CONTINUING EDUCATION

What is wisdom to God is foolishness to the world. But would we rather choose the wisdom of this world and get stuck in the rut. This world offers quick fix solutions and instant gratifications that will immediately end and would not last long. Sometimes we give in to the allurements of this world and find ourselves entangled in the web of deceit and pretense. We should wisely take the advice in today's 1st reading and really advance in the way of understanding. Amen. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 9:1-6

...Wisdom has built her house...“Let whoever is simple turn in here; to him who lacks understanding, I say, 5 Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! 6 Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves rescued, saved and  truly blessed as stated in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 or Psalm 34:2-3. 10-11. 12-13. 14-15 (9a)

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

...I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

How do we attain the wisdom of God? Today's 2nd reading tells us to cultivate our knowledge of God for our own good since we are living in a world full of evil and lies. There are times when we ought to be very careful of our actions and take seriously what the idiomatic impression, "Look before you leap" practically suggests. We've got to grow in understanding of what God wills for us.  The same thing works when we need to take CE (Continuing Education) units in order to continue practicing our chosen profession we also have to continuously educate ourselves about God. Which reminds me of the Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical entitled Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), wherein he offers an ethical analysis of the global economic crisis and a moral framework on how to move forward as one human family. He challenges each of us to put charity and truth, justice and the common good at the heart of our economic choices and everyday lives. We should always consult the scriptures so that we can develop a habit of addressing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Ephesians 5:15-20

15 Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, 16 making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. 18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

If we've become too knowledgeable and badly influenced by this world then time will come when we'll find ourselves totally convinced of its ideals and truths. It would come to a point whether we like it or not when we'll find it hard to accept what God is telling us. We'll end up proclaiming one truth about God but end up doing something contrary to it. There is a battle being waged at all times for the pledge of our allegiance and we constantly and continuously become disloyal to God by not totally committing ourselves to Him. If we do not keep watch then we'll also find ourselves like the Jews in today's gospel. We have to be totally convinced of the entire truth of who God is, what God can do and how God can work in our life. 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. The gospel reveals more and more passages pointing to the Mystery of the Trinity and the Holy Eucharist especially 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. We need to have a profound love of the Eucharist and be united and transformed by Holy Communion. In the feeding of the 5,000, those who were hungry were satisfied.  The faith required of the believer is more than just being fed physically and satisfied but has to go beyond it. How long will we be hard of heart? 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 while we remember what He said in the scripture, "Behold, I am with you even to the end of the world." We should be always reminded of how blessed we are that we can eat the body of Christ and drink of His blood everyday if we will it during the daily masses being offered throughout the world. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to attend Holy Mass and receive the Holy Communion everyday. For those who are unable to do this, we ask God for the grace to be able to do so and for those who are already enjoying this special privilege may they cherish every moment and continue to persevere. Nothing can beat this bread, tastes so delicious and filling to the soul! Thanks to God for the Most Blessed Sacrament. Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,51-58.

...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." 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.”