FATHER’S HOUSE

The church is the place where we pay our homage and respect to God. That's why it is not surprising if we see some people holding or embracing an image, picture or statue of Jesus or His saints, kneeling, even lying with their face flat on the floor, or walking on bended knees. It is where we can fall prostrate before the Lord and really feel very close to God and hear His message. Whenever we go to the Church we have to realize that we are surrounded by God's glory. It is God's dwelling place and we ought to take every opportunity to be in our Father’s house. Our attitude and disposition about going to Church should always be in line with what is said in today's 1st reading. We should keep this in mind at all times. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 43:1-7ab

...I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD. 6 Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man stood beside me. 7 The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.

We should always try to condition ourselves in the atmosphere of God's presence. We should gear ourselves toward that direction so that we place ourselves within His reach, it's not that God can not reach us but we hinder God from reaching out to us. When we do not respond to His call and shut off our ears although we are within hearing range, we fail to get the message. Which reminds me of Bernadette's ear, when we went to her doctor she underwent a procedure (ear lavage) in order to unclog her left ear but prior to that she was already instilling ear meds for 4 days. The nurse explained to her that it can be painful and can cause her to feel dizzy and asked her if she still wants it done and she agreed. Sometimes we have to resort to very uncomfortable measures in order to be cured in the same way we should maintain such condition spiritually so that we can always keep our ears open to God's word. Wherever God is, there is always peace and prosperity. It is only natural that we have longings and desires because God Himself planted it in our hearts. We all long for the good things in life and God Himself can provide for all these things. It is just sad that we reach out for other things that we thought are good for us. We do not realize that we have to seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else will follow. We fail to follow this sure and no fail formula that is not a secret. In fact it is not hidden in the bible since it is often quoted, sang and regularly assigned in the gospel readings. It is in really living this truth that we can witness for ourselves the glory of God dwelling in our land. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 85:9ab, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R: The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.

I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD-for he proclaims peace. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps.

We should always maintain a humble spirit and heart before God. Only God knows what's going on inside our minds and hearts. He will always lift up those who trust in Him. Let us offer to God all our brokenness and downtrodden selves and He will be the one to lift us out of it. God loves everybody but more so those who are being oppressed.  Do not despair. If we sometimes feel that life is so unfair and things have become so unfortunate that nothing or no one can help us then still be thankful that we've arrived in this situation for God who sees all things will definitely not allow such injustice and will surely uphold what is right and the truth. It is not enough that we follow and obey without understanding. There is a need to know our motivations and intentions in doing something. We should live by example. It is not enough that we claim to be good Christians for there is something more to that than just being called one but to live like one is another and most important at that. God's persistent reminder to constantly hear the word of God must compel us to really put it in our hearts and minds and drive us to act on it. There are so many points to consider in life. There are various faces and appearances that seem to present a certain thing but could bring about an entirely different or opposite thing. Just like in today's gospel, how could one thing mean something and bring about the opposite. It's all a mystery and behind all of it is a God who can make all things beautiful. He is able to bring about good things even in the most unlikely situations when we least expect it. In the gospel Jesus addressed the scribes and the Pharisees, He compliments but criticizes strongly. The Pharisees represent the lay party and the priesthood the Sadducees. At the time of Jesus during the Roman rule, they figured the way to peace is through adaptation. The houses of priests are decorated just as the Romans, as in Pompeii and very much like it. They had identified themselves with the oppressive dominant culture and though they kept some Jewish law they denied judgment, heaven, hell, and eternity. On the other hand, the Pharisees or the lay counteract the way priests are living. They had 2 principles, to take the rules of ritual purity so that the laity would be pure as they offer sacrifices like a kingdom of priests as in Exodus 19:6 “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites."  The people of Israel is a kingdom of priests and they put a fence around the law so that no one would break the law. An example is “Thou shall not use the Lord’s name in vain” In order to make sure they don’t break the law, no one is allowed to say the Lord’s name. A death penalty is given to those who break it. This is precisely the oral tradition that our Lord is talking about in the gospel. The Pharisees were not helping people live the law because they didn’t practice it themselves and made life complicated. In Chorazin, there was a seat of Moses for the Rabbi, which symbolizes the authority to teach in the synagogue. The Lord said pay attention to what they teach but don’t do what they do. One of the things they were being criticized for is pride and arrogance. Jesus warns us against that vice especially for religious people although not so much for the people outside. Church people just like us can try to show that we are holy so that people would compliment us and they would think that we’re religious and others are not. This is a constant problem for religious people at all levels, whether laity or the priesthood. The devil will try to tempt us with whatever works, if we’re not religious he can use things of the flesh to tempt us, but if we are religious then he can tempt us with our pride and change it into something spiritual. It is impossible to detect pride in ourselves. People around us will know so it’s important to pay attention to what they say to us so that so we learn from it. It is too difficult to detect a vice on our own because it is easier to detect it in other people or to listen to what other people say. Jesus mentions about those who widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. Jewish men wear a phylactery which is a small leather box that they wear on their forehead and one on their left arm as in Deut 6:8, Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead.  They took it literally as a part of the way to obey the law. They made it really big so to show people that they are more pious than others and because it is bigger they stand out more than them. The tassel is a sign of royalty in the ancient times. Jewish men wear this to show that they are a kingdom of priests for God. They even tie 613 knots in the tassel which represents one tie for every 613 laws as a sign of obeying the entire commandment. Jesus wears a tassel Himself if we can recall the woman who touched the tassel of Jesus and got healed. He’s not against it, but feeding the pride is the issue. He mentioned not to be called Rabbi or teacher which is important in this context because at that time there were different rabbis that start various sects called a House. They are rival sects of Pharisees and disagree among themselves which can be found in the collection of Rabbinic sayings, the Mishnah. What He is speaking about here is that we may not call anyone a Rabbi for He did not want us to be divided. Oneness is an important virtue that He commends among His disciples. He did not want Christianity to be divided and wanted us to submit to the oneness of the Church. Humility is the antidote to the pride as He said that the least is the greatest. We have to keep in mind the division among the Pharisees is the underlying reason for this restriction of why they should not be called rabbi or father. In Corinthians, Paul insists on being called a Father because he preaches to them. There is nothing wrong with it because he knows that the real work is done by the Holy Spirit and he is part of a community and known as a spiritual father but not in the sense of a father that Christ is speaking of in the gospel like sects which is something that we’re not supposed to do. Christ calls us to respond out of the ordinary and set things right. All of us need to have the sense to rid ourselves of religious pride. The readings call us to humility. It does not mean putting ourselves down but rather saying the truth about ourselves, not more not less. Pride is looking down at other people who are below us. We need to think of it in a way that when we look down on people, Christ hits us at the back of the head. J We better just look up at people. When we are looking up at the skies, we feel small, so how much more would we feel looking up to God. That’s when we realize what humility is all about. We see our sinfulness and smallness in reference to God, which is the antidote to our pride. If we do, then Christ will save us and bring us to the joys of heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 23:1-12

1 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

LEVEL UP AND GO THROUH IT

Whenever I encounter readings like one in today’s 1^st reading that speak of the splendor of heaven what quickly comes to mind is the passage from 1 Cor.2:9 But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," Let us continuously work toward this goal and not lose sight of it. It may not yet be fully seen, heard and known of up to this present time but we hold on to God's word who have spoken and is able to make all things possible. It is very difficult to have a clear picture of how heaven looks like. The 1st reading today somehow gave a glimpse of it although it is never as accurate as it can possibly be. We can only guess and imagine for no one alive today has ever actually seen it. There were accounts of people who claimed to have died for a short while and were transported into a place that looks like heaven. We have not departed from our bodies yet that's why it's still difficult for us to grasp the reality about heaven or even hell and purgatory. We are still in this world and we are still bound and attached to the values of this world that we are presently in. But the moment we die that is the only time that we become in touch with these realities. Unless our souls depart our human bodies which belong to this world, we can never truly appreciate what heaven, our true home and where we belong, is all about. Only our spirit that comes from God will remain with us when the final hour in this world comes.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Revelation 21:9b-14

...He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a massive, high wall,...

If we are always mindful of the words of God written in the bible then we can truly say that it is indeed what its acronym stands for which is B - basic I-instructions B-before L-leaving E-earth. It is very important that we have read and understood well what is written in the bible before we exit this world. This reminds me of the video games that my sons used to play. When they finish one level they have to enter into the next level which is more difficult and so on and so forth until they reach the ultimate task and win the final battle. It was like they needed to be well prepared and more skillful for each level. This somehow reminds us of how we should approach our final day here on earth. The gate of heaven has been opened and made accessible for us, there is no question about it but the question is, "Are we ready and able to go through it?" As in Eph. 6:13, "Therefore, put on the armor of God,  that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground." Another thing is we have no idea when will that day come because we really do not know the time or the hour. One thing for sure, the only way to go through it is by being well prepared for it. Thus I wanted to share this story which I got from an email.

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.

He loved the 4th wife the most and adored her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.'

Thus, he asked the 4th wife , 'I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No way!', replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word.

Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, 'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No!', replied the 3rd wife. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!'

His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me.

When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the 2nd wife. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.'

Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.'

The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the King said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!'

In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

R: Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

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) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) 17 The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

If we just try to look back and recall we will find that all throughout our lifetimes we really have a lot of things to be thankful for. I should say that God is reminding me once again of some special events in my life. Firstly because of the gospel reading for today since it was about the story of Phillip who was the one who introduced Nathaniel or St. Bartholomew to Jesus which reminds me of this person in my life who was also instrumental for the deepening of my faith in Jesus. I could still remember the homily of Fr. Rolly when he said that today's gospel should remind us of the person who brought us closer to God. In my life she is Gloria Dar. I consider her a part of my Christian life in almost the same manner that Philip in today's gospel was to Nathaniel/St. Bartholomew. I was just new in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal then and I must admit that she was one person that God has used tremendously in my life. I could never forget when I was still pregnant with my son Jude most especially because it was Sis Gloria Dar who envisioned Jesus carrying a baby standing in the middle of our prayer circle and specifically described Him wearing the Sacred Heart attire and said these words, "I have a message for my daughter, consecrate the baby in your womb."  This happened in a prayer meeting I attended during that time which happened to be on the 9th day of my novena, and Sis Gloria, the prayer leader whom I just met, did not know of my novena neither of my pregnancy nor would even suspect of it. Looking back at my life back then most especially at that time when I first had this devotion to the Sacred Heart, I can never deny and forget for the rest of my life the dramatic and significant events that happened during my novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Jude Thaddeus which opened up the door for miracles to happen.  I have witnessed the revelation of God's great love to me especially when I gave birth to Jude, my 1st born son, as proof of His undeniably awesome and unbelievable miracle when he came out normal and healthy despite my problematic pregnancy. From that day forward, God never ceased to amaze me every single turn in my life since His love is beyond comprehension. In fact in just a few days which is on 31^st of this month he will celebrate his birthday. Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that today’s gospel happened to be the same gospel when I shared about my younger son, Allan’s experience with Bishop Soc Villegas who told him to become a priest. If we are clueless about a lot of things then we can be assured that there is someone who knows all these things. Today's gospel gives us a glimpse of Jesus' true divinity. He is God and Immortal, nothing is hidden from Him and everything is known to Him. It gives us confidence knowing that we have a God who is able to carry us through. We can learn from Nathaniel or St. Bartholomew as we profess with confidence the very words that he said to Jesus and really believe in words, thoughts and deeds. Signs and wonders are wrought by God's mighty hand each and every day. We must continue to trust that God knows the things that happened, happening and is bound to happen as in today's gospel. On top of it all is the promise of Jesus our Savior to see greater things than we have all witnessed for the best is yet to come. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 1:45-51

...Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

BE A NATURAL

When certain routines become embedded in us, we carry it out so naturally like waking up, taking a bath, eating our meals, going to work and sleeping. Everything becomes automatic, it requires lesser effort to do it over a period of time.  We marvel at how some athletes do their thing, excel in their field of expertise and win a gold medal. Some simply put it as born talent coupled with long years of hard work, discipline and dedication. I just realized that the same thing can happen to us if we will daily commit our lives to God. Living a life of a Christian may not be easy but if we try to develop a habit out of it then eventually it will just come out naturally. As natural as breathing, we die once we stop doing it while holding on to this promise that God gave us in today's 1st reading. We should be aware of this truth that we are born with it. Hey! We've got talent to win the gold in God's Olympics. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 36:23-28

...26 I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. 27 I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.

As we strive to nurture a heart that beats for God alone we also go through a process of cleansing as stated in the psalm today. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19R: I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

No matter what our circumstances are in life, let us not ignore or take for granted God's open invitation to all of us. Life is like a banquet, and we have all been invited to take part in it but like any other invitations they do not last forever. We are invited into the kingdom of God. We are adopted into God’s family. When we become part of the family of God we have been made an heir to the Kingdom. In the 3rd chapter of the Apocalypse verse 20 the Lord said ““Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” We may have seen this portrait of our Lord knocking at the door but is unable to open it. Only we could open that door because the latch is in the inside. Let us not be deceived into believing that there are still other things worth more than taking part in God's banquet and be fully prepared for it. In today's gospel, the feast is ready but those who were invited refused to come. God is constantly inviting us but we always have excuses and other things to do. Daily, God sends us an invitation to come to Him. Sometimes we miss the opportunity whenever we fail to recognize the many chances He has given us. And when we do respond to God and accepts His invitation we sometimes take it for granted and do not realize the need to make ourselves presentable before God. Not so much of our external appearance as suggested in today's gospel but more of our inner selves and what we have made of our hearts. We are distracted and take for granted what clearly should take first place and priority in our lives. Time will come when the time for the invitation will cease and if ever we decide to come it is already too late. Our souls need to be properly dressed for that final and main event. In the story someone is found not wearing the wedding garment. We must put on Christ. In 1 Cor.13 4-7 it is written, “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Christ is love and all these things and we must substitute it with our names. This is the garment that we must wear in order to be adopted sons and daughters of God. We pray that the Lord will give us strength to love and hope that the Lord is our final glory. Let's not delay any longer before we find ourselves no longer welcome in God's presence. Let us be counted among the invited and chosen. We should all prepare, look forward and be ready for that day when we come face to face to God and become heirs of His kingdom. Let us not forfeit or lose our rightful place as a child of the God Most High. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 22:1-14

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come...‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

THE FIRST AND THE LAST

If we only think and look back at our lives, we will surely see how God cared for us, through good and bad times. There can never be anyone else but God alone in whom we can find perfect peace as St. Augustine said, "My soul is restless until it rests in Thee." How very reassuring are the words of God in today's 1st reading. When things are not going well with us and we seem to be going astray it is important to always remember these words of God. There are times when we are very unsure of where we are going, how things will turn out and what is in store for us. In times when we are confronted with things we are not familiar of, we can always draw inspiration in this truth that God looks after us the way a Good Shepherd does to His sheep. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 34:1-11

...For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Let us not stray away from the Lord and always stay in the flock that He cares for. We may have heard a story of how a lion attacks its prey by separating it from the flock and once it has cornered it and all alone that's the time it devours it. It pays to always stay in the flock under the care of our Good Shepherd. If we are just to read and understand very well every word said in today's psalm then we ought to find ourselves the most contented and secured person in the whole wide world. There should be no more room for fear, doubt and anxiety. We've got to develop the confidence and faith of a person who have truly believed that the Lord is our shepherd. A sheep without a shepherd doesn’t know where to go and get food. They just stand there looking dumb and hungry. Today's psalm is a reminder and great consolation that we are the sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd as stated in today's psalm. He makes us want for nothing more. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

In today's gospel, envy of other people's fortune is evident because of the complaints of the workers in the vineyard who worked the whole day but was paid the same amount as those who worked for only a short time. The moral lesson of the story in my opinion is that we should stop comparing ourselves with others rather we should focus on how we can improve our work for God. Be confident that we have a just God who is always right in His judgment and decision. At the end of the day whatever work we have offered to God will always be rewarded accordingly because God will never cheat us rather He will always give more than we deserve. We can never really tell what's going to be until the last hour. All of us are saved by Jesus when He died on the Cross in Calvary more than 2000 years ago but continuously in the process of being saved every day. We've got to persevere in our faith and not be discouraged or dissuaded, distracted and tempted by the other side. We have all been forgiven through Jesus Christ but it is our response to this grace that matters most. It differs from person to person according to the capacity we have all developed. We can not be indifferent, neutral, take for granted or neglect this tremendous grace that is offered to us. We've got to take an active part in receiving this grace in order for us to gain the ultimate and total experience of God's gift to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 20:1-16

...Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

THE BIG PICTURE

Sometimes we think, speak and act like we know better than God. We don't realize that whenever we doubt, place everything into our own hands and do not trust God's providence in our lives then we play god and master. We end up mismanaging our lives if we continue to set aside God's perfect plan for us. There is a need to consult all our plans to God and follow His lead if we truly believe that He is our big GOD. We have to acknowledge and thank God at all times, in all circumstances and situations for all the things that came to be. We have to look at everything as part of one whole and big picture of God's plan. We should act in accordance to this and not get lost in the biggest deception ever known and has fooled us many times. Sometimes this happens when we are at the top of everything we do and gets carried away by the several successes and conquests that we've gathered in our hands. There is a danger of thinking of ourselves almost like a god. We may not be exactly like the prince of Tyre in today's 1st reading but we are not far from meeting the same fate as his if we slowly, without realizing it become oblivious of the fact that we are not invincible and we only draw everything that we have from God.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 28:1-10

...say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are haughty of heart, you say, “A god am I! I occupy a godly throne in the heart of the sea!” — And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think yourself like a god...Will you then say, “I am a god!” when you face your murderers? No, you are a man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. 10 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.

If we are to look very closely at every single turn in our lives then we can surely see how God is working His wonders in it, without a trace of doubt. Let us pray to God that He will grant us the reason and understanding needed to really open up our eyes, ears, minds and hearts to the Lord. Sometimes we fail to do this and become just like these people spoken of in today's psalm. We ought to keep our minds straight and alert that we may not neglect who God really is, in our lives. It has already become a common saying that God owns our life and He alone can give and take it. It has become so common that we fail to really understand its implications. When we speak of death, people react in different ways but we should honestly hope and pray that when the time comes for us to confront it, we can all react in the same way, with perfect resignation and readiness. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab

R: It is I who deal death and give life.

...For they are a people devoid of reason, having no understanding. (R) 30 “How could one man rout a thousand, or two men put ten thousand to flight, Unless it was because their Rock sold them and the LORD delivered them up?” 35 Close at hand is the day of their disaster and their doom is rushing upon them! 36 Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity.

A task like preparing for death may sound unthinkable for some or even morbid and scary. This should not be the case. If we are aware of a Kingdom of endless glory that awaits us, a 100x more profit and eternal life then we will all be waiting in line so to speak just to invest everything we have for it. It gives us a feeling of consolation too knowing that it doesn't work quite like the way the world thinks. It is not a matter of who was first but who perseveres and not let go of God's promises until the end. In our journey here on earth we encounter so many things in our lives that sometimes push us to the wall and feel like giving up. When we are confronted with such situations we sometimes succumb to the remedies and recommendations that are popularly subscribed  in this world we are in. It is never easy to live consistently the reality in today's gospel. We doubt, question and resort to the seemingly wise, practical and handy solutions being presented and offered to us in an enticing way. We end up taking for granted what should always be embedded in our hearts, minds and souls. We forget the benefit of knowing that God can do the ultimate good to us than follow the wisdom of men and this world. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 19:23-30

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

ROT AWAY

It is frightening to see something rotting because it could be associated to dying too. I always shiver whenever I see a dead animal on the street that is starting to decay and smell. I am sure nobody wants to go near it and be contaminated of the stench and germs that it carries. We might not realize it but today's 1st reading tells us indirectly that whenever we sin we expose ourselves to the process of rotting and death eventually if we fail to remedy our situation. In fact I have read and heard several times already that sin accompanies death. We may not see it with our visible eyes but every time we sin our soul starts to deteriorate and become susceptible to the destructive elements of sin. We must not allow this to happen to us and avoid sin in order for our souls to remain intact and not rot away. God is Almighty and if we have the confidence in our All Powerful God then nothing is supposed to affect our disposition. We should maintain a sense of well-being and hope that no matter how difficult things may seem to us we will always reflect in us the peace that passes understanding. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 24:15-23

15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 Son of man, by a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes, but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears. 17 Groan in silence,...You shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.

We have unforgettable experiences in life which remains etched in our memories no matter how long it may have been. These experiences whenever we remember them may cause us to recall too, the emotions and feelings that go with it and elicit from us a smile, laughter or tears. If we are to dwell on the truth that Jesus gave up His life for our sake, His Father suffered His only Son to serve as ransom for our deliverance and His Holy Spirit descended from Heaven, dwelt in us and always with us then we will never forget and will always remember. Today's psalm reading is taken from Deuteronomy and could have been written thousand of years ago even before the time of Jesus Christ. But its message still resounds to this very day. People nowadays are acting as if there is no God with the way they go about with their lives. This reminds me of the Catholicism talk of Fr. Barron in EWTN. He said that there are 4 things that Jesus despised on the cross. These are the things which we typically seek. It is sad to see how we sometimes put our loyalty in such things without realizing that everything comes from God and He should be first. The main point is detachment. We should look to our Lord on the cross and despise what He despised on the cross, wealth, pleasure, power and honor.  Wealth, He has none of it, He was stripped naked even of His clothes. Pleasure, He was at the limit of physical and psychological suffering. Power, he was nailed on the cross. Honor, he was mocked as he was publicly displayed and crucified. On the cross, he is the ultimate peace maker and the bringer of divine mercy. If Thomas Aquinas is right then Jesus on the cross is a picture of a happy man. He is the personification of the beatitudes. In order to be truly happy then we have to despise what He despised on the cross and love what He loved on the cross, to do the will of His Father. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21

R: You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

18 You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you, You forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing and anger toward his sons and daughters...What a fickle race they are, sons with no loyalty in them!” (R) 21 “Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’ and angered me with their vain idols, I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’; with a foolish nation I will anger them.”

We should always have this attitude of readiness to always obey, follow and live the example of the life of Jesus. There is no reason to feel sad if we believe that we can always restore what is lost and gain a hundredfold to the point of overflowing whatever we give up for the building of God's kingdom. We can never out give our God whom we owe our existence, the Creator. God doesn't want us to settle for anything less. Let us be open to His abundance for He has the best and excellent surprises in store for all of us. It has helped me realize that if we think that we're already contented with how things are going then we need to think twice and hard. There's more to it than what we are able to think and imagine. Just like in today's gospel when the rich young man was further challenged by Jesus to go beyond the boundaries of goodness and be perfect in every way. We too must not hesitate to go beyond our capacities and discover that there is something more in store for those who are willing to give up more. Let us learn the art of letting go and letting God in order to reach infinity and beyond. Detachment is a word that is not easy to practice especially with not just things but people too. Today's gospel asks us to do just that in order to be perfect. Whew! We must admit that all of us have certain attachments in this world that we could not just let go of. It's not only with material possessions that today's gospel is talking about but also with people that we find hard to detach ourselves from. We should only cling to God alone. Although God being loving and perfect in everything that He is, surely does not want us to turn our backs from these attachments we have in this world in the literal sense of the word but it is in finding ourselves still with peace and joy despite the absence of them. It is because of the knowledge that God alone suffice. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 19:16-22

16 A young man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”...‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; 19 honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

What is wisdom to God is foolishness to the world. But would we rather choose the wisdom of this world and get stuck in the rut. This world offers quick fix solutions and instant gratifications that will immediately end and would not last long. Sometimes we give in to the allurements of this world and find ourselves entangled in the web of deceit and pretense. We should wisely take the advice in today's 1st reading and really advance in the way of understanding. Amen. Hallelujah!

Proverbs 9:1-6

...Wisdom has built her house...“Let whoever is simple turn in here; to him who lacks understanding, I say, 5 Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! 6 Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

Let us not turn to anything or anyone else but to God alone. Let us be firm and wise in our dispositions to really stick to God's ideals and principles alone instead of the suggestions and insinuations of the so called wise and learned of this world's standard. For if we do, we'll find ourselves rescued, saved and  truly blessed as stated in today's psalm. Amen. Hallelujah! 

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 or Psalm 34:2-3. 10-11. 12-13. 14-15 (9a)

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

...I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

How do we attain the wisdom of God? Today's 2nd reading tells us to cultivate our knowledge of God for our own good since we are living in a world full of evil and lies. There are times when we ought to be very careful of our actions and take seriously what the idiomatic impression, "Look before you leap" practically suggests. We've got to grow in understanding of what God wills for us.  The same thing works when we need to take CE (Continuing Education) units in order to continue practicing our chosen profession we also have to continuously educate ourselves about God. Which reminds me of the Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical entitled Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), wherein he offers an ethical analysis of the global economic crisis and a moral framework on how to move forward as one human family. He challenges each of us to put charity and truth, justice and the common good at the heart of our economic choices and everyday lives. We should always consult the scriptures so that we can develop a habit of addressing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Ephesians 5:15-20

15 Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, 16 making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. 18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

If we've become too knowledgeable and badly influenced by this world then time will come when we'll find ourselves totally convinced of its ideals and truths. It would come to a point whether we like it or not when we'll find it hard to accept what God is telling us. We'll end up proclaiming one truth about God but end up doing something contrary to it. There is a battle being waged at all times for the pledge of our allegiance and we constantly and continuously become disloyal to God by not totally committing ourselves to Him. If we do not keep watch then we'll also find ourselves like the Jews in today's gospel. We have to be totally convinced of the entire truth of who God is, what God can do and how God can work in our life. Nowadays, people are starting to become more health conscious. We are very cautious of the kind of food we eat so that we can properly care for and maintain our physical body. We should have the same attitude when it comes to our spiritual well being. Today's gospel in St. John is a very hard teaching. We have to accept, believe and not walk away. The truths of the faith can only be taught and understood if we have received the Holy Spirit. The gospel reveals more and more passages pointing to the Mystery of the Trinity and the Holy Eucharist especially the oneness of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. St. Francis of Assisi is a saint that is well known and admired for his holiness during his time and up to this present day. It was said that for his way of life he followed the words of Jesus in the Synoptics (Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke) but it is in the Gospel of St. John that he patterned his spiritual life and manner of prayer. His prayers to God sounded as if he were Jesus Christ speaking to God the Father Himself. Our prayer should be identified with Jesus our Savior. We need to have a profound love of the Eucharist and be united and transformed by Holy Communion. In the feeding of the 5,000, those who were hungry were satisfied.  The faith required of the believer is more than just being fed physically and satisfied but has to go beyond it. How long will we be hard of heart? God is humbling Himself daily in the altar in the hands of the priest. As we see bread and wine with bodily eyes we should see it as the Holy Body and Blood, living and true while we remember what He said in the scripture, "Behold, I am with you even to the end of the world." We should be always reminded of how blessed we are that we can eat the body of Christ and drink of His blood everyday if we will it during the daily masses being offered throughout the world. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to attend Holy Mass and receive the Holy Communion everyday. For those who are unable to do this, we ask God for the grace to be able to do so and for those who are already enjoying this special privilege may they cherish every moment and continue to persevere. Nothing can beat this bread, tastes so delicious and filling to the soul! Thanks to God for the Most Blessed Sacrament. Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,51-58.

...I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”