POWER OF THE CROSS

What hold our attention and interest range from a variety of people, places and things and we express them by engaging in various ways and means. Some are hooked in business, sports, entertainment, romance, travel, food, fashion, current events, issues with nature, outer space and all other things we can think about that we can consider profitable, enjoyable, fun and worthwhile to do. We had our moments and stages wherein we’ve been there and done that. Coming from this point of view, we eventually realize whether now, soon or later that ultimately we must acknowledge the fact that if there’s one thing that should hold not just  our attention and interest but our constant admiration is the truth that is stated in today’s 1st reading because it has definitely got it all. It is reminding us of the things God has to go through just to show His great love. It sounds impossible when we hear about this kind of love that God is sharing to each one of us. This should give us the confidence and courage to carry on. Jesus is God, King of Heaven and earth and the Master of all and Creator but took the form of a slave and obeyed to the point of death. If we are to look at ourselves and try to figure out who we really are as compared to God's greatness then we should not even think of boasting anything about ourselves but rather we should always be compelled to follow His example in our own little way. No matter how inadequate and insufficient we are as a people we still try our very best to bridge our gaps in the best human way we can. This should make us realize how much more can the Lord do for us in His Godly power, resources and love. Christ divested Himself of His dazzling glory and majesty. He was lost in the crowd, lived in obscurity for the majority of His life and was thought to be Mary’s boy and Joseph’s son since it was only in the last 3 years of His life that He went public. When we are on top of everything there is greater danger of turning away from God knowing that we have lesser need for God. Humanity has become so full of itself. There is a need to be empty and sometimes the only way we can fill up ourselves with God's grace and breathe life into us is through a painful and difficult process. We are asked to empty ourselves of all that is false, ignoble, and unreal so that we may become filled with Christ. Because nature abhors a vacuum and so does grace. We must be filled with something. Tragically we are filled with all kinds of desire, we want to be applauded, be promoted, be consulted, be loved and be preferred to others. John the Baptist gave us our ideal, I must decrease and He must increase (John 3:30) . All the foolishness, unreality, intolerance, selfishness and the sin that is in us must decrease so that we must fill the vacuum with our Lord who wants to share our life. Whatever happens to us happens to Him and He wants us to let Him share because only then will we find the rest that we pray for. A long time ago St. Francis cried out loud, “He comes to His own today and receives Him not.” And so we live lives that are restless, confused, frustrated and unfulfilled because we do not share our lonely life with Him. So the prayer we learn as children and the prayer that is said all over the world among Christians should be our prayer now, Make our hearts like the meek and humble heart of Jesus. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI points out this route through Jesus as the way to ascend to God. The orientation of the believer changed when Jesus came. When Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of sacrifice, He forever reconciled man to God. Jesus goes out to Jerusalem as a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed in the eyes of Israel. He goes beyond to a New Jerusalem which opened for us the frontier from earth to heaven. In view of all these we can always have confidence in all our actions and decisions if we have consulted every plan we have to God in prayer.  We experience peace and serenity that no amount of wealth, fame and power can offer. The joy in our heart comes from knowing that every single step of the way God is guiding and directing us. Most of all, we have to learn the lesson that goes with everything that we've been through and realize that there is nothing else we can do best but to totally surrender our will to Him by being obedient to God at all cost. For we are the dear children of God and everything become beautiful in His time. Amen. Hallelujah!

Philippians 2:5-11

Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

An artist works his way through a piece of art like a clay and marble by molding and shaping it into a masterpiece. It is a painful and difficult process of change and transformation. Just like clay and marble being molded and chipped away.  When we go through life and experience its different struggles we become one with Jesus in His suffering. If we understand the reason for human existence, the older people get the greater should be the respect they get. Each and every step is imbued with the power of the Master. We need to walk the way that Jesus walked. The easiest way is God's way. The pain of the cross is essential. There is no other way since there is a pedagogical structure in suffering or the cross wherein only greatness comes forth. Whenever we reach a point where we feel like we can no longer hold on and about to give up then we must not forget that our God is always with us ready to help us. If He was able to suffer His only Son on the Cross for our sake then there is really nothing else He can not do for us. Our security lies in the knowledge that God is always with us. We should always have this hope in a God who loves us so much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son to the point of a humiliating and gruesome death so that we can start a new life with Him full of joy and prosperity. If we decide for God in what we say or do in all circumstances then we can surely experience the joy and happiness that God has in store for His faithful people. If we are all set and very sure where we are headed then nothing can stop us from being there. Considering, too that we have a God who has secured a place and our future for us. John 14:1-3, " Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." Nothing or no one can prevent us unless we ourselves decide not to go. The truth is, it's all up to us. If we decide for God in what we say or do in all circumstances then we can surely experience the joy and happiness that God has in store for His faithful people. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32

R: I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

25 [26] I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. 26 [27] The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: “May your hearts be ever merry!” (R) 27 [28] All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall bow down before him. 29 [30] To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. (R) And to him my soul shall live; 30 [31] my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the LORD 31 [32] that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown. (R)

In today's gospel, we are again reminded of choosing to do the right thing and not make excuses. We will really never know what we are missing unless we become wise for God in the choices that we make. We have to make up our mind and make our choice. We can not be undecided, there is a need to be counted and make the right choice. Sometimes when we are not careful with the choices we make and preoccupied with other things then we tend to neglect what is essential and important. We may find ourselves living day in and out without any meaning at all. We have to know our priorities and set it right. In our list we should always make God our top priority in everything we do so as not to miss on the main course or the special menu that God has prepared for those who have been invited and were able to make it. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Gospel

Lk 14:15-24 

One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves... The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’ ”