THE SEEKER

I was so impressed with the way Dr. Scott Hahn from EWTN show, was talking about angels. He discussed about this topic with such great enthusiasm and confidence that I should say everybody who heard him was convinced. His face lighted up and was animated as he described the angels based on what he extensively read, researched, studied and experienced. He was trying to relate this belief in angels which dates back to the time of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, Joshua in Jericho, Manoah, Samson, Gideon, Isaiah and Ezekiel. He said that angels are best friends who are intelligent and strong and whose purpose is to minister and bring God's gifts to His people. We can see all throughout the bible the revelation of angels and how they have rendered an incredible service to mankind extended to the New Testament to Mary and Joseph. What we are doing right now in the Catholic Church with regards to our practices has long been established in a holy pattern in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus Christ. The angels are all subject to the Lord’s bidding. We are sure to receive tremendous blessings if we are to ask from our Lord who resurrected from the dead. Favor, anyone? If God has power over death then what else can't He overcome. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:32-37

...With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all...

Death is not a respecter of age or health. A person could be young or old, healthy or sick and the worst part we can never tell when it's coming. Only God knows the length of our days and to Him alone do we entrust everything. God is powerful and we can surely be at peace with Him. We have confidence in a God who chose to step down from His throne and became a helpless baby for our sake.  Though, an infant He holds the world in the palm of His hands. He alone is King. We have an Infinite and Almighty God and no words are enough to describe Him. Thus we can only translate those that go beyond words into the spiritual. The spiritual is real although not material or physical. We have our free will which is immaterial and thus fall into the spiritual. It makes perfect sense that we unite our will to God. It may seem an impossibility to be holy and pure and at all times. For man it is, but not for God. We can trust God to supply us with all that we need to do whatever it takes to be worthy of His kingdom. If we believe that God calls us then He can surely and absolutely equip us for the work and plan He has for us. The uniformity of the message in today's readings from the 1st, Psalm and gospel can not be denied. God constantly and persistently send us occasions and opportunities that will always remind and confront us of this great attributes of God which are all better than life itself. It is very important to call on God in prayer at all times. He is Christ the King. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R: The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

...Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD. (R) 5 Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.

It's funny how some of the movies I have watched somehow convey the same thought and message that the gospel for today speaks of. I had shared about this boy in the movie entitled, "The Seeker" who almost got killed and defeated in the battle to save the world when he almost failed to see what's right there with him all along. He was in search of 6 signs and the 5 he already found. He didn't realize that he no longer had to seek or look for the 6th sign and final sign which is himself. The same is true with another movie entitled, "The Vanishing" is about a man patiently and faithfully searching for his lost girlfriend. He went to the ultimate test when he willingly subjected himself to a very dangerous and unknown situation that almost cost him his life just as so he could find out the truth about what really happened to his girlfriend. Not many of us would be willing to put our lives at stake if not for the one thing that we consider all worth it. Today's gospel, Nicodemus was also in search of something. We all too come to a point in our lives when we look for something we thought we do not know or we really do not know. We are all seekers one way or another. Sometimes when the discussion is about our faith and religion things go out of hand and there may be some misunderstandings that may rise up along the way. It is so difficult at times to really impart what we know about our faith if we ourselves are not too knowledgeable about these things. If Jesus Himself experienced this difficulty with a teacher of Israel, how much more with us? It is good to know that Jesus who is the Son of God and the Authority on all things is reminding us in today's gospel that we as His followers are also subject to this. It is somehow a wake up call for all of us to really strive hard in knowing about our faith not for purposes of debate but because it is our duty to spread the good news about Jesus. We have to discover more of the heavenly things, really believe and be very convinced of it. What matters most as we read the gospel is the truth that if like Nicodemus, we go to Jesus who is someone we all know to be worth all of it then we can surely find what we are all looking for. The story from the Old Testament of Moses lifting up the serpent for those bitten by a snake to look at it and spare them from dying is a reminder of God's endless offering of mercy to heal us from our sins. Jesus was also lifted up but on a cross to die like a criminal as payment for our sins. For only the righteous blood of Jesus can satisfy the justice of God. The price of eternal life bears the blood of His only begotten Son. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 3:7b-15

...Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ... And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

THE PRAYER

The power of prayer can not be denied and even if we don't see the same manifestations as in the 1st reading today we should still continue to pray. Even if it seems like nothing is happening with our prayers then we shouldn't lose hope and keep on praying. We should always gather all our strength to rise up to pray. We should be encouraged by this bible passage and decide that if there's one thing we should always do and never abandon that is prayer. Peter and John in their prayer did not just utter words but they quoted the Scriptures as foretold by the prophet David. There is indeed power in the words of God which we sometimes fail to fully recognize and give credit to. If we only know of the fullness of this truth then we can always be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit just like the apostles in Jesus' time whenever we pray. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:23-31

After their release Peter and John went back to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them. And when they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, you said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples entertain folly? The kings of the earth took their stand and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed.’ Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do what your hand and your will had long ago planned to take place. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

We have a God and Father who loves us so much. We need not always seek for answers and expect things to go our way. All we have to do is to keep on trusting God's goodness and mercy because there are really no answers to most of life's questions. These words in today's Psalm reading are the ones quoted by Luke in the 1st reading from Acts that we belong to God, we are begotten by Him. I have always believed in the power of the word of God. There is a need for us to study and know the scriptures for our own welfare. God in His ultimate wisdom and love gave us access to the Holy Scriptures in the bible. We are so blessed that we are living in a time and place where both the Old and New Testament have already been written. We have the privilege to access them, freedom to take part in studying the Word of God and freely express it. Nothing could be more valuable than this. If we are totally convinced that we are God’s children then we ought to rejoice and be glad. The Lord has spoken and promised in today’s psalm and so shall it be. Remove all traces of fear and doubt for our God is able. This reality should not leave our consciousness every waking moment of our lives. There was one time during our bible study although it happened a long time ago I could never forget it when I was particularly touched by the closing prayer by Sis Lucille because she specifically cited that particular verse in Habakkuk 2:3-4 "Then the Lord answered me and said, "Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets so that one can read it readily, for the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint, if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late." It has given me renewed strength and courage having to be reminded again of that promise and the assurance of God that He will bring to fulfillment all His promises and felt that it was another boost and assurance for me especially at that time when I sometimes succumbed to despair and hopelessness. Since it was the book of Habakkuk we were discussing at that time, Sis Millie also shared of his brother who had a problem and was just holding on to the word of God particularly the one from Habakkuk which also holds a special meaning in his life and even shared about it. It was very inspiring and had my spirits lifted up. God is good. He'll never leave nor abandon us. We are all special to Him. God never really disappoints even though we are already on the verge of failing and falling, He will always be there to make a way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9

R: Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? 2 The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the LORD and against his anointed: 3 “Let us break their fetters and cast their bonds from us!” ... 7 The Lord said to me, “You are my son; this day I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession 9 You shall rule them with an iron rod; you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.” (R)

How can you explain the tragic events that are taking place all around us? There isn't any good explanation for all of these especially with the kind of news we see daily on television like the death of a very young man. I didn't know much about the life of this person and even if I did, I didn't think I could still offer a sensible one. What's most important is the truth that we have a God who oversees all these things and is surely capable of making all things work for good. Life is indeed a mystery. We can attain peace and contentment in the midst of all the turmoil and chaos around us only with the knowledge that we have a God who is able to make all things work for good. Sometimes we go through life thinking that we need to look for something without realizing that it is right before us. Today's gospel reminded me of a movie I watched entitled, "The Seeker" which was a story of a young boy who was the 7th son of a 7th son. He was foretold to save the world from darkness if he can find the 6 signs that will make him powerful. He knew of the 5 signs he needed to gather but the 6th sign was not revealed. As the movie unfolds, the adventure builds up as he battled his way out in his quest for the 6 signs. As the movie comes to an end it also started to reach the climax when the boy was able to get all the 5 signs which made him strong but not strong enough to defeat his enemy. It was at that moment on the verge of death that he suddenly recalled the words to him by his guardian about the 6th sign. He saw his reflection and when he looked into his eyes that was when he realized what the 6th sign is. It was not revealed because it was not hidden since he is the 6th sign. It was at this moment when he realized this that he became aware of his full power and defeated his enemy. Only when the tough gets really going do we realize some things that are just within our reach. Or we start to notice the things that don't seem to matter to us. Today's gospel speaks of Nicodemus who despite of being a Pharisee, a position and title which expected him to stay away from Jesus did not do so. He recognized what was not hidden to all, but many refused to acknowledge and live by. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Only Him can give us all the satisfaction we need and are searching for. Amen. Hallelujah!  

John 3:1-8

1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” ...

...The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;...

DOUBTING GENERATION

What a tremendous sight it is, in today's 1st reading that even the shadow can cure a sick person. I believe that God's power and might that was displayed and made known to all during the time of Peter has not changed since then. God does not change and remain as He is throughout time and eternity. It is us who needs to change in our perception of God as time goes by for what we know of God today is never enough for who He really is. We can only strive to know more of Him and hope to love God better who is Infinite. Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Jesus, King of Divine Mercy, we trust in you. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 5:12-16

... they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them. 16 A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

God is the source of all good things. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this whole wide world. All we need to do is trust that the Lord will always take care of all our needs we need not tire ourselves to the point of exhaustion because it is better to take refuge in the Lord than resort to trusting in or own strength and others. According to Fr. Joseph Koterski a Jesuit priest and a professor in Fordham University it helps to always have GRACE. G stands for Gratitude, R for Respect, A for Account (have an accounting of the things we have done whether good or bad), C for Charting (to chart our course of action in order to see where we're going) and E to Entreat the Lord for the energy  and enthusiasm He has been giving us in this life. We need to always think of the things we are grateful for. It will help us examine our conscience and live a holy life that is fitting for a people of God. There are times when we don’t feel like saying our prayers. Whenever we feel this way but still managed to gather all our strength to still commit to our prayers then we will surely find ourselves with renewed strength to start our day right. When we master the art of praying and always drawing near to God then we become "Untouchables".  This is due to the fact that no one is like God. There is none like Him, for no one else can do as much as the Lord God Almighty and All Powerful can. We can rely on God’s goodness and build confidence on that knowing that with God on our side we are undefeated. His might knows no limits and His power is able to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Everything fits like a key in a hole. There is only one thing that is conveyed here that God allows things to happen for a reason and everything falls into its perfect place. God's love and mercy endure forever and do not fail. We can always count on the goodness of God at all times and in all circumstances all the days of our lives. Truly knowing and proclaiming that God is Lord of all our days makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness for heaven and earth will fade but His words will remain. We may not have witnessed first hand when Jesus walked and lived on earth but we can never deny witnessing to God's miracles working in our lives every day. Truly knowing and proclaiming what we are celebrating this easter season makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness that never fade. We should have the confidence to joyfully shout out what the psalm tells us today.  Amen. Hallelujah!

 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

...“His mercy endures forever.” ... I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me. 14 My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior.

John in today's 2nd reading gives us a glimpse of God's awesome and great power that not even words can ever suffice to define His Divine countenance. According to Aristotle our mind is a mini cosmos or universe. There are unlimited possibilities to what a mind is able to do. In the light of this principle, Bishop Fulton Sheen shared his insights on knowing and loving. He said that in knowing there is a need to use the intellect and the will in loving. It works in a very interesting way that the intellect and the will operate in opposite directions. The object we desire to know can only be known to us depending on the level of our intellect. The object is drawn to the intellect which alone can know. On the other hand, loving which makes use of the will which instead of drawing the object to itself as in the intellect, draws the will to the object it desires to love. The direction of the action is away from itself and towards the object it loves. The will draws itself to what it loves while the intellect in order to know draws the object to itself. It may sound confusing but it simply tells us to always have the right kind of ideals and heroes which we desire to know and love. The more we know about something the more we come to love it. St. Thomas Aquinas said, "The least love of God is the most of all the knowledge of things." Amen. Hallelujah!

Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

...“Write on a scroll what you see.” 12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lamp-stands 13 and in the midst of the lamp-stands an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest. 17 When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18 the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld. 19 Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”

The gospel today is about the story of "Doubting Thomas" which is also the story of each one of us. One time or another we can not deny that we've been like Thomas, too. We also doubted God in our own personal lives sometimes even without knowing it through our words and actions. Our experiences at times are mostly occasions that lead us to doubt. We all come to a point in our lives when our faith is greatly tested. But just like those holy and faithful souls including Father Abraham and the rest of our ancestors in the Old Testament whom the church said were in limbo before the coming of Jesus Christ, who waited and were rewarded with Heaven we, too should be hopeful that our time will come. Instead of dwelling on the negative we should realize that despite the locked doors in our lives God always stand in our midst and give His peace. We should be thankful to God for the several occasions in our life when we encountered difficulties for those were times when we discovered that God never left us. These experiences that cause fear and pain sometimes make us turn away from God and doubt Him. This is very common nowadays as we see people live their lives as if there is no God.  Today's gospel is very appropriate for the kind of generation we have right now, a doubting and unbelieving race of people who no longer believe anything without first seeing. In the encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI entitled, "Spe Salvi" we are asked to nourish our faith, hope and love through prayer,  unity of our own sufferings to that of Jesus Christ and belief in the reality of judgment. We are so blessed to have Pope Benedict XVI who was a teacher before he became pope. This present generation definitely benefited from his papacy. We must not assume that we are already good in our faith rather we must have the humility to admit that we still have a lot to learn before we can profess the words of Thomas with the same love and conviction. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name

NOBODY’S EXEMPTED

We may all have experienced something that we just can't contain it within ourselves and we needed to shout it out and let the whole world know. This should be our attitude towards the gospel of Jesus Christ. We should never stop proclaiming and testifying to God's Word. The Holy Spirit enables us to withstand external pressure in order to carry out with holy boldness the proclamation of the word of God. We have to will it as this is exactly how we should feel after witnessing during these Lenten and Easter seasons how God so loved the world. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 4:13-21

...they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. 20 It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

God is the source of all good things. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this whole wide world. All we need to do is trust that the Lord will always take care of all our needs we need not tire ourselves to the point of exhaustion because it is better to take refuge in the Lord than resort to trusting in our own strength and others. According to Fr. Joseph Koterski a Jesuit priest and a professor in Fordham University it helps to always have GRACE. G stands for Gratitude, R for Respect, A for Account (have an accounting of the things we have done whether good or bad), C for Charting (to chart our course of action in order to see where we're going) and E to Entreat the Lord for the energy  and enthusiasm He has been giving us in this life. We need to always think of the things we are grateful for. It will help us examine our conscience and live a holy life that is fitting for a people of God. There are times when we don’t feel like saying our prayers. Whenever we feel this way but still managed to gather all our strength to still commit to our prayers then we will surely find ourselves with renewed strength to start our day right. When we master the art of praying and always drawing near to God then we become "Untouchables".  This is due to the fact that no one is like God. There is none like Him, for no one else can do as much as the Lord God Almighty and All Powerful can. We can rely on God’s goodness and build confidence on that knowing that with God on our side we are undefeated. His might knows no limits and His power is able to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Everything fits like a key in a hole. There is only one thing that is conveyed here that God allows things to happen for a reason and everything falls into its perfect place. God's love and mercy endure forever and do not fail. We can always count on the goodness of God at all times and in all circumstances all the days of our lives. Truly knowing and proclaiming that God is Lord of all our days makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness for heaven and earth will fade but His words will remain. We may not have witnessed first hand when Jesus walked and lived on earth but we can never deny witnessing to God's miracles working in our lives every day. Truly knowing and proclaiming what we are celebrating this easter season makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness that never fade. We should have the confidence to joyfully shout out what the psalm tells us today.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 118:1, 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21

R: I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 14 My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. 15 The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just...

Sometimes it takes time before we can fully realize the things that are already before and around us just like the other disciples who failed to recognize Jesus right away. The disciple whom Jesus loved was the first to recognize Him and we, too are challenged to become like this disciple whom Jesus loved and be more sensitive when it comes to identifying in our lives who Jesus really is. Several times did Jesus appear after His resurrection and it took some time before they finally believed. It was a series of doubt, unbelief and hardness of heart. There are times when we have to be repeatedly told and witness first hand before we are finally convinced. How many times in our lifetime have we encountered certain events and experiences that call us to greater and stronger faith in God but remained skeptical and unbelieving? During those times we were all guilty just like his disciples in today's gospel. Sometimes we need to be rebuked for our unbelief and hardness of heart. When this happens and get our wake up call then we really need to get our acts together and be ready for the call of Jesus to spread the Good News of God. Nobody's exempted. God will always provide us with all the proof that we need it's just a matter of opening up our hearts to His daily promptings. Remove all clouds of doubt, believe and proclaim the gospel. The disciples of Jesus had to hear it a 3rd time and be rebuked before they took action. Maybe it is necessary for us to go through these stages in order for us to appreciate better the truth that is evident and irrefutable so as to cultivate in us the confidence to spread the good news and proclaim the gospel without a doubt. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene...When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.But later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised.He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

LOOK BACK & RECALL

We can successfully battle all the evils that beset us. It is a standing reality that we live in a world full of temptations and difficulties but we can always emerge victorious if we have Jesus in us. Let us cleanse our hearts, minds and bodies that just like Mary we become a fitting vessel and dwelling place of Jesus. Let us not miscarry Jesus and give birth to Him full term.  I am reminded once again of today's 1st reading of Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik's homily in the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral when he said this: "The farther away we are from God, the more destructive our life become and the greater fear we have." Peter in today's 1st reading is totally different and transformed from that fearful man who denied Jesus 3x. He has become full of courage, strength and all of a sudden is boldly proclaiming about Jesus without fear of being arrested or killed. The Holy Spirit filled him up with all the gifts and fruits to announce and live out this truth about Jesus knowing that there is no other name by which we are to be saved. Today's 1st and psalm readings have a phrase and word that were repeated twice. They are worth looking into. The phrase: "the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone", and the word: name. Once again, we are faced with the reality of the undeniable and repetitive truth of the prophecy in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament. It was David in the Psalms of the Old Testament and Peter in the Acts of the Apostles of the New Testament. I believe and agree that we need to look back and recall this truth which needs to be repeatedly proclaimed and believed in for life. There is power in the name of Jesus. We might have seen instances when people use an access or entry code or just say the name of the person who lives in certain subdivisions or gated homes in order to be allowed to go inside. These are restrictions in order to ensure safety and maintain order in the places where people live. It just made me think that God has given us a powerful name in order to have access to the many blessings and promises that are in store for those who would believe. What a glorious privilege and blessing that all can come to know and avail of the power of the name Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts of the Apostles 4,1-12.

... If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

God is the source of all good things. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this whole wide world. All we need to do is trust that the Lord will always take care of all our needs we need not tire ourselves to the point of exhaustion because it is better to take refuge in the Lord than resort to trusting in our own strength and others. According to Fr. Joseph Koterski a Jesuit priest and a professor in Fordham University it helps to always have GRACE. G stands for Gratitude, R for Respect, A for Account (have an accounting of the things we have done whether good or bad), C for Charting (to chart our course of action in order to see where we're going) and E to Entreat the Lord for the energy  and enthusiasm He has been giving us in this life. We need to always think of the things we are grateful for. It will help us examine our conscience and live a holy life that is fitting for a people of God. There are times when we don’t feel like saying our prayers. Whenever we feel this way but still managed to gather all our strength to still commit to our prayers then we will surely find ourselves with renewed strength to start our day right. When we master the art of praying and always drawing near to God then we become "Untouchables".  This is due to the fact that no one is like God. There is none like Him, for no one else can do as much as the Lord God Almighty and All Powerful can. We can rely on God’s goodness and build confidence on that knowing that with God on our side we are undefeated. His might knows no limits and His power is able to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Everything fits like a key in a hole. There is only one thing that is conveyed here that God allows things to happen for a reason and everything falls into its perfect place. God's love and mercy endure forever and do not fail. We can always count on the goodness of God at all times and in all circumstances all the days of our lives. Truly knowing and proclaiming that God is Lord of all our days makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness for heaven and earth will fade but His words will remain. We may not have witnessed first hand when Jesus walked and lived on earth but we can never deny witnessing to God's miracles working in our lives every day. Truly knowing and proclaiming what we are celebrating this easter season makes all the difference. It gives us real joy and gladness that never fade. We should have the confidence to joyfully shout out what the psalm tells us today.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27a

R: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

 ... O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

Year after year we have to put our feet in the shoes of the disciples. Today's gospel is a picture of the apostles just after the death of Jesus who were probably still confused and depressed. They saw Jesus tortured, suffered, died and laid in a tomb. There is a dullness in their faith. Sometimes it takes time before we can fully realize the things that are already before and around us. Just like the other disciples who failed to recognize Jesus right away. The disciple whom Jesus loved was the first to recognize Him and we too are challenged to become like this disciple whom Jesus loved and be more sensitive when it comes to identifying in our lives who Jesus really is. He has overcome death and is victorious. When you have Jesus in your heart then you will always feel secured. Peter jumped into the sea not minding what he's wearing, ready to get wet and be soaked, just to get near the resurrected Jesus. Aren't we afraid to jump into the sea? Are we willing to take the plunge? For sure we will find ourselves in the loving embrace of Our God. It's always worth giving our all to the Lord. At a time of our life when we are not in our best shape or could be discerning and still unsure of what course of action to take, we should realize that Jesus is always there for us though we may not realize it. It is our obedience during these trying times that will see us through these difficult times. I believe God in His awesome and almighty wisdom, intelligence and knowledge reveals things in stages for the benefit of our limited capacities and understanding. The series of events in our lives and the word of God serve as an eye opener that could endow us with a better understanding of all the things that are happening to us. May we all come to this point in our life when we obey God at all times no matter what kind of situation we are in. I realized it is always good to look back, recall and never forget those times in our lives when Jesus was calling us for a certain task and decided to follow and obey. We can always be confident and full of hope that whatever is the outcome of our decision for as long as we know that we have consulted it to God in prayer and have acted with our best ability then we are always safe and secure. Today's gospel also tells us to be of service to the people. We all look forward to the world to come and share eternal life and happiness with God. At the same time we also exercise our citizenship to this world. We should engage ourselves in work that can bring healing and build good things on earth. God multiplies our efforts. We do not have the option of subtracting ourselves from this process and just go to the sideline. We have to read the word of God, understand it and be active. This is the meaning of encounter with God. When we engage ourselves with this kind of work it may seem political but it's not. We are not pagans but believers and God is the one who empowers us. We have to get the world back to its proper balance. We are all called to do something for this world that we live in but the Lord is the one who accomplishes all things. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21,1-14.

...So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea...

PERFECT PARTNER

Our God is a God of surprises. If we have been getting no answers from God it is because He wants us to wait. He has something wonderful in store for all of us and will surely fulfill what He said He would do. There are times when we have to learn things on our own and really be independent. Whenever we encounter such circumstances we may not realize it but we just discover that somehow we’ve gone a long way in terms of our relationship with the Lord. Although those were the most trying times of our life we can definitely agree that our biggest problem just give it some time will become our greatest blessing. Have we experienced the so called gut feeling when we think that we know what is bound to happen? Or have we ever said words like, " I knew it!" and "I told you so" I guess everybody knows exactly what I am talking about especially during times when we're very sure about something we can even bet our life on it. This kind of thing usually happens when we've already experienced or encountered something that is totally new for others. We suddenly become the authority or the expert on such matters that people consult us or rely to us for advice on that specific area. Or it could also be like in the case of Peter and John in today's 1st reading. Peter was explaining to the people the truth about Jesus for he had a real and close contact relationship with Jesus. Jesus and the apostles have been through a lot already. Peter after that period of weakness and denial did not quit unlike Judas who killed himself. For as long as there is life there is always hope. Let us seize each opportunity every single day while we can, to enter into a relationship with God and work hard to improve it. Ignorance of Jesus Christ is ignorance of the faith. With this faith, we have to be confident of the ground we are stepping on which is laid on a firm foundation. Knowing these things enable us to move up of the ladder as we discover the many things that relate and connect to the very roots of our faith. Our God is endless in goodness and mercy. We must never stop in achieving the best for the greater glory of God. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Acts 3:11-26

…The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. 17 Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; 18 but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, 20 and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. 22 For Moses said: ‘A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. 23 Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.’ 24 Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. 25 You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

We have to grow deep in our relationship with God for He wants us all to be closer to Him. So when things become unpleasant and we start to feel helpless and feel like we  have no one, then we can look at things like it is all part of God's plan. The tricky question which I guess no one can give a straight answer is, "Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?" Furthermore, if we are to look at creation and all the things that surround us, as in the heavens, the moon and the stars then we will just be filled with awe and wonder at the greatness of God's work. It is a masterpiece of the Greatest Artist. What's most overwhelming is the fact that we have been given the honor of being the highlight of His work and the top of the line. God has bestowed so much love, honor and glory in our beings that we need to be in touch with this reality every single moment of our lives. It is time we become aware of this overwhelming truth that we are worth more than we'll ever come to know.  Just think of the story in the Footprints when God opted to carry us rather than just walk beside us. But recently with a new version of the footprints, we've come to a better understanding of who God is. God's message is that we should become like the Lord in every aspect and know Him more and more each day and as we grow in our knowledge about God we notice that we improve daily in our relationship with the Lord. We learn not just to submit to His will and blend in to His designs for us but most of all to enjoy being one with God for He is an exciting God who can make us smile, laugh and even dance with Him. We have a God who will stop at nothing in revealing His endless love for us in so many ways. We can not confine the attributes of God to anything for unlike any relationship, nothing compares to it, be it the best romance, friendship, parent child relationship we ever knew. Our relationship with God is capable of reaching insurmountable heights for He will always be the Perfect Partner for each one of us. God has created man worth more than anything that He created. We can all say that our beauty surpasses all creatures on earth. As days, months and years go by we must realize how important each and every day for it is an opportunity to discover more things about our Infinite God. If we want to reach the highest pinnacle of God's love then seize each day for His greater glory. This passage from today’s psalm was also instrumental to my being able to discover my authority over all things including a lot of unfounded fears that used to torture me. My family was very over protective of us since we were orphaned when my father died when we were just very young, my grandparents and single aunt were the ones who helped my mother take good care of us. We were sheltered and protected in the most delicate way maybe because they felt sorry for us since we have to grow up without a father. All I know and remember is that I am scared of a lot of things that even the most simple thing like turning on the stove, plugging an electrical cord, seeing a frog, lizard and all those creepy little animals that seem to be very harmless make me nervous.  I don't know if my being the only girl in our family of three contributed to this. I could still remember when I got so scared of a cat who just gave birth. It was lying on a chair right next to the switch of the lights in our chapel in my former office in the Philippines (DOST) and when I approached it, it suddenly growled at me and got so scared. But a sister in the community, Sis Au bravely rebuked the cat and fearlessly approached it and just switched on the lights like the cat never existed. I was so impressed at her and she quoted to me this bible passage that we have rule over all of creation and everything is under our feet which has helped me from then on to overcome a lot of my fears. Those days are gone, we should know who we are and what God made us to be, on top of all His creation. We should be free of all fears.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 8:2ab, 5, 6-7, 8-9

R: O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

...What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. (R) 7 [8] All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 [9] the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

If we feel that we've been waiting for a long time and wanting to give up and walk out on the Lord then we would never witness the great things that God has in store for us. If we give up before the battle is over then we would never taste the victory that God has prepared for us. St. Paul said, “no eye has seen or ear has heard nor mind has imagined what God has ready for those who love Him.” We have to be steadfast in our faith and continue to seek, find and love the Lord as this song has been saying:

The More I Seek You

By: Kari Jobe

The more I seek you,

The more I find you

The more I find you, the more I love you

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hand.

Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat

This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.

I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

Jesus is always there for us, to clear things up, instruct and validate. Just look all around us from the most insignificant thing like a flower to the most important aspect that affects our life we will find that everything has a meaning and a purpose. Just like anything even the tiniest part of creation that goes through a period of transformation. Whatever confusions and anxieties in life we have we can always be assured that Jesus can offer us the  information, direction and proof we ever need. Wherever we are in our life right now just think that we're close and we'll get there. We will emerge as the person that God has meant us to be if we let just let go and let God. There is really no reason for us to despair for God throughout generations has always been giving us messages to assure and guide us to the right path so we'll never be astray and not forget His promises that He is sure to fulfill. The gospel today is taken from Luke. It is mainly focused on the heart of man. The purity of desire, cleanliness of intentions and nobility of character all dwell in the heart of man. That is why God does not look on appearance but into one's heart. There are 5 themes presented to us about the gospel of Luke. They are the ff.:

1. Life of detachment...is the pathway to a simple life. There is a Jewish expression found in Luke 9: 57-62  "Let the dead bury the dead!" which can be interpreted in English as the dead being the "slow pokes and half hearted people"  in Filipino are the so called " mga papatay-patay" This can also be related to God's call to us in in the Book of Revelation 3:14-19 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea, 10 write this: " ...I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth..." This is a picture of hypocrisy and duplicity which the Lord rejects. Also in Luke 12:32-34- store treasures in heaven, let go of possessions in Luke 14:25-35 and Luke 16:13 which is about God and mammon. Money is not evil in itself but the love of money. Resources not shared is greed and talents not shared is lust. 

2. Universal salvation/salvation. The ff. bible verses were enumerated for further reference and understanding. Lk. 2:29-35 where Simeon said "Now, Master you may let your servant go." Lk 4:18-19 which tells us to proclaim liberty to all and Lk 24:46-47, preach to all nations/salvation to all nations.

3. Importance of Women: radical concept at that time. Because women during that time are second class citizens and hold no importance in society. The ff. passages in Luke promotes the important role of women as in the hand that rocks the cradle. Lk 1 46-56- Canticle of Mary. In speaking role. (like in John 2:1-11)Lk. 8:1-3- women supported Jesus' mission. Lk 21:1-4 Widow's mite.

4. Centrality of the Holy Spirit

5. Importance of Prayer

6. Importance of Repentance

We see in today's gospel the divine power of Jesus Christ. He is now seated in the throne at right hand of the Father. He has passed from death to another life beyond time and space after His resurrection. The risen body of Christ was not recognized immediately by Mary Magdalene and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. His appearance was different in the resurrection from His earthly presence. His humanity has entered into the glory of God. He was filled by the power of the Holy Spirit and sharing in the divine light of God's glory. He is fully present in the spiritual realm of the God the Father. Something of course that He has from the very beginning since He shares in God's full divinity. He just wanted to share this glory to us. Queen Esther was sitting close to the king and can drink from his cup unlike all the concubines of the king who were seated afar from the king. We too are invited by God to do the same as Esther and enter into a personal relationship with God. The widow in the book of Kings whose jug of oil never ran dry inspires us to connect to the source of that jug of oil which is no other than our God. Mary sat at the foot of Jesus and broke an expensive alabaster jar of perfume oil to anoint His feet. (A prediction of Jesus' upcoming death on the cross) She did not withhold or spare anything for the Lord to the point of breaking open the alabaster jar. In the same way that we must not withhold anything from the Lord because nothing could be more precious and worth treasuring more than Jesus Himself. He has entered into the glory of God to inspire us, the faithful to offer our homage and adoration. The glory of God that appears and disappears can only be discovered in the realm of faith. He is inspiring faith in each one of us. His resurrection has reached its full significance in this salvific event. His triumph and victory over sin and death. We remember that He was condemned to death for claiming that He was the Son of God. With His resurrection, He is confirmed and raised by the Father. Not raised like Lazarus who died again but He is raised never to die again. He said that when He is lifted up we would know that He is the Son of God and confirms His claim about His divinity. He has defeated sin and death. We are truly free. His resurrection is the principle and source of our resurrection. He is the source of new life for everyone and manifests our adoption as children of God. He is life itself. It is a hope that inspires faith and charity in us towards Him. He is the source of life and our future resurrection. He dwells in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery we come in contact with in the resurrection. We see an even greater or another difference in the veiled glory of the risen one in the truth that Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. Who is His Father and our Father. Remember He said to Mary "Do not touch me as I have yet not ascended to the Father."  As He ascended in the clouds and into heaven we look upon the full glory of God. The clouds symbolizes the fullness of glory as we recall in the Old Testament the clouds that descends in Mt. Sinai and the Transfiguration (Lk. 9:35) in the New Testament. These speak of the fullness of glory. The resurrection and ascension, all confirm that Jesus Christ is alive. Pope Benedict says that the ascension does not imply a temporary absence in the world but rather inaugurated the new, definitive and insuppressible form of His presence by virtue of His participation in the royal power of God. We find in today's gospel that the disciples are called to be witnesses. They have been inspired and empowered as they became His witnesses and told the world of what He has done. In this communion with Jesus and in His power over death, to resurrect and ascend into heaven, we too have the power to proclaim what He has done for us. We all have the mission to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in whatever way we can by our actions, love and words. Jesus gives to us His Holy Spirit and He hands over to us everything that He is. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 24:35-48

...“Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,... “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures...You are witnesses of these things.”

EASTER MESSAGE

Today’s 1^st reading brought back memories of something that I had been thinking about and wanted to buy many years ago. I had canvassed for good deals for quite some time but just couldn't push through with it for days. When I finally found the right thing I was in a hurry to buy it because I had a deadline to beat. It is a bit expensive I must say and took me a while before I finally decided on it. I was about to pay for it in the cashier when I suddenly looked intently at Sis Claire when she commented that I just pay in cash. Normally I would always go for the convenience of just swiping the card, I just didn't know why I decided to take her advice and looked for an ATM machine. As I walked in search of the ATM, I chanced upon this store that sells the same thing that I was about to buy for a much lower price. I was thrilled and bought it right away so I was able to save money from it. At that same day, Sis Nancy passed by the house and invited us to go to the mall. I was doing some chores so I decided to stay behind but Sis Marcy's persistence and Sis Nancy's patience to wait for me made me finally decide to go. I didn't realize that the money I had saved was meant for another thing I had been planning to buy too a long time ago which was on sale with a 70% discount. In today's 1st reading there is a passage which says, "Peter looked intently at him..." I am so grateful for all the surprise blessings I enjoyed then and realized that it all began when I looked intently at Sis Claire. In the reading Peter looked intently at the beggar. We all know that Peter is considered as the 1st pope in the Church as Jesus Himself had appointed Him (Mt. 16:18-19 "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church...") I consider Peter as one of the people who stirred in me the desire to be more committed in knowing more about our faith and the church which in turn I am also asking of you. Nowadays, there are lesser vocations for priesthood and Catholics have become more and more lax and started to drift away from the church and its teachings.  We have to look intently at our Catholic faith. We've lost the awe and reverence that used to be observed in the Catholic Church that even priests and nuns have become modernized. The sense of wonder and amazement for these so called representatives of Christ here on earth has lost its magic. We have prided ourselves that we are modern day Catholics and since the times are changing there is also a need for some changes. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What God said and did thousands of years ago remain the same now and forever. During the time of Jesus, the apostles who were left to continue His work were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The mighty presence of the apostles always command an aura of amazement and astonishment from the people who witnessed their signs and wonders. I hope and pray that those days would be back when miracles flourish in the church and all believers will all be filled with this great sense of loyalty, faithfulness and zeal for the Catholic Church which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself founded in remembrance of Him here on earth. Jesus' name is undeniably powerful and beyond measure. Its worth is more than all the riches we can gain in this world. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 3:1-10

... But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” 7 Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. 8 He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God...

There is a lot to learn from the life of Abraham especially the part when he kept on with his faith in God. He was already of age when God promised him to be the father of all nations. All we need to keep in mind is that our time will come and all we have to do is just continue to trust God in His goodness and mercy and never let go of our faith. Just imagine what Abraham had to go through. If it were us and not Abraham who had fallen into this kind of fate we could have responded and reacted to this situation differently. Are these words familiar to us? I do not deserve to be treated this way. I did not do anything bad for God to punish me like this, as if God is a tyrant that is ready to strike us with every wrong move. Why me and not the others who are a lot more sinful than I am. And all these kind of things that we say without much thought. If we are to look at the life of Abraham very closely we would discover that he never let go of his faith in God despite the seemingly irrational and hopeless situation he went through. Imagine in his old age when his wife Sarah finally bore him a son God asked him to offer him as a sacrifice which meant losing his son. He remained firm in his faith and continued to trust in the word of the Lord. Abraham was tested and found to be true. In our own lives, we too are called to prove ourselves worthy before the Lord in order for all of the blessings to flow freely without any block or hindrance. We don't expect a mango fruit if we planted a banana tree. It is pretty much the same with our lives. If we strive to live up to the expectations of a child of the Lord by giving Him honor and praise then we will surely be not disappointed with the outcome. For God inhabits the praises of His people. Although we have a tendency to forget or become out of focus since we are surrounded in this world we are in by elements most especially the physical ones that make us more inclined to pursue worldly things. We become sidetracked or worse completely off track of the path where God is leading us. Let us live every single day of our life conscious of the wonderful truth that we are God's people and He has made a covenant with us. Almost everybody knows this famous Christian song from kindergarten, “Father Abraham has many children, some of them are small, some of them are tall, all of them are beautiful...” We remain beautiful as long as we keep God's covenant and remain obedient and faithful to God. He is the reason for everything and the source of all good things. Sometimes morbid thoughts enter into our mind and immediately we'd think that it is always the devil who does it but whether it is true or not this thought could be a wake up call and reminder that in worst case scenarios or life and death situations there is always a God ready to help us at any time. All we have to do is call on Him. It is indeed good advice to always look intently on God and find all the joys waiting for us. There is really no doubt that we need to further explore, know and understand our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him and recall His goodness. Jesus' name is undeniably powerful and beyond measure. Its worth is more than all the riches we can gain in this world. There is really nothing we can find even if we search far and wide, high and low, more than what the Lord can offer. We could go on and on with so many options we are confronted with daily in our lives. There is an endless list of "To Do Things" but what comes first and last is always dependent on our priorities. In deciding on our priorities we have to always involve God in all the things happening around us. We would  be so glad to discover that as we place Him in the center of our heart, body and soul He never fails in guiding and directing us. There is indeed great power in the name of Jesus. There is a need to go through the different seasons throughout the year for there is indeed a time and a season for everything. Thus, we all go through different situations and circumstances in life. Some of them do not make any sense if we fail to acknowledge the power of God moving in it. There are numerous things that we can think, focus and decide on but there’s only one thing I am sure of. We’ve got to acknowledge that despite of it all God’s power remains to be above all things no matter what it may seem to be. We should always keep in mind all the wonderful things He has done for us. The Lord will never forsake nor abandon us. In the midst of all the turmoil we inevitably face in our daily lives may we remain hopeful in the Lord who is Almighty, provides for all means and prevails now and forever. Whenever we experience difficulties in life we tend to question God right away and somehow blame Him for what came upon us. Sometimes we come to a point in our lives when we tend to question the will of God in our lives. I have plans and you have plans but sometimes things do not fall into place and ask why things happened the way it did and not the way we planned and expected. We just need to always remember the marvels the Lord has done and always hold on to it. If we live by the word of God which is perfect and remains forever then nothing could go wrong. Our hearts will abound with joy and gladness as we further explore, know and understand about our faith. In doing so we have to constantly look to the Lord, seek Him, recall His goodness, keep our spirits up and make our hearts rejoice like what today's psalm is telling us about. We may have experienced a situation in our life when we encountered a lot of trials and difficulties. Just when we're about to give up and lose hope, suddenly we came across a particular incident or inspiration that perfectly fits or matches our specific problem which gave us this hope and feeling that God knows exactly what we're going through and promises to see us through it. The Lord is telling us is in today's psalm and assures us that He remembers what He has promised and will surely bring about what He said to us that He would do. If God remembers, so must we. Every single day we are confronted with so many challenges in life and we have to be always hopeful that the fulfillment of everything that we have been praying for has come this Easter season. We should believe that whatever delays or setbacks we are encountering serve as lessons to be learned that benefit our spiritual journey with Jesus. There is a need to go through the different seasons throughout the year before the dawning of a new beginning during this Spring season. There is indeed a time and a season for everything. It has the same message this Easter which is hope and victory for after the passion and death of Christ is His resurrection. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R: Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

...Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly...Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds!

Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds!

Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!...

The mere mention of Jesus' name can bring healing and blessings. Just think of what He can bring to us if He is with us. Let us urge Jesus to stay with us for He is a God who doesn't impose but would rather wait for us to invite Him. But we only invite people whom we recognize and are close to us. Today's gospel is related to the 1st and psalm reading because it speaks of the sense of sight which is to look and see. It speaks of a particular incident wherein their eyes were opened and recognized Jesus. This is impossible if our eyesight is impaired or blocked. There are so many things to take into consideration why we sometimes fail to recognize people. It could be a lot of different things that we ourselves have encountered and experienced. In yesterday’s gospel, Mary of Magdala did not recognize Jesus right away. More than anybody, we ourselves are in the position to recognize and identify these things that prevent us from recognizing Jesus taking part in our lives. Jesus reminded us to always dwell on the mysteries of His Life, Death & Resurrection as stated in the scriptures. If you are Catholic then the rosary is a big help also the Divine Mercy Chaplet whose feast we will be celebrating this coming Sunday. We have to avail of the sacraments as much as we can, most especially of the Holy Mass. There are so many ways, given our own specific condition and situation in life in which we can always see God present in our lives. Let us not wait for the time to come when we can no longer see no matter how much we look because God has turned into someone beyond recognition. Let us always look intently at God to prevent Him from totally fading in our life. We really got to go back to the basics of the Catholic Church. In today's gospel we are reminded that there is so much dialogue and debate going on around us today we sometimes fail to recognize God in our midst. There is really a need to read scriptures, understand it well and experience it daily in our lives so as not to forget. God's ultimate call as shown in the gospel is to avail of the sacraments most especially of the Eucharist. God is always present and visible during the breaking of bread, the consecration part of the Eucharistic celebration. As we can see that it was when Jesus took bread and break it that their eyes were opened.  This is Jesus' will that we always do in memory of Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 24,13-35.

...And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that  happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther.  But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.