If we truly believe in one thing then it has to mean something and has to stand up for that one thing. In today's 1st reading, Paul emphasizes the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead. If this is so then we should believe that the same thing happened for those who truly believe in Him and also for all of us who are yet to cross over to the next life after this. Paul said that the most pitiable people of all are those who have hoped in Jesus for this life alone. Our present life here on earth is nothing compared to our life in the next. We can only set our hopes in this life for a maximum of 100 years if we will be blessed by God to live that long. We are just passing by and we are headed for a much better place where God has intended for all of us to be. In this journey, our hope and faith should rest on the truth that is proclaimed by Paul in the 1st reading. We don't settle for the minimum but go for the maximum which is eternal life of bliss and happiness with God. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
...For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
We are the temples of the Holy Spirit. We do not have the Holy Spirit as a birth right but a gift. We are born with original sin and this redemption from sin and the kingdom of darkness is what makes it possible for us to receive of the Holy Spirit. A lot of people in our society like the part that we are temples. We claim that our bodies are temples so we have to treat it well and take care of it by doing exercise. But too often we say that we are temples but we don’t say of what. When we listen to the way we speak we find that we are temples of ourselves. Like the New Agers who consider themselves to be god. We see our bodies as the temple of ourselves because we see ourselves to be god. Each body should be treated with respect since it is the place where God can be worshipped which is derived from the presence of the Holy Spirit. This should be our purpose when taking all the aspects of our body with its wide variety of urges and desires. We can bring it all under the power of the Holy Spirit if only the body is well oriented to the worship of the Holy Spirit. We've got to be aware of the fact that being a follower of God doesn't mean that we can be spared from all troubles and problems. God did not promise us this but one thing is sure, if we continue to stand by Him and all the things that He represents then we need not be anxious of anything at all for He got us covered. At this present time we can compare our life to a journey. We have been declared victorious and have conquered and overcome everything through Jesus Christ our Lord. And yet we still get distracted by the enemies who convince us otherwise. Let us march on to our victories and seize every opportunity that comes to us every day. We have to have something to overcome before we can become an overcomer, something to conquer before we become a conqueror and a test before we can have this testimony. Let us not lose heart because we are covered and protected by God like the young in the shadow of its mother's wings. Mind God's business and everything else will follow. This is the example that our mother left for us. We grew up always hearing our mother speak of Job's great faith and loyalty to God. She held on to every word of God in the bible and claimed every promise in it especially the one for the widow and orphan. Looking back at all those years our family had to pass through those trials and difficulties of growing up without a father by our side and our mother had to raise us all by herself there is no doubt that she did it because she inclined her ear to God and heard His word. If we are to die this very day, can we proclaim to the Lord with confidence these words in today's psalm? We ought to develop in ourselves the attitude of the saints and martyrs who have no fear of death. This doesn't mean that we have to be masochists and desire for a morbid death. Rather it should all because of the fact that we can firmly stand on the promises of a God who is able to supply us with everything. For only God who is Himself the author of true happiness can grant us lasting and genuine joy to the full. In this present time when we are still bound to this world we may not be able to fully comprehend the glory that awaits those who live life in the presence of our God and hope in that eternal life to come but we who are faithful will experience joy in full when His glory appears. There are times when we are being tested by the Lord to a point of almost giving up. But we simply and definitely must not. We are lucky we no longer belong to that time when you have to give up your life to profess your faith. That is why we always have to maximize our capabilities for God, nonetheless, it's not easy, but think of the inspiration that the early Christians martyrs left us to proclaim their faith. Temptations and distractions are everywhere it is so easy for us to stray away from the path to God. When it happens just pray hard to God that He will deliver us from that situation because every single minute of our life counts, let us seize the opportunity to achieve our goals that will bring us to our eternal abode. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of that because the Lord our God sees all good things that we do and let us always focus on that and be conscious that whatever situation we are in now, we can always try to build a life that is anchored on God. We can confidently say these words from the psalm. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 17:1bcd, 6-7, 8b, 15
R: Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
1 Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. Show your wondrous mercies, O savior of those who flee from their foes to refuge at your right hand. (R) 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
If we are entrusted with wealth then there is a responsibility that goes with it and we must use it a manner in the same way that these early Christians in today's gospel did. We should know what God is asking from us to do, discern it well and be able to respond to that call. God does not bring us to somewhere comfortable at all times. God measures our faith by what He sees. He needs to see our faith by the kind of journey we have. Just like Jesus we have to journey from one place to another and not every place promises to be pleasant and enjoyable though, we are assured that each part of the journey is all worth it if we allow Jesus to take our hand, lead us and not just tag along. He would surely bring us to the everlasting joy and perfect happiness that no one has ever known. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 8:1-3
1 Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God
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