IN GOD'S HANDS

Jeremiah in today's 1st reading cried out for help to God. Our confidence should also be like his as we call on God in our prayers. He reflects the same kind of trust of a lamb led to slaughter and ultimately that of Jesus on the cross. There will always be discord and chaos for as long as we live. But this is so that we can draw closer to God and learn the perfect act of entrusting everything to God. We can never find real security in this world. We may be rich, powerful and successful but these things can only amount to something if we have totally surrendered our lives to God. Only God can bring about true and lasting happiness and security in our lives. It may be true that these things can bring joy to one's life but only up to a certain point. One day we will find out that all these things will never suffice. The world we are in right now is being presented to us in a way that we almost consider it as the only real thing that exists since it is the one that we can truly see and hold at the present moment. Let us not be deceived by this and try to look further and beyond. If we do, we will realize that only God can truly sustain us. We have to place God in the center of our life in order to draw meaning to all these things that this world offers. We can be rest assured that God will always uphold our cause and see to it that justice is served to all who remain faithful in Him. It is only right that we should consult all our plans and desires to God first before we decide to do something. God is good and He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the things that we need to know. He is always there to show us the right step to take. Although the road we may be traveling is difficult, tiring and taking too long before reaching our dreams and intended goals there is always a guarantee that God is able to fight for our cause and bring everything to fruition. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 11:18-20

18 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. 19 Yet, I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.” 20 But you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!

We are not lost nor doomed no matter what kind of situation or circumstance we are facing because we can always take refuge in the Lord and be assured that He rescues us. We should realize by now that we have a big God as we look back at all the things that have happened to us especially during times when we are in dire need, big trouble and to the point of despair when all of a sudden it was lifted up just like that as if a big boulder or burden had been removed from our chest. We can turn to no one else but God for He alone can save us from all our distress. All we need to do is firmly decide on which side we really are through our thoughts, words and actions that reflect the goodness of God. Our confidence in God should be 100% no matter what our situation is. God shields us for as long as we hold on to Him and believe exactly what the psalm reading says. Amen. Hallelujah

Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12

R: O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

...save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, 2 [3] lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me. (R) 8 [9] Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just, and because of the innocence that is mine. 9 [10] Let the malice of the wicked come to an end, but sustain the just, O searcher of heart and soul, O just God. (R) 10 [11] A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart; 11 [12] a just judge is God, a God who punishes day by day.

There is power in His word. There is something that convicts, heals and attracts. This man who seems to be from Galilee is the fulfillment of the prophecy. He is no other than Jesus, the Son of God who is from heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. We have a lot of fears and doubts that cripple us and make us unable to participate in the Master plan that God has in store for us. He can see through our future and knows well also what we are going through at the moment and what we had been through. All things work for the good of those who love and serve God. We should not forget that God operates but we need to cooperate. For into the hands of our Creator we should confidently entrust and totally surrender everything in our life who knows perfectly what is best for all of us even before it came to be. Everything that we hold dear in this world will all come to pass and only one thing remains and will matter in the end. It is our relationship with God that we should work for at all times. In all the things we do, we must find God in the center of our will. If we fall into the trap of this world and start to work in favor of this world rather than of God then we are surely in big trouble if not now then sooner or later. Life here on earth is not fair. Even Jesus, the Son of God suffered unjustly in this world. Unbelievable but true. We feel bad when people don’t treat us right. How about Jesus? Let us take into consideration what He went through and still people doubted Him and even plotted to kill Him. They are guilty, but aren't we all? Nowadays, we all profess the same belief in Jesus as Messiah though our actions are not completely convinced of this truth. We do not differ from those people in today's gospel if we are not daring enough to really come out of the open, stand up for the call to live by example and dare to show the difference. If we hope to surpass all these things then we, too must place everything in God's hands like Jesus did. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 7:40-53

Some in the crowd who heard these words said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?

Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him...

The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 53 Then each went to his own house.

WHAT'S YOUR DESTINY?

Have you ever experienced feeling so down and out? It's like heading for doom and destruction. It seems so hopeless and discouraging, not wanting to go on with life and just succumb to depression and defeat. Today's 1st reading is a prophecy of the plot of trying to put Jesus to death and this is way before the incarnation took place. According to Bishop Sheen the spirit of enmity is not only present when Jesus lived but as long as time endured. There are people who were persecuted and forgotten when they died but the hatred of the world and against Jesus lives on. It is still happening today. This is because He is alive. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We should never be discouraged and rather be strong as we are reminded how the only begotten Son of God, the Ruler, Creator and Majestic King of heaven and earth was put to the test, condemned unjustly, tortured, and  accepted a humiliating death on a cross all because of God's great love for all of us. We have to be ashamed of the times when we question, complain and even blame God whenever we encounter trials and hardships in life. We should be aware of the reality that we sometimes do things without realizing the repercussions of our actions. Everything starts with something small and may not realize it until we get caught in the web of our wrongdoing. One small sin happens after another without realizing that we've gone a long way and caused our spiritual blindness. No matter what the reasons are let us hold on to God’s purpose although it is not clear or even unknown to us. Let us not be mistaken and blinded but always rely on the hidden counsels of God, recompense of holiness and the reward of the innocent soul. Amen. Hallelujah!

Wisdom 2:1, 12-22

1 The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: 12 “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. 13 He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. 14 To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, 15 because his life is not like other men’s, and different are his ways. 16 He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. 17 Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. 18 For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. 19 With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. 20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” 21 These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, 22 and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.

The considered powerful and mighty of this world is what appear to be the blessed and favored ones as far as human logic and reason are concerned. The exact opposite of what Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount and Plain (Beatitudes) in the gospels. A lot of people find it difficult to really understand the beatitudes since it contradicts the values of this world we live in. The poor, weak, hungry and sorrowing are called blessed. This may not sound acceptable for everybody and would even go around its meaning to get away with the real issue that Jesus wants us to face. Whatever it may be that's still stopping us from grasping the wisdom of God let us pray to God that we will always hold on to His word as He assures daily. We’ve got to have the right heart, mind and attitude. Be poor in spirit and receptive to the Word of God. It doesn't make sense that despite these truths that are ever before us we still reject Jesus. Let's admit that we do it one way or another, knowingly or unknowingly. Pope John Paul II narrated a story when he was in the hospital for his operation. Just before the surgery, he went out of his room unnoticed and visited a very sick boy on the verge of dying. His mother was so depressed that no amount of words was able to console her. She told the Pope to tell God to go away. The Pope answered her that he did tell God to go away but He wouldn't listen. He embraced the inconsolable mother and told her that God knows exactly the place where He needs to be and that is none other than with her. We should realize that God never leaves nor forsakes most especially in times of despair. He is always there for us. Our God indeed is a perfect God and we must entrust everything to Him without questioning believing that He knows what's best. We must be aware of the truth that it is by His power that we exist in this world. Have you heard of blind obedience? Following without knowing exactly why you follow. Take the example of suicide bombers, who willingly die to spread terrorism. What courage! We should know that it is always worth it to obey God, obeying and knowing fully well that it is for our own good. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. We may have encountered situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position.  They just happen suddenly that we have no time to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss. Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going and do exactly what we are told. The Light of the World already came and judgment day is coming soon. In fact, judgment is happening even now. In Deuteronomy 30:15 "Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom..." God asked us to choose. It's got to be one way or another. There should be no mingling or ambiguity. It is all up to us. We can be assured that if we take God’s side then we’ll definitely taste and see His goodness. If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find Him. Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves rescued, saved and  truly blessed. We should always keep our hopes up in the Lord no matter what our situations are because it can never change the fact that He is God and always in charge and in control. There are times when we feel forsaken or abandoned but we must always hold on to the truth that He loves us so much. He would never leave us in misery. Let us remove all doubts and fears. Nothing should make us feel afraid for God hears our cry. He will surely carry out what is clearly for our own good and the best. All we need to do is allow God to work in our lives and stop hindering His grace to flow in our lives. If there's one big obstacle that is blocking this flow then it is surely not God. It is time we analyze the things in our life that continue to build up and shut out God. We don't want that happening and it's all up to us for the Lord hears and saves us. Although there are times when we do not have to sweat at all and things just come and fall into place we also have to know that our life is mostly a product of the choices we make. Our choices must always be responsible and carefully decided on. We've got to have a reliable standard for it. One without fail and is sure to work. Actually there is only one thing that we can surely depend on and that is the goodness of the Lord. If we always have this in mind then nothing should stop us to always look at God, listen and follow Him. We should not care so much about gaining the approval and admiration of men rather than God. Our focus first and foremost should be to please God and everything else will follow. Even if it sometimes does not work the way we expected and planned things to be. We can be assured that the Lord heard, hears and will hear all our prayers and surely has the best answer at hand in His most perfect time. In guarding our faith the bible passage from Ephesians 6:10-11 which is about the armor of God is an important tool. If we read it we will find the only weapon mentioned in the said bible passage is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We should check it once again and be aware of this important information as Catholic Christians. In the gospel about the temptation of Jesus the devil also demonstrated his knowledge of the scriptures. As it is written, we need to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. We are undoubtedly engaged in this battle every single day that's why we are in need of a weapon. This reminds us of the importance of knowing the word of God by heart since it is our only weapon. God never fails. He would always make things work for our good and rescue us in our distress. I have always believed in angels even before I got this petal from a healing service with the image of a cherubim miraculously imprinted on it. It's been a while since I got it and has served as a testimony of God’s abiding love. I have no doubt in my mind that God will always deliver me from all my fears. I always keep my rose petal with me and show it to almost everyone I meet, as a way of propagating God's goodness to me. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was about 2 months old, and I fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to regain consciousness within an hour then he said I am gone. To everybody's surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the school where my mother used to be a public school teacher. She said she was standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud engine of the jeep.  It was just a miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road, I suddenly stopped and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my guardian angel who held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep.  I don't remember personally any of those experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my chair.  My classmates were really shocked and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. One of my bestfriends, Myrsa got me even more scared of what could had happened when she said that fluorescent lamps are laden with poison that once it gets broken, the poison is released and if the broken glass cuts your skin open the poison will get in and the wound caused by it will never dry up or get healed. From then on I developed this childlike trust in God and thanked God for saving me from death. There was another instance in my life as a child when Myrsa and I were left all alone in school while waiting for our ride home and the deafening sound of lightning and thunder got me very scared. Myrsa played the role of my guardian angel when she tried to calm and stop me from crying by telling me that I should not be afraid because the lightning is the flash bulb of God's camera. She continued by saying that I should not cry but instead smile for God was just taking our picture. Myrsa's legendary stories played a role in my developing a great faith in God. Another funny story was what she told me about the needle. She said that we must be careful with needles because it will find its way into our bodies and once it's inside it will go to our bloodstream and very quickly end up pricking our hearts which can cause us to die right away. There was one time when I lost a needle and couldn't find it anywhere. I went to bed very early that day which surprised my mother and was asking me if there was anything wrong. I decided to myself that I would just wait for my death silently and not tell anybody. I was praying to God not to give me a painful death and let me not feel it once the needle pricks my heart. When I woke up the next day I was so glad that I was still alive and thanked God for sparing me from death. Those were the early formative years of my faith which started out in a funny, amusing but definitely amazing way. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. If we will just constantly nourish and fill ourselves with the words of God in scriptures then there is really no reason for us to fear rather be always filled with joy. He will never allow us to be defeated and conquered for He is always there to rescue us. Amen, Hallelujah!

Psalms 34:17-18, 19-20, 21, 23

R: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

16 [17] The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. 19 [20] Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

Today's gospel is taken from John or the 4th gospel. Its genuineness is affirmed by the whole character of the narrative. The arrangement of this gospel follows historical order of events and portrayed with precision of eyewitness. Even the most minute subsidiary circumstances are mentioned with special concern to determine exactly the time of occurrence. It is accepted as one of chief and historically credible sources of knowledge of the life of Christ. The 4th gospel has a high Christology that emphasizes the Divine aspects of Jesus’ identity compared with low Christology that emphasizes human aspects. John’s belief in the preexistence of Christ is very pronounced. According to Frances Hogan, she believes that it was John the youngest of all the apostles who really wrote the gospel. The person behind the gospel have seen and heard Jesus first hand. He came to Jesus as a teenager and seems to know the heart of Jesus instinctively. It was to John that Jesus gave His mother on the cross. John was taught by God's beloved mother, Mary. The book of John is known as the book of signs. The Book of Signs (Jn 1:19-12:50)

The seven signs are miraculous deeds of Jesus that reveal his true identity. They show Jesus bringing different types of people to believe in Him while at the same time provoking many among the Jews to hostility. The author interprets them for the reader by various reflections, narratives and discourses. Many Jews were provoked to hostility on account of the declarations of Jesus which they could not accept as in today's gospel. Signs and symbols are very important to John as it is to us. God is from above and we are from below. From our human level it is very difficult for us to grasp the meaning of things in our life in relation to God. We have to look beyond the physical and understand them better as we go beyond the surface into its deeper meaning. The same is true in our relationship with God, the more we know about Him the better we understand the things in our life. We can look into the things happening in our life and find meaning in it. It becomes symbolic in a sense that God has communicated to us, making us more inclined to do things that are divine. We should praise and thank God for the perfect example and pattern of Jesus' life that He left for all of us that serve as an inspiration and guide. There is no doubt as to the perfection of our God who knows exactly the time when things are bound to happen for He knows best. Let us just continue to trust His Divine Providence that everything happens for a reason at the appointed hour. Jesus was destined to suffer and die for our sins because He was obedient to the will of God and that same destiny resurrected Him from the dead and now seated at the right hand of the Father reigning in His kingdom forever and ever. May our destiny be to always obey the will of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

1 Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. 25 Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.

NEW MOSES

 We read in today’s 1^st reading a reference to the stiff necked nature of the Israel people and the contrast as Moses displays a deep friendship with God as he speaks in behalf of his people. The Israel people thought he’s not coming back. Despite of the wonders that their very eyes have seen they had the nerve to complain, gripe and abandon God. They were grumbling against God. It is an apostasy, abandonment and rejection of the faith that they had been entrusted. They forgot the God who had saved them. Somehow this reminds us of ourselves, midway in this season of lent. Here we are in our own desert, we sometimes very quickly think that God has abandoned us. In the middle of fasting, penance and prayer we quickly forget God who has saved us, abandon and reject our faith in our living of life today. Sometimes we feel guilty about something that we didn't directly or indirectly cause. Or we feel responsible for the actions of other people especially those who are close to us. We must keep in mind that we are not supposed to own the decisions and actions of other people since there are certain limits to this and must know up to where our responsibilities extend. In the same way we must not blame other people for things we ourselves have caused. We must be brave enough to accept the consequences of our actions and not point fingers. We have to be clear about these things for God said that sins will be punished accordingly in its appointed time. So while we still have the time let us see to it that everything is in the right order before it gets too late. We need to remain steadfast no matter how difficult it may seem. We quickly turn aside from the way that God is pointing out. The love that this world can’t imagine and comprehend is not dormant, it is the love of God. We tend to set ourselves up to be our own little god and soon turn aside from the way God has pointed out. We need to cry out for mercy to God and listen to Moses as he points out to us our wrong doings. The plea of a righteous person is always heard, answered and never refused by God. Moses was heeded by God in his request which tells us that if God listened to Moses all the more should we be always rejoicing knowing that Jesus the Lamb of God not only pleaded before God for our sake but offered Himself on the cross in order to save us. We are blessed to have a glorious background much more than the heritage of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. We have the blood of Jesus who took upon Himself on the cross, the guilt of all our sins that have won for us His perpetual kingdom. People during the time of Moses don't know better than any of us living today. Only the legacy of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Israel was known to them and haven't come to this point in our time when we already have the Incarnation of Jesus as the highlight of the glorious background of our faith. Moses pleaded with God in behalf of His faithful servants, the Patriarchs and was heard by God. We have to be aware of the fact that looking back more than 2,000 years ago and even way back to the time of Abraham, God has already been extending His desire to be in a loving relationship with man. If we are to visualize and construct a timeline for this, we would find that God has already invested so much in His people. Aren't we filled with joy and gladness that we are living at this time when we already have the legacy of not only the patriarchs, the Kings, Judges, and the Prophets but most especially and importantly, Jesus. He is the fullness of God's love and came in the fullness of time. God is unchangeable and remains Holy, Mighty and Immortal. We might misunderstand these words in today's 1st reading when it said, "the Lord relented..." We must keep in mind that it is not God who changes but ourselves who change in the process. God is the constant we are the variable. What God has ordained He will forever sustain and it is up to us, to accept and respond to the challenge. One thing is sure, His grace is always enough. Amen. Hallelujah!

Exodus 32:7-14

7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshipping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 “Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth’? Let your blazing wrath die down; relent in punishing your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’ ” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

We should always keep in mind that if Moses was able to turn back God's anger and withhold His destructive wrath how much more Jesus His only begotten Son who suffered, was obedient to the point of death on the Cross and gave Himself as ransom to redeem us from all our sins. Let us not forget even for a second nor neglect this truth every single minute, hour and day of our lives that we have been ransomed, saved and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus. Our little gods and idols can not do anything for us. They are useless and stupid things. How foolish we can be as a people of God  to do such things and be off track by turning away from where the Lord has pointed out. A lot of terrible things happen when we forget. Important and significant events in our life should always hold a special place in our hearts. We must not ignore those times when we had those special moments with the Lord. These will serve as a constant reminder to us and would definitely help us remain faithful to the Lord. Our memory of this, though very wonderful to forget may sometimes become dull or fade in the background when we are beset by the present and daily cares of this world. We may eventually lose the awe and wonder that we used to feel about it as time passes most especially when we encounter trials and difficulties. Today's psalm tells us to always remember, never forget and always tell our story of the goodness of God. Let us not forget and be mindful always of the love of God. Sometimes when things don't turn out the way we wanted or expected we get sidetracked by the realities of this world then we start to immediately or slowly lose sight of the goodness of God. No matter what our situation is we must not forget that God saved us, had done great and wondrous deeds and He alone has the power to make things happen and not happen in our lives. We have to be in a relationship with the only true God. If there's something we really need to be thankful to God for bringing us to life at this present time that is the fact that we have a glorious background that we can always draw strength, hope and inspiration. We need to focus on this and be aware that we've got so many things in this present life to look back to and be blessed. The timeline of our salvation history demonstrates God's persistent and consistent effort to win our hearts and be in a relationship with us. Not to forget that after Jesus, the saints followed which added to the color of this long time running declaration and evidence of God's great love for us. It's been quite a while already that He has been waiting for our answer much more than a suitor offering his pledge of love to his lady. We should never doubt any single moment that God is good all the time and all we need to do is just give thanks to Him no matter what our circumstances may be. Let us always remind ourselves of the good things God has done in our lives. Let us always count our blessings instead of focus on the negative things. We are constantly reminded in the readings today to always work for the things that win the favor of God. It's not because of any selfish motive but because what we do is born out of great love for the Lord. God calls us to repent and live a new life. There's one very important thing that we should be guided with. We always have to keep in mind that a repentance born  out of fear will never last but repentance born out of love will last. We should always keep in mind the great love of God for all of us. Our Lord's instructions are very simple and easy to understand. It is in the following and obeying part that we find difficulty in doing. Let us always focus our eyes on the Lord and remember to follow and keep what the responsorial psalm tells us if we intend to live a blessed life not just in the beginning but to the end. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 106:19-20, 21-22, 23

R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
...They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, 22 wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea. (R) 23 Then he spoke of exterminating them, but Moses, his chosen one, withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath.

Moses is the foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus is the new Moses that stands between us and God. He reconciles us to God. We always have questions that are left unanswered or we do have the answers but are not sure of it. This happens most of the time especially when we do not have confidence or doubtful of the person who answered our question. We tend to probe and investigate further in order to prove it right. This is just a normal reaction for someone who is in search for nothing but the truth. We can only trust a credible, reliable and trustworthy source. We may search high and low, far and wide but we may still end up with nothing. If we are to rely on human intelligence and capabilities alone then we are just setting up ourselves for a disappointment. Sometimes too, we need to brag about something just to convince other people. Today's gospel tells us that it is unnecessary. It is very clear that more than anything else, our works and deeds testify on our behalf. We look at Jesus and follow His example. There should be no doubt in us about who He is and what He is capable of. We must come to the realization that we can not lean on our own understanding and just trust God who can make all things possible. There is only one thing required that is to accept Jesus as our Personal Savior and Redeemer. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light. It sounds so simple and easier said than done. The following and living part of what we accept and believe should be manifested in our life testimonies that speak of the voice of God, visualize the form of God and live the Word of God.  May our life testimonies be verified by God. Is our answer to God, yes? Today's gospel is consistent with the message from the rest of the readings. If we have truly come to the understanding of who God is in our life basing it from our past in relation to our present life and not looking any further we would find that history repeats itself. God never stops in His consistent and persistent efforts in getting His message of love across from that time when time is still known as BC and AD up to this present time of ours when it has been known and counted as century, decade, year and day. Whew! It's been quite a while. How long do we still intend to stall and doubt? It's time to put our act together and really live the message of God's timeless and endless love. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 5:31-47

Jesus said to the Jews: “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified. 32 But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true... the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent...I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. 46 For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

GOD’S TEMPLE

If we stay connected to God then there is really nothing we should worry about. Today's 1st reading describes fruit trees of every kind growing with their leaves never fading nor their fruit ever failed. God provides for all our needs and this is a reality that most of us sometimes fail to realize. Whenever things do not turn out the way we expected it to happen we end up searching for other sources or worst decide to do things our way instead of staying within the sanctuary of God. We should not stray from the right path for God will not just provide for our needs but make us a source of blessing for others, too. I remember the time when it was orange and lemon season when we used to harvest bags of these fruits from the backyard of Mr. and Mrs. Lowry. They are so generous to the point of telling us to just get as much as we like. They have very productive fruit bearing trees and it seemed like it never ran out of fruits to harvest. We would fill up big garbage bags and harvest as much as 3-4 bags. Just imagine how many fruits their trees bear. It is so amazing that even after we've harvest too much for us to carry, the tree would still look like it didn't give out any. In fact the topmost portion of the tree where the ladder could not reach had fruits that just waited to rot and fall off. The fruits were too many and heavy that the branches started to bend low and almost reached the ground. It is definitely something and it was like nothing we've ever seen before or something that we often do not normally see. It resembles what today's 1st reading is telling us since we have become so amazed and blessed of these fruit trees but it still is nothing compared to  what the Lord has prepared for us in that heavenly place where we all long to be someday. The 1st reading also reminded me of my 1st boss. She is Mrs. Teofista Tan Tena or Tita Pat as we fondly call her and I consider her one of God's instruments in my having a personal relationship with God. She is an active member of a Catholic Charismatic group (Reach Out For Jesus) and being the boss she would persistently invite us to attend the regular prayer meetings they were having during lunch breaks every Tuesday and Thursday. I can never forget that day when I had a dream or vision of water coming from all directions and I couldn't figure out why. I shared it to her and she said that it was the 1st reading for the day. I was able to confirm it when I went to mass that day and found out myself that it was indeed the reading for the day. From then on I have started leafing through the bible and look for quoted bible passages by people in seminars and retreats I attended. It all started there, my love to read and reflect on the scriptures which is often coupled with a confirming event or situation. Some are overwhelmingly amazing in nature that it has inspired me to keep it going and progressed to writing daily reflections. Looking back after all those years, I should say I have gone a long way already in terms of my frequenting the word of God. I praise and thank God for her that whatever she has planted through me have grown and improved.  I will strive to do my best to keep it that way, continuously maintaining and improving for God's greater glory. She has become God's channel of blessing for me which made me realize now that she has become like the river that flows to me that is mentioned in today's 1st reading. These are only a few of the several experiences I had right after my baptism in the spirit. It kept me inspired and always on fire for the Lord. It was also her who told me that it was the so called honeymoon stage with the Lord.  There are degrees or levels of faith. What I am being reminded today is my 1st degree, level or stage of faith experience. Just like all other stages we have to step up or move up the ladder and reach the peak. We have to mature and look beyond the spiritual highs and still keep up with the faith as we go through an all time low, a plateau or the so called spiritual dryness. It is when we can really prove our loyalty to God. As scriptures say, just like gold we are tested through fire. In this journey of life we need to go through a process where we all hope and aspire to bring out the best in us and be the person God has all meant us to be. This inspiring message that is often quoted by preachers should resonate in us. Sow a thought and it will become an act. Plant an act and it will become your habit. Create a habit and it will become a virtue or vice. Cultivate that character and it will become your destiny. Morality is defined as living an authentic and responsible Christian life. In order to understand morality there is a need for us to look at our physical world in parallel to a spiritual world. We are made up of body and soul. If we refer to our bodies as the 1st person then our soul becomes the 2nd person. We need to feed our soul the way we do to our bodies. It is very sad to know that according to some actuarial scientists only 13% of Americans believe that the 10 commandments will lead us to happiness.  There is a specific percentage of people who would be willing to do evil in exchange of $10M. There is a need to educate ourselves morally and enrich our spirituality. God looks into the heart and soul. We need to be a human person that God wants us to be. We should do good, avoid evil and be a beatitude person. In saying this we need to understand that beatitude means blessed or happy. The Old Testament speaks of the 10 commandments while the New Testament speaks of the Beatitudes. It is noteworthy that in some versions of the beatitudes the word "blessed" is also translated as "Happy are those..." There 5 important things we need to know to achieve happiness.

1. The main reason that God created us, is for us to be happy. At the end of it all God wants us to experience eternal happiness with Him.
2. God planted a desire in man to search and long for happiness since it is the nature or GPS of man.
3. God is the author of happiness and the author of desire.
4. Essence of happiness is God since God is love, "gaude" and "agape". He is the author of happiness and desire and only Him can make us happy.
5. God through the Holy Spirit can guide us in this treacherous journey in our desire to be happy.
We’ve got to make a decision whether we want to become a holy soul filled by God’s love or remain a holey soul. According to Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, a Jesuit priest and author of the book, "Holy Longing", man's desire is so intense that he called it a raging inferno. It's unstoppable and powerful that it creates holes in our souls. We can attempt in our human nature to fill in these holes but we still end up with a hollow feeling. These holes come in different shapes. We may be trying to fit in the wrong shape into these holes. These holes can only be filled in by God. Only God our Creator knows best and He is the only one who can determine which will fit into our soul. We all have our desires and longing in life but if we insist on doing it our way and not follow the pattern and shape that God has given us then we will never be truly happy. M. Scott Peck of the book, "The Road Less Traveled" said that desire is a feeling but to love is a decision. God loved us first in the same way that the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son showed his wasteful and reckless love for his son. He welcomed back his prodigal son who squandered his possessions in gambling and women. He did not even demand for an explanation but instead gave his love lavishly on his son. From the Annotations of St. Ignatius of Loyola he said something that consist this song,
Take and receive O Lord my liberty
Take all my will my mind my memory.
Do Thou direct, and govern all and sway,
Do what Thou wilt, command and I obey.
Only Thy grace and love on me bestow
Possessing these all riches I forgo.
All things I hold, and all I won are Thine,
Thine was the gift, to Thee I all resign.
Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12

1 Then he brought me, Ezekiel, back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the facade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. 3 Then when he had walked off to the east with a measuring cord in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade through the water, which was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand and once more had me wade through the water, which was now knee-deep. Again he measured off a thousand and had me wade; the water was up to my waist. 5 Once more he measured off a thousand, but there was now a river through which I could not wade; for the water had risen so high it had become a river that could not be crossed except by swimming. 6 He asked me, “Have you seen this, son of man?” Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit. 7 Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides. 8 He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. 9 Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. 12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

What an awesome God we have, he always declare His great love for us in psalms and songs. The joy that comes from God is like a well that never runs dry, it will neither be affected by dry season nor drought. We can compare it to the trials/problems that come our way and we will not be moved for the joy of the Lord is our strength. We can only imagine but we can never see the real picture of how it is to be in the holy dwelling of the Most High. It is always nice to have something to look forward to most especially because as Christians we believe that we are just passing by and everything around us will all be gone. When this happens we know that we are headed to an eternal place prepared for us by God. Isn’t it wonderful that at this present time we can go on living every day of our life to the full and still be assured that the best is yet to come. It is important for us to stay within the boundaries of the so called city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. There is no doubt that God is our refuge, strength and help at all times but we need to cultivate in ourselves a holy place for God where He can always dwell within us and not drive Him away from us. Peace and holiness can be achieved if we are one and in communion with God.  We belong to a community. If we commit murder we go to jail, become cut off from the community and separated from the rest. Somehow this explains the need to be communal or the "WE" vs "I". Our life is best defined by the choices we make as well as the choices that the people around us make. Love is the essence of morality and we need to live a moral life. In order to do this we need to be aware that there are certain laws that we need to observe and follow like the 10 commandments. The 1st 3 commandments is all about loving the Creator. The 4th is about loving others by exercising honor, respect and obedience. There should be mutual respect between parents and children alike. The 5th is respect for life from the moment of conception up to the last breath of life or from the womb to the tomb. We also have a responsibility to protect and conserve our environment. The 6th & 9th commandment speaks of respect of sexuality which is about chastity, purity and modesty. The 7th & 10th commandments: Life of Justice. Speaks of Respect of possessions, charity and social justice. The 8th commandment that tells us to speak & live the truth. Our world is governed by Natural and Man made laws. Natural laws has 3 attributes. 1. universal 2. permanent 3. unchanging. If we attempt to tamper with nature disasters happen. Earthquake is a natural occurrence in places where there are fault lines. In the same way that if there are faults present in our lives then we are headed for disaster, too. We need to guard our morality. Our moral conscience is God given to evaluate the rightness and wrongness of an action but we need more than conscience alone to be moral. There 3 elements of morality. 1. object chosen 2.intention 3. circumstances There are many factors we need to consider such as what is the object chosen, who is it intended for or the agenda and the circumstances that surround it. These are the questions that need to be addressed, who, how, when and where. There are mitigating and aggravating situations that are attributed to our actions. Are we nice to someone for the sake of goodness or do we have a personal agenda attached to it or a vested interest. Think of virtue and sin. It is best to always make the 3 theological virtues on loving God our priority. 1. faith 2. hope 3. love. Faith is the opposite of apostasy which is the total denial of Jesus and schism, a refusal to submit to the authority of the Church and the Pope. Hope is refusal to succumb to despair knowing that God will always love and forgive us. Love can be defined as our constant and eager desire to know more about God and not be spiritually lazy. The observance of the law is a demonstration of our love for God and neighbor. It is important for us to know that even man made laws are drawn and based from a moral standpoint. We need to differentiate virtues and sins very well. We have to remember HALT. Whenever we need to make certain decisions we must not be H-hungry, A-angry, L-lonely, T-tired. Sin is anything against reason and truth. To sin means missing the mark. When we sin we almost always blame the devil for it without realizing that some of our sins are self induced due to our concupiscence. We desire what is evil, give in to our weaknesses and stated in Phil. 4:8, we fail to fill our minds with everything that is true, noble, good and pure, everything that we love and honor, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. There is no doubt that God can do a lot of tremendous things for us that is why the Lord invites us to fully soak ourselves in the living waters of God. Not just wade in it or be immersed ankle deep, waist deep nor up to your neck but take a plunge. In whatever situation and stage in life we are in, we ought to keep in mind that there are variables. Just like any variable they continue to come and go in our lives. What we need to hold on to is the constant and not the variable. At this point we need to be sure who the constant is. By this time we should have made it clear that the Lord our God is our constant. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M

 Psalms 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R: The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

...There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. 5 [6] God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn...

There is a truth in the saying that that the best healer is a wounded healer. As in Isaiah 50:6, I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. This is the reason for the Incarnation of God. Jesus experienced everything. He had been wounded and hurt thus He is the best Healer there is. This season of Lent should be taken advantage to make the grace of God a mighty river of grace. We should see the source of the grace, Jesus Himself. The grace is not just a vague force. In today’s gospel we see the man waiting for the pool to be stirred. This is a very big pool in fact to this day, 2 churches were built inside the pool to commemorate the very miracle that took place in it and even pagans go there for healing. We find that Jesus does not take the man to the water. It’s the word of Jesus and His authority that heals the man. He is the source of grace that brings about the healing. The man does not come across to be particularly bright because he said that there’s no one to put him in the water. He did not even bother to ask who healed him and has no idea as he doesn’t go looking for Christ. It was Christ who looked for him. It was a sort of ungrateful way to deal with the healing. Jesus not only heals him physically but addresses the state of his soul as He told him to sin no more. He knows the depths of what’s inside of us. We are told also in a way to sin no more, so nothing worse is going to happen. We want that river of grace to flow from Jesus Christ to us so we pray, abstain and fast to intercede for the grace to come to our culture. We need to use our time to seek the word of God and know the gospel better and better so we have the word that heals to bring to our culture. We bring a word of Christ and its power. Not by our own but we bring that grace by the power of Christ. We bring healing to the dryness and deadly state of our culture. In this way the Lord uses us to help transform a culture of life. In a way this connects to this vision of Ezekiel in the 1^st reading. This is part of the Holy year of the Jews, a year of God’s jubilee celebration for Jerusalem after 25 years of exile. This is a vision of hope at that time because Jerusalem is still in ruin and the temple is a mess. People can’t offer sacrifice for even the priest was in exile. The huge amount of water gushing forth in a land that’s very much desperate like a desert but later on have trees grow there is a sign of hope. This jubilee vision shows how God heals the land of its desert status. It is not only to bring water but to become a permanent spring. The dead sea is 9x as salty as the ocean, meaning it is 27% salt and anyone can die drinking it. To heal those waters is a great sign of Jubilee. We need an outflow of grace into our culture where so much spiritual life does not grow due to materialism and attitude of people who don’t expect to find God anymore. The grace of God would flow through it and bring about new growth of Christianity. The saltiness of the dead sea is a great symbol that we can see in our culture in which no one idea is any better than another. Christianity is just one idea among many and we see strong forces in our culture. People are trying hard to evangelize and make a revival of paganism and worship of witchcraft. These forces are active and aggressive. In fact it becomes institutionalized as we see a campus minister that practices witchcraft or Satanism. We have to be alert of its salt which is deadly. The good news is that the grace of God is more powerful than they are. The grace that flows from God is more powerful if we are willing to cooperate to fight these forces they can be defeated. Every single day is designed by God for us to praise and worship Him through our daily lives, wherever, whoever, whenever we may be and whatever we do. In all circumstances we must choose to praise and thank God through our actions and turn our back on sin. God in today's gospel gives us a warning and a word of caution that Jesus already made us well and it's all up to us to keep it that way and even become the best. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 5:1-16

1 There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. 3 In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. [4] 4 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” 11 He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. 14 After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. 16 Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

MOVE BEYOND

When we come to a situation when we are not getting any good advice as to what we should do next while the unpredictable turn of events made matters worse then we feel trapped.  This happens when our waiting period has been unusually long and delayed already for a very unreasonable time and some are already having doubts and speculations as to the outcome of our present situation. Despite all the negative things that are up coming we continue to hold on to God's word and promise. We may not have expected things to happen the way it did and as we try to look back and recall what we could have done or not, we have to come to the realization that if we have done what God has led us to do and decided then we can be at peace like the royal official in the gospel who believed what was told of him. Due to the urgency of his request which is a matter of life and death since his child is dying, he was expecting Jesus to go with him. He could have insisted on it but instead believed and obeyed when instructed to just go by himself. The gospel speaks to us the same message of Jesus to the royal official to just believe and obey while anticipating for the time when we will be met by the bearer of the good news that we have already claimed, declared and believed in. The sufferings of Jesus won for us the key that opened the gate of heaven. It was through His suffering and death on the cross that we have been saved. It is a huge key that opens up a lot of things. The saving power of God brought about by His sufferings should make us see our own suffering as something that can bring about wisdom, power and transformation. It is in our suffering that our ego and flesh dies. We should allow suffering to make sense and give meaning in our life. In doing this we can be of help and inspiration to others who are going through the same thing. We have to develop a peaceful disposition in the midst of suffering. We have to deal with suffering the proper way by suffering with grace. Just consider everything as preparation. We've got to have joy in the midst of suffering in the knowledge that God's will is in it. If we can only develop this profound understanding that God permits or allows everything that is happening in our life. Though, it is sometimes difficult to accept when we ourselves are confronted with suffering but we have to hold on to the truth that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). God has the power to see and help us through it all. Do we have knowledge of who truly the Lord is as spoken of in today’s 1^st reading in Isaiah. The Lord speaks that the things of the past shall not be remembered. This is a passage that needs to be heard when we go to confession. The Lord is all powerful and is a God who means what He says. When He says, I forgive, He means it. Do we really believe and take His word and what He said? If we truly know who God is then we should believe that the things of the past shall not be remembered. He wills to leave the things in the past. Although we may have no concept of how some things are, the devil wants to play with us, until the day we breathe our last. He would taunt us with such questions as, did the Lord really forget our sins? The saints who have moved into a deeper level or increase of faith believe this scripture. Yes we have sinned and offended the love of God to the point of shedding tears for true contrition but we do not fall into the path of taking back the guilt and shame upon us. The Lord has taken it away, He has healed us. The Lord pushes it away and forgives us with the tremendous love, mercy and power of God to forgive sins. But this is what the devil does, he wants to build a wall to prevent us from moving into a relationship with God. The Lord can forgive everyone as long as we take claim of our sins, shed our tears and fix our attention on the love of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 65:17-21

17 Thus says the LORD: Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight;

We sometimes think that God does not answer our prayers but He does. Let us not fall into this wrong notion, lose hope and turn into different kinds of addictions which cause so much wasted pain and suffering. This is a wicked age and our life should redeem. Only the Lord our God can bring about this redemption in our lives. If the Son of God had His enormous and most unbearable share of suffering for our sake don't we think that we should also bear our own daily crosses? We should have the courage and the strength to suffer for the gospel most especially at this time of the world when there is great hostility to the gospel. To suffer always with the confidence that God who sees and knows all would definitely see us through it all. God is above all our troubles, fears and anxieties, whatever it may be, our ills and even death itself. The "culture of death" and its kingdom has been robbed of its power. Jesus has resurrected from the dead and the kingdom of God is among us. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. John 3:35-36, "The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him." Notice that it is written in the present tense, which means now and will have its fullness when we die and raised on the last day. We begin possessing it even now. There is really no denying to the truth in life that we all have to go through a process of trial and hardship but what's most reassuring is the fact that despite all the disappointment and pain we can all be rescued by our Mighty God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-13

R: I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

1 [2] I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. 3 [4] O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit... For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing. (R) 10 [11] “Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper.” 11 [12] You changed my mourning into dancing; 12 [13] O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

There are many ways that God can manifest His healing to all of us. Sometimes it comes to us in the most unexpected and unique way. All we need to do is believe and it will be done. As humans we sometimes make the wrong call and end up suffering the consequences of our decisions. When we do, we eventually learn the lessons of our mistakes and become more capable of making the right choice, hopefully.  It is always safe to put ourselves in the center of God's will.  God do not make wrong calls the way we do. We can always trust God to do the right thing at the right time and place. In today’s gospel, the royal officer is an example of a person who exhibited an increase in the level of his faith. One of the fathers of the Church said that there are degrees of faith. This man’s beginning of faith started when his son was on the verge of dying. He hears that Jesus is there so he went and walked from Capernaum to Cana and typically it would take 14 hours to do that.  This is the 1^st degree, it takes an effort to walk for hours to see the Lord. The next step is when he hears the word although he doesn’t see that his son is healed, he believed. After that, there’s a deepening of faith that comes. When he heard what Jesus said, he realized that there is power in the word of Christ for what he was told he believed and also for the rest of his household.  There are moments in our faith when we don’t see but do we truly believe that the word of the Lord is true. We know the words but are we convinced and do we really believe Him? It happens to each one of us, we know that the Lord has the power and we come and turn to Him with all our needs but have we reached to the point when we have increased and perfected our faith. During this period of Lent we are invited to deepen our faith. We can’t stay in the level of our 1^st communion level of faith. We need to deepen our relationship with God and it must not remain that way. It is good to look at the level of our relationship with God and see if we have grown mature. We often have an excuse for ourselves. We ought to maintain that relationship with the Lord in the level of a child and yet we are called to mature in that relationship with Him. There is a need to broaden and expand our heart to a greater love. It takes effort and dedication on our part to do this. We must not sound to the Lord as an always, “I need, give me” person who is just concerned about ourselves. God will help us but we have to put our trust in Him. We ask the Lord for assistance and He responds but when we get what we want we forget Him and we don’t go back to Him. This is an immature way of interacting with the Lord. We need deepening of our relationship and to move beyond our current level of faith. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 4:43-54

...Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” 49 The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. 51 While he was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. 52 He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” 53 The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. 

ARISE, O SLEEPER!

Today’s 1^st reading reminds me of this beautician who did a home service to a lady. Being the beauty specialist that she is, she made some suggestions to me. She is an expert when it comes to beauty tips and making her customers look their best. I can not blame her and the others who have a good taste for fashion and beauty when they persuade me to have my hair cut. It has grown very long already and sometimes left it unkempt. I must admit I am very careless in these matters which I really need to improve on. We know for a fact that there are areas in ourselves that we need to work on for the better. Whatever it may be, it will surely give delight to the Lord if we try to be the best that we can be and do everything sincerely from our hearts for the glory of God. Most importantly is that we should always consult God with our decisions for in today's first reading it is stated that not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart. We are all guilty one way or another of being judged or judging others ourselves. This is something that we all do unknowingly, deliberately, just out of habit and without much thought. Today's 1st reading reminds us of not to judge and deal with our fellow human beings by our standard but by God's.  Amen. Hallelujah

1Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13

...the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his  appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”

Psalm 23 assures us where the road of God’s love will lead us because it tells us exactly what kind of road we are heading to if we accept the love of the Good Shepherd. When I was a young child, I used to sing and imagine the scenario in the psalm reading for today. Psalm 23 has a Tagalog song version in the Philippines entitled, “Ang Panginoon ang aking Pastol” I have always loved singing it because of the very comforting words in the song. It has always given me an impression that with God on our side nothing can go wrong and if things seem to look like there is something wrong there is really nothing to fear for He will always be there to defend and protect. Let us not stray away from the Lord and always stay in the flock that He cares for. We may have heard a story of how a lion attacks its prey by separating it from the flock and once it has cornered it and all alone that's the time it devours it. It pays to always stay in the flock under the care of our Good Shepherd. We have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. If we are just to read and understand very well every word said in today's psalm then we ought to find ourselves the most contented and secured person in the whole wide world. There should be no more room for fear, doubt and anxiety. We've got to develop the confidence and faith of a person who have truly believed that the Lord is our shepherd. A sheep without a shepherd doesn’t know where to go and get food. They just stand there looking dumb and hungry. Today's psalm is a reminder and great consolation that we are the sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd as stated in today's psalm. He makes us want for nothing more. We are so caught up with our problems and concerns in life that we become oblivious of God. We do not see the love of God in the midst of these disturbing events. In our journey here on earth we are all confronted with the bitter and harsh realities of life. Let us always remember and never forget that on top of those realities is the resounding truth and most essential one that we have a Good Shepherd. We should praise and thank God for those experiences although difficult served as an inspiration which we could hold on to at times when things do not turn out right. We can be assured that everything is in control although there is really a need to go through a so called "dark valley" of our lives in order for us to be fully aware that we have a God who looks after our welfare no matter how things turn out unexpectedly and not according to what we have in mind. We always have to believe that in the end, God is always on our side to give us the courage to carry on and find that God got us covered. There is one thing sure if we hold on to God as a sheep to the Good Shepherd, we will never be disappointed. The words of God in today's readings give us an assurance that He is always there for us. He said it and He means it then so be it. There is nothing more He could possibly mean when He said that He is the Good Shepherd other than He cares for us. He never forsakes nor abandons any single one of His flock. Sometimes we are confronted with situations that push us to the limits and thus we give way. This should never be the case at any single time. We should not entertain the option that is clearly not pleasing to the Lord even beyond the point of maximum tolerance. We may find ourselves able to resist up to a certain extent only. Thus when the tough gets really tough we would suddenly find ourselves shifting our loyalty. We only find ourselves proclaiming God in our life when situations are favorable. It's such a pity if we would ever come to this point where almost everybody in this world found themselves comfortably positioned. We can easily change positions when things get uncomfortable and easily turn our backs on what is ultimately God’s will for us. As in Rev. 3:16, So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. It is time to make a stand and know which side we really are rather than continue making excuses and justifications. We must not doubt God's ability to be the  Good Shepherd that He really is to us and trust Him rather than ourselves to carry out the plan He has for us.  Just like this old adage, "Never put the law into your hands." We should not take away God's plan from His hands into ours and act like we know better. If there's someone who could perfectly carry out this plan for our lives then that is no other than God Himself. Nothing could be more perfect than entrusting our life in God's hands. Just try to imagine ourselves right now, as is, where is with all our cares and problems in this world. Then try to paint another picture, this time with God as the Good Shepherd that tends the sheep, then picture ourselves as that sheep that the Lord tends. Be still for a moment and try to absorb and allow to sink in the words in the responsorial psalm. In God's loving embrace we are secured and satisfied that there is nothing we stand in need of. If the Lord is our shepherd who could ask for more? Goodness and love pursue us all the days of our life. For as long we're sure that the Lord Jesus is indeed the shepherd who leads us and whom we follow then there is no doubt about this. We should thank the Lord for our daily assurances, confirmation and in all circumstances. God will never allow us to go hungry and will always give us what we need and even more. God is a generous God that when we're feeling hungry or in need of something He is always there to provide, all we have to do is trust Him in His ways, as He has promised. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

We've grown so used to our own personal blindness brought by our sins that we simply sit around and not do anything about it. Today's 2nd reading tells us to arise and be children of the light. If we want to feel, think and see things in accordance to His will then we should simply try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 5:8-14

...Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Sin certainly has its consequences but Christ has transformed it to our redemption. This blind man in the gospel obeys and sees. The 1st person he sees as he opens his eyes is Jesus. God redeems us from our sufferings and transform it for our good. For in today's gospel the Lord reminds and invites us to make our lives a testimony of the wonderful works of His hands. Let us continue to trust God that whatever situation we are in right now it doesn't change the fact that He is God our Creator, powerful and almighty. We might be like the blind man from birth groping in the dark. Just like him let us not hesitate to become instruments in making visible His wonderful plans through us. Let us be mindful of His instructions to us the same way the blind man obeyed Jesus when He said, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.” Amen. Hallelujah!

John 9:1-41

As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see. His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is, “

but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents said,

“He is of age; question him.” So a second time they called the man who had been blind

and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.” He replied,

“If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”

So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “I do  believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.