PRAY IT BACK TO HIM

 Today we are beginning with the Book of Sirach and can expect to hear from it over the course of the next 2 weeks. We are blessed to have this book in the bible from which we can get advice and lessons about God, sincerity, modesty, choice of friends, use of wisdom, sins of flesh and about lies. It is also where we can find idiomatic expressions such as, “Virtue is its own reward and birds of the same feather flock together. “ God speaks and responds to our questions through the scriptures.  We have to commit to reading it with awe and reverence to the Word of God. He does speak to us lovingly as God our Father. A lot of things in this world remain a mystery. No matter how hard we try to comprehend the things that are happening to us, especially those we can't make a good explanation in our minds, we always fall short of totally understanding it. We may not come to a point in this present life of ours when we can fully understand it since we are still bound to our earthly bodies. For the meantime let us focus first on the things we know about God who is no doubt loving, merciful and powerful and entrust to God’s goodness the doubts we have at the moment. In the fullness of time God will make all things clear to us when our souls become illumined by the light of God.  May we be ready for that appointed day when it comes. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 1:1-10

1 All wisdom comes from the LORD and with him it remains forever. 2 The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain, the days of eternity: Who can number these? 3 Heaven’s height, earth’s breadth, the depths of the abyss: Who can explore these? 4 Before all things else wisdom was created; and prudent understanding, from eternity. 5 To whom has wisdom’s root been revealed? Who knows her subtleties? 6 There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring, seated upon his throne: 7 It is the LORD; he created her, has seen her and taken note of her. 8 He has poured her forth upon all his works, upon every living thing according to his bounty; he has lavished her upon his friends. 9 Fear of the LORD is glory and splendor, gladness and a festive crown. 10 Fear of the LORD warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days.

Death is not a respecter of age or health. A person could be young or old, healthy or sick and the worst part we can never tell when it's coming. Only God knows the length of our days and to Him alone do we entrust everything. God is powerful and we can surely be at peace with Him. We have confidence in a God who chose to step down from His throne and became a helpless baby for our sake.  Though, an infant He holds the world in the palm of His hands. He alone is King. We have an Infinite and Almighty God and no words are enough to describe Him. Thus we can only translate those that go beyond words into the spiritual. The spiritual is real although not material or physical. We have our free will which is immaterial and thus fall into the spiritual. It makes perfect sense that we unite our will to God. It may seem an impossibility to be holy and pure at all times. For man it is, but not for God. We can trust God to supply us with all that we need to do whatever it takes to be worthy of His kingdom. If we believe that God calls us then He can surely and absolutely equip us for the work and plan He has for us. The uniformity of the message in today's readings from the 1st, Psalm and gospel can not be denied. God constantly and persistently send us occasions and opportunities that will always remind and confront us of this great attributes of God which are all better than life itself. It is very important to call on God in prayer at all times. He is Christ the King. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R: The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

...Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD. (R) 5 Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.

Today’s gospel could be a picture of Jesus who reached a point of exasperation for His disciples who never seem to learn from His perfect example. We have already been given by Jesus by not just one but numerous no fail and sure ball examples and patterns of how to make it big in the Kingdom but we surely are slow learners at times. It is just sad that when it comes to the Kingdom of this world, often times we are very quick to follow and understand its way. We have to always hold on to the word of God and build faith in it.  Our prayers should consist of God’s word and pray it back to Him. We need to strengthen our faith through prayers of various forms for the enemy that we face everyday is also committed to winning its own battle. We can liken the gospel for today with our own parents when they try to instruct us and teach us when we were still young, though they are not perfect. They get so impatient with us at times and somehow Jesus felt that way, too. Definitely, Jesus has all the right in the world to feel that way because unlike our own parents He is the perfect teacher and we can learn from Him everything there is to know. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:14-29

...I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” 19 He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?  How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” 20 They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. 21 Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. 22 It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.  But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” 24 Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” 25 Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” 26 Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. 28 When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive it out?” 29 He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”