LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL

We’ve got to straighten up some things about God. Who He is and what He wants for our life. What is our picture of God? It’s not surprising to know that most of us think that God doesn’t want us to have fun. It’s like all the things that we want to do with our friends that are interesting and exciting when we were young was against God’s commandments. It may seem like we have to settle for less. What’s worse is that all the faithful Catholics get less out of life. This is part of the propaganda way back in the Garden of Eden. God gave us a magnificent paradise wherein there is perfect intimacy and no shame with each other. In the Garden they have everything they need but gave just one limit, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting because God said, “Don’t do this because you will die.” The reason why God commands us something is because He is a loving Father who cares for us. He wants us to have the best. But then came the serpent, he didn’t create Adam & Eve, nor gave the garden or anything at all. All the serpent gave was a lie and told Adam & Eve not to listen to God or they’ll lose out and won’t become like God. They were made to believe that God is holding out something from them and is actually their rival because God doesn’t want them to have what He has. So instead of trusting the one who gave them everything, they trusted a stranger. They doubted and disobeyed God. Instead they listened to the liar. They were hooked into a downward spiral of destruction. This is what sin is all about. It is a trap. It is disguised as an apparent good because the fruit looks good and desirable but it ends in disaster. The relationship with God is messed up and so creation turned against them, thorns and thistles appear and things in life become hard. This is what sin does, it seemed small but it gets out of control. Things get worse and worse and there are broken lives everywhere. This is the reality about sin. We are draining life out of ourselves unless we recognize the One, True and Living God. The problem is that there is a great propaganda out there. It makes sin appear with all its fun, excitement and glamour. It makes virtue appear boring, lame, bland and unexciting. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not. The pleasures that God created in this world are enjoyed the most by those who don’t abuse them and use it simply. Who do we think enjoys food most? The person who doesn’t know how to fast and engorges all the time or a person after a fast experiences a feast? The virtuous person enjoys life the most. The person who uses creation and all things according to God’s plan enjoys it the most. It is because pleasure is God’s idea. All the good things in the world that people want are God’s idea. Satan can’t invent even one bit of pleasure.  But God commands them to be used so that it leads to life and a part of life is joy. The way to enjoy life is to follow God’s commands. Life is not all about rules and regulations. God did not just give us a bunch of rules and regulations that we are supposed to obey like machines. What we do does not just proceed from who we are but also makes us who we are.  The actions we engage, the words that we say and the things that we do have an impact on us. We are making ourselves all the time. God created us when we came out of the womb, our mothers and father have a great role in that but our creation continues every single day of our lives. We’re even becoming someone more beautiful, mature and stronger or someone weaker and more despicable. There’s no middle ground. We’re going one way or another. Life leads either to heaven or to hell. That’s what the acts that we commit do. Virtuous acts build in us strength. The word virtue comes from the word manly which is strength and power. Virtue is a habit that makes it easy and pleasurable to do the right thing. Golden virtue isn’t always easy. It is hard. But what is vice, it is a habit that makes it easy to do the wrong and evil thing. Let’s take exercise as an example. People make it their New Year’s resolution and people who go to the gym noticed that it’s packed on January but they’re gone by the 3rd week. If we’ve ever engaged in an exercise program for the first time, we know that we feel bad, tired, exhausted and wake up sore. This is because we do not have the habit of exercise. We have not trained and our bodies are not used to it. It hurts and it’s hard the first time we work out. If we persevere past the first few weeks and developed a habit of regular exercise then we end up getting used to it and become easy that when we don’t exercise we feel bad. What happens is that we build up the power or the virtue. We’ve conditioned ourselves so that it becomes second nature to us. If we want a progressive course we need to do something hard. No pain no gain. The next time we work out we add up a little bit more since we are stronger. We can move forward and grow in our ability to lift weights. This is the deal. The actions we do have an impact of what we are. It’s like when we start lifting weights we start to change and look different. We look like someone who has strength, power and endurance. This is the point, God is about building champions. The goal of the Christian life is to build champions. Well, not necessarily athletic champions but spiritually. A real champion in every aspect of life, God wants us to be strong, loving and wise and to have the power to live life to the full for that is what God created us for. Amen. Hallelujah!

Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

... For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome,...

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.

If we are living according to God's Divine Providence and firmly believe in it then our situations and circumstances should not bother us at all for He surely provides. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Corinthians 8:7. 9. 13-15

...As it is written: “Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.”

Two miracles took place in today's gospel and it should leave us in awe at the tremendous power of Jesus. There is no room for doubt all we have to do is just have faith. The woman in today’s gospel with hemorrhages for twelve years and Jairus whose daughter is at the point of death have something in common. They have faith in Christ. A woman was considered of no social standing during that time, and to be a pagan/Gentile only added to her worthlessness she wan not even addressed with her own name. The woman touched the tassel of Jesus in the midst of the crowd bustling about trying to push and touch Him. As specifically written, Jesus was aware at once that power had gone out from him. The crowd tries to get a hold of Jesus but doesn’t allow the power of Jesus to go out of Him. . How come Jesus feels one woman touched him. What made the difference is her faith. The result of her faith is power. He is present in the sacraments. We touch Jesus in the Eucharist but we have to approach the Eucharist with this hemorrhagic woman’s kind of faith, expecting Jesus to do something for us, as we receive Him. Allow Him to come to our heart, make life better spiritually, give us the power to rid us of the burden of sin. We may not have lived at the time when Jesus walked about the earth and healed the sick but we can touch Him in the flesh. It is true that we are touching Jesus in the sacraments especially the Eucharist but when we do not have faith there is no effect.  Let us not fall into the trap of becoming overly familiar with Jesus as we receive the sacraments regularly or even daily for some. This familiarity makes us lose the awe and wonder of our faith that it wears off. We have to maintain and sustain our faith. Whenever we come in contact with Him let us ask Him to give us greater things, to heal us and change us as we touch him. Jesus is healing us in the way that the doctors can not do and is made possible through the sacraments. Is there anything else that Jesus is not capable of doing? We should answer these questions ourselves and really feel in our heart and impress in our mind the resounding truth about Jesus. If we are to imagine that woman touching the cloak of Jesus to the point that it really feels so real that we could almost feel the cloak of Jesus flowing around Him and touching our skin we would surely feel goose bumps all over. Somehow we could identify with the woman since she has been longing and desiring for a cure to her disease for quite a long time already and we in our lives sometimes encounter situations when we've been waiting for the answer to our prayers for a long time and have utilized every possible means and yet things did not get any better and felt that we were not helped at all but instead made things grew worse. One way or another we may all have felt that way. As days, weeks, months and even years go by we should come to a point when we can also develop that same faith of the woman in the gospel who got cured just by touching the cloak of Jesus and in turn will finally receive the long awaited blessing we all have been waiting for. Another important thing that is being pointed out today is the certainty and reality of death and our desire to live forever. There is indeed an explanation as to why people doesn't want to die and wanted to avoid even talk or mention about death. It goes way back to the time of creation when God never meant for us to die at all but because of our consent to sin, death entered the world. It's a good thing that despite all of these we are assured in Jesus that we can still take part in God's original plan to live life to the full for eternity. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 5:21-43

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. 22 One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” 24 He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. 25 There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. 28 She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” 29 Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” 31 But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” 35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” 36 Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” 37 He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. 41 He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” 42 The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded. 43 He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

FINDING JESUS

 We have a serious matter in our hands. What's at stake here is not just a lifetime but eternity. If we still do not realize it by now then we ought to start thinking about it. It's like putting too much sugar coating and icing on the cake that we tend to mask the real thing. Today's 1st reading speaks of the tragic fate met by the Israelites, the chosen people of God, due to their leniency and corruption. If we continue to live like good times believers and treat our faith like a buffet table wherein we can just pick out the things suited to our taste and leave out what is not then we are heading for real disaster. We can also liken ourselves to good Sunday Catholics but the rest of the week is a different story. We are being reminded by God to follow Him not half way, nor halfheartedly but all the way. Meditating on the Sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary make us think of how Jesus went through the agony in the garden praying with much fear knowing what awaits Him saying, “Let this cup pass me by, but not Mine, Thy will be done!”  When we experience extreme emotions like fear we can sometimes feel goose bumps all over but more than that, blood vessels can rupture which is what happened to Jesus, he bled in his perspirations. Any human person capable of emotions would surely feel the same way knowing that in a few hours He has to go through the flesh tearing scourging at the pillar, the humiliating mockery of the crowning with thorns coupled with spits and insults, the heavy cross which scraped off the flesh in His shoulders and the several falls due to its heavy load, and the ultimate sacrifice of the crucifixion and His death while picturing in our mind every blow on the nail being hammered on His hands and feet. If we have questions in our mind with regards our trials and problems we may want to consider this question, “Why does it have to happen to the only Son of God?” We look at the Blessed Mother's heart being pierced with a sword as she witnessed the merciless slaughter of her only Son whom she carried in her womb for nine months and cared for like any good mother would. In doing so, we learn from the Most Sorrowful Heart of Mary. Amen. Hallelujah!

Lamentation 2:2, 10-14, 18-19

...Your prophets had for you false and specious visions; they did not lay bare your guilt, to avert your fate; they beheld for you in vision false and misleading portents. Cry out to the Lord; moan, O daughter Zion! Let your tears flow like a torrent day and night; Let there be no respite for you, no repose for your eyes.

When we are bent on doing something we have a tendency to be oblivious of everything that is going on around us. We are too focused on one thing that all other things just fade in the background. This happens when we value something very important and precious to us that we can't afford to mess it up. It's funny how we can become like this for the fancy and fleeting things of the world but so indifferent when it comes to matters of our soul. I guess we are all guilty of misplaced values. This could be due to the fact that we are still in this world and what we see, feel, hear and hold takes first place and our priority is the here and now. It is sad that we neglect what should clearly come first. May we be ready at all times for we really never know the day or the hour.  Whatever answers we seek can not be found elsewhere but only in the tremendous love of God for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21

R: Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

1 Why, O God, have you cast us off forever?...Let not the oppressed turn back in shame; may the poor and needy praise your name.

The gospel speaks of one's love and concern for a fellow human being no matter who that person is. God also sees the love we have for each and every member of our household/family and He will always come to save and heal us just like in the gospel. It also serves as a reminder to us that just like that centurion we should have that unwavering faith in the word of God and seek to follow His lead always. It is very overwhelming to know that such power and authority of God is existent in all people, places, time and circumstances. There is no limit in what God can do for our lives. All we have to do is have faith, never doubt and just believe and it will be done for us. Just like this Gentile Roman centurion who did not belong to the race of the Chosen People and yet was reached by the power of God we, too should develop in ourselves this great faith in God no matter what. In fact, the words of this Roman Centurion resound up to this moment and time as it is being recited in the Communion Rite every time there is Holy Mass being celebrated all over the world. Jesus has defied the cultural barriers of faith and demonstrated in today's gospel that He is indeed over all, in all and for all. It is good to examine ourselves if we have the same humility and faith like the centurion right before we accept Jesus in Holy Communion. The centurion knows that Jesus can heal his servant. He humbly asked the Lord and showed Jesus an act of faith. St. Jose Maria Escriva once wrote, "We are going to receive our Lord on this earth, when we receive an important person in our home we bring out the best, food, lights, music and formal dress. How should we prepare to receive Christ in our souls? Have we ever thought of how we must behave if we should ever receive Him only once in a lifetime who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords? Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 8:5-17

5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”...And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” ...

ANGELS & SAINTS TO THE RESCUE

I was reminded of the time when I suddenly felt like I am going to pass out. I could not breathe and was having cold perspiration since I did not eat breakfast and missed dinner too. I was still in Church and almost in a panic when I found myself unable to recite the remaining 2 decades of the Divine Mercy prayer although I was still able to stay until the end of the prayers I barely managed to get myself up to walk to the door. And just right on time and what I needed, a sudden gush of strong wind blew my way as if fanning my whole body. It totally refreshed me and felt better. A lady whom I don’t even know offered to bring me home. Though, I declined and told her I’d be fine since I was already feeling better, I was overwhelmed by her gesture of kindness. Whenever I look at the circumstances that surround it, I must say that God wants to show me how He keeps us safe and sound and never runs out of angels whether in disguise or real people. This is why I am reminded again of the angel miraculously imprinted in the fresh petal I got from a healing service in Oct 21, 2007 which I am still keeping with me to this day. We all had experiences wherein we can not deny the hand of God guiding and leading us through our circumstances. Even though we are already in a difficult situation, if God allowed us to be in it then God will surely see us through it. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 12:1-11

...“Now I know for certain that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”

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. 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. 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!

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R) 7 [8] The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 [9] Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

If we will just be very grateful to God for all the things He has done for us and try to look back and recall we will find that all throughout our lifetimes we really have a lot of things to be really thankful for and find that we can never out give our God. We should be able to say the very same words in today's 2nd reading with much conviction knowing that we did our best for God's greater glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

...I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith...The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from the every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Aren't we glad that today's gospel assures us that we have a Church built by Jesus Christ and nothing can prevail against it? We can actually learn a lot from Sts. Peter and Paul and their example. Both were very committed to our Lord. They were willing to leave everything behind and follow Him. They both lived out the cross of Jesus. We see the recognition of St. Peter in today's gospel which shows that he is very committed to our Lord and followed Him. Peter's proclamation of the truth made him a solid foundation of the Church that not even the gates of hell shall prevail against it. As members of the Church that is founded on solid rock may we become like Peter always ready and confident in announcing the truth about God. Although there is a series of problems despite this commitment, Peter was the one who told Jesus not to talk about His dying and being crucified in Jerusalem and got told, "Satan, get behind me." He was also the one in the Garden of Gethsemane after a series of important events like the transfiguration with James and John and the raising of Jairus' daughter, cut off the ear of the high priest servant with such impetuosity but also the one who denied Christ 3x.  St. Paul was also a man who made a serious commitment to Christ. He has a Roman citizenship and came from the tribe of Benjamin. He came from an affluent family that he was educated under the supervision of this prominent teacher, Gamaliel. St Paul mentioned in the scriptures that he was a persecutor of the Church but was converted to Christ. With true humility he recognized how bad he really was and doesn't deserve the favors that Christ has given him. He was willing to talk about his failures. We look at Peter and Paul who both gave a testimony of their blood for the gospel. They preferred to be executed and tormented rather than change their testimony. In doing this they both highlight something else especially St. Peter. This is the kind of man that is chosen. He is very much the man like each one of us. We can also make the best choice that is presented to us. We must recognize that our lives have to be a life of dying to ourselves. This is something that we could learn from and be the Lord's instrument for the redemption of our world. Praise and thank God for sending not only angels but also saints to the rescue. Let us try to remove all obstacles in our path. This reminds me of Sister Loreta's garden in Walnut. I am so impressed at how it looks like. Despite the scorching heat of the sun during summer time her garden remains beautiful. It is does not dry up. I found out from her that whenever the gardener comes to mow her lawn she will immediately water it while the roots are exposed. Just like in our life we really have to cut off or remove excess baggage or useless garbage in us that prevents us from making the garden of our life emerge in full bloom. Funny, how we sometimes find ourselves saying one thing this minute and then another thing the next. Just like Peter in today's gospel, we witnessed the sudden shift when in the first part of the gospel, Jesus was commending him for having professed a truth that can not be revealed through flesh and blood but through our Heavenly Father. But in the latter part, Jesus rebuked him for behaving otherwise. This tells us that no matter how totally unreliable we are, at times. God does not give up on us. He continues to shower us with grace and mercy and it is all up to us if we will respond with faith and humility the way Peter did who persevered despite of all the struggles until the last hour. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 16:13-19

...He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Mathematical equation of life

When a person turns 18 it is considered a milestone and a major turning point in one’s life. I even noticed here in the US that people at the age of 18 are already very independent. They move out of their parents' home and live on their own. Unlike in the Philippines or for the Filipinos, most of them continue to stay knitted even after having a family of their own. But I guess, this is beside the point, whether we live with our parents or by ourselves, are independent and self sufficient or not at the moment what should clearly be our goal is that we do what's pleasing in the sight of the Lord and follow His good example and everything else will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

2nd book of Kings 24,8-17.

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his forebears had done...

Most people I believe will agree with me when I say that who we are today is the sum total of what we've done in the past and what we're still doing in the present. But the most important part of the equation that we should never forget to add in our life is the Multiplier, for whatever it is that we can do, is just a small fraction of what God can do in our lives. There is no doubt that the Lord will show us the right path if we go to Him at all times. Sometimes we go through life not really knowing what we're missing. Let us no longer miss out but rather benefit and enjoy in the goodness of God. We sometimes wonder how an act of obedience to God can seem so difficult at times even if we know for a fact that it is for our own good. It is our sins that draw us farther away from God, bury us deeper and bind us in chains. It all begins in just a slight act of disobedience or negligence on our part which takes a hold of us and before we know it we've gone so far away from God. Let's not wait any longer before it's too late. The time is now for us to repent and go back to God. There are 2 bible verses which I consider very special and of great importance to me. The first is from Romans 8:28 which says that, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God,who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son..." The second one is from Ephesians 6:10-17, "Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one.And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." It is noteworthy that we realize the important aspect in this bible passage about the need to wear an armor and most especially for us to realize the need for a weapon when we engage in battle and the only weapon mentioned is the sword which is the word of God. Sometimes we tend to look at things in a general way and miss the important details or only see, read and hear the things that we want and do not take the words of God in its entirety. There are lots of prosperity preachers who present the word of God in this manner and tend to overlook the equally important details and instructions that God also wanted us to pay attention to. God has definitely made it clear that everything will work for good but just the same, we have to take note of the following words which say that we need to conform to the image of Jesus. We definitely should not miss nor overlook this so that we can surely be saved and delivered. It is inevitable that we always give praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 79(78),1-2.3-5.8.9.

R: For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Do not hold past iniquities against us; may your compassion come quickly, for we have been brought very low.

Help us, God our savior, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, pardon our sins for your name's sake.

                  

If we really love God then we will listen to His word and act on His will. The love of God is inseparable to love of His 10 commandments. The gospel reading for today compelled me to share the lecture of Atty. Jess Moya  on the Fundamental Catholic Moral Principles.

1. We can never do evil (i.e. "intrinsically evil") to bring about good. The end never justifies the means, Rom 3:8; Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1753, 1754 & 1756) Examples that were given are killing to save lives/abortion/euthanasia/artificial contraception/ethnic cleansing. The error of "Consequentialism" states that good intention is not enough. We may have the grandest intention but if your means of attaining it is not good then we should never resort to doing it at all. The same is true with the error of "Proportionalism" wherein the good desired outweighs the evil. These are just means that mitigate the problem and can never be a solution. If worse comes to worst then it can even aggravate it.

2. The principle of double effect can be applied if a good act may have evil side effect (CCC 1737) and have fulfilled the following conditions: good must be willed, must not be the result of the tolerated evil and good desired must equal/outweigh the evil effect. An example given for this is a mother who needs to undergo a life saving operation (tumor has to be removed) while she is pregnant but in the process miscarriaged her baby. The miscarriage was not intended or deliberate but is just a result of the operation done.

3. The principle of Totality states that for health reason, may mutilate, modify or remove an organ or body part. An example is removing a gangrenous arm or leg in order to save or extend the life of a person or mastectomy-breast removal due to cancer.

4. We may choose the lesser of Two Evils if the conditions are: both are unavoidable evils and must not intend the evil outcome. An example is a pilot left with no other choice but to crash the plane on a school or a residential house and he has only a few seconds to decide before he ejects himself and he decided the lesser evil which is crashing the plane in the residential house.

5. Counseling the Lesser Evil only if we are faced with an unavoidable evil and the evil outcome must not be intended. An example is if you are being robbed and instead of being shot with a gun suggested that he steals everything he/she has just to spare his/her life. To advise a robber to steal is not good in itself but is a lesser evil if we are faced with an unavoidable situation of being killed when pointed with a gun. 

"God has equipped us with the totality of the means of salvation and we can overcome with the grace of God." Let us continue to call on the Lord but be sure to do His will by acting on the words that we heard from God and be like a man who built his house on rock. Amen. Hallelujah!

 Gospel

Mt 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven..."Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

THE DECEPTION

Today’s readings remind me of that incident in 2008 at St. Martha’s when a lady lost her purse. We had already started the Divine Mercy and Rosary Devotion that we regularly pray after the morning mass when the said lady approached us and inquired if we have seen her purse. When we responded that we didn’t see her purse I could tell that she even became more anxious and very worried. The moment we resumed our prayer, I silently prayed for her and felt God spoke in my heart with the message that her purse is not really lost it was just misplaced. I whispered to Sister Marcy who was sitting beside me the message that I got. True enough, after a while the woman came back with her purse, she said that she got it from the rectory because somebody (a senior citizen) took her purse by mistake and she was already on her way home when it dawned on her that she did not bring any purse to church and got somebody else's purse. Upon realizing it she immediately went back to Church but just decided to give it back to the Rector's office since she didn't know who owns the bag. This experience with the woman who found her purse is one of those times when I actually felt and found God speaking to me in my heart that's why Sis Marcy who was with me at that time told me that I have the gift of discernment. Just like this woman who was spared from more worries because she finally found her lost purse may we also find our way to following the will of God. We should all yearn for the gift of discernment so that we are well guided in the things we do.  It is sad that we sometimes have to wait for something very tragic and terrible to happen before we realize our shortcomings to God. Just like in today’s 1st reading we, too have a tendency to think that the misfortunes happening are caused by God. It is usually our guilt that makes us think this way rather than our sincere intention to repent and repair the damage we have caused. Whatever it may be, which could be a number of reasons that we sometimes realize sooner, later or never, it should always be the great love of God for us that should be our driving force and wind beneath our wings. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3

8 The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD.”...“Go, consult the LORD for me, for the people, for all Judah, about the stipulations of this book that has been found, for the anger of the LORD has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfill our written obligations.”

Another interesting event I am reminded of is one of the MI (Militia Immaculata) Meetings we had in the past  wherein we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly by saying our names, parishes where we belong and the time when we were consecrated to the Mother Mary. I can never forget the date I was consecrated (March 15, 2008) since it was the same date, but in 1995, of my mother's death anniversary but I would rather call it her birth to eternal life. It was highlighted by another significant event which was a dream I had at that same time of my aunt, Tita Edna who passed away on March 24 in the year 1992. The dream was quite interesting and very vivid because I saw Tita Edna  riding in a van and the moment I saw her I took off immediately and ran after the van which I almost missed if I did not leap and managed to make it to the door of the van from which I almost fell. When I finally made it inside the van, I saw that she was about to eat so I offered her a hand sanitizer and saw that it made her so glad that I had it. She immediately applied it in her hands and thanked me for it. It suddenly gave me the impression that the van could be a symbol of our transportation to heaven. It is very difficult to catch that ride, we have to be always alert and vigilant we might end up missing it and worst never be able catch the ride ever again. That is, if we are too busy with other things we tend to neglect what should we be paying attention to and end up missing out on our ride and get a different ride which instead of bringing us to heaven, be brought to another destination which I guess none of us would like to be. We must always know on whose authority we are basing our actions. It will always help to examine ourselves and really be aware where our loyalty lies. Are we for God or against God or are we just for God in the superficial sense?  If we are deeply rooted in Him then we can withstand that horrible day of trial  and still find ourselves persevering in our faith. Just the thought of ending up in hell should really make us pray fervently to God.  Today's psalm teaches us the way to always be attuned to God's Spirit in order for us to truly see the word of God, as the light shining like a lamp for our feet. If we really want to be truly happy then there is just one thing we have to always do that is to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord. We can never run away from the probing eyes of God because nothing is hidden from Him. We sometimes have this impression that our God requires impossibilities from us. We misinterpret and take things in a different way whenever we hear of rules and regulations to be followed. The decrees of our Lord are not meant to make things difficult for us nor do they burden or tie us down. This is the deception and we should start looking at it the right way. Just imagine life without God's decrees to guide us, it would be very disorderly and chaotic. It's like driving in the freeway wherein one can just go his or her own way without any regard for any traffic rules and regulations. Real freedom is the ability to follow God and being totally free of the grasp and hold of sin that brings death. Some sins bring instant death but others just like cancer slowly creep in and before we know it has already eaten us up whole.  God loves us so much that He has given us His decrees because it is in following them that we become totally free and live. The only way to true freedom is by following God's commands. In doing this we become free of the bondage of sin and live a power filled life based on the Truth. We should believe that if there is someone in and out of this world who is most reasonable, just, fair and at the same time loving, caring, slow to anger and rich in kindness that is no other than our God. One thing for sure, if He requires us something, He will definitely equip us for it because it is written, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If we commit ourselves to following God then we will surely be blessed. Allow me to use the word "luck" or "swerte" in Tagalog in lieu of any other more appropriate word like blessed or pinagpala in Tagalog since I have always been hearing this word being used very often by some people in reference to certain situations within the broad context of this word. I just couldn't help but share it, first and foremost due to some personal circumstances. We often hear people say to another who is about to embark on something challenging, “good luck” If the word luck may have been associated with whatever negative meaning then consider it excluded from here and out of context for the mean time. Let's just say we would like to broaden the scope of our vocabulary. This is to further drive the point or message in today's psalm and is actually the catch here. This is to come up with an induction that following the law of the Lord is just as synonymous to being blessed, lucky, swerte or pinagpala or any other word that we could closely associate with this. It is not very easy to lead a life like that of the saints who followed the example of Jesus. Ignorance is not an excuse. We should always seek to enrich our knowledge about God so that we will continuously grow in our faith. Our world is ever changing with all the new technology coming up, it's so surprising that whatever is considered the latest and gold standard today may not hold true the following day. If there's one thing we should rely and hold on to in this very dynamic world of ours, then it should be something constant and enduring.  It gives us great consolation that we have a God who is true to His word. We may have heard it but we haven't learned yet. It is a lifelong journey and quest to know God better. Nothing can be more rewarding than having great peace in our lives. We can make this possible by adhering to God’s law and committing to following it in word and deed. It will always be well for us to consult the scriptures that shed light and give understanding. It is only right that we follow the law of the Lord if we are really for God then our works should follow us and testify to who we really are. We've got to make sure that what we sought and yearn for, is what should bring us genuine riches, true delight and the most precious treasure which the world can not give and only God can bring about. It is only right that we follow the law of the Lord if we are really for God then our works should follow us and testify to who we really are.

Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40

R: Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

33 Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them. (R) 34 Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. (R) 35 Lead me in the path of your commands, for in it I delight. (R) 36 Incline my heart to your decrees and not to gain. (R) 37 Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain: by your way give me life. (R) 40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your justice give me life.

When we are unaware of some things that are going on around us we end up doing the wrong things. Only after we’ve done it do we realize it and sometimes we are still blessed that we can still undo or edit what we did but sometimes too, there are things that are so difficult to undo or edit or no longer possible at all. Today’s gospel gives us an important tip in order for us not to fall into this trap. It is important that we know what fruits we should look for. It is not the fruits that this world bears that should serve as our guide but the fruits of the Holy Spirit. They are love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. I believe that God is continuously manifesting His gifts to us. Together with all the gifts that He wants to bestow us through the Holy Spirit are the fruits that will mark our whole being as God's own. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 7:15-20

15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them.”

GOD'S PREFERENCE

There are times when we fall into the trap of going through our lives as if nothing makes sense and just go with the flow. This happens when we pray less and become more familiar and adapted to the worldly set up we have grown accustomed to. There is a need for us to make a conscious and determined effort to live each day for God who is our Creator. Everything around us and in our lives become significant and take on a different meaning when we draw close to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Kings 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36

...“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made the heavens and the earth. 16 Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!...

We may all come to a point in our Christian walk of faith when we are no longer sure if what we are doing is the right thing. It is so hard at times when we are confronted with people and situations that are difficult to handle. Some may look at what we are doing as being impractical and inappropriate when we make decisions that are not conformed to the existing and current standard of this world which is always after personal gain and glory. No matter how confusing things may be, let us continue to consult God with regards to our plans and totally entrust everything to Him. After having said and done what we are supposed to do then we ought to be always confident that God can make things work for good and turn it into a blessing. For as long as we stand by the principles and values of God then we can never be wrong. God knows our every thought, motive and intention and if we act on it based on what is just, true and peaceful then we will never be disturbed. Nobody can fully understand the display of such great faith revealed in the life of the martyrs and saints of the Church. It is only safe to assume that we have a great and awesome God who is able to surmount the highest mountain and make all things possible. Thus it is noteworthy that today's psalm reading is reminiscent of this song that is usually sung in charismatic gatherings. Here’s the lyrics in Tagalog, "Si Kristo ang sandigan hindi magigiba kasing tatag ng kabundukan di magigiba." (In english, Christ is the wall we are leaning on that is as strong as the mountain that never crumbles.) When we go to our own churches and parishes we almost always ponder on the goodness of God and as we do this we look forward to someday dwell in a much greater place of worship in the city of our God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 10-11

R: God upholds his city for ever.

Of justice your right hand is full.

To make disciples we need disciplers and evangelize. St. Paul said “I am a disciple of Jesus, imitate me.” Live the gospel, become living witnesses and role models. The disciples leave many things behind. Despite of who the disciples are God loves them. Before they met Jesus some of them were greedy and corrupt. When they followed Jesus they left everything behind. We have to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal things to us. We have to throw away all our garbage in our character and relationship like vices, lust, pride, anger, materialism, being stingy in giving treasures to the Lord. We still have a lot of things to be transformed in our lives. As in John 10:10, A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. We need to remove the fear of surrendering to the Lord. The disciples of Jesus love to be in the company of the Master. They talked, walked, ate and spent time with Jesus to learn. They were with Jesus 24 hours a day and so must we to be His disciple. Here are some recommendations from the retreat in order to be a disciple. First, we have to greet and thank God before we get out of bed and wake up. Say our prayers and read the bible. When we worship God we close our eyes. Make a habit of praying before starting and after work. Pray before meals even in public places. Pray for safety when we travel and pray before we go to bed. A disciple transforms his/her past for God’s purposes. God uses all our past experiences for us to attain the kingdom of God. Jeremiah 17:10, I, the LORD, explore the mind and test the heart, Giving to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their deeds. We should obey God and be willing to live in the edge and take risks. As God wants us to be totally subdued to His will, He also warns us to be careful in dealing with the people that we encounter. It is inevitable that there are times when we really have to deal with them but this should not discourage us for it is all part of truly becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”

THE WARNING

We have a God full of love and the reason He warns us is because we are so stubborn and hard headed. God knows what await those who will turn away from Him not because He is a punishing and avenging God but because the consequence of disobedience and sin is catastrophic. Since He is holy, He could not stand the sight of sin and if we are not under His guiding and loving care then it will surely be a disaster. When will we ever learn? Since times in the past, that of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the prophets, the kings, in exile, the return and ultimately the coming of Jesus up to the period of martyrs, saints and to the present time, we never seem to listen at all. If we look at the present condition of our world today, we'll find so much chaos and disorder. People have lost their anchor in God and have been following their own selfish and worldly ways. Sometimes we need not look to the world anymore but in our own personal lives and be pronounced guilty as charge. How can we neglect and take for granted the lessons that God is teaching us everyday in our daily circumstances. God has been constantly reminding and teaching us but we have become stiff necked in the sense that we have decided to follow our own desires, shifted our focus and evade the real issue. We are misled by the seemingly good things or the half good and half bad suited to the taste seductions of this world. If we are not careful we might find ourselves totally drawn and find difficult to get out of it just like what today's 1st reading is telling us. God never gives up on us on the other hand it is us who give up on God. God has sworn a promise and He will be faithful to keep it if we stay faithful to Him. Amen. Hallelujah! 

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18

...13 And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and seer, “Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes, in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers and which I sent you by my servants the prophets,” 14 they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who had not believed in the LORD, their God. 15 They rejected his statutes, the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and the warnings which he had given them. 18 Till, in his great anger against Israel, the LORD put them away out of his sight...

Only God can deliver us from all our troubles. God is watching us in every breath, move, step and smile we make. Everything is a grace from God. It's about time we realize that no matter what our human efforts and geniuses do without God's grace, it will all be for nothing. We still exist because God's hand is upon us. The moment the Lord lets go of us we can all be gone in an instant. We need to be in touch with this reality at all times for us to always be reminded of the truth that without Christ, we cease to be.  Look at the word Christian, remove Christ in it and the only letters left are I, A and N which stands for I AM NOTHING. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 60:3, 4-5, 12-13

R: Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.

...10 [12] Have not you, O God, rejected us, so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies? 11 [13] Give us aid against the foe, for worthless is the help of men...

We should always be merciful to our brothers and sisters and always allow the Spirit of Love to prevail among us. Let us always strive to do our best in committing ourselves to the work that God has entrusted to us.  In our own personal lives whatever may be our situation we are all called to respond to God's call through the daily circumstances, situations and people that we meet in life and be guided always by the values and principles in today's gospel. We would be well if we will not forget but look back and recall the things that God has done in our lives and give back to God by answering His call, not holding back and daring to even go further and beyond what we think we are able to do. Our human tendencies make us judge wrongly. We tend to go by the standard of this world, our selfish desires and the temptations of the devil. These 3 things, the world, the flesh and the devil operate jointly to keep us from following the will of God in our life. The rules of this world are subject only to the exigencies of its nature which is purely external, material and physical. If we conform to the calling of this world we might find ourselves disposable and useless sooner than we think. This world of ours is friendly to the young, strong, wealthy and powerful. The moment they all cease to be then we'll find ourselves abandoned by the world. Our selfish desires feed only our ego and before we know it we are more hungry and empty than we used to be. The devil is so jealous of human beings that it is his mission to see us all rot in hell. He makes use of all his strategies and techniques to lure us in a very discreet way and before we know it we are already unable to get out of the trap we have fallen into. We must pray to God to keep our minds, eyes, ears, hearts and all other senses open to His grace. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 7:1-5

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. 3 Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? 5 You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

THE KEY & SIGN

Our God is incomparable for He loves us with a love greater than any other. From the moment we were conceived in our mother's womb, even before we were born, God already knows each one of us by name.  Let us always align our will, intentions, motives and actions with God. It is always good to check ourselves constantly and regularly at every given opportunity. Nothing is ever wasted nor considered useless for as long as we offer it to God. We have all been called by God for a purpose. He already had a plan laid out for us even before we were born. We are that special to God. Let us not forget our holy calling from God. Let us become the man or woman God has meant us to be and live each day of our lives in answer to this call. The readings for today continue to reflect on the Holy Servant Songs of Jesus. The mention of being called even from a mother’s womb, the 2 edged sword and polished arrow are symbols of God’s words. The Word that reaches to the ends of the earth, penetrates the hearts of people and able to separate soul and spirit.  The passion and death of our Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies more than 500 years before this event took place. It is part of the plan that God revealed to the world. We have to develop an awareness of these things and Jesus Christ Himself. Let us constantly build our confidence in God who never fails. There is really nowhere else to go but to Him alone. By just looking back at our past and present we can only come up with just one thing which is God is constantly at work and in charge of our lives for as long as we live even unto death. Many of our brothers and sisters all over the world suffer persecution for their faith. This is a fundamental human right proclaimed to be enjoyed by everyone. Religious freedom is the path to peace according to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. It is a sacred right to have religious freedom. Without openness to the transcendent, a human being withdraws to himself and fails to experience authentic freedom which leads to violation of other human rights as well. This is vital in building a just society.  Wherever religious freedom is denied human dignity is offended with a resulting threat to justice and peace. We can not deny the assistance and various contributions of religious communities and believers. It has proven to be effective for the promotion of the common good. This is a force that could not be reckoned with or the truth that we can not deny. No matter how radical secularization tries to eliminate any reference to religion or any input the voice of religion may have. It can not ignore the religious dimensions of a society. This is a truth that we can not deny. Authentic religiosity is the source of a loving approach of brothers and sister as a whole family. It has to be freely chosen according to one’s conscience and not violently imposed. God beckons humanity with a loving plan and calls for a free and responsible answer that engages the whole heart. In Romans 7:19 it is written, For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want. Fr. Dennis gave us a sensible answer as to why St. Paul in his letter to the Romans said this. With the recent violent killings and crimes being committed that doesn't seem to make sense we may want to consider why some people resort to such things and where it all began. Here's an answer, (just one to the so many answers we can come up with): inside the womb of a woman where a child is conceived and everything is being planted. Pregnant ladies and soon to be mothers can benefit from this and should very well take note of the following. 1. Our very source is God and He is good as stated in Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you,a prophet to the nations I appointed you. But during formation of a child in the womb the flaws and imperfections in a person arise. Everything we've become is a by product of what a mother plants in her child while inside the womb. It is the plant love, hate etc and reap love, hate etc formula. A woman once asked Father why her child became a kleptomaniac and she was asked to recall her pregnancy and remembered how she used to love getting things that are color red without permission. We may not be aware of it but this is where we acquire the wounds of our soul. What you sow or plant is what you reap. Formation of a person starts inside the womb and is the foundation of every human person. It's just like a building if constructed with a weak foundation may crumble and fall and a tree can be uprooted very easily if the roots are not strong. . 2. Our guide and solution is to look at the attitude of Mary who is the 1st educator of Jesus who is conceived in her womb. Blessed Mother Mary, pray for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 49:1-6

1 Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. 2 He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. 3 You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. 4 Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. 5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb,...

Technology has become so advanced nowadays that nothing remains unknown for long. With the latest in probes, sensors and the like in just one click of the computer everything is laid before us. Sometimes it just goes too far and out of bounds and we fail to conform and align all these innovations to the Author and Inventor of all these things. Let us not forget, He is the source of everything there was, is and will be. In the midst of all the trouble we're going through it is always a consolation to know that we have a God who knows every single thing that is going on with us and He cares and loves us a lot. For indeed in today's psalm reading is another confirmation that God knows our deepest thoughts and longings. We should always be aware of this undeniable truth that God's Spirit dwells in each one of us. There is no reason to doubt what today's psalm speaks about with regards to our relationship with our Creator. May we not forget and always remember who we are before the eyes of God. We can never allow our flesh, things of this world and the enemy to lure, confuse and deceive us any longer. It helps to always remember what St. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:11-13, "Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day..."  We are who we are in the eyes of God and not what the flesh, the world and the destructive enemy wants us to believe.  We are special to God, He calls each one of us by name. We should all value the special care and attention that God has given to us as His most valued among all of His creation.

This reminds me of this lady who used to ask me, "How do I look?" I would always reply, "You're beautiful." But she would say in return, "Oh you're full of baloney" and every time I would just laugh back at her. Eventually I got inspired to respond to her differently when I told her that it is not baloney but it's biblical that we are all beautiful. In fact the Tagalog translation in text message that I have received is quite funny, it goes something like this, "Kilabot sa ganda, nanginginig pa" (I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.) which is stated right here in today's psalm. As man, we have the concupiscence or the natural inclination to the flesh, lust, greed and pride. The perfect formula for self destruction is based on this popular and well subscribed saying that goes like this, "If it feels good just do it." Pope John Paul II in his book, "Splendor of Truth" said that the power to decide what is good and evil is not within the power of man. This is clear in the book of Genesis when He forbid our 1st parents to eat of the fruit from the tree of good and evil. God gave us the free will and the source of conflict came from the inability to acknowledge God as our Creator and that only Him can define morality. Man doesn't make rules of morality, we only discover it. The 10 commandments are an expression of God's love and the means to have true freedom which means the ability to do what we ought to do and not what we want to do. Catholic Morality is under attack as issues on abortion and artificial contraception have become so liberated. We should be firm in our stand not give in or budge an inch as we stand by the teachings of the Church. We should all value the special care and attention that God has given to us as His most valued among all of His creation. Our life is precious this we know is true as stated in today's psalm.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

R: I praise you for I am wonderfully made.

1 O LORD, you have probed me and you know me: 2 you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. 3 My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (R) 13 Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. 14 I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. My soul also you knew full well; 15 nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.

We belong to God's family. If everything is clear about this truth then we ought to think, speak and act in accordance to it. Let us not make of ourselves a disgrace and dishonor to the family we all belong to. Let us uphold and carry out the prophetic, priestly and kingly ministry we have all been given as part of this one and great family of God. May we, like David from whom a Savior has been born become a well from which springs forth a generation that God will surely be proud of. Let us firmly hold fast to the principles of Catholic Morality (from our Catholicism study by Atty. Jess Moya). Morality is defined in the dictionary as conformity to ideals of right human conduct but based on Catholic principles is further defined as fully conformed to God and His will, an expression of our love for God and follows the moral law. It is clear that God has defined morality and not man. Morality is objective. It is defined by God's revelation not subject to man's will. We are warned not to be enticed by the tempting appearance and enticing call of this world like the flies attracted to sugary coating of the fly paper, got trapped, unable to get out and eventually ended up dead.  In Rom 12:2, it is said that we should not conform ourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. That is in order for us to have the right relationship conformed with God by obeying the teachings of the church which is an extension of the Body of Christ meaning God is with us. God has equipped us with the totality of the means of salvation and we can overcome anything with the grace of God and achieve true freedom and joy.

Moral law is known by human reason (Natural Moral Law) and perfected by Divine Revelation. Divine revelation is God's way of communicating His will to us. We submit to God's will because we are created in his "image and likeness" (Gen.1:26-27) and our ultimate end is to be with God. We are in this world but we are not of this world. We came from God and we all go back to Him. That is what our life is really all about since all of us will die someday and each day that passes should be thought of as a day closer to God. Since our end is God we should all know how to relate with God. In John 1:12 it is said that we are the adopted children of God. We are partakers of the divine nature of God (2Peter 1:3-4)

Morality is Universal. It applies to all people in all places and at all times. Holiness is our objective and by doing so we should be closely united with God. We have a higher dignity than that of the animals and we should not degrade ourselves since man is a spiritual being. Animals do not communicate with God only humans pray. St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until it rests on God." We are compared to a donut which has a hole in the center that needs to be filled in by God.

Man has the duty to educate his conscience. An uneducated conscience can err. Everybody has to keep on forming our conscience and our standard is the word of God and the Holy Spirit. It helps to know of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, peace, joy, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. The Church is the final and infallible interpreter of moral law. This is not dependent on the kind of church ministers we have.  Law of Catholic Morality is the purest and highest form because it comes from God. A famous man once said, "I do not need a Church to tell me that I am wrong when I know that I am wrong, what I need is a Church that tells me I am wrong when I think that I am right." Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI rallies against the principle of Moral Relativism which relies on the "it depends" justification. We all have the "Freedom of Conscience" and we can choose to have a good, lax or bad conscience depending on whether we will not or will adhere and obey the teachings of the church. Another principle that almost all people of this world fall prey into is the "Fundamental Option" which states that if there is no specific rejection of God in my heart then there is no sin committed. This is where the issue of a lax conscience falls. A person shapes God according to his/her own image instead of us, humans, His creatures adjusting to God's own image and likeness. Morality is unchangeable for God does not change. We are obligated to conform our conscience to the will of God. There is so much chaos and darkness prevailing in the world today because of the endless redefining and constant injection of other beliefs into our moral values which was long before established in the 10 commandments by Moses. And even before Jesus came for He Himself said that He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 13:22-26

22 In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king; of him God testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel;...“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.”

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. We can never deny the awesome and wonderful signs that God has wrought in the life of St. John the Baptist from the moment he was conceived, the time of his birth until he fulfilled the ministry and call that God has given to him. If we are to look very closely and intently at our own lives there is no denying to the truth that the hand of the Lord is always with us. It is up to us how we live this truth, whether we grow and become strong in spirit like John the Baptist is a choice we have to make. He is a well known figure in our Christian faith. We can surely learn from his example and live out God's mission for each one of us to its fulfillment. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 1:57-66, 80

...All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.