PERFECT TIME

It is in the dark hours of our life that we encounter so much fear, anxiety and confusion. When we are experiencing these things it is best to just stay calm and know that we can count on God. Let us not lose hope nor be discouraged whenever we go through a time like this. We can always hold on to God's words in the scriptures as in today's 1st reading which instructs us what to do. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19

...My soul yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you; when your judgment dawns upon the earth, the world’s inhabitants learn justice. 12 O LORD, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done...

I could never forget this talk from the Lenten Retreat which was about prayer. The speaker started the talk by stating that life is a mystery. Faith is a mystery.

I. The Church professes the mystery of our faith repeatedly in the CREED. I believe in God... In these repetitions, we hope to eventually imbibe and absorb this mystery as best we can.

II.  We celebrate this mystery through the LITURGY & SACRAMENTS. In the celebration, we hope to grow in our understanding of the fullness of the Holy Trinity. The sacraments are the vessels of grace. There is something greater than this that we should come to understand. We are the vessels of grace and the sacraments serve as a reminder of this. The sacrament of matrimony depicts the love of a man and a woman with God in the center. We can only hope to have a better understanding of these mysteries as we celebrate and partake of it.

III. Morality. We live the mystery in accordance to the life of Jesus, an authentic Christian life.

IV. PRAYER. is the litmus test or yardstick of our faith. Our souls have holes that need to be filled or plugged and it is in prayer that we don't end up placing the wrong plugs that fit our souls. We develop a discerning power through prayer. The way of prayer is not a feeling but a decision. Prayer could very well be patterned after the seasons of the church. There's a part of our life when we need to die, suffer and rise and so are prayers should always be full of faith, hope and love. It prepares us to live a life of relationship. At the end of the day it's all about relationship. We might not be fully aware of this but we engage in relationships every single day of our life and they all contribute to this life of mystery we have. We just have to be careful by checking first with whom we are building a relationship with. We've got to make sure that we are progressing towards the fullness of our relationship with God. We need to remove the restrictions that we place on prayer. Though, we need to test if it's really God's Spirit. We need to keep in mind that we are in a journey to God and we are obliged to study and learn all there is to know because wrong spirit could be in the form of ignorance. I just found out that the word anti means in lieu. Satan is so envious of Jesus he wants to be Jesus and every time we do not decide for Jesus in our actions then we choose the act in lieu of Jesus and in effect become an anti-Christ. We need to be aware that whenever we are about to pray, go to church and do something good, Satan would do everything in his power to distract us. We need to cultivate our soul in order to grow. Anything that improves our relationship with God is prayer. In fact, the mere act of suddenly remembering to give a loved one a call is already a form of prayer. The way we relate to our loved ones, family, friends, relatives and the people around us could already be a form of prayer. When we are in the middle of a breath taking scenery in nature and become full of joy and awe brought about by it, it's almost like a prayer of appreciation for God's wonderful work and creation. The language of intelligence relies on rational thinking while the language of the soul appreciates beauty and makes use of images. In order to understand this more deeply we have to look at the Parable of the Seed and the Sower. This parable contains a lot of imagery to convey its message. Although the parable is about the seed and the sower, the soil is of utmost concern in this story. You know why? We are the soil. It is our soul and spirituality.  In fact the name of Adam, the first man created by God was derived from the Hebrew word Adama, which means soil.  We need to cultivate the soil, Prayer is the fuel that cultivates our soil. Prayer is God's gift. God's perfect love reaches out to us when we sin or commit mistakes. Remember when Adam & Eve fell into sin, God immediately searched for them, in Gen. 3:9, "Where are you?" Prayer is an act of raising one's mind to God. We need humility for it to be perfect. Humility comes from the word humus which means dirt. If only Adam & Eve were humble enough to admit their wrongdoings instead of point fingers at each other as in Genesis 3:11-13 ...You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!" The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me--she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it." The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it." Who knows we could have had a different story and could still be in paradise if they had instead admitted, asked for forgiveness and prayed in a posture of humility.  We have a universal call to prayer thus our yearning for God. The bronze serpent became the source of healing as they looked at the object. God allows certain objects to become a source of blessing from Him as we focus on our faith in God, our hearts can communicate better. As humans we are sometimes prone to distraction that we sometimes need visual aids/reminders to refocus our gaze on the Lord. Man is naturally in search of God. It is God who called and thirsted for us first. Prayer is a response to man's thirst for the thirst of God. It is a response of faith to a God who is reaching out to us. God gives us the Living Water that will not make us thirst anymore. Whenever we see a particular race of people, we'll know right away where they belong because of how they look, the language they speak and other peculiar things that is characteristic of them. This should also be the case with us, a people who belong to God. We should develop in us all the characteristics that will set us apart as a people of God. We should never ever doubt that God has His eyes always upon us. He is always looking out for our welfare. No matter how hard things may seem to be at present we can always count on the Lord who looks down on the earth from heaven. We can always count on God for all our needs. Let us not be discouraged by the things we see and hear but rather keep our focus on God who answers prayers. Let us keep our hope and faith in the Lord who never turns His back on those who continue and persevere in their prayers and pleas to God. God knows the perfect time for everything. It is not a matter of delaying and withholding His blessings but rather a matter of perfect timing. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 102:13-14ab, 15, 16-18, 19-21

R: From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

You, O LORD, abide forever, and your name through all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to pity her. For her stones are dear to your servants, and her dust moves them to pity. (R) The nations shall revere your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth your glory, 16 [17] when the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in his glory; 17 [18] when he has regarded the prayer of the destitute, and not despised their prayer. (R) 18 [19] Let this be written for the generation to come, and let his future creatures praise the LORD: 19 [20] “The LORD looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, 20 [21] To hear the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.” (R)

By this time we may have experienced and witnessed a lot in life already to know that today's gospel is the best thing we ought to do. No one in this world can get away from problems and sorrow in life. Life here on earth is as imperfect as it is. We can not expect to live a life of perfect peace and happiness here on earth but we can surely make the best out of what we've got right here and now if we are to follow these words below in the gospel. There is really nowhere and no one else to go to but the Lord. We should have realized this by now if we have learned our lessons well. In times past when we have forgotten to surrender to God and depended more on our strength, skill and intelligence, we have seen the difference and the worst in the outcome of our actions. In whatever we do, for as long as we are not violating God's commands we must not forget to lift up everything to God in prayer and He will clearly show us the way. Why, because God said, come to me who you labor and heavily burdened… Our Lord looked at the people around fighting heavy battle, losing, carrying great burden and running out of strength. Sometimes life gets us down and causes us a tiredness of body and weariness of soul that no amount of sleep can rectify. On such occasions we hear Him say “Come to me let me help you carry your burden. Of course the problem with us is that we’re carrying burdens that we were never intended to carry. The burdens and the problems belong to Him. He is in charge of the world, not us. We can not solve problems on our own. We must realize that He alone can solve problems we could never solve. When Moses met God in the burning bush, Moses asked God “What is your name and whom shall I say sent me?” He said My name is “I am” not I was nor I will be but I am. God lives in the eternal now where it is neither past nor future. If we are going to realize that at this very moment God sees us not only at this lovely day He created but He sees us already dead, buried, judged and safely home with Him forever for the ecstasy that He has planned for us. He sees now as we are worrying and fretting about a future that may never come. Moses told the Lord, who am I to go to pharaoh. But God was with Moses as He is with us. He said I shall be with you and He was with Moses, as He is with us, too. In the Angelus we say behold the handmaid of the Lord… These are the words of our Lady which she said and meant. Though, she has no idea what the Lord has in store for her, she allowed God to do what He has in store for her. Can we also say the same and mean it? God has a plan for us and that plan is filled with love. The Lord said I am meek and humble of heart. He has no ego problems like we have. We must realize that the most difficult problem is preoccupation with self. When we go into a room and try to impress everybody we come out and think how we fair in ourselves. We just have to let go. He wants us to work with Him in helping other human beings. The yoke is the 2 metal piece ring that links 2 animals.  It’s what happens to us when we give our help to the Lord, not what happens to whom we have helped. If we are blinded with selfishness we fail to accept the plan God has for us. Our desire to thank God is our gift and adds nothing to His greatness. Did we ever stop to think that the only thing that our Lord asks of us is humility. Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your soul. But we listen so easily to the father of lies. We imagine to find what we pray in flattery, in the applause of the crowd and in riches. But what is humility? What is this vague, ethereal, intangible, supernatural virtue? It is simply the truth. The truth shall set us free.  And the truth about us is that apart from God we are nothing. We have nothing, we can do nothing. We have a body but we can not control it. We do not know when it will die. We have a mind but the bursting of a tiny blood vessel will make us imbeciles forever. We have a heart that can love but at times we have no control over it. It is hard, cold and unresponsive to the needs of others. But there is a positive side about this which is beautifully described by Father Faber, in Frederick William the English poet who became a Catholic after Cardinal Newman. He said, “There are some thoughts which however old they are, are always new. Either because they are so broad that they are never thoroughly learned or because they are so intensely practical that their interest is always absorbing. And such thoughts are for the most part very common thoughts. They require no peculiar keenness of vision for no one can fail to perceive them. They are like the huge mountains visible to everybody on the plain below. Now among such thoughts we may reckon that thought which every child would know that God loves each one of us with a special love. This is one of the most common thoughts in our religion and yet when we come to look steadily at it we find it very hard to believe. God does look at us in the mass and the multitude as though we stand single and alone before His judgment seat one day but before the eye of His boundless love. This is our faith.  This is the faith in which we must live and die. St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians that this mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus who although he is God emptied Himself taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2,6-11). Christ divested Himself of His dazzling beauty and glory and he was lost in the crowd and he was thought to be Mary’s boy and Joseph’s son. We are asked to empty ourselves of all that is false of all that is ignoble , all that is unreal so that we may become filled with Christ. Because nature abhors a vacuum and so does grace. We must be filled with something. Tragically we are filled with all kinds of desire, we want to be applauded, be promoted, we want to be consulted and we want to be loved. We want to be preferred to others. Look at all the fears that fill us that stifle us and paralyze us. We are afraid of sickness, growing old and of death. We are afraid of the thought of what comes after death. Don’t we remember Shakespeare, “To sleep for a chance to dream, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause to that undiscovered land from whose no traveler returned. John the Baptist gave us our ideal, I must decrease and He must increase (John 3:30). All the foolishness, unreality intolerance, the selfishness and all the sin that is in us must decrease so that we must fill the vacuum with our Lord who wants to share our life. He wants to be part of the trivia that make up the waking hours. Whatever happens to us happens to Him and He wants us to let Him share because only then will we find the rest that we pray. A long time ago St. Francis cried out loud, “He comes to His own today and receives Him not.” And so we live lives that are restless, confused, frustrated and unfulfilled because we do not share our lonely life with Him. So the prayer we learn as children that is said all over the world among Christians should be our prayer now, Oh Jesus meek and humble of heart make our hearts like unto Thine. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

GOOD NATURED JUDE

Anger is a very strong feeling that can get out of control. We may have been a victim of this because we are easily carried away by our emotions. Although we may still be susceptible to getting angry, we should be more aware of this emotion and how it operates. Another strategy before we succumb to it, we should immediately think of how Jesus would react to our outburst. Our constant pondering of the scriptures could improve our attitude especially because it gives us a better perspective of how to handle anger. Everything is grace from God. Nothing in this world continues to be without God's Almighty power holding it in place. Sometimes we forget who we really are, where we came from, what we're created and called for and why we are here in this world and still exist up to this very moment. Today's 1st reading is a wake up call for the chosen people of God as spoken by the prophet Isaiah. When we are not in touch with this reality then we might end up exhausting all our efforts just for nothing. Let us not stray away and always be mindful of this truth so that we are always connected to the only one and true source of all powers.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13b-16

...My hand has seized like a nest the riches of nations; as one takes eggs left alone, so I took in all the earth; no one fluttered a wing, or opened a mouth, or chirped!” 15 Will the axe boast against him who hews with it? Will the saw exalt itself above him who wields it? As if a rod could sway him who lifts it, or a staff him who is not wood!...

I could never forget this young lady when I was watching this TV game show in the The Filipino Channel (TFC). This very young contestant was barely 18 years old at that time. She was so firm in her convictions that she did not change her mind not even once with the color she had chosen which she was hoping to contain the jackpot prize despite the rising money offers given to her and the probability that what she chose contains nothing at all. She said that every time she's at home and watching the show she already promised herself that she would choose the color blue if she would be given a chance to play as a contestant. She even said that she was not supposed to be in the show, it so happened that somebody backed out that's why she got the reserved slot for that person. So she felt it that it was already a great opportunity that she was able to go there and much more to be the final contestant who got the chance to play and win the jackpot prize. She said that before she went there she had no money in her pocket and got nothing to lose. All these things she figured out and realized, I guess, gave her the confidence to go through it all to the end. She was so brave in declaring that no matter what happens she would not change her choice as if telling everybody that she wouldn't be there for nothing and could really feel it. She did not doubt nor falter for a moment even when her siblings who were called to join her were already doubting and wanted to go for the cash offer rather than risk getting nothing. When the game came to a point when the host was offering her a big amount of money in exchange for the color she had chosen she did not give in and bravely stood her ground. When she was asked for the last time, she remained firm and true to her word. She was right and got the jackpot prize. Sometimes, we too, are confronted with life situations when we are tempted to doubt and falter in our faith in God. We should not lose sight of the things that God has promised us no matter how uncertain things may be, we should not forget that we are God's people and He would never turn His back on us and we can always count on Him. Just like that young lady who is barely 18 years old we should also find in ourselves the courage and strength to be firm in our convictions and stand our ground. If we truly believe and are confident that we have a loving God who looks after our welfare then we should not have any more room for doubt that we have to choose God above all. Even if there are or will be times when we are really driven by our emotions, let's keep it at bay and believe that God knows what we're going through and entrust our anger to Him. If we lack understanding and knowledge of the things we ought to know then we can always ask from God who would never deny any good thing from us. He would surely grant it to us if we truly ask from our hearts. The wisdom of the world is folly to God. No matter how wise and intelligent a person may be if his or her whole being is not surrendered to God then all our efforts are futile or will eventually end up for nothing. God governs all and everything that happens is within His knowledge and will. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15

R: The Lord will not abandon his people.

...And they say, “The LORD sees not; the God of Jacob perceives not.” 8 Understand, you senseless ones among the people; and, you fools, when will you be wise? (R) 9 Shall he who shaped the ear not hear? or he who formed the eye not see? 10 Shall he who instructs nations not chastise, he who teaches men knowledge?... (R) 14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, nor abandon his inheritance; 15 but judgment shall again be with justice, and all the upright of heart shall follow it. (R)

Today I am reminded once again of my experience in St. Martha's Church when I was just new in the parish in 2008. I was so surprised when I saw the statue of Jesus in St. Martha Church here in West Covina.  It was a first Friday of Feb 2008 when I envisioned this statue of Jesus with its extended right arm holding His heart on his hand. Tita Piling was with me then so I asked her if that is a statue of the Sacred Heart because I have never seen anything like one before, but she simply nodded her head. That was how I saw it. It appeared to me like He was handing over His heart to me. But on the day we went for Sunday mass I found out that the image/statue which I envisioned was not how I saw it on that day with Jesus extending his arm offering His heart on his hand.   To my surprise when I came closer to the statue, I realized that it is indeed the Sacred Heart of Jesus but not as I had seen it on the 1^st Friday of that month. The heart of Jesus was not in His hand but on His chest. I was almost in tears and felt God's love being offered to me as symbolized by His heart held on His extended hand. A lot of people may find it hard to believe that I have seen Jesus holding His heart on His extended hand but the eyes of my faith can not deny it. Matters of the faith are very difficult to accept and understand for some people for they will always question and rationalize things. The vision I had of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is quite difficult to believe. There are some things that can not be explained and we simply have to pray to God to reveal them in our hearts. This is why Jesus in today's gospel emphasized the importance of being like the little children. We, grown ups are always caught up in the cares and concerns of this world that we sometimes forget  who really is in charge of everything and tend to overpower God. The same way a child entrusts everything to his/her parents we, too should learn to trust that God our Father will take care of us. We can learn a lot from the children who are full of trust and confidence in their parents. I am also reminded of Jude since he is a product of the Sacred Heart of Jesus miracle. When he was still a little boy, he was admired by his grandparents for his well behaved and kind attitude.  There was a time when he came home with his nose bleeding so I asked him what happened. I was so upset and could not control my emotions but to my surprise it was him who appeased me and tried to calm me down considering the fact that he was the one hurt. He told me to not be mad because the person who caused it did not hurt him deliberately. He is very good natured and never assume anything bad against anyone. If we will only learn the secret of the childlike then we can surely acquire the wisdom of God. If we always maintain in us, a high level of confidence in God who is our loving Father then we are not far from achieving it. May we acquire the trusting attitude of the children and continue to discover the wonders of God’s love as a perfect father to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 11:25-27

25 At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

FIRM

It is faith that makes us confident and firm in our belief no matter what our situation. We must have the conviction to say that we are where we are, doing what we are doing right now and holding on to the promises of God without a shadow of doubt that everything will come to pass and press on to fulfillment. We have an Almighty and Powerful God. His power knows no limits and we can be assured that we are always safe in His hands. There is no reason to fear nor be discouraged if we are firmly anchored in our faith in God. We are standing on a steady and firm foundation, we shall not be moved. Our hope rests in God who never fails. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 7:1-9

...Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail...Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!

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: 2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6, 7-8R: God upholds his city for ever.

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...renowned is he as a stronghold

We can not deny it! God has done a lot of great and marvelous things for us. The problem is, the people of our generation has become insensitive, oblivious and simply stubborn to God's call. Let's choose the right course of action before it's too late. Let us not disappoint Jesus by always striving to recall, remember and be driven to the right course of action whenever God reveals to us the mighty deeds He has done in our lives. If we are to really examine our life, we'll find that there have been many instances in our life when God has undeniably shown His mighty deeds and power. In fact we need not look long and far and just look at ourselves right here and now. Every single day that we are gifted with is already a great blessing in itself and not many people realize this all the time. The very moment that we were able to wake up this morning already meant that we were able to go through the night and still rise up to face a new day. We should always be alert, sober and not oblivious of these divine truths. We wouldn't want to hear these words of Jesus in today's gospel being addressed to us when our time comes. We would rather be full of joy rather than woe when we enter life in eternity. Everything in this world passes away, not a single one holds a permanent and lasting effect. We could be enjoying a delicious meal at this moment but it would be over soon. It could be a nice movie or whatever we enjoy doing. Nothing lasts forever and all is bound to end. It would be nice to know that if we commit a life dedicated to God by turning away from sin then we can look forward to a life of eternal happiness and joy. In fact, it's not just looking forward but to enjoy right now. If we read with care the beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-23 we will notice that all the beatitudes that were enumerated are stated in the future tense except for the first which is "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. or Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This first beatitude is stated in the present tense and does not have the word "will" in it unlike all the others. This means that we can start being blessed right now rather than in woe. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 11:20-24

20 Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And as for you, Capernaum: ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” 

AMAZING

Every time I encounter this bible passage from today’s 1^st reading which speaks of the orphan and the widow I am always reminded of my mother. She is a woman of great faith and courage. I have witnessed as I was growing up how she was able to storm through all the trials and difficulties of a widow left with the care of her 3 very young children.  She had a great responsibility in her hands at that time. Although she told us that there were moments when she was overwhelmed by the sudden shift of all responsibilities and felt inadequate and incapable of carrying out all the things that needed to be done. Through it all she saw how God looked after our welfare and never left us. He directed her steps to the right path and led her to the right people and situations. It was exactly what made her hold on God’s word and promise. It was also due to this faith of my mother that I got confidence and assurance that God hears all our prayers, confirms it and makes us feel that we have a very personal relationship with Him. What she relied, held on and constantly believed in is written in today's 1st reading that the Lord would never forsake the widow and the orphan. God's plan for us has always been the best. He created us on top of everything, the cream of the crop and the apple of His eyes. Although there are times when we fail to follow the path He has directed us, He will always lead us back to Him. Today's 1st reading reminded me of a cancer patient who shared about how he got healed of his disease. He said that the first thing he did was look for a priest and confessed his sins. People nowadays, no longer acknowledge this important sacrament. Or they treat it so casually that they do not realize that it is a sacrament instituted by Christ Himself that we must give proper reverence and respect, as in Matthew 16:18-19And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Sometimes people consider and treat confession as a routine that has to be done regularly but without much thought of turning away from the sins that are repeatedly being committed on a regular basis too. This person who got healed of cancer did the right thing by going to confession first. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 1:10-17

10 Hear the word of the Lord, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!....When you spread out your hands, I close my eyes to you; though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! 16 Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; 17 learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.

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

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

Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23

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

...“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” (R) 21 “When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it? Or do you think that I am like yourself? I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”

There are several kinds of figure of speech and one of them that can really catch our attention and will surely bring our focus to something is hyperbole for it uses exaggeration in order to emphasize a point or put a stress into the message that we want to convey. In today's gospel, Jesus was trying to use this strategy in order to catch our attentions and really make a point. Our love for God should come first place in everything not because God is selfish and wants to be the priority for the sake of His ego. Of course Jesus doesn't want us to turn our backs on our families and abandon the things that we hold dear. He didn't mean it that way but instead wanted us to realize that the love for God is encompassing and is sure to bring about all other things. All we have to do is make a decision and stand by it believing that if we put God first in our life everything will follow. Sometimes trials and difficulties tend to affect our disposition in life or it could be the very people who are dear to us that affect our conviction and stand in life or sometimes we go on with life without realizing that we do not have anything that we are willing to make a stand for or even live for. We have to first be clear on this important area of our life so it is in consonance with our thoughts, words and actions. An example is what's going on nowadays with the economy, people really want to get what their money is worth and are very wise when choosing a particular commodity over the other. Some sales agent would even go as far as offering a bundle or package where everything goes with it over something that is of less worth in order to sound more convincing. The same with Jesus if we choose Him above all things for He is the best deal ever. So whatever major or minor things we are confronted with, before we make a decision and really stick to it we've got to be sure that Jesus is in the center so that it will be all worth it. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 10:34–11:1

...“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it...

THE RUPTURE

In the beginning God created everything to be in harmony, man, the land and all creatures. But man sinned leading to a rupture with God, one’s self and others. We have to go back to where God had intended it to be. This reminds me of the Catholicism lecture by Atty. Jess Moya in St. Martha's Church about the principle of "Sola Fide" or faith alone. The title of the talk is "Rebutting the principle of protestantism: "Faith alone" (Sola Fide). The speaker said that as Catholic Christians we have a responsibility to spread the word of God and impart it to as many people as possible. We are encouraged to know more about our faith and not be complacent. There is big responsibility in our hands to not just accept things as they come but be able to handle and understand it well. It can build up our confidence in God and love Him best. We have to pray always that we can all commit to what Moses is asking us in today's 1st reading. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Moses said to the people: “If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God,

and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law, when you return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul. “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, ‘Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’ Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’ No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.”

The following are the main thoughts discussed in the said talk.

I. Man needs to be saved because of his fallen nature. (Rom 7:21-24 & CCC 1949)

-Man is dominated  by greed, pride and lust (CCC 407 & 1 Jn 5:19 ) The devil has acquired a certain domination (Gal 5:19) and we are engaged in a battle that has been won but does not stop there since we have to always put on our guard for the enemy does not rest. He called the whole process of being saved as "justification" .

 II. "Man is saved by God's grace alone based on CCC 1996.

-The question is how does the grace of God become an active part of our life or "by what are we justified?" The example he gave here was a newborn baby who is baptized. A baby has not merited anything yet but is saved by the mere act of being baptized. He mentioned about Martin Luther's despair about his salvation which led him to formulate the doctrine of justification by "Faith  alone" He misunderstood the Bible passage Rom 3:28 which mentioned faith alone apart from works of the law. Paul in this letter to the Romans was pertaining to the Jewish Law which is being practiced during their time like circumcision, washing of the hands and the like which are practices that can not really justify a person. Faith alone doctrine states that justification simply means being "declared righteous" We can not just be declared righteous but be made righteous by not continuing to sin.

III. Justification actually means being "made righteous" i.e. it entails the sanctification of his whole being (CCC 1989, 1990, &1995) We are justified not by faith alone nor by works alone. Justification has its stages i.e. initial and progressive. Initial justification takes place at our baptism. We still have a tendency to backslide and during the hour of death is the period of intense spiritual battle over our soul. That is why we need to mature in our faith.

IV. Certainty of Salvation

"Once saved, always saved?"  If we believe in this it tends to put off our guard. (1 Jn 5:13-14) We should say instead "I know I am saved, still being saved and will continue to be saved."  Justification is a life long process as stated by Paul in 1 Cor. 4:3-5, 9:27. In Phil 2:12 Paul also encouraged us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. For the enemy is waging war on us and we need to be very aware of this and claim God's protection over us at all times. (Eph.6:11-12)

V. Epistles against works?

I guess there have been some misunderstanding here of the following bible verses:

Rom. 3:28 (Obedience of faith) Martin Luther based his belief on faith alone on this specific verse he failed to see that Paul in addition to what was mentioned earlier was attacking the Jews with regards to their ceremonial laws and that it not enough to just hear the law but to observe it. (Rom 4:5 Total adherence) An example he gave was attending the mass not just as an obligation but with the heart. Consider it a privilege and do it for the love of God. He said we are saved by grace not by works but we obtain the grace of God by good works and the motive is mercy (Eph. 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5)

VI. Epistles supporting "Works"

Here are several bible passages cited to us by Atty Moya that support the need for us to cooperate and work with God. James 2: 14-22 & 24 say that faith without action is dead. From the gospel of Matthew: What must I do to be saved? (Mt. 19:16-21) When the rich man asked this question he was told to keep the commandments and he said he already did so Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor for he is very attached to his possessions that he has to let go of all attachments. We are also called to keep our fire burning for the Lord so that we don't end up like the 5 virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Mt 25:1-13. The same principle applies with the Parable of the Talents or Silver pieces that we have to cultivate the goodness in ourselves and let it grow. It is also very clear from Mt. 25 31-46 which mentions about the last judgment that we can not just accept the Grace of salvation but needs to do our part, too since it specifically stated here that whatever we have failed to do will go to eternal punishment. Also it is stated in Mt 7:21-27 that we need to live His words because not everybody who says "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven for there is a need to turn away from our wrongdoings. He said that there is no dichotomy between Christ and His doctrine. If we really believe in God then we also need to do what He teaches. The will of God will never take us to where the grace of God will not protect us. God knows exactly and with perfection what is being allowed to happen to us in our lives at this precise moment. God's purpose for us is simply perfect. He wants to show us things that only we can understand by living what we are living and by being in the place we are now. In the midst of all these unsightly things there should always be a burning flame of hope that God will never forsake nor abandon. We should always maintain our confidence in God and never lose hope and courage in the great love that God has for us. The ignorance of our faith is ignorance about Jesus. We may sometimes think that evangelization is just work for the priests and the religious. It is not limited to them but anyone who is baptized should take on this responsibility. JFK said, "Here on earth, God's work must truly be our own." Nothing should ever stop us from being part of the work of God. God made man in His own image and likeness. (Gen 1:26) In this context we need to define personhood well and know the perils of limited definition. It could be classified into 2 definitions, nominal and real. Nominal definition of personhood is decided by man. It is approaching something that we don't know but we already have the answer. We make decisions and play God. The dangers of this definition of a person are:

1. nominal- when we deny to identify a person as a real person. Example is abortion, when doctors deny the fact that at the moment of conception a person already exists.

2. real but limited - We do not deny but identify them as persons but with lesser worth like the sick and terminally ill. Just because they are old, weak and sick they deserve to die as in the case of euthanasia.

3. full and real but limited - Kills people as in the Holocaust.



The whole principle involved here is discovery and deciding. When our approach is discovery then we are being lead to the events in our life with a sense of total surrender, trust and faith in the Lord's Providence for the realization of things that are unseen and hoped for. God may not fully reveal and present us with a surprise but we maintain full confidence in a God who brought us to wherever we are right now. In deciding, our approach is a lot different since we already have an answer for something that we don't know yet. It boils down to the fact that we think we know too much but we don't. We end up playing God. We need to remain as man and allow God to be God of our life. When man becomes God, we lose everything because we are not God. We have to realize the impact in our life of discovery versus deciding.

We should ascribe to the real definition of personhood. It answers the question what, how and what is it meant to be. Our approach in life to achieve faith and righteousness is by discovery and through an authentic Christian life. It is discovery in the sense that we are open to the intention and purpose of God for us. With a seeking and expectant faith we should allow God to lead us in discovering what is ahead of us and prepared by God. The approach should be in a manner of discovering what God's intention is and respecting it. Checklist of Evangelization.

1. Do we see God as the Primary agent?

God is the Primary Agent of Evangelization. It is not about us but about God.

2. Do we see Evangelization as everyone's responsibility?

We must not end up like the Dead Sea that just received water but did not give out. The same thing happens to us when we do not take the responsibility of evangelization  as our own. We have to work on improving our skills for the work of God.

3. Do we communicate God's love?

4. Is total human betterment part of the ministry?

5. Do we respect other traditions?

God does not take sides. There is an equal opportunity for all but we have to make sure that we are on God's side. We need to rid ourselves of any triumphant or arrogant attitude towards people of other faith. The Abrahamic religion has a common denominator which is belief in God. We are not the sole professor of truth. We need to listen for God's revelation from others, too not only from us.

6. Does our love go beyond Catholic borders?

The kingdom of God is older and a broader reality than the Catholic Church. We need to live a humble life and forgive each other.

7. Is our approach ecumenical?

We do not have the monopoly of God because the Good News has no border and dealt with a common faith.

8. Do we use all available media?

The best media is our own life, no need for TV. The example of how we live our life is the best means to evangelize. Walk the talk.

9. Do we fully utilize existing groups?

Ministries that renew and energize members.

10. What is our total image?

We've got to maintain a wholesome image unlike the Crusaders, though they were able to convert many to the faith, the spread of the Good News was carried out using the sword.

We must take extra care in projecting the right image as Good Messengers of the Good News. We should not have any fear or hesitation in carrying out the task that the Lord has given us. In our commitment to follow the Lord there are times when we encounter disappointments. We can say that serving God is not lying on a bed of roses, though God rewards those who obey Him we have to realize that we too must share in the passion of Christ if we truly are His followers. For we know that the Lord in His great love, is always there for us. What matters most is that we always call on God and allow His saving power to rescue us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37

R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God! In your great kindness answer me with your constant help. Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness: in your great mercy turn toward me. R. I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving. R. “See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.” R. For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. The descendants of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall inhabit it. R.

The understanding that a Creator made the world leads to a fundamental responsibility to it. If everything happened by chance there is a tendency for us to wane in our resolution and our responsibility is deemphasized. When we watch these movies about the end of the world it gives the impression that our world exists by random and we look upon the universe as a product of chance. Everything that exists comes through Jesus. Everything in the universe came through Christ. He is the foundation of all reality. Creation is existent and made through and for Him. It does not exist by chance and is ruled by God and His plan. Aren't we amazed at the love story telenovelas (soap operas) that we usually see on TV especially in the Filipino Channel (TFC). Sometimes we find it hard to believe that people in love could do things out of bounds. And all for the sake of the person he/she loves. But we can not deny the fact that we sometimes also see it happening around us. This kind of love that drives people crazy and make them do things that are farfetched means that we are capable of giving our all to someone we are in a relationship with. Just consider this even for a moment, if this kind of love is possible then we should realize that if there's someone whom we should engage in a relationship with first and foremost then that is no other than our Creator and all other relationships will surely work out for good. He deserves all the love, praise and adoration that any human being could possibly give. Today’s 2^nd reading says it all. It is nice to know that we all belong to the brood of God’s beloved family. We are safe under the protective wings and warmth of His love and care. Amen. Hallelujah!

Colossians 1:15-20

15 Brothers and sisters, Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent...

Today's gospel is another beautiful story told by Jesus Himself. It is the story of the Good Samaritan. It has always been highlighted how we should follow the example of this Good Samaritan who defied the letter of the law to fulfill what is most important, the Spirit of the Law which is love and mercy. As some may already know, during that time priests and Levites were not allowed to mingle with people tainted with blood or something to that effect, or maybe of a different race. We Catholic Christians tend to be over anxious in strictly following the laws of God to the letter and then fail to recognize that the greatest law of God is love. Sometimes we are carried away and so anxious to follow the laws imposed on us and sometimes fail to realize that it is law that should serve us and not otherwise. God will always push the limits of goodness to the edge like there is no room for more. When we were asked during one of our bible studies, who the greatest story teller is, everybody answered, Jesus. The explanation given to us why there are lesser books in the New Testament as compared to the Old Testament is that Jesus belonged to a non writing culture then. Jesus' style and current tradition did not rely on written but oral teaching. This truth is emphasized by today's parable and encourages us to tell our own stories that can give glory to God as a way of following the footsteps of our Lord Jesus. No one could ever refute this bible passage in today's gospel. It contains everything we have to know and understand in order to inherit eternal life. It is just the part on who is our neighbor that is in question. Jesus answered well when he gave this example that even the person whom you consider your greatest enemy as in the case of a Jew and a Samaritan is still our neighbor. We run out of excuses that we just have to obey and follow. Another thing worth mentioning with regards to the Good Samaritan is what St. Augustine thinks about it. He said that the wounded man is the New Adam attacked by Satan and left for dead. The priest and the Levites represent the Old Testament covenant which could not save him and Jesus is the Good Samaritan who stripped Himself of His kingship in heaven came down to earth and saved us. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 10:25-37

25 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27 He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34 He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ 36 Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” 37 He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

HOW DEEP?

We have always heard people say that we are just human and somehow made to believe and accept that we are unworthy and could not stand before a Holy God. But we can't go on with this mindset forever. We've got to change this and start to shift our belief in a God who became man in order to save us. The blood of Jesus has already cleansed and purged us clean. We should always be reminded of this above all others. If there's something we should always be focused on and work for really hard in maintaining, then that is the reality that the Lamb of God has taken away all our sins. 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. The Catholic Church has 3 cycles for each Liturgical Year, which is A,B and C. It is presently using the daily bible readings for 2013 based on the Liturgical Year C. After this year it will cycle back again to Year A. This is of significance to me after realizing that I have started committing to reading the scriptures daily and writing down reflections in Oct 7, 2007 (Year C) after receiving the word from 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.

This brings back and calls my attention again to what I mentioned in my reflection several years ago entitled: HANDLE WITH CARE. “In our bible study in San Lorenzo we discussed in part or on the side about "kairos" (the appointed time in the purpose of God). It is also called God's time, fullness of time, unity in time and oneness in time. In order to further explain the fullness of time, an example was given to us in the form of a cycle or 360 degrees wherein there is a beginning and end. In this case we have the privilege of coming into the full understanding of this "kairos" which eventually leads to attaining our peace which is a oneness in the state of being. We are His creation and God is in creation. It is due to this that we have this incessant desire to know God. We have the scriptures to guide us but it is also in all other aspects especially the actual images of this life that we live that we can come to a deeper understanding of these things..." -END-

The significance of this teaching should impact our lives in various ways especially with what we are going through. Speaking of "kairos" or fullness of time which in part was defined for better understanding as completing a cycle and 360 degrees, though it may not completely define it but in part has stressed the importance of looking at things in full circle and not jump into conclusions. Everything is within the time frame and will of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 6:1-8

..."Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with his glory!" ... ...“Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”

Death is not a respecter of age or health. A person could be young or old, healthy or sick and the worst part we can never tell when it's coming. Only God knows the length of our days and to Him alone do we entrust everything. God is powerful and we can surely be at peace with Him. We have confidence in a God who chose to step down from His throne and became a helpless baby for our sake.  Though, an infant He holds the world in the palm of His hands. He alone is King. We have an Infinite and Almighty God and no words are enough to describe Him. Thus we can only translate those that go beyond words into the spiritual. The spiritual is real although not material or physical. We have our free will which is immaterial and thus fall into the spiritual. It makes perfect sense that we unite our will to God. It may seem an impossibility to be holy and pure at all times. For man it is, but not for God. We can trust God to supply us with all that we need to do whatever it takes to be worthy of His kingdom. If we believe that God calls us then He can surely and absolutely equip us for the work and plan He has for us. The uniformity of the message in today's readings from the 1st, Psalm and gospel can not be denied. God constantly and persistently send us occasions and opportunities that will always remind and confront us of this great attributes of God which are all better than life itself. It is very important to call on God in prayer at all times. He is Christ the King. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R: The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

...Your throne stands firm from of old; from everlasting you are, O LORD. (R) 5 Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed: holiness befits your house, O LORD, for length of days.

This passage from today's gospel never ceases to amaze me and holds a special meaning in my heart. If we are to really pay attention and look very closely at the message being conveyed to us then nothing else could make us feel insecure of the love, care and mercy that God has for us. When we see birds flying all around us each day it is also a constant reminder for us of what today's gospel is telling us especially the part wherein it is said that even all the hairs in our head are counted. It may seem an exaggeration but that is exactly the point that God wants us to realize. That's how big and deep His love for us is. We definitely can not imagine anyone counting the hair of somebody much more my hair since it has grown very long and thick. I have this conviction and determination to not cut my hair yet until the promise is fulfilled. Despite, the inconveniences and discomfort of having a thick and long hair I am holding on to God’s steadfastness and mercy. What keeps me going, though are the several occasions that left me in awe as God demonstrated His faithfulness in a very personal way with regards to this hair promise. There is no doubt that God knows specifically our heart’s desires. Thus it also makes me feel good to imagine using my hair in wiping the feet of Jesus and bathing it with my own tears just like what Mary of Magdala did. God loves us so much and by just thinking of that and really feeling it in our hearts can compel us to do anything and realize that nothing is too difficult when done with and for the love of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 10:24-33

...And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. 30 Even all the hairs of your head are counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father...

CHRISTIAN REVOLUTION

 Let us not harbor any ill feelings, negative thoughts and guilt in us. It is a very heavy burden that we are needlessly carrying along with us. We may not be fully aware of it but these things are going to pull us down if not abruptly then gradually. Before we even know it we are already stuck in the mud of this vicious and malicious deception of the enemy.  Let us always maintain a good disposition no matter how difficult and wearisome our situations are. Whatever painful or hard situations we are going through right now is just part of God's plan to bring out the best in us. If we stay in faith and turn away from sin with a firm and good heart then we will surely see the path of the Lord very clearly before us. The East San Gabriel/Pomona Valley Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women District Meeting (ACCW) was a very rewarding and productive experience because the speakers were all good. Sister Rose Marie Tulacz of the Sisters of Notre Dame gave a talk entitled, "A Future Full of Hope: Growing Spiritually in a Time of Scarcity and Lack" She said that we should always bring to God all our burdens and sufferings most especially during the time of consecration during the mass. Jesus has the power to transform us and make us better and not bitter persons. She said that when Jesus came to this world, He did not talk about being rich, famous and powerful rather he talked about the poor and simple and becoming better through it all. In her prayer she said, "God open the door that You want us to walk through, close the door that You don't want us to walk through and place us in the center of Your will.” In today’s 1^st reading, we are called in this conclusion of the Book of Hosea to respond to God’s love. It is a calling to all people to a change of heart as it says, Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Though, it speaks of a golden age of God’s love for His people to heal their defection, love them freely and the beauty of this time that is to come. As we look at our world today we see so many things that cause sorrow. We are assured from today’s 1^st reading that a Christian revolution is emerging which is changing without any noise to build a civilization of love. It will change the minds and hearts of people from a culture of death to a culture of life and love. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hosea 14:2-10

2 Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. 3 Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. 4 Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion.” 5 I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. 6 I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, 7 and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. 8 Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 9 Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. “I am like a verdant cypress tree” — Because of me you bear fruit! 10 Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

Organizing all my daily reflections since 2007 made it easier for me to locate and retrieve them. I have found it very rewarding and beneficial. It has given me the opportunity to access with ease, the insights and reflections I wrote in the past. Thus paving the way to recall, reflect, and share it again. In light of the readings today I am reminded of Fr. Alex Amayin, the associate priest in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. His talk was about reconciliation which is very much in line with the 1st & psalm readings for today. It was centered on 4 things which is 1. SIN 2. GRACE 3. FORGIVENESS 4. RECONCILIATION. He said that the 1st 3 are all a reality but #4 is only a possibility. There is no doubt that SIN happens but the GRACE of God is always present and available for us even before we ask for FORGIVENESS. When we ask FORGIVENESS, God is always ready to give it.  RECONCILIATION calls us to true conversion. We should always find our way back to God and never doubt His mercy. He cited the example of 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 can either choose to be the snake or the caterpillar. Take your pick. It is important that we always maintain a clean heart and a steadfast spirit so that we are constantly in God's presence. It's not that God loves us any less, no matter what we do, He will always love us. It's just that a Holy and Loving God can not dwell in an impure heart and spirit. The sacred heart of Jesus should be our model and guide as we strive to live out the call to be a genuine follower of God. “When we open our heart to the love of God and to others, it makes us capable of shaping history according to God’s plan.”  - said Pope John Paul II. In His fourth apparition to St. Margaret Mary, our Lord revealed His Sacred Heart, declaring: "Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it spared nothing, even going so far as to exhaust and consume Itself, to prove to them Its love.” The center of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Enthronement of the image of the Sacred Heart in the home. By the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, we link the tabernacle of our parish church to our home, inviting our Lord to be our constant and most intimate companion.  The Enthronement is a way of life. It means that Christ is King of our hearts, and we desire Him to be present with us always. In other words, by the Enthronement we signify our desire to make our hearts and our homes holy, to sanctify our lives in every aspect. God will not refuse nor turn His back on us if we are truly sorry for our sins and are willing to mend our ways. Let us not be so naive into thinking that we can get away with anything and cheat God. Let us be fair and truly square in dealing with things that concern not just our future but our eternal destiny. Whether it's heaven or hell, we would have to decide for that not God. If we choose to do evil then we are surely headed where it's bound but if we remain faithful to God and all that He represents then we are headed to a place prepared for us by God in heaven. We are sure to go where our hearts lead us. The problem is that there is a great propaganda out there. It makes sin appear with all its fun, excitement and glamour. It makes virtue appear boring, lame, bland and unexciting. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not. The pleasures that God created in this world are enjoyed the most by those who don’t abuse them and use it simply. Who do we think enjoys food most? The person who doesn’t know how to fast and engorges all the time or a person after a fast experiences a feast? The virtuous person enjoys life the most. The person who uses creation and all things according to God’s plan enjoys it the most. It is because pleasure is God’s idea. All the good things in the world that people want are God’s idea. Satan can’t invent even one bit of pleasure.  But God commands them to be used so that it leads to life and a part of life is joy. The way to enjoy life is to follow God’s commands. Life is not all about rules and regulations. God did not just give us a bunch of rules and regulations that we are supposed to obey like machines. What we do does not just proceed from who we are but also makes us who we are.  The actions we engage, the words that we say and the things that we do have an impact on us. We are making ourselves all the time. God created us when we came out of the womb, our mothers and father have a great role in that but our creation continues every single day of our lives. We’re even becoming someone more beautiful, mature and stronger or someone weaker and more despicable. There’s no middle ground. We’re going one way or another. Life leads either to heaven or to hell. That’s what the acts that we commit do. Let us always ask God's mercy for our sins and repent of it. The Lord said that He is not sent for the well but for the sick. We have a disease in our souls that if left uncared for can cause death. We all have a terminal disease called sin, we need a doctor to give us advice. We have been saved by God but we can lose it just as we can lose our human life for not caring for it. We go to God who is our Divine Physician to be healed. He alone can make us whole. God's presence in our lives is inevitable just like the coming of dawn before the break of day and if we have mastered the art of loving back God then we become a pleasing sacrifice before Him. And in his good pleasure makes us prosper, then we find ourselves rebuilding the walls of our boundaries as we expand our borders. It is of prime importance that we take extra care in attending not only to our temporal needs but our spiritual as well. We have this mindset that it pleases God whenever He sees us going through hardships and difficulties in life. We tend to equate God to an oppressing tyrant that would pin us down for every wrong move. Or worst to a slave driver that would not be satisfied unless his subjects exhaust all their strength to his service. The people during the time in the Old Testament could borrow a good excuse for having this kind of mindset because Jesus has not come yet. We who live in this time of the New Testament do not have a good alibi because God already demonstrated the greatest expression of His love for mankind when He sacrificed His only begotten son, Jesus, to suffer and die for our sake. With this truth always engraved in our hearts and minds we could no longer harbor wrong impressions and mindsets of our God. Whenever a particular human right is being violated certain activist groups passionately rally to defend such right that is in question. What about the right of God? We are so concerned about our own personal agenda and we fail to realize that we need to address it more than anything else. According to Pope Benedict XVI, Jus Divinum is the right of God which constitutes the proper and correct response of God’s creatures such as man to his Creator. This we ought to realize and take action. We should do all the good that we are supposed to do to a God who created us. There is something more to what we see, hear and feel about people. We really couldn't judge a book by its cover. It's in knowing what is hidden in the heart that we can truly say for sure what is real. But who can see through our hearts? Nobody but God alone. What is unknown and hidden from us, God knows. We may be able to hide from men but never from God. We can only pray to God to create in us a clean heart. For where our treasure is, there also will be our hearts. This should all be our prayer, “Change me Oh God, mold me in accordance to your pattern and plan and not mine” Dirt stain in clothes sometimes doesn't want to come off even after several times it has been machine washed. There are really some dirt and stain that do not go away that easily with regular washing. There is a need to scrub it manually with soap and water so that it will come out clean. Our souls are just like clothes which are stainable by our sins. It is a consolation to know that our sins are washable in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can always come to Him and acknowledge our sins with a sincere and repentant heart so He can cleanse us, wipe out our offenses and blot out all our guilt. There is nothing that could separate us from the love of God. Let us not be deceived nor dissuaded to believe otherwise. Just like clothes that need to be washed after being worn and got dirty so our souls need to be cleansed too by the blood of the Lamb. God’s love ever present in the body and blood of Christ is always present and available for us. All we need to do is reach out for it because God is a gentleman and would never force Himself on us. There has always been a raging battle between God and satan. Though it has already been won, satan just won’t give up. He continues to wreak havoc and evil among us in his desperation to bring misery into our lives and share in his condemnation. He doesn’t have the tiniest power over us and he can only have it if and only if we give in to his lies, deceptions and false promises. We need to make this conscious decision each and every single day for the Lord. We need to purge ourselves of the impurities of our souls we have to go through a certain process that will render us with a clean heart. As we strive to nurture a heart that beats for God alone we also go through a process of cleansing as stated in the psalm today. God's mercy is greater than any of our sins. If we are to repent and turn away from our sins then we've got to do it right now and really do it fast. God sees through our hearts, our motives and intentions. What God wants of us is to truly acknowledge His great mercy and goodness to us that in doing so will abound a natural inclination to repent and repair all our iniquities and lead to a brand new, wholesome and clean Christian in the truest sense of the word. We need to stand in all humility before God and confess our sins. The body and soul are good but it demands a need for physical asceticism. We have to submit our bodies to an act of sacrifice without neglecting that conversion is first of all interior. Total conversion demands not only expression in works of penance but also of the heart. God is able to do anything. All the more should we be full of confidence that He can create a clean heart and steadfast spirit for us if we truly ask for it. God our Father will never turn His back on us. Let us get this straight, it is the sin that God hates and not the sinner. If we are in sin then that's the time we drive away God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us for it is impossible for God's presence to exist with sin. It's our call then to respond to the psalm's invitation to rise and go to God or remain slumped in the mud of sin. Our God will always be the best Father a child could ever have, the best Brother/Friend and the best Comforter and Guide all in one. Bottom line, to Him alone shall we go because we don't know that much and if we don’t then we end up doing one of these things, take for granted, ignore, forget or neglect the things God is telling us to do. What's worse it could be all of the above! We get blinded and become preoccupied with a lot of things that lure us away from doing what God wants us to do. We are deceived into believing all the lies of this world disguised and packaged by the enemy in an inviting and convincing truth. We should realize that it is always for our own good that He commands us to do the right thing. It is not merely to impose but for us to freely decide for a life lived to the full. There is no other way to maintain the Holy Spirit dwelling in us but to let it reside in a clean heart.  We drive away God's Spirit in us if we don't strive to let our hearts remain clean. Today's psalm is a song that I have come to know and sing by heart without the aid of a song book. I always love to sing it and hear it being sung most especially by the choir during mass. It is well for us to not just love to sing it with our voices but with the sincerity of our hearts. The words "take not your Holy Spirit from me" made me realize that God has the power to give and take. The thought of the Holy Spirit being taken away from us is the worst thing that could ever happen. If we don't feel God's presence in our life anymore and we've become numb and insensitive to the promptings and guidance of the Holy Spirit then now is the time to reconnect and realign ourselves to God's Spirit most especially during this Lenten season. It is important that we always maintain a clean heart and a steadfast spirit so that we are constantly in the God's presence. It's not that God loves us any less, no matter what we do He will always love us. It's just that a Holy and Loving God can not dwell in an impure heart and spirit.  It is of prime importance that we take extra care in attending not only to our temporal needs but our spiritual as well. Amen. Hallelujah!  

Psalm 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14, 17R: My mouth will declare your praise.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2[4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R)  10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

God is indeed talking to us personally in each and every situation we have. The gospel reminded me of two wonderful homilies that I heard on a Christmas day. The first priest  said something unexpected almost like a paradox. He said that there is no argument and doesn't discount the fact that Jesus is the true reason for the season but he emphasizes that God is madly in love with us for Him to take the form of man to be with us which therefore makes us the reason for the season. He came in the most humble way a King could ever have not even in an inn that could at least keep him warm and comfortable but in a manger housed together with the farm animals. Gathering from this point of view I should say without a doubt that we are indeed the reason for the season. For God humbled himself and took the form of man to show us the way. There is no wonder why there is a sudden shift from the festive mood of the gospel for Christmas to the grim reality of this world  in today's gospel.  There is a need for us to look beyond the season and live it farther down the road of life persevering to the end. It was on  a Christmas eve when I read a very bad medical report of a loved one. It was just so consoling that immediately the Lord assured me in the homily of the priest the following day which was Christmas day when I heard him say the very words which I have been holding on to as if my life depended on it. He said that there is no reason to be afraid. God can turn our fears into hope and joy. He takes delight in His people for Him to take the form of man to be with us. What a way to demonstrate that awesome and reckless love of God for man that He allowed Himself to go this far and even much farther to a cross in Calvary. This is something we should all treasure in our hearts. This is also coupled with another miracle in the recovery of an uncle from an auto immune disease which rendered him paralyzed at about the same time I found out about the worsening condition of another loved one. He has recovered and could now walk by himself. What an assuring God we have that there is really nothing more we can do but focus on Him who alone can save us in all our distress. Though the grim reality of this world is undeniably present among us and continues to assail us as highlighted in today's gospel in the form of a warning to all of us. We have to persevere to the end and never lose heart, for only the steadfast will finish the race and win the crown of salvation. There is a need for us to look beyond our fears and live with hope and joy persevering to the end. Whatever we are going through, it could be something that we are presently enjoying or suffering at the moment, we need to keep in mind that all things will soon come to pass. Not a single thing in this world will remain, as the scriptures say, “Heaven and earth will fail but God’s words will still remain.”  These things we need to be aware and completely confident of because we are facing a lot of challenges in life and we need to make decisions and choices with regards to it. How many times have we experienced waiting and getting ready for something but due to some delays we started to lose patience and wonder if it’s going to come at all. Or we began to be preoccupied with other things that we’ve lost our focus. We start off with wonderful beginnings but not a happy ending. When we begin to conform to values of this world and start to forget who we really are and what we are called for then the worst happens. God is the author of our life and He has written for us a wonderful beginning and it’s all up to us to live it towards its beautiful ending by walking down the path that the Lord Himself prepared for us. He has loved and respected us so much that He has given us our free wills. At the final hour, nothing we did in the past whether it’s good and noble would ever count if we have fallen into the enemy’s trap because only the one who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved. This is the only winning chance of satan, to lure us into that situation as his only and last ditch effort. We have already been saved and this status of continuously being saved until we breathe our last depends solely on us. Whether we allow ourselves to be duped by the enemy or treasure this everlasting gift from God is completely up to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 10:17-22

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. 20 For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”