WALK ON WATER

We look all around us and see the sinful way the people live in society. People do not realize how destructive their way of living to the point of ruining themselves. Instead of being repentant they resort to all kinds of evil ways and thus bring to themselves an incurable wound as what Jeremiah said in today's 1st reading. Life expectancy in some places of the world has gone down to 55 to 65. This is not due to poverty but the behavior that destroy society. Statistics show that 60% of the population is being aborted in the womb. If we do not repent incurable destruction can come upon ourselves. Just like any great power that existed like, Napoleon's empire, the Roman's and the Soviet, all of them were unable to sustain any virtue in their society and thus they all perished. We can not depend on any state but we need to depend on God. If we look at the history of the world, we can see self destruction if we fail to repent and depend on God. Despite the sin God loves us. He wants us to realize this and go back to Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22

...For thus says the LORD: Incurable is your wound, grievous your bruise; 13 there is none to plead your cause, no remedy for your running sore, no healing for you...

We can always count on God for all our needs. Let us not be discouraged by the things we see and hear but rather keep our focus on God who answers prayers. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 102:16-18, 19-21, 29, 22-23

R: The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.

...he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer.

I have come to develop a special attachment to every gospel story that speaks of the Sea of Galilee and this started way back in the Philippines. The Sea of Galilee has taken on a deeper meaning in my life way back in 2007 when I decided to come here to the US. In Mt. 4: 18 the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus' call to the first disciples took place. It is the place where Jesus chose His Apostles and also where the apostles immediately left everything and followed Him. (Luke 5:10-11). Which reminds me too of that song entitled, "Lord, you have come" The background setting of this song is biblically based on the gospel stories of the call of Jesus to Peter and the apostles at the Sea of Galilee.  It held a special and deep meaning that touched my heart in an unexplainable way owing to the occasions and incidences that were connected and related to it. It is good to recall and look back where our own Galilees are. I can still remember very well my own sea of Galilee, should always keep in mind and never forget. As we gather all our strength and courage we, too like the disciples should never turn back and go forth to our own Galilees. I could still recall the bible story in Luke 5 entitled, "The call of Simon (later on named Peter) the Fisherman." It was way back in Feb. 4, 2007, during those times when I was discerning and weighing my decision to come here to the US with my friend Joy. This gospel reading from Luke specifically caught my attention, confirmed and gave me confidence in what I was planning to do and eventually did. Just like Peter who was skeptical at that time I was also feeling so unsure about my decisions then and this phrase really had a great impact on me back then coupled with the priest's homily that went with it. That was like more than 5 years ago now. I feel like God is reminding me again of that scene at the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Sea of Gennesaret) when I, just like Peter decided to respond to God's call in my own personal way. I have been writing and sharing about this message constantly. But I believe God in His awesome and almighty wisdom, intelligence and knowledge reveals things in stages for the benefit of our limited capacities and understanding. The series of events and daily readings became an eye opener and has given me a better understanding of all the things that have happened since. I realized it is always good to look back, recall and never forget those times in our lives when Jesus was calling us for a certain task and decided to follow and obey. As I develop in myself a broader understanding of the Call at the Sea of Galilee I also realized the need to go across it and experience a higher level of union with God.  In the gospel of Luke back then, the situation was different since the Sea of Galilee in that given bible passage was very reassuring since it gave an impression of peace and calm which was very conformed to my situation back in the Philippines before I left for the US. When I finally arrived here in the US and experience life away from my loved ones and encountering the challenges I now face I was able to relate to that gospel in Mark 4:35-41 also at the Sea of Galilee when the disciples were faced by a violent squall and big waves filling up the boat to the brink of causing it to sink. Very much unlike the gospel in Luke when Peter having obeyed and followed to put out into the deep water was rewarded with a miracle, Lk. 5:6-8 “... when they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing... and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.” Immediately upon arriving the US I was also greeted with a lot of pleasant surprises like passing the NCLEX-RN, getting a hospital petitioner, being able to travel to the East Coast (New York, Michigan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington DC) for free and winning the grand prize in the Nurse Expo. All these experiences of the disciples in the Sea of Galilee I have noticed that I can personally relate to especially in the manner of the sequence I have encountered them. In both occasions, the disciples having followed and obeyed Jesus in both gospels of Luke and Mark came to this scenario or condition of their boats both in danger of sinking. Although both happened in the Sea of Galilee, as I look at my own life the gospel in Luke which I encountered before I left the Philippines reflected the positive and confirming things that were happening back then just as the disciples having followed and obeyed Jesus' specifically the bible passages at the Sea of Galilee in Luke 5:4-6 "Jesus said to Peter, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master we have worked hard all night and caught nothing  but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this they caught a great number of fish their nets were tearing." On the other hand the gospel in Mark which I have encountered now that I am already here in the US reflects the trials and difficulties which I can relate to the disciples response to the bidding of Jesus to cross to the other side were greeted by a not so pleasant surprise with a violent squall to the point where the boat was already filled up with water and in the brink of sinking. After having made those decisions in 2007 which eventually brought me to my present situation here in the US, I must say I can somehow relate to how the disciples felt back then. It made me realize that I have also come to a point in my sailing with Jesus in my very personal Sea of Galilee when I have also witnessed violent squalls in my life here in the US and been brought to situations to the point of sinking but have been constantly assured of God's tremendous power. I have witnessed Him pacify the turbulent winds in my life which have left me with a great calm in the midst of the storm. In today's gospel it is cited that Jesus came toward them walking on the sea and his invitation to Peter to get out of the boat and go to Him on the water which reflects the need to go beyond this call of Jesus at the seashore of Galilee. In the same way we are called to respond in our own personal way to Jesus by carefully looking at our own lives as we go through a series of stages and discover the various experiences we had which led us to accepting His call at our own Sea of Galilee, sail with Him across it, not be afraid of the storm that assail us, and even get out of our boats and start walking on water.  It may sound impossible but that is exactly what God expects us to do. We can not just remain in the security of our boats all the time we've got to gather all our courage to step out of our boats and believe that we are able to overcome anything with Jesus on our side. If we have faith and do not doubt then we are able to overcome the impossible in our lives. If we are in a middle of a very scary situation there is no reason for us to doubt that God can rescue us even though our problems are insurmountable. God wants us to continue believing and trusting in Him even in the middle of a storm in our life. If we hold on to God then nothing can shake us. There is no reason for us to be afraid. We can walk on water. Jesus is Lord and is over and above all our fears, troubles and anxieties. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 14:22-36 (or Matthew 15:1-2. 10-14 )

22 Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds...During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ...

AWESOME GOD

Since today is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, all the readings point only to one thing, the Kingship, Majesty and Dominion of God over all the earth. In today's 1st reading, God is described as seating on His throne and gave an impression of great power. It takes us to another aspect or level of understanding of the majesty of our God. We ought to be glad and rejoice that we have a God who is Almighty and Immortal that no one or nothing can ever be over and above Him. Whenever we hear the word throne then we immediately paint a picture in our minds about royalty, highness and being on top of everything. This is all true when we speak of God. Although we may never be able to fully visualize God, the Ancient One sitting on the throne, it reminds us of the truth that He is King of kings and Lord of lords.  We just can’t put the right words into our mouth when we speak of God’s majesty. God is almighty and all powerful. He is beyond words! Amen. Hallelujah!

Daniel 7:9-10. 13-14

9 As I watched: Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. 10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him... His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Erase all doubts and be faithful to the One God who is most high above every other god.

We should develop an image of God that is fitting to Him as described in today's psalm. We should always acknowledge that without God we are nothing and God's power over us can only go as far as we allow Him to. We all long to become a member or even be identified with groups and associations that hold a good name and reputation. It helps us in many ways and keeps us abreast with the latest trends in our profession for example. It could be considered an asset and we would definitely not leave it out from our resume′ because it speaks well of us. There are even associations that require us to fulfill certain requirements in order to qualify. We even have to go out of our way and make some sacrifices such as go through rigid screening, pass certain examinations and maintain certain units in order to comply with the qualifications. All of these we are willing to do and make ourselves able just to belong. Considering that these are all earthly memberships that could only last a lifetime. What about eternal memberships that continue even after this life is over? To be a part of the Kingdom where our Lord is King is the ultimate goal we should all set our eyes on. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

 Psalm 97:1-2. 5-6. 9

R: The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

...Clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory...You, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods.

Today's 2nd reading is first hand information from Peter himself. Peter declared God's tremendous power with much conviction. This due to the fact, that he had been an eyewitness of God's majesty. We know that at least once in our lives, too we've already witnessed the glory of God and it is only right and fitting that we proclaim and make it known to everyone in order for us to always remember the He is Lord of lords, King of kings and Savior of the world. He witnessed Jesus' Transfiguration which made all the difference from all other narrations which are just handed down. When we hear amazing things and stories we get all excited about it but to experience and witness it for ourselves is a lot more rewarding and convinces us even more to believe and not doubt. One way or another we've had experiences like that of Peter's when we can not deny its authenticity. Our senses have testified to it and can no longer be unbelieving. If we are to closely review our lives we will find that we too have been to Peter's situation when we also have witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus. It may not be specifically the same events but it is something that should make us hold on to God and make us a living testimony of His Almighty Power. It could serve as a lamp shining on us when darkness comes and morning seems to be far from sight. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Peter 1:16-19

16 Beloved: We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

We should fully trust the voice of Jesus who dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. If there are times when we get confused and don't know anymore what to do, whom to listen and where to go just feel in the very depths of our heart as we pray and He will never hesitate nor withhold the answers we seek. He is not a God who misleads, confuses and causes chaos. There is a time for everything. All we have to do is kneel down before the foot of the cross and we will surely find the answers. Let our hearts talk and do the work to fully understand His instructions to us. May we be able to learn the art of silence and just listen and meditate on the Word of God. There are some things that our mind can not fully explain and understand. Each one of us during our lifetime had experienced unbelievable things wrought by God's mighty hand that are beyond our understanding and comprehension. We shouldn't be surprised at all if we truly believe that our life is in the hands of a God who is Almighty, Immortal and Holy. Today’s gospel invites us to look deeply into the transfiguration of Jesus. This corresponds to the 1^st transformation in the womb of the Blessed Mother when the glory of God penetrated humanity. This transformation happened without any harm coming on Christ’s Divine nature.  This communication of divinity is the immediate prelude of the resurrection. We long and have a deep desire to live and see at the very moment of our death this same glorious sight that the disciples saw although with holy fear and an awe of God that we want to live in perfect union with Him. We see God’s face that shines forth and with clothes dazzling white. We think of the very garments worn by Jesus made by Mary. We ask Mary to intercede for us and plead to her son that each of us will be transformed into the likeness of His son just as Jesus Himself was woven in the flesh of her own body.  The transfiguration is true of us when we experience deification after the 2^nd coming. Our features will not be distorted but glorified just as in the person of Jesus. He did not lose the substance of his flesh but showed forth an addition of brightness. Our bodies will be renewed in the way Jesus is. We will be brought to a state of perfection, surrounded by the glory of God not only at the level of our souls but also in the level of our bodies. Jesus is one Divine Person with 2 natures, the divine son who by merit of his Incarnation assumed our human nature. He exists united, with human and divine nature which is what we profess in the Apostle’s Creed every Sunday. He takes the aspect of suffering and humiliation when He underwent death in his human nature but in his divinity resurrected in glory for He is life Himself. His glory in transfiguration as a human person is not abolished or absorbed by His divinity nor did His humanity hide His Divinity. When Jesus became man He did not in any way lost any of His Divine nature. He is always complete, fully divine and fully human and always in full and total operation, both natures are together and miraculously joined in the person of Jesus Christ. His divinity is not evacuated but divinity communicated.  He shares to us his divinity and makes us partakers as in Romans 8:16-17, The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.  God alone can transfigure our lives and make it beautiful. Thus the gospel for today also holds a special meaning to me in relation to my son. He wrote an essay a couple of years ago to fulfill one of the requirements for his College entrance exam. Here is what he wrote.

-When I was in elementary (4th grade) and wanted to be a part of the basketball team of our school. I tried out many times but I always get cut because I am not physically fit, I was really fat back then. I was really determined to join the team and I decided to lose weight and get fit. I exercised daily and lessened my food intake and from 160lbs I became 120lbs. On the first term of my 1st year in high school, I tried out again for the team and I got accepted but the league that I am suppose to play in was in the 3rd term. I became really sad that the coach didn’t recognize my determination and talent. And then the most unexpected thing happened to me, during our PE class which was swimming, I got a perfect score in our practical test in diving. My teacher talked to me about my potential in becoming a strong swimmer and asked me if I would want to join the team, at first I was hesitant in joining because I didn’t really know how to swim but when my teacher said that he would teach me all of the strokes, I immediately accepted his offer. At the start of my training in swimming, I had a really hard time. My coach said that it’s normal because I haven't been swimming for a long time already and my body is not yet used to it. But he assured me that eventually I will soon get the hang of it. And so I did train hard and enjoyed at the same time, I joined competitions and it was in my 4th competition that I got my very first medal. And now that I am in my 4th year in High School, I was appointed by our coach to be the Team Captain. In those years I have learned that you must persevere in order to attain your goal. I just wanted to be a part of the basketball team but because of persevering it turned out to be more than I expected because now I am already the Team Captain of the swimming team.

 When I was a child about 7years old, I used to idolize the cartoon character Tarzan. His family lived in the jungle, but his parents were killed when he was still young and the gorillas were the ones who took care of him. I was really captured by the movie and I used to watch it everyday, over and over again. And then one afternoon, after eating lunch, I got so hyper that I copied the moves of Tarzan. In our garage we had a lot of cases of beer for my dad’s business. I climbed the cases of beer about a storey high. I lost my footing and I fell from it. It was really high that I just closed my eyes and then all I heard were the crashes of the bottles and cases. And then felt that my body was flat on the ground. And then I heard my mom screaming. When I opened my eyes I was already surrounded by glass splinters. The shirt that I was wearing was bedecked with broken glasses. It looked like it was stuck there forever and can no longer be used so my mom just threw it away. I was all wet with beer and really smelled of alcohol but aside from that all I got was a small scratch in my chin. I saw my mother’s face and she was crying so hard, she kept on asking me “Are you okay? Where does it hurt?” and I just said to her that I am okay and she has nothing to worry about. I got up and took a shower then I slept. When I woke up, I saw my mother crying while praying and then I said to her that I would join in praying. From that day on I have always prayed almost everyday. I made it a point that I would always talk to God and thank Him for His blessings everyday. From a kid who watches Tarzan, I became the man with a big faith in God. End of his sharing.

When I read this I was in tears. I praised and thanked God for the personal transfiguration process of my son at a very young age and still at work even in the present. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:2-10

2 Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”…

LIVE EACH DAY FOR JESUS

How we live our life in each passing day is a testimony of how we follow the will of God in our lives. There is a need to constantly and regularly connect to God everything that we do. If we make a conscious effort to do this everyday then we'll surely find it easier to obey the things that God wants us to do and be more sensitive in knowing the will of God in our lives. If we will just honestly and sincerely seek God then we will surely find Him. As we do this we will eventually discover a lot of things that we need to know in order to live our faith in accordance to God's will and be able to overcome all trials and difficulties that come our way.  It is really important that we know and follow the instructions of God. Amen. Hallelujah.

Exodus 16:2-4. 12-15

...Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not...“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

When the Israelites decided to follow Moses when they were led out of Egypt to the Promised Land and traveled a long time through the desert they discovered that it was not an easy but a wearying and tedious journey. In the same way when we travel through life we encounter challenges that sometimes drive us to despair. However, we can draw inspiration from the readings today. Just like the Israelites we should always have the hope of a new and better life and be assured of the fact that with God on our side we will never be defeated in battle, nor will we be allowed to starve and be fed with bread from heaven. Amen. Hallelujah.

P S A L M

Psalm 78:3-4. 23-24. 25. 54 (24b)

R: The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

...He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 he rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread. (R) 25 Man ate the bread of angels. Food he sent them in abundance...

We have to turn our backs on all our evil ways and follow what the 2nd reading is telling us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 4:17. 20-24

...you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

There is a conflict of interest here. The people in today's gospel are not getting the whole idea of Jesus' miracle. It is such a pity that we sometimes fall into the same trap of missing the point. We sometimes overlook and set aside what's really essential. We can't help it at times since we are still bound to this world. The things that happen to us and all other events in our own lives should makes us more open to the word of God and enable us to read the signs of the times that point to the world which endures for eternal life. Sometimes we find ourselves very tired because we keep on working to the point of exhaustion just to find out that we only toil in vain. We should invest all our efforts in working for something that will not perish. And in so doing we should align our wills to God and set our motives right. We are all guilty at times of seeking God because we long to fulfill our own selfish desires without realizing that all we need is Jesus and everything will follow. It is more important to focus on what is eternal rather on things that perish. When we ask God for something in prayer we should always question the purity of our desire. This world that we live in can never give what can truly make us happy. We always long for something but we will never be satisfied and continue to grow hungry unless we go to Jesus who alone can satisfy all our needs. What Jesus said in today's gospel is very true. If we always draw near Him, seek Him and come to Him then He in turn draws near to us, makes Himself available to us and stays with us. If this is so then there is nothing more we need for we will never thirst nor hunger for anything else. It is just like we are sitting at the right hand of God and someday we will. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. He is fortified with all the essential things we ever need in our lives for everything that we long for can only be fulfilled by Him. He who has God wants nothing. Every human heart longs and desires for something that can satisfy us. A sick person follows what the doctor says in order to prolong his or her life. Fr. Leo Clifford in his reflections in EWTN narrated the story of "My Fair Lady" or the famous play "Pygmalion". Pygmalion is the legendary Greek story of a sculptor who fell in love with his sculpture which was turned into a play and inspired George Bernard Shaw to write a similar story. It was about a young lady named Eliza who was taken out of the rut and placed in a pedestal. We should realize that like Eliza we have also been taken out of the rut and made partakers of the Divine Nature of God in Baptism. God created us and fell deeply in love with us. If there's one truth that should never leave our minds then this is it. We are placed in a pedestal and sharing God's own life. Amen. Hallelujah! 

John 6:24- 35

...“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” ...So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

SERVICE TO THE WORD

Today’s 1st reading is a very brave demonstration of faith in God. Jeremiah totally surrendered his fate to the hands of those people who are out to get him even to the point of death so that he could speak out the words that God asked him to proclaim. What courage and strength that he was willing to go through it all for the sake of the word of God. We are better off than Jeremiah knowing that witnessing to the word of God every day of our life does not put us in a life threatening situation like in his time.  This should inspire us to really be of service to the word of God in our own way as we live our life each day. God is always there for us. He has been warning and instructing us to change our ways for the better because He knows exactly what await those who refuse to follow His path. When we encounter some obstacles or problems in life we must take them as warning signs from the Lord that life’s road ahead is not passable or will be a difficult one to take. Or it is better to make a detour and find another route. No matter what God’s bidding may be there should be no doubt on our part that each step we make with God’s guidance is always worth taking.  The travel may be long and hard but it will surely get us where we are going if we just listen to the voice of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jer 26:11-16, 24

...Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. As for me, I am in your hands; do with me what you think good and right. But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear."

We should not have any fear or hesitation in carrying out the task that the Lord has given us just like Jeremiah. For we know that the Lord in His great love, is always there for us. What matters most is that we always call on God and allow His saving power to rescue us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34

Responsorial Psalm

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink! may I be rescued from my foes, and from the watery depths. Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me, nor the abyss swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me. But I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help protect me, God,

The gospel reading for today is about the beheading of St. John the Baptist by King Herod. Based on the gospel his motivations were fear of the people and not of God and his reputation as king. These are both self centered and ungodly in nature. We sometimes end up just like King Herod who failed to act in accordance to what is pleasing to God. We may not have beheaded and killed a person physically but could be in other aspects whenever we succumb to selfish and worldly desires. This happens when we are being motivated to do something based on the standards of men instead of God. In our fight to stand up for what is right we encounter a lot of difficulties and go through really rough times. Sometimes we have to cut off ourselves from seemingly legitimate pleasures in life. It is not easy to uphold the truth but we should not compromise this for anything in this world. Let us always remain focused on Jesus and the truth. We just don’t rely on hearsays and hand me downs info, do we? Today’s gospel clearly shows how totally misled Herod was in believing such a thing about Jesus. We are no different from Herod if we are not clear about the things of our faith. We must not confuse vital truths in our faith which we sometimes do when we do not take the initiative of learning, knowing and growing more in our knowledge of the word of God. As St. Jerome says, "Ignorance of the word of God is ignorance of Jesus." There are different and several layers that we have to unearth before we can understand our Lord Jesus Christ. The things we have to look at are not just the exterior but we have to look into the interior. We receive grace and enlightenment as we strive to know more about Jesus. As we discover each day amazing truths about our faith the more we are in touch who Jesus is. Amen. Hallelujah!

  

Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him." Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, 4 for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. 6 But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod 7 so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, 10 and he had John beheaded in the prison.

SUPERNATURAL

The Lord is constantly calling us back to Him since the time of Adam & Eve when our 1^st parents committed original sin. No matter how much God tries to win us back to Him and how much we try to return, ultimately original sin means we are going to sin seriously and mess up. We need God’s grace and the 4 great virtues (Prudence or wisdom, justice, temperance and courage or fortitude) to be perfected in order to combat the effects of sin. Faith, hope and charity are supernatural. These are things that human beings would never know that they need or could have without God giving them supernaturally that’s why they are called the theological virtues. We only know about them through divine revelation and we couldn’t know about them by reason. We can only have them through God’s grace. The theological virtues, faith, hope and charity are the crown of the first 4 cardinal virtues that transform and make them possible. God doesn’t want us just to be whole human beings and restore us to what Adam & Eve were when they blew it in the Garden. God wants us to be more than that. He wants to elevate our human nature and divinize it. He wants us to share in His own Divine nature. Charity is all about loving with God’s love. Loving as the 3 persons of the Holy Trinity love each other and sharing in that goes way beyond human nature. This is an incredible thing and call. It was only possible because God became man and we can share in his virtue. This is what the real Catholic life is all about. It’s not just about making it or going to heaven by the skin of your teeth after struggling. It’s about growing in holiness and becoming like Jesus all throughout our life, a champion not without struggles. As a matter of fact without the struggles we can never become a champion but with victory and excellence not with hopelessness, despair and frustration. This is God’s desire for us which is a fantastic calling. The power to do this is given to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jer 26:1-9

… Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way,..

In the midst of all these unsightly things there should always be a burning flame of hope that God will never forsake nor abandon.

We should always maintain our confidence in God and never lose hope and courage in the great love that God has for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 69:5, 8-10, 14

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

But I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help…

There should never be any doubt that God will always be an almighty, all powerful, loving and ever living God. This thought should never leave our minds, always enkindled in our hearts and burning in our souls to think, speak and act just like Jesus. We are all truly blessed that despite the indirect link we have to the origins of our Lord Jesus Christ in terms of His native place and house, we are not excluded but instead have been extended with the blessings and miracles. For God does not qualify us based on citizenship and membership alone but also by faith. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?...And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

BE THE CLAY

 I saw on TV that used cooking oil which is already considered as waste can be used as an alternative source of fuel. Isn't it great that people nowadays come up with novel ideas from out of scratch. Men have great and brilliant minds proven by the latest trends, innovations and technological advancements being seen nowadays. But we are just a speck as compared to the greatness and brilliance of the mind of the one who created us. All the more that we should never get tired of believing that God can come up with something great even from something like garbage. We may have committed numerous blunders and errors in our lives but God can turn our biggest mistakes into blessings. He can always bring out the best in us no matter what we've been through if we only liken ourselves to the clay held by the potter in today's 1st reading and decide right now to place everything in God's hands. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 18: 1-61 4 Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

Let us trust God's mastery and expertise to mold and make of us a masterpiece, a genuine work of His hands. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 146: 1b-2 , 3-4, 5-6ab

R: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

3 Put not your trust in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his spirit departs he returns to his earth; on that day his plans perish.

It is not easy to be molded like clay. If there’s one thing that stopping us from becoming what God has meant us to be it is our free will because we can say yes and no to God. It is important that we do not lose sight of the truth that we are created in God's mastery and expertise and we are His masterpiece, a genuine work of His hands. If we can confidently and honestly say after careful examination of our lives that we are indeed the product of God's hands then we can stand firm on that dreary day mentioned in today's gospel. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 13:47-53

47 Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. 49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

THE TRUE HERO

 We've seen several box office hit movies and most of them are in the likes of Superman, Spiderman , Fantastic Four, The Avengers, The Dark Knight etc. People are fascinated with this kind of stories because there is an element of awe, wonder and amazement of how these super heroes can rescue people in distress and danger. But wait, isn't it more exciting if we watch ourselves being rescued by a true and existent hero in our lives. Today’s 1^st reading makes it a reality for us since we have indeed a God who is able to do so. Amen. Hallelujah!

Jeremiah 15: 10, 16-21

...Though they fight against you, they shall not prevail, for I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD. 21 I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent...

Who is our true hero and savior? No other than the Lord our God. He is real and Emmanuel “God with us”. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 59: 2-3 , 4, 10-11 , 17, 18R: God is my refuge on the day of distress.

1 [2] Rescue me from my enemies, O my God; from my adversaries defend me. 2 [3] Rescue me from evildoers; from bloodthirsty men save me.

I believe in the saying, "Where your heart is, there your treasure is." Each person is unique. We all have our own peculiarities and that's how we are able to express ourselves as a human being. Each person has his or her own qualities and characteristics that separate us from the rest. For some it could be a certain quality like cooking, athletics, writing, dancing, singing, speaking, painting, sketching, or the present work we do and all other talents we could think about. Whatever it is that we are good in doing or we have dedicated and engaged ourselves in, we should always put God in the center of whatever we have chosen to do. We need to find out what our core gift is and develop it. There should not be a trace of holding back or hesitation on our part but rather invest everything in it and give it our all to bring out the best in us and reflect the glory of God. Once we've realized and lived this truth in the gospel then we can consider ourselves as the wealthiest man on earth. There is no other treasure and fine pearl more precious than God who is with and in us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 13:44-46

44 Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”