DO WE KNOW WHO WE ARE?

There is a song entitled, "Friend of God" which has the same lyrics as the one in the readings and I really love to listen to it and sing it. God has bestowed so much love, honor and glory in our being that we need to be in touch with this reality every single moment of our lives. It is time we become aware of this overwhelming truth that we are worth more than we'll ever come to know. God stooped down to the level of human being and experienced sufferings and death despite His Divine and Majestic nature all for the sake of God's great love for us that knows no boundaries. But we should remember always as St. Augustine said, “God who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.” Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 2:5-12

...“What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his feet.” In “subjecting” all things to him, he left nothing not “subject to him.” Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,” but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers,” 

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. The tricky question which I guess no one can give a straight answer is, "Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?" Furthermore, if we are to look at creation and all the things that surround us, as in the heavens, the moon and the stars then we will just be filled with awe and wonder at the greatness of God's work. It is a masterpiece of the Greatest Artist. What's most overwhelming is the fact that we have been given the honor of being the highlight of His work and the top of the line. Just think of the story in the Footprints when God opted to carry us rather than just walk beside us. 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. 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 we 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. God has created man worth more than anything that He created. We can all say that our beauty surpasses all creatures on earth. As days, months and years go by we must realize how important each and every day for it is an opportunity to discover more things about our Infinite God. If we want to reach the highest pinnacle of God's love then seize each day for His greater glory. This passage from today’s psalm was also instrumental to my being able to discover my authority over all things including a lot of unfounded fears that used to torture me. My family was very over protective of us since we were orphaned when my father died when we were just very young, my grandparents and single aunt were the ones who helped my mother take good care of us. We were sheltered and protected in the most delicate way maybe because they felt sorry for us since we have to grow up without a father. All I know and remember is that I am scared of a lot of things that even the most simple thing like turning on the stove, plugging an electrical cord, seeing a frog, lizard and all those creepy little animals that seem to be very harmless make me nervous.  I don't know if my being the only girl in our family of three contributed to this. I could still remember when I got so scared of a cat who just gave birth. It was lying on a chair right next to the switch of the lights in our chapel in my former office in the Philippines (DOST) and when I approached it, it suddenly growled at me and got so scared. But a sister in the community, Sis Au bravely rebuked the cat and fearlessly approached it and just switched on the lights like the cat was not there. I was so impressed at her and she quoted to me this bible passage that we have rule over all of creation and everything is under our feet which has helped me from then on to overcome a lot of my fears. Those days are gone, we should know who we are and what God made us to be, on top of all His creation. We should be free of all fears.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 8:2-3ab, 4-5, 6-7

R: You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.

...When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place — 4 [5] what is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet.

We find that the word teaching is used twice in today’s gospel. From this we draw emphasis on the fact that Jesus is a teacher. We know that the Jews have rabbis and whenever one states a particular teaching it is common practice to give reference to one as source of authority. But Jesus teaches in a different way. He conveys a new teaching and teaches with authority. His words are straight forward and without reference to anyone else but Himself for He is authority. His message is to repent and believe which is a fulfillment of the Old Testament. There are 2 things that are classic to authority first it is confrontational and second it is a defense. An example of this is when Jesus drove out an evil spirit. He demonstrated His authority through the exorcism. He said something and proved it with His actions. When Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven is at hand it is to confront and destroy the kingdom of darkness and sin. The confrontation is a violent one just as Jesus commands the evil spirit to be quiet and come out of the possessed person.  But the evil spirit as a form of defense responded by saying, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? ? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!”   This is a strategy of the inferior to show control and put responsibility to the superior. The demon also recognized Jesus as the Holy One but it has no authority. It may know His name but it has no control for God is stronger than the one that is in the world. One of the reasons they possess people is to distort the image and likeness of God. The evil one’s last ditch effort can be seen in the fact that he is telling Jesus that he knows Him to try to wield control but he has no power.  We have to keep this in mind always. The evil one will always assert authority in our lives and confront us with what he knows about us. We need to read and know the gospels because they are authoritative words. In doing so we become filled with His authority and by His authority we help bring the world to God. This we have to remind ourselves and do many times and over and over again. Jesus is up and above everything and nothing is beyond His power. Thus our faith in Jesus should also go beyond our recognition and amazement of Him but rather go further than what the unclean spirit and the onlookers did. We should all lead a life which testifies to God's greatness. God is the Supreme authority over all things and we as His faithful followers have the same power in our hands all in accordance to His great love and care for all of us. There is really no doubt that God is the only Power that we need and will ever need. Let us not be left behind in claiming these truths in our life since even the unclean spirits themselves can not deny it, how much more, us Christians who proclaim loyalty and faithfulness to our God? Let us be challenged to make a difference. There are always two sides of a pole. It's either we go one way or the other. Today's readings have been very clear on who we really are. The most precious creature that God ever made. Do we know who we are? It is up to us to live up to who God made us to be or not. The choice is ours to make. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.