NOAH'S ARK

The Lord relented in wiping out all of creation because Noah found favor with the Lord. He always gives us all the chances we could possibly get. Just like in the case of Noah during his time, it is always man who does not respond to God's mercy and grace. It is about time that we act on this truth and not let it just pass us by and find ourselves drowning and lost as in those people who did not follow Noah's example. I am reminded of the time when we're on our way to the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in LA, Sis Maria said it is raining cats and dogs since it was really a very heavy downpour.  I hoped not because of my endless singing in the car of the old and traditional charismatic songs that I used to sing in the Philippines but are no longer being sung in our prayer meetings here in the US. I was really thinking hard and trying to recall the lyrics and the tune of that funny children song about Noah and his ark. Today the 1st reading is about it.   Noah and the ark is another great story in the bible that I used to love reading and hearing about. As a young child I used to love leafing through the pages and read all over again the stories in the Children bible books that my mother bought for us. There are a lot of nice pictures and the text is printed in big and bold letters. It had helped me a lot in the early stages of my Christian faith. I can still remember very vividly how the wicked people looked like in the picture while they are laughing and making fun of Noah who is building the ark. Somehow, I know that it has become instrumental in building up my faith in God who is Holy and Mighty. When we come across these teenagers who are full of life and passion. Being young, they seem to be ready to do anything that their hearts and minds have set upon. Realizing this now and being able to spend time with teens and being able to react and observe them closely made me confirm even more the roles that each of us have in the formation of these young people that is the hope and the future of the coming generation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Book of Genesis 6,5-8.7,1-5.10.

When the LORD saw how great was man's wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil,

he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved...Then the LORD said to Noah: "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just.

I could still remember up to now the pictures in my children bible books even the feeling of awe and amazement in their faces while looking at the pictures back then. What is still left in my mind and etched in my heart has formed part of the foundation of my faith which has always made me profess the glory, honor and power that is due to no other than our God. No matter how hard we strive to do things right we always sometimes end up failing in one thing or unable to carry out what we intended to do. We always mess things up no matter how efficient and effective we think we may be. Whenever we think that we've got everything under control, something comes up which tells us that the situation is not so. Things do not always happen as perfectly as we wanted it to be. Whenever we are on edge and have to do one thing after another or even have to do several things at a time we sometimes reach a point when we can't take anymore. This is because we are so limited in our capacities and capabilities. In times like these we tend to feel so depressed and exhausted that after so much effort nothing seems to be enough. It is when we should realize that through our imperfections and failings that we come into terms of the truth that we need God. We should find consolation in knowing that God does not have any shortcomings and failures and can always bring about perfectly in His time everything He intended to do. Through our baptism we all became sons and daughters of the Almighty God. Is there anything in this world that is worth more than this? Just think about this and be filled with the honor and glory bestowed to a beloved child of God. We are all called to this inheritance to be adopted sons and daughters of God through our Lord Jesus Christ who has purchased for us this privilege and honor. No one is excluded or exempted from this. It is just by our own choice and free will that we can get a hold of this for it has already been made available for us by Jesus our Redeemer and Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

R: The Lord will bless his people with peace.

1 Give to the LORD, you sons of God, give to the LORD glory and praise, 2 give to the LORD the glory due his name; adore the LORD in holy attire.

Although we know that our God is Perfect and Holy today's gospel from Mark depicts a God who has somehow grown impatient over His disciples, if that could be the right word. He sounded tired for having to remind them over and over again when they should have understood well enough given the several times Jesus has manifested His divinity to them and after witnessing His power through all the signs, wonders and miracles He did right before their very eyes. We can not deny the fact that we too, are like that when we fail to see, hear and understand in the way God wanted us to. Though, God has made all things possible for us in His goodness by allowing things to be within our mind's reach if only we would turn away from our stubborn and mindless ways. We can always choose to open our minds, hearts and senses to God's inspiration and promptings because this is definitely within our reach and capacity and God in his goodness will definitely not refuse to fill us to the brim and overflowing. Today's gospel also speaks of the yeast. It is written, "Be on your guard for the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod." Also in Gal 5:8-10 it is said, "That enticement does not come from the one who called you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident of you in the Lord that you will not take a different view, and that the one who is troubling you will bear the condemnation, whoever he may be." The baker breaks up a solid block of yeast and spreads it over the dough, and just a small crumb of yeast causes the bread to rise. The secular culture constantly sprinkles its yeast into our lives. It is very sad and frightening but it has taken on a very consistent pattern in the lives of men and women of this world. At first, the reaction is initial shock but later on move to neutrality then to a life of sin. We have seen so many devout Catholics who started out good but then eventually stopped going to mass for fear of being judged as a Christian prude. We all know where these things are headed and sadly enough this leads to a lack of faith. One small thing leads to another until we come to a point where we start living a life of unfaithfulness to the commands of God. As it is written in 1 Cor. 5: 6-8 , “Your boasting is not appropriate. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Let the unleavened bread of the Eucharist be our bread, where our Lord is truly present. If life permits it, we should daily go to Holy Communion. We have to toss out the yeast of the world and culture. Although we want to transform the world we still have to be cautious and be on guard. We have to let the Eucharist raise us up and lead us to our vocation of holiness. The world tries to lead us away from God. We are all disciples of Christ. Every disciple is responsible in his or her own measure, for the spread of the faith. We’ve all been given a sphere of influence and upon all Christians rest the noble obligation of working to bring all peoples throughout the world to hear and accept the message of Jesus. The Church is founded to enable people to share in this vocation and enter into relationship with Christ. The Apostolate from the word mission means one who is sent, a missionary and this is a call to and for all. We have to do our part by taking part in the Apostolate as dictated by our vocation, state of life, employment and health.  We have to live our Catholicism and strengthen it. If we will just try to look very closely at the richness of the resources we have at hand at the present moment in order to fully comprehend the love, goodness and mercy of God then we can honestly say to ourselves that we are very blessed. Let us not waste every opportunity that comes our way daily so that we may become more and more knowledgeable about God in all aspects and grow more in our love and faith in Him.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 8:14-21

...Jesus enjoined them,  “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. 17 When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?