SPEECHLESS

Today's 1st reading tells us about the birth of Samson despite the barrenness of his mother. Every time I hear a story about barren women I can somehow relate to it because I, myself, was diagnosed before with a condition that could prevent me from bearing children.  This prompted me to take this opportunity to proclaim God's mighty power in our life. My husband was aware of it and told me that he is ready for the consequences of what it may bring about. Our relationship just started back then and one of the things that we regularly do was to visit and pray at the St. Francis Church in Mandaluyong before we go to work. God is good that in spite of my condition I was able to bear children, my 2 sons, Jude and Allan. Looking back now at all those memories, I just realized that this church is the same church where the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong is situated and run by the Franciscan Order (Capuchin) where my 2 sons went to school (Elementary and High School). I am just amazed at how God made things work out. Before when we used to go to that beautiful church of St. Francis of Asissi, our relationship started as something that seems to be going nowhere but now as I try to analyze the events that took place I can already appreciate how God can turn every thing in our life into a beautiful pattern. What used to be a puzzle before, I can now reconnect and put piece by piece together. Although life continues to be a mystery after solving one puzzle another comes along. Every time we enter into this chapter of our life and are faced with so many pieces that seem to not fit it is always good to know that nothing is impossible with God. He can make all things work for good. There is always hope. These past few days the gospel speaks of the birth of Jesus Christ. It urges us to prepare ourselves for that special day. But what do we have in mind for this coming Christmas, the festive mood is in the air, a lot of people have started thinking of the lavish food that will be served on the table for noche buena. Somehow the first reading reminds us not to indulge too much lest we fail to see the real meaning of Christmas. Amen. Hallelujah!

Judges 13:2-7. 24-25a

...An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son...  24 The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him; 25 the spirit of the LORD first stirred him.

Let us not forget that our bodies are God's temple and we should make an effort of maintaining our health at its prime, so that just like Samson we can have the strength to hurdle whatever is coming our way. There are many things that we don't understand especially the things that happen to us. We can always choose to trust that it comes from God. We are His beloved son or daughter with an awareness that God is fathering us and has brought us into a family. We should have a childlike fearlessness that we can appropriate and exercise as we trust God who never fails. In God we find the most secure and safest shelter. If we will always fill our hearts with gratitude and praise for God we will realize as we look back and recall that we really have a lot of things to be thankful to God. Let us proclaim God's goodness and mercy. Our God is incomparable for He loves us with a love greater than any other. In God we find the most secure and safest shelter. Let us constantly build our confidence in God who never fails. There is really nowhere else to go but to Him alone. By just looking back at our past and present we can only come up with just one thing which is God is constantly at work and in charge of our lives for as long as we live. The mention of being called even from a mother’s womb, is one of the symbols of God’s words. The Word that reaches to the ends of the earth, penetrates the hearts of people and able to separate soul and spirit.  It should be our duty to spread God’s Word. Evangelization is defined with a very broad meaning and although preaching is its core there's more to it than just that. It is crucial that we reflect the values of Jesus. There is the so called "Equipping the Saints". We need to go through a process to achieve this. We process information in the mind, it is mind centered since it is a quest for knowledge. Formation is soul centered, it is a quest for wisdom and go through it by making decisions in the heart. Transformation is the meeting of mind and soul since it is a quest for spirituality. Propagation is the fullness of mind, body and soul resulting to authentic and meaningful faith in action. It is sometimes called Evangelization. The Balloon Story tells us of a child who saw balloons of different colors rising up in the sky. The child exclaimed how beautiful it looked up there with all the different colors. An old man told the child that it's not the colors that makes the balloons rise up but what's inside of it. As we become formed and equipped for evangelization we become Good messengers of the Good News. Furthermore, we need to differentiate between good and great leaders.  A good leader when the company is doing good, is one who faces the mirror and look back at the reason why the company is doing well but looks out of the window and to others when the company is performing bad. On the other hand, a great leader is one who looks out of the window and point to others as the reason why the company is doing well but when things are bad, looks at himself and ask what he can do to help. Jesus is a great leader because when things got really bad for humankind, He did not point any finger but instead came as man and redeemed us all. Evangelization should work towards making humanity whole again and free men and women from things that hinder them from being whole again. We should treasure the salvation that Jesus has given us. Do away with sin that makes us broken. Avoid not just sin but the occasions of sin.  When we speak of the 5th commandment which is, "Thou shall not kill" there is an unwritten command too, that we need to be peacemakers. There is no peace without justice. We need to fight injustice and unjust structures.

The Principles of Catholic Evangelization
1. Live the gospel-use words only when necessary. Walk the talk
2. Challenge others by one's example and lifestyle
3. Uphold true values. People first than profit. Embrace peace and justice. A Capitalist value works differently, it upholds profit at all cost.
4. Open our hearts to the saving power of God. From a distance foolishness and wisdom look alike but if we come closer we'll find that foolishness is an open mouth and wisdom is an open mind. In evangelization we need to approach it in a manner of discovery with an element of surprise rather than deciding which means we already have an idea of it. In discovery, God brought us to where we are although not fully revealing but trusting. We discover God and the wonders of His wisdom.
5. Build community                          
6. Identify and really call injustice as injustice. Accept and handle the truth. Sometimes the closer we are to power the farther we become to truth.
7. Work for a better society. Life is a gift from God but what we make of it is our gift to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 71:3-4a. 5-6ab. 16-17

R: My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 16 I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD; O God, I will tell of your singular justice. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Today's gospel is another demonstration of God's power to bring about something out of nothing. In this case, St. John the Baptist who was born of St. Elizabeth is not just something but someone who portrayed a great role in the mission of Jesus here on earth. God's ways are sometimes the most unlikely and unbelievably impossible. Let's not limit God's power in our life and be open to His miracles. Be not like Zechariah who doubted and was made speechless. Let us all be confident that God would fulfill what He said would happen at their proper time. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 1:5-25

 ...they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years...But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord...Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” ...