WANNA SEE YOUR FUTURE?

There was this sharing in Didache entitled, "In His time" and it just hit me straight in the heart. Just like this lady who wrote it, I was in a period of waiting and significantly enough for quite a number of years at that time. She said in her sharing, "I opted to “wait for further instructions” and accepted a part-time job in a nearby school in the meantime. Three years later, I was invited to serve in the Basic Ecclesial Community of that parish. It turned out to be a much bigger job than any ministry I could have started on my own. I heard the Lord correctly three years earlier but it was only prophetic. It was not yet His time. I’m glad I chose to “remain in the city” — working only in the vicinity and ready to be uprooted anytime. So when He called, I was available."

In Oct. 7 2007, I too heard the Lord's message through Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the

tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”. 

I too waited for a long time that is why when I read this sharing and today's 1st reading it all just connected. We may all have reached a point where we run out of answers to the questions we have. We never expected that things would sometimes turn out the way it did. If we had only known then we would have opted to do things differently. We come up with a lot of speculations as to whether things are going to get better or worse or how things should be done. Although there had been some inconsistencies and misgivings, for as long as we have already complied in everything that is possible in order to meet all the requirements then we should put our cases to rest. Despite the oppressing reality of the uncertainty of a situation we would be surprised at how we manage to still carry on with everyday life. It helps to always take notes and journal our daily walk with the Lord. In doing so it allows us to recall and remember the important reminders in life. Just like the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. When they were about to lose hope after everything they had been through from beginning to until close to the end which looked like nothing good is going to happen, Sam Witwicky still stood his ground and believed. There are times too when things start to look really bad and looking back at all of it we can borrow his words in the movie when he said, "We wouldn't have gone this long and far for nothing, I believe there is a reason and a purpose why we are here.” They say there is no such thing as coincidence only divine providence and I truly believe in this. The people we meet, the places we go to and the situations we are confronted with speak volumes of messages to us. They confirm, emphasize and make us reflect on vital issues in our life. Marvelous signs, wonders and miracles, these are only teasers of what really await us. We have to be wise and know where our loyalty lies. Come to think of how God arranges the events in our lives in a wonderful pattern that if we really take a close look and pay attention to our God we'll find out that every single thing works and happen for a wonderful reason which are all bound to work for good.  I can still remember during the writing phase of my MS thesis way back in 2002 when I was told by my adviser after finishing the manuscript that I still have to include the statistical treatment for my experimental data. I was so confident already that statistical data is no longer needed for my experiment since I thought it is not applicable to microorganisms. I have done so many experimental tests already and thought that my work can obviously stand alone without it. I was wrong, I did need it and I was surprised at how the statistician applied several tests and proved without reasonable doubt that all my results were significant and with a high confidence level. Without it my thesis from my own point of view is in itself sufficient but it has to satisfy all requirements in order for me to successfully defend it. It is a consolation that today's 1st reading gives us an assurance that through the power of the Holy Spirit all things are possible. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts of the Apostles 1,1-11.

He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak;...he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father... "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."...

Sometimes we marvel at people who are able to see through the future or are able to forecast things even before they happen. I know only of one thing that there is no need for us to consult any other except God who resides in our hearts through His Spirit dwelling in us through the sacramental life of the Church. There is a lot more about Jesus our God that we haven't known yet. Looking back from the time of Abraham to the time when Jesus came and thereafter is just more than we all could ever handle. Every single day of our life is an opportunity to discover more and more about a God who loves us more than we'll ever come to know. There are lots of insights and opinions that could be brought up and help pave the way for a broader understanding of God's word. Different points of view and personal observations could be raised which could make us realize that when looked at the specific angle where the person who said it was coming from can never be judged as wrong. We all have this personal differences and unique characteristics but what's most important is that we recognize our inadequacies that even if we fail to fully embody the infinite wisdom and intelligence of God and just reflect a tiny bit but when put together under the lordship of God our King can amount to some thing really inspiring and great. When we contribute to the wholeness of God's people and become one then indeed, we are the body of the Church and the temple of God where God reigns as the Head and King. We have a wonderful God worthy of all praise. We all belong to the Creator of this world where we live, the God Most High. There is no other greater dignity than this to be sons and daughters of God who is King of kings, Lord of lords and Almighty God who is with us. I’ve been doing my daily run no matter how toxic and tiring it is at times. It was all worth it because exercise does not just benefit our health but can also become a source of enjoyment. When we get to see the beautiful view of the outdoors like brightly colored green trees, flowers, mountain, tiny little squirrels running in the sidewalks amidst the sound of whistling birds, rustling of the leaves as the cool refreshing wind blow in our faces and spread the pleasant scent of the different plants along the way, they could create a wonderful and invigorating feeling which leaves us in awe of our God who is the Creator of all.  We just might find ourselves singing this song.

You are beautiful beyond description

Too marvelous for words

Too wonderful for comprehension

Like nothing ever seen or heard

Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom

Who can fathom the depth of Your love

You are beautiful beyond description

Majesty enthroned above

Chorus:

And I stand (I stand) I stand (I stand) in awe of You

I stand (I stand) I stand (I stand) in awe of You

Holy God to whom all praise is due

I stand in awe of you

Repeat Chorus

Holy God to whom all praise is due

I stand in awe of you

Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (6)
R: God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
1 [2] All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, 2 [3] for the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. We should hope and pray that the work that God has commissioned for each one of us to do to build up the body of Christ and to spread the good news will attain to the fulfillment of its ultimate and highest goal in making Christ known to all people. The gate of heaven has been opened through Jesus and we have gained for ourselves an access to heaven. The tomb is empty and the fullness of His glory is truly present in us all. Jesus both God and Man has taken humanity into a new intimacy with God and invites us to a communion in Jesus Christ. He is the one who ascends to heaven, something that we can not do of our own power. But He enters into the fullness of His priesthood just like what the 2nd reading tells us today. May we continue to be open and experience the awe that is characteristic of our God who never stops to inspire us. For God can satisfy all aspect of our lives, it is no longer a question of faith. In all these things, to God be the glory!

Amen. Hallelujah!

Letter to the Ephesians 1,17-23.

...May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might,...

We see in today's gospel if we read further the divine power of Jesus Christ as He ascended into heaven. He is now seated in the throne at right hand of the Father. He has passed from death to another life beyond time and space after His resurrection. The risen body of Christ was not recognized immediately by Mary Magdalene and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. His appearance was different in the resurrection from His earthly presence. His humanity has entered into the glory of God. He was filled by the power of the Holy Spirit and sharing in the divine light of God's glory. He is fully present in the spiritual realm of the God the Father. Something of course that He has from the very beginning since He shares in God's full divinity. He just wanted to share this glory to us. He has entered into the glory of God to inspire us, the faithful to offer our homage and adoration. The glory of God that appears and disappears can only be discovered in the realm of faith. He is inspiring faith in each one of us. His resurrection has reached its full significance in this salvific event, His triumph and victory over sin and death. We remember that He was condemned to death for claiming that He was the Son of God. With His resurrection, He is confirmed and raised by the Father. Not raised like Lazarus who died again but He is raised never to die again. He said that when He is lifted up we would know that He is the Son of God and confirms His claim about His divinity. He has defeated sin and death. We are truly free. His resurrection is the principle and source of our resurrection. He is the source of new life for everyone and manifests our adoption as children of God. He is life itself. It is a hope that inspires faith and charity in us towards Him. He is the source of life and our future resurrection. He dwells in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery we come in contact with in the resurrection. In the ascension we see an even greater or another difference in the veiled glory of the risen one and that of Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Who is His Father and our Father. Remember He said to Mary "Do not touch me as I have yet not ascended to the Father." As He ascended in the clouds and into heaven we look upon the full glory of God. The clouds symbolizes the fullness of glory as we recall in the Old Testament the clouds that descends in Mt. Sinai and the Transfiguration (Lk. 9:35) in the New Testament. These speak of the fullness of glory. The resurrection and ascension, all confirm that Jesus Christ is alive. Pope Benedict says that the ascension does not imply a temporary absence in the world but rather inaugurated the new, definitive and insuppressible form of His presence by virtue of His participation in the royal power of God. We find in today's gospel that Jesus told them that all power in heaven and on earth has been given to him. This has inspired and empowered them as they became His witnesses and told the world of what He has done. In this communion with Jesus and in His power over death, to resurrect and ascend into heaven, we too have the power to proclaim what He has done for us. We all have the mission to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in whatever way we can by our actions, love and words. Jesus gives to us His Holy Spirit and He hands over to us everything that He is. Marvelous signs, wonders and miracles, these are only teasers of what really await us. We have to be wise and know where our loyalty lies. It helps to think of the precise and awe inspiring messages of the prophets in the bible who were able to confirm one another despite the vast difference of time and space when they got the messages and the time these messages were found, compiled and written. An example is in Dan 7:13, Ezekiel 2:1, John 19:5, Mt. 26:64 and Zechariah 12:10 wherein the the name "Son of Man" is mentioned and is also frequently used by Jesus in the New Testament (NT) referring to Himself. Also in Daniel 7:25-26, Leviticus 26:18, and Leviticus 23:34-35 which confirms each other in the message about obeying and making holy the Lord's day. And several others like in Daniel 12:2, Mt 25:46 and Jn 11:11-13 as the earliest clear enunciation of belief in the resurrection of the dead. The presence of angels in Daniel 7:10 and Mt. 4:11.  The book of Daniel is considered also the forerunner of the revelation. (Daniel 5:25, Daniel 7 and Revelation 12) Come to think of how God arranges the events in our lives in a wonderful pattern that if we really take a close look and pay attention to our God we'll find out that every single thing works and happen for a wonderful reason which are all bound to work for good. Each one of us has his or her own calling and it is well to know what God is asking us to do. In whatever it is that we do we can well be assured of the truth that He will always confirm it through accompanying signs. We would know deep in our hearts whatever it is that God wants us to do. No matter how big or small the task may be God will never leave us groping in the dark and will always hold us by the hand to guide and enlighten us in the path that He wants us to take. The best way to live our life is to always glory in the truth that if we have God in our life then we are destined for greatness before the eyes of the Lord. If there's one thing in this world that we can surely depend on and even put everything at stake just to follow that's none other than the direct and precise admonition of Jesus in today's gospel. We are all called to answer to this call and if we are not yet fully convinced and dedicated to our response then we should not delay any longer for the time to do it is now. It is not just a command that we have to obey for nothing. We are assured by the Lord that He will be with us throughout the end of time. No worries for He's got our backs covered and won't let us down. He is surely going to see us through it all. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 16:15-20

15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up serpents [with their hands], and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. 20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.