Nothing or no one can deny the transforming power of God. Paul's life is a testimony of this. No matter how hopeless, impossible or desperate things may seem to be never ever doubt that something great can still come out of it. Sometimes God calls or makes use of the unlikely people and situations for a greater purpose than what we have in mind. He allows these things to happen for a reason. As we may all know Paul's life is the so called gold standard of conversion because the end point is all for the glory of God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Galatians 1:13-24
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the church of God
Technology has become so advanced nowadays that nothing remains unknown for long. With the latest in probes, sensors and the like in just one click of the computer everything is laid before us. Sometimes it just goes too far and out of bounds and we fail to conform and align all these innovations to the Author and Inventor of all these things. Let us not forget, He is the source of everything there was, is and will be. In the midst of all the trouble we're going through it is always a consolation to know that we have a God who knows every single thing that is going on with us and He cares and loves us a lot. For indeed in today's psalm reading is another confirmation that God knows our deepest thoughts and longings. We should always be aware of this undeniable truth that God's Spirit dwells in each one of us. There is no reason to doubt what today's psalm speaks about with regards to our relationship with our Creator. May we not forget and always remember who we are before the eyes of God. We can never allow our flesh, things of this world and the enemy to lure, confuse and deceive us any longer. It helps to always remember what St. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:11-13, "Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day..." We are who we are in the eyes of God and not what the flesh, the world and the destructive enemy wants us to believe. We are special to God, He calls each one of us by name. This reminds me of this lady who used to ask me, "How do I look?" I would always reply, "You're beautiful." But she would say in return, "Oh you're full of baloney" and every time I would just laugh back at her. Eventually I got inspired to respond to her differently when I told her that it is not baloney but it's biblical that we are all beautiful. In fact the Tagalog translation in text message that I have received is quite funny, it goes something like this, "Kilabot sa ganda, nanginginig pa" (I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.) which is stated right here in today's psalm. As man, we have the concupiscence or the natural inclination to the flesh, lust, greed and pride. The perfect formula for self destruction is based on this popular and well subscribed saying that goes like this, "If it feels good just do it." Pope John Paul II in his book, "Splendor of Truth" said that the power to decide what is good and evil is not within the power of man. This is clear in the book of Genesis when He forbid our 1st parents to eat of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God gave us the free will and the source of conflict came from the inability to acknowledge God as our Creator and that only Him can define morality. Man doesn't make rules of morality, we only discover it. The 10 commandments are an expression of God's love and the means to have true freedom which means the ability to do what we ought to do and not what we want to do. Catholic Morality is under attack as issues on abortion and artificial contraception have become so liberated. We should be firm in our stand not give in or budge an inch as we stand by the teachings of the Church. We should all value the special care and attention that God has given to us as His most valued among all of His creation. Our life is precious this we know is true as stated in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 23-24
R: Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
1 O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; 2 you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. 3 My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (R) 13 Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. 14 I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
Everything really happens for a reason and we have to take seriously the call or mission that God is entrusting to us. This invitation is not just for Martha whose name Jesus called twice in today’s gospel. God have been calling us not just twice but many times. It's time we respond to the call by choosing the best part. Every day of our lives we are confronted with choices and decisions that we have to make. Whether it is big or small, major or minor and high or low impact it is in our disposition in relation to it that makes all the difference. If we have made a choice or a decision then we have to stand by it and be at peace with it. Most especially if we know that we have consulted to God all our plans and humbly obeyed then nothing should ever bother us. Let us be reminded through the gospel today that worry and anxiety is not a composition of a decision or choice made within the presence and will of God. Just like Mary we should also find ourselves beside the Lord at His feet listening to Him speak. It is with genuine peace, calm and serenity that we should conduct our affairs. In doing so we acknowledge that God has always been guiding and directing us every single step of the way. We should realize the importance of bearing the fruit of peace and self control rather than anxiety and worry which arose from the burden of Martha's service. We are all guilty of being just like Martha at times when we succumb to worry and anxiety not focusing our attentions on Jesus instead. Service pleases God and is important in order to grow in our relationship with Him but we should maintain a balance that we must not neglect what's most essential, end up with misplaced values and defeating the good end/purpose for which it was intended. May we all come to the point where we too, like Mary can comfortably sit and listen attentively to Jesus in the midst of our busy world. She is not bothered by its concerns, made the right choice and blessed with the better part as spoken by Jesus. We need to get over the things that hinder us from fully experiencing the best that can never be taken away. We need to know what our options are and choose well. If we have found the contentment and confidence that Mary developed in Jesus brought about by the right choices that she made then we can be assured that it will not be taken away. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 10:38-42
...Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” 41 The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. 42 There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
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