The promise of God will always press on to fulfillment. We are God's child.
This is a reality that we should be aware of at all times. This truth allows us
to build within our souls a refuge that no storm or tribulation could ever
disturb. It serves as a room into which we can be alone with God and find peace
as we maintain communication and a life of prayer. Sometimes we tend to forget
this life giving truth that we are God's child. He would never will anything
bad to happen to us. We go to mass daily and go through the routine and rituals
of our Christian life. But as soon as it is over, we go out to the world and
confront the daily anxieties and chaos around us we immediately find ourselves
throwing God out of the window. There should be this constant place within us
that we could find serenity deep in our hearts and experience the peace that
comes from the Lord even when we go through pain and suffering. In times of
grief it is indeed consoling that we make ourselves aware of the truth of our
faith. We are all heirs to the kingdom of God. What a great privilege that we
can all have access to that great gift and inheritance that Jesus has fought
and won for us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Acts 13:26-33
...We ourselves are proclaiming this
good news to you that what God promised our ancestors 33 he has brought to
fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in
the second psalm, ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you.’”
We have a God and Father who loves
us so much. We need not always seek for answers and expect things to go our
way. All we have to do is to keep on trusting God's goodness and mercy because
there are really no answers to most of life's questions. These words in today's
Psalm reading are the ones quoted by Luke in the 1st reading that we belong to
God, we are begotten by Him. I have always believed in the power of the word of
God. There is a need for us to study and know the scriptures for our own
welfare. God in His ultimate wisdom and love gave us access to the Holy
Scriptures in the bible. We are so blessed that we are living in a time and
place where we have the freedom to take part in studying the Word of God and
freely express it. Nothing could be more valuable than this. If we are totally
convinced that we are God’s children then we ought to rejoice and be glad. The
Lord has spoken and promised in today’s psalm and so shall it be. Remove all
traces of fear and doubt for our God is able. This reality should not leave our
consciousness every waking moment of our lives. There was one time during our
bible study although it happened a long time ago I could never forget it when I
was particularly touched by the closing prayer by Sis Lucille because she
specifically cited that particular verse in Habakkuk 2:3-4 "Then the Lord
answered me and said,"Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets so
that one can read it readily, for the vision still has its time, presses on to
fulfillment, and will not disappoint, if it delays, wait for it, it will surely
come, it will not be late." It has given me renewed strength and courage
having to be reminded again of that promise and the assurance of God that He
will bring to fulfillment all His promises and felt that it was another boost
and assurance for me especially at that time when I sometimes succumb to
despair and hopelessness. Since it was the book of Habakkuk we were discussing
at that time, Sis Millie also shared of his brother who had a problem and was
just holding on to the word of God particularly the one from Habakkuk which
also holds a special meaning in his life and even shared about it. It was very
inspiring and had my spirits lifted up. God is good. He'll never leave nor
abandon us. We are all special to Him. God never really disappoints even though
we are already on the verge of failing and falling, He will always be there to
make a way. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R: You are my Son; this day I
have begotten you.
7 The Lord said to me,
“You are my son; this day I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession 9 You shall rule them with an iron rod; you
shall shatter them like an earthen dish.” (R) 10 And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice
before him; with trembling rejoice.
Today's gospel is very
appropriate especially when we grieve for the loss of a loved. It confirms and
is a consoling truth for us who believes in Jesus, the Son of God. For those
who do not, then life would all be meaningless in the end. If this present life
that we have in this world is the only thing we hold on to then we are the most
pathetic people ever known. There is a great schism going on daily within our
midst, of people who know, believe and live the truth and those who do not.
Those who are in between do not exist or are considered gone as the Lord said
in Revelation 3:16, "So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I
will spit you out of my mouth." It's one or the other. I just hope that
all of us have a clear, genuine and broad understanding of this mind blowing
but awesome reality and live it in our lives. We must thank God for all the
people He sends our way and uses to be instruments of His love, care and
concern. We look at every single day as very significant because of the
circumstances and events that make possible for us to still live the following
day. It is a testimony and constant reminder of this bible verse in today's
gospel and assurance that He is always mindful of us, His most precious
creation. We are the child of God and God the Son lives in us. Everyone can
sing “I am special”. As stated in Psalm 8:2-9 ...What is man that you should be
mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? You have made
him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have
given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet.
All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the
fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.” God created us
especially with something to do on this earth that no one else can do and we
must love ourselves for who we are. We have to realize the dignity of being a
child of God. So we must love our neighbor for God lives in each one of us.
C.S. Lewis said that there are 4 kinds of love, 1st the love of a mother for a child which
is beautiful, 2nd of a
man for a woman which is romantic, 3rd of a friend for a friend which is
inspiring, and 4th is
the agape love which tells us to do good to those who hate us because we are
the child of God and Christ is in him. In the parable of the Good Samaritan,
the person who was robbed and left for dead has no name and it doesn’t matter.
Love is no respecter of persons. We have to do our task to love beyond the call
of duty. God never have to create us but He created us. He did it and destined
us for glory.
There are times when we speak
words that we don't really mean or speak words out of anger, desperation and
any other strong emotion which can cloud our judgment. Let us always be
reminded that our words are powerful and we should have a conscious effort to
mirror God in us by always speaking in behalf of our Father in heaven. We are
created by God for a special place in heaven even before we were born and gave
each one of us a name. In fact I have heard a couple of times already that when
we die, God utters our name and so we will fly to Him faster than sound. The
big question that God would ask is not, why aren’t we like Pope JPII, St.
Francis of Assisi or
St. Therese of the Little Flower. Rather He would ask each one of us, “Why
aren’t you like you? My unique creation and that radiant human being I put in
this earth in who I can shine?” How disappointed we can be if we find that we
have disappointed God and find ourselves not the person for which we are
created, for glory and honor. We must all pray St. Ignatius’ prayer: Dearest
Lord, teach me to be generous; teach me to serve You as You deserve; to give
and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not
to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward save that of knowing I am
doing Your Will. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 14:1-6
1 Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in
me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so
that where I am you also may be. 4 Where I am going you know the way.” 5 Thomas
said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the
way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.”
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