There was this time when we had a conversation with regards to this person who easily pass judgment on people although, I am sure that he doesn't mean anything really bad about it and was just very careless in his choice of words and say things without much thought and little care. Although this is the case, I was suddenly reminded of what I have learned from several talks and seminars I've been to in the past which happens to be explicitly demonstrated in today's 1st reading. It tells us of the story of Creation. God created the world with a single command of His words and everything came to be. There is power in the words. We ought to say them with care and caution and choose to say words that build and create at all times. God created the world through His words. There is power in words. We ought to realize this and take advantage of this by using words for creating something good and beautiful. Let us not fall trap to the wrong use or choice of words and take for granted what it can do and not do to us. We also sometimes say things that do not build and create goodness but rather destroy and cause trouble. If we can't say anything nice at all we better not say anything at all. Therefore, we have to use words wisely and only when necessary. God has created for us a really wonderful place to live in. Everything we need and we'll ever need is right before us. God loves us so much that He designed a perfect world for us to live in. We have a responsibility to care for the environment because it is a gift from God. If we start to become more conscious, aware and involved then we can surely develop an attitude that is godly and from it will eventually and inevitably arise a love for a God, though Infinitely Great, Omnipotent, Almighty and beyond our full understanding is also Gracious, Generous and is able to make all things possible. Amen, Hallelujah!
Genesis 1:1-19
1 In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. 2 And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. 3 And God said: Be light made. And light was made...11 And he said: Let the earth bring forth the green herb, and such as may seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, which may have seed in itself upon the earth. And it was so done. 12 And the earth brought forth the green herb, and such as yieldeth seed according to its kind, and the tree that beareth fruit, having seed each one according to its kind. And God saw that it was good...
Only to God should we place our trust. He is a God who will never forsake nor abandon and will do for us much more than we can ever know. I am reminded of the talk delivered by Fr. John Hampsch, CMF entitled, "Don't take woe for an answer". He discussed not only about optimism per se but within the context of the Christian virtue, hope. He quoted Rom 5:5 which describes hope in God as something that doesn't disappoint. It is good to always put our hope in the Lord who make all things work together for good for all those who love Him.(Rom. 8:28) He said that we should always face the sun for the shadows to go behind. Come to think of it, I only realized it when I heard it, I guess it's another way of making us realize that if we are always facing the Son of God, Jesus who is the Light of the World, then every shadow that darkens and blocks the light in our lives will go behind us. He said there is only one place where there is only complete total disappointment for there is no hope of relief and that is hell or Dante's inferno. He further described Christian hope as not confined to the standards of this world and transcends emotional hope. It is an assurance or certainty of something good as in Ps. 42 where several times the words, "Put your hope in God" were repeated. Hope is a virtue infused by God in our wills not only in our emotions. Trust God with complete certainty. He quoted, the Council of Trent declaring that, "No one is certain of salvation.” This is somehow contradictory to what St. Augustine said that "You should think of salvation as if it were already certain." The certainty of salvation is as certain as our own existence. He explained that there is really no contradiction in the sense that the uncertainty comes from our side as human beings and not from God. He said we have the free will to choose our salvation. He reiterated the importance to see to it that the truth we heard remains in us and if it remains in us then God is surely assuring us of the certainty that He is on our side. It's just like finding something beautiful that we would never want to let go and remains forever. He mentioned the forces of evil that tempts us to become unfaithful. But God assured us that no one can snatch us out of His hands but the problem is if we choose to pull away from God. In the face of real challenges only those who stay firm in God's promises will hold and survive. It is given that God never abandons us, only we can abandon Him through the choices we make. In this present time of great trial and hardships we have to discover the grounds of hope which is rooted in the so called "Tripod of Hope" by St. Thomas Aquinas: 1. faith in the power of God (2 Thes. 1:11-12) 2. faith in the goodness of God (Ps. 146) 3. faith in the promises of God (Heb.11:1-2; Ps. 145:13) Sometimes this tripod is placed in a slippery floor of despair, conclusion of fools, neglect of faith and the like. We are called to always have faith and hope in God as written in the 1st book of Peter. If we feel like we are experiencing a hardship just like Job and starting to lose hope then we are called by God to stand firm and be joyful in hope. (2 Cor 1:5-6; Rom 12:2) Nothing or no one else can make or break us, only God gives and takes, this is something we have to realize, first and foremost. Everything is by the grace of God. It's about time we stop using words and saying things about our being human other than what we are in the eyes of God. May our thoughts, words and action be inclined to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. There is really no more denying that we have a God who created all of us including everything here on earth which has been appointed and assigned in its designated time and place for our continuous guidance and reminder. All the beautiful things around us speak of the greatness of God's creation He is great and Almighty. Thus we should always give thanks and praise to God as we say the psalm today. May we all have a grasp of this great and wonderful relationship that exists between God and the world or His creation. Jesus is intimately present in Creation as the wind and air like a force of love. All that is good is a reflection of divine love. It is infinite and eternal that generates from nothing and from the beginning of time and creation does not merely occur and end there but an eternal support of the Holy Trinity present in all creation. Especially in us, present in a special way since we have a soul and spirit. The Holy Spirit is the moving force when God speaks with His word. This is something we lost in original sin but was restored through the action of the word made flesh in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35
R: May the Lord be glad in his works.
...How manifold are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have wrought them all — the earth is full of your creatures. 35 Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia
The homeless people were always present whenever there's an activity like the Coalition for the Homeless. They flocked around St. Martha's to avail of these services and benefits being provided for them. In fact several prayer groups and ministries were not able to conduct their regular meetings there because the rooms were being used for this purpose. In the same way the people in today's gospel scurried about just to get near Jesus and be healed. They are both in need of something they lack thus they scurry about to get near the source of this need. We may not be homeless and sick as these people in the gospel and in St. Martha's but just like them we, too need to scurry about to Jesus who is the source of all healing be it physical or spiritual. More than 2000 years ago, Jesus in His earthly ministry was perceived by the crowd as Healer. They believed that even the tassel of His clothes can bring about healing. Jesus may not be present to us anymore walking in physical form of flesh and blood like He did before but we must realize that He makes Himself available to us to be touched through the sacraments. In the pouring of the water and oil those things themselves, heal not because of the properties it has but because of Christ. He instituted these things as an extension of His flesh. He took flesh in the womb of Mary in order that we may be recreated through the experience of His flesh. It is nice to think about the connection of the pen and the hand to write a book. The ability to write in connection to the soul acts through the hand with a tool such as the pen. Today's gospel illustrates us these wonderful connections that we can benefit from as believers of Jesus. The tassel connected to the human body of Jesus has the ability to heal. In the same way that the 7 sacraments is God and the presence of Jesus’ flesh that heals. We must thank God for the sacraments that we can each receive to fulfill what creation was meant for from the beginning. The 7 days of creation and the 7th day, the Sabbath. We must not neglect this truth and through grace we must prepare ourselves for this. We thank God that we can touch His cloak in the sacraments. Amen. Hallelujah!
...They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.
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