GOD'S REWARDS

Today is "All Saints Day" and we may have wondered what set them apart from all others. Today's readings answer in a way everything there is to know about them and to do to be like them.  We must realize that it is not only them who have been given the privilege to be a saint but all of us. We are called to fulfill our destiny in being in union with God. We must remain hopeful that when that day comes we will be one of those fortunate ones bearing the seal of the Lord. God is constantly reminding us of His great love for us, calls us by name and considers us as His own. We should always be aware of this privilege and not forfeit the benefits and honor to be counted as one of these people being spoken of in today's 1st reading. Only the tough gets going and the survivor lives. This is a standing regulation in most extreme challenge game shows or high rating reality shows that are very popular nowadays. This is exciting for most of us to watch on television because we see how they battle with their skills and find their way up to the winner’s spot. The winner gets home with the trophy and the most exciting prizes that they could think of.  A very attractive package of gifts and surprises are in store for the winner. This is one of the things that lure people to go for it. Only those who dare to take the challenge can emerge as the winner. Somehow we could connect this type of thing with this passage from today’s 1st reading. We ought to realize that just like those extreme challengers, we are also participants of this game called life and in the end when everything is over and done, a prize awaits us. No eye has seen, no ear has heard nor can we imagine what God has ready for those who love Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

Book of Revelation 7,2-4.9-14.

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel. After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count,

from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

We can't claim to be this kind of person, a Christian but conduct ourselves in a very unlikely way. Let us no longer be deceived by the false and misleading truths and principles that this world presents to us every single day. We have to be grounded at all times on this truth that today's psalm is telling us. There was a time when Tita Neds complained that something is wrong with the television. She said that somebody fixed it already but it didn't stay fixed for long. It wasn't the manufacturer who repaired it that was why. If it was brought to its manufacturer they would definitely know what to do with it. We've got to be conscious of this reality and apply it to ourselves. When something goes wrong we should know where to go, to whom we really belong, the Lord. This is the covenant: we belong to the Lord and He belongs to us for we are His people and He is our God. If we look at what's happening in the world today most especially the economic crisis wherein even the leading nations are being challenged by the present situation then we are really bound to anticipate the worst. Not even those people who used to be very confident of their present jobs in their respective stable companies can be too sure of what's going to happen next. There have been so much speculations of what will be the outcome of this worldwide problem of the economy and most of them are not good. With all these rubble, there is just really one thing we need to focus on and that is God. It is not easy to live life in this world but we can rejoice and be glad, we have an army, a battalion, a full house of saints with all the angels constantly and endlessly praying and singing in heaven, the so called triumphant Church/army of God, who intercede in our behalf and is joyously inviting us to be one of them. We are being reminded by the readings today to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord no matter how tough things are. God wants to be with us, there is no doubt about that. But just like water and oil which can not be put together and mixed so is God and man if we are in sin or harbor anything that can not be attributed to the holiness of God. We can not force two different things to go together. Water is a polar molecule and oil is non polar. They do not mix because they are two different substances as in the adage, "Like dissolves like." God can not change. He is already who He is, Holy in all His ways. We can change. We can be like God in His holiness and goodness if we want to be with Him forever. Let us not lose sight of what a mighty God we serve who made the heavens and the earth. We pray to God to open our eyes that we may see the wonders of His love. We should think profoundly of our daily walk with the Lord which consists of not only a leisure stroll in the plains and valleys of life but a steep climb up to the top of the mountain. We must avail of the sacrament of reconciliation. It gives us renewed strength and hope. Our life consists of steep and dangerous climbs but we must not forget that God is always at our side. If we are to carefully assess our life we would find that it feels good whenever we are able to overcome most of our pitfalls though there are some that still needs improvement. We must praise and thank God that every time we experience a fall back and backslide we can immediately go back to Him through the sacrament of confession which restores us to our original path and right track. It is God's desire that we will someday come face to face with Him. There is a need for us to prepare for that day. We are sometimes guilty of not focusing on God's countenance alone, there are times when we get distracted by other things and today's psalm reading serves as the reminder. I heard a story about God's radiating and blinding light that when we stand before Him nothing is hidden from Him, He will never turn away from us but if we ourselves are tainted with the guilt of our sins then we can not withstand His presence and will definitely hide and ran away from Him, far from His ever blinding Light that penetrates us. Let us all hope that when that day comes we can stand in His Holy Presence and claim with confidence our rightful place in His Kingdom. For our information, all of us are eligible to be in heaven with God. There is no doubt about this since we have been made and washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. A virgin is with child. The Old Testament scriptures have foretold of this and point to the coming of Christ. The prophets preannounced and prefigured His coming and pointed to the fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament. He has loved us first and continues to do so. He encounters us ever anew in the sacraments especially in the Eucharist. The Church helps us to respond to God’s initiative through word and teaching and the gathering of believers who respond faithfully. We have to be firm, resilient and faithful people of God. We’ve got to really focus on what is truly important and essential. We live in a world where there are so many distractions that we tend to lose sight of what should be our greatest and most important concern. After all has been said and done we will find in the end that what truly matters is not what will last only in this lifetime but for all eternity, a reward from God our Savior. When somebody invites us for a party we just don't go there without preparing ourselves for it. Much more gatecrash and just go to a party without an invitation. We are blessed that God has invited us. The best we could do being privileged, honored and counted to come to His banquet in heaven is to make preparations and always be ready to take part in it, really belong and not end up an outcast. We should not lose sight of this standing invitation that God gives us in our daily life. There is indeed a need to always be prepared so that when the final moment comes we can reside in the heavenly abode of God. In every game there is a rule to follow and only those who play it fair and square can finish to the end and win their prize. Today’s psalm gives us a guideline to follow in order to make it through. We should always long to see the face of God at all times in every person, event and circumstance in our lives. Let us always hold on to this image so that someday when we finally come face to face with God we will receive a blessing and reward for He will surely bring about what He said He would do. In the course of the time and in the history of mankind we hear of people like Abraham chosen by God. The chosen people were given laws and ordinances to follow. The remnants of the chosen people or those who were faithful to God in keeping these commandments like Simeon and Anna, Joachim and Anne are those who belong to the Hebrew generation, kept the Jewish tradition and prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. This initiation of God in loving us first should bring us to act and make love blossom as a response on our part. We've got to be aware that the no one but the Lord is the King of glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M 

Psalm 24:1b-2. 3-4ab. 5-6

R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

1 The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. (R) 3 Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who may stand in his holy place? 4 He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. (R) 5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of the God of Jacob."

Aside from the rules to follow there are also certain criteria to meet in order to qualify for certain games. It is a consolation to know that we have all been pre-qualified through our Lord Jesus Christ to enter into His Kingdom. We are God’s children and the rest is up to us. If we are to live up to this honor and privilege or not is all in our hands. Let us always be faithful to Him, who alone can deliver us. We may have heard stories of how people who died come rushing to be with the Lord and describe the unexplainable joy of being able to see God face to face. Since we are still part of this mortal body we still do not feel the urgency of being with the Lord since we still belong to this world as stated " See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. " That is why we are always continuously struggling between good and evil because technically we are still in this world and somehow attached to it that we should make a conscious effort to always cling to the Lord. But as earlier stated in the bible passage only the clean and pure of heart can stand before Him so we should always guard our actions that each day be an offering to the Lord as we continuously work toward this goal. It is not easy but it is also said that the Lord will bless and save those who love Him. It is with this hope that we persevere in what we do. The 2nd reading for today emphasizes to us the truth and privilege we have as God's children. We must not neglect and forfeit this by always being mindful of the good things that God is continuously showering upon us and strive to really be deserving of the blessings He has bestowed on us. With the confidence of a beloved child of God, we all strive to become like Him in every way. Human parents although imperfect are capable of giving to their children all the best that they could offer. Parents could relate to this and would definitely agree to it. What can our Father in Heaven give to us more than the title, children of God? Today's 2nd reading gets even better by continuously affirming not just me but each one of us as well, who long and hope in the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

First Letter of John 3,1-3.

1 Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Thomas Aquinas said that the perfect exemplification of the beatitudes can be seen if we look at Jesus. He is a happy man, a picture of freedom and joy. The main point is detachment. Jesus is detached from the things which we typically seek. He loved doing the will of His Father. We need to look to our Lord on the cross and despise what He despised on the cross, wealth, pleasure, power and honor.  Wealth, he has none he was stripped naked even of His clothes. Pleasure he was at the limit of physical and psychological suffering. Power, he was nailed on the cross. Honor, he was mocked as he was publicly displayed and crucified. On the cross, he is the ultimate peace maker and the bringer of divine mercy, if Aquinas is right then Jesus on the cross is a picture of a happy man. We are all on the building business, building a life that will endure, we are each a foreman to our building, we are masters of our own faith. Others take a material build a shack, a cathedral or build a tragedy, as William Shakespeare says, “to be or not to be” We are each given a bag of tools, a stepping stone or a stumbling block. The buildings we build are … Lost of a loved one, broken relationship and how we react to them depends on whether we have built a house on sand or rock, the test is the daily grind.  There is no end to the daily grind we just have to live one day at a time. The challenges depend whether we have taken the words of our Lord seriously. Take the extra mile. Is the Lord right? Nothing is built on hatred. Nothing lasts until it is built on love. Forgiveness is important. A person who is unforgiving suffers from various ailments. PJPII forgave the person who tried to kill him. Have we built our life on Him who is the rock? Or think that we know better. Our house is in ruin until the Lord come to make it a fitting dwelling. There is only one thing that can make us truly happy, to get to heaven. When our Lord saw the sadness of human beings he gave the formula in the sermon on the mount. Not once does He mentioned, money, fame, houses, entertainment and exotic cruises. The formula for happiness lies in the truth that our heart is at rest. According to Oscar Wilde there are 2 terrible tragedies in life, not to get what our heart sets upon or to get it. Some of us get this truth the hard way. Poverty in spirit means that we are empty. By nature of course we are like a vacuum because we have to be filled with something. When we finally get what we long for, that is when we realize that we can not have them nor could we own them forever. The only way to attain true happiness is to be possessed by the Lord. We have to learn to let go of yesterday. For example, the joys of our youth we must enjoy God’s gift to us today which is called the present. We must learn to face all these challenges with our Lord and be empty of everything except Him. The beatitudes will serve as our map in our quest to heaven. Beatitudes are like eyeglasses that help us to see what is important so as not to lose sight of what is right. Whenever we are to decide and act on something we might as well ask ourselves this, “Is this choice going to bring me closer to heaven?” The more we get our vision corrected the more we get closer to heaven. What is going to bring us closer to heaven? St. Francis of Assisi is a pilgrim in search of the glory of God. He renounced his riches and served God. These are the kinds of choices that pilgrims make to get closer to heaven. We spend our whole lives to get closer to God. We are in contact with God and making choices to be closer to God. If we live our lives as pilgrims in a journey to heaven then we will be happy. We will be recognized for our love and joy. We are not expected to take this journey alone and walk in a lonely path. The Church is with us to help us in this journey and help us to stay in the right path. The sacraments, mass, baptism and penance are the tools to reach our heavenly destiny. God never wants us to be discouraged. We can bring all our sins to Him in confession. The Eucharist the guiding light of our journey is the earthly physical presence of Christ on earth. It guides, feeds and reminds us of the manna in heaven. We also have the Blessed Mother when Jesus gave us His own mother at the cross. She loves us as her children. The final destination of our pilgrimage and journey is heaven. A reward awaits us in heaven just like any rewards program that you hear of, the more usage of a credit card the more rewards and so will it be when we have used all our talents for the Lord and offered all our sacrifices to Him. Funny how some people would prefer patronizing a certain establishment over another based on the reward but what we don't realize is that our God can reward us more than any other in this  whole  wide  world  so let us be conscious  of our actions  and always  prefer God above  everything.   Whenever we allow ourselves to be affected by the negativity of this world and the people around us then we succumb to the possibility of discord and open ourselves to further disagreement. We do not realize that when we answer back and try to vindicate ourselves we just end up complicating things even more. We should just keep silent and not say anything at all. This reminds me of what I read about preaching, it is said that we should preach with our life, live by example and just use words when necessary. We need to listen more attentively to God and commit to Him unconditionally. We should all humbly pray to God that we will be able to perseveringly live up to that challenge of being truly poor in spirit and become part of His kingdom. We have all been called to take part in this game called life.  The best way to win the game is to know how to play it and be actively involved in it. How would you like the idea of a game wherein you need not run all the way to the finish line to get your prize? We may not be aware of it but we could already be winning prizes along the way and need not wait for the final moment. The answer lies in today’s gospel and also in the version of Luke's gospel. The beatitudes has a semi hidden meaning in it. In a retreat we were asked to read them all and find out what that is, nobody was able to come up with the answer. It was just very simple. All the beatitudes are in the future tense only the first one which is “Blessed are the poor in spirit” is in the present tense. It means it is already happening right now and it is already in their hands. For it is written, theirs is the kingdom of heaven and it didn’t say will be. This means that we begin possessing it even now and have its fullness when we die and raised on the last day. The Kingdom of God is among us. Whatever relationships we have that with Jesus is above all. We prize the access to material things and all other worldly pleasures without realizing that loyalty to God is access to all. He is primary above all other things, above all our troubles, fears and whatever may be our ills and even death itself. God rules above all and He has authority on heaven and earth. We have the free will to do as we want. We have to be fully aware that the Kingdom of death has been conquered and defeated we can stand on the authority of God in Jesus who resurrected that can't be stopped because the Kingdom of heaven has already been handed to us. When Jesus' blood came upon us we are saved. But we have to acknowledge it and admit our sins and turn away from it. Jesus is the source of forgiveness and healing. We have to bear witness and reveal how great a Savior we have in Jesus, risen from the dead and only Savior of humanity. God gives us these beatitudes. It means supreme blessedness and felicity that comes from God. Being poor in spirit in the biblical sense is like the man who discovers his own limitations being a creature before the Creator. Our suffering and sorrow create a hollow place in our hearts, get our attention and make us thirst for help and love. God comforts and fills us with Himself. We accept our limitations in order for the kingdom to be a reality. For those who mourn beatitude, a Christian writer said that troubled souls are safe and the untroubled are the ones unsafe. The reason for this is because we are just in the place where God can reach us. We seem to remember God more often when we have problems. The meek and docile seek God’s will patiently in contrast to using force and control. We need to wait on Him and receive everything from the Lord with gratitude. We learn to appreciate the things in this world better, look at it in the right perspective and use it according to God's purpose. God is not limited by any circumstance and He comes to those who want Him and hunger for righteousness. We can't be pure of heart if we are fractured by sin. If we put God first in our life, He’ll come to us in a deeper way. A child of God is transformed by His grace to bring peace to the world. We become like Christ and help redeem the world. The world is contrary to the gospel. As we look to the blood of the martyrs which became the seed of the Church we also unite our own sufferings with Christ. It becomes redemptive suffering. We need to have the spirit of the beatitude to transform the world and maintain the saltiness in this life. This is the way that a Christian becomes effective to the world and be salt of the earth.   Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5,1-12.

"...Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.....

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven....."

MOST CHERISHED AND FAVORITE

The 1st reading for today contains one of my most cherished and favorite bible passages. This is also found in the lyrics of a Christian song entitled, "Dios ay Pag-ibig" meaning God is love which is also the favorite song of my nanay (mother). She already passed away and her birthday was last Oct. 21. Every time I encounter this bible passage I am always reminded of how strong the faith of my mother was. It is one of the reasons why I grew up with the same kind of conviction that she has in the kind of love that God has for us. There is nothing to fear as we travel the road leading us to the path to Jesus. We are safe and secure in the promises of God our Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!

Romans 8:31b-39

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us… For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

In observance of the upcoming feasts of All Saints and Souls Day, let us not forget in our prayers the souls of those who already left this world ahead of us, not only our loved ones but especially those who have none to pray for them. May God's mercy be upon them. May they find God at their right side ready to rescue their souls. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M 

Psalm 109:21-22. 26-27. 30-31

R: Save me, O Lord, in your mercy. ...I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD, and in the midst of the throng I will praise him, 31 for he stood at the right hand of the poor man, to save him from those who would condemn his soul. (R) 

Today's gospel also contains one of my most cherished and favorite bible passages due to the special memory it holds for me and my son. When Jude and Allan were still small I used to tell them bedtime stories that they love to hear over and over again except for this one. It is about the story of a hen who gathered her brood under her wings in order to protect them from the fire that broke out in the farm. The hen got burned and died but was able to spare the life of her brood which she shielded from the blazing fire with her protective wings. My son Allan, cried when he heard about that story because he had associated me with the mother hen and said that he doesn't want me to grow old and die. Looking back at that incident now that my 2 sons are both grown ups, I can narrate a better story about the love of God depicted in a mother hen who protects her brood under her wings but will not end up burned and dead but instead resurrected and living in eternity. We are all God's children that He yearns to gather under His protective wings. May we always recognize the doting love and care of a mother hen to its brood in the Lord and just like Allan, respond with the same kind of affection towards God. If a mother hen can do such a thing, how much more can a perfect God who is Father, Mother and created all of us with great love and care not protect us.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 13:31-35

... how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling...

THE NARROW GATE

God's daily assurance to us is written in the 1^st reading today. We should be thankful to God that with each passing day He never fail to remind us of His love and mercy  that no matter what happens we should continue to be hopeful in the promises of God our Savior. I would like to share with you these words of wisdom in Sabbath magazine which I am fully convinced and agree with 100%. THE PROMISES OF GOD FOR US Romans Chapter 8 is the centerpiece of Pauline theology on the nature of Christian life as we should live it. Verses 28-30, talks about the promises that God made long ago to make us all as it were the eldest of many brothers — that is, we receive the fullness of the inheritance that God has for us. (Under Jewish Law, the eldest son inherited virtually everything and it was his responsibility to provide for his siblings.) Paul tells us that for those who have faith in God, whatever situations we encounter in life will turn to our good. This may be difficult to believe at times but then God never promised us that life would be easy and simple. There will always be challenges to face and opportunities to exercise our faith. Thus it is important during better times to store up memories of God’s blessings so that they will help us to endure the lean times where His presence and blessings are more difficult to discern. This is also why God calls us to live in Christian communities with varying levels of commitment — so that we can avail ourselves of the support of each other during difficult times. It is good to be grateful for the gift of her as our mother, too. Jesus gives her to us from the cross so that she can be a comfort and support to us all. Often it is only through her faith and intercession that we are able to endure our trials, just as it was our mothers’ support that helped us through many difficult situations in our childhood. The greatest gift we can give to Mary on this day is to commit to a more faithful following of the call of Jesus. Let us pray to God for this grace through her intercession. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

There are 7 habits that have been identified for the last 2000 years that will lead us to success, excellence in every aspect of human life and holiness. The most important of human life is our relationship with God. But every other aspect like our relationship with other people, family, the way we are in the work place and all these things are governed by these 7 habits, patterns or qualities. These habits we can find in scriptures and see it in the life of saints. Even before God begin to reveal Himself to His people in Israel, human nature is smart and wise enough to see some things on its own. We, Catholics believe that God gave human beings reason although it sometimes gets darkened by sin but still human reason can figure out some things. One of the things that human beings figure out without God having to reveal it, is that human beings need to meet 4 qualities to be deemed a human being. The philosopher, before even Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, had this figured out. We find it mentioned in Wisdom 8:7, the 4 virtues or qualities are also called the hinge virtues because it is where all the other virtues or qualities of good people would hinge. The word cardinal means hinge. The Cardinals who surround the Pope are the doorway to the Pope. They are also the ones whom he rely the most for advice. Everything else depends on the cardinal virtues. (Prudence or wisdom, justice, temperance and courage or fortitude) Prudence is the ability to make right decisions in complex situations. Decisions that lead to the best and right thing. Without this we can be in big trouble. We’ve got to be able to decide in a situation that we’re in what the right thing to do which is the best thing to do. How do we get something done? There are some folks who probably just can’t figure out what to do. There are other folks who look at the problem and they can figure out a solution. It’s a core and they execute that core. It’s practical wisdom. We’ll find in the Book of Proverbs a lot of things about wisdom even in Sirach, Ecclesiastes and all the wisdom literature in scriptures. We can also find all the other 3 cardinal virtues, like justice which means giving each person his or her due. We all know even as kids instinctively how important justice is. The first thing that a kid cries out as soon as he learns how to talk if he has brothers and sisters is “Not fair, he got more than I did” or “You ask me to do more than what that person is doing.” This is because we have instinctively or natively offensive justice. Each person has rights and ought to get their due. There’s also another part of justice that we forget, that is, we have obligations and duties to everyone. A person who is unjust is not a good person. To be just, we need to control our passions. Temperance is a virtue that balances and controls our passions. It is like controlling  our desire for that last piece of cake if we know that it belongs to our sister. In order to be just, we’ve got to control our appetites. Make our appetites come into line with justice, truth and goodness. We’ve got to have that balance in our life in order to be a good and effective person. Temperance makes this happen. We also have to be courageous. If we are not courageous then every time a difficulty arises we’re going to shrink back. If there’s any danger involved in doing the right, just and wise thing then we’re just going to crack out and find an excuse because we’re afraid. Courage or fortitude helps us to master fear and not let fear keep us from doing what’s right. We’ve got have all these things but here’s the problem. When Adam & Eve decided to sin they let loose a weakness into our race and nature that impacts all of us. We call it original sin. Sin is not so original, we just copy what other people have done. There’s nothing creative about sin. Adam & Eve’s sin was the only original sin. What they did has an impact on us. By weakening their own nature, sin weakened man’s nature. They passed on to us a weakened nature. They separated themselves and the whole human race from friendship with God and were born into that. There’s a tendency in our nature to go on a downward drift, a drift off course and a tendency to a great degree is dealt with through grace. How do we get grace? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has made possible for us, healing of our humanity. He gives us other gifts, faith, hope and charity that make it possible for us to really have wisdom, justice, temperance and courage. Without faith, hope and charity in this life, no one can really become truly wise. All throughout human history we see people who exercise these gifts. They may not be Christians, deeply spiritual people, or in a state of grace and can exercise some of these potentials here and there. But ultimately original sin means we are going to sin seriously and mess up. We need God’s grace for those 4 great virtues to be perfected. Faith, hope and charity are supernatural. These are things that human beings would never know that they need or could have without God giving them supernaturally that’s why they are called the theological virtues. We only know about them through divine revelation and we couldn’t know about them by reason. We can only have them through God’s grace. The theological virtues, faith, hope and charity are the crown of the first 4 cardinal virtues that transform and make them possible. God doesn’t want us just to be whole human beings and restore us to what Adam & Eve were when they blew it in the Garden. God wants us to be more than that. He wants to elevate our human nature and divinize it. He wants us to share in His own Divine nature. Charity is all about loving with God’s love. Loving as the 3 persons of the Holy Trinity love each other and sharing in that goes way beyond human nature. This is an incredible thing and call. It was only possible because God became man and we can share in his virtue. This is what the real Catholic life is all about. It’s not just about making it or going to heaven by the skin of your teeth after struggling. It’s about growing in holiness and becoming like Jesus all throughout our life, a champion not without struggles. As a matter of fact without the struggles we can never become a champion. But with victory and excellence not with hopelessness, despair and frustration. This is God’s desire for us which is a fantastic calling. The power to do this is given to us through the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hallelujah!

Letter to the Romans 8,26-30.

"....We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose...."

If we continue to be faithful to God he will give us joy in our hearts, not just joy in good times but also a heart that overflows with gladness in all kinds of situation, a heart that beats for the Lord and will always find rest and satisfaction in Him. To belong in the flock of the Lord under the  Good Shepherd's care makes us want for nothing more. Just think of this, if certain animals are capable of such a noble and admirable act of love toward their young, how much more us, humans. To top it all we are assured of the love and care of the most perfect human mother who ever lived on earth. Praise and thank God for His goodness in sharing to mankind His mother, Mary, a heavenly mother. It was through the total surrender of the Blessed Mother Mary to God’s will that the Word of God is manifested in her life. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. We can learn a lot from the kind of life that Mary lived and ask her to intercede for us. For who could better show us the way to Jesus other than her who gave birth to our Savior Jesus Christ. We also in our own way can conceive Jesus although not in our wombs but in our hearts and who could better teach us to do this other than the mother of Jesus whom He gave to mankind at the foot of cross, “Behold your Mother.” She understands for there is nothing that she doesn’t understand since she experienced the killing of her Son. So we ask her today to lead us to Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 13:4-5, 6

R: My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.

3 [4] Look, answer me, O LORD, my God! Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death 4 [5] lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him”; lest my foes rejoice at my downfall. (R) 5 [6] Though I trusted in your mercy. Let my heart rejoice in your salvation; let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.” (R)

I am reminded of this old lady whenever her birthday is upcoming her loved ones who always throw a party for her would tell her that she needs to be strong enough so that she can enjoy it. She said that it was not easy for her to do her daily walking exercises most especially after she had fallen. She had become so unstable every time she stands up to walk but she painstakingly works on it despite the difficulty it was causing her. This bible passage from today's gospel somehow reminded me of it. I can't help but think of her the moment I read it. I could remember very well the words, “strong enough” that was specifically spoken to her. She knew what was required of her to achieve this as advised by her Physical Therapist (PT), to keep on walking as much as she can. We can see from the reading that Jesus advised the man to strive to enter through the narrow gate. It is not like anybody can just enter the narrow gate since it is stated that not all will be strong enough to do so. Just like this old lady who committed to her physical regimen despite her discomfort in order to achieve her goal, we too should devise a plan on how to be strong enough on that final day. It is never easy for an old lady who just suffered a fall and is afflicted with other illnesses to do such a thing. I have heard a lot of amusing statements on growing old like, “It isn’t any fun getting old, growing old ain’t for sissys, stay young and never grow old.” I guess being old itself is already a narrow door that we have to face with God’s grace if ever we will be given the chance. We all have our discomforts and difficulties that we have to tackle in life. The same thing is true with my son, Allan. When he was in college he used to  train really hard to the point of having to wake up as early as 4am daily to swim at least 20 laps before going to school. On top of this was the need for him to comply with all the demands of his academic subjects. He had always been very positive with a lot of things and full of confidence with the rate he was going with his physical stamina. He trained rigorously and regularly. He was very committed to his goal and did everything that was needed in order for him to improve and excel. He went a long way already from that overweight kid in LSM (Lourdes School of Mandaluyong) Grade School to a varsity swim team captain in DLSU (De La Salle University). As far as his physical state was concerned, he achieved his tip top shape. The need to be strong enough to enter the narrow gate as gospel today mentions is not about the physical strength that we can build up through training and workout but the strength of our souls. If we can gain insight from this it is the fact that just like Allan's physical regimen, we need strength training, workout and dedication too for our souls to last through eternity. Perseverance is the key! Not everybody we expect to be first always turns out to be first. Sometimes, things don't work out the way we thought it would be, happen the way we planned it, or look the way it may seem. All our hard work will be for nothing if we will not persevere, while holding on to His promise that He will be faithful to complete what He has started in us. Serving the Lord is not a bed of roses 'coz there are times when we fail and falter. We must always reconcile ourselves to Him lest He find us in an unprepared state and everything we've worked for will all be for nothing. The present time is what counts so let us always choose the "narrow gate" leading to God. "For many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough." May we always nourish our soul so that we will cultivate a strong faith in God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Well, I guess everybody is guilty of this. We really tend to doubt and lose heart whenever the things that we want are not within our reach and sight. We really have to strengthen our faith and hope for something we do not see and wait with endurance. Just like what the 1^st reading is telling us today. There are so many unforeseen events at hand but we should remain firm in our faith, patiently wait and hope that the Lord will be gracious and reveal His glory. We may be going through a lot of trials and uncertainties in life that we sometimes feel like things are not going to get better. Or worse we may be experiencing it for quite some time and starting to become impatient of our situation and start to think of resorting to ways and means that this world offers rather than continue to trust in God’s steadfast love that never ceases. Today's 1st reading reminds us to not lose sight of what is truly important and of greatest value. Let us not be lured by the false, empty and senseless promises, satisfaction and delight that it offers for nothing compares to the glory of God to be revealed for us. For no eye has seen, no ear has heard nor anyone has imagined what is in store for us in the Kingdom of God. Though, there may be times when everything seems so difficult and farfetched we should always believe and never waiver for only those who persevere to the end will be crowned with victory. We have to fight a good fight and never lose hope. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Rom 8:18-25 

Brothers and sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us...Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.  

Somebody from our bible study group asked Fr. H (Hyacinth) this question, "How come God chose Israel (Jewish) to be the chosen people when they are so stubborn and stiff necked." The answer that Fr. H gave him was so satisfactory and centered on the unsurpassed and infinite love and mercy of God and so much like what I read and chanced upon in the Book of Romans 11:33-36 as I read the 1st reading, " Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?" For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." We tend to take for granted or worst we become ungrateful in a way when we fail to realize the things that God has done for us. It is undeniable that if we will just look very closely at our lives we'll see and find out that the Lord has indeed done marvels for us. There are times when we really have to strengthen our faith and hope for something we do not see and wait with endurance. We may be experiencing right now, so many unforeseen events but we should always wait and hope that the Lord will be gracious and reveal His glory. There is some truth to the famous saying, “Easy come, easy go.” If there are some things that we've been praying for and it seems like nothing is happening we should never give up. Every good work should be carefully planned and carried out to completion. Though the process may be long and hard we can always count on God to stick with us through and through and make it happen. If we are always manifesting in our lives the values of the passion and death of Jesus then we are assured of the resurrection. For this reason it is good to share this prayer of Mother Angelica in times of temptation and whenever we are on the verge of giving up when undergoing trials and tribulations. The prayer suggests that we focus on the 12^th station of the cross which is when Jesus dies on the cross while reciting the following: Eternal Father, I offer you the 6 hours of agony, the death and the piercing of Your Son’s Sacred Heart for… (mention the need or petition). This is effective in the sense that the Lord looks down upon His Son, His agony, death and the piercing of His sacred heart for our sake. Only to God can we look with so much hope and confidence that the desert we are presently encountering at the moment will be turned into a refreshing spring of water. We may be suffering long enough under the heat of this life's difficulties but we must not forget that God is able to turn everything into green pastures. It is undeniable that if we will just look very closely at our lives we'll see and find out that the Lord has indeed done great things for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 

R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.

1 When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. (R) Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. (R) 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. 5 Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. (R) 6 Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

We have encountered the words of "Kingdom of God" several times already in the bible especially the gospels. In today's gospel from Luke a reflection of St. Maximus Turin is referring to Jesus as the mustard seed planted in the garden. He wrote, "... a man named Joseph, a member of the council, from Arimathea»... He went to Pilate. He asked permission to take down the Lord's body and bury it. When permission was granted he placed it in the tomb he had prepared in his garden (cf. Lk 23,50-53). That is why Scripture says: «A man took it and buried it in his garden». In Joseph's garden there mingled the scent of many different flowers but such a seed as this had never yet been placed there. The spiritual garden of his soul was embalmed with the scent of his virtue but Christ's embalmed body had not yet occupied its place. When he buried the Savior in the memorial place of his garden, he received him even more deeply into the crevice of his heart." Once again we are being called to elevate, deepen and widen our knowledge of the Lord. Our faith also has the capacity to be just like this mustard seed, it will not only grow but will shelter others, too. God invites us to touch other people's lives by our example of faith shown and reflected in our lives. It took some time before the small mustard seed became fully grown into a large bush and so is the wheat flour mixed with yeast. Both of them did not instantly grow big. With regards to the mustard seed it was first planted in the garden and for it to grow must surely be cultivated and nourished. The same is true with the Kingdom of God, we have to take good care of the seed planted in our hearts. There are so many things that could hamper its growth or even cut it dead. Or we can't rush things, hasten the process and by pass the necessary stages of growth. We've got to take things one step at a time. We ought to take responsibility of making sure that this seed will reach its full maturity and be a pleasing testimony of God's kingdom. We all come to think of life as a mystery. We can't get all the answers that we want all at once but we can somehow work our way to it. As in the tiniest seed which eventually grew gigantically. Let us be assured that we will all get there sooner or later as we plant, cultivate and nurture the Kingdom of God as a seed planted in the rich soil of our heart. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 13:18-21

18 Jesus said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’ ” 20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

SIGNATURE IN THE SKY

I love this song. "God's got an army. It's marching through this land. Deliverance is their song. There's healing in their hands. There's everlasting joy and gladness in their hearts. And in this army I've got a part!" When I first heard it I felt like I really want to belong. Well, it is our mission and call. We should really belong. It is nice to know that we are part of a family whom we can call our own and get support from. All of us want to belong to a family which can be a source of inspiration, love and strength. Today's 1st reading tells us that we are blessed that aside from the family that we have been born with we also have a holy family in which we become members of the household of God.

It can be told, we are God's children and dwelling place. Thus we ought to do everything in our power to make ourselves pleasing and holy before the Lord. When we speak of physically constructing something like a temple we've got to have all the necessary funds and materials to build it. It really costs a lot to build especially at this time when there is economic distress all over the world. Spiritually, it is not like we are lacking in resources of any kind to fulfill this. The Holy Spirit has the gifts, well equipped and will never run low to carry out this task of building us into a temple of God . Isn't it a relief, all we have to do is desire and ask for it with a pure and sincere heart. There is no reason to be afraid as we are assured in today's 1st reading by God that there is really no reason to be. Death may be a time of grief but it is also a time of hope. For the Lord has promised to prepare a place for us so that where He is, we may also be. As we all strive to know God in a special way may we come to a point where we realize the essence of this message conveyed to us in today’s 1^st reading.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 2:19-22

Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

It always pays to be watchful and alert at all times. Although we sometimes fail to measure up due to our own shortcomings or could be the doing of another, God assures us in today's psalm that if we fall into the trap of the enemy we can always repent with a deep remorse for our sins and resolve to make the precepts of the Lord the joy of our hearts. In doing so, we find ourselves naturally restrained from sin and maintain our innocence. It is so hard to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord if we do not know exactly how to go about with it. It's just like when we have to comply to certain requirements in school and follow the standard set by it. We need to have a pattern or outline from which we can base our work. Just as it is so in other things, the more we are all in need of God's precepts. The absolute bedrock of spiritual life is to follow the 10 commandments. We are sometimes misled into thinking that when we have a type of prayer then we think that we already have a spiritual life. We’ve got to have the humility to admit that God is smarter than we are and we need to follow and obey what we are told in the 10 commandments. We should be totally and absolutely convinced that He knows best. Satan uses half truths and half lies in his devilish tricks. Satan’s claims seem to come true in one level. Take the example of our 1^st parents after eating of the forbidden fruit their eyes were opened and did become in one sense like God. The fallen angels made their free choice by radically and irrevocably rejecting God so in turn they seduce and mislead Adam & Eve. It was through sin that humanity was afflicted by death. Because of one man’s disobedience many were made sinners. When tempted in the Garden, Adam failed to remain faithful to God and His commands. Jesus, the New Adam, is God’s servant totally obedient to the Divine will. Jesus is the devil’s conqueror and takes back the plunder. What the devil has stolen from us, Jesus has recovered for us. Pope Benedict XVI commented about what the Lord experienced in the desert and said that at the heart of all temptations is the act of pushing God aside because we conceive Him as secondary. It is an act of constructing our world with our own lights and building our own foundation and setting God aside as an allusion. Temptations come in many varied forms but one thing is sure, it does not invite us to directly do evil because it is too blatant and would outright turn us off. It is very subtle and yet an act of pushing God’s commands aside and placing the devil’s temptation as primary. If we want to remain victorious throughout life, we have to keep Him in the center of our life and hold on to His words which are Spirit and life. God’s ever present help can be found in the scriptures. It's just like a soldier going to battle wearing the armor of God. It never fails and always there to defend and protect from the snares of the evil one. So always take up our sword which is the word of God. God's perfect word can refresh the soul. Have you ever wondered really how it feels to be refreshed? Whenever we take a shower or a warm bath and put on clothes that are well fitted and comfortable it refreshes our body. It could also be whenever we go to a place where we can unwind, relax, be away from the tensions, stresses, noise and turmoil of the fast paced lives that we lead and just appreciate the beauty of nature that surrounds us and the peace and quiet it offers to our tired bodies in order to be more in touch with God's voice in us. It is so refreshing it gives our minds and hearts a better view and perspective of how to live our lives. The same thing with our souls, we should always keep it clean, healthy and clothed with maximum security, protection but comfortable enough we don't even know it's there. Like it has become fused in us, there's nothing more right than following and obeying the law of God. Today's psalm reading guides us on how we should go about with our lives by always keeping in mind God's laws. None of us is perfect but through our imperfections we can always run to God for help and guidance. He will never refuse nor forsake us for He can only love and care for us. There are people who have alienated themselves from God and we can’t just force them to go back. God does not do that, it’s not how the Lord works, instead we pray and pray for them. If we wait long enough and adhere to God’s precepts then we will finally obtain joy in our hearts. As water prevails over the rock throughout the course of time so does the Holy Spirit that is continuously flooding or washing over the man’s heart.  The Holy Spirit moves in and continues to work upon us and tenderizes us. The song entitled, "Your Words Are Spirit and Life" by Bernadette Farrell was impressed to me. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved to sing and I just realized that the words of this song are taken from this psalm which made me start singing it. Well, we just have to fully discover what the words of God can make us do. When things get out of hand we have no one to blame but ourselves for God is surely not lacking in everything that He has given us for our own welfare. We've got everything we need because there's nothing more that God could and should do for us that He has not done. All we have to do is completely trust and obey the judgments of the Lord. GOD'S LAW MAKES US LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE (CCC 1803 "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.") May we truly recognize the genuine and precious treasures that we should all strive to achieve and work for which is none other than these things spoken of in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah!  

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

R: Their message goes out through all the earth.

1 [2] The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 [3] Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 3 [4] Not a word nora discourse whose voice is not heard; 4 [5] through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their  message.

It should always bring us great joy and pleasure to look back and recall how things happen in our life and how they all connect and make more sense. This is what happens when we pray at all times even without completely getting the whole picture. Time will come when things will take its perfect form and be more clearly presented to us. In today's gospel, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray and spent the night in prayer to God before He chose the Twelve. Jesus demonstrated the importance of prayer before making decisions and coming up with choices. Looking back more than 2,000 years ago, what Jesus did was a very important decision. He appointed the leaders of the Church that still stands to this very day. But we also know that among those He had chosen one of them betrayed Him. Despite of this I don’t think Jesus regretted it because He knows that it was part of the Father’s plan. There is really a need to always connect to God in prayer. There are various ways we can pray to God and we are left with less and less excuses not to pray. Aside from the “as is where is’ option in giving praise and glory to God, today's gospel presents to us a different approach which is to go to the mountain to pray. Though, God is always near and with us, it is us who move away/close and choose what position to take in relation to Him. It is through prayer that we maintain an atmosphere of proximity to the Lord so we can always reach out and touch Him. It is also the feast day of Sts. Simon and Jude. A lot of people may not know it but I named my son Jude after this apostle of Jesus. I have encountered several miracles already in my lifetime through the intercession of this great saint. I would like to honor him for the countless times he has extended his assistance to me and my family ever since I had this devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus, With much confidence and trust I say, St. Jude Thaddeus, pray for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 6:12-16

12 Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

GOD’S FAVORITES

Sometimes we encounter disappointments in life in the form of favoritism when we turn out to be the person who is not the favorite. It is so disheartening for all of us especially if it is very obvious and puts us in a humiliating way that hurts our ego. It is already a big deal in itself but to love and care for a person who does not reciprocate our feelings and disregards it in favor of another person is much worse. We can't help but feel bad about it. We know that feeling this way does not make things better nor would it change how others should feel about us in a genuine kind of way. This should not put us down. God knows our heartaches and longings. By knowing that He knows no favorites because we are all God’s favorites should make all the difference and what matter most. I am an orphan but I have always been reminded by nanay when she was still living that orphans and widows are special to God. I have never felt in want although my father died when I was just 3 yrs old and we were all left (with my brothers) in the care of my nanay. Now that she is gone too, all the more have I realized what she meant about the orphans. My nanay never remarried and had to raise us up by herself. She has always been hopeful in the Lord and never doubted that God will always provide. I thank her once again for her gift of living Christ's example. Up to this present time, pondering about the things that are happening I know I can never thank her enough because I can still feel her prayers working for us. I know that she will always remind God of His promises to the orphans and she will constantly be our patron in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18

12 The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. 13 Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed. 14 The LORD is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint; 16 The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens. 17 The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, 18 nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay.

The considered powerful and mighty of this world is what appear to be the blessed and favored ones as far as human logic and reason are concerned. The exact opposite of what Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount and Plain (Beatitudes) in the gospels. A lot of people find it difficult to really understand the beatitudes since it contradicts the values of this world we live in. The poor, weak, hungry and sorrowing are called blessed. This may not sound acceptable for everybody and would even go around its meaning to get away with the real issue that Jesus wants us to face. Whatever it may be that's still stopping us from grasping the wisdom of God let us pray to God that we will always hold on to His word as He assures daily. Our God indeed is a perfect God and we must entrust everything to Him without questioning believing that He knows what's best. We must be aware of the truth that it is by His power that we exist in this world. We’ve got to have the right heart, mind and attitude. Be poor in spirit and receptive to the Word of God. It doesn't make sense that despite these truths that are ever before us we still reject Jesus. Let's admit that we do it one way or another, knowingly or unknowingly. Pope John Paul II narrated a story when he was in the hospital for his operation. Just before the surgery, he went out of his room unnoticed and visited a very sick boy on the verge of dying. His mother was so depressed that no amount of words was able to console her. She told the Pope to tell God to go away. The Pope answered her that he did tell God to go away but He wouldn't listen. He embraced the inconsolable mother and told her that God knows exactly the place where He needs to be and that is none other than with her. We should realize that God never leaves nor forsakes most especially in times of despair. He is always there for us. Have you heard of blind obedience? Following without knowing exactly why you follow. Take the example of suicide bombers, who willingly die to spread terrorism. What courage! We should know that it is always worth it to obey God, obeying and knowing fully well that it is for our own good. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. We may have encountered situations wherein we were not able to plan ahead and totally placed us in a very unexpected, uncertain and insecure position.  They just happen suddenly that we have no time to prepare and really caught us off guard. This has caused us to feel at a loss. Just imagine how it feels to be blind not knowing where to go and groping in the dark. But we can be assured that God will rescue us from all distress and deliver us from our troubles. The wickedness and the hatred may persist but let us not lose hope and despair because we have a mighty Savior and Redeemer in our Lord Jesus. This truth stated in today’s psalm reading should keep us going and do exactly what we are told. The Light of the World already came and judgment day is coming soon. In fact, judgment is happening even now. In Deuteronomy 30:15 "Here, then, I have today set before you life and prosperity, death and doom..." God asked us to choose. It's got to be one way or another. There should be no mingling or ambiguity. It is all up to us. We can be assured that if we take God’s side then we’ll definitely taste and see His goodness. If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find Him. Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves rescued, saved and  truly blessed. We should always keep our hopes up in the Lord no matter what our situations are because it can never change the fact that He is God and always in charge and in control. There are times when we feel forsaken or abandoned but we must always hold on to the truth that He loves us so much. He would never leave us in misery. Let us remove all doubts and fears. Nothing should make us feel afraid for God hears our cry. He will surely carry out what is clearly for our own good and the best. All we need to do is allow God to work in our lives and stop hindering His grace to flow in our lives. If there's one big obstacle that is blocking this flow then it is surely not God. It is time we analyze the things in our life that continue to build up and shut out God. We don't want that happening and it's all up to us for the Lord hears and saves us. Although there are times when we do not have to sweat at all and things just come and fall into place we also have to know that our life is mostly a product of the choices we make. Our choices must always be responsible and carefully decided on. We've got to have a reliable standard for it. One without fail and is sure to work. Actually there is only one thing that we can surely depend on and that is the goodness of the Lord. If we always have this in mind then nothing should stop us to always look at God, listen and follow Him. We should not care so much about gaining the approval and admiration of men rather than God. Our focus first and foremost should be to please God and everything else will follow. Even if it sometimes does not work the way we expected and planned things to be. We can be assured that the Lord heard, hears and will hear all our prayers and surely has the best answer at hand in His most perfect time. In guarding our faith the bible passage from Ephesians 6:10-11 which is about the armor of God is an important tool. If we read it we will find the only weapon mentioned in the said bible passage is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We should check it once again and be aware of this important information as Catholic Christians. In the gospel about the temptation of Jesus the devil also demonstrated his knowledge of the scriptures. As it is written, we need to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. We are undoubtedly engaged in this battle every single day that's why we are in need of a weapon. This reminds us of the importance of knowing the word of God by heart since it is our only weapon. God never fails. He would always make things work for our good and rescue us in our distress. I have always believed in angels even before I got this petal from a healing service with the image of a cherubim miraculously imprinted on it. It's been a while since I got it and has served as a testimony of God’s abiding love. I have no doubt in my mind that God will always deliver me from all my fears. I always keep my rose petal with me and show it to almost everyone I meet, as a way of propagating God's goodness to me. I can still remember and will never forget how my mother used to narrate to us how I was miraculously saved by my angel several times. First was when I was about 2 months old, and I fell from a height of 2-3 ft countertop when the nanny after giving me a bath left me for only a second to get something and upon returning found me already unconscious and lying on the hard, ceramic tiled floor. I was rushed to the doctor but he told them that if I fail to regain consciousness within an hour then he said I am gone. To everybody's surprise I started to cry even before the time is up. Another one was when I was barely 2 yrs old when I almost got hit by a speeding jeepney. My parent's house is right beside my grandparent's house which is right in front of the school where my mother used to be a public school teacher. She said she was standing in the center of the stage of the school that was why she had a good view of the things around her even the terrace of my grandparent's house so she got the shock of her life when she saw me there alone running very fast heading toward the open gate while a speeding jeepney was coming and looked as if I would really get hit and it would be too late even if somebody was there to stop me. She was already screaming from afar together with the other teachers who saw it and was trying to call the attention of the driver but to no avail for he didn't even slow down because their screams were of no match to the loud engine of the jeep.  It was just a miracle that the moment I stepped on the side of the road, I suddenly stopped and stood very still as if someone was holding me back. She said it was my guardian angel who held me and prevented me from getting hit by the jeep.  I don't remember personally any of those experiences it was only through my mother's stories that I came to know about them. But when I was older like in 4th grade I could already remember how I was spared again from being hurt seriously when the fluorescent lamp right on top of my head fell on my desk a split second after I stood up and left my chair.  My classmates were really shocked and were hovering around me and told me that it was really close. One of my bestfriends, Myrsa got me even more scared of what could had happened when she said that fluorescent lamps are laden with poison that once it gets broken, the poison is released and if the broken glass cuts your skin open the poison will get in and the wound caused by it will never dry up or get healed. From then on I developed this childlike trust in God and thanked God for saving me from death. There was another instance in my life as a child when Myrsa and I were left all alone in school while waiting for our ride home and the deafening sound of lightning and thunder got me very scared. Myrsa played the role of my guardian angel when she tried to calm and stop me from crying by telling me that I should not be afraid because the lightning is the flash bulb of God's camera. She continued by saying that I should not cry but instead smile for God was just taking our picture. Myrsa's legendary stories played a role in my developing a great faith in God. Another funny story was what she told me about the needle. She said that we must be careful with needles because it will find its way into our bodies and once it's inside it will go to our bloodstream and very quickly end up pricking our hearts which can cause us to die right away. There was one time when I lost a needle and couldn't find it anywhere. I went to bed very early that day which surprised my mother and was asking me if there was anything wrong. I decided to myself that I would just wait for my death silently and not tell anybody. I was praying to God not to give me a painful death and let me not feel it once the needle pricks my heart. When I woke up the next day I was so glad that I was still alive and thanked God for sparing me from death. Those were the early formative years of my faith which started out in a funny, amusing but definitely amazing way. We all have fears in life and sometimes they drive us to the point of despair. This should not be the case. If we truly believe with all our mind, heart and soul what today's psalm tells us then there is no reason for it. If we will just constantly nourish and fill ourselves with the words of God in scriptures then there is really no reason for us to fear rather be always filled with joy. He will never allow us to be defeated and conquered for He is always there to rescue us. Amen, Hallelujah!

Psalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 (7a)

R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

1 [2] I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. 17 [18] When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) 18 [19] The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. 22 [23] But the LORD redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him. 

Don't worry, the Lord will understand you if you do it. Have you heard this famous and overused line before? Sometimes we Christians are like that. We tend to rationalize and justify every action that we do. Although, it is already obvious that among all the choices that we have in life we can always decide for the ultimate good we still settle for something less or worst choose what is bad. Have you been into a situation wherein nobody seems to understand or agree with your decision? There is no reason to fret for we have a God who knows exactly what we're going through, He is always with us to love and support us. Somehow, this also reflects the message of Bro. Bo Sanchez. He said that there are 3 Cs that we obtain when we go through trials and sufferings. The first C is comfort. As the bible tells us, blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Come to think of it but this is in fact very true. Looking back at those times when we are in sorrow and pain there will always be something or someone that comforts us. The 2^nd C is character, we develop it whenever we are put through difficulties. The 3^rd C is compassion. We become better person as we emerge from one trial after another. The analogy presented to us is in the form of a person who heard God’s voice telling him to push on a big boulder. Every single day he would push on it but he would not see it budge even a bit. Until finally after a month he said to God that he is not doing it anymore for nothing seems to happen. The Lord answered him and said that something happened for he developed muscles. This is when Bro. Bo mentioned about our hope in God especially at times when we feel like nothing good is happening to us. Our hope has something to do with our perception and position. He said that when he was still in his 20s and heard someone say that he is 40 he thought that the person is old but now that he is in his mid 40s he thinks that the person is young. The same is true when we are presently experiencing a trial and in deep pain and agony but after going through it we look at things differently. This should be our position with God although we may be in a difficult situation we should always have that attitude and perception of hope which is to position ourselves as if we’ve already gone through the pain for we have a God who will surely see us through it.  In our journey of faith as a Christian many people would say and agree that it is like a bed of roses but not without the thorns. We get a lot of that as we travel through life most especially if we have committed ourselves to serve God. I like this saying, "Life is God's gift to us and what we make of our life is our gift to God." We have to strive living our life as in this song, "Lord I offer my life to you, everything I've been through use it for your glory. Lord I offer my days to you, lifting my praise to you as a pleasing sacrifice, Lord I offer you my life. All that I am, all that I have, I lay them down before you Oh Lord, all my regrets, all my acclaims, the joy and the pain, I'm making them yours. Things in the past, things yet unseen, wishes and dreams that are yet to come true, all of my heart, all of my praise, my heart and my hands are lifted to you. What can we give that you have not given. And what do we have that is not already yours? All we possess. All these lives we're living, that's what we give to you, Lord." Not everybody would be as receptive and pleasant as we wanted them to be. Just like Paul in today's 2nd reading who was greeted with a lot of setbacks and difficulties, we have to continue and not be discouraged. Nor should we take it personally against the people who have harmed us. It's kind of easy to say but hard to do. This is the challenge that Paul leaves us with and not everyone is brave enough to take and truly commit to it. Let us be aware that this task that the Lord our God is entrusting to us is offered to all without exception. It shouldn't be just Paul who could utter these very words in today's 2nd reading. We should also be able to say it ourselves. Our fight of faith  is something like choosing to be in the right frame of our life and not turn back. We may have come to a point in our life when things are harder than ever but as long as we are in the right frame we should not be moved. God permitted such situations in our life. It is only in going through some things that we gain understanding of how things work and acquire knowledge that can only be learned most effectively in actually experiencing it for ourselves. There are some things we would not have known about and discovered if not for the experiences we've gone through. As in James 2:17, "So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead." We've got to have something to conquer before we can be a conqueror, something to overcome before we can be an overcomer and a test to have a testimony. If we will just be very grateful to God for all the things He has done for us and try to look back and recall we will find that all throughout our lifetimes we really have a lot of things to be really thankful for and find that we can never out give our God. We should be able to say the very same words in today's 2nd reading with much conviction knowing that we did our best for God's greater glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

...I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance...The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from the every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us always be reminded of the truth that as we soar high and become blessed, there is a tendency to claim it for our own personal glory. We must always strive to keep our feet on the ground and bring back all the glory to God. We should always go back to the truth in this gospel by becoming like Jesus who stooped down to our level, became man, served and died for humanity. Sometimes we are so preoccupied with how we are faring in the eyes of men without realizing that God's point of view and criteria should come first. We've got to discover the secret hidden in today's gospel and genuinely live it. Without truly understanding the real meaning of being humbled before the Lord then we can never apply what today’s gospel is telling us. It is important to know how we picture God in our life. It will automatically create a series of reactions in us. Let us not be caught off guard or unprepared. We may be getting the wrong impressions. Just like the Pharisee in today's gospel who thought that he was right before God and the tax collector was the one who was unacceptable to God. Jesus, who is God the Son, King of Kings and Lord of Lords humbled Himself to the point of a most humiliating and painful death on a cross during that time when only the worst criminals were punished in that manner. God the Father, suffered to see His Beloved and only Begotten Son shed His blood and became the Sacrificial Lamb of God who took away all our sins. If this could not move us to true humility then nothing else could. Let us always conduct ourselves with all humility, though, there are times when we tend to forget. We must keep in mind that we must avoid following the example of the Pharisee and be like the tax collector although sinful was honest before God and humbly admitted his iniquities. God doesn't care if we are as dirty as a rag, all we have to do is be humble in admitting it before Him and He will make as brand new. Even when we go through a spiritual rut we must not hesitate to come before God and cling to him even more, knowing that only He can deliver us from all evil. Let us examine ourselves very closely, we may not be thinking and acting the way God expects us to. They say a lot of people die because of wrong impressions or Maraming namamatay sa maling akala. Let us strive to align everything in our lives in accordance to God's standards and not ours most especially if we truly want to be in union with a Perfect God. When we go to God in prayer we must keep in mind that God is the source of all good things and without Him we are nothing. When we get the real picture of our relationship with God we become better and better. We need not say or do anything to exalt ourselves because our efforts are merely nothing as compared to God’s. All we have to do is trust that God who sees and knows all will put everything in our life in its perfect order. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 18:9-14

...everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”