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. Wisdom is the ability to make right decisions in complex situations. They are 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. It is good to have people around us to give us support but we can not always depend on other people to do things for us, there has got to be a time when we should stand up on our own two feet, develop the backbone, be self reliant and take responsibility. We should be able to make decisions, stand by them, not point any fingers when things seem to go wrong and be able to really claim them as our own. If we do, we will see that things are brought to light and better understanding as they eventually fall into perfect place. As in Romans 8:28, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose." We have to prove ourselves worthy of the call. It is by doing this that we will develop character that will enhance our qualities to become a better person and Christian that our Lord Jesus Christ would surely be proud of. Amen. Hallelujah!
Wisdom 1:1-7
1 Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the LORD in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; 2 because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. 3 For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; 4 because into a soul that plots evil wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin. 5 For the Holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked. 6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit, yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips; because God is the witness of his inmost self and the sure observer of his heart and the listener to his tongue. 7 For the spirit of the LORD fills the world, is all-embracing, and knows what man says.
Technology has become so advanced nowadays that nothing remains unknown for long. With the latest in probes, sensors and the like in just one click of the computer everything is laid before us. Sometimes it just goes too far and out of bounds and we fail to conform and align all these innovations to the Author and Inventor of all these things. Let us not forget, He is the source of everything there was, is and will be. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
R: Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
1 O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; 2 you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. 3 My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.
There's this funny story about sin and temptation that I heard of a long time ago. It was about a person who went to confession, he said that he is tormented by impure thoughts and is having a hard time getting over it. The priest said that it is not yet a sin and still a temptation if he has not entertained them. The man therefore concluded that he has not sinned. According to him he did not entertain it rather it entertained him. Sometimes we can make up our own justification and rationale and go around these things. Well, that’s entertainment. Jesus knows that as sure as the sun shines every morning are the temptations that come to us every day. Today's gospel is a stern warning, "Be on your guard." We should truly be, because the enemy is cunning and deceiving that we might end up better off tying a millstone around our necks and thrown into the sea. What an exaggeration just to get this important message across, "Thou shall not entertain temptations and fall into sin." Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 17:1-6
1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Be on your guard!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
ETERNITY
We have to thank God for giving us the capacity to think and process information with our minds. It is such a wonderful gift that God has endowed human beings. Aside from this we are also given the human strength to hurdle the trials and difficulties that come our way. We always encounter people in print or in media who become famous and talked about because of the things they were able to do and accomplish that speak well of them. It is commonly attributed to the human spirit which enables us to withstand and overcome the seemingly impossible situations that come our way. Today's 1st reading tells us a vital truth and information that we can all benefit from. If we are able to do things beyond what we expect already with who we are and what we have become then we are set for the biggest and most unbelievable surprise of our lives if we are to tap into the infinite wisdom of God rather than just our own. Amen. Hallelujah!
Wisdom 6:12-16
12 Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. 13 She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men’s desire; 14 he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. 15 For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; 16 because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
Only the love of our Lord God can satisfy all our longings and desires. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We can never find true satisfaction unless we find Jesus. “My soul is restless until it rests in You” (St. Augustine) Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R: (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
1 [2] O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
These past few days we have been praying a novena for the faithful departed and poor souls in purgatory. We may have lost a loved one and have been deeply hurt. Today’s 2nd reading gives us hope and consolation that those who died in Christ will rise again. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
... For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, console one another with these words.
If there’s one thing I am sure of then it’s the fact that I am very sensitive to coffee or anything with caffeine. I always end up not being able to sleep and still awake even until the wee hours of the morning whenever I drink anything with this substance. It works for me as an upper that makes me feel energized and could go on and stay up for the rest of the night without sleep. Today's gospel speaks of the need to always be alert, awake and prepared in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not enough, as we can see from the story, to just wait, we've got to be wise and alert because we really never know the day nor the hour when the Second coming of the Lord is. I guess, one way or another we've experienced being too sleepy or inattentive that we've totally missed something. It is a very awful feeling that we have to go through but nothing could be more awful than to hear these words of Jesus in today's gospel (‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ) when that hour comes. It is really imperative that we are always ready and alert at all times. There are certain preparations that we need to do and be in perfect shape in order for us to make it through the door to God's Kingdom. We can't take any chances here and really be wise and resourceful in employing all means because what's at stake is not simply an entrance to a limited engagement or a lifetime but eternity. Amen. Hallelujah!
Mt 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Wisdom 6:12-16
12 Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. 13 She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men’s desire; 14 he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. 15 For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; 16 because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
Only the love of our Lord God can satisfy all our longings and desires. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We can never find true satisfaction unless we find Jesus. “My soul is restless until it rests in You” (St. Augustine) Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R: (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
1 [2] O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
These past few days we have been praying a novena for the faithful departed and poor souls in purgatory. We may have lost a loved one and have been deeply hurt. Today’s 2nd reading gives us hope and consolation that those who died in Christ will rise again. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
... For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, console one another with these words.
If there’s one thing I am sure of then it’s the fact that I am very sensitive to coffee or anything with caffeine. I always end up not being able to sleep and still awake even until the wee hours of the morning whenever I drink anything with this substance. It works for me as an upper that makes me feel energized and could go on and stay up for the rest of the night without sleep. Today's gospel speaks of the need to always be alert, awake and prepared in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not enough, as we can see from the story, to just wait, we've got to be wise and alert because we really never know the day nor the hour when the Second coming of the Lord is. I guess, one way or another we've experienced being too sleepy or inattentive that we've totally missed something. It is a very awful feeling that we have to go through but nothing could be more awful than to hear these words of Jesus in today's gospel (‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ) when that hour comes. It is really imperative that we are always ready and alert at all times. There are certain preparations that we need to do and be in perfect shape in order for us to make it through the door to God's Kingdom. We can't take any chances here and really be wise and resourceful in employing all means because what's at stake is not simply an entrance to a limited engagement or a lifetime but eternity. Amen. Hallelujah!
Mt 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Saturday, November 5, 2011
WONDER WORKER
We may have been to a situation where we are totally undecided which way to go. It is this part where we don't really know whether to move forward or backward or stay put. In times like these we must always entrust to God whatever decisions we may come up with. The Lord will never confuse nor ignore us in our plea. Let us always be full of confidence of His light, guidance, direction and protection. For in His most perfect time and design everything will be revealed and made known to us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Letter to the Romans 16,3-9.16.22-27.
....Now to him who can strengthen you, according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.) ....
It has been more than 4 years since I’ve made a major decision which I would never forget for the rest of my life. Looking back at what took place that time on a date and day that will forever hold a special meaning for me (10-08-‘07, Thursday) it makes me think of all the wonderful and unbelievable things that have already happened from that time on until now. If we are to look closely at our day to day existence then we will find out for sure that they are all testimonies of God’s goodness, love and mercy. This is very timely sharing because yesterday during our visit to my uncle who is in the hospital, my aunt was narrating to us how God paved the way for the right people to be with them in their trip prior to the time when my uncle got sick in a foreign land. Everything seemed to be headed to a great tragedy if not for the miraculous set up of how people, things and places came into play at that very difficult hour for them. Considering that they are in a place where everything seems to be alien to them especially with the greatest obstacle which is the language barrier. There is no denying that God is a wonder worker. He is at work at all times and made sure that they are in the right place at the right time and with the right people and circumstances. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalms 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11
R: I will praise your name forever, Lord.
2 Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. (R) 4 Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. 5 They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. (R) 10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R)
God in today's gospel tells us to always keep the motives and intentions of what we do in check. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (Mt 6:21). There are times when we often fall prey or are caught up by the prevailing condition or accepted norms of our society that we are led astray from doing what is really pleasing before the Lord and worst we come up with all kinds of justifications and excuses just to make ourselves look right before the Lord. If we are sometimes groping in the dark or having doubts as to what is truly pleasing in the sight of God we should always remember that nothing is hidden from Him because He can see through our hearts and all will be revealed in its true light if we seek Him then we will find Him. There's one thing we should never forget, we have a Creator who is able to do all marvelous things without exception which is not in fiction or imagination but in real life. If we put our faith and trust in God and decide to serve Him first and foremost then we would never be in want. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 16:9-15
...You cannot serve God and mammon." The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, "You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.
Letter to the Romans 16,3-9.16.22-27.
....Now to him who can strengthen you, according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.) ....
It has been more than 4 years since I’ve made a major decision which I would never forget for the rest of my life. Looking back at what took place that time on a date and day that will forever hold a special meaning for me (10-08-‘07, Thursday) it makes me think of all the wonderful and unbelievable things that have already happened from that time on until now. If we are to look closely at our day to day existence then we will find out for sure that they are all testimonies of God’s goodness, love and mercy. This is very timely sharing because yesterday during our visit to my uncle who is in the hospital, my aunt was narrating to us how God paved the way for the right people to be with them in their trip prior to the time when my uncle got sick in a foreign land. Everything seemed to be headed to a great tragedy if not for the miraculous set up of how people, things and places came into play at that very difficult hour for them. Considering that they are in a place where everything seems to be alien to them especially with the greatest obstacle which is the language barrier. There is no denying that God is a wonder worker. He is at work at all times and made sure that they are in the right place at the right time and with the right people and circumstances. Amen. Hallelujah!
P S A L M
Psalms 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11
R: I will praise your name forever, Lord.
2 Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. (R) 4 Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. 5 They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. (R) 10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R)
God in today's gospel tells us to always keep the motives and intentions of what we do in check. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (Mt 6:21). There are times when we often fall prey or are caught up by the prevailing condition or accepted norms of our society that we are led astray from doing what is really pleasing before the Lord and worst we come up with all kinds of justifications and excuses just to make ourselves look right before the Lord. If we are sometimes groping in the dark or having doubts as to what is truly pleasing in the sight of God we should always remember that nothing is hidden from Him because He can see through our hearts and all will be revealed in its true light if we seek Him then we will find Him. There's one thing we should never forget, we have a Creator who is able to do all marvelous things without exception which is not in fiction or imagination but in real life. If we put our faith and trust in God and decide to serve Him first and foremost then we would never be in want. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 16:9-15
...You cannot serve God and mammon." The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, "You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.
Friday, November 4, 2011
CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
It is very enlightening and gives a good feeling whenever we have a chance of talking to people who are full of God’s wisdom and love. Being able to connect with people of the light who really live up to God’s call is such a blessing and gift. Last night I had this opportunity to do just that. I went to the Kolbe Missionary House and had a good talk with Anne. I just realized that if there is one thing I wanted to tell this person after this wonderful visit then it can be found in today’s 1st reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 15:14-21
14 I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
The good news of our salvation which was obtained for us more than 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ on the cross is still being proclaimed to this very day. There is no way we can deny the truth for heaven and earth will fade but God's words will remain. We have to trust, hope and rely on God rather than our own power. Let's face it we sometimes rely too much on ourselves and too little on God. We are troubled about a lot of things when sometimes there's really no cause for it. There are levels of anxiety. Exaggerated anxiety and discouragement are one of the greatest obstacles to holiness. There is a level of anxiety that we just have to trust in God's Grace and Goodness. We should not disturb our inner peace not even momentarily. Life on earth is a great struggle indeed for God's Kingdom. A lot of things can bother and bring us down but we do not have to stay that way. We have to exercise our minds and wills to put our confidence in God. He is the one whom we can totally trust and depend on to save us. God's faithfulness and steadfast love know no boundaries. These compelled me to write daily personal reflections of the readings which I consider as my love letters to the Lord. I can still remember the time when I used to write letters to my close friends. There was one friend of mine whom I exchange letters as often as every week considering that there was no e mail yet and had to send it through the post office. I am sure that we both anticipated the coming of the mailman every single day and had made the bond of our friendship stronger. We should hope to move toward that goal in our relationship with God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
We should dismiss this wrong notion that if we are holy and pure then we are automatically boring and dull. It is actually all up to us if we want to be this way. Being a child of light should come with all the goodness that goes with it. Instead of blowing out of proportion the real situation we should work our way out to become prudent. 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. As the children of this world claim to be full of worldly wisdom so should we children of the light, if we believe and say so, should be full of heavenly wisdom and truly be smart and wise. In today's gospel, our Lord said that the people of this world are much smarter in their dealings with each other than are the children of light. This man was a scoundrel and he was a scoundrel all the way. His god was himself and his ideal was financial security and he served self well all the way. My dear friends what one has to say about this man and the people of this world and what our Lord is trying to get over to us is that they are consistent. Are we? We say we believe in God, not some vague deity above the tower but the God of love who took us out of nothingness in love. Who came down, died for us and sustains us in love. Who has destined us for an eternity of love? Do we really believe in Him? When trouble comes, we wring our hands and furrow our brows. We have sleepless nights and headaches. There is this little piece of doggerel, about the sparrow saying to the robin, “Do you really like to know what motivates those foolish mortals as they rush around and worry so? The robin responded to the sparrow, “I think that it must be they have no Heavenly Father such as one that cares for you and me.” In the official thanksgiving of the priest after mass every morning, there is the use of the Canticle of Daniel, when Daniel calls all creation to praise and worship God, the sun, the moon, the stars, the valleys and the hills. We can find this line that every bird in the sky blesses the Lord. Outside the window in New York where Fr. Leo Clifford lives, birds fly by very often. He said that sometimes one will alight in his window sill and peck the glass in the window to remind him that we neither sow nor spin nor gather into barn and our Heavenly Father takes care of the birds. How much more will He take care of us? We say we believe in eternity but if we examine ourselves, don’t we live as if time were to go on forever. One should think of the little flower saying that there had never been more than 3 minutes in her whole life when she was not thinking of our Lord with whom she was going to spend through eternity. When we say we believe in people that everyone of us is a child of God that we are going to be together in paradise do we realize how we treat people as our brothers and sisters in the Lord? Remember He told us that what we do to them, we do to Him. Sometimes we don’t like others because of our sophistication, because of their background, because of their lack of education. My dear friends we say that we believe in spiritual values, that it isn’t what we have but what we are inside. But look at the way we go to the mall and spend money and buy material things. Where is our conviction? Where is our consistency? Well, my dear friends all that we can do is keep trying and begin again. And then the poem and psalm that we say, after mass everyday is surely true. Oh God, You are my God. For You I long, for You alone my soul is thirsty. My body pines for You like a dry, weary land without water so I gaze on You in the sanctuary for Your love is better than life. On my bed, I remember You, on You I mused through the night for You had been my help, in the shadow of Your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to You, Your right hand holds me fast. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 16:1-8
...“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”
Romans 15:14-21
14 I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
The good news of our salvation which was obtained for us more than 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ on the cross is still being proclaimed to this very day. There is no way we can deny the truth for heaven and earth will fade but God's words will remain. We have to trust, hope and rely on God rather than our own power. Let's face it we sometimes rely too much on ourselves and too little on God. We are troubled about a lot of things when sometimes there's really no cause for it. There are levels of anxiety. Exaggerated anxiety and discouragement are one of the greatest obstacles to holiness. There is a level of anxiety that we just have to trust in God's Grace and Goodness. We should not disturb our inner peace not even momentarily. Life on earth is a great struggle indeed for God's Kingdom. A lot of things can bother and bring us down but we do not have to stay that way. We have to exercise our minds and wills to put our confidence in God. He is the one whom we can totally trust and depend on to save us. God's faithfulness and steadfast love know no boundaries. These compelled me to write daily personal reflections of the readings which I consider as my love letters to the Lord. I can still remember the time when I used to write letters to my close friends. There was one friend of mine whom I exchange letters as often as every week considering that there was no e mail yet and had to send it through the post office. I am sure that we both anticipated the coming of the mailman every single day and had made the bond of our friendship stronger. We should hope to move toward that goal in our relationship with God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
We should dismiss this wrong notion that if we are holy and pure then we are automatically boring and dull. It is actually all up to us if we want to be this way. Being a child of light should come with all the goodness that goes with it. Instead of blowing out of proportion the real situation we should work our way out to become prudent. 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. As the children of this world claim to be full of worldly wisdom so should we children of the light, if we believe and say so, should be full of heavenly wisdom and truly be smart and wise. In today's gospel, our Lord said that the people of this world are much smarter in their dealings with each other than are the children of light. This man was a scoundrel and he was a scoundrel all the way. His god was himself and his ideal was financial security and he served self well all the way. My dear friends what one has to say about this man and the people of this world and what our Lord is trying to get over to us is that they are consistent. Are we? We say we believe in God, not some vague deity above the tower but the God of love who took us out of nothingness in love. Who came down, died for us and sustains us in love. Who has destined us for an eternity of love? Do we really believe in Him? When trouble comes, we wring our hands and furrow our brows. We have sleepless nights and headaches. There is this little piece of doggerel, about the sparrow saying to the robin, “Do you really like to know what motivates those foolish mortals as they rush around and worry so? The robin responded to the sparrow, “I think that it must be they have no Heavenly Father such as one that cares for you and me.” In the official thanksgiving of the priest after mass every morning, there is the use of the Canticle of Daniel, when Daniel calls all creation to praise and worship God, the sun, the moon, the stars, the valleys and the hills. We can find this line that every bird in the sky blesses the Lord. Outside the window in New York where Fr. Leo Clifford lives, birds fly by very often. He said that sometimes one will alight in his window sill and peck the glass in the window to remind him that we neither sow nor spin nor gather into barn and our Heavenly Father takes care of the birds. How much more will He take care of us? We say we believe in eternity but if we examine ourselves, don’t we live as if time were to go on forever. One should think of the little flower saying that there had never been more than 3 minutes in her whole life when she was not thinking of our Lord with whom she was going to spend through eternity. When we say we believe in people that everyone of us is a child of God that we are going to be together in paradise do we realize how we treat people as our brothers and sisters in the Lord? Remember He told us that what we do to them, we do to Him. Sometimes we don’t like others because of our sophistication, because of their background, because of their lack of education. My dear friends we say that we believe in spiritual values, that it isn’t what we have but what we are inside. But look at the way we go to the mall and spend money and buy material things. Where is our conviction? Where is our consistency? Well, my dear friends all that we can do is keep trying and begin again. And then the poem and psalm that we say, after mass everyday is surely true. Oh God, You are my God. For You I long, for You alone my soul is thirsty. My body pines for You like a dry, weary land without water so I gaze on You in the sanctuary for Your love is better than life. On my bed, I remember You, on You I mused through the night for You had been my help, in the shadow of Your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to You, Your right hand holds me fast. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 16:1-8
...“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”
Thursday, November 3, 2011
INTERCONNECTED
Whatever choices we make in life affects not only ourselves but also the people around us. Whether we like it or not we are all interconnected with each other. Sometimes we make decisions in life that we thought concerns only ourselves but in a way can somehow impact others too. Whether those decisions are to the favor of another person or not, in accordance to their preference and opinion or not, conform to their standard or not and bother them or not should be the least of our concerns. What's most important and truly matters is that in everything we do, we honestly do for the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 14:7-12 7
Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. 8 For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
It should be our ultimate desire and nothing else, to always be in the presence of the Lord. To abide in Him at all times even when things are not very good. We ought to realize that if we wait on the Lord patiently and persevere long enough we will never be disappointed for He alone is our light and salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
...The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? …Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
God treasures each one of us with great affection that He tries to convey this message to us in today's gospel through the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus wanted to emphasize that each one of us is important to Him and would go to such great lengths just to bring us back to Him. What a shame just realizing how insignificant we are compared to His greatness and yet the God of the Universe, Master Creator, King of Kings and Lord of Lords consider us as His top priority even though we don't deserve it. Especially at times when we are dissuaded by our other priorities, tend to be swayed over and get lost in the process. He will never leave us nor forsake us to the point of running after us. God does not turn His back on us no matter what we do. It is always us who turn away from God. When we turn away from God and get lost we can be assured that He is going to look for us and bring us back to the fold that is if we allow Him to. God will never force Himself on us but we can always count on Him to go looking for us just as in today's parable of the lost sheep. Let us not stray any further and try searching for greener pastures as we know it. We ought to settle down and stop breaking free from the fold where we belong for there is no other place better than being in God's loving embrace. Let us just allow God to set us on His shoulders and rejoice with Him together with all the angels and saints in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 15:1-10
...So Jesus addressed this parable to them. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
Romans 14:7-12 7
Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. 8 For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
It should be our ultimate desire and nothing else, to always be in the presence of the Lord. To abide in Him at all times even when things are not very good. We ought to realize that if we wait on the Lord patiently and persevere long enough we will never be disappointed for He alone is our light and salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
...The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? …Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
God treasures each one of us with great affection that He tries to convey this message to us in today's gospel through the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus wanted to emphasize that each one of us is important to Him and would go to such great lengths just to bring us back to Him. What a shame just realizing how insignificant we are compared to His greatness and yet the God of the Universe, Master Creator, King of Kings and Lord of Lords consider us as His top priority even though we don't deserve it. Especially at times when we are dissuaded by our other priorities, tend to be swayed over and get lost in the process. He will never leave us nor forsake us to the point of running after us. God does not turn His back on us no matter what we do. It is always us who turn away from God. When we turn away from God and get lost we can be assured that He is going to look for us and bring us back to the fold that is if we allow Him to. God will never force Himself on us but we can always count on Him to go looking for us just as in today's parable of the lost sheep. Let us not stray any further and try searching for greener pastures as we know it. We ought to settle down and stop breaking free from the fold where we belong for there is no other place better than being in God's loving embrace. Let us just allow God to set us on His shoulders and rejoice with Him together with all the angels and saints in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 15:1-10
...So Jesus addressed this parable to them. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
PRACTICE HEAVEN
We, Filipinos observe the All Saints & All Souls Day (Nov. 1 & 2) with much reverence and elaboration. I grew up with this impression that these dates are very important for Catholics like us especially for our family. It has become an occasion for our family to get together and visit our departed loved ones in the cemetery. Since I came here in the US, a lot of these things changed. Due to this, visiting a cemetery has become a remote idea even on the 1st of November. But I got the surprise of my life when the unexpected happened yesterday. Unbelievably enough I had the chance to go to one despite the absence of a relative to visit there. I was able to pray for the souls of unknown people to me and it felt good. Amen. Hallelujah!
Reading 1
Wis 3:1-9
The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace...
We have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 23(22),1-3.3-4.5.6.
...The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name...You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows...
As we continue the process of living, dying and the hope of resurrecting, we the church of God, the triumphant (angels and saints in heaven), militant (the living) and suffering (souls in purgatory) join forces in prayer in the hope that we will all someday be together in heaven. We can not deny the fact that we live in an imperfect world but in it also came forth a glorious array of men and women whom the feast day we just celebrated yesterday, All Saints Day. I do believe that we can look after the example they left behind and ask at the same time their intercession in order for us to truly live the life of Jesus the way they did. The life of the Blessed Mother and the saints although they generally represent a life of sacrifice and sorrow from the world's point of view, is in truth victorious and triumphant. You know why? I believe that they have learned the secret enclosed in today's 2nd reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 5:5-11 (or Romans 5:17-21 or Romans 6:3-9 or 1 Corinthians 15:20-28)
5 Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
We really have to take charge of our lives and be focused on what we really want. If we want the inheritance of God then let's work our way to it. We have to let go of things that we are too attached and do something intentionally like alms giving as a form of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What we do, we don’t do for Jesus according to Mother Teresa rather we do it to Jesus. There was a story of a young man who inherited a large fortune and decided to just eat drink and be merry throughout his life. But what he was experiencing in that is depression and suicidal thoughts which he can’t get out of his dark thinking. Until one day someone suggested him to see Bishop Fulton Sheen. When they finally met, Bishop Sheen listened to him and when the young man had concluded he handed to him in a piece of paper, a telephone #. He was told to call the # and volunteer there for a year in an orphanage in Mexico. He did as he was told and after a year came back to Bishop Sheen with his attitude changed. He has experienced being with the least of his brothers and sisters. It was there that he experienced the joy and blessing of giving more than receiving. He finally discovered the meaning of his life and how to grow in love of God and neighbor completely rather than practice the philosophy of hell where we live in isolation and just for ourselves. Heaven is a communion with God and eternal fellowship with all the angels and saints. We are called to that life of communion right at this very moment so we might as well practice heaven now. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 25:31-46
...‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Reading 1
Wis 3:1-9
The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace...
We have to make sure we are not misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep that Jesus shepherds. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalms 23(22),1-3.3-4.5.6.
...The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name...You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows...
As we continue the process of living, dying and the hope of resurrecting, we the church of God, the triumphant (angels and saints in heaven), militant (the living) and suffering (souls in purgatory) join forces in prayer in the hope that we will all someday be together in heaven. We can not deny the fact that we live in an imperfect world but in it also came forth a glorious array of men and women whom the feast day we just celebrated yesterday, All Saints Day. I do believe that we can look after the example they left behind and ask at the same time their intercession in order for us to truly live the life of Jesus the way they did. The life of the Blessed Mother and the saints although they generally represent a life of sacrifice and sorrow from the world's point of view, is in truth victorious and triumphant. You know why? I believe that they have learned the secret enclosed in today's 2nd reading. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 5:5-11 (or Romans 5:17-21 or Romans 6:3-9 or 1 Corinthians 15:20-28)
5 Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
We really have to take charge of our lives and be focused on what we really want. If we want the inheritance of God then let's work our way to it. We have to let go of things that we are too attached and do something intentionally like alms giving as a form of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What we do, we don’t do for Jesus according to Mother Teresa rather we do it to Jesus. There was a story of a young man who inherited a large fortune and decided to just eat drink and be merry throughout his life. But what he was experiencing in that is depression and suicidal thoughts which he can’t get out of his dark thinking. Until one day someone suggested him to see Bishop Fulton Sheen. When they finally met, Bishop Sheen listened to him and when the young man had concluded he handed to him in a piece of paper, a telephone #. He was told to call the # and volunteer there for a year in an orphanage in Mexico. He did as he was told and after a year came back to Bishop Sheen with his attitude changed. He has experienced being with the least of his brothers and sisters. It was there that he experienced the joy and blessing of giving more than receiving. He finally discovered the meaning of his life and how to grow in love of God and neighbor completely rather than practice the philosophy of hell where we live in isolation and just for ourselves. Heaven is a communion with God and eternal fellowship with all the angels and saints. We are called to that life of communion right at this very moment so we might as well practice heaven now. Amen. Hallelujah!
Matthew 25:31-46
...‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
God's rewards
Today is "All Saints Day" and I've always wondered what set them apart from all others. I believe that everything there is to know about them and to do to be like them is found in today's readings. I just realized, not only them have been given the privilege to be a saint but all of us. We are called to fulfill our destiny in being union with God. I am hopeful that when that day comes I 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. It’s funny how I somehow got to 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. Amen. Hallelujah!
Book of Revelation 7,2-4.9-14.
"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....."
"....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."
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. 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 given us an invitation, 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. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can stand in his holy place? "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely. They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God. 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 such 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. I always hear 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. Amen. Hallelujah!
First Letter of John 3,1-3.
"....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. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. ..."
We repeatedly hear these words in this bible passage in this time of year and yet we have been used to it we sometimes miss the point. It is not about us, it will always be about God, no matter what are situations in life may be we should always hold on to the truth that it doesn't change the fact that He is God, a merciful and loving God and so it is only right that we rejoice and be glad. 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 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. 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....."
Book of Revelation 7,2-4.9-14.
"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....."
"....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."
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. 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 given us an invitation, 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. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can stand in his holy place? "The clean of hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to idols, who have not sworn falsely. They will receive blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God. 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 such 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. I always hear 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. Amen. Hallelujah!
First Letter of John 3,1-3.
"....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. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. ..."
We repeatedly hear these words in this bible passage in this time of year and yet we have been used to it we sometimes miss the point. It is not about us, it will always be about God, no matter what are situations in life may be we should always hold on to the truth that it doesn't change the fact that He is God, a merciful and loving God and so it is only right that we rejoice and be glad. 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 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. 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....."
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