AWESOME GOD

I had the chance to attend a healing mass with Fr. Robert Faricy, SJ as the celebrant.  It was quite an experience because it is not like the healing masses I’ve attended before. Fr. Robert gave a talk together with Sis. Cheryl Nguyen about the healing of the family tree. The gospel is about the geneology of Jesus and he said that the family tree of Jesus is healed in Joseph and Mary, the 2 most righteous human beings, next to Jesus of course, that ever walked on earth.  Every new generation creates problems. He mentioned the need to pray for our own family tree especially for inherited and learned behaviors that cause us to sin. He emphasized the importance of prayer and 2 important things that we need to do when we pray. There are times when we get distracted while praying so the first thing we do is to pray our distraction. Whatever it is that is distracting us in prayer we should lift it up to God. If this is not applicable then the 2^nd thing he taught us is to say the name of Jesus in our hearts.  Prayer should be from the heart and not from the head. We should invest time in prayer. Any relationship is a commitment, an ongoing and daily basis. We can not take a vacation from a relationship and this is how our relationship with Jesus should be. It is also important that we ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother.  Mary understands what we are going through. There is nothing she doesn’t understand because she experienced the killing of her Son. It may seem like prayer doesn’t work at times especially during those dark moments in prayer but it works.  If we commit to Jesus then He will give us the graces to sustain our relationship with Him. We will just find ourselves loving more and sinning less. The Holy Mass has more meaning, the bible becomes alive and we start knowing what God wants us to do in our lives.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

… Think! The heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it… Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and be no longer stiff-necked. For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes; who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him…The LORD, your God, shall you fear, and him shall you serve; hold fast to him and swear by his name. He is your glory, he, your God, who has done for you those great and terrible things which your own eyes have seen…

No matter what we're going through we can always rely on God to uphold and defend our cause. If we claim to be true followers and believers of our Lord Jesus Christ then we can put a claim on these same blessings and privileges bestowed on the chosen people of God. His covenant with His people is everlasting. There is a big difference between a covenant and contract. A contract is an agreement which is all about an exchange of goods while the covenant is an exchange of relationships. God wants to have a relationship with us first and foremost and through it everything else will follow. No poet, writer or artist can ever describe in words or paint in canvass the love of God. For the immensity of its beauty and glory is immeasurable and beyond understanding.  The readings for today point to the fact that we have a responsibility in our hands if we truly claim that we are a people of God. We have to follow and obey God at all times which can only be done and fulfilled if we have full knowledge of what God wants us to do. We’ve got to realize the most essential and important things in life that we sometimes lose sight of and tend to neglect. Let us not be dissuaded nor distracted by the allurement of this world and end up losing what really matters most. Our God is Perfect but we are still part of this imperfect world thus we are bound to experience the daily struggles of life. This reminds me of this incident when this lady who was already very careful in her movements still ended up scraped in her arm. She didn't even figure out how it could have happened. When we bump into something we usually develop a bruise but we would sometimes find one without knowing how it came to be. We sometimes get wounded and bruised even before we know it. Take the example of those people who are taking medications (anticoagulants) that predispose them to bruise easily. Well, things happen even if we do not want or expect it but we can always draw strength and inspiration from today's psalm knowing that God is our Mighty Healer and Savior. There are times when we are in a hurry to work things out on our own and forget to peacefully surrender all our concerns to God. That's when we end up tired and beaten because we've used up all the energy of our mind, body and soul. It's what usually happens to most of us when we are confronted with dilemmas.  If we have learned how to truly wait for the Lord then we are not far from that place of peace where God is leading us. If we look back at what we've been through especially our trials and difficulties, then we can only feel so blessed and find gratitude in our hearts for all the things that lead to now. It will always be good to undergo trials and hardships in life and remain steadfast in the Lord for everything will pay off in the end. Not a single thing that we've been through for the glory of God will ever be in vain. Victory is indeed for those who acknowledge the Son Of God, Jesus Christ. It is only right that we give all glory, honor and praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 147,12-13.14-15.19-20.

...Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem; Zion, offer praise to your God,

Who has strengthened the bars of your gates, blessed your children within you, Brought peace to your borders, and filled you with finest wheat. He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! 16 He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them.

When we meet people that we like we long to be in their company and start to develop a bond with them. The more we know them and spend time with them the better our relationship becomes. People we like and admire are a delight to be with. There are certain qualities that make us feel this way for some people. This is because we want to be close to them who are good company. This does not come as a surprise because it is only natural for us to be attracted to pleasant people. Today's gospel shows us a lot of things about Jesus. Not just pleasant ones but divine revelations. This is not just attractive but amazingly unbelievable. Can we imagine someone  telling us exactly what is about to happen and it did happen. This is what Jesus did in the 1st part of the gospel. He revealed to His disciples about His passion, death and resurrection. In the latter part, Jesus even asked Peter about the tax even before he had time to speak and gave him specific instructions as to where to find the money to pay the tax. These are all extraordinary and supernatural events that only point to one thing, He is an awesome God, All Powerful and worthy to be praised and adored. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 17:22-27 (or Luke 12:22-46)

22 As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” 26 When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. 27 But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”