FULL BLOOM

If we will honestly dig deep into our hearts we will find that true love, happiness and satisfaction lie deep within us. All we have to do is search deep into it by removing all blocks, obstacles and hindrances that prevent us from exposing to the surface what God has planted. If it remains hidden then we tend to be led astray. We forget and neglect what we are truly called for to do and fail to be the person God has meant us to be. Let us try to remove all obstacles in our path. This reminds me of Sister Loreta's garden in her house at Walnut. I was so impressed at how it looks like. Despite the scorching summer heat of the sun  her garden remained beautiful. It is not dried up because I found out from her that whenever the gardener comes to mow her lawn she will immediately water it while the roots are exposed. Just like in our life we really have to cut off or remove excess baggage or useless garbage in us that prevents us from making the garden of our life emerge in full bloom. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Book of Numbers 20:1-13.

"Listen to me, you rebels! Are we to bring water for you out of this rock?"

Then, raising his hand, Moses struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out in abundance for the community and their livestock to drink.

Today's psalm reading is used as a preparatory psalm in the Liturgy of the Hours just as it was used in the Old Testament. Each time we hear it, there is an emphasis to the fact that is just the same as it is proclaimed today. During the time of Moses there had been an incident of great rebellion and testing on the part of the chosen people of God. The same message is being said to us because there is a possibility that we also harden our hearts today. Massah means rebellion and Meribah means testing. It refers to the time they rebel when they had no water. Moses struck the stone in the desert and water came out. We can read in Numbers 13 when Moses sent out spies to check out the promise land and when they returned in Numbers 14 they were full of discouragement. They came back and reported that the Land of Canaan is too strong to conquer but Joshua & Caleb, trusted God. They didn’t look at the problems of the walls of the Canaan. But the people believed the spies and concluded that it’s impossible to overcome these barriers. They wanted to choose new leaders and kill Moses & Aaron and go back to slavery in Egypt. Due to their unbelief the whole generation never entered Canaan only the new generation with both Joshua & Caleb did. The goal is to enter into rest in the land of Canaan but they refused because they believed their fears rather than believe what they’ve already seen in God’s miracles in Egypt. Psalm 95 is used so often in the Liturgy of the Hours and encourages us how today we must listen well. They do not just apply to the people in Numbers 13 & 14. It also applies to the Church and we consider ourselves the New Israel. Let God call us to attention. We don’t have to fall back to the same sin of disbelief. No matter how hard the world makes us do so. The Church is beginning to experience persecution. Today we have to keep in mind what God already said in the past especially as we hear the words of His Son today. Jesus Himself gives us a greater authority than the prophets and the angels. When we look at our day, there are a number of strains that we have to alert ourselves.  There are New Age beliefs that everything is God including the forces of nature. It is moving towards the act of depersonalizing God by a vague force. It clouds the truth of God the Father, God the Son & God the Spirit. There is this New Age notion vs. the Christian notion of God. The catch here is the fact that there are no demands upon the faithful to be obedient. A hardened heart is equivalent to disobedience. There is no longer a clear distinction about the truths of the faith. It's just a matter of loving nature and taking care of the environment. No other demands like obeying the 10 commandments. The truth is not existent with the New Age. They water down the Person of Jesus and lead others to disbelieve in Him. Certain scholars deny Him as a historical figure or is believed that He had a wife as depicted in the fictitious Da Vinci Code. These are all things that are far from the authentic gospel. The image of Jesus is being shaped to imitate our worst moments and sins. It makes him appear like He is no better than we are and attack His moral character. It is an act of impunity to God’s character as if He is just a character of fiction. It looks like God is on the dock as C. S. Lewis put it. Instead of us being on trial, God appears to be the one who’s on trial. Let us not fall into this kind of thinking nor continue in our lack of faith or let anything shake our faith. Some dogs are amazing in their ability to show devotion and faithfulness although they do not even measure up to the dignity and standing of human beings they are capable of obeying their master with so much love and respect.  This should make us realize all the more can we do it and a whole lot better than that. We have to make a decision to be with Christ. God is the Good Shepherd. He will not scatter but draw people to holiness, righteousness and goodness. How can we be lost or led astray? There are things we need to do if we want to be under the care of the Good Shepherd, listen to His voice, follow His guiding hand and stay within the circle of the flock He tends. The truth is that we should never have any doubts about our decisions for as long as we know that it is all for the glory of God first and foremost and everything else will follow. We have this faith and confidence in God as in Philippians 4:6-8, "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." When someone speaks to us we sometimes ignore, refuse to listen, simply pretend that we haven't heard anything or misunderstood what we heard because we are too distracted or busy to give time to listen well. Let us always open our hearts and mind so that we become sensitive to the voice of God talking to us.  Surely there were times when we heard and experienced the voice of God giving us “out of this world” instructions and we responded nonchalantly as if we never heard anything, refused outright and rejected it. If before we just choose to do it whichever way we wanted it without much thought from now on let us respond to God in the best way we can with hearts full of love and obedience. When we grumbled and complained we all know for a fact that it didn't make things any better. We would have to practice more and make perfect the art of trusting and hearing God's voice. God is never short of anything. God is God and He will always be. Let us no longer confuse ourselves with the inaccuracies and discrepancies of our human hearts and minds. Let us keep it focused on Him who is Holy and Perfect. Let us all acculturate ourselves to the Kingdom of God to become a true member of His society. In this way we become a fit and authentic member of God's nation. No one can ever love and care for us more than God. He is the source of living water thus we thirst no more. Indeed, if today we hear His voice, let us not harden our hearts and let Jesus come. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

...Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides... (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”

Aren't we glad that today's gospel assures us that we have a Church built by Jesus Christ and nothing can prevail against it? We can actually learn a lot from Sts. Peter and Paul and their example. Both were very committed to our Lord. They were willing to leave everything behind and follow Him. They both lived out the cross of Jesus. We see the recognition of St. Peter in today's gospel which shows that he is very committed to our Lord and followed Him. Peter's proclamation of the truth made him a solid foundation of the Church that not even the gates of hell shall prevail against it. As members of the Church that is founded on solid rock may we become like Peter always ready and confident in announcing the truth about God. Although there is a series of problems despite this commitment, Peter was the one who told Jesus not to talk about His dying and being crucified in Jerusalem and got told, "Satan, get behind me." He was also the one in the Garden of Gethsemane after a series of important events like the transfiguration with James and John and the raising of Jairus' daughter, cut off the ear of the high priest servant with such impetuosity but also the one who denied Christ 3x.  St. Paul was also a man who made a serious commitment to Christ. He has a Roman citizenship and came from the tribe of Benjamin. He came from an affluent family that he was educated under the supervision of this prominent teacher, Gamaliel. St Paul mentioned in the scriptures that he was a persecutor of the Church but was converted to Christ. With true humility he recognized how bad he really was and doesn't deserve the favors that Christ has given him. He was willing to talk about his failures. We look at Peter and Paul who both gave a testimony of their blood for the gospel. They preferred to be executed and tormented rather than change their testimony. In doing this they both highlight something else especially St. Peter. This is the kind of man that is chosen. He is very much the man like each one of us. We can also make the best choice that is presented to us. We must recognize that our lives have to be a life of dying to ourselves. This is something that we could learn from and be the Lord's instrument for the redemption of our world. Praise and thank God for sending not only angels but also saints to the rescue. Funny, how we sometimes find ourselves saying one thing this minute and then another thing the next. Just like Peter in today's gospel, we witnessed the sudden shift when in the first part of the gospel, Jesus was commending him for having professed a truth that can not be revealed through flesh and blood but through our Heavenly Father. But in the latter part, Jesus rebuked him for behaving otherwise. This tells us that no matter how totally unreliable we are, at times. God does not give up on us. He continues to shower us with grace and mercy and it is all up to us if we will respond with faith and humility the way Peter did who persevered despite of all the struggles until the last hour. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 16:13-23

...He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And 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. 19 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.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah. 21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. 22 Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” 23 He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

HAVE FAITH

Moses sent out spies to check out the promise land and when they returned in Numbers 14 they were full of discouragement. They came back and reported that the Land of Canaan is too strong to conquer but Joshua & Caleb, trusted God. They didn’t look at the problems of the walls of the Canaan. But the people believed the spies and concluded that it’s impossible to overcome these barriers. They wanted to choose new leaders and kill Moses & Aaron and go back to slavery in Egypt. Due to their unbelief the whole generation never entered Canaan only the new generation with both Joshua & Caleb did. The goal is to enter into rest in the land of Canaan but they refused because they believed their fears rather than believe what they’ve already seen in God’s miracles in Egypt. Let us no longer complain and believe that the best is yet to come. Today we must realize that the lesson of their story does not just apply to the Israelites. It also applies to the Church and we consider ourselves the New Israel. Let God call us to attention. We don’t have to fall back to the same sin of disbelief. No matter how hard the world makes us do so. The Church is beginning to experience persecution. Today we have to keep in mind what God already said in the past especially as we hear the words of His Son today. Jesus Himself gives us a greater authority than the prophets and the angels. When we look at our day, there are a number of strains that we have to alert ourselves.  There are New Age beliefs that everything is God including the forces of nature. It is moving towards the act of depersonalizing God by a vague force. It clouds the truth of God the Father, God the Son & God the Spirit. There is this New Age notion vs. the Christian notion of God. The catch here is the fact that there are no demands upon the faithful to be obedient. A hardened heart is equivalent to disobedience. There is no longer a clear distinction about the truths of the faith. It's just a matter of loving nature and taking care of the environment. No other demands like obeying the 10 commandments. The truth is not existent with the New Age. They water down the Person of Jesus and lead others to disbelieve in Him. Certain scholars deny Him as a historical figure or is believed that He had a wife as depicted in the fictitious Da Vinci Code. These are all things that are far from the authentic gospel. The image of Jesus is being shaped to imitate our worst moments and sins. It makes him appear like He is no better than we are and attack His moral character. It is an act of impunity to God’s character as if He is just a character of fiction. It looks like God is on the dock as C. S. Lewis put it. Instead of us being on trial, God appears to be the one who’s on trial. Let us not fall into this kind of thinking nor continue in our lack of faith or let anything shake our faith. Some dogs are amazing in their ability to show devotion and faithfulness although they do not even measure up to the dignity and standing of human beings they are capable of obeying their master with so much love and respect.  This should make us realize all the more can we do it and a whole lot better than that. We have to make a decision to be with Christ. God is the Good Shepherd. He will not scatter but draw people to holiness, righteousness and goodness. How can we be lost or led astray? There are things we need to do if we want to be under the care of the Good Shepherd, listen to His voice, follow His guiding hand and stay within the circle of the flock He tends. The truth is that we should never have any doubts about our decisions for as long as we know that it is all for the glory of God first and foremost and everything else will follow. We have this faith and confidence in God as in Philippians 4:6-8, "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." When someone speaks to us we sometimes ignore, refuse to listen, simply pretend that we haven't heard anything or misunderstood what we heard because we are too distracted or busy to give time to listen well. Let us always open our hearts and mind so that we become sensitive to the voice of God talking to us.  Surely there were times when we heard and experienced the voice of God giving us “out of this world” instructions and we responded nonchalantly as if we never heard anything, refused outright and rejected it. If before we just choose to do it whichever way we wanted it without much thought from now on let us respond to God in the best way we can with hearts full of love and obedience. When we grumbled and complained we all know for a fact that it didn't make things any better. We would have to practice more and make perfect the art of trusting and hearing God's voice. God is never short of anything. God is God and He will always be. Let us no longer confuse ourselves with the inaccuracies and discrepancies of our human hearts and minds. Let us keep it focused on Him who is Holy and Perfect. Let us all acculturate ourselves to the Kingdom of God to become a true member of His society. In this way we become a fit and authentic member of God's nation. No one can ever love and care for us more than God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Numbers 13:1-2. 25 –14:1. 26a-29a. 34-35

...The LORD also said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the Israelites against me. 28 Tell them, “By my life, says the LORD, I will do to you just what I have heard you say...

We should always keep in mind that if Moses was able to turn back God's anger and withhold His destructive wrath how much more Jesus His only begotten Son who suffered, was obedient to the point of death on the Cross and gave Himself as ransom to redeem us from all our sins. Let us not forget even for a second nor neglect this truth every single minute, hour and day of our lives that we have been ransomed, saved and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus. Our little gods and idols can not do anything for us. They are useless and stupid things. How foolish we can be as a people of God  to do such things and be off track by turning away from where the Lord has pointed out. A lot of terrible things happen when we forget. Important and significant events in our life should always hold a special place in our hearts. We must not ignore those times when we had those special moments with the Lord. These will serve as a constant reminder to us and would definitely help us remain faithful to the Lord. Our memory of this, though very wonderful to forget may sometimes become dull or fade in the background when we are beset by the present and daily cares of this world. We may eventually lose the awe and wonder that we used to feel about it as time passes most especially when we encounter trials and difficulties. Today's psalm tells us to always remember, never forget and always tell our story of the goodness of God. Let us not forget and be mindful always of the love of God. Sometimes when things don't turn out the way we wanted or expected we get sidetracked by the realities of this world then we start to immediately or slowly lose sight of the goodness of God. No matter what our situation is we must not forget that God saved us, had done great and wondrous deeds and He alone has the power to make things happen and not happen in our lives. We have to be in a relationship with the only true God. If there's something we really need to be thankful to God for bringing us to life at this present time that is the fact that we have a glorious background that we can always draw strength, hope and inspiration. We need to focus on this and be aware that we've got so many things in this present life to look back to and be blessed. The timeline of our salvation history demonstrates God's persistent and consistent effort to win our hearts and be in a relationship with us. Not to forget that after Jesus, the saints followed which added to the color of this long time running declaration and evidence of God's great love for us. It's been quite a while already that He has been waiting for our answer much more than a suitor offering his pledge of love to his lady. We should never doubt any single moment that God is good all the time and all we need to do is just give thanks to Him no matter what our circumstances may be. Let us always remind ourselves of the good things God has done in our lives. Let us always count our blessings instead of focus on the negative things. We are constantly reminded in the readings today to always work for the things that win the favor of God. It's not because of any selfish motive but because what we do is born out of great love for the Lord. God calls us to repent and live a new life. There's one very important thing that we should be guided with. We always have to keep in mind that a repentance born out of fear will never last but repentance born out of love will last. We should always keep in mind the great love of God for all of us. Our Lord's instructions are very simple and easy to understand. It is in the following and obeying part that we find difficulty in doing. Let us always focus our eyes on the Lord and remember to follow and keep what the responsorial psalm tells us if we intend to live a blessed life not just in the beginning but to the end. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 106:6-7ab. 13-14. 21-22. 23

R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

...But soon they forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel. 14 They gave way to craving in the desert and tempted God in the wilderness. (R) 21 They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, 22 wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.

It pays to always have a strong faith in God. No matter what our situation may be. We should follow the example of this woman in the gospel where she lowered down her pride, and was very humble in coming before Jesus. This same woman got the answer to her prayer and got her heart's desire because of her perseverance and persistence. Whatever we’ve been through, are going through and will still go through, let us have the great faith of this Canaanite woman who never gave up against all odds and received the answer to her request to Jesus.  There are times in our life when we are pushed to the limits and we sometimes give in to pressure and pride because we want to save face and protect our ego. We learned from the prayer meeting that EGO stands for E = edge, G = God and O = out. If we are being egoistic then what we do is edge God out. We put God aside and put ourselves in the center instead. This happens when instead of taking things that come to us with a heart of faith we end up responding in an ill mannered way which always makes things worse. When we hear unpleasant things being said to us we can always learn something from the wise humility of this woman. We should always try to look at things in a positive and constructive way rather than in the offensive way.  Today's gospel shows us how this woman really stood up for her faith despite of it all. She openly professed in public her great faith and confidence in God's power by maintaining her belief that everyone can take part in God's grace. The covenant of God with the chosen people is extended also to the Gentiles and all people of faith. It is open to all and no one is excluded. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Matthew 15:21-28

...“Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

THE HEART & THE PRAYER

The purity of desire, cleanliness of intentions and nobility of character all dwell in the heart of man. That is why God does not look on appearance but into one's heart. It is noteworthy that today’s 1^st reading demonstrates the goodness of David and his upright character over Saul. The Lord wants us to remove all wickedness in each one of us. We can never hide from God because everything that does not come sincerely from the purity of our hearts will eventually be revealed, exposed and people will know about it sooner or later. We should have the same conviction as David in today's 1st reading to stand by what is good. Despite his opportunity to get back at Saul and take his revenge he still did what was right in the eyes of God. David's heart is pure and full of mercy. Though, it may cost him his own life that he spared Saul's life, his enemy who wanted him dead but he still decided to leave it all up to God. Amen. Hallelujah!


1 Samuel 24:3-21                            
You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead....I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life. 13 The LORD will judge between me and you, and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you. 14 The old proverb says, ‘From the wicked comes forth wickedness.’ So I will take no action against you...
Just as David did not take vengeance into his own hands and relied on God's mercy and protection. We should also do the same and follow today's psalm reading. God never ceases to amaze us each day especially when we are greeted with some wonderful turn of events and circumstances that are happening before us. It may be just petty and little things for some but if we have faith in God then every single thing that happens is always Divine Providence. There was this Roman emperor, Diocletian in 303 AD in North Africa (presently known as Tunisia) who persecuted Christians at that time. He ordered the tearing down of Churches and imprisonment of people who would be caught in Christian worship which was considered illegal at that time. In fact inhabitants of entire villages were put to death when they refused to submit to pagan worship. These martyrs persevered to the end. Their love and devotion to God can not be denied and was even documented in the record books. When they were asked if they owned a bible they answered that they keep the bible in their hearts and it can not be destroyed. Furthermore they said when asked why they received Christians in their homes to gather for Holy Mass, they answered, " Si ne Dominico non possimus" which means "Without the Lord's day we can not cope. We are unable to live as we should." They became the Holy Eucharist Models up to the present time. This is a truth that we should be aware of, we can not live without the Eucharist, in order to cope with the toil and exhaustion of the journey in this world we are presently in. The Eucharist is at the root of all holiness. How many saints have advanced to holiness through the Eucharist? Holiness has always found its center in the Eucharist. It is the highest form of praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11
R: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
...for in you I take refuge. In the shadow of your wings I take refuge, till harm pass by. (R) 2 [3] I call to God the Most High, to God, my benefactor. 3 [4] May he send from heaven and save me; may he make those a reproach who trample upon me; may God send his mercy and his faithfulness...
Padre Pio said that prayer is the key that opens the heart of God. If this is so then we should maintain a good prayer life. It is not enough that we pray daily but it would help if we become more creative with our prayer life and discover new ways and means to enhance this very vital communication tool with our Creator.  To whom can we pattern our prayer life after other than Jesus Himself.  In today's gospel before He made a very important decision He went up to the mountain. A lot of people go on retreats and prayer seminars on a mountain. Why is this so? I have learned that places like mountains are very appropriate for prayer and meditation. Being on a mountain can be one of the most exhilarating and yet peaceful experiences in the world. There are so many things that account to it, especially being on top of it looking out over the world and the stillness below. The journey itself leading to exploration of new trails and new routes gives us a better perspective in life. It all comes together to make a wonderful experience. It is definitely a place where we can find peace and quiet. Even Moses during his time would go up to the mountain to pray and communicate with God. It is important that we focus our senses to God and be totally rid of the noise and distraction that the world brings. Our prayers are all heard by God there is no doubt but do we hear God's answer to our prayers very clearly. There are times when we have to go to a special place like a mountain or could be any place where we can openly receive from God and really be in touch with Him. Bottom line or tip of the mountain top is the importance of prayer. Today's gospel is also about the call of the first apostles which entails their primary mission to spread the word of God. We are all called to share in this mission of the 1st apostles and go forth to spread the good news to all. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve whom he also named apostles that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons: 16 He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; 17 James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, 19 and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

The Israelites never run out complaints. They never seem to be satisfied at all despite the many miracles and wonders that they have witnessed from the 7 plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the raining down of manna from heaven. They just can't seem to reconcile all the wonderful things that God has done for them and kept on sliding back to their old ways. That's exactly how we are at times. We easily forget and tend to go back to our old ways without realizing that we are better off with where and what God has brought us. Man simply can't be satisfied as St Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until it rest on God." This modern world of ours has brought about a high level of materialism and consumerism in our present day. People's appetites not only for food but for fame, power and wealth have gone out of control. This has greatly affected and disrupted the balance of things creating so many problems not only in the economy, but social, spiritual, and emotional aspects as well. We long and desire a lot of things that are not in line with God's will and plan for our lives. In the process we just hurt and destroy ourselves if we continue to insist on doing things our way. Nowadays, people develop all kinds of illnesses that were non existent before. Studies show that we have been consuming a lot of unhealthy foods that are disease causing and does not benefit our bodies at all. We really have to be very careful about the kind of food we eat.  In today's 1st reading the Israelites were clamoring for the kind of food that they used to enjoy in Egypt. Not even acknowledging the fact that if there's one kind of food that we should always desire to have that is the Bread of Life. Amen. Hallelujah!

Numbers 11:4b-15

4 The children of Israel lamented, “Would that we had meat for food! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.”...

Our Catholic Church has endowed us with a very sacred or apostolic Tradition. According to Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 82: As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."  St. Paul in 2 Thes. 2:15 said "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours." And so the Catholic Church is also consistent with the warning of St. Paul in Colossians 2:8,  "See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world  and not according to Christ." We should constantly listen to His voice and not be distracted nor tempted to change loyalty. It is in God alone that we can find true satisfaction. There is no in between with God. We have to be aware of the fact that we have to make a stand on which side we really are. We've got to make a commitment every single day and protect our faith. It is through good works and prayer that we can safeguard the victory that Jesus has already won for us since the enemy does not want to stop and continues to wage war on us, Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. There is no denying to Jesus saving and redeeming us from all our sins. Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us when He died on the cross and paid our sins but it doesn't mean that we are all bound for heaven. Our daily choices and actions could lead us to a path that may not lead to the pearly gates of paradise. We still have to work our way into that gate and not be lenient about guarding this gift of salvation which the enemy wants to steal from us. We are bombarded day in and out by the harsh reality of life and the influences of this world we live in. There is no cause for despair if we encounter these things. The Bread that God gives us will never cause us to hunger or thirst and will give us eternal life with God in heaven. If we have consulted and entrusted to God all our decisions and continue to believe then we can be assured that what God started in us, He will be faithful to complete. In the midst of all the commotion in our lives we need to press harder to hear God's voice and direct all our focus and attention in that one voice of God who alone can show us the right way and give us the right instructions. We have a God who constantly whispers in our ear in the midst of the noise created by our surroundings. All we have to do is press our ears closer to God and do as He says. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 81:12-13. 14-15. 16-17

R: Sing with joy to God our help.

“My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; so I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.” R. “If only my people would hear me, and Israel walk in my ways, quickly would I humble their enemies; against their foes I would turn my hand.” R. “Those who hated the LORD would seek to flatter me, but their fate would endure forever, while Israel I would feed with the best of wheat, and with honey from the rock I would fill them.” R.

Jesus contradicted his disciples’ practical suggestion and told them to do otherwise. It's a good thing His disciples responded and cooperated with Jesus. The same with us, we may be asked by God to go out of our comfort zones and practical outlook. You know why? So that God can perform His miracle in our life. The gospel for today is about the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and feeding of the five thousand. It emphasizes the truth that God will never allow us to grow hungry and will always provide for our needs. There is no need to go anywhere else for nourishment. There is no need to go away and search elsewhere. We only have to go to God for only Him can satisfy all our longings and desires. Amen. Hallelujah!

 Matthew 14:13-21

...When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” [Jesus] said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”... They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over — twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

NUMBER OUR DAYS

All the readings for today points to only one thing, eternal life. In today’s 1st reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes we are asked to reflect on our life here on earth and where it is headed. We need to understand what’s most essential with regards to our existence. We all know that everything we have worked for in this life would have to be left behind and none of those we can bring with us when we die. The only way to surely profit from all our hard work is the reality that behind all of it is our motivation and desire to serve, praise and love God above all.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23

… Here is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not labored over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune. 22 For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun?...

We are destined for much greater things that we can see right now. Thus we should set our goals higher than what people normally aim for in this life. Let us not reach the end of our lives regretting what we should have done or not and do what we have to do right now. We marvel at the capability of the human mind to function the way it was made to be but how much more can we not be amazed at how the mind of the Lord works from whom all things come. As humans we can not even go past a hundred years old and too lucky to be able to make it to that age nowadays. Everything passes away but what we can depend on to last for a lifetime through eternity is to fortify our soul with wisdom of heart. Time will come when there is no more room for sadness once we've decided for happiness for we have a God who prospers those who offers all his/her work for the Lord. God is Almighty and Powerful. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He has the final say on all things. Nothing is beyond His power and might. Isn't it a very nice thing to know that this very same God has also been our refuge and strength in every age. Learning of this story about an atheist who fasts for the destruction of the world should make us realize that we should not take things sitting down. The enemy does not rest until it snatches away our inheritance. We should keep our banners raised on high and never lose heart or be discouraged as the battle rages on we can be assured that we have a God whom we can always rely on and take refuge. We’ve got to be firm in our beliefs but things will always be easier said than done. Spiritual integrity is hard work but it surely is worth all of it. Today's psalm tells us how short our life here on earth can be compared to a life of eternity with God our Creator, refuge and strength. It is always never easy to picture matters of the faith and life after death. It is through the people who continue to be a source of inspiration and blessing for the community of God that we can gather the strength and courage to keep on fighting a good fight of the faith. Today’s psalm reading somehow captures the essence if not its entirety. Nothing else in this world matters more than this truth. God gave us life and to Him we all must return. The problem lies in the fact that we don’t really know when will that day be. We’ve got to be prepared at all times. What’s at stake here is eternity and is nothing compared to 100 years life span of happiness and prosperity, the most for healthy and active individuals. We can’t allow ourselves to live life carelessly and just cram at the last minute. I’ve seen quite a number of elderly people who have fallen into senility. Although nothing is too late, I still think that we are able to prepare as best as we could if we are still in our prime and high functioning mind and body than with such a condition. Let’s not wait long enough and keep procrastinating. May we all realize the importance of  numbering our days aright. Our first parents were the original sinners and we are just the copy cats. In a way we are better off than Adam & Eve in the sense that we have their example of disobedience set before us. We can choose to follow their lead or footsteps by giving in to deception which we know is a bad idea or we can learn the moral lesson of this story and gain wisdom of heart. The wisdom of heart can make us truly see and appreciate the things the Lord has done for us that bring prosperity, joy and gladness. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. (R) 5 You make an end of them in their sleep; the next morning they are like the changing grass, 6 which at dawn springs up anew, but by evening wilts and fades. (R) 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long?

Have pity on your servants! R. Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! R.

I was suddenly reminded of this friend whom I haven’t seen and talked to for a long time. Every time we have a chance to get together we always engage in a lengthy conversation and really enjoy our exchange of ideas. I should say we bond in a special way and agree in a lot of things. I noticed that we both have similar likes when it comes to the type of clothes to wear, the food to eat and the simple and healthy life we both prefer to live. Although there are some personal areas in her life that we haven’t talked about and which I haven’t dared  to ask, I have this feeling that if we are to go deeper into our friendship , I would have to inevitably face the challenge that Paul in today’s 2nd reading is talking about. I was able to say this because it made me realize the fact that it always seems easy to connect and bond with her. It must say that we can really be very good friends despite the fact that we only had a brief encounter when we first met and we hardly see each other. The things that Paul is telling us are things that could totally offend a person when directly told about it. We are living in a world full of deceptions, pretenses and lies. Sometimes we would be better off if we could just keep our thoughts to ourselves most especially the sensitive and very personal issues about a person. If we have a choice then we would rather not be involved and just keep silent about it. Sometimes not even immediate family members, close relatives and friends dare to do it.   Although there are times when we simply could no longer ignore the fact that God wants us to speak out and be bold enough to proclaim the truth. But this we can only do if we truly love and care about these people and be able to show them that it is really Christ that is in us and in all that motivates us to do so. A lot of things are easier said than done. Living our faith in Jesus Christ by example is definitely one of these things. It is good to know that we have scriptures to guide and enlighten us at all times and today’s 2nd reading is definitely one of them. Amen. Hallelujah!

Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11

… seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of what is above, not of what is on earth… Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. 9 Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.

Today’s gospel is definitely not a far cry from the messages being conveyed in all the other readings for today. In fact it is explicitly stated what will become of those who fail to store up treasures in heaven. Everything else will be for nothing if we are not wise enough to realize what’s truly important and essential in this life. We should not continue wasting and throwing away precious time and opportunities to invest and be rich in what matters to God. God is indeed a God who will always assure us and will never leave us feeling at a loss. There are so many conflicts going on around us and sometimes we get too carried away by the concerns of this world we sometimes overlook what's most important and essential. Although we are part of this world we should not forget that at the end of it all, the only thing that will matter is our stored up treasure that matters to God. What is our main focus in life? If we still find ourselves attached more to other things than what God calls us to do then we are in danger of missing the true wealth. It is easier when we have to choose between good and bad but more difficult when we are confronted with choices that are both good. Today's gospel speaks of a fool who did not make the wisest choices. We must pray for the gift of discernment in order for us to recognize what is truly important and essential in life. Today’s gospel is also another assurance from the Lord that He will never forsake nor leave us and will always uphold our cause. It is only right and fitting that we continue to give honor and praise to Him by reflecting God in our lives. We have to be rich in the eyes of God and not in the eyes of men. God's impression of us is what matters most and everything else will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

                             

Luke 12:13-21

...“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”... … God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

BLESSING ACCOUNT

Sometimes we come to a point where we are confronted with difficult situations. We find it hard to handle it well in order to arrive at sound decisions. This could be due to the fact that it can impact the lives of other people especially those who have become close to us. But in whatever decisions we make it will surely help if we will always be reminded of what the 1st reading today is telling us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Leviticus 25:1. 8-17

...Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God. I, the LORD, am your God.”

 God has indeed demonstrated his love and mercy to us in so many ways for always. Sometimes we tend to overlook and take it for granted. What I have been writing and sharing these past years since 2007 made me realize to not overlook nor take for granted the very obvious fact that God never leaves, forsakes nor abandon us 100% of the time.  Just looking back at what happened from the moment I started to commit to writing reflections up to the present makes me see very clearly the significance of those events in my life in relation to the life of Jesus here on earth. This is not just for me but is a calling for all of us who believes in Jesus the Son of God who became man. In October 7, 2007 which I mark as my 1st day, I received this message from Habakkuk 2:2-3, 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. It all started with the realization that I am headed for the unknown especially with frightening consequences that followed when I found out some information that are not in accordance to my personal plans and expectation. After careful thought of these series of events it impressed several significant occasions related to the scriptures and the life of Jesus. I decided to document all my reflections as recommended in Habakkuk. Thanks to Jesus being presented to us in every possible and even impossible means especially at times when we encounter trials and difficulties. Every turn of events should make us think of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus who was born as man, suffered, died and resurrected on the 3rd day. These things should really open up a lot of thoughts in our hearts. It proves that we have a God who constantly wants to connect with us in countless and various ways. In God's persistence He has to repeatedly announce His blessing upon us so that we will be surely reminded of how much He wishes to make us prosper. In Romans 8:14-15 it is written, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" We can give glory and praise to God right from where we are. All we have to do is be faithful to the One and True God. We may not be living in that time of the Maccabees when the Jews were forced to embrace pagan practices. It was at that time when the ruler of the land wanted to eliminate Jewish tradition and replace it with Greek. When they failed to carry this out, Greek ways were imposed by force. This was at the time before Jesus came when Jerusalem was torn down. Anyone who owns a Torah and those who circumcise their children were sentenced to capital punishment. It was a period of great struggle and difficulty. A man named Judas Maccabeus became the leader of a Jewish revolt against the repressive policies of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the king of Syria. He led the Jewish people in recapturing their temple from Syrian occupying forces in 164 B.C. preventing the imposition of Hellenism upon Judaea, and preserving the Jewish religion. Those who followed him arose and won in their struggle. The temple was reclaimed and purified from the stain of idolatry. Thus the institution of the Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) , when the temple was rededicated. We have to maintain our fidelity to the Lord. It is in doing this that we truly attain freedom by following and staying in the way of the Lord. We need a Helper in the person of God the Holy Spirit. The Spirit dwelling within us should be unleashed in order to dispel all kinds of darkness in order to see God's face shining upon us. All our thoughts, words and deeds should be directed to giving praise and honor to God. It may sound so easy to say but it is not an easy thing to do. But we must realize that directing it to anyone or anything other than God makes it all the more difficult and complicated in the long run. We must not be tempted to make the short cut and take the easy and well travelled road. Most often people will choose this path but we may be surprised at what is waiting for us at the end of the road. We should choose the less travelled road although it is narrow and small. As in Mt. 7:13-14, “"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.”  Mother Mary serves as a special road or channel that God has given to humanity to go to God and receive His graces. It does not obscure or diminishes the one and only Mediator, Jesus Christ, rather she shows God's power even more. Jesus, the Son loves His mother and gives her the greatest grocery of graces in heaven. Mary totally depends on her Son as in the wedding feast in Cana by saying, "Do whatever He tells you." Mary knows that her Son is the ultimate source that's why she leads us to Him, the true Mediator. God Himself ordained that His only Begotten Son be born of a human mother through Mary's obedience and perfect surrender. When the angel appeared to Mary, he wasn't speaking his own thoughts and words. He was sent by God to speak God's words. In Greek, the Hail Mary is translated as Hail most highly graced one, meaning so completely graced. Mary truly is filled with God's grace. When God conceived and born of Mary she was free from the stain of original sin. He is getting ready the 1st tabernacle of His Son here on earth. She is made holy, unstained and created in the fullness of grace. God has placed in Mary the fullness of grace. Mary conceived by her virginity and humility. It should be in our hearts to honor Mother Mary because the Son is within her body. The Father is in the Son. It is by grace that we are saved. Through Jesus and Mary all things are restored. Everything is possible with God. Who are we to defy the manner that God Himself has chosen for His Son to come to this world. This pattern of going to the Son through the mother is a fool proof plan after all it is the plan of God.  Do you feel at times that there is something that God can do for us that He has not done? I don't think so, He has done everything through Jesus Christ His Son. But if we sometimes feel this way then maybe it's time to check our blocked list and start unblocking those that keep us from receiving God's blessings.  This sharing by Bro. Bo Sanchez in Didache really touched me and I'm sure it will touch you, too.

BLESSING ACCOUNT

Imagine if one day I ask for your bank account number and tell you, “I’ve deposited one million dollars in your bank account.” Naturally, you’d laugh and say, “Sure, Bo. Thanks. That’s a good one.” Of course, you don’t believe I can give you a million bucks.

But let’s just say I really did put a million dollars in your account. Would you benefit from it?

No, you wouldn’t. Unless you believe that I really gave you a million dollars and withdrew it.

I believe God has deposited zillions of heaven’s resources to your Blessing Account. You’ve got all the love, joy, peace, wisdom, holiness and, yes — finances — that you need in this world to serve Him and live a happy life.

But much of these zillions of blessings are unclaimed because you say to yourself, “There are no blessings. God won’t bless me.”

Believe that your Blessing Account is full and withdraw from your account.

God created the entire universe for you — a universe of blessings that are only waiting to be claimed. Bo Sanchez

REFLECTION:                                             

Have you claimed from your Blessing Account?

Today, I claim from my Blessing Account all that I need. In Jesus’ name!

  

It boils down to one thing, only God can truly bless us in the most wonderful and everlasting way. Although God's mercy is enormous and endless, we should not take it for granted and think that we can do what we want right now in a wayward manner. It is only wise that we avail of God's mercy while we still can. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 (4)

R: O God, let all the nations praise you!

1 [2] May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us. 2 [3] So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. (R) 4 [5] May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. (R) 5 [6] May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you! 7 [8] May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

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

  

Matthew 14:1-12

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

BY FAITH

I have shared about church activities in honor of the feast of saints and really felt the impact and importance of such celebrations.  These festivities that we observe and celebrate have become an important and significant part of our being a Catholic. It has helped us remember and look closely at the good example of the life of these faithful followers of God. It also strengthens our faith and make us more appreciative, full of gratitude and commemorative of the great things that God has done for us and our ancestors who came long before for us and the coming generation. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Leviticus 23:1. 4-11. 15-16. 27. 34b-37

1 The LORD said to Moses, 4 “These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate at their proper time with a sacred assembly.

It is indeed another confirmation that today's psalm also speaks of solemn feast. It is a blessing to have the time to enjoy and celebrate these special occasions in our faith which has formed part of the Holy Tradition of the Church. Our Catholic Church has endowed us with a very sacred or apostolic Tradition. According to Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 82: As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."   St. Paul in 2 Thes. 2:15 said "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours." And so the Catholic Church is also consistent with the warning of St. Paul in Colossians 2:8,  "See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world  and not according to Christ." We should constantly listen to His voice and not be distracted nor tempted to change loyalty. It is in God alone that we can find true satisfaction. There is no in between with God. We have to be aware of the fact that we have to make a stand on which side we really are. We've got to make a commitment every single day and protect our faith. It is through good works and prayer that we can safeguard the victory that Jesus has already won for us since the enemy does not want to stop and continues to wage war on us, Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. There is no denying to Jesus saving and redeeming us from all our sins. Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us when He died on the cross and paid our sins but it doesn't mean that we are all bound for heaven. Our daily choices and actions could lead us to a path that may not lead to the pearly gates of paradise. We still have to work our way into that gate and not be lenient about guarding this gift of salvation which the enemy wants to steal from us. We are bombarded day in and out by the harsh reality of life and the influences of this world we live in. There is no cause for despair if we encounter these things. The Bread that God gives us will never cause us to hunger or thirst and will give us eternal life with God in heaven. If we have consulted and entrusted to God all our decisions and continue to believe then we can be assured that what God started in us, He will be faithful to complete. In the midst of all the commotion in our lives we need to press harder to hear God's voice and direct all our focus and attention in that one voice of God who alone can show us the right way and give us the right instructions. We have a God who constantly whispers in our ear in the midst of the noise created by our surroundings. All we have to do is press our ears closer to God and do as He says. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 81:3-4. 5-6. 10-11ab

R: Sing with joy to God our help.

2 [3] Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel, the pleasant harp and the lyre. 3 [4] Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast. R. For it is a statute in Israel , an ordinance of the God of Jacob, Who made it a decree for Joseph when he came forth from the land of Egypt . R. There shall be no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god. I, the LORD, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt . R.

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

Matthew 13:54-58

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