One of the difficulties we encounter as a Christian is how
to tame our tongues. We are sometimes very quick to say things without much
thought that we end up hurting other people's feelings. Well, we may have all
been there and done that. We can think of all kinds of justification for our
action but it still doesn't change the fact that we've offended someone. The
words that we speak are one of the things that we can never take back once it
has been said. Relationships suffer a lot because of this and it will always be
for the best if we think hard and twice before we say anything at all. We
should always consider the rule of using words only when necessary. Amen.
Hallelujah!
Revelation 14:1-3, 4b-5
...On their lips no deceit has been found; they are
unblemished.
We can't claim to be this kind of person, a Christian but
conduct ourselves in a very unlikely way. Let us no longer be deceived by the
false and misleading truths and principles that this world presents to us every
single day. We have to be grounded at all times on this truth that today's
psalm is telling us. There was a time when Tita Neds complained that something
is wrong with the television. She said that somebody fixed it already but it
didn't stay fixed for long. It wasn't the manufacturer who repaired it that was
why. If it was brought to its manufacturer they would definitely know what to
do with it. We've got to be conscious of this reality and apply it to
ourselves. When something goes wrong we should know where to go, to whom we
really belong, the Lord. This is the covenant: we belong to the Lord and He
belongs to us for we are His people and He is our God. If we look at what's
happening in the world today most especially the economic crisis wherein even
the leading nations are being challenged by the present situation then we are
really bound to anticipate the worst. Not even those people who used to be very
confident of their present jobs in their respective stable companies can be too
sure of what's going to happen next. There have been so much speculations of
what will be the outcome of this worldwide problem of the economy and most of them
are not good. With all these rubble, there is just really one thing we need to
focus on and that is God. It is not easy to live life in this world but we can
rejoice and be glad, we have an army, a battalion, a full house of saints with
all the angels constantly and endlessly praying and singing in heaven, the so
called triumphant Church/army of God, who intercede in our behalf and is
joyously inviting us to be one of them. We are being reminded by the readings
today to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord no matter how tough
things are. God wants to be with us, there is no doubt about that. But just
like water and oil which can not be put together and mixed so is God and man if
we are in sin or harbor anything that can not be attributed to the holiness of
God. We can not force two different things to go together. Water is a polar
molecule and oil is non polar. They do not mix because they are two different
substances as in the adage, "Like dissolves like." God can not
change. He is already who He is, Holy in all His ways. We can change. We can be
like God in His holiness and goodness if we want to be with Him forever. Let us
not lose sight of what a mighty God we serve who made the heavens and the
earth. We pray to God to open our eyes that we may see the wonders of His love.
We should think profoundly of our daily walk with the Lord which consists of
not only a leisure stroll in the plains and valleys of life but a steep climb
up to the top of the mountain. We must avail of the sacrament of reconciliation.
It gives us renewed strength and hope. Our life consists of steep and dangerous
climbs but we must not forget that God is always at our side. If we are to
carefully assess our life we would find that it feels good whenever we are able
to overcome most of our pitfalls though there are some that still needs
improvement. We must praise and thank God that every time we experience a fall
back and backslide we can immediately go back to Him through the sacrament of
confession which restores us to our original path and right track. It is God's
desire that we will someday come face to face with Him. There is a need for us
to prepare for that day. We are sometimes guilty of not focusing on God's
countenance alone, there are times when we get distracted by other things and
today's psalm reading serves as the reminder. I heard a story about God's
radiating and blinding light that when we stand before Him nothing is hidden
from Him, He will never turn away from us but if we ourselves are tainted with
the guilt of our sins then we can not withstand His presence and will definitely
hide and run away from Him, far from His ever blinding Light that penetrates
us. Let us all hope that when that day comes we can stand in His Holy Presence
and claim with confidence our rightful place in His Kingdom. For our
information, all of us are eligible to be in heaven with God. There is no doubt
about this since we have been made and washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb
who takes away the sins of the world. A virgin is with child. The Old Testament
scriptures have foretold of this and point to the coming of Christ. The
prophets preannounced and prefigured His coming and pointed to the fulfillment
in Jesus in the New Testament. He has loved us first and continues to do so. He
encounters us ever anew in the sacraments especially in the Eucharist. The
Church helps us to respond to God’s initiative through word and teaching and
the gathering of believers who respond faithfully. We have to be firm,
resilient and faithful people of God. We’ve got to really focus on what is
truly important and essential. We live in a world where there are so many
distractions that we tend to lose sight of what should be our greatest and most
important concern. After all has been said and done we will find in the end
that what truly matters is not what will last only in this lifetime but for all
eternity, a reward from God our Savior. When somebody invites us for a party we
just don't go there without preparing ourselves for it. Much more gatecrash and
just go to a party without an invitation. We are blessed that God has invited
us. The best we could do being privileged, honored and counted to come to His
banquet in heaven is to make preparations and always be ready to take part in
it, really belong and not end up an outcast. We should not lose sight of this
standing invitation that God gives us in our daily life. There is indeed a need
to always be prepared so that when the final moment comes we can reside in the
heavenly abode of God. In every game there is a rule to follow and only those
who play it fair and square can finish to the end and win their prize. Today’s
psalm gives us a guideline to follow in order to make it through. We should
always long to see the face of God at all times in every person, event and
circumstance in our lives. Let us always hold on to this image so that someday
when we finally come face to face with God we will receive a blessing and
reward for He will surely bring about what He said He would do. In the course
of the time and in the history of mankind we hear of people like Abraham chosen
by God. The chosen people were given laws and ordinances to follow. The
remnants of the chosen people or those who were faithful to God in keeping
these commandments like Simeon and Anna, Joachim and Anne are those who belong
to the Hebrew generation, kept the Jewish tradition and prepared the way for
the coming of the Messiah. This initiation of God in loving us first should
bring us to act and make love blossom as a response on our part. We've got to
be aware that the no one but the Lord is the King of glory. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalm 24:1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6
R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
1 The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and
those who dwell in it. For he
founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (R) 3 Who can
ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who may stand in his holy place? 4 He whose
hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R) 5 He
shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such are
the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob."
Luke 21:1-4
1 When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their
offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small
coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the
rest; 4 for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but
she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
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