VICTORY SIGN

Today’s readings bring back memories of the victorious court hearing of Sis Joy Manipis way back in October 2009. It happened on the day the last appariton of Our Lady of Fatima is being celebrated which is October 13. At that time, we were a bit apprehensive about it because of the negative feedbacks we have been getting with regards to the status of the case since the police report and witness' statement do not favor her and could mean losing the case. There were several people in the community who cited similar cases and lost as if to warn not to put our hopes up too much and just be disappointed in the end. The truth shall prevail. These are the exact words we claimed and held on to in the midst of all doubts and discouragements we faced before victory was officially declared. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Romans 1:1-7

...Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, 6 among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;... 

Sis Joy Manipis has been a loyal and faithful member of the God's Children Prayer Group. For years she has been tirelessly and selflessly servicing the seniors by bringing them to and from the prayer meeting and back to their homes. In the process of doing this they met an accident almost two years ago when a motorcycle crashed into her car. When we learned about it we really felt bad. Although no one got hurt in her van and the man riding the motorcycle was not seriously hurt, inaccurate reports were made with regards to the accident which almost caused Sis Joy to lose the case. In fact it was because of her natural tendency or instinct to be of help that caused the inaccurate reports. Sis Joy was about to change to her right lane and had her signals on already but hadn't changed lane yet when the motorcycle crashed into her van but when she saw the man overthrown into the pavement she did not think anymore and immediately shifted to the right most portion of the road in order to help the man. The witness and the policeman who saw her in the right most lane did not know any better. We were firm in our faith although there were lots of discrepancies about the truth in what really happened and what the witness saw during the car accident. We can not blame some people who said some discouraging comments upon hearing about it because they said that the court judgment will be based on what was written in the police report based on what the witness said. Not much can be done to change it or win the case. But the truth has indeed prevailed for the judge had finally given his verdict and it is not guilty. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M 

Psalm 98:1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4

R: The Lord has made known his salvation.

1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. 

Stubborn, stiff necked, hard headed and what else can we say to ourselves when we still doubt and falter in our faith in God. For so many times already, God has moved and shown His mighty power working in our lives in many instances and yet we still fail to act and respond in accordance to what God has done for us. We still insist on doing things in our own way instead of acknowledging the truth that there is nothing really more we ought to see and witness.  For the love of God manifested in Jesus is the greatest love and sacrifice ever known. If we can think of something greater than this then maybe we can continue to be stubborn and be justified in our evil ways but we can search long, far and wide and find none. Sometimes we rely on our feelings, intuition, prevailing situation, by trend and popular choice. Sometimes too there is nothing wrong with it because these are all part of our human nature. Our God relates to us in a very personal way. He knows the exact message that we need at the right moment. God in His Infinite goodness and intelligence wanted to communicate His love and mercy to us but we are limited in our capacities to understand everything that there are times when these creative means as in signs help us when we make decisions. God never stopped showing us in a variety of means His great love and mercy for us throughout generations. It is very sad that in spite of it all we sometimes just don't get it. How many more signs are we waiting for to come to us before we do what we have to do? In the fullness of time God has already sent the most perfect sign of all. Let us no longer be like this evil generation who continue to be blind of it. Let us not look any further. Let us not be fooled or tempted by the false propaganda of the world and its lies. If we are to look very closely and think deeply we are not going to end up making the wrong decisions and choices. God never runs out of things, situations and circumstances that constantly remind us of what we are supposed to do. We should be grateful for all these experiences that keep on coming one day after another to us. We must admit that somehow it gives us a boost in the midst of all the turmoil in this world we live in. Sometimes we take these things for granted and become insensitive. We fail to see the real meaning of the things we encounter and continue in our careless and stubborn ways. When this happens we end up missing the real point, the so called "greater than Jonah here". If we continue this attitude day in and out then we might find ourselves being condemned. Today's gospel warns us of this fate if we keep on passing up on all the countless signs that God has given us from the very beginning most especially the biggest and greatest sign. We ought to keep our hearts, minds and souls open to these inspirations that God gave, is giving and continues to give and not miss the greatest sign ever known. There is indeed something greater than Jonah that we ought to have seen by now. There is no other sign that could best lead us to the right path than the sign of God's love. What our human minds can not fathom God communicated to us in the flesh in no less than His only Beloved Son who came down from heaven in order to suffer and die on the cross and save us from our sins. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 11:29-32

29 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. 32 At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”