TOUCH HIM

We are so blessed that we have a leader and model whom we can look up to at all times and never be disappointed. For Jesus himself endured more than any of us can ever imagine and withstand, we might ask ourselves, “Is there something more He could have done for us which He has not done?” The 1st reading for today is just a follow through from yesterday’s reading which speaks of various Old Testament saints and people who have lived the faith in the face of the impossible. These are the likes of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and so many others who followed them after having gone through insurmountable tasks came out filled with faith. They are the great cloud of witnesses that we all look up to for hope and inspiration. The idea of a group of people the so called cloud of witnesses shows unity as a group. Taking to consideration also the word martyrs meaning witnesses. They are not passive witnesses like people who see an incident or accident but can’t do anything about it. This cloud of witnesses is very active in their faith. It took a lot of action for Abraham as written in Heb. 11:8-11, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age — and Sarah herself was sterile — for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. The same is true for Moses who took God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. They are very active cloud of witnesses of faith and believe strongly. They give us an education and motivate us. Let us look at this as sports imagery. In Roman and Greek games running is a most important sport. When we run the race we can not possibly carry anything or have something in tow. It is like we burden ourselves just as sin will slow us down. No sin is going to help us run the race. We have to be free of all sin. We’ll end up losing in the race if we are encumbered by sin. The world fools us into believing that there are some sins that are just alright to commit. We need to clear this up and know that no sin is ok. It will not help us get to heaven. This is what’s at stake here. We have to persevere in running and remain focused on Jesus. Jesus is the leader of the pack of runners. He runs the race ahead of us for us to know where we’re going.  In order to keep pace, we follow Jesus who sets the norm for all of us. There should be no looking back as we run the race. If we look behind us we run the risk of losing because we are fixing our eyes on the loser. We don’t go ahead by seeing what’s behind us because we lose time by looking back instead of looking ahead. When we run this race what we break through is not a ribbon but death. Christ knew that there’s a joy that will lie ahead in His willingness to bear the cross, its pain and shame. During His time people who are sentenced to die on the cross cover their faces. It is a very shameful way to die and is the kind of death that is given to slaves. Jesus looks down upon the cross. This means He looks down upon the shame and doesn’t allow the shame of dying on the cross to stop him. He is now seated at the right of the throne of God. As in Heb 1:13 "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool", and Psalm 110:2 The LORD says to you, my lord: "Take your throne at my right hand, while I make your enemies your footstool." Jesus does not allow the shame of the cross to stop him neither should we allow ourselves to stop to run the race. We can slip into giving in to commission of sin and make an excuse by saying others are doing it. We should not give ourselves permission to sin. In a sense we are taking all the burden and encumbrances of sin by doing so. Our life should be one of purification by removing the burden in our souls and keeping our eyes on Jesus. We may ask how Jesus endured such opposition from sinners. He was crucified on the cross not being cheered on but jeered on, mocked and made fun of him. He was laughed at for He saved others but He can not save Himself. He did that in order that we will not turn away or lose heart nor allow ourselves to be discouraged by those who are making fun of us. Whenever we watch a game or competition we see people favor one team over the other. They boo one and cheer the other. We should realize that that those who are going to boo us are those on the side of satan and evil. They will try to dissuade us from finishing the race so we lose heart and grow weary before the race is over especially if we have made a good start. This letter to the Hebrews is in the early 60AD addressed to Jewish Christians who had their properties confiscated. It was only in the 70AD during the time of Nero that there was much bloodshed of martyrs in testimony of the faith. They are being told that there is no bloodshed yet and is also being said to us so we are still in a much better position to defend our faith at this present time. May we persevere and run the race to the finish. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 12:1-4

1 Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us 2 while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. 3 Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

An artist works his way through a piece of art like a clay and marble by molding and shaping it into a masterpiece. It is a painful and difficult process of change and transformation. Just like clay and marble being molded and chipped away.  When we go through life and experience its different struggles we become one with Jesus in His suffering. If we understand the reason for human existence, the older people get the greater should be the respect they get. Each and every step is imbued with the power of the Master. We need to walk the way that Jesus walked. The easiest way is God's way. The pain of the cross is essential. There is no other way since there is a pedagogical structure in suffering or the cross wherein only greatness comes forth. Whenever we reach a point where we feel like we can no longer hold on and about to give up then we must not forget that our God is always with us ready to help us. If He was able to suffer His only Son on the Cross for our sake then there is really nothing else He can not do for us. Our security lies in the knowledge that God is always with us. We should always have this hope in a God who loves us so much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son to the point of a humiliating and gruesome death so that we can start a new life with Him full of joy and prosperity. If we decide for God in what we say or do in all circumstances then we can surely experience the joy and happiness that God has in store for His faithful people. If we are all set and very sure where we are headed then nothing can stop us from being there. Considering, too that we have a God who has secured a place and our future for us. John 14:1-3, " Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." Nothing or no one can prevent us unless we ourselves decide not to go. The truth is, it's all up to us. If we decide for God in what we say or do in all circumstances then we can surely experience the joy and happiness that God has in store for His faithful people. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32

R: They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

25 [26] I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. 26 [27] The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: “May your hearts be ever merry!” (R) 27 [28] All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall bow down before him. 29 [30] To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. (R) And to him my soul shall live; 30 [31] my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation be told of the LORD 31 [32] that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown. (R)

Two miracles took place in today's gospel and it should leave us in awe at the tremendous power of Jesus. There is no room for doubt all we have to do is just have faith. The woman in today’s gospel with hemorrhages for twelve years and Jairus whose daughter is at the point of death have something in common. They have faith in Christ. A woman was considered of no social standing during that time, and to be a pagan/Gentile only added to her worthlessness she wan not even addressed with her own name. The woman touched the tassel of Jesus in the midst of the crowd bustling about trying to push and touch Him. As specifically written, Jesus was aware at once that power had gone out from him. The crowd tries to get a hold of Jesus but doesn’t allow the power of Jesus to go out of Him. . How come Jesus feels one woman touched him. What made the difference is her faith. The result of her faith is power. He is present in the sacraments. We touch Jesus in the Eucharist but we have to approach the Eucharist with this hemorrhagic woman’s kind of faith, expecting Jesus to do something for us, as we receive Him. Allow Him to come to our heart, make life better spiritually, give us the power to rid us of the burden of sin. We may not have lived at the time when Jesus walked about the earth and healed the sick but we can touch Him in the flesh. It is true that we are touching Jesus in the sacraments especially the Eucharist but when we do not have faith there is no effect.  Let us not fall into the trap of becoming overly familiar with Jesus as we receive the sacraments regularly or even daily for some. This familiarity makes us lose the awe and wonder of our faith that it wears off. We have to maintain and sustain our faith. Whenever we come in contact with Him let us ask Him to give us greater things, to heal us and change us as we touch him. Jesus is healing us in the way that the doctors can not do and is made possible through the sacraments. Is there anything else that Jesus is not capable of doing? We should answer these questions ourselves and really feel in our heart and impress in our mind the resounding truth about Jesus. If we are to imagine that woman touching the cloak of Jesus to the point that it really feels so real that we could almost feel the cloak of Jesus flowing around Him and touching our skin we would surely feel goose bumps all over. Somehow we could identify with the woman since she has been longing and desiring for a cure to her disease for quite a long time already and we in our lives sometimes encounter situations when we've been waiting for the answer to our prayers for a long time and have utilized every possible means and yet things did not get any better and felt that we were not helped at all but instead made things grew worse. One way or another we may all have felt that way. As days, weeks, months and even years go by we should come to a point when we can also develop that same faith of the woman in the gospel who got cured just by touching the cloak of Jesus and in turn will finally receive the long awaited blessing we all have been waiting for. Another important thing that is being pointed out today is the certainty and reality of death and our desire to live forever. There is indeed an explanation as to why people doesn't want to die and wanted to avoid even talk or mention about death. It goes way back to the time of creation when God never meant for us to die at all but because of our consent to sin, death entered the world. It's a good thing that despite all of these we are assured in Jesus that we can still take part in God's original plan to live life to the full for eternity. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

WITNESSES

Today’s 1^st reading describes the courageous faith of many Old Testament (OT) heroes describing their persecutions, asceticism, and the martyrdoms they endured. The reason for this recounting of these holy OT figures is summarized in the 1^st sentence of Heb. 12, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” Notice the mention of a great cloud of witnesses, this refers not only to their testimonies in martyrdom, by the way the Greek word for witness is martyrs, it also refers to the fact that the saints now in heaven are witnessing from above. They are observing how we run the race toward our heavenly reward now that it’s our turn. Notice also that the same Gk. word for witness, martyrs which is used to describe those in heaven is found in other passages such as those in Mt. 18:16 (If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 'If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. )  which shows us that witness is one who is keenly observant and aware what is happening. The Lord said if your brother sins against you go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother but if he does not listen, take 1 or 2 others along with you that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses. Notice also the same usage in other passages. In Rev. 5:8, the saints in heaven offered the prayers of the holy ones, in other words the saints on earth, if you cross reference that in Rev. 13:7. They are offering the prayers of the holy ones on earth before the Son of God. St. John writes, and when he had taken the scroll the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp with golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. We catch a glimpse of this scene again in Rev. 8:3-4, this demonstrates that the saints in heaven are certainly aware of our prayers and supplications to God, in reference to 1Tim. 2:1-3, and they are presenting our prayers to the Lord. In Rev. 6:9-11, the martyrs in heaven offered prayers and petitions against their erstwhile persecutors on earth. They are very aware of what’s happening on earth. Listen to what they said, “When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. They cried out in a loud voice, "How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been. In Rev 12:10-12, the saints in heaven cry out, "Alleluia! Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her harlotry. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." They said a second time: "Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever." The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen. Alleluia." They said a second time: "Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever." Referring to the smoke from her, Babylon the city on earth, goes up forever and ever. How can the saints say this if they were unaware of earthly events. The inexorable conclusion from such passages is that the saints in heaven are very aware of our circumstances here on earth. Finally, recall that Christ Himself said that the saints and angels are aware of what transpires here on earth. The Lord said, just so I tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents over 99 righteous people who need no repentance. He said this in Luke 15:7-10. In Luke 20:36, Christ tells us that the saints in heaven are equal to the angels. Let’s say that every given moment, 1 million people which is a tiny fraction of the world’s total population of more than 6 billion are repenting of their sins. Christ says that the saints in heaven are somehow aware of each individual repentance. How can this be? We don’t know for neither the bible and sacred tradition tell us. But one thing we do know, the saints in heaven are able to know this. Mary and the saints are truly a great cloud of witnesses, praying for us, encouraging us, cheering us on. When we finally cross that heavenly finish line and fall happily into their arms then we’ll discover just how powerful their assistance to us as they had really been. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 11:32-40

Brothers and sisters: What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions, 34 put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders.

The confidence of the martyrs in God did not waver up to the end. The stood firm in their faith and remained steadfast. I have read that the most critical point in our life is during the time of death because it is when a battle between good and evil is being waged over our soul. We might have heard of different stories of people about to die who were reported to have seen all sorts of vision. As we read the psalm for today may we find ourselves truly internalizing and believing the words thus visualizing the glory of God the way the saints and martyrs demonstrated for us during the critical hour of their life. We are a work in progress and we need to acknowledge our sins, mend our ways and surrender our life to the Lord. The world believes that it is foolish to believe what we can not see but we have to believe in what we do not see and face them all with faith, this is according to St. Thomas Aquinas. The testimony of those who believe help to build up our faith and the more witnesses we have the more solid it becomes. We look to the Gospel and see that there are so many witnesses and testimonies with very little variation. They speak of the truth of the life of Jesus. We have to accept everything that the Gospel tells us. With this great love that He offered to all of us, there is no doubt that God will make all things beautiful in our lives in His time. Our persistent cries and tears to God are always heard. God has given us very clear instructions from the very start. If only we will stick to it then we can be assured of a life lived to the full. We’ve got to have faith that of Abraham who believed even though his wife is with age that the one who made the promise is trustworthy. What God says is true and He does not lie. Padre Pio said that the most beautiful act of faith is one made with sacrifice and effort even in the presence of darkness. We have to believe that God has the best things in mind for us. If He allows some things that are not pleasant in life this is only to bring about the best. Although faith is not the best of the virtues, it is the rarest. Real faith inspires all actions and reveals God in everything. How rare is real faith next to danger. We sometimes feel that we do not see so much evidence of the reality of God. God does not give us so much light so that we are not forced to accept Him nor does He give too little that we can not find Him. He gives us just enough light so as to put to practice our faith. Nothing can ever frighten or scare us not even death if God is our stronghold. We can rely on so many things in this world like wealth, fame, power and success but only in the Lord can we find true security and satisfaction. There is no denying to the truth that we have a God who is always there for us whether in good or bad times. We can be assured that we can take comfort and hope in the Lord. Our enemies may be lurking from every side but we don't have to worry or be afraid. God is our refuge and strength. He can rescue us from the clutches of our persecutors and set us free. We should never have any doubt that God is able to do all things for our good for there is nothing more that He could do that He has not done. We should always be praising and thanking God in all circumstances knowing that God will always be there for us. He knows and sees all things much more than our limited points of view and angles of reference. God can view things in a multidimensional level while we can only see a single or at most double dimension. If we are looking at a not so pleasant view trust that God can see a better view than what is before us. If we have experienced an almost dangerously impossible situation wherein escape and deliverance seemed to be farfetched then we are in a worst case scenario. Believe it or not, this kind of situation could drive anyone to panic. Even the most steadfast in the faith community could succumb to anxiety and fear with regards to such situation. In fact, it could even come to a point where the most steadfast may go to a certain extent of negotiating for the sake of the lesser evil. It is this type of experience that could turn out to be unforgettable and could forever be etched in our mind not only because of the trouble and difficulty we went through but most of all the love and concern we experienced and witnessed from people in the community. Although it could indeed be a frightening experience when we could have just chosen to give up and succumb to the obviously convenient option for the sake of getting it over and done with but didn't for the sake of the truth of God. If we do then we would find that it is all worth it even though we have to learn some lessons in life the hard way. It is evident that the harder the situation we are in all the more could we feel God's ever reliable and strong hands secured all around us. We can not deny it and should always believe that God's truth and saving power prevails at all times. We look to God always in the midst of all the turmoil. No matter how long and hard we try to search for happiness outside God we can only find it in Him as St. Augustine says, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee." Only with Him do we find rest, fulfillment and satisfaction. Let us trust God in His divine providence and goodness that He will never abandon nor forsake us. He will rescue us at all times for He can turn back or fast forward the hands of time for everything is right on time with God. He is the God of the eternal now. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24

R: Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

19 [20] How great is the goodness, O LORD, which you have in store for those who fear you, and which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of the children of men... The LORD keeps those who are constant, but more than requites those who act proudly.

Today's gospel displayed an impressive offense-defense play, if we may call it, which Jesus Himself perfectly carried out. Only the power coming from the Most High is able to do something as impossible as this. He was able to drive out a legion of demons from a man who had been suffering from it for a long time. There is no doubt that Jesus’ power stretches from the natural to the supernatural because there is nothing that does not come under His lordship. In recognizing this, we also acknowledge that through Baptism we share in this power. Today’s gospel shows us that we all we all have different vocations in life. Some are called to the religious orders, married life or single blessedness. Whatever our calling may be, it counts a lot to God and is not reduced to nothing or less holy as most of us think when we do not belong or are called to the Holy Orders. Whatever our present status in life is, we can still be witnesses by serving and loving God as is and where is. Thus we are called to give witness to it in our lives. How do we do this? By rejecting sin and temptation, and living under the grace of the Holy Spirit and not according to the ways of the world or the devil.  There is truth in the saying united we stand, divided we fall but in the case of today's gospel, the unity or the legion of demons did not stand a chance with Jesus, though they were united as one legion, still they fell. For nothing can ever be more powerful and mightier than our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 5:1-20

...Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, 7 crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” 8 (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) 9 He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” 10 And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. 11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. 12 And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” 13 And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. 14 The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. 15 As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind... ...As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. 19 But he would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” 20 Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

PEOPLE, EVENTS AND PLACES

Most of the time we already know exactly what we are supposed to do but we still don't follow. It has been made known to us already, implanted in the deepest recesses of our conscience and is also specifically written in black and white in the bible for us to be always reminded and to avoid denying it. We still come up with a lot of justifications and alibis especially with the unending excuse that we often make use of, which is the changing times. We should realize that we have a God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I was talking to a friend and felt the burden of what she is going through at the moment. We were just assuring each other that despite of all the trials and difficulties we go through in life we can never deny that God has been with us every single step of the way. Today's 1st reading is a confirmation of it. It is very reassuring how God works in sweet and marvelous ways.  Amen. Hallelujah!

 Letter to the Hebrews 13,1-8.

...Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never forsake you or abandon you." Thus we may say with confidence: "The Lord is my helper, (and) I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Brothers and sisters, if we are confident that we are where we are supposed to be and the Lord allowed things to happen in our life the way they are happening right now then we should be still and know that God is in control. We need to understand the mysteries of our faith in order to appreciate it better. We have to go near as much as possible to the Word of God and experience it come to life and see His glory shining on us. As we go near Him we see his face and feel His love. We always have hope in the Lord who knows what's best for each one of us. There should be no doubt in our minds that He answers prayers. All we have to do is call on the Lord, trust that He hears the sound of our call and wait for Him with courage. When we get carried away by all the commotion there is a tendency that we neglect the essential and most central issue which is to always believe that we shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. There is really nothing that we should worry about if we always hold in our hearts the truth about Jesus. There may be times when we encounter disappointments and setbacks in life but this doesn't mean that God has stopped becoming the Loving God that He is, who suffered His only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sake. Our focus should be on the truth of this love and everything that it stands for. This reminded me of a mini play staged in EWTN of a passenger waiting to be boarded on the airplane. He was the 1st and only person in the boarding area waiting patiently for his seat reservation to be called. He got surprised when someone came along and hardly ever waited when his seat number was called. He felt somehow annoyed at the idea of someone who just came and did not wait but got on the plane first although he managed to stop himself from making a scene. A lady with her young child also came and looked very excited to board the plane but he tried to warn them not to keep their hopes up too much because it would definitely take time and said that he had been waiting for a long time and came early but his number had not been called yet. To his surprise their numbers were called and happily boarded while he was once again left behind. He simply couldn't stand it anymore when a pleasant young lady came with all smiles on her face and speaking of how excited she is to board an airplane for the first time. The company of this nice lady kept her impatience at bay. She advised him to stop thinking about how the others were able to get there quickly but rather think of the joy he would have once he gets there. She assured him to just relax and make the most of his time because he has a reservation and a ticket all he needs to do is just wait. He did exactly just that and found himself at peace until the time his number was called. The same thing happens to the best of us when we are confronted with a tedious and exasperating process of waiting. We tend to lose our peace and joy and succumb to worry and doubt. If we are holding on to something that was assured to us by a trustworthy and reliable source we can put our worries to rest. Although sometimes anxiety can still find its way to our hearts and forget on whom our confidence lies.  If we remain in the Lord and put our trust in Him then there is nothing we should worry about. In life, there are 4 things which are 1. sin 2. grace 3. forgiveness 4. reconciliation that we could all learn a lot from. The 1st 3 are all a reality but #4 is only a possibility. Reconciliation calls us to true conversion. An example that fits this is a snake and caterpillar since both of them undergoes conversion. The snake sheds off its old skin but comes out the same while the caterpillar emerges into a butterfly. We have to ponder and think about setting our goals high, keeping our thoughts positive and coming up with new solutions. There is no room for fear for He is consistent to His nature as God. Let us strive to become the child He has meant us to be. Another thing we could learn something about is a puzzle. I am one person who never even thought of working on a jigsaw puzzle. I am not the type of person who would bother to even buy one. It just happened that when I was in Japan and saw all sorts of things which are being sold in a bazaar, I ended up buying one for no reason at all. In fact it took years before I finally opened it and put the puzzle together. That was when I actually experienced how to do it. It takes patience and perseverance to do it especially with the complicated puzzles. Sometimes in life we just back out and give up when things become complicated and when we do, we fail to witness the bounty of the Lord. As today psalm tells us, we've got to wait with courage and be stout hearted. We should all long for the day when we will have 100% confidence level in all our decisions for God. When the time comes it will totally remove all forms of anxiety and fear and incline ourselves to Him at all times. It should be our ultimate desire and nothing else, to always be in the presence of the Lord. To abide in Him at all times even when things are not very good. I could never forget and would always remember those times when I used to pick figs at Sis Loreta's garden. It was then that a thought came to my mind while I was climbing a ladder in order to get the figs in hard to reach places. Despite the fact that I was already on top of the ladder there were still some figs that I was not able to see and pick up right away although it was already right in front of me. They are being covered by the leaves of the tree and some are hidden in between branches. I just realized that it could be compared to how God showers us with all the blessings and graces that we need. There are times when we fail to see it though it is already right in front of us. Sometimes we have to really look very closely and try to turn our gaze into different angles in order to see it. What's funny was that when I thought that I've got almost every ripe fig in the tree, I noticed one big ripe fruit at the lowest part of the tree, there was even no need to use a ladder in order to get it. Sometimes in life we resort to a lot of means that are sometimes no longer necessary. All we have to do is believe that we will see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living if we will just be patient and full of courage. We ought to realize that if we wait on the Lord patiently and persevere long enough we will never be disappointed for He alone is our light and salvation. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 27,1.3.5.8-9.

R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

...The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?

Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; Though war be waged against me, even then do I trust.

For God will hide me in his shelter in time of trouble, Will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and set me high upon a rock...

It is just very sad that despite the many times God tries to convey His love to us, we still sometimes back away. We've got to stand firm, hold our ground and not give in to the world's pressures. Let us not end up like Herod who came as close to knowing what is righteousness and holiness but never really got to the doing and acting part. In the Philippines we have a habit of calling people names. For someone to be called Herod or Herodes means being really naughty and bad. We may all claim to know what is right but we have to realize that we may never be able to come to a point where we can claim to be a better person than Herod. We may have this impression that we are far better Christians than any of the others we know but we may be wrong. For all we know we are not far from being like Herod or much worse. Let us hope not. For there is really more to being a Christian than what we actually know. As what have been mentioned in the 1st reading about the sanctity of marriage, it is now being emphasized once more in today's gospel. John the Baptist paid a great price for this truth. We sometimes don't realize it, but we may also be guilty just like Herodias. We may not be committing adultery like her but we too succumb to the temptation of eliminating the people and circumstances around us that is a source of inconvenience or simply not conformed to our personal statement and views. We also make use of other people to camouflage or hide our true intentions in order for us to carry out our plans without the guilt of having participated in it. We resort to all kinds of disguise without knowing that in the process of doing so we are headed for the worst kind of situation.  Let us not further aggravate it and know in our heart, mind and soul that all areas of our life needs to be totally surrendered to God not just a part, half but our entire being.  In doing so with the gift of free will we allow ourselves to enjoy life at its fullness because we are not bound or tied and can exercise this gift as much as we want and never run out. We should not be too carried away though and forget that it is also because of this free will that we are also presented with horrible things as in today's gospel that are products of the wrong use of this gift. It is of prime importance that we exercise, use and handle this gift with much care. This is the reflection question and prayer that I read in Didache: What do you do when you are under pressure? Do you stand up for what is right or you just go with the crowd because everyone else is doing it? Lord, grant me the wisdom and the courage to do what is pleasing in Your sight even if the world laughs at me. And in Companion, Fr. Martin Macasaet said the following words. "Yes, we, too, are called and challenged to imitate John the Baptist’s courageous act of witnessing —not necessarily in the form of a bloody beheading, of course. Today’s Christian martyrdoms are certainly more of a subtle and sophisticated kind. But perhaps, they are just as compelling and exigent — as when our moral principles are tested in our workplaces, or when our senses are bombarded by sexually suggestive images, or when we are scandalized by the bad examples of our leaders and celebrities, and so on." We all have our own personal Herod, Salome and worst our Herodias tendencies in life. Only we ourselves know these and what specific aspect it is in our lives. Unless we acknowledge them, firmly reject and stand up against it instead of yielding to it then we are no better than any of them. In today's gospel we are also reminded of our stubbornness when we insist on doing things our way. We could somehow relate this to those who insist on wearing something even if it doesn't fit them just because it is the "in" thing. The same way with our life we end up looking foolish when we insist on keeping up with the latest trend and fashion that this world offers when the only thing that is well fitted to us is to always wear the clothes of Jesus which is fashioned in the passion of the cross in order to be the best dressed Christian. People may not be able to know it by just looking at us and we can easily get away with our wrong doings which we have kept in secret or hidden in our thoughts and feelings which no human person can see but God does. We’ve got to believe that there is really somebody watching us as the song says. Sometimes we forget that God can see through us and knows exactly what's inside our hearts and minds. Let us not wait for the time when we like the scribes and Pharisees will be spoken to by God in this manner. Let us choose to hear words of commendation from the Lord rather than be called a hypocrite. Let us truly be the person that God wants us to be, whether there are people who can see our goodness or not. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 6:14-29

...John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him... “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 27 So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. 28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl.

THE UNBORN

The Lord has spoken so many times about His everlasting love and devotion to us. If we are always focused on this then we will surely emerge victorious in all our battles in this life. God knows each one of us in a very special way even before we were born. This truth should make us realize that none of us came to life by accident or chance. We have all been called for a mission and a purpose in life. If we live life embracing this truth at all times then we can be assured that our Creator and God who is a loving Father to all of us would see us through whatever it is that we are going through right now. There are times when we wonder how we ever get to certain situations in our life and where we are right now. Sometimes we just couldn’t put it together or quite amazed how it all came to be. The bottom line here is the fact that God will never put us through something without seeing us through it. It is also a consolation to know that every step we make that we have consulted and offered to God in prayers is well supported and assured by today’s 1^st reading. Our knowledge of God is very important. We should strive to attain a personal knowledge/relationship of God and His attributes. Hesed is Hebrew for loving kindness. (In Hos 5:4 it is written, Their deeds do not allow them  to return to their God; for the spirit of prostitution is in them, and they do not know the LORD.) There is no true "Hesed" without knowledge which is wisdom or true intelligence as not only the world sees and knows of but is interwoven with life experiences. Knowledge here is more of deep spousal knowledge akin to marital union of 2 individuals becoming one. True union of no secrets, shared joy and sorrows as well as oneness of both bodies and souls. Love making (not sex) is a good example of this. (Gen 2:24 "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.") Even Jesus in Mk 2:19-20 compared Himself to a bridegroom. In Ephesians 5: 23-24 Jesus compares His eternal love for the Church as the love of a husband for his wife. See also Lk 1:34 when Mary said,"I have no knowledge of a man." and Jer.1:5 "...before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." This knowledge is encompassing and strives to reach the height and depth of God's unfathomable love. God knows each one of us in a very special way even before we were born. This truth should make us realize that none of us came to life by accident or chance. We have all been called for a mission and a purpose in life. If we live life embracing this truth at all times then we can be assured that our Creator and God who is a loving Father to all of us would see us through whatever it is that we are going through right now. The unborn is impressed in my heart today as I read the scriptures and prayed for them in a special way. Here's a prayer that I got from Father Pavone's Pro-Life Rosary meditations.
O Father in Heaven You are the Creator of Life.
Protect all expectant mothers and the babies they carry in their wombs. We pray that those who suffer from the evils of abortion will be open to Your Infinite Mercy and Love. We ask for the conversion of all who fail to respect the gift of human life. Heavenly Father guide our actions to help restore in the hearts of all people, the sanctity of human life. Amen.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph
I love you very much
I beg you to spare the life of the unborn child that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.
Mary, Mother of the Unborn protect them.

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: 5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you,...They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Let us not forget that our bodies are God's temple and we should make an effort of maintaining our health at its prime, so that just like Samson we can have the strength to hurdle whatever is coming our way. There are many things that we don't understand especially the things that happen to us. We can always choose to trust that it comes from God. We are His beloved son or daughter with an awareness that God is fathering us and has brought us into a family. We should have a childlike fearlessness that we can appropriate and exercise as we trust God who never fails. In God we find the most secure and safest shelter. If we will always fill our hearts with gratitude and praise for God we will realize as we look back and recall that we really have a lot of things to be thankful to God. Let us proclaim God's goodness and mercy. Our God is incomparable for He loves us with a love greater than any other. In God we find the most secure and safest shelter. Let us constantly build our confidence in God who never fails. There is really nowhere else to go but to Him alone. By just looking back at our past and present we can only come up with just one thing which is God is constantly at work and in charge of our lives for as long as we live. The mention of being called even from a mother’s womb, is one of the symbols of God’s words. The Word that reaches to the ends of the earth, penetrates the hearts of people and able to separate soul and spirit.  It should be our duty to spread God’s Word. Evangelization is defined with a very broad meaning and although preaching is its core there's more to it than just that. It is crucial that we reflect the values of Jesus. There is the so called "Equipping the Saints". We need to go through a process to achieve this. We process information in the mind, it is mind centered since it is a quest for knowledge. Formation is soul centered, it is a quest for wisdom and go through it by making decisions in the heart. Transformation is the meeting of mind and soul since it is a quest for spirituality. Propagation is the fullness of mind, body and soul resulting to authentic and meaningful faith in action. It is sometimes called Evangelization. The Balloon Story tells us of a child who saw balloons of different colors rising up in the sky. The child exclaimed how beautiful it looked up there with all the different colors. An old man told the child that it's not the colors that makes the balloons rise up but what's inside of it. As we become formed and equipped for evangelization we become Good messengers of the Good News. Furthermore, we need to differentiate between good and great leaders.  A good leader when the company is doing good, is one who faces the mirror and look back at the reason why the company is doing well but looks out of the window and to others when the company is performing bad. On the other hand, a great leader is one who looks out of the window and point to others as the reason why the company is doing well but when things are bad, looks at himself and ask what he can do to help. Jesus is a great leader because when things got really bad for humankind, He did not point any finger but instead came as man and redeemed us all. Evangelization should work towards making humanity whole again and free men and women from things that hinder them from being whole again. We should treasure the salvation that Jesus has given us. Do away with sin that makes us broken. Avoid not just sin but the occasions of sin.  When we speak of the 5th commandment which is, "Thou shall not kill" there is an unwritten command too, that we need to be peacemakers. There is no peace without justice. We need to fight injustice and unjust structures.

The Principles of Catholic Evangelization
1. Live the gospel-use words only when necessary. Walk the talk
2. Challenge others by one's example and lifestyle
3. Uphold true values. People first than profit. Embrace peace and justice. A Capitalist value works differently, it upholds profit at all cost.
4. Open our hearts to the saving power of God. From a distance foolishness and wisdom look alike but if we come closer we'll find that foolishness is an open mouth and wisdom is an open mind. In evangelization we need to approach it in a manner of discovery with an element of surprise rather than deciding which means we already have an idea of it. In discovery, God brought us to where we are although not fully revealing but trusting. We discover God and the wonders of His wisdom.
5. Build community                          
6. Identify and really call injustice as injustice. Accept and handle the truth. Sometimes the closer we are to power the farther we become to truth.
7. Work for a better society. Life is a gift from God but what we make of it is our gift to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17
R: I will sing of your salvation.
1 In you, O LORD, I take refuge; ... On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. 3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 16 I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD; O God, I will tell of your singular justice. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

In whatever state of life we are in we should all be aware that God has given us everything. There is nothing more that He should give that He has not given to us. We should always glory in this truth that we have a God who is more than enough, Yahweh, El Shaddai. Today's 2nd reading focuses us to this unsurpassed and everlasting gift that God has given us which is love that conquers all. Love is Christ. Christ is patient, kind and we must substitute with our name. 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. Amen. Hallelujah! 

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
31 Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way...So faith, hope, love remain, these three;  but the greatest of these is love.

We may all have experienced rejection at one time in our life. It's very painful and difficult as it is to be rejected by someone but what's even worse is the fact that the people whom we expect to back us up are the ones who turn their backs on us. We must not despair if this happens for even Jesus experienced the same thing. All we have to do is follow the example of Jesus in continuing the work that God has given us to do and not lose hope. What Jesus was offering to the people in Nazareth was not wasted for it was extended to the people in Capernaum (town in Galilee) and to the whole region. We all have our own Nazareths and we must not despair over it rather we must look forward to reaching out to the Galilees of our lives and move on to the next level. We all have other aspects and regions in our life that we also need to pay attention to and develop. We just have to put our trust in the Lord who is able. Everything will come to pass and God's word will always carry out its mission and not go back to Him without accomplishing its purpose. Today's gospel brings back my focus on what I have been doing since I came here to the US. I can still very clearly remember that day of OCT 7, 2007 when I received God's Word in Habakkuk 2:2-3 which is: Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.
From then on I've taken it upon myself to write down daily reflections based on the assigned bible readings as my personal mission for Jesus. During the course of my writing I have inevitably included in my journal people whom I have encountered and inspired and touched my life in a special way which all just happened in a way that the scriptures unfold and reveal our participation in each and every message being conveyed and sent to us in the daily readings. Since then these reflections have amounted to quite a lot already and during my free time, I have been bent on compiling and organizing all the daily reflections that I have written since OCT 2007. I have made an index and table of contents for it which I have just finished and updated. It has become easier and readily available for quick reference. Several years ago the foreword in Companion for today’s gospel and the reflection of Fr. Steve Tynan in Sabbath have encouraged me to continue with this mission. In the foreword it says:
Jesus does not “pull any punches here.” He says it simply as He sees it. This is the best way to make the truth known. Jesus needs to let people know what His mission is from the beginning so that they cannot accuse Him of deception later on. Whether people understand Him or not is not the issue at the moment. What is critical is that the Gospel is proclaimed in its fullness and that everybody has the opportunity to respond to it in its fullness as well.
In Sabbath, I partly quote Fr. Steve:
...Jesus was never interested in any attention the people wanted to give Him — His sole concern was to live and proclaim the Gospel as best as He could.
It is this example that we must seek to follow. Otherwise, we will become distracted from the things that should be our focus and we will fail to achieve what we could have achieved, if only we had been wholly obedient to God.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
 I am fully aware of my shortcomings and imperfection in spreading the Word of God but it is in what Fr. Steve said above that gave me the courage and strength to keep on going. It is in this very personal and significant events and circumstances that I encounter daily whether big or small that we have truly been part of the Word, yes, the Word that is made flesh. Jesus is indeed in each one of us. God gives me a reason to always have something to write about and the presence of each one of us in this present life have given me a lot of reasons to continue writing. Everybody has been a source of inspiration and God’s instrument. We should all find ourselves believing the same thing. God believes in us. We may sometimes come to a point in our lives when we have to act out of faith despite the uncertainty of our situation. We may also suffer the disapproval, ridicule and objection of the majority who questions the logic of our actions and doubts our motivations. I am sure that the widow in Zarephath hesitated if not faltered for a moment when asked to give away hers and her son's last meal in the time of famine just as Naaman the Syrian objected and grumbled at first when they were told of what to do by these 2 great prophets of their time. If we are to look closely at the qualifications of these 2 characters from today's gospel we would find that they both do not belong to the chosen race of God, the Israelites. Their only qualification was that they followed and obeyed what they were told to do.  You know why? God does not call the qualified rather He qualifies the called. We are all called by God. Our response depends on how we feel and think about it. They (Naaman and the widow) felt that persistent and undying spark of love that does not lie when God called and spoke to them in their hearts. Always take the opportunity to recognize Jesus in every situation of our life lest we lose the chance and fail to recognize it. God will not come uninvited. He will enter only if we open up the doors of our hearts and welcome Him. He will never force Himself on anyone. He is the Perfect Gentleman. He respects our longings and desires that sometimes without realizing it we've completely missed our chances and lost what truly matters and counts. Let us not end up rejecting Jesus in our hearts and missing the only Blessing that really matters because we are too preoccupied with other small blessings. Jesus is already with us but we sometimes drive Him away with our indifferences, doubts, fears, unbelief, and ignorance of the true wisdom of God. Let us pray fervently to God that He will always be with us to stay. Amen. Hallelujah!

 Luke 4:21-30

21 He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”22 And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” 23 He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’ ” 24 And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. 25 Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. 26 It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury...

SINAI & ZION

Today’s 1^st reading from Hebrews was explained by Fr. Mitch Pacwa in EWTN. The covenant in Mt. Sinai is compared with the new covenant in Christ as in Mt. Zion. As written in Hebrews, where there are things that describe which could not be touched and approached in Mt. Sinai which showed the fearfulness of touching the holy mountain. This covenant in Mt. Sinai deserves great respect and gives us a sense of awe with a feeling of being terrified and much trembling as described of Moses. In contrast Mt Zion is where the temple is and where anybody could approach. It is described with concentric circles as in levels wherein anybody could come in. It symbolizes the Promised Land to come, in which God dwells among his chosen people. Peace offerings are being burned and fill the place with a certain sense of festive mood and scent of cooking meat. This could be taken to mean as a symbol of heaven which is mentioned  also in 1 Peter 2:6 For it says in scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame."  and Revelation 5:8, "The victor I will make into a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it again. On him I will inscribe the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, as well as my new name. Heaven is our true citizenship where countless angels are in festal gathering. They are in a kind of celebratory gathering, cooking with great joy in the presence of angels also celebrating with great joy. The ecclesia of the 1^st born enrolled in heaven applies to all of us. Christ has been spoken of throughout this letter as the high priest who offered Himself as a sacrifice, enter into the Holy of holies in Heavenly Jerusalem, sit at the right hand and accomplishes something that Moses could not do so that both the angels, saints and we can celebrate in heaven. The saints and angels in heaven sing holy (3x) as in Isaiah 6:3,” Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they hovered aloft. "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with his glory!" Angels teach us how to worship, same as the Gloria, when they appeared to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. As said in the Maranite liturgy, praise of God make our mouths holy by joining with the angels in worshipping God every time we come to mass. God the Father can’t be approached but Christ’s death won for us the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus has born the guilt for us so we can approach God the Father and judge with confidence. We approach the spirit of the righteous who have been made perfect. Their spirits are no longer in their body and gained righteousness. It is by faith with our good works that we are made righteous as He is righteous. It is a result of acting and believing and maintaining both. Saints have been made righteous, notice the passive verb, they did not make themselves righteous by their own power, but by faith which is a theological virtue granted only by the grace of God. We are doing the righteous deeds we do because God gives us the grace to be righteous. Being righteous is something passive in our part the grace of God is the bigger part. How come we struggle to be righteous based on our true experience.  We should realize the power of God’s grace to get us through the temptations and struggles that makes us righteous. God does this to us although we struggle against it but we falsify the experience if we believe that we do this on our own. . The bible tells us to approach the saints. We ask the intercession of the saints most especially the Virgin Mary. We should never back away from the scriptural injunction to approach the saints. It is not in conflict with approaching Jesus. As in heavenly Jerusalem, we approach the saints. We have a communion with them as in Rev 5:8 When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.  The elders have golden bowls of incense which are the prayer of the saints who are so close to God’s throne. They set our prayers on fire and release its full power. Jesus is the New Moses, seals the covenant in His own blood. We come with our prayers and ask the saints to pray for us. Christ is the one who forgives our sins, the saints can not do that.  His sprinkled blood, speaks more eloquently than that of Abel’s blood as it cried out from the earth for justice. The blood of Christ cried out mercy and forgiveness of sins. This is what Christ’s blood cries out for. The imperfect can’t enter heaven. God made them perfect which is all part of this New Jerusalem. God answers prayers through intercession of saints and angels and through the mediation of Christ with His sprinkled blood. No eye has seen, no ear has heard or mind can imagine what God has ready for those who love Him. At this point in our lives we are still unaffected by these heavenly truths and they seem so far fetched because we are still in this world. It is just faith that can make us hold on to these things that look like fantasy and make believe. As in 2 Cor. 4:16-18, "Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal." and 2 Cor. 5:7, "for we walk by faith, not by sight." Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24

Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them, for they could not bear to hear the command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

We may all come to a point in our Christian walk of faith when we are no longer sure if what we are doing is the right thing. It is so hard at times when we are confronted with people and situations that are difficult to handle. Some may look at what we are doing as being impractical and inappropriate when we make decisions that are not conformed to the existing and current standard of this world which is always after personal gain and glory. No matter how confusing things may be, let us continue to consult God with regards to our plans and totally entrust everything to Him. After having said and done what we are supposed to do then we ought to be always confident that God can make things work for good and turn it into a blessing. For as long as we stand by the principles and values of God then we can never be wrong. God knows our every thought, motive and intention and if we act on it based on what is just, true and peaceful then we will never be disturbed. Nobody can fully understand the display of such great faith revealed in the life of the martyrs and saints of the Church. It is only safe to assume that we have a great and awesome God who is able to surmount the highest mountain and make all things possible. Thus it is noteworthy that today's psalm reading is reminiscent of this song that is usually sung in charismatic gatherings. Here’s the lyrics in Tagalog, "Si Kristo ang sandigan hindi magigiba kasing tatag ng kabundukan di magigiba." (In english, Christ is the wall we are leaning on that is as strong as the mountain that never crumbles.) When we go to our own churches and parishes we almost always ponder on the goodness of God and as we do this we look forward to someday dwell in a much greater place of worship in the city of our God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 48:2-3, 3-4, 9, 10-11

R: O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

1 [2] Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain, 2 [3] fairest of heights, is the joy of all the earth.

This gospel reading commentary by Fr. Joel Jason in Sabbath specifically mentioned verse 7 which reminds me of a prophecy I received in Oct. 7, '07 which holds a very significant meaning for me based on the life changing choices and decisions I've made on that date thus I find inspiration in reading it. Here is the article from the Sabbath journal.

"There are people who we are simply afraid of. Before them, we are always careful, calculating, lest we enkindle their wrath. We look at them as powerful. Today, Jesus commissions His disciples. They are to do wonders signifying that the Kingdom of God is at hand. It’s a curious fact that the Bible narrative used authority instead of power (see verse 7). What is the difference between power and authority? GK Chesterton is known to have once said, “If a rhino enters this room, it would definitely have power over me, but not authority.” Power is something that is imposed from the outside. Authority is something that emanates from within. A dictator is powerful over his people, but he has no authority over them. The result of power is fear. Fear of one’s power is something people give because they have to. But once you’re no longer “in power” you lose everything besides. The result of authority is respect and love. Love is something people give you because they want to. Whatever happens, whether you’re in power or not, people will always give it you. Power is something we get by lording it over people. Authority is something we develop by serving people. The Jesus of the Gospels is one described as having “authority” unlike the Scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus is the one who came to serve, not to be served, and to place His life as a ransom for many.” May the “Authority” be with you! Fr. Joel O. Jason"

 In Didache entitled, "Watch my back" by Ariel Driz, he also quoted the bible passage which is verse 7 of Mark 6

WATCH my BACK!

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. – Mark 6:7

Ray Keller once asked a man who just completed his second tour of duty from the Iraq war, “What was the most important thing you learned from the war?”

The soldier’s response was quick. “Well, Mr. Keller, I learned that it is better to be in a team than to be alone.”

The man explained that while in Iraq, they would walk around and survey the area. They would have a certain formation such that he would focus on looking ahead while his partner would watch his back. He in turn would watch the back of the one in front of him. His commander explained to him that loners have no place in the war. He would need to work well in a team to survive.

While we are encouraged to spend time being alone with God, we need the help of partners who would “watch our backs” — whether they be your spouse, your cell group mates, your mentor, your godly friend…. We need them if we are to win our daily battles.

It would be good to recognize your teammates and partners and thank God for them! Ariel Driz

God is always with us. He'll never leave us and we should forever stay connected to Him for as long we live. If God is with us then who could be against us. We have to really convince ourselves of this truth and be confident of the fact that wherever He leads and brings us, He will never forsake nor abandon us and will surely see us through it all. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 6:7-13

7 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick — no food, no sack, no money in their belts. 9 They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. 11 Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.”...

THE SILVERSMITH & THE SPARROWS

Life is never easy and fair at times.  If we go through trials and hardships and sometimes lose heart when confronted by our doubting and questioning minds then we should always stand firm in our principles and convictions anchored in Jesus. No matter how difficult it may seem we must not lose sight of what kind of suffering Jesus had to go through  and all our problems will fade in the background. Nothing we do in our entire lifetime will ever seem fit for a God who is perfect in countless ways and will always fall short of His glory. We just have to be thankful that God never gives up on anyone of us for He looks not on our sins but on our faithfulness. We always have a choice to improve, move forward and not lag behind. After all the years and experiences God is continuously at work in us and will always look forward to that day when we will come to be with Him, perfected through Jesus and united with Him in His wonderful kingdom in heaven. We should always have the attitude of humble acceptance and complete surrender clinging only to God and not on any person, thing, situation or possession in life. These experiences will all amount to something great in the end. Which reminds me of the story of a silversmith (narrated by Fr. Joseph Magdaong) who purifies silver by allowing it to sit on the fire at its extreme heat (blue flame) until it finally comes out pure. The silversmith knows that the work is done once the silver starts to reflect the image of the silversmith/refiner. Just in case we do not know, there is also a danger that if a silversmith has exceeded the refining process it will totally ruin the silver that's why a good silversmith keeps an eye on the silver 100% of the time during the refining process. Allow this to sink in to our souls for in time we will all come to know that we are in truth blessed and full of grace whenever we are subjected to this kind of situation knowing that we have a perfect and good silversmith who keeps a close eye on us and never leave us. In whatever we are going through right now, let us believe and trust that we are in the steady hands of the Expert who will never miss nor fail. God always work with perfection. We can always be assured that if we allow ourselves to go through the Refiner's fire then we will surely come out perfect. God is always precise in His moves and can never go wrong. Amen. Hallelujah!

Malachi 3:1-4

...For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. 3 He will sit refining and purifying [silver], and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.

We can't claim to be this kind of person, a Christian but conduct ourselves in a very unlikely way. Let us no longer be deceived by the false and misleading truths and principles that this world presents to us every single day. We have to be grounded at all times on this truth that today's psalm is telling us. There was a time when Tita Neds complained that something is wrong with the television. She said that somebody fixed it already but it didn't stay fixed for long. It wasn't the manufacturer who repaired it that was why. If it was brought to its manufacturer they would definitely know what to do with it. We've got to be conscious of this reality and apply it to ourselves. When something goes wrong we should know where to go, to whom we really belong, the Lord. This is the covenant: we belong to the Lord and He belongs to us for we are His people and He is our God. If we look at what's happening in the world today most especially the economic crisis wherein even the leading nations are being challenged by the present situation then we are really bound to anticipate the worst. Not even those people who used to be very confident of their present jobs in their respective stable companies can be too sure of what's going to happen next. There have been so much speculations of what will be the outcome of this worldwide problem of the economy and most of them are not good. With all these rubble, there is just really one thing we need to focus on and that is God. It is not easy to live life in this world but we can rejoice and be glad, we have an army, a battalion, a full house of saints with all the angels constantly and endlessly praying and singing in heaven, the so called triumphant Church/army of God, who intercede in our behalf and is joyously inviting us to be one of them. We are being reminded by the readings today to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord no matter how tough things are. God wants to be with us, there is no doubt about that. But just like water and oil which can not be put together and mixed so is God and man if we are in sin or harbor anything that can not be attributed to the holiness of God. We can not force two different things to go together. Water is a polar molecule and oil is non polar. They do not mix because they are two different substances as in the adage, "Like dissolves like." God can not change. He is already who He is, Holy in all His ways. We can change. We can be like God in His holiness and goodness if we want to be with Him forever. Let us not lose sight of what a mighty God we serve who made the heavens and the earth. We pray to God to open our eyes that we may see the wonders of His love. We should think profoundly of our daily walk with the Lord which consists of not only a leisure stroll in the plains and valleys of life but a steep climb up to the top of the mountain. We must avail of the sacrament of reconciliation. It gives us renewed strength and hope. Our life consists of steep and dangerous climbs but we must not forget that God is always at our side. If we are to carefully assess our life we would find that it feels good whenever we are able to overcome most of our pitfalls though there are some that still needs improvement. We must praise and thank God that every time we experience a fall back and backslide we can immediately go back to Him through the sacrament of confession which restores us to our original path and right track. It is God's desire that we will someday come face to face with Him. There is a need for us to prepare for that day. We are sometimes guilty of not focusing on God's countenance alone, there are times when we get distracted by other things and today's psalm reading serves as the reminder. I heard a story about God's radiating and blinding light that when we stand before Him nothing is hidden from Him, He will never turn away from us but if we ourselves are tainted with the guilt of our sins then we can not withstand His presence and will definitely hide and ran away from Him, far from His ever blinding Light that penetrates us. Let us all hope that when that day comes we can stand in His Holy Presence and claim with confidence our rightful place in His Kingdom. For our information, all of us are eligible to be in heaven with God. There is no doubt about this since we have been made and washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. A virgin is with child. The Old Testament scriptures have foretold of this and point to the coming of Christ. The prophets preannounced and prefigured His coming and pointed to the fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament. He has loved us first and continues to do so. He encounters us ever anew in the sacraments especially in the Eucharist. The Church helps us to respond to God’s initiative through word and teaching and the gathering of believers who respond faithfully. We have to be firm, resilient and faithful people of God. We’ve got to really focus on what is truly important and essential. We live in a world where there are so many distractions that we tend to lose sight of what should be our greatest and most important concern. After all has been said and done we will find in the end that what truly matters is not what will last only in this lifetime but for all eternity, a reward from God our Savior. When somebody invites us for a party we just don't go there without preparing ourselves for it. Much more gatecrash and just go to a party without an invitation. We are blessed that God has invited us. The best we could do being privileged, honored and counted to come to His banquet in heaven is to make preparations and always be ready to take part in it, really belong and not end up an outcast. We should not lose sight of this standing invitation that God gives us in our daily life. There is indeed a need to always be prepared so that when the final moment comes we can reside in the heavenly abode of God. In every game there is a rule to follow and only those who play it fair and square can finish to the end and win their prize. Today’s psalm gives us a guideline to follow in order to make it through. We should always long to see the face of God at all times in every person, event and circumstance in our lives. Let us always hold on to this image so that someday when we finally come face to face with God we will receive a blessing and reward for He will surely bring about what He said He would do. In the course of the time and in the history of mankind we hear of people like Abraham chosen by God. The chosen people were given laws and ordinances to follow. The remnants of the chosen people or those who were faithful to God in keeping these commandments like Simeon and Anna, Joachim and Anne are those who belong to the Hebrew generation, kept the Jewish tradition and prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. This initiation of God in loving us first should bring us to act and make love blossom as a response on our part. We've got to be aware that no one but the Lord is the King of glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R: Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

7 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! (R) 8 Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.

One thing I can never forget with my friend Bernadeth when she was in an unwell state was when she confided to me about how she really feels about people trying to be of help, nice and consoling by saying to her, "I understand how you feel." She said that she doesn't believe them when they say it. According to her, they don't really know how she feels unless they themselves undergo the same thing that she went through in which she said that some people have really no idea. In fact, she said it with so much stress I almost started to doubt the credibility of this principle relating to Patient Care that I learned way back in Nursing School. One of the exercises we usually do in Psychiatric Nursing is to identify which of the following communication patterns that frequently or commonly takes place in a Nurse-Patient environment is therapeutic or not. This, "I understand how you feel." statement has been declared as an effective tool for therapeutic communication since it shows empathy. In fact it has become a common by word that everybody has gotten used to saying it all the time even outside our clinical rotations. Though, Bernadeth may be an exemption to this rule, I can now very well understand what she meant back then most especially with today's 1st reading. Jesus went through the ultimate suffering and could surely be very well in the position to say that statement. I got this horrible thought of a person fleeing from fire but got trapped in a bathroom and sought relief from the heat by opening the showers but ended up even more scorched due to the hot water that came out of it. I just shivered at the thought of somebody dying this way. Just imagine if we are trapped in a place like a fiery furnace and we have nowhere to escape. It gives us consolation that we have a God whom we can always run to even at the point of death since Jesus knows exactly what we had been and have been going through because He had been through the worst even death. God became man. What a great privilege that our God came down from the Most High and Heavenly place to live and be among us. We have on our side the strongest force there is in heaven and in earth. He can win all our battles and we are in a sure win, no lose situation with God We just have to pray and trust that God who stooped down to our level is always here for us. We sometimes miss the point and go through life without realizing that the meaning of our existence is all about communion with God. We are so caught up in our lives and forget that there is a need to be still and know that He is God with the big G. We should strive for a life of prayer and contemplation and experience mutual presence.  Think of our closest friends when we relate things in our life to them. We develop an intimate sharing that binds our relationship. When we share in God's life and we share to Him our own then God draws near to us. There is mutual presence of two who are in love and be intimate. We sometimes experience dryness or longing that makes us feel like God has abandoned us. We thirst for God like a deer yearning for the streams. We long to be at home with the Lord. They are parts of the gift that God is giving to us in order for us to draw near to Him. It is not for us to understand everything right now. Everything will be made clear for us in heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 2:14-18

...he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Today’s gospel is about the presentation of Jesus in the temple in obedience to the Mosaic law of Joseph and Mary.  There is a wide variety of aspects to contemplate upon.  In Israel at that time, women had to wait 40 days before the presentation of the child she has given birth. They understand that when a woman bears a child they are in the realm that belongs specifically to God. The birth of a child is something that depends on God giving life and there is a great sacredness in the process of giving birth to a child and they are set apart. This ritual needs to be completed before entering the life of community. We can not often understand the OT teachings. At this time a woman is considered unclean although not necessarily sinful since it could also mean something sacred. We could look at it in a way they see the scriptures since they are considered very sacred. In the synagogue everyone is forbidden to actually touch a scroll with their finger so they have a stick to point at the scripture. It is very sacred and if you touch it you become unclean. The idea is that it is so sacred and considered a power that belongs to the realm of God. If you are rendered unclean then one has to go in a ritual bath. This is why Jewish women have to go into a ritual bath after 40 days because they entered into the realm of God when they give birth to a child. It works in a way that it is also at the time when the body after birth is completely healed. All these things work hand in hand with each other as the mystery of God unfolds in our very own lives. The characters of Simeon and Anna are inevitably drawn into this event of Jesus' life. They serve as models of faith and hope for the people of God. There is no doubt that God is with us but are we with or for God. In any good relationship we know that it should be a 2-way or mutual thing. One can not govern over or not respond to the other. If we aim to develop an intimate relationship with God then we need to work on it. We can also learn from Anna the prophetess. It was said that “she was constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer.” Her devotion to the Lord paid well. We sometimes go through life like a routine and we do things automatically without much thought. There are times when we just let things and circumstances pass us by without noticing any difference. Anna did not fall for this kind of trap or complacency. She immediately knew and felt the Lord's presence. There may be thousands of babies being presented in the temple during that time but she spotted the Lord. This could not have been possible if not for her prayerful and discerning attitude. Just like her, may we be sensitive always to God's presence in our midst and be endowed with discernment. This is what happens when we decide to always draw near to God. He will surely not just draw nearer but nearest to us. God does not just match or double our works and efforts but maximizes to the superlative. We’ll never find ourselves in the losing end but always in a winning situation with the Lord. When God stooped down to our level and disrobed his kingship for our sake He knew from the start what He is headed, for He is All knowing. But some still contradicts God despite everything He has done for us. And this is all because of His great love for us. Jesus is an obedient and loving Son as He is a symbol of perfection. That even His own mother was not spared of the hurt and pain is way too much for Him. From every beginning to the end of it all, there should only be one truth that guides us to the ultimate, unsurpassed and unending power of God which has long been revealed throughout the ages. Jesus came to save us. This is a very powerful statement that not every one of us can grasp its true meaning. There's this story of a man who heard a banging on the windows one winter night and saw the freezing sparrows who were trying to get in. The man tried to save them by shooing them away towards the barn where they could have shelter. Every time he tried to come near them he scares them and they fly away. He realized that he can not save them because they can not understand him. The only way to save them is to become small like them and lead them to where they should go. Unless he becomes one of them there is no way he can save them. This is what God did in order to save us. Jesus manifested God’s love. He became a model for us to follow. This is all because He wanted to give us a participation in His Divine Life. Mass is a perfect worship to God who is perfect. During mass we offer Jesus, the perfect sacrifice to God who lived in humble obscurity laid down His life in death, obeyed perfectly and won life for us, the Church.  Death is a part of life and we ought to prepare for it. Not in the morbid kind of way but by giving and surrendering all in union with Jesus. Simeon and Anna were both righteous, devoted to God and prayerful. They were gifted by God with prophetic revelations. We, too are gifted with the Holy Spirit but there is a need to unleash the power in us. We can start by striving to follow the good example of the holy men and women who came before us and faithfully and diligently wait on the Lord. It is an opportunity just like Simeon and Anna in today’s gospel to say our yes to the Father as Jesus did. We are reminded that even Jesus followed what was written in the law. We are reminded to conduct our affairs of this world in accordance to the law and live a life that is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. We ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother whose heart was pierced by a sword, may we be always covered by her blue mantle of protection.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 2:22-40

...“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”...“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted 35 — and you yourself a sword will pierce — so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”