THE GOOD SHEPHERD

God's forgiveness and salvation is not exclusive to a selected few but is given to all. We do not have to belong to a particular race. We have all been qualified by God Himself. God's love is open to all. We are expected to extend this same love to our brothers and sisters regardless of race and culture. Oftentimes we are guilty of discriminating whenever we come in contact with people who are different so to speak or those who do not conform to our standards. Whether we admit it or not we are all guilty of this and we should follow Peter's example of acknowledging God's universal love to all of us, Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 11: 1-18

...‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane...If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles, too.”

Only in God can we find true satisfaction. In Him alone is the thirst of our soul quenched. Whenever I hear the song which has the same thought as the psalm reading for today I always imagine and picture a deer panting and drinking water in the stream. This kind of longing and thirst we have all experienced one way or another in our lifetime whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. We may search long and hard but find none that can fully satisfy if we fail to recognize the rivers of Living Water which only God can give and provide. Amen. Hallelujah!


Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4
R: Athirst is my soul for the living God.
1 [2] As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 [3] Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and be hold the face of God? (R) 43: 3 Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. (R) 4 Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God!

It is very important that we follow the Good Shepherd so that we don't end up in the hands of the enemy whose only goal is to steal, slaughter and destroy. We are safe in the guiding love of Jesus as long as we consciously follow Him. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls and make us whole. He'll give us peace we never knew, sweet love, joy and heaven, too. These are the lyrics of a charismatic song that I have always loved to sing. In today's gospel the message of God is very clear, we should know and recognize the voice of God and the path that leads to Him. Let us not allow ourselves to be led astray by the deception of the enemy whose only aim is to steal our joy, slaughter and destroy our peace. If we are bothered by some concerns let us always approach and never leave the flock that our Good Shepherd cares for. In Him we are surely safe and secure. We ought to be careful though that we do not fall for the trap of the enemy and this world. We have to know and identify who really is the Good Shepherd. We've got to know the difference and be very discreet in whom we place our confidence and trust. The false shepherd exploits, feeds his ego and makes himself the center. He takes rather than gives. These things might be very familiar to us and might have experienced it with friends, relatives, even institutions and groups. Instead of leading us to green pasture we suffer in the process as we follow the hired hand. The Good Shepherd on the contrary does not run away when danger is imminent but rather is willing to die for the sheep. Jesus is dedicated to protect and keep us safe from the many dangers of this world. He is willing to be betrayed, denied, humiliated and crucified for our sake. We are like lost sheep and we need to follow Jesus all the way to the cross in Mt. Calvary. We must not be afraid for God's yoke is His will for us which we should accept. It does not take away our freedom nor it wears us down since the good news is out, the Good Shepherd is risen. He came for us that we might have life and have it abundantly. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 10:1-10
1 Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. 2 But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice...A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

ABOVE ALL

There is power in the name of Jesus. We might have seen instances when people use an access or entry code or just say the name of the person who lives in certain subdivisions or gated homes in order to be allowed to go inside. These are restrictions in order to ensure safety and maintain order in the places where people live. It just made me think that God has given us a powerful name in order to have access to the many blessings and promises that are in store for those who would believe. What a glorious privilege and blessing that all can come to know and avail of the power of the name Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:8-12
...There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this whole wide world. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
...It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

Human parents although imperfect are capable of giving to their children all the best that they could offer. Parents could relate to this and would definitely agree to it. What can our Father in Heaven give to us more than the title, children of God? It is a consolation to know that we have all been pre-qualified through our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into His Kingdom. We are God’s children and the rest is up to us. If we are to live up to this honor and privilege or not is all in our hands. Let us always be faithful to Him, who alone can deliver us. We’ve heard stories that people who died come rushing to be with the Lord and describe the unexplainable joy of being able to see God face to face. Since we are still part of this mortal body we still do not feel the urgency of being with the Lord since we still belong to this world as stated " See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. " That is why we are always continuously struggling between good and evil because technically we are still in this world and somehow attached to it that we should make a conscious effort to always cling to the Lord. But as earlier stated in the bible passage only the clean and pure of heart can stand before Him so we should always guard our actions that each day be an offering to the Lord as we continuously work toward this goal. It is not easy but it is also said that the Lord will bless and save those who love Him. It is with this hope that we persevere in what we do. The 2nd reading for today emphasizes to us the truth and privilege we have as God's children. We must not neglect and forfeit this by always being mindful of the good things that God is continuously showering upon us and strive to be deserving of the blessings He has bestowed on us. With the confidence of a beloved child of God, we all strive to become like Him in every way. Amen. Hallelujah!


First Letter of John 3,1-3.
"....Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. ..."



It is always a consolation and a relief to know that we have a Good Shepherd who loves and cares for us and more. We can be assured that everything on heaven or on earth is under and within the power of Jesus and above all else our Mighty Savior and Redeemer. Only in Jesus can we find everlasting peace and comfort. The Good Shepherd is one who forms and unites the flock as a special people of God. In Matthew 28 and John 20 we read about the great commissioning of the apostles by Jesus. He said to them, “whose sins that you forgive, are forgiven and as the Father has sent me, so I send you, and he who receives you receives me.” He left this ministry to continue the shepherding. This entire mission is directed in gathering the flock, transform and save all of us, the people of God by the word of the gospel and the redemptive paschal mystery of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Those who follow Him are His ministers and they are to hand on what is given to them. As Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."..."Tend my sheep."..."Feed my sheep... He told him 3x to shepherd the flock but he must be united with Jesus before he can properly tend the flock. Peter had to learn humble discipleship. When Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the cross he was rebuked “Get behind me satan.” Peter had to follow Jesus. The critical part is when he realized and said in Peter 2:20-25 “…follow in His footsteps, stay close to the shepherd and guardian of our souls.” Peter followed Jesus and recognized His voice. Man needs God. We have to be shown the path to God and this is what real shepherds do unlike the hired hand. According to Blessed Pope John Paul II, priests are called to authoritatively proclaim God’s words. The thieves and robbers apply to those people who exploit, serve themselves, use to their advantage and teach their own gospel not of Jesus. We are all called to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit in order to be saved from this corrupt generation. We need a shepherd because we can’t do it on our own. When we look at our own lives evil is constantly present to us in the world. It’s ridiculous to go into this dark valley without Jesus. People are scandalized by how the world turns out. It could be such a terrible place if people fail to depend on God in prayer. We need to hear His voice, follow Him and be led to find the verdant pastures. If we follow Him then we can drink of the restful waters, He will never abandon us and there is nothing we shall want. The saints would say, “Only the Lord.” To have life more abundantly, this is what we crave for. It is the life in the sacraments and in the gospel that lead us to follow his footsteps to the endless restful waters in green pastures. In John 6, He told us to eat His body and drink His blood to have eternal life. He used the Hebrew word to chew or gnaw, as in eating of the animals. It is the more graphic word to describe it and not just symbolic. The Church can understand the real presence of God in the Eucharist. Transubstantiation where real change has taken place makes His body and blood available to us. If we have Jesus in our life who lays down His life on the cross, bring sheep that are led astray home and continually make Himself available in the Holy Eucharist then we will have the fullness of life in abundance. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:
"I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.

TAKE IT LITERALLY

In today's 1st reading the disciples of Jesus saw a paralyzed man healed and a dead woman raised up. In those days the followers of Jesus were being persecuted and they surely needed that kind of boost. Nowadays, we have the richness of this glorious background and enjoying the freedom to exercise our faith in Jesus. We need God and His presence in our lives to quiet the storms we are experiencing and receive peace. In Jesus we find forgiveness and salvation. He gives Himself to us to have the fullness of life. He is the Good Shepherd. He does not possess us but wants to have a relationship with us. He knows us individually and intimately. We are made in God's image and have a body and soul. This reality exists and we have to know ourselves in a deeper level not just in the material alone but the spiritual component that images God. Only in the light of Jesus can we find ourselves. By looking through this lens that invite us to this spiritual knowing and live as the Lord has lived. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 9:31-42
... “Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive...

When we hear of amazing stories we can not contain our excitement. May we be always mindful of it at all times and filled with this kind of emotion in all circumstances. We all have sinned and bore the guilt in us. We have all been destined to die but Jesus took upon Himself all our sins and paid it in full. He made an offering of Himself for our sake. The least we could do is to give honor to this Holy Sacrifice. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R: How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
...O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds. 17 To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

Some things do not always come easy. There are things that we might find hard to accept and believe unless we are totally convinced of it. So how do we become totally convinced of something? We must be able to witness it and come to a decision that it is proven and tested. There is a need to make use of our faculties in order to achieve this. Sometimes we reach a point in our lives when we experience so much trials and hardships in life that makes us doubt and lead us to question God. We better be convinced and not falter knowing that God is able to fulfill all His promises. In this day's gospel, Jesus asked Peter if he wanted to leave, may we also find ourselves saying these same words that were professed by Peter. We should carefully look back and examine our own lives. And very often this is what I always hear people say especially Christians who have a big faith in God. At hindsight we come up with a better understanding of the things that have already occurred and could come up with the best judgment in relation to the things that are happening. I believe that God has given us enough proof and evidence for us to be totally convinced and believe. The only question lies if we are willing to not just profess the same words of Peter in today's gospel but really believe, act on it, find the courage to live it through and hold on until the end. The gospel for today is a continuation of the Bread of Life discourse which is the heart of the gospel of John. There are many words of Jesus in the bible where we are not supposed to take literally but rather figuratively. His words that spoke of Himself as the Gate, Door and the like are titles attributed to Him that are meant to be taken figuratively. The Bread of Life should be understood literally and sacramentally. If we are to read the previous gospel from John we would see that Jesus makes a noticeable shift and used the verb "eats", "drinks" and "feeds". The reaction of His followers in today's gospel and in the previous explain and attest to this. Jesus really meant it when He said to eat and drink His blood. It is indeed a very hard teaching that we ought to accept and believe. Take note of John 6:66 (which has the #666)in today's gospel " As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him." We need to be clear of this truth and be united with Christ in Holy Communion. We must receive with the proper disposition for this to take effect in our soul. Anyone aware of mortal sin and receives Communion is receiving unworthily. We must receive worthily otherwise we are putting judgment on ourselves as St. Paul says"...whoever eats in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning our Lord..., he who eats and drinks without discerning brings judgment upon himself..." (1 Corinthians 11:29) We have to receive Christ in a state of grace. According to St. Justin, no one may take part in the Bread and Wine, the Eucharist unless he believes what the Church teaches is true and lives in keeping with what Christ taught. Unworthy Communion is a sacrilege. It outrages God more than all other mortal sins because it attacks not just the 10 Commandments but the Person of Jesus Christ. It is a profanation, crucifies Jesus Christ in our hearts and brings to ourselves chastisement. It is a greater crime than in Mt. Calvary. It imitates and renews the crime of Judas. It is an outward sign of love to God just like the kiss of Judas but inwardly it aims to betray and capture Jesus. It is like leading a hypocritical or "double life". On the other hand if we receive worthily we get to enjoy the effects of Holy Communion. An intimate union with Christ, preserves, increases, renews and multiplies the life of grace received in Baptism. As in the Parable of the Talents, to one who has more, more is given. It separates us from sins, strengthens charity or love of God and neighbor, wipes away venial sins, preserves us from future mortal sins and unites to the Mystical Body of Christ. It makes us commit to the poor which relates to what St. John Chrysostom said that if we have already tasted the blood of the Lord then we should be able to recognize our brother and be merciful. We need to have a profound love of the Eucharist and be united and transformed by Holy Communion. It is the root of all holiness. Jesus offered bread and wine and turned it into His own body and blood. The faith required of the believer is more than just being fed physically and satisfied but has to go beyond it. God is humbling Himself daily in the altar in the hands of the priest. As we see bread and wine with bodily eyes we should see it as the Holy Body and Blood, living and true. When we receive the bread and wine turned into the body and blood of Christ during the mass, He becomes a part of us. It is only right that we make ourselves a fitting sanctuary and make the necessary preparation in receiving Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 6:60-69
60 Many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? 62 What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” 66 As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. 67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

ILLUMINATED

Life today has become chaotic and disorderly. Some people no longer know who and what to believe in. We wake up each day not knowing what the world holds for us and just go through the process of living it without a purpose. This happens when we head for the wrong direction. St Paul in today's 1st reading was already headed to what he believed was true, to persecute the Christians. Paul fell on the ground and became blind. Sometimes God allows us to fall or crash down in order for us to become a source that gives life which was exactly what happened to Paul. This reminds me of the waterfalls in Yosemite which is a great source of irrigation and water supply needs for those in that area. Being there was almost like being in touch with God in an awesome and inspiring way. On our way there we had a quick view of the vast mountains and waterfalls where we passed by. When we finally arrived at the Yosemite Waterfalls Park that was when we were able to take a closer and longer look at the surrounding view and the waterfalls. The tall trees that lined the road were all towering above us. I almost got stiffed neck due to several twists and turns I did as I grew excited looking at what was before me not wanting to miss a single thing. The big rocks made us look like ants. When we finally reached the foot of the gigantic waterfalls that almost got us all wet due to the deafening and strong impact of the water that fell on the ground that was when I really got amazed at this marvelous creation of God. It is considered as the tallest waterfalls in the US and ranks 5th in the whole world. Whew! As I watched the water crashed down hard on the ground coming all the way from on top of the mountain, a thought came into my mind. It must be very painful or would even kill a person if he gets caught under that water. It could be similar in a way with Paul who had to experience a crash down before his famous conversion on His way to Damascus. We, too should consider the crash down experiences in our lives as God's way of calling us to the right path and direction. One way or another we are like Saul completely unaware of the consequences of our actions. Let us be conscious and aware of what we are doing so that we don't end up falling on the ground and losing our sight. He was a highly educated and learned man during his time. He studied the scriptures well and was mentored by Gamaliel. His heart was set to serve God. All the while he thought that he was doing the right thing. God called him and revealed Himself to him and the rest was history. He got converted and carried out the work of evangelization to all people. The effectiveness of his ministry was credited to his mastery of the scriptures that all pointed to Jesus especially the personal testimony of his very own life experience. Looking back 2000 years ago, people were being converted and baptized by the thousands. Nowadays, we may ask ourselves why is the world not being converted? How well do we really know Jesus? How deeply do we love Him? Just think of a thief who is willing to kill just to get what he wants. What makes a person do this is in itself a powerful force that can drive people to action. There are all kinds of gods in the world that people are chasing after. It could be a person, object or status in life. We don't know how to find the one true God. We have to read the bible, understand and witness to it so that we can invite people to the faith. It is not easy but a heart that is in love with Him and illuminated by His light can enter into this relationship with God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 9:1-20
...a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. 9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank...

If you will read on about the story of Saul you will find out that he eventually regained his eyesight and started proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. Wherever we're coming from we should strive to follow his example of groping for the truth about the light while he was in darkness and blind. We have a responsibility in our hands which is very clearly proclaimed in today's psalm. As we find our way to God may we find ourselves taking part in the mission and call that Paul himself obediently followed and fulfilled. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! (R) 2 For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

Nowadays, people are starting to become more health conscious. We are very cautious of the kind of food we eat so that we can properly care for and maintain our physical body. We should have the same attitude when it comes to our spiritual well being. Today's gospel in St. John is a very hard teaching. We have to accept, believe and not walk away. The truths of the faith can only be taught and understood if we have received the Holy Spirit. During this Easter season the gospel reveals more and more passages pointing to the Mystery of the Trinity and the Holy Eucharist. The oneness of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. St. Francis of Assisi is a saint that is well known and admired for his holiness during his time and up to this present day. It was said that for his way of life he followed the words of Jesus in the Synoptics (Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke) but it is in the Gospel of St. John that he patterned his spiritual life and manner of prayer. His prayers to God sounded as if he were Jesus Christ speaking to God the Father Himself. Our prayer should be identified with Jesus our Savior. The teaching about the Eucharist in the gospel of John is meant to develop in us a profound love of the Eucharist. We have to be united and transformed by Holy Communion. The faith required of the believer should be like those who see Jesus according to His humanity and see the sacrament of the Eucharist as the Sacrament of Christ according to His Spirit. For how long would we be hard of heart? Isn't it enough that daily God humbles Himself in the altar in the hands of the priest during Holy Mass? As we see bread and wine with our bodily eyes so should we see the Holy Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the true and living God as He has promised, "I am with you even to the end of time." Amen. Hallelujah!

John 6:52-59
52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

THE PHILIPPINES

Have you ever had this feeling when you feel you ought to do something and it turned out to be the right thing to do. It usually happens to most of us that's why it's very important to be always attuned to God so that we would know right away what He wants us to do.
If we get rid of all the things that bring us far away from God then we can always feel His presence lighting, guiding and guarding our way. It makes sense doesn't it? We are perfectly aware of our daily activities and should know whether they bring us closer to God or not. Today's 1st reading tells us of Philip whom the angel of the Lord spoke with and one thing led to another. A human being came to believe and was baptized instantly. Philip was preparing to go someplace else but suddenly found himself being led to another place. Sometimes we wonder how we ever end up to be in a particular situation as if the circumstances surrounding us were arranged in such a manner that everything just fell into perfect place. This reminds me of our bus tour to San Francisco when we met this lady from Thailand. Her name is Pei and she could hardly speak or understand a word of English that was why I was so surprised that she kept on following and joining us (Filipino group) despite the fact that there are other Thai people in that bus tour whom she could easily relate with. I gathered from this experience and especially relating it with the 1st reading today that we are just like Phillip in the reading not just because of the close resemblance of our country's name the Philippines to Phillip but more importantly because of the good news of God's love that we have imparted to her with all sincerity and warmth. Though she was unable to understand our verbal language she understood fully well the language of love and concern that is universally known to all men. Let us continue to be sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit in our life and humbly obey. Never doubt and completely trust His judgment and leading. If we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us through the work of God we will surely find ourselves being held by the hand, confidently standing on the right path, safe and secure. Let us keep God first place and He'll take us to places we never ever dreamed of. Amen. Hallelujah!




Acts 8:26-40
26 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.” 27 So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and join up with that chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. 32 This was the scripture passage he was reading: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 33 In [his] humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from the earth.” 34 Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. 36 As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?” [37] 37 38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.




During the bay cruise we were able to come up very close to the Golden Gate Bridge and went under it and see the amazing structures that hold it. The engineering of the bridge was amazing and very strongly built. During the cruise we got information that the bridge can withstand the powerful forces of the wind and can hold a tremendous amount of weight. It was as if this bridge was really built to last a long time and still be of service to various forms of transportation. Man's ingenuity is so impressive to come up with such a bridge that used to hold the world's longest suspension span record for a long time since 1937 when it was built. And what's amazing is that it continues to draw people to it up to the present time. Just like this bridge we have to be strong and of good courage as spoken of in Joshua. We have a God who is fighting our battles for us. Let us believe that we are at the right place and time. God is in control. Although God will not stop every adversity but if we stay in faith, He will see us through. He did not promise life to be smooth sailing all the time but He definitely assured us of a safe landing. God has already lined up the right people, right places at the right time. He has prepared for our victory and so we should be ready for God's favor. Let's open up our senses to the Lord's call and take action. We can always render service to God in our own personal humble and little ways. And be assured that the Big Boss does not fail a single moment in fully compensating all the work that has been rendered for Him. I know that someday these things that used to impress us will cease to amaze us any longer once we've reached the place that lead us to our eternal destiny with our Almighty God. Amen. Hallelujah!




Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
R: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
8 Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise; 9 he has given life to our souls, and has not let our feet slip. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. 17 When I appealed to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue. (R) 20 Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness!




The gospel for several days has been mentioning about manna, the physical bread that our ancestors ate in the desert. Abraham gave them the 10 commandments or the Torah, which is the path of life and the Law. It can not save by itself we need God's Grace more than just the right actions. We are made of flesh and have the tendency to stay in the natural or physical level. We need to go beyond this level for a spiritual, supernatural and divine life. We thirst and hunger and seek to satisfy it in the things that the world offers. Despite our prosperity we are still dissatisfied. We can't satisfy our deepest hunger if we just turn to natural things. Even the outward or physical sign of bread seemed nothing and no longer enjoy it. This happens when we are caught up in the web of this fast paced world we live in and forget to stop for a little while and think. We need to slow down and savor each bite. Jesus is the True Bread that will give us supernatural life. He is the Law that has become flesh. Scriptures tell us of the several occasions when Jesus demonstrated to us the importance of the Eucharist and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The Road to Emmaus, the Upper Room in Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee are only a few of these when Jesus took bread and fish, broke it and gave to His disciples. The temptation of Jesus in the desert to turn the stone into bread and His response based on scripture in Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." There is a need to correct the misunderstanding. The Old Testament mentality tells us that the brain is not associated with thinking rather with the senses to feel, hear, see etc. It is the marrow of the head and thinking is associated with the heart, stomach and kidneys. Humans process thought in the internal organs as in the digestive system. In Sirach 21, "Come to me, eat and be satisfied." Wisdom that can be processed inside and stay within us. The word of God nourishes us more than bread. The Old Testament prepares us to something more profound. We need to recall these instances and the miracles especially of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish. An example that could give light to this is the concentration camps during the time of the Nazis. It was said that people who are more focused on the word of God lasted longer than those who are physically fit. Those who do not have the physical strength were sustained. The act of faith is necessary in every walk of life. It could be faith in anything, in science, logic and other things. There are so many things we can take from faith but not everything will ultimately lead to life that removes ultimate hunger. The physical things like riches, power and fame could lead us to destruction. Nowadays, we see the effects of drugs, sex and other things. People are dying from overdose, sexually transmitted diseases and more that we may not know of. We have to refrain from things that are not necessary and take things that God gives us. We need to cooperate by believing in Christ. They say experience is the best teacher, and God wanted us all to learn from Him by living it out in our own lives whatever instructions we heard from God and was taught to us. And who could best teach us other than Jesus who experienced it all. Accept the word of God, digest, process and be nourished. We tend to ignore the deeper meaning and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. It is not simply a philosophy like the others which are great tools and help a lot but can never sustain us. Easter invites us to reflect on these miracles of the bread and wine in the scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and still understand our faith today. We have witnessed nice things, places and situations in our lifetime that help us to appreciate the goodness and graciousness of God. No one in this whole wide world can ever claim that he or she has not been given the chance of knowing our Supreme God and Creator for it is written in the scriptures that all will be taught and come to know about God. It is just a matter of listening well, making a decision to come to Him and really believe. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 6:44-51
44 Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

WHAT A FEELING

Today’s readings bring back memories of all sorts. My son, Jude when he was still a few months old and he sees me coming home from work he would giggle and start to raise his hand as a gesture that he wanted to be carried. I was always full of joy whenever I see him do that. These kinds of emotions impressed to me that God our Father feels even more strongly for us. Let us think of ourselves kneeling before Him absorbed in prayer that cultivate in us a surge of strong emotion the kind that suddenly envelops us whenever we are on the verge of shedding tears of joy. This we can feel if we imagine God right before us, looking at us so eagerly and excited to give us a kiss and wrap us in His arms like an eager parent is for a beloved child. While this is the case for Jude it is not so for Allan. It made me think why my 2nd and youngest son, Allan did not cling to me as much as Jude did when he was his age. I realized that when I was still pregnant with Allan, Jude who was barely 3 yrs old then would always embrace my tummy and stand in front of me as if saying that nobody can come near me. That's why when I gave birth to Allan he would always cuddle him and be very protective of him. In a way, God is reminding me that during those times when I am at work or not around his Kuya Jude reflected to Allan the love and care an infant normally longs for. Love is indeed transferable for our God has a vast supply, it overflows. Another incident I am reminded of is my being prone to bruising. In fact I have a big one right now in my arm. I have noticed that I easily get bruised and must admit was a bit scared about it. Especially when I realized that these bruises were caused by very mild pressure for example the handle of my bag which is not too heavy that was pressing on my arm can cause me to develop rash like patches which usually appears whenever blood pressure cuffs are tightly wrapped around my arm. There was one time when I laid my hands over my arm and prayed over myself hoping that it will not result to something serious but was a bit surprised when somebody told us that if we want to become saints in heaven someday then we are really bound to suffer. I just didn't get it at first when he suddenly said those things and was even rejecting the thought in my mind. But everything is coming to me now. I am finally making more sense out of it especially when I read today's 1st reading. Amen. Hallelujah! 1 Peter 5:5b-14 ...So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. 8 Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. 10 The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little...Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. The prophets who have prophesied a lot of things came up with identical and confirmatory prophecies in the other books of the OT and also with the NT. If we will consider the time frame or the generation gap of these prophets when they started to proclaim the Word of God and the time the manuscripts have been all written (100 BC) there is no doubt that we would be very amazed at the accuracy, precision and uniformity of the messages pointing all to the one God who is the author of life and Jesus the great testimony of His love for all of us. It is only right and fitting that we remain loyal to God. The word loyalty is mentioned 3x in today's psalm reading. You know why? God wants us to be loyal to Him not for His sake but for ours. If we are loyal to a friend then our relationship blossoms into a beautiful friendship. Just think if we are loyal to God then it can go beyond our expectation for He will cover every aspect of our life. Psalm 89:2-3. 6-7. 16-17 R: For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. 1 [2] The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. 2 [3] For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. The heavens praise your marvels, LORD, your loyalty in the assembly of the holy ones... Marvelous signs, wonders and miracles, these are only teasers of what really await us. We have to be wise and know where your loyalty lies. It helps to think of the precise and awe inspiring messages of the prophets in the bible who were able to confirm one another despite the vast difference of time and space when they got the messages and the time these messages were found, compiled and written. An example is in Dan 7:13, Ezekiel 2:1, John 19:5, Mt. 26:64 and Zechariah 12:10 wherein the the name "Son of Man" is mentioned and is also frequently used by Jesus in the NT referring to Himself. Also in Daniel 7:25-26, Leviticus 26:18, and Leviticus 23:34-35 which confirms each other in the message about obeying and making holy the Lord's day. And several others like in Daniel 12:2, Mt 25:46 and Jn 11:11-13 as the earliest clear enunciation of belief in the resurrection of the dead. The presence of angels in Daniel 7:10 and Mt. 4:11. The book of Daniel is considered also the forerunner of the revelation. (Daniel 5:25, Daniel 7 and Revelation 12) Come to think of how God arranges the events in our lives in a wonderful pattern that if we really take a close look and pay attention to our God we'll find out that every single thing works and happen for a wonderful reason which are all bound to work for good. Each one of us has his or her own calling and it is well to know what God is asking us to do. In whatever it is that we do we can well be assured of the truth that He will always confirm it through accompanying signs. We would know deep in our hearts whatever it is that God wants us to do. No matter how big or small the task may be God will never leave us groping in the dark and will always hold us by the hand to guide and enlighten us in the path that He wants us to take. Amen. Hallelujah! Mark 16:15-20 15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. 20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

PYGMALION

We can learn a lot from our Church and Salvation History. In fact 1/2 of the people who became Catholic converts have delved into the study of History. It is His story, her story and our story. It has patterns, though it surprises really well. We have to discover the past, learn from what happened and be open to it. We need to know the faith and not be susceptible to lie. We are witnesses of what evil can do to people but behind all of those things, God is behind it. The gates of hell did not prevail, the Church remains protected. Today's 1st reading tells us of the murder of Stephen, a holy and righteous man. Stephen did not have the slightest trace of anger and is full of forgiveness for those who stoned him. We should long to have this kind of disposition in life that even at the point of death he still begged for mercy and forgiveness not on his own behalf but for the very people who caused his death. It is an act of forgiving people even if they don't ask for it. St. Paul or Saul as he was called originally was a part of it. We have to know what can be learned from this to prevent similar things from happening again. Paul was a persecutor of Christians but he became a saint. His life progressed with his testimonies because he admitted to the killing of Christians and repented. He bore witness to Jesus Christ and revealed how great a Savior we have in Him. Jesus is risen from the dead and the only Savior of humanity. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 7:51-8:1a ...The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. 8: 1 Now Saul was consenting to his execution. We are a work in progress just like St. Paul we need to acknowledge our sins, mend our ways and surrender our life to the Lord. Nothing can ever frighten or scare us not even death if God is our stronghold. Amen. Hallelujah! Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6, 7b, 8a, 17, 21ab R: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. 2 [3] Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety. 3 [4] You are my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me. (R) 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. 6 [7] My trust is in the LORD; 7 [8] I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy. (R) 16 [17] Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. 20 [21] You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plottings of men. What Jesus said in today's gospel is very true. If we always draw near Him, seek Him and come to Him then He in turn draws near to us, makes Himself available to us and stays with us. If this is so then there is nothing more we need for we will never thirst nor hunger for anything else. It is just like we are sitting at the right hand of God and someday we will. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. He is fortified with all the essential things we ever need in our lives for everything that we long for can only be fulfilled by Him. He who has God wants nothing. Every human heart longs and desires for something that can satisfy us. A sick person follows what the doctor says in order to prolong his or her life. Fr. Leo Clifford in his reflections in EWTN narrated the story of "My Fair Lady" or the famous play "Pygmalion". Pygmalion is the legendary Greek story of a sculptor who fell in love with his sculpture which was turned into a play and inspired George Bernard Shaw to write a similar story. It was about a young lady named Eliza who was taken out of the rut and placed in a pedestal. We should realize that like Eliza we have also been taken out of the rut and made partakers of the Divine Nature of God in Baptism. God created us and fell deeply in love with us. If there's one truth that should never leave our minds then this is it. We are placed in a pedestal and sharing God's own life. Amen. Hallelujah! John 6:30-35 ...So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

EYES OF GOD VS. MAN

Have you ever seen anybody so peaceful and undisturbed even in the face of adversity? We still need to learn a lot from Stephen from today's 1st reading. He has shown us a perfect example of total trust in God. He did not just speak the works of God, he also worked with great wonders and signs. His entire being shows forth the glory of God that no one can deny. We should all strive to be like Stephen who reflects the glory of God in his face. This makes me think that we should not only be conscious of our physical appearance which most of us are too concerned about. Although it is also right that we care for our temporal needs while we are still residents of this temporary world, all the more should we be conscious of looking after our spiritual needs to nourish and sustain our souls which is lasting and will enter into eternity. We wouldn't want to look deformed or ugly permanently when we come face to face with God our Creator. Physical beauty is fleeting and can only last for a lifetime or while still young whereas the beauty of our souls can withstand endless lifetimes and last for eternity. It should be our goal that someday people who look at us will be drawn to us because we have become living models of Christ before our fellowmen, beautiful inside and out. Let us pray that just like Stephen we will be filled with God's grace and power, show forth great wonders and signs and resemble the face of an angel. If we go through a lot of trouble just to look beautiful and handsome in the eyes of men how much more in the eyes of God. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 6:8-15 8 Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people...All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel. It is not very easy to lead a life like that of the saints who followed the example of Jesus. Ignorance is not an excuse. We should always seek to enrich our knowledge about God so that we will continuously grow in our faith. We can start by following the law of the Lord as stated in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah! Psalm 119:23-24. 26-27. 29-30 r: Blessed are they who follow the law of the lord! ...Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law. 30 The way of truth I have chosen; I have set your ordinances before me... There is a conflict of interest here. The people in today's gospel are not getting the whole idea of Jesus' miracle. It is such a pity that we sometimes fall into this same trap of missing the point. We sometimes overlook and set aside what's really essential. We can't help it at times since we are still bound to this world. The things that happen to us and all other events in our own lives should makes us more open to the word of God and enable us to read the signs of the times that point to the world which endures for eternal life. Sometimes we find ourselves very tired because we keep on working to the point of exhaustion just to find out that we only toil in vain. We should invest all our efforts in working for something that will not perish. And in so doing we should align our wills to God and set our motives right. We are all guilty at times of seeking God because we long to fulfill our own selfish desires without realizing that all we need is Jesus and everything else will follow. It is more important to focus on what is eternal rather on things that perish. Amen. Hallelujah John 6:22-29 ...“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” ...

WITNESSES

Our God is a God of surprises. There are times when we have to learn things on our own and really be independent. Whenever we encounter such circumstances we may not realize it but we just discover that somehow we’ve gone a long way in terms of our relationship with the Lord. Although those were the most trying times of our life we can definitely agree that our biggest problem just give it some time will become our greatest blessing. We have to grow deep in our relationship with God for He wants us all to be closer to Him. So when things become unpleasant and we start to feel helpless and feel like we have no one, then we can look at things like it is all part of God's plan. Just think of the story in the Footprints when God opted to carry you rather than just walk beside you. But recently with a new version of the footprints, we've come to a better understanding of who God is. God's message is that we should become like the Lord in every aspect and know Him more and more each day and as we grow in our knowledge about God we notice that we improve daily in our relationship with the Lord. We learn not just to submit to His will and blend in to His designs for us but most of all to enjoy being one with God for He is an exciting God who can make us smile, laugh and even dance with Him. You see we have a God who will stop at nothing in revealing His endless love for us in so many ways. We can not confine the attributes of God to anything for unlike any relationship, nothing compares to it, be it the best romance, friendship, parent child relationship you ever knew. Our relationship with God is capable of reaching insurmountable heights for He will always be the Perfect Partner for each one of us. As days, months and years go by we have to realize how important each and every day is as an opportunity to discover more things about our Infinite God. As we look at a freshly bloomed flower we realize that it is here today and then gone tomorrow. It gives us hope in the truth that God has created man worth more than anything that He created. We can all say that our beauty surpasses all creatures on earth. If we want to reach the highest pinnacle of God's love then seize each day for His greater glory. There is really no doubt that God speaks and makes Himself known to us in various and consistent ways there is no reason for us not to find Him if we sincerely seek Him and come to love Him deeply. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 3:13-15. 17-19 …The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. 17 Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; 18 but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,… Ignorance of Jesus Christ is ignorance of the faith. With this faith we have to be confident of the ground we are stepping on which is laid on a firm foundation. Knowing these things enable us to move up of the ladder as we discover the many things that relate and connect to the very roots of our faith. P S A L M Psalm 4:2. 4. 7-8. 9 (7a) R: Lord, let your face shine on us. 1 [2] When I call, answer me, O my just God, you who relieve me when I am in distress; have pity on me, and hear my prayer! (R) 3 [4] Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one; the LORD will hear me when I call upon him... We should not withhold or spare anything for the Lord to the point of breaking open in our own selves what we hold precious in our lives. Nothing could be more precious and worth treasuring more than Jesus Himself. Amen. Hallelujah! 1 John 2:1-5a 1 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. 3 The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. Jesus is always there for us, to clear things up, instruct and validate. Just look all around us from the most insignificant thing like a flower to the most important aspect that affects our life we will find that everything has a meaning and a purpose. Just like anything even the tiniest part of creation that goes through a period of transformation. Whatever confusions and anxieties in life we have we can always be assured that Jesus can offer us the information, direction and proof we ever need. Wherever we are in our life right now just think that we're close and we'll get there. We will emerge as the person that God has meant us to be if we let just let go and let God. There is really no reason for us to despair for God throughout generations has always been giving us messages to assure and guide us to the right path so we'll never be astray and not forget His promises that He is sure to fulfill. The gospel today is taken from Luke. It is mainly focused on the heart of man. The purity of desire, cleanliness of intentions and nobility of character all dwell in the heart of man. That is why God does not look on appearance but into one's heart. There are 5 themes presented to us about the gospel of Luke. They are the ff.: 1. Life of detachment...is the pathway to a simple life. There is a Jewish expression found in Luke 9: 57-62 "Let the dead bury the dead!" which can be interpreted in English as the dead being the "slow pokes and half hearted people" in Filipino are the so called " mga papatay-patay" This can also be related to God's call to us in in the Book of Revelation 3:14-19 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea, 10 write this: " ...I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth..." This is a picture of hypocrisy and duplicity which the Lord rejects. Also in Luke 12:32-34- store treasures in heaven, let go of posessions in Luke 14:25-35 and Luke 16:13 which is about God and mammon. Money is not evil in itself but the love of money. Resources not shared is greed and talents not shared is lust. 2. Universal salvation/salvation. The ff. bible verses were enumerated for further reference and understanding. Lk. 2:29-35 where Simeon said"Now, Master you may let your servant go." Lk 4:18-19 which tells us to proclaim liberty to all and Lk 24:46-47, preach to all nations/salvation to all nations. 3. Importance of Women: radical concept at that time. Because women during that time are second class citizens and hold no importance in society. The ff. passages in Luke promotes the important role of women as in the hand that rocks the cradle. Lk 1 46-56- Canticle of Mary. In speaking role. (like in John 2:1-11)Lk. 8:1-3- women supported Jesus' mission. Lk 21:1-4 Widow's mite. 4. Centrality of the Holy Spirit 5. Importance of Prayer 6. Importance of Repentance We see in today's gospel the divine power of Jesus Christ. He is now seated in the throne at right hand of the Father. He has passed from death to another life beyond time and space after His resurrection. The risen body of Christ was not recognized immediately by Mary Magdalene and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. His appearance was different in the resurrection from His earthly presence. His humanity has entered into the glory of God. He was filled by the power of the Holy Spirit and sharing in the divine light of God's glory. He is fully present in the spiritual realm of the God the Father. Something of course that He has from the very beginning since He shares in God's full divinity. He just wanted to share this glory to us. He has entered into the glory of God to inspire us, the faithful to offer our homage and adoration. The glory of God that appears and disappears can only be discovered in the realm of faith. He is inspiring faith in each one of us. His resurrection has reached its full significance in this salvific event. His triumph and victory over sin and death. We remember that He was condemned to death for claiming that He was the Son of God. With His resurrection, He is confirmed and raised by the Father. Not raised like Lazarus who died again but He is raised never to die again. He said that when He is lifted up we would know that He is the Son of God and confirms His claim about His divinity. He has defeated sin and death. We are truly free. His resurrection is the principle and source of our resurrection. He is the source of new life for everyone and manifests our adoption as children of God. He is life itself. It is a hope that inspires faith and charity in us towards Him. He is the source of life and our future resurrection. He dwells in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery we come in contact with in the resurrection. We see an even greater or another difference in the veiled glory of the risen one in the truth that Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Who is His Father and our Father. Remember He said to Mary "Do not touch me as I have yet not ascended to the Father." As He ascended in the clouds and into heaven we look upon the full glory of God. The clouds symbolizes the fullness of glory as we recall in the Old Testament the clouds that descends in Mt. Sinai and the Transfiguration (Lk. 9:35) in the New Testament. These speak of the fullness of glory. The resurrection and ascension, all confirm that Jesus Christ is alive. Pope Benedict says that the ascension does not imply a temporary absence in the world but rather inaugurated the new, definitive and insuppressible form of His presence by virtue of His participation in the royal power of God. We find in today's gospel that the disciples are called to be witnesses. They have been inspired and empowered as they became His witnesses and told the world of what He has done. In this communion with Jesus and in His power over death, to resurrect and ascend into heaven, we too have the power to proclaim what He has done for us. We all have the mission to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in whatever way we can by our actions, love and words. Jesus gives to us His Holy Spirit and He hands over to us everything that He is. Amen. Hallelujah! Luke 24:35-48 ...“Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,... “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures...You are witnesses of these things.”

TOP PRIORITY

There are many distractions all around us. Whether we admit or not, we too succumb to it and sometimes fail to act in accordance to what is right. We need to know what our priorities are in life. It is of prime importance that we know what needs to be on top of our list because everything else will come second and just trail behind. What we focus on grows. It surely helps to always think about what is written in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Thus today's 1st reading also leaves us with a very important word of advice that we really ought to take seriously and act on. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 6:1-7 ...the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. 3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, 4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” If we always focus on the Lord and put His words in our presence at all times then we can be assured that we have a lamp unto our feet that is lighting our path. Amen. Hallelujah! Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. ...Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine... Sometimes we fail to grasp the full extent of God's power thus we don't recognize God working in our lives through the scary things happening in our lives. We tend to be disheartened right away and focus on our fears instead of focusing on Jesus who can conquer all. There are 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit as stated in Isaiah 11:1-2, The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, ..." And another from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1831) which says, "The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord." God has given us a spirit of courage and strength (fortitude) that there is no reason for us to cower in fear for it is written in the bible, "Do not be afraid." as stated in the gospel reading for today. Amen. Hallelujah! Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,16-21. ...they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."...

CRACK IT OPEN

We have a very powerful statement in today's 1st reading which should make us think hard about the issues we face in our lives. Considering that even the stubborn Sanhedrin was persuaded and laid the issue to rest. Sometimes we are like the Pharisees or the stubborn Israelites who struggle so much about a lot of things without realizing that we really don't have to. For if God is for us nobody or nothing could be against us. Everybody has their own problems and concerns in life and each one of us after doing what is needed and required to the best of our abilities, to the full extent of our capacities and knowledge and as far as the time, condition and situation permits should lay everything to rest at the foot of Jesus. There are times when we are at a loss and unsure of the things we have to do. In moments like these we really have to pray hard first and foremost and do our best to discern the right course of action. Especially in extreme cases when we are confronted with so many problems, difficulties and oppositions just like the apostles in today's 1st reading. When we have done everything and entrusted to God all our cares and worries it is time to just be confident in the truth that God will fight for our cause. They strived hard to spread the good news about Jesus but the Pharisees just didn't want to stop fighting them. We too may encounter our own Pharisees in our lives it may be a person, place or thing that just make things difficult for us. If we find ourselves in a similar position and situation then we can hold on to this bible passage below for as long as we make sure we are engaged in endeavors coming from God. But most often, the problem lies within us when we like the learned and respected Pharisees fail to identify or simply refuse to accept which of these things are of human origin or coming from God. This made me remember Frances Hogan when she discussed the Gospel of John in one of EWTN's shows entitled, "For God so Loved the World". The more we wanted to follow the will of God in our life the more difficult things may become for us. God is Infinite and we can not contain everything in our minds. It is just like looking into a prism where light passes through creates different colors. We can not just pick one color but have to consider each one of them. Jesus is Divine and comes from heaven and came down to earth. When Jesus speaks, He is speaking from His own Divine level. 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. The Gospel of John is well known for its 7 signs and several other things like the numbers 3 and 10 which all hold different meanings. Let's take for example a bus with the number 3 is going somewhere different from bus #7. They are going to different directions. In the bible we can find the same thing when we read about all sorts of signs and symbols like numbers that could say a lot of different things. In the gospel of John we can find the #3 in different scenarios. Much of them tells us about Jesus who delayed for 2 days before arriving on the 3rd day. The resurrection of Jesus which happened on the 3rd day. And in 2 Peter 3:8 "But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay,"..." The #3 as the #7 symbolizes perfection since it means completeness as in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. 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. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 5:34-42 ...For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. 39 But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him... Brothers and sisters, if we are confident that we are where w are supposed to be and the Lord allowed things to happen in our life the way they are happening right now then we should be still and know that God is in control. We need to understand the mysteries of our faith in order to appreciate it better. We have to go near as much as possible to the Word of God and experience it come to life and see His glory shining on us. As we go near Him we see his face and feel His love as we dwell in the house of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah! Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 R: One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord. 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?...Wait for the LORD with courage; be stout-hearted, and wait for the LORD. Today's gospel is taken from John and according to Frances Hogan, 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. As I have mentioned earlier, the book of John is known as 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. (Jn 8:58- Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."; When Moses saw God for the first time and asked God His name, He said, "I AM".; Jn 10:30- The Father and I are one." The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him.; Jn 6:51- I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." ; 6:55-56- For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. ; The bread here is not just like bread on the table and just drink in a cup. Jn 5:17-18- But Jesus answered them, "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work." 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. The gospel of John holds numerous meanings that we can choose to be like Sherlock Holmes looking for clues to crack open the mystery behind it. God has always wanted us to become the best persons we ought to be. Our lives should be a testimony of God's glory. He wants us to be always focused on this goal and if things are not turning toward this direction then it is time to realign ourselves to God's agenda and not be carried away by the enticements and false assurances of this world. The gospel specifically said that Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee and went up on the mountain. It hit me in the sense that it is somehow telling us to go across the Sea of Galilee and elevate ourselves to a higher level. This invitation is t for all of us. Sometimes we get too comfortable doing the old thing and whatever we have gotten used to. It is time for us to go past it and take the challenge of climbing a higher level for the greater glory of God. Amen. Hallelujah! John 6:1-15 1 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

THE BEST CHOICE

Have you ever experienced being threatened? Just like Peter we should not give in but persevere to follow God rather than succumb to our fear. For as long as we've got God on our side and leaning on the promises of God our Savior then we're standing on solid immovable ground. Nothing should ever stop us from spreading the Word of God and dispelling all the heretical information being perpetrated in the whole world no matter what the cost. We should come after the example of the apostles who bravely displayed their faith and belief in Jesus. Day in and day out we are confronted with choices, big or small, all they ever amount to and what this is all about is just one important thing. Nothing should ever stop us from following their example of faith. It should inspire us to know that it was God who chose us first even before we ever came to be. His choice comes first even before we make a choice. He chose to love us first. If we believe that God loves us then we are confident in the fact that we must obey God above all. We must follow the example of obedience that Jesus showed us. It was one born out of inspiration rather than obligation. St. Thomas Aquinas said God the Father did it by inspiring the Son with so much love that Jesus did it. The obedience of Jesus to the point of death on the cross should not be seen as a rejection but the giving up of His Son for this great love of God for us who chose us first. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts of the Apostles 5,27-33.

..."We gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us."
But Peter and the apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men...

We’ve got to have the right heart, mind and attitude as conveyed in the psalm reading today. Be poor in spirit and receptive to the Word of God. It doesn't make sense that despite these truths that are ever before us we still reject Jesus. Let's admit it, we do it one way or another, knowingly or unknowingly. The Light of the World already came and judgment day is coming soon. In fact, judgment is happening even now. In Deuteronomy 30:15 "Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom..." God asked us to choose. It's got to be one way or another. There should be no mingling or ambiguity. It is all up to us. We can be assured that if we take God’s side then we’ll definitely taste and see His goodness. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 34:2, 9, 17-18, 19-20
R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.(R) 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 broken-hearted; 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.

Let us always be cautious of the things we say and do so that we reflect the values and principles that Jesus himself showed to us when He obeyed to the end. We've got to make a choice and the best one there is. Sometimes we do things that don't make sense. We prefer to stay in the dark and make a lousy choice. We think that it is better to stay in the dark rather than embrace the truth. That happens when we refuse to bring out in the light the things that we do in the dark. We prefer to remain in the darkness. There are a lot of things we can find out about what God says in the bible. In Genesis we can immediately find the 4 actions of God. In the 1st book of the bible in the first 4 verses we can find that God 1. creates 2. moves 3.speaks 4. separates The 4th and final action is needed because God loves us so much He just can't leave us the way we are. We've got to make a stand on which side we are. But according to Pope John Paul II in his book entitled, "Evangelium Vitae" the biggest problem of people nowadays is that we are no longer capable of distinguishing good from evil. We've got to have the courage to look straight in the eyes, stand up in the light and be faithful to God. Judgment is unfolding every single day. We have to make sure we are on the right side when it finally comes. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 3:31-36
31 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.

ANGEL OF GOD

We may not be physically behind bars but all of us are sometimes trapped in our own prison cells. It may be caused by our own doing, others who oppress us or the circumstances that surround us. But whatever kind of prison we may all have, it is always a consolation to know that God sends His angels to set us free. The more we learn about our faith the more we are all freed. St. Jerome said, "Ignorance of the bible is ignorance of Christ." Our lack of the proper knowledge could be considered a prison that hinders us from loving God better. The good news is that we can always choose to be set free for Jesus already bailed us out a long time ago. Another thing I am reminded of today's 1st reading is the angel imprinted on my rose petal. Although I wasn't in prison like the apostles, things weren't going too well for me during that time when I got the rose petal. Somehow it made me realize how much God loves me by sending an angel not just to set me free but to make me feel that I am being watched and cared for. I learned that if only our souls have eyes we can see myriads of angels ministering to us during the Holy Mass according to St. John Chrysostom. It was St Denis or formerly known as Dionysius in Acts 17:34 who established the hierarchy of angels. It was believed that these angels who were created by God, with God and never left His side from the very beginning enjoy the vision of God at all times as in Matthew 18:10,""See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father." Of course they were unlike the fallen angels who saw their relationship with God as that of Master-Slave. The angels of light saw and reflected the love of God in a Father-Son relationship. They are the elect who decided to be with God for all eternity. We need to pray to our guardian angels who are bearers of this great love of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 5:17-26
17 The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, 18 laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, 20 “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.”...

It's been a while since I got the rose petal from a healing service. It has served as a testimony of God’s abiding love. I have no doubt in my mind that God will always deliver me from all my fears. I always keep my rose petal with me and show it to almost everyone I meet, as a way of propagating God's goodness to me. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 34:2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9
R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
...In my misfortune I called, the LORD heard and saved me from all distress.
...The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them...

God in today's gospel proclaims the summary of His great love that is being conveyed in the bible. If God suffered His only Son for our sake. I do believe that everything is possible with Him and there is really no doubt that He can move the heavens and the earth that even the simplest task of sending His angels to guard and protect is something that God is really able to do. When will we allow this truth to get through our thick heads and really sink deep into our system. So that we will no longer doubt His great love for us. Who among you parents would be willing to sacrifice their own child for the sin of another? God did that and shed very precious blood for our salvation. When people experience genuine and sincere love despite all of their imperfections then we can somehow get the picture of what today's gospel is trying to convey. Although not the fullness of its meaning and depth, this reminds me of a movie entitled, "The Cutting Edge". It is about a young lady who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She practically had everything a young lady like her would wish for. Despite of it she remained to be rude, selfish and stubborn until that eventful night when this man professed his love to her even after all the things he found out about her. It only took a minute or less for her to realize it and changed everything which also led to their winning the gold medal in the Olympics. Those who have seen the movie might know what I’m talking about. This is a very shallow comparison I should say to the tremendous love of God for us to suffer His Only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sake. Since we are still bound to the physical dimension of this world there is only partial understanding of the spiritual and all other aspects that define love. We could only hope to grasp its meaning within the context of our limited capacities. We look forward that someday when we finally come to the final and appointed day in our life when our soul separates from our physical body and thus attain the fullness of this understanding we find ourselves in the safety of His love and not very far from it to enjoy this gift of eternal life. Hoping too, on that day that the word "might" in today's gospel passage which I quoted below will be omitted and finally make eternal life a reality for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 3:16-21
...16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life...

THE SEEKER

I was so impressed with the way Dr. Scott Hahn from EWTN show, was talking about angels. He discussed about this topic with such great enthusiasm and confidence that I should say everybody who heard him was convinced. His face lighted up and was animated as he described the angels based on what he extensively read, researched, studied and experienced. He was trying to relate this belief in angels which dates back to the time of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, Joshua in Jericho, Manoah, Samson, Gideon, Isaiah and Ezekiel. He said that angels are best friends who are intelligent and strong and whose purpose is to minister and bring God's gifts to His people. We can see all throughout the bible the revelation of angels and how they have rendered an incredible service to mankind extended to the New Testament to Mary and Joseph. What we are doing right now in the Catholic Church with regards to our practices has long been established in a holy pattern in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus Christ. The angels are all subject to the Lord’s bidding. We are sure to receive tremendous blessings if we are to ask from our Lord who resurrected from the dead. If God has power over death then what else can't He overcome. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:32-37
...With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all...

We have an Infinite and Almighty God and no words are enough to describe Him. Thus we can only translate those that go beyond words into the spiritual. The spiritual is real although not material or physical. We have our free will which is immaterial and thus fall into the spiritual. It makes perfect sense that we unite our will to God. He alone is King. He is a powerful God but chose to step down from His throne and became a helpless baby for our sake. Though, an infant He holds the world in the palm of His hands. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R: The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
...Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD. (R) 5 Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.

It's funny how some of the movies I have watched somehow convey the same thought and message that the gospel for today speaks of. Yesterday I shared about this boy in the movie entitled, "The Seeker" who almost got killed and defeated in the battle to save the world when he almost failed to see what's right there with him all along. He was in search of 6 signs and the 5 he already found. He didn't realize that he no longer had to seek or look for the 6th sign and final sign which is himself. This old movie entitled, "The Vanishing" is about a man patiently and faithfully searching for his lost girlfriend. He went to the ultimate test when he willingly subjected himself to a very dangerous and unknown situation that almost cost him his life just as so he could find out the truth about what really happened to his girlfriend. Not many of us would be willing to put our lives at stake if not for the one thing that we consider all worth it. Today's gospel, Nicodemus was also in search of something. We all too come to a point in our lives when we look for something we thought we do not know or we really do not know. We are all seekers one way or another. Sometimes when the discussion is about our faith and religion things go out of hand and there may be some misunderstandings that may rise up along the way. It is so difficult at times to really impart what we know about our faith if we ourselves are not too knowledgeable about these things. If Jesus Himself experienced this difficulty with a teacher of Israel, how much more with us? It is good to know that Jesus who is the Son of God and the Authority on all things is reminding us in today's gospel that we as His followers are also subject to this. It is somehow a wake up call for all of us to really strive hard in knowing about our faith not for purposes of debate but because it is our duty to spread the good news about Jesus. We have to discover more of the heavenly things, really believe and be very convinced of it. What matters most as we read the gospel is the truth that if like Nicodemus, we go to Jesus who is someone we all know to be worth all of it then we can surely find what we are all looking for. The story from the Old Testament of Moses lifting up the serpent for those bitten by a snake to look at it and spare them from dying is a reminder of God's endless offering of mercy to heal us from our sins. Jesus was also lifted up but on a cross to die like a criminal as payment for our sins. For only the righteous blood of Jesus can satisfy the justice of God. The price of eternal life bears the blood of His only begotten Son. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 3:7b-15
...Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? 11 Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. 12 If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ... And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

THE PRAYER

The power of prayer can not be denied and even if we don't see the same manifestations as in the 1st reading today we should still continue to pray. Even if it seems like nothing is happening with our prayers then we shouldn't lose hope and keep on praying. We should always gather all our strength to rise up to pray. We should be encouraged by this bible passage and decide that if there's one thing we should always do and never abandon that is prayer. Peter and John in their prayer did not just utter words but they quoted the Scriptures as foretold by the prophet David. There is indeed power in the words of God which we sometimes fail to fully recognize and give credit to. If we only know of the fullness of this truth then we can always be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit just like the apostles in Jesus' time whenever we pray. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:23-31
... “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, 25 you said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples entertain folly? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed.’ 27 Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do what your hand and your will had long ago planned to take place. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness...

We have a God and Father who loves us so much. We need not always seek for answers and expect things to go our way. All we have to do is to keep on trusting God's goodness and mercy because there are really no answers to most of life's questions. These words in today's Psalm reading are the ones quoted by Peter and John in the 1st reading. I have always believed in the power of the word of God. There is a need for us to study and know the scriptures for our own welfare. God in His ultimate wisdom and love gave us access to the Holy Scriptures in the bible. We are so blessed that we are living in a time and place where we have the freedom to take part in studying the Word of God and freely express it. Nothing could be more valuable than this. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
R: Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? 2 The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the LORD and against his anointed: 3 “Let us break their fetters and cast their bonds from us!” ...

How can you explain the tragic events that are taking place all around us? There isn't any good explanation for all of these especially with the kind of news we see daily on television like the death of a very young man. I don't know much about the life of this person and even if I do, I don't think I could still offer a sensible one. What's most important is the truth that we have a God who oversees all these things and is surely capable of making all things work for good. Life is indeed a mystery. We can attain peace and contentment in the midst of all the turmoil and chaos around us only with the knowledge that we have a God who is able to make all things work for good. Sometimes we go through life thinking that we need to look for something without realizing that it is right before us. Today's gospel reminded me of a movie I watched entitled, "The Seeker" which is a story of a young boy who is the 7th son of a 7th son. He was foretold to save the world from darkness if he can find the 6 signs that will make him powerful. He knew of the 5 signs he needed to gather but the 6th sign was not revealed. As the movie unfolds, the adventure builds up as he battled his way out in his quest for the 6 signs. As the movie comes to an end it also started to reach the climax when the boy was able to get all the 5 signs which made him strong but not strong enough to defeat his enemy. It was at that moment on the verge of death that he suddenly recalled the words to him by his guardian about the 6th sign. He saw his reflection and when he looked into his eyes that was when he realized what the 6th sign is. It was not revealed because it was not hidden since he is the 6th sign. It was at this moment when he realized this that he became aware of his full power and defeated his enemy. Only when the tough gets really going do we realize some things that are just within our reach. Or we start to notice the things that don't seem to matter to us. Today's gospel speaks of Nicodemus who despite of being a Pharisee, a position and title which expects him to stay away from Jesus did not do so. He recognized what was not hidden to all, but many refused to acknowledge and live by. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Only Him can give us all the satisfaction we need and are searching for. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 3:1-8
1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” ...
...The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;...