The recurring words in today's readings speak of light. We
may have encountered people who have experienced the saints and heaven and they
always have one thing in common to say, they describe the presence of a
brilliant light and likewise when people speak of an encounter with evil it is
associated with darkness. When we encounter light we develop a sense of joy in
us. When we speak of the Lord and proclaimed the Lord it should not just be for
the sake of good feelings but most importantly to make us better men and women.
Pope Benedict XVI once said in one of the books he has written that what made
him believe in what he believes in is the presence of the luminous trail of
saints and lives of people who lived as Jesus lived. They served as a light
that pierced the darkness in this world. Today we also celebrate the feast of
St. Thomas Becket, pray for us. No matter how dark it may seem for as long as
we commit to doing what is right and love one another then there is always hope
in the Lord as stated in the first
reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 John 2:3-11
...But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly
perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: 6
whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived...the darkness
is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
...Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there
is nothing in him to cause a fall…
When we have an appointment or a schedule it requires us to
make necessary preparation for it before the date itself. There are times when
we have to go through stressful activities in order to meet some requirements
that go with it. This should make us think all the more of the greatest
appointment we have to face on that final day and act in accordance to the
demand of the inevitability and reality of this day. How much more are we
supposed to prepare for that unknown day if indeed we believe that we have to
be there and get there, where we are supposed to be in God's Kingdom. We should
always be prepared for the day when we will come face to face with God. Every
single day should be lived as if it's our last. How easy it is to put ourselves
in the center of the universe. We are not the center of the universe, God is.
We are just here on earth for a few fleeting years. 70 if we are strong in
which to serve God. St. Theresa of Avila
said to never waste a moment in time because she knows that every moment in
time can secure heaven. When all is over and the battle has been won as in
Revelation, God's name will be written in our foreheads and it will never be
night again nor will we still need lamp or sunlight again because the Lord is our
Light. There are so many things in life that worry us every day. We encounter
people and circumstances that disturb our peace. We can't help but be stirred
up and sometimes lose our focus. The truth is there is nothing that should
bother us at all. We've got to hold on to the truth always that God is on top
of everything. We have to be perfectly aware of the fact that the Lord has the
whole world in the palm of His hand and will surely rule it with justice and
constancy. It is always worth our all when we stand by the principles of God.
No matter what it is that we are going through right now we can always draw
strength and inspiration in this truth and not be moved. We look at our own
lives and see that it is dark in many ways in the form of bad stories that we
hear about. We are not perfect but we can do something to bring the glowing
radiance of Christ to the world. We must be able to calm ourselves and silence
our mind over a lot of worries and anxiety. In doing so we could immediately
feel the peace and assurance that God never ever leaves us every step of the
way. It helps to do the 3Rs: Reflecting, Remembering, Renewing. It is really
important that we constantly reflect on the word of God, wherein the scriptures
become fully alive in our life. We should always remember how God helped us in
a certain experience. In doing so, hope starts to rise again. It is equally
important that we live a balanced life by renewing so that we don't get worn
out by the daily turmoil of our life. Those who toil will reap and will be able
to reflect God's glory through the fruits of their harvest. We have 101 reasons
to always rejoice and be glad. Jesus came and entered humanity in the most
humble way. He loved us as we are and was willing to be born in a manger. He
doesn't wait for us to transform ourselves but take us for who we are. It is
very consoling to know that we have a God who was willing to be born into the
messiness of our lives. We may not have received all the things we have been
asking for specifically but we continue to believe that God in His goodness and
mercy did answer all our prayers in the way that He deemed is best. It doesn't
change the fact that He is God, always in control and every single thing works
according to His master plan and divine purpose. We can be assured that He will
carry out the plan He has for us, as in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know well the
plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for
woe, plans to give you a future full of hope. God is over, above, around, about
and all over the world. It is only right and fitting that we give glory to God
who is above all. Let us always be grounded on this truth and make it clear for
us so as not to fall into the trap and deception of the gods of the nations
which are things of nought. Let us truly be faithful to the one and true God
who made the heavens. We should listen, learn and be part of the task of
spreading God's word to every person if we are really one with Him. No one is
excluded from God's call of love. We often hear people saying that life is
unfair but it is always a consolation to know that we have a God who is
consistently good and just all the time. We can surely rely on Him all the
time. God is sending all of us a friendship despite our coldness towards Him.
He gives us all that we need. He is as good as He is great. He is very lavish
with His promises and faithful in keeping them.
Whatever situation we are in we should always take the opportunity of
showing forth God's glory at its best in our own lives. Nowadays, people tend
to make decisions based on money. We must not discount the fact that money is
important but it should not be the sole and major deciding factor when we come
up with a decision. If we know exactly why we are here and what we are here for
then there's no reason to doubt that God is always at our side to love, support
and make things work for good. But we need to believe that God's power knows no
limit. This world of ours is amazingly designed by God. DNA a double helical
structure, which is found in every
living creature, which includes us, humans, is also existent in the solar
system. Scientists found out that the pattern in which the planets rotate
around the sun is also in a double helical conformation. It is undeniable
evidence by the signature of God scattered all over the planet and extends to
the entire universe that not even the most intelligent and brilliant
astrologers could explain. We are indeed blessed and endowed with a wealth of
endless benefits and cures just lying around us and within our reach. He is
Great and Mighty and to Him alone do we put our trust. We must not be
discouraged and continue to hope in His power. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
R: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you
lands. 2 Sing to the Lord; bless his name. (R) Announce his salvation, day
after day. 3 Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous
deeds. (R) 5 The Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
Jesus is born in a family. We just celebrated the Feast of
the Holy Family. We are reminded of the truth of the greatness and dignity of
human family. We are invited to go back to Nazareth where Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived
as a Holy Family and contemplate its sacredness and holiness. As we travel
through life and encounter struggles in life that leave us wounded may we
always hold on to these values that the Holy Family teaches us. As Pope Benedict
XVI describes the Holy Family as fully engaged in the desire to do the will of
God and put the Kingdom
of God St. Joseph
and his courage to do what has to be done that he cooperated in God's plan of
salvation for us through the Lord Jesus Christ His Son. It tells us to always
commit to the family through its ups and downs. It demands sacrifice and
heartfelt compassion. In humble obedience to this we can always call upon the
grace of God in times of difficulty in order to endure and persevere. As Pope
John Paul II said, human suffering clears the way for the grace that transforms.
Jesus Himself lived as man and went through everything just like any human
being. We can unite our sufferings with
Christ and take on a deeper meaning to appreciate its value.
Today’s gospel is about the presentation of Jesus in the
temple in obedience to the Mosaic law of Joseph and Mary. There is a wide variety of aspects to
contemplate upon. In Israel at that time, women had to
wait 40 days before the presentation of the child she has given birth. They
understand that when a woman bears a child they are in the realm that belongs
specifically to God. The birth of a child is something that depends on God
giving life and there is a great sacredness in the process of giving birth to a
child and they are set apart. This ritual needs to be completed before entering
the life of community. We can not often understand the OT teachings. At this
time a woman is considered unclean although not necessarily sinful since it
could also mean something sacred. We could look at it in a way they see the
scriptures since they are considered very sacred. In the synagogue everyone is
forbidden to actually touch a scroll with their finger so they have a stick to
point at the scripture. It is very sacred and if you touch it you become
unclean. The idea is that it is so sacred and considered a power that belongs
to the realm of God. If you are rendered unclean then one has to go in a ritual
bath. This is why Jewish women have to go into a ritual bath after 40 days
because they entered into the realm of God when they give birth to a child. It
works in a way that it is also at the time when the body after birth is
completely healed. All these things work hand in hand with each other as the
mystery of God unfolds in our very own lives. The characters of Simeon and Anna
are inevitably drawn into this event of Jesus' life. They serve as models of
faith and hope for the people of God. There is no doubt that God is with us but
are we with or for God. In any good relationship we know that it should be a
2-way or mutual thing. One can not govern over or not respond to the other. If
we aim to develop an intimate relationship with God then we need to work on it.
We can also learn from Anna the prophetess. It was said that “she was
constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer.” Her
devotion to the Lord paid well. We sometimes go through life like a routine and
we do things automatically without much thought. There are times when we just
let things and circumstances pass us by without noticing any difference. Anna did
not fall for this kind of trap or complacency. She immediately knew and felt
the Lord's presence. There may be thousands of babies being presented in the
temple during that time but she spotted the Lord. This could not have been
possible if not for her prayerful and discerning attitude. Just like her, may
we be sensitive always to God's presence in our midst and be endowed with
discernment. This is what happens when we decide to always draw near to God. He
will surely not just draw nearer but nearest to us. God does not just match or
double our works and efforts but maximizes to the superlative. We’ll never find
ourselves in the losing end but always in a winning situation with the Lord.
When God stooped down to our level and disrobed his kingship for our sake He
knew from the start what He is headed, for He is All knowing. But some still
contradicts God despite everything He has done for us. And this is all because
of His great love for us. Jesus is an obedient and loving Son as He is a symbol
of perfection. That even His own mother was not spared of the hurt and pain is
way too much for Him. From every beginning to the end of it all, there should
only be one truth that guides us to the ultimate, unsurpassed and unending
power of God which has long been revealed throughout the ages. Jesus came to
save us. This is a very powerful statement that not every one of us can grasp
its true meaning. There's this story of a man who heard a banging on the
windows one winter night and saw the freezing sparrows who were trying to get
in. The man tried to save them by shooing them away towards the barn where they
could have shelter. Every time he tried to come near them he scares them and
they fly away. He realized that he can not save them because they can not
understand him. The only way to save them is to become small like them and lead
them to where they should go. Unless he becomes one of them there is no way he
can save them. This is what God did in order to save us. Jesus manifested God’s
love. He became a model for us to follow. This is all because He wanted to give
us a participation in His Divine Life. Mass is a perfect worship to God who is
perfect. During mass we offer Jesus, the perfect sacrifice to God who lived in
humble obscurity laid down His life in death, obeyed perfectly and won life for
us, the Church. Death is a part of life
and we ought to prepare for it. Not in the morbid kind of way but by giving and
surrendering all in union with Jesus. Simeon and Anna were both righteous,
devoted to God and prayerful. They were gifted by God with prophetic
revelations. We, too are gifted with the Holy Spirit but there is a need to
unleash the power in us. We can start by striving to follow the good example of
the holy men and women who came before us and faithfully and diligently wait on
the Lord. It is an opportunity just like Simeon and Anna in today’s gospel to
say our yes to the Father as Jesus did. We are reminded that even Jesus
followed what was written in the law. We are reminded to conduct our affairs of
this world in accordance to the law and live a life that is pleasing in the
eyes of the Lord. We ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother whose heart was
pierced by a sword, may we be always covered by her blue mantle of protection. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 2:22-40
...“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace,
according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you
prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”...“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be
contradicted 35 — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.”
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