THE VOICE

Do we really believe that we have a loving God who always has our best interests in mind? Or do we sometimes think that He is a God who delights in our misery. There are people who think that God wants us to suffer and be unhappy for no reason at all because they have developed a mindset that we have a punishing God. It's time we straighten our thoughts and think right. God is perfect and He is everything that is good. We should train our minds to think this way. We can have confidence in these words from today's 1st reading for as long as we make sure that we listen and obey to the sound of God's voice in our ears. If we are to examine our lives very carefully then we will realize that the message being conveyed is very true especially at times when we are at the lowest point of our emotional state.  We just have to completely trust that there is a surprise door waiting for us which leads us to the road where God's voice and directions are clearly heard and shown. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26

...no more will you weep; he will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will aoknswer you. 20 The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst...from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears, “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left... 

No matter what we're going through we can always rely on God to uphold and defend our cause. If we claim to be true followers and believers of our Lord Jesus Christ then we can put a claim on these same blessings and privileges bestowed on the chosen people of God. His covenant with His people is everlasting. There is a big difference between a covenant and contract. A contract is an agreement which is all about an exchange of goods while the covenant is an exchange of relationships. God wants to have a relationship with us first and foremost and through it everything else will follow. No poet, writer or artist can ever describe in words or paint in canvass the love of God. For the immensity of its beauty and glory is immeasurable and beyond understanding.  The readings for today point to the fact that we have a responsibility in our hands if we truly claim that we are a people of God. We have to follow and obey God at all times which can only be done and fulfilled if we have full knowledge of what God wants us to do. We’ve got to realize the most essential and important things in life that we sometimes lose sight of and tend to neglect. Let us not be dissuaded nor distracted by the allurement of this world and end up losing what really matters most. Our God is Perfect but we are still part of this imperfect world thus we are bound to experience the daily struggles of life. This reminds me of this incident when this lady who was already very careful in her movements still ended up scraped in her arm. She didn't even figure out how it could have happened. When we bump into something we usually develop a bruise but we would sometimes find one without knowing how it came to be. We sometimes get wounded and bruised even before we know it. Take the example of those people who are taking medications (anticoagulants) that predispose them to bruise easily. Well, things happen even if we do not want or expect it but we can always draw strength and inspiration from today's psalm knowing that God is our Mighty Healer and Savior. There are times when we are in a hurry to work things out on our own and forget to peacefully surrender all our concerns to God. That's when we end up tired and beaten because we've used up all the energy of our mind, body and soul. It's what usually happens to most of us when we are confronted with dilemmas.  If we have learned how to truly wait for the Lord then we are not far from that place of peace where God is leading us. If we look back at what we've been through especially our trials and difficulties, then we can only feel so blessed and find gratitude in our hearts for all the things that lead to now. It will always be good to undergo trials and hardships in life and remain steadfast in the Lord for everything will pay off in the end. Not a single thing that we've been through for the glory of God will ever be in vain. Victory is indeed for those who acknowledge the Son Of God, Jesus Christ. It is only right that we give all glory, honor and praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R: Blessed are all who waits for the Lord.

...He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name. (R) 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power to his wisdom there is no limit. 6 The LORD sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.

Jesus knows everything that we are going through. We can depend and rely on the truth that He comes to us. He does everything for us, not just curing every disease and illness but teaches us, too so that we can proclaim the gospel of the kingdom ourselves. As God has loved us, we are also called to respond to this love by reaching out to others. Though the path is long and difficult, He has promised us power to overcome all hardships for we are assured that we can do all things through Him. There is a mission and a purpose for each one of us that we need to respond to one way or another at one point in our life. We are not to expect something in return in whatever we do whenever we are called to do something for God. It should give us so much confidence knowing that we have a feeling God who always looks after our welfare. His ways are perfect and just. His heart goes out to us and His love encompasses everything. He wouldn't have come more than 2,000 years ago if this is not so. Being able to realize the need to work and strive to show forth the greater glory of God and acting on it with much conviction and without any hesitation should be our main goal for we have already benefited from the priceless gift of God to us in Jesus. Without a cost we have received for the price is too high to be paid it was already paid a long time ago by Jesus when He offered Himself to die on the cross for our sake.  We see a lot of problems in our own society and if we don’t allow and fully trust Jesus to put order in our life just like the sick people in today’s gospel then we might remain incapacitated for life. We have to set limits in order for us to get rid of the bad elements that make us sick whether physically or spiritually. Just like when we avoid too much sugar, salt and fats in our diet or else we will die of diabetes, hypertension and cardiac arrest. We have to control our eating and exercise. We have to exercise a certain control in ourselves so that we can become efficient and useful laborers in God's vineyard. The harvest is indeed abundant but the laborers are few and we are called to be a part of God’s work force. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

35 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. 36 At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.