Isaiah 52:13-53:12
...for those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder… it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one for our sins, upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we smitten by God and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed were healed. 6 We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all. Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth...
God the Almighty has the power and final verdict over all things. Let us just trust God to allow things to happen in our lives whatever He deems best for us. Though the cross in Mt. Calvary Philippines as Pabasa give a sense of unexplainable joy. It made me realize that we are all so blessed to have a rich tradition to express our faith, hope and love in God. Although none of these things can ever be enough for a God who gave up His only Begotten Son to die on the cross. It helps develop a deeper faith just by being able to take part in this activity and see people still hold on to these practices to enrich their faith despite the cultural differences and the hectic schedules that so often get in the way. All of these devotions are done in the desire to honor God for what He suffered for our sake. The confidence of the martyrs in God did not waver up to the end. They stood firm in their faith and remained steadfast. I have read that the most critical point in our life is during the time of death because it is when a battle between good and evil is being waged over our soul. We might have heard of different stories of people about to die who were reported to have seen all sorts of vision. As we read the psalm for today may we find ourselves truly internalizing and believing the words thus visualizing the glory of God the way the saints and martyrs demonstrated for us during the critical hour of their life. We are a work in progress and we need to acknowledge our sins, mend our ways and surrender our life to the Lord. The world believes that it is foolish to believe what we can not see but we have to believe in what we do not see and face them all with faith, this is according to St. Thomas Aquinas. The testimony of those who believe help to build up our faith and the more witnesses we have the more solid it becomes. We look to the Gospel and see that there are so many witnesses and testimonies with very little variation. They speak of the truth of the life of Jesus. We have to accept everything that the Gospel tells us. With this great love that He offered to all of us, there is no doubt that God will make all things beautiful in our lives in His time. Our persistent cries and tears to God are always heard. God has given us very clear instructions from the very start. If only we will stick to it then we can be assured of a life lived to the full. We’ve got to have faith that of Abraham who believed even though his wife is with age that the one who made the promise is trustworthy. What God says is true and He does not lie. Padre Pio said that the most beautiful act of faith is one made with sacrifice and effort even in the presence of darkness. We have to believe that God has the best things in mind for us. If He allows some things that are not pleasant in life this is only to bring about the best. Although faith is not the best of the virtues, it is the rarest. Real faith inspires all actions and reveals God in everything. How rare is real faith next to danger. We sometimes feel that we do not see so much evidence of the reality of God. God does not give us so much light so that we are not forced to accept Him nor does He give too little that we can not find Him. He gives us just enough light so as to put to practice our faith. Nothing can ever frighten or scare us not even death if God is our stronghold. We can rely on so many things in this world like wealth, fame, power and success but only in the Lord can we find true security and satisfaction. There is no denying to the truth that we have a God who is always there for us whether in good or bad times. We can be assured that we can take comfort and hope in the Lord. Our enemies may be lurking from every side but we don't have to worry or be afraid. God is our refuge and strength. He can rescue us from the clutches of our persecutors and set us free. We should never have any doubt that God is able to do all things for our good for there is nothing more that He could do that He has not done. We should always be praising and thanking God in all circumstances knowing that God will always be there for us. He knows and sees all things much more than our limited points of view and angles of reference. God can view things in a multidimensional level while we can only see a single or at most double dimension. If we are looking at a not so pleasant view trust that God can see a better view than what is before us. If we have experienced an almost dangerously impossible situation wherein escape and deliverance seemed to be far fetched then we are in a worst case scenario. Believe it or not, this kind of situation could drive anyone to panic. Even the most steadfast in the faith community could succumb to anxiety and fear with regards to such situation. In fact, it could even come to a point where the most steadfast may go to a certain extent of negotiating for the sake of the lesser evil. It is this type of experience that could turn out to be unforgettable and could forever be etched in our mind not only because of the trouble and difficulty we went through but most of all the love and concern we experienced and witnessed from people in the community. Although it could indeed be a frightening experience when we could have just chosen to give up and succumb to the obviously convenient option for the sake of getting it over and done with but didn't for the sake of the truth of God. If we do then we would find that it is all worth it even though we have to learn some lessons in life the hard way. It is evident that the harder the situation we are in all the more could we feel God's ever reliable and strong hands secured all around us. We can not deny it and should always believe that God's truth and saving power prevails at all times. We look to God always in the midst of all the turmoil. No matter how long and hard we try to search for happiness outside God we can only find it in Him as St. Augustine says, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee." Only with Him do we find rest, fulfillment and satisfaction. Let us trust God in His divine providence and goodness that He will never abandon nor forsake us. He will rescue us at all times for He can turn back or fast forward the hands of time for everything is right on time with God. He is the God of the eternal now. With this great love that He offered to all of us, there is no doubt that God will make all things beautiful in our lives in His time. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25
R: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
1 [2] In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me. 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. (R) 11 [12] For all my foes I am an object of reproach, a laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends; they who see me abroad flee from me. 12 [13] I am forgotten like the unremembered dead; I am like a dish that is broken. (R) 14 [15] But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 [16] In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.” (R) 16 [17] Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. 24 [25] Take courage and be stout-hearted, all you who hope in the LORD.
Jesus understands. He knows exactly what we have been through and are going through right now even much more than we can imagine. Let us trust that He knows better than we all do and be confident of God who created us all. It should also give us a better perspective, the best motivation and inspiration to always offer everything that we do to God whether it be a simple or great task that is in our hands knowing that Jesus His Son has already perfected it for us. If we sometimes come to a point where we feel so lost and unsure if what we are going through and doing is still worth it, let us always keep in mind that for as long we do it to honor and glorify God then it should make us think very hard and not just twice before we ever give up. Let us not miss out on the ultimate blessing and the inheritance won for us by our unbeatable and undefeated Savior. All things happen for a reason and a purpose within the appointed time. God gives us valuable instructions for life that will make it pleasing and acceptable before Him. We should be mindful of the word of God being given to us in the scriptures and in our daily circumstances. The bible has been described as something like a manual that teaches us, Christians to go about with our lives. Just like any new equipment that comes with a manual in order to operate it properly so are God's words to us. We have to discover the joy of always consulting the word of God through the daily readings. In doing so we may even come to a point of making a commitment to write down reflections and share it to family and friends. It is in documenting and organizing our thoughts or journaling that we can access, read it readily and be reminded constantly. When God created us He intended for us to be guided and directed in accordance to His will and that's what the word of God does for us. For nothing else matters more than what matters to God. Jesus is 100% divine and human except for sin. This is a Church teaching that was emphasized during our bible study. The arch of Mark's gospel which illustrates 2 opposite parts represented by Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man is highlighted by the center of the arch where Jesus' divinity meets His humanity in the cross as the perfect victim (sacrificial lamb/scapegoat) of man's salvation. When things get out of hand we have no one to blame but ourselves for Jesus the perfect sacrifice is surely not lacking in everything that He has given us for our own welfare. Amen. Hallelujah!
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
...For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
We are commemorating now the greatest story ever told in the entire history of mankind. There is none like Jesus. Listening, reading and watching about His story over and over again should make us really feel and experience it in our own lives. Let us make a decision to really make it personal in our lives. If there were so many lies, deception, violence, betrayal, denial, injustice and the like during the time of Jesus' death then let us not despair for He has won it all when He died on the cross. We may still be in our Good Fridays but there is no doubt to the truth that our Holy Saturday and soon enough our Easter Sundays are up ahead. He has already paid the price for our sins and we are now free. Everything that has been said and foretold about Jesus is fulfilled. Let us not just look at the here and now but trust that God can do more and beyond what we are able to comprehend. I have always been amazed at how some things unexplainable as it may seem, came to be. I am sure this is true for most of us who in one way or another has encountered an incident that left us in awe and wonder of a surprising revelation and discovery in our lifetime. Some of them we can not even put together right away or may linger on for quite some time before we can put some light on and make sense out of it. If we are still groping for answers and still do not see any light in our path then we can only hold on to Jesus whose Perfect Divinity and Humanity has put all questions to rest and already stood the test of time. Today's gospel is full of the High Christology characteristics that is well known of the Book of John. John's gospel focuses so much on the Divinity of Jesus and eternal life. All the words in the scriptures from of old have been fulfilled in Jesus as it was written. He can make all things happen. He is indeed without a doubt, the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. There is none like Jesus. When we go through difficulties and trials in life we must always think of Jesus Christ who is King of kings. Just think of what He had to go through for this love and yet we complain at the slightest hint of inconvenience when we do not have things our way. We must be aware that God knows exactly what we are going through with perfect precision and He will not let us through it without seeing us through it, all we have to do is completely trust His will for us. Look at Jesus, who willingly obeyed the will of God the Father when He took the form of man and allowed Himself to be subject to everything that a human being goes through even to the point of extreme suffering, humiliation, pain and death in the cruel hands of His very own people, the Jews whom He had chosen and loved very dearly. He had the option not to go through that but He had to show us the perfect example of obedience to the will of God and there can never be a greater sacrifice than this and it's all because of His great love for us. Whatever we are going through right now is not even an inch close to what He had to go through who is Christ the King. Whatever it is that is bothering us we must keep in mind that our King has already won the battle for us and victory is in our hands. God the Almighty has the power and final verdict over all things. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 18:1-19:42
...Jesus answered, “I told you that I AM. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill what he had said,...Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?” ...Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. ...Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, "You are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." ...Again Peter denied it.
And immediately the cock crowed... “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”...“You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. Once more Pilate went out and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, Behold, the man!" When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him." ...Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha . There they crucified him, and with him two others, ..“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled [that says]: “They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” This is what the soldiers did...When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit...But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may [come to] believe. For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of it will be broken.” And again another passage says: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.”
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