Have you heard this common and overused line in love story
and drama movies, “Follow the dictates of your heart.” If we will honestly dig
deep into our hearts we will find that true love, happiness and satisfaction
lies deep within us. All we have to do is search deep into it by removing all
blocks, obstacles and hindrances that prevent us from exposing to the surface
what God has planted. If it remains hidden then we tend to be led astray. We
forget and neglect what we are truly called for to do and fail to be the person
God has meant us to be. Contemplating on the passion and death of Jesus makes
us more in touch with the realities about God. It maybe a bit stressful and
confusing whenever we try to consolidate, analyze and impart our limited
thoughts and knowledge about our
Almighty and Immortal God. Despite our limited capacities to understand
everything about our Infinite and Boundless God we are assured by the truth in
the 1st reading for today. It gives us
hope that our limitations are being addressed constantly and without fail as
the days go by while we hold on to God's word and promise. This reminds me of
this old man who said that he was raised as a child not to believe in God but
when he saw me praying he suddenly crossed his fingers and prayed too. When I
looked at him, his eyes were closed and his hands are clasped together. I
couldn't believe what I saw and just wondered how it ever came to be. This is
no secret because today's 1st reading tells us why it is so. The passage
stating “I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts”
suddenly makes a lot of sense. Amen. Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 31:31-34
...But this is the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel
after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it
upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer
will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive
their evildoing and remember their sin no more...
We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. There is
something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. It's in knowing what
is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can
see through our hearts? Nobody but God alone. What is unknown and hidden from
us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only
pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there
also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold
me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.
10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast
spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your
Holy Spirit take not from me.
...I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall
return to you... My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite
and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)
Let us try to remove all obstacles in our path. This reminds
me of Sister Loreta's garden in Walnut. I am so impressed at how it looks like.
Despite the scorching heat of the sun during summer time her garden remains
beautiful. It is does not dry up. I found out from her that whenever the
gardener comes to mow her lawn she will immediately water it while the roots
are exposed. Just like in our life we really have to cut off or remove excess
baggage or useless garbage in us that prevents us from making the garden of our
life emerge in full bloom. Funny, how we sometimes find ourselves saying one
thing this minute and then another thing the next. Just like Peter in today's
gospel, we witnessed the sudden shift when in the first part of the gospel, Jesus was commending him for
having professed a truth that can not be revealed through flesh and blood but
through our Heavenly Father. But in the latter part, Jesus rebuked him for
behaving otherwise. This tells us that no matter how totally unreliable we are,
at times. God does not give up on us. He continues to shower us with grace and
mercy and it is all up to us if we will respond with faith and humility the way
Peter did who persevered despite of all the struggles until the last hour.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 16:13-23
...He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon
Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus
said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood
has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you,
you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the
netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the
kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly
ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. 21 From that time
on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders,
the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be
raised. 22 Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid,
Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” 23 He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God
does, but as human beings do.”
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