. Unbelievable but true. We feel bad when people don’t treat us right. How about Jesus? Let us take into consideration what He went through and still people doubted Him and even plotted to kill Him. They are guilty, but aren't we all? Nowadays, we all profess the same belief in Jesus as Messiah though our actions are not completely convinced of this truth. We do not differ from those people in today's gospel if we are not daring enough to really come out of the open, stand up for the call to live by example and dare to show the difference. If we hope to surpass all these things then we, too must place everything in God's hands like Jesus did. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him...
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53 Then each went to his own house.
Friday, March 23, 2012
WHAT'S YOUR DESTINY?
Have you ever experienced feeling so down and out? It's like heading for doom and destruction. It seems so hopeless and discouraging, not wanting to go on with life and just succumb to depression and defeat. Today's 1st reading is a prophecy of the plot of trying to put Jesus to death and this is way before the incarnation took place. According to Bishop Sheen the spirit of enmity is not only present when Jesus lived but as long as time endured. There are people who were persecuted and forgotten when they died but the hatred of the world and against Jesus lives on. It is still happening today. This is because He is alive. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We should never be discouraged and rather be strong as we are reminded how the only begotten Son of God, the Ruler, Creator and Majestic King of heaven and earth was put to the test, condemned unjustly, tortured, and accepted a humiliating death on a cross all because of God's great love for all of us. We have to be ashamed of the times when we question, complain and even blame God whenever we encounter trials and hardships in life. We should be aware of the reality that we sometimes do things without realizing the repercussions of our actions. Everything starts with something small and may not realize it until we get caught in the web of our wrongdoing. One small sin happens after another without realizing that we've gone a long way and caused our spiritual blindness. No matter what the reasons are let us hold on to God’s purpose although it is not clear or even unknown to us. Let us not be mistaken and blinded but always rely on the hidden counsels of God, recompense of holiness and the reward of the innocent soul. Amen. Hallelujah!
Wisdom 2:1, 12-22
1 The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: 12 “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. 13 He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. 14 To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, 15 because his life is not like other men’s, and different are his ways. 16 He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. 17 Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. 18 For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. 19 With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” 21 These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, 22 and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.
We may have encountered situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position. They just happen suddenly that we have no time to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss. Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going and do exactly what we are told. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 34:17-18, 19-20, 21, 23
R: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. 19 [20] Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
Today's gospel is taken from John or the 4th gospel. Its genuineness is affirmed by the whole character of the narrative. The arrangement of this gospel follows historical order of events and portrayed with precision of eyewitness. Even the most minute subsidiary circumstances are mentioned with special concern to determine exactly the time of occurrence. It is accepted as one of chief and historically credible sources of knowledge of the life of Christ. The 4th gospel has a high Christology that emphasizes the Divine aspects of Jesus’ identity compared with low Christology that emphasizes human aspects. John’s belief in the preexistence of Christ is very pronounced. According to Frances Hogan, she believes that it was John the youngest of all the apostles who really wrote the gospel. The person behind the gospel have seen and heard Jesus first hand. He came to Jesus as a teenager and seems to know the heart of Jesus instinctively. It was to John that Jesus gave His mother on the cross. John was taught by God's beloved mother, Mary. The book of John is known as the book of signs. The Book of Signs (Jn 1:19-12:50)
The seven signs are miraculous deeds of Jesus that reveal his true identity. They show Jesus bringing different types of people to believe in Him while at the same time provoking many among the Jews to hostility. The author interprets them for the reader by various reflections, narratives and discourses. Many Jews were provoked to hostility on account of the declarations of Jesus which they could not accept as in today's gospel. Signs and symbols are very important to John as it is to us. God is from above and we are from below. From our human level it is very difficult for us to grasp the meaning of things in our life in relation to God. We have to look beyond the physical and understand them better as we go beyond the surface into its deeper meaning. The same is true in our relationship with God, the more we know about Him the better we understand the things in our life. We can look into the things happening in our life and find meaning in it. It becomes symbolic in a sense that God has communicated to us, making us more inclined to do things that are divine. We should praise and thank God for the perfect example and pattern of Jesus' life that He left for all of us that serve as an inspiration and guide. There is no doubt as to the perfection of our God who knows exactly the time when things are bound to happen for He knows best. Let us just continue to trust His Divine Providence that everything happens for a reason at the appointed hour. Jesus was destined to suffer and die for our sins because He was obedient to the will of God and that same destiny resurrected Him from the dead and now seated at the right hand of the Father reigning in His kingdom forever and ever. May our destiny be to always obey the will of God. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
1 Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. 25 Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
Wisdom 2:1, 12-22
1 The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: 12 “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. 13 He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. 14 To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, 15 because his life is not like other men’s, and different are his ways. 16 He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. 17 Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. 18 For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. 19 With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” 21 These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, 22 and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.
We may have encountered situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position. They just happen suddenly that we have no time to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss. Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going and do exactly what we are told. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 34:17-18, 19-20, 21, 23
R: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. 19 [20] Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
Today's gospel is taken from John or the 4th gospel. Its genuineness is affirmed by the whole character of the narrative. The arrangement of this gospel follows historical order of events and portrayed with precision of eyewitness. Even the most minute subsidiary circumstances are mentioned with special concern to determine exactly the time of occurrence. It is accepted as one of chief and historically credible sources of knowledge of the life of Christ. The 4th gospel has a high Christology that emphasizes the Divine aspects of Jesus’ identity compared with low Christology that emphasizes human aspects. John’s belief in the preexistence of Christ is very pronounced. According to Frances Hogan, she believes that it was John the youngest of all the apostles who really wrote the gospel. The person behind the gospel have seen and heard Jesus first hand. He came to Jesus as a teenager and seems to know the heart of Jesus instinctively. It was to John that Jesus gave His mother on the cross. John was taught by God's beloved mother, Mary. The book of John is known as the book of signs. The Book of Signs (Jn 1:19-12:50)
The seven signs are miraculous deeds of Jesus that reveal his true identity. They show Jesus bringing different types of people to believe in Him while at the same time provoking many among the Jews to hostility. The author interprets them for the reader by various reflections, narratives and discourses. Many Jews were provoked to hostility on account of the declarations of Jesus which they could not accept as in today's gospel. Signs and symbols are very important to John as it is to us. God is from above and we are from below. From our human level it is very difficult for us to grasp the meaning of things in our life in relation to God. We have to look beyond the physical and understand them better as we go beyond the surface into its deeper meaning. The same is true in our relationship with God, the more we know about Him the better we understand the things in our life. We can look into the things happening in our life and find meaning in it. It becomes symbolic in a sense that God has communicated to us, making us more inclined to do things that are divine. We should praise and thank God for the perfect example and pattern of Jesus' life that He left for all of us that serve as an inspiration and guide. There is no doubt as to the perfection of our God who knows exactly the time when things are bound to happen for He knows best. Let us just continue to trust His Divine Providence that everything happens for a reason at the appointed hour. Jesus was destined to suffer and die for our sins because He was obedient to the will of God and that same destiny resurrected Him from the dead and now seated at the right hand of the Father reigning in His kingdom forever and ever. May our destiny be to always obey the will of God. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
1 Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. 25 Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
NEW MOSES
We read in today’s 1st reading a reference to the stiff necked nature of the Israel people and the contrast as Moses displays a deep friendship with God as he speaks in behalf of his people. The Israel people thought he’s not coming back. Despite of the wonders that their very eyes have seen they had the nerve to complain, gripe and abandon God. They were grumbling against God. It is an apostasy, abandonment and rejection of the faith that they had been entrusted. They forgot the God who had saved them. Somehow this reminds us of ourselves, midway in this season of lent. Here we are in our own desert, we sometimes very quickly think that God has abandoned us. In the middle of fasting, penance and prayer we quickly forget God who has saved us, abandon and reject our faith in our living of life today. We need to remain steadfast no matter how difficult it may seem. We quickly turn aside from the way that God is pointing out. The love that this world can’t imagine and comprehend is not dormant, it is the love of God. We tend to set ourselves up to be our own little god and soon turn aside from the way God has pointed out. We need to cry out for mercy to God and listen to Moses as he points out to us our wrong doings. The plea of a righteous person is always heard, answered and never refused by God. Moses was heeded by God in his request which tells us that if God listened to Moses all the more should we be always rejoicing knowing that Jesus the Lamb of God not only pleaded before God for our sake but offered Himself on the cross in order to save us. We are blessed to have a glorious background much more than the heritage of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. We have the blood of Jesus who took upon Himself on the cross, the guilt of all our sins that have won for us His perpetual kingdom. People during the time of Moses don't know better than any of us living today. Only the legacy of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Israel was known to them and haven't come to this point in our time when we already have the Incarnation of Jesus as the highlight of the glorious background of our faith. Moses pleaded with God in behalf of His faithful servants, the Patriarchs and was heard by God. We have to be aware of the fact that looking back more than 2,000 years ago and even way back to the time of Abraham, God has already been extending His desire to be in a loving relationship with man. If we are to visualize and construct a timeline for this, we would find that God has already invested so much in His people. Aren't we filled with joy and gladness that we are living at this time when we already have the legacy of not only the patriarchs, the Kings, Judges, and the Prophets but most especially and importantly, Jesus. He is the fullness of God's love and came in the fullness of time. Amen. Hallelujah!
Exodus 32:7-14
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 “Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth’? Let your blazing wrath die down; relent in punishing your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’ ” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.
We should always keep in mind that if Moses was able to turn back God's anger and withhold His destructive wrath how much more Jesus His only begotten Son who suffered, was obedient to the point of death on the Cross and gave Himself as ransom to redeem us from all our sins. Let us not forget even for a second nor neglect this truth every single minute, hour and day of our lives that we have been ransomed, saved and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus. Our little gods and idols can not do anything for us. They are useless and stupid things. How foolish we can be as a people of God to do such things and be off track by turning away from where the Lord has pointed out. We have to be in a relationship with the only true God. If there's something we really need to be thankful to God for bringing us to life at this present time that is the fact that we have a glorious background that we can always draw strength, hope and inspiration. We need to focus on this and be aware that we've got so many things in this present life to look back to and be blessed. The timeline of our salvation history demonstrates God's persistent and consistent effort to win our hearts and be in a relationship with us. Not to forget that after Jesus, the saints followed which added to the color of this long time running declaration and evidence of God's great love for us. It's been quite a while already that He has been waiting for our answer much more than a suitor offering his pledge of love to his lady. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
...They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, 22 wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea. (R) 23 Then he spoke of exterminating them, but Moses, his chosen one, withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath.
Moses is the foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus is the new Moses that stands between us and God. He reconciles us to God. We always have questions that are left unanswered or we do have the answers but are not sure of it. This happens most of the time especially when we do not have confidence or doubtful of the person who answered our question. We tend to probe and investigate further in order to prove it right. This is just a normal reaction for someone who is in search for nothing but the truth. We can only trust a credible, reliable and trustworthy source. We may search high and low, far and wide but we may still end up with nothing. If we are to rely on human intelligence and capabilities alone then we are just setting up ourselves for a disappointment. Sometimes too, we need to brag about something just to convince other people. Today's gospel tells us that it is unnecessary. It is very clear that more than anything else, our works and deeds testify on our behalf. We look at Jesus and follow His example. There should be no doubt in us about who He is and what He is capable of. We must come to the realization that we can not lean on our own understanding and just trust God who can make all things possible. There is only one thing required that is to accept Jesus as our Personal Savior and Redeemer. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. It sounds so simple and easier said than done. The following and living part of what we accept and believe should be manifested in our life testimonies that speak of the voice of God, visualize the form of God and live the Word of God. May our life testimonies be verified by God. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 5:31-47
Jesus said to the Jews: “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified. 32 But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true... the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent...I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. 46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Exodus 32:7-14
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 “Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth’? Let your blazing wrath die down; relent in punishing your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’ ” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.
We should always keep in mind that if Moses was able to turn back God's anger and withhold His destructive wrath how much more Jesus His only begotten Son who suffered, was obedient to the point of death on the Cross and gave Himself as ransom to redeem us from all our sins. Let us not forget even for a second nor neglect this truth every single minute, hour and day of our lives that we have been ransomed, saved and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus. Our little gods and idols can not do anything for us. They are useless and stupid things. How foolish we can be as a people of God to do such things and be off track by turning away from where the Lord has pointed out. We have to be in a relationship with the only true God. If there's something we really need to be thankful to God for bringing us to life at this present time that is the fact that we have a glorious background that we can always draw strength, hope and inspiration. We need to focus on this and be aware that we've got so many things in this present life to look back to and be blessed. The timeline of our salvation history demonstrates God's persistent and consistent effort to win our hearts and be in a relationship with us. Not to forget that after Jesus, the saints followed which added to the color of this long time running declaration and evidence of God's great love for us. It's been quite a while already that He has been waiting for our answer much more than a suitor offering his pledge of love to his lady. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
...They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, 22 wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea. (R) 23 Then he spoke of exterminating them, but Moses, his chosen one, withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath.
Moses is the foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus is the new Moses that stands between us and God. He reconciles us to God. We always have questions that are left unanswered or we do have the answers but are not sure of it. This happens most of the time especially when we do not have confidence or doubtful of the person who answered our question. We tend to probe and investigate further in order to prove it right. This is just a normal reaction for someone who is in search for nothing but the truth. We can only trust a credible, reliable and trustworthy source. We may search high and low, far and wide but we may still end up with nothing. If we are to rely on human intelligence and capabilities alone then we are just setting up ourselves for a disappointment. Sometimes too, we need to brag about something just to convince other people. Today's gospel tells us that it is unnecessary. It is very clear that more than anything else, our works and deeds testify on our behalf. We look at Jesus and follow His example. There should be no doubt in us about who He is and what He is capable of. We must come to the realization that we can not lean on our own understanding and just trust God who can make all things possible. There is only one thing required that is to accept Jesus as our Personal Savior and Redeemer. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. It sounds so simple and easier said than done. The following and living part of what we accept and believe should be manifested in our life testimonies that speak of the voice of God, visualize the form of God and live the Word of God. May our life testimonies be verified by God. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 5:31-47
Jesus said to the Jews: “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified. 32 But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true... the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent...I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. 46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU
The love of God knows no limits. The song, “Hindi Kita Malilimutan” (“I will never forget you” in English) is taken from today’s 1st reading. I am a mother myself and I could not imagine forgetting my infants, (I had 2, now fully grown ) or be without tenderness for them and I couldn’t even come close to being perfect. So every time I hear it and basing from this love I have for my sons, I just can’t help feeling that gush of emotion coming from the fact that even if a mother forgets and be without tenderness for her baby, God does not forget and does not cease to love us with an immeasurable love. This also reminded me of the dream I had about my mother. It happened a couple of years ago but it is still clearly etched in my mind. I was in a hurry to leave and she just stopped me right there and gave me a tight embrace. It was so real I could almost feel her arms around me and my arms embracing her back. Once again I felt the love and care that my mother used to shower on us when she was still living. This was somehow preempted by what my son, Allan did a week before the dream when all of a sudden he sent me a baby picture of him and his kuya (elder brother). In fact, I still have it in my Yahoo messenger and even made it my profile picture. Every time I look at it, it makes me smile and brings back pleasant memories of the times when I used to care for them when they were still very young. Another thing that reminded me of this is the fact that I saw on Facebook Lindsay's open declaration of her love to her dad who is celebrating his 1st death anniversary. (Kuya Babette). These related and uniform flow of events happening one after the other steadily built up or triggered feelings and emotions only a loving mother/parent and beloved child can feel. It made me even more aware of the wonderful feeling that makes the bond of a mother/parent and child bring joy to our hearts. What made this experience even more meaningful to me is the fact that this bible verse in today's 1st reading speaks of the same great love of a mother for her child. Though it may seem great and awesome enough, we are still assured of the greatest love ever known. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 49:8-15
...Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.
There is no more reason to doubt what the psalm reading today is telling us. I am sure that I have so much love for my 2 sons. This is why I feel so blessed that no matter how great my love is for them still it is nothing compared to the love that God has for us. Nothing beats the love of God for us. It is the love greater than any love ever known to this world. Just think about this love and promise constantly and nothing else would matter. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18
R: The Lord is gracious and merciful.
...slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R) 13 The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R) 17 The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.
The Pharisees persecute Jesus for His healings on the Sabbath. It is a supposed day of rest for them but God is always at work. The call upon us is to live in faith that God is always at work. In the midst of poverty and difficulty, it seems hard to believe that but God is the fullness of life and always self giving in generosity. The term rest does not apply for there is no such thing as Divine inactivity. John Paul II referred to this rest on the Sabbath as the lingering gaze of God at what has been accomplished. God enjoys looking at what has been achieved like the beauty of creation. Men are invited to rest, especially enjoy communion with God and establish a special relationship with Him. Jesus speaks of these things from this passage and tells us that whoever believes has eternal life and can pass through death to life. This is the beginning of Jesus’ marvelous teachings which is followed by the Eucharist in John 6. He speaks of the fullness of the sacramental life, the gift of the Eucharist. He said that the one who feeds in Him will have life. The Father gives the son the power to exercise judgment. All good deeds will go to the resurrection and the bad deeds for final separation. There is the conquering of evil and those who obey are called to the fullness of life. Jesus emphasizes to us the truth that God is His Father. Only the son knows the father and He comes to reveal the father. God is in eternity and created the world from nothingness. We are called to enter into His world, into his eternity, in fatherhood and sonship. He is revealing the mystery of God and making visible the invisible. The Father gives life and He gave to the Son possession of the life. Furthermore following today’s gospel in John 6, He said that “I have life because of the Father.” He gives us the same life and this is a very profound statement. He is giving us eternal life in the Trinity. There is an eternal activity in the Father in union with the Son and expressed in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They are equal in glory and co-eternal in majesty. He is the beginning and the end but not as we understand it. Jesus is trying to tell us that God is at work, expelling demons and granting healings. The sacramental life is still being performed for us to this very day and still in us through communion with him in the Holy Eucharist, confession and worshipping at mass. This lent we are invited to live it to the fullest of ways because it is still being poured upon us and still at work today. In the 15th century, Plagianus came up with this ideology which came to be known as Plagianism. It states that man is basically good and don't need God. We all know that this is not totally right. In the 16th century, Protestantism came about with this general thought that man is basically bad, we need God. Later on, the likes of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas introduced in their teachings the presence of original sin which states that there is an in between in these 2 opposing thoughts. In the process we've come to know that we have the free will and commit personal sins. God loves us so much that's why He wants the best for us. He shows us the right way to go and tells us, " If we want to be redeemed we need to cooperate and participate in the redemption. Though there is only one Savior in Jesus Christ, redemption is a two way process and not one way as most people think. We are all co-redemptors and for that matter stakeholders of our salvation. We have a choice, God respects our decisions and has given us the free will to decide. So what's your choice? It isn't a tough one after all for no one can give us a better option because God is the best choice. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 5:17-30
17 Jesus answered them, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also. 20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”
Isaiah 49:8-15
...Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.
There is no more reason to doubt what the psalm reading today is telling us. I am sure that I have so much love for my 2 sons. This is why I feel so blessed that no matter how great my love is for them still it is nothing compared to the love that God has for us. Nothing beats the love of God for us. It is the love greater than any love ever known to this world. Just think about this love and promise constantly and nothing else would matter. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18
R: The Lord is gracious and merciful.
...slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R) 13 The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R) 17 The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.
The Pharisees persecute Jesus for His healings on the Sabbath. It is a supposed day of rest for them but God is always at work. The call upon us is to live in faith that God is always at work. In the midst of poverty and difficulty, it seems hard to believe that but God is the fullness of life and always self giving in generosity. The term rest does not apply for there is no such thing as Divine inactivity. John Paul II referred to this rest on the Sabbath as the lingering gaze of God at what has been accomplished. God enjoys looking at what has been achieved like the beauty of creation. Men are invited to rest, especially enjoy communion with God and establish a special relationship with Him. Jesus speaks of these things from this passage and tells us that whoever believes has eternal life and can pass through death to life. This is the beginning of Jesus’ marvelous teachings which is followed by the Eucharist in John 6. He speaks of the fullness of the sacramental life, the gift of the Eucharist. He said that the one who feeds in Him will have life. The Father gives the son the power to exercise judgment. All good deeds will go to the resurrection and the bad deeds for final separation. There is the conquering of evil and those who obey are called to the fullness of life. Jesus emphasizes to us the truth that God is His Father. Only the son knows the father and He comes to reveal the father. God is in eternity and created the world from nothingness. We are called to enter into His world, into his eternity, in fatherhood and sonship. He is revealing the mystery of God and making visible the invisible. The Father gives life and He gave to the Son possession of the life. Furthermore following today’s gospel in John 6, He said that “I have life because of the Father.” He gives us the same life and this is a very profound statement. He is giving us eternal life in the Trinity. There is an eternal activity in the Father in union with the Son and expressed in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They are equal in glory and co-eternal in majesty. He is the beginning and the end but not as we understand it. Jesus is trying to tell us that God is at work, expelling demons and granting healings. The sacramental life is still being performed for us to this very day and still in us through communion with him in the Holy Eucharist, confession and worshipping at mass. This lent we are invited to live it to the fullest of ways because it is still being poured upon us and still at work today. In the 15th century, Plagianus came up with this ideology which came to be known as Plagianism. It states that man is basically good and don't need God. We all know that this is not totally right. In the 16th century, Protestantism came about with this general thought that man is basically bad, we need God. Later on, the likes of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas introduced in their teachings the presence of original sin which states that there is an in between in these 2 opposing thoughts. In the process we've come to know that we have the free will and commit personal sins. God loves us so much that's why He wants the best for us. He shows us the right way to go and tells us, " If we want to be redeemed we need to cooperate and participate in the redemption. Though there is only one Savior in Jesus Christ, redemption is a two way process and not one way as most people think. We are all co-redemptors and for that matter stakeholders of our salvation. We have a choice, God respects our decisions and has given us the free will to decide. So what's your choice? It isn't a tough one after all for no one can give us a better option because God is the best choice. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 5:17-30
17 Jesus answered them, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also. 20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”
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