GOODNESS, BEAUTY & TRUTH

There is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes in contributing not only to our future but to the future of others. Today's 1st reading speaks of this basic principle of moral life that Amos prophesies today, "Seek good and not evil...Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail..."  It will always be easier said than done. Though, we can always keep in mind what Brother Bo said in his preaching on how to eat an elephant, by taking one bite at a time, without you knowing it you've finished the whole elephant or just like traveling a long road, take one step at a time and we'll get where we're going no matter how long the journey is. Before we know it we've come a long way and reached our goals no matter how long and difficult it may seem. Just think of people who need to exercise but always end up quitting, a fitness expert said that if we can commit to doing exercise for 21 consecutive days then it will become a way of life. We can apply the same principle to doing good in our own little way daily so that it can eventually become a habit thus it will inevitably come out naturally like a flowing water and an unfailing stream. Amen. Hallelujah!

Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 Seek good and not evil, that you may live;...Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail...then let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.

God saves. There is no question about that but we have to also be diligent in fulfilling our part of the bargain. This reminds me of the vow I have made when it was impressed to me way back Oct. 7, 2007 in the reading from Book of Habakkuk 1,2-3.2,2-4. “Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”

From then on I've been writing daily reflections that can be read by everybody and to my surprise it has become integrated in my daily activities. As time and days go by, a lot of things started to unfold before me, most especially the enormous message contained in that prophecy in Habakkuk. This has given me inspiration and joy to continue doing it. Definitely God is not asking us to resort to some extreme or out of this world act. The emphasis is on the importance of following the commandments of God and doing what we've got to do. We need not wait any longer and see any further for God wants us to start paying attention to His commandments and apply it in our very own lives in order to make a return for all the good He has done. There are times when we just have to ignore what other people may say or think and continue in the belief that we are God's people and have to be obedient in what He has asked us to do and stay loyal to Him no matter what the cost is. We've got to make things very clear for us. Sometimes we insist on doing things our way and more often than not we end up in trouble. It's about time we realize that there is no other way but the Lord's way. We get the impression that if we do one good thing for the Lord then the rest of our actions are already covered and justified. Well, that's what the enemy wants us to think so we can go on doing our own thing without much care whether is it really pleasing to God or not. Our God is perfectly and wholly good in every aspect and we can't expect Him to yield to a partly good and bad child. Because He loves us, we need to be disciplined in order for us to straighten up. There is this Catholic convert who was raised in the belief that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon. When he encountered for the first time listening to the Palestrina, he said that it doesn't sound like it came from hell and sounded much more like what the angels sound in heaven. When he visited for the first time, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, he figured that the whore of Babylon could not be something this beautiful. He realized and understood that there could not be such a disconnection of what could be so beautiful and what is good and true. He could find all of these elements of goodness, beauty and truth in the Catholic church and what eventually brought him to the faith. The beauty that the faith produces is something that shines throughout more than 2000 years of the Church. We are not supposed to engage in a battle that is not destined to win at all. If we know that we are losing in the first place why pursue it? There are so many battles in life that we have to face everyday but there is no need to fight them all. It is not about us but about God. The only guarantee that we are going to win it through and through is to be sure first which side we are on and make sure that it is God's side. Let our words coincide with our work and action so that men will see and become convinced that we are God's obedient people. Sometimes we say one thing and mean something else. If we can confuse, convince and win people over to our side then we are definitely wrong if we think that we can do the same with God or even get away with it. If there's something we should be doing with our life then that is to be upright before the Lord first and foremost and everything will follow. It is not wise to gain the admiration of men at the expense of losing the approval of God. Nothing else matters more than being upright in the eyes of God. No matter how difficult things may seem to be at present we can always count on God at all times. The Lord hears our cries and supplications. He knows and sees all and He will surely make things right for us. No matter what happens to us we can always be assured of a God who will always look after us and will make sure that we are not taken advantage of. If God is for us, who can be against us? If we respond to His call and faithfully follow His precepts and be the person He has meant us to be then we are assured of His saving power. There are moments in our life when things happen to us and we feel that God is touching us in a special way. It seems so obvious that God is speaking to us in a variety of ways through our situations and circumstances. Today’s psalm reading tells us something very specific. It says that God will not just make us feel that we can somehow conclude that He is trying to communicate something to us but really show and demonstrate to the upright His saving power. There will always be times when we seem to not know where to go. No matter how difficult our situations may be, God will never leave us groping in the dark. All we have to do is to really take into serious consideration the words in today's psalm reading. The present civilization is in decline. There is so much moral decline and decay going on around us. The solution can be found in the psalm today. We have to have self discipline and will power to put a stop to the atheistic society that is on the rise. We need to become an active participant of the on going seminar for self restraint to control our appetites. To not pursue our own selfish good but the common good in order to rebuild our society and witness the saving power of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17

R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

...“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” 

Let's think about the gospel today. Where did those demons ask to be sent today? They asked to be sent to the pigs. It is very disheartening that much of our culture today are forcing people to become like pigs, beasts and be less than we are as stated in Gen. 1:31,"God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good." Those demons that were sent there were created good by God. It was through their own radical choice of rejecting God, that they become much less. Just recall what they said, "Send us into the herd of swine." This is what the life of people around us choosing evil become. They just choose to become like beasts and pigs when in fact, we are called to reach a higher, spiritual life. This could be described as climbing a mountain. It is difficult and it requires perseverance, daily efforts and God's assistance. What happens when we continue to climb up that mountain? It is hard but eventually we begin to see a wider distance, comprehend in a greater way the beauty that surrounds us, draw closer to God and finally see what we are called to become. Pope Benedict said that this is the greatest defense of our Christian faith. What confirmed his conviction that the true apology of Christian faith is the most convincing demonstration of its truth against every denial like the saints and the beauty that the faith has generated. The light of Christ shines in the life of the saints. Today for faith to grow we must lead ourselves in the persons we meet to encounter the saints and enter into contact with the beautiful. St. Augustine described God as the source of all beauty, goodness and truth that is ever ancient, ever new. We are attracted to that because we are called to that. In order to grow those attributes that are God's we have to hold to our faith to bring about these things. Let us bathe ourselves with God’s grace and be filled to become more and achieve our potential. The whole person needs to grow and advance not just in technical knowledge which is very limited but also in character and virtue. This is what God wants for us. To find our greatest aspects which is not always easy but it is good. If we search deep down, it is what we reach out and long for, our potential and fulfillment. God is a God of order and has given a time for everything but will always act in accordance to what will be for the greater good. Let's just continue to trust God's perfect will and timing in every aspect of our lives. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 8:28-34

When Jesus came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” ...