CLOSE ENOUGH TO WHISPER

We are so blessed to have a queen for a mother who is constantly on our side. I am a mother, too and imperfect but I guess being a mother to my 2 sons have surpassed any other emotion I have felt in my lifetime. This makes me feel so confident that the Blessed Virgin Mary who was assumed into heaven and crowned queen is the perfect mother for us. Fr. Tony in one of his homilies asked the congregation who the Ark of the Covenant is. As Catholics, we refer to Mother Mary as such because she became the bearer of Jesus, the one who brought Him to this world. She was given the singular grace of forming Jesus with her very own flesh inside her body. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes ways the sin of the world, the Covenant of God's love to His people. Today's reading tells us that victory has already been won when Mary cooperated with God in our salvation, said yes to God's plan and surrendered to God's will. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a teaching of the Catholic Church that we should all believe in. It is only right and fitting that the Mother of God be given the special privilege of not undergoing corruption of her human body which became the very flesh that formed our Savior Jesus Christ and be assumed into heaven body and soul. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars...Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One."

We are all on the building business, building a life that will endure, we are each a foreman to our building, we are own masters of our own faith. Others take a material to build a shack or a cathedral, or worse to build a tragedy , as William Shakespeare says, “to be or not to be” We are each given a bag of tools, a stepping stone or a stumbling block. The buildings we build could be tested in the loss of a loved one, broken relationship and the like. How we react to them depends on whether we have built a house on sand or rock, the test is the daily grind.  There is no end to the daily grind. We just have to live one day at a time. The success of our challenges depends on whether we have taken the words of our Lord seriously. To take the extra mile we must realize that nothing is built on hatred. Nothing lasts until it is built on love. Forgiveness is important. A person who is unforgiving suffers from various ailments. Pope John Paul II forgave the person who tried to kill him. Is the Lord right? Have we built our life on Him who is the rock? Or think that we know better. Our house is in ruin only when we invite the Lord to come can we make it a fitting dwelling. The only way to an everlasting love from which wells forth all other good things is to listen to God's voice and do as we are told. Whenever we ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary we can already imagine the Queen of Heaven in God's Kingdom mediating for us at the throne of the Most High God. I have this perfect trust in a mother like the Blessed Virgin Mary. I remember my 2 sons, Allan and Jude when they were still very young, the moment I come home from work they all get too excited and always looking forward to my kiss and embrace. That's why I also ran to the Blessed Mother with the same excitement that children have for their mothers. Mary is our queen who deserves everything that God has blessed her with. She is indeed an inspiration and model for us to follow. Where she is right now we also hope to be some day as we strive to become bearers of Jesus and formers of the image of God in our own way. Though, we can not physically give birth to Jesus we can spiritually give birth to Him in our hearts. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 45:10, 11, 12, 16

R: The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

10 [11] Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. 11 [12] So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord, and you must worship him...They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king.

We are victorious and reigning with Jesus. We are seated in heavenly places with Him. For God has the power, we should know no defeat only victory. Our God reigns forever more and He is victorious. To whom will we go but to the sure winner and the One who will emerge triumphant. It is all worth it and a win-win situation to give our all and surrender everything to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 15:20-27

...“he subjected everything under his feet.”...

During the time when I haven't given birth to Allan yet and Jude was the only son I had back then. He used to wait at our doorstep at exactly the time he expected me to come home. I used to hide behind our gate but my son Jude would become very excited to the point of like a panic state, this may sound a bit exaggerated, but what he did was grind his teeth while his body started to stiffen while extending both arms in a gesture that he wanted me to carry him. But things changed for Jude the moment I gave birth to Allan, he was happier and more secure being left at home knowing that he has a brother with him. I guess, the joy that Jude felt when his baby brother Allan came can be compared to the joy that St. Elizabeth and the baby St. John still in her womb, felt. Mary is sharing the joy of having Jesus to all of us. We like Mary, who is Mother of God, full of grace, blessed among women, and bore Jesus in her womb can also be blessed if we listen and observe the word of God. Mary's privilege and honor as the Mother of God is no doubt a singular grace given to her alone. She has been greatly blessed by God for being chosen to carry Jesus in her womb and nurse her. It has been written and foretold from generations past. There is no question about this as it is written in today’s gospel, "For he has looked upon his lowly servant; from this day all generation will call me blessed."  Though, Jesus in Luke 11:28 tells us that we are called to follow what Mary did when He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Predestination is one thing but to hear the word of God and observe it is another thing. We have all been given this option of being blessed as Mary is. All we have to do is to listen and obey.  God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus and I am sure that God did the right thing in choosing her for she responded to God in a perfect way that none of us her children would be in want or in trouble if we only come to her then we can be sure to also be with Jesus and be the happiest and most secure. Jesus has given her to us at the foot of the cross on that day He saved the world. We should not neglect this important truth that all of us are called to bless ourselves with. Having a loving and caring mother is one of the things every human being should be thankful to God for but more than this is the fact that we have a heavenly mother standing before God and pleading for all her children at all times. She is now in heaven with God and that gives her a place that is close enough to God to whisper in His ears whatever she asks for the sake of her children. If there's one thing we should not be forgetful of and always think about then this is it.

When Mary visited Elizabeth, she recognized right away not just the presence of her cousin Mary but the Mother of God. “When in the womb of their mothers, John the Voice and Jesus the Word met, the women raised their own voices in praise. Elizabeth praised Mary and her child; Mary turned the joy of them both into a hymn of praise to God.” This should move us to do the same thing and be able to recognize God's presence in our lives. It gives joy that only God can give us. Blessed is Mary for believing that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled. We can also come to a point when we can also sing our own "Magnificat" and raise our hands to God in prayer and thanksgiving for every gift He has given to us, even those gifts of sorrow. God is in charge and He will make all things work for the good.

The Graces of the Visitation 

The events of today’s mystery bring before the faithful in a peculiar manner the fact that our God is a hidden God, and that his power works in the soul in a secret and impenetrable manner. Four people are concerned in the occurrence we are celebrating: Jesus and Mary; St. John, and his mother St. Elizabeth. Now, it is most remarkable that of all the sacred personages the only one who seems to perform no particular action is the Son of God himself. Elizabeth, enlightened from on high, acknowledges the Blessed Virgin’s dignity and humbles herself deeply before her: “Whence is this to me?” (Lk. 1:43) John even within Elizabeth’s womb, feels his Divine Master’s presence, and shows his joy in a wonderful way: he “leaped for joy.” Mary, marveling at the great effects of divine omnipotence in herself, exalts the holy name of God and declares his munificence in her behalf, with her whole heart. But all this time Jesus Himself, hidden beneath his Mother’s breast, gives no sensible sign of his presence. He, who is the cause of the whole mystery, takes no active part in it.

            Strange as this may seem, it is not really surprising. Our Lord here hides his power intentionally, to show us how he is the invisible force that moves all things without moving himself, and directs all things without showing his hand. Hence, we shall find that though he may seem to be passive on this occasion his influence is fully apparent in the actions of the rest, whose movements are really all inspired by him alone. One of the greatest mysteries of Christianity is the holy union that the Son of God forms with us, and his secret way of visiting us… When God deigns to look upon us, we can but learn from Elizabeth how to reverence his supreme greatness by fully recognizing our own nothingness, and to acknowledge his benefits by confessing our unworthiness. Bishop Jacques Benigne Bossuet (1704) French Bishop and Theologian

The gospel also speaks of the child bearing of St. Elizabeth that was called barren and somehow it can be compared to becoming fruitful for the Lord. It challenges us to give birth to a blessing from out of nothing and trust the Lord's power to do it. Today's gospel in particular contains the Magnificat which has become a famous prayer and song for most Catholics. The Magnificat (Latin: [My soul] magnifies) — also known as the Song of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung (or spoken) liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the 8 most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn. The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55) where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with the future John the Baptist, the child moves within Elizabeth's womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings the Magnificat in response. The canticle echoes several Old Testament biblical passages, but the most pronounced allusions are to the Song of Hannah, from the Books of Samuel (1Samuel 2:1-10) Not many of us know that these words of Mary are taken from the very prayer of Hannah in the Old Testament. Even Mary, the Mother of God studied scriptures and used it to form part of her prayer. She was also knowledgeable of these holy men and women who lived way back in the Old Testament. If not she would not have used in the Magnificat the same words that Hannah prayed. Haven't we thought of it yet? We are better off in a way that we do not have just the Old Testament as guide for our daily living but the richness and fullness of the New Testament where everything is fulfilled. We are reminded not to forget to acknowledge the goodness of God in our lives. Sometimes we have a tendency to overlook or neglect this important thing of acknowledgement. This reminds me of a terrible mistake I did in the past. I had my thesis manuscript printed and bounded but forgot to include the acknowledgement page. When my adviser knew about it he kidded me by saying, "Thanks to I, me and myself." It's really important that we acknowledge people for what they did to us or most importantly God for that matter whom we owe everything. On top of that, the readings for today point to it as something we need to do and not overlook as demonstrated by these 2 popular and well loved personalities of faith. Mary's way of acknowledging the greatness of God is evident in the gospel today. Hannah and Mary both echo in their songs their deep gratitude for God. We, too in our own right can claim ownership to the Magnificat if we will only follow the example of a perfect response to God's blessing and call of these 2 women. We must proclaim the goodness of the Lord for all the good things He has done and for everything that comes our way. Just like them we should develop an attitude of complete trust in the Lord and reflect in our lives the gratitude we have in our hearts no matter what situation we are in. We can surely learn from their example and start developing in ourselves this sense of gratitude and acknowledgement to whom it is really due. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 1:39-56

39 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. 49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. 51 He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. 52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. 53 The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, 55 according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

EMPHASIS II

We were talking about the right time or age to die and a lot of answers and opinions came up with regards to this. One said she would not even think of reaching the age of 100 and mentioned one Senior citizen in the community who is already 86 and looks so tired and bent over already. Another one said she is not ready to die and doesn't want to think about it yet. Still another one just gave a smile and decided not to say anything. It was also yesterday when I heard someone narrated a very inspiring story of a person who almost died but was able to recover from her sickness and came back as a totally changed person. A lot of people could not even believe the dramatic change in her that everybody noticed how good she has become. Whenever death is being talked about there are a lot of different reactions, responses and stories being generated from people. A lot of comments and ideas were said and it even came to a point when we were already discussing about the extreme situations and were already laughing out loud. I guess, it doesn't really matter what age we die for as long as we are still able to reflect God in our life then we are indeed making the most of the life that is being given to us each day. It is very important to really prepare for that day when we will come face to face with God on our last day here on earth. I'm sure God heard everything that we said that day regarding death. Today’s 1st reading speaks about the death of Moses to augment the shortsightedness  of  how death should be viewed in order to put emphasis the importance of really paying attention to the Word of God. Moses reached the age of 120 and still a picture of God's greatness and glory and would forever leave behind a memorial of God's Almighty Power. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

...Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated...He had no equal in all the signs and wonders the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, 12 and for the might and the terrifying power that Moses exhibited in the sight of all Israel.

Looking back all these years at the glorious background of our faith that has been handed to us, we can say that we are so blessed among all of God's creation. We have been endowed with such a great blessing beyond our comprehension. Just imagine ourselves meeting someone who is very admirable and impressive, we can't help but be proud and share with others our wonderful experience. That's how it is with the apostles and even more once we've come to know God. We have to be strong and of good courage. Each and every moment is a clear manifestation of God's tremendous love. No words can ever be enough to describe it. Blessed is Mother Mary for believing that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled. We can also come to a point when we can also sing our own "Magnificat" and raise our hands to God in prayer and thanksgiving for every gift He has given to us even those gifts of sorrow. God is in charge and He will make all things work for the good. We have a God who is fighting our battles for us. God is in control. Although God will not stop every adversity but if we stay in faith, He will see us through. He did not promise life to be smooth sailing all the time but He definitely assured us of a safe landing. God has already lined up the right people, right places at the right time. He has prepared for our victory and so we should be ready for God's favor. I remember when we went to San Francisco we joined the bay cruise, were able to come up very close to the Golden GateBridge and went under it and see the amazing structures that hold it. The engineering of the bridge was amazing and very strongly built. During the cruise we got information that the bridge can withstand the powerful forces of the wind and can hold a tremendous amount of weight. It was as if this bridge was really built to last a long time and still be of service to various forms of transportation. Man's ingenuity is so impressive to come up with such a bridge that used to hold the world's longest suspension span record for a long time since 1937 when it was built. And what's amazing is that it continues to draw people to it up to the present time. Just like this bridge we have to be strong and of good courage as spoken of in Joshua. We can always render service to God in our own personal humble and little ways. And be assured that the Big Boss does not fail a single moment in fully compensating all the work that has been rendered for Him. I know that someday these things that used to impress us will cease to amaze us any longer once we've reached the place that lead us to our eternal destiny with our Almighty God. Today's psalm reading suggests a scene that pictures God's footprints side by side with each person. God makes Himself known to all in every part of the world and every where we turn is indeed a declaration of  God's undeniable presence. Let's open up our senses to the Lord's call and take action. We should give back to our Life Giver what is due Him who make us live another day in order to continue proclaiming God's goodness and mercy. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 66:1-3a. 5 and 8. 16-17

R: Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

1 Shout joyfully to God, all you on earth, 2 sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. 3 Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds! (R) 5 Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. 8 Bless our God, you peoples, loudly sound his praise. (R) 16 Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. 17 When I appealed to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue. (R)

God will always and without fail make His presence felt at all times if we will just seek Him in all the things that we think, say or do. He will always assure and confirm us especially in times of trouble and distress. He is always with us, will never leave nor forsake us. I know that with God there is no such thing as coincidence only Divine intervention. There was a time when I've been wanting to find this specific passage in today's gospel but I just can't locate it in the bible. I even quoted it in the letter I made for a friend and wanted so much to include the specific book, chapter and verse where to find in the bible but I was not able to do so. It is indeed a pleasant surprise that what I was trying so hard to look for is now in today's gospel which emphasized even more the message I was trying to convey to her. Another important thing that I have been reminded once again is the truth that to be a part of a community of believers is really valuable. The gospel today affirms and confirms it because Jesus Himself advises us to have someone whom we can pray with. But in connection with the reality of the presence of guardian angels there is never a single moment in our life when we are alone, all we have to do is acknowledge their presence and call on them to say our prayers with them which means that even though we can not see them physically present we can rely on them to always pray and be with us. Psalm 91:11-12 he has given his angels orders about you to guard you wherever you go. They will carry you in their arms in case you trip over a stone. 

Surely what He tells us is something that we can hold on and take to heart seriously. His great and steadfast love for us is new every morning. We can no longer deny the truth that the hand of God is always reaching out to us. Whether we reach out to Him too is all up to us. I was reminded to share about the talk of Charles Whitehead at the SCRC. It is well fitted for the readings today especially his experience on the train while riding with a bum or a punk. He described him with a shocking orange hair standing on its ends and got the surprise of his life when he felt a prompting of the Holy Spirit to tell that man standing right next to him that he has nice hair. At first he was hesitant but he finally gave in and told it to the man. With a loud and somewhat irritated voice the man snapped at him, Why did you say that for? He mastered all his strength in order to have the courage to answer him that he is a charismatic and the Holy Spirit prompted him to say that. He wasn't prepared for the response because the man asked him if the Holy Spirit has something to do with Jesus and told him that for days he has been thinking about him. He excitedly responded yes to him and that was the start of the man's conversion when he asked him if he could spend time with him and tell more about Jesus. Charles Whitehead decided for love when he risked being mugged by that punk in the train. When he courageously obeyed God he witnessed a surprising conversion of a bum. 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 or outrightly refused and rejected it. Whichever way we chose to do it before let us resolve to respond positively to God from now on. It took one courageous step on the part of Charles Whitehead and a beautiful story of conversion unfolded before him. It's about time we start doing the same thing and win them over to God's side. There is this song that I really like which has the words, "If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you, to get a touch from the Lord is so real." We could really feel God touching our lives every single day if we only draw near to Him instead of shutting God out of our life. We may or may not be aware of it but we are definitely capable of doing this. It may sound petty for some but not a single day passes without God drawing near to us in different ways. Sometimes we just fail to see it anymore when our actions bring us farther away from God. If all our words, thoughts and deeds are always focused on God then everything else will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

Holy gospel from Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector...Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

EMPHASIS

We just can’t help it at times when we start having some kind of scary or bothersome thoughts going on inside our minds. We just don't know why we suddenly have these thoughts entering our minds all of a sudden. God has endowed us with spiritual warfare weapons that we could use to battle the enemy. The talk of Bro. Bo Sanchez discussed about these weapons and they are the following. 1. Righteousness. Obey God and do not sin. 2. Worship. When we worship and praise God in spirit and in truth, the enemy crumbles down. 3. Intercession. God included this in the strategy of things that we should pray for our brothers and sisters in need. 4. Evangelization. We need to take part in God’s call to spread the Word. 5. Mercy work. 6. Binding the strong man. Cast away our fears and habitual sins.  Today's 1st reading is very clear that God wanted to emphasize to us these words of assurance that there is no need to be afraid for He will always be with us in all our battles. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

...Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them,...for you must bring this people into the land which the LORD swore to their fathers ...“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” 

There is really nowhere else to go but to God. His greatness is undeniable and displayed throughout all the ages. There is no doubt that only He can make all things beautiful. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Deuteronomy 32:3-4ab. 7. 8. 9 and 12

R: The portion of the Lord is his people.

3 For I will sing the LORD’s renown. Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God! 4 The Rock — how faultless are his deeds, how right all his ways! (R) 7 Think back on the days of old, reflect on the years of age upon age. Ask your father and he will inform you, ask your elders and they will tell you.

If we are just going to look back and recall all the things that have happened in our life then we can never deny the presence of guardian angels as spoken of in today's gospel. God always makes His messages known to us in various ways but He confirms them to us too. God is assuring us that there is no need to be afraid because He directs us always to the right path and if ever we are led astray He constantly searches for us to lead us back to Him. We should remain eternally trusting in our faith in God as a child is with his/her parents. It is faith that must become the foundation of all that we do. God wants to clearly make a stress on this point that He is always with us and knows our deepest thoughts and concerns. If we are just going to look back and recall all the things that have happened in our life then we can never deny the presence of guardian angels as spoken of in today's gospel. There is this very interesting detail I read with regards to the instinctual behavior of oriental breed sheep whenever they get lost. According to this study, upon sensing such a misfortune, they stop their frantic wandering and just stay still. Instead of searching the right way on their own, they prefer to sit still and just wait instead until they are found by the shepherd. This somehow explains how Jesus in today's parable left the 99 in search of the astray. In our own lives we, too experience being lost and led astray. Sometimes we are too wrapped up in our problems and miseries that we just kept on searching for ways and means to get out of it. The more we do this the more exhausted we become and the less likely we find a solution. God our Father and Good Shepherd knows exactly what we are going through and He already figured out what to do. Instead of relying on our own efforts which are obviously no match for God's plan and design we might as well stop our frantic wandering and just stay still if we want God to find us. Another interesting message in today's gospel reading is the fact that the quantity is irrelevant and looks after every person for God cares for each one of us. God wants to put emphasis on this point that He is always with us and knows our deepest thoughts and concerns. Jesus makes all things possible for we are adopted sons and daughters of God.

Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 18:1-5. 10. 12-14

...“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

AWESOME GOD

I had the chance to attend a healing mass with Fr. Robert Faricy, SJ as the celebrant.  It was quite an experience because it is not like the healing masses I’ve attended before. Fr. Robert gave a talk together with Sis. Cheryl Nguyen about the healing of the family tree. The gospel is about the geneology of Jesus and he said that the family tree of Jesus is healed in Joseph and Mary, the 2 most righteous human beings, next to Jesus of course, that ever walked on earth.  Every new generation creates problems. He mentioned the need to pray for our own family tree especially for inherited and learned behaviors that cause us to sin. He emphasized the importance of prayer and 2 important things that we need to do when we pray. There are times when we get distracted while praying so the first thing we do is to pray our distraction. Whatever it is that is distracting us in prayer we should lift it up to God. If this is not applicable then the 2^nd thing he taught us is to say the name of Jesus in our hearts.  Prayer should be from the heart and not from the head. We should invest time in prayer. Any relationship is a commitment, an ongoing and daily basis. We can not take a vacation from a relationship and this is how our relationship with Jesus should be. It is also important that we ask the intercession of the Blessed Mother.  Mary understands what we are going through. There is nothing she doesn’t understand because she experienced the killing of her Son. It may seem like prayer doesn’t work at times especially during those dark moments in prayer but it works.  If we commit to Jesus then He will give us the graces to sustain our relationship with Him. We will just find ourselves loving more and sinning less. The Holy Mass has more meaning, the bible becomes alive and we start knowing what God wants us to do in our lives.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

… Think! The heavens, even the highest heavens, belong to the LORD, your God, as well as the earth and everything on it… Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and be no longer stiff-necked. For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes; who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him…The LORD, your God, shall you fear, and him shall you serve; hold fast to him and swear by his name. He is your glory, he, your God, who has done for you those great and terrible things which your own eyes have seen…

No matter what we're going through we can always rely on God to uphold and defend our cause. If we claim to be true followers and believers of our Lord Jesus Christ then we can put a claim on these same blessings and privileges bestowed on the chosen people of God. His covenant with His people is everlasting. There is a big difference between a covenant and contract. A contract is an agreement which is all about an exchange of goods while the covenant is an exchange of relationships. God wants to have a relationship with us first and foremost and through it everything else will follow. No poet, writer or artist can ever describe in words or paint in canvass the love of God. For the immensity of its beauty and glory is immeasurable and beyond understanding.  The readings for today point to the fact that we have a responsibility in our hands if we truly claim that we are a people of God. We have to follow and obey God at all times which can only be done and fulfilled if we have full knowledge of what God wants us to do. We’ve got to realize the most essential and important things in life that we sometimes lose sight of and tend to neglect. Let us not be dissuaded nor distracted by the allurement of this world and end up losing what really matters most. Our God is Perfect but we are still part of this imperfect world thus we are bound to experience the daily struggles of life. This reminds me of this incident when this lady who was already very careful in her movements still ended up scraped in her arm. She didn't even figure out how it could have happened. When we bump into something we usually develop a bruise but we would sometimes find one without knowing how it came to be. We sometimes get wounded and bruised even before we know it. Take the example of those people who are taking medications (anticoagulants) that predispose them to bruise easily. Well, things happen even if we do not want or expect it but we can always draw strength and inspiration from today's psalm knowing that God is our Mighty Healer and Savior. There are times when we are in a hurry to work things out on our own and forget to peacefully surrender all our concerns to God. That's when we end up tired and beaten because we've used up all the energy of our mind, body and soul. It's what usually happens to most of us when we are confronted with dilemmas.  If we have learned how to truly wait for the Lord then we are not far from that place of peace where God is leading us. If we look back at what we've been through especially our trials and difficulties, then we can only feel so blessed and find gratitude in our hearts for all the things that lead to now. It will always be good to undergo trials and hardships in life and remain steadfast in the Lord for everything will pay off in the end. Not a single thing that we've been through for the glory of God will ever be in vain. Victory is indeed for those who acknowledge the Son Of God, Jesus Christ. It is only right that we give all glory, honor and praise to God. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 147,12-13.14-15.19-20.

...Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem; Zion, offer praise to your God,

Who has strengthened the bars of your gates, blessed your children within you, Brought peace to your borders, and filled you with finest wheat. He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! 16 He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them.

When we meet people that we like we long to be in their company and start to develop a bond with them. The more we know them and spend time with them the better our relationship becomes. People we like and admire are a delight to be with. There are certain qualities that make us feel this way for some people. This is because we want to be close to them who are good company. This does not come as a surprise because it is only natural for us to be attracted to pleasant people. Today's gospel shows us a lot of things about Jesus. Not just pleasant ones but divine revelations. This is not just attractive but amazingly unbelievable. Can we imagine someone  telling us exactly what is about to happen and it did happen. This is what Jesus did in the 1st part of the gospel. He revealed to His disciples about His passion, death and resurrection. In the latter part, Jesus even asked Peter about the tax even before he had time to speak and gave him specific instructions as to where to find the money to pay the tax. These are all extraordinary and supernatural events that only point to one thing, He is an awesome God, All Powerful and worthy to be praised and adored. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 17:22-27 (or Luke 12:22-46)

22 As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” 26 When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. 27 But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”

INTUITION OR ESP

Even before things happen to us we already knew. In women, they call it intuition when even before finding out or seeing it with our very own eyes we already had a hunch or clue that it is going to happen. In people who are consistently loyal to God, it may not be called intuition but it is definitely something greater that this or the so called ESP (extra sensory power). Some people may doubt or question the credibility or authenticity of some things, circumstances and events following, surrounding or accompanying our faith in God. We can just let them be and continue on just like our fathers in today's 1st reading when they knew beforehand, not perhaps or maybe but with sure knowledge. Amen. Hallelujah!

Wisdom 18:6-9

6 The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. 7 Your people awaited the salvation of the just...

Nothing is hidden from God and everything is known to Him. It pays to always consult our plans to God in prayers and everything we intend to do we should lay down before Him and seek His approval. He will never deprive us nor withhold from us the answers that we seek. If we sometimes forget these and tend to stray away from the right path then we should always be aware that everything that we say, think and do must always have reference to God our Creator. It may have happened to most of us when we get disappointed at how we still miss something so quickly despite our close watch. We sometimes end up confused and discouraged when things don’t happen the way we expect it despite our accurate and strict monitoring. We even ask ourselves how it could have happened. We may have heard and seen some terrible and frightening things in our life but we should always hold on to the truth that no matter how horrible the things that are happening around us they don't change the fact that our Lord is God and always in charge and in control. It doesn't matter that much how we think and feel but what matters most is how to feel and think just like God. For we can always rely and depend on it, 100%, fail proof and success guaranteed. We should place our trust not in men or in things but in God alone. The Lord did not promise us to be totally problem free but He gave His assurance that He will always be our Savior and Redeemer. God's power is beyond our full comprehension. He is Holy, Mighty, Immortal and Infinitely Great. Did it ever occur to you how all these things that surround us, from the skies, to the mountains, plains, the seas, the wind, all the heavenly bodies above, the things down below, all the creatures of the earth especially us, human beings came to be. Not a single theory about creation could suffice and would ever satisfy the wonders and marvelous things that God has done. Just thinking about all these things should make us always put our hope in Him, feel confident and assured that we are safe under His care, to help us from all our problems and shield us from all harm. It is a consolation to know that we are constantly assured by God especially in today's psalm to never doubt His power and goodness. His loving eyes is always upon us not leaving us for a single moment nor removing his stare even with a wink of an eye. It feels good to know that someone's eyes are upon us and looking after us. When we come to a point of despair and feel like things are not getting better, we ought to remember always that we are God's people and we are His own. Let us ask the Lord to lead us to the right path and decisions that we may work toward the building of God’s kingdom here on earth. We should not give room to any doubt, fear, anxiety, impatience, irritability, hatred, sadness, iniquity, unfaithfulness, disloyalty, pride and loss of self control. Let us not choose to give in to these. They are all characteristics that should not be found in a people the Lord has chosen to be His own. Our present situation may not be a perfect picture yet but we should all rejoice and be glad knowing that God was the one who chose us first and He will carry us through. All we have to do is just trust that the Lord will carry out with perfection all His plans for us no matter what situations or circumstances may arise in our midst. When God created this world and everything in it including us, He did not ask permission from anybody. It means that He has chosen us to be His own and not the other way around. This is the reason why the fallen angels/demons are so jealous of men. We are indeed special in the eyes of God for it is written in Gen 1:26, "Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion..." We are not just chosen by God to be His own even before everything came to be but we are on top of His creation. Let us never lose sight of this wonderful plan that God has for all of us. We may not be seeing it right now, having doubts about it, not paying attention to it or unable to commit to it. Whatever it may be, these are all hindrances that prevent us from gaining access to the goodness of the Lord. Never allow ourselves to miss out on this privilege that is accorded to all of us as the children of God. God chose us first and it is only right and fitting that we choose Him too. If we always focus on the Lord and put His words in our presence at all times then we can be assured that we have a lamp unto our feet that is lighting our path. We have to entrust all our cares and worries to the Lord for He can do better things for our lives than all our works combined. No matter how hard we try to succeed in what we do if it's not in accordance to God's plan then nothing will ever come out of it. We may succeed in one aspect but we will never be totally at peace for in the end it will always be the will and plan of God that will prevail. We just have to acknowledge that we are sparing ourselves of all the trouble and heartaches if we will just be obedient and completely trust in the Lord's plan. Let us truly be wise in the real sense of the word rather than of the world and not forfeit all our benefits from the Lord. We all have our personal plans and designs and we may not be able to fully understand what is going on at the present time. It is not easy for the wisdom in the eyes of God is foolishness to the world but what's most important is that we should always consult everything to God first, just believe and surrender everything to Him for He knows best. We have to realize this one most important truth that we should all subscribe to, which is to constantly align ourselves and conform to the will and plan of God in our lives. The power of God knows no limits and we can always rely on Him for anything that we are in need. Let us rely on God's power and completely trust Him to bring to fulfillment everything that He has promised. Just like the Blessed Mother Mary, who is Queen of heaven and earth, we too are destined for victory and royalty. If only we live out the example of her obedient life and carry Jesus in our hearts. Let us not lose hope and have faith in the Master Plan and Grand Design that God has for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Psalm 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20, 22 (12b)

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

...See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

Father Abraham has indeed set a good example of faith for us all to follow. It was evidenced by his willingness to go forth even without knowing where he was to go, remaining faithful in a God who is trustworthy and being rewarded with Isaac as a symbol. When we were young we just follow where our parents lead us. We ought to be like little children with hands clasped by our loving parents trusting that they will not lead us to a place of danger. This should be our attitude towards God knowing that He will not allow us to go through something without seeing us through it. Just like Abraham in today's 1st reading when he went out not knowing where he was to go but by faith he sojourned. This reminds me of Father Benedict’s homily about Isaac. He said that Isaac was very unsuspecting and very trusting. He was already being led by his own father, Abraham to his death but he still asked in the most innocent way in Genesis 22:7-8, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. “Father!” he said. “Yes, son,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?” “Son,” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.” Then the two continued going forward. We must also develop this same kind of trust in God for us to get to where God has destined us. This is where the theory of decide vs. discover apply. We can’t say that we know everything. We only decide on what we know. Only God knows everything. In times when we are at a loss it is best to trust God to decide for us while we discover. A distinguishing mark of Christians is the fact that they have a future it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general that their life will not end in emptiness. Only when the future is certain as a positive reality does it become possible to live the present as well. The Pope reminds us that this perspective does not mean that we live only for the future. People of hope are building up a kingdom on earth but is also on a pilgrimage to that eternal kingdom God has in store for those who follow Him. Poet Robert Browning said, “our reach must be beyond our grasp or what’s a heaven for.” Hope is a future oriented virtue. It acknowledges that there is a future awaiting us that there is much much better than the present. The virtue of hope and its orientation in the future enables us to handle present distresses and struggles in a positive way. Amen. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen...By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place...he went out, not knowing where he was to go...By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age — and Sarah herself was sterile — for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy...By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,...He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol. All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

God is fair and just in all His ways. We can rely on Him to carry out everything perfectly. We should be relieved in the fact that everything will come to pass in His perfect time in accordance to God's standard and not ours. In the meantime, we should always be prepared. If we don't know what to expect then we are at a loss. Jesus in today's gospel tells us that sooner or later we will all come face to face with God on our last day here on earth. No one can deny the fact that we will all die and it is something that we must not be afraid of. Instead we should all be ready for it when it comes and while we still have time. There is always hope as long as we live. Those who have prepared and acted in vigilance will never be caught unaware. Nothing beats those who are always ready and prepared. We have a responsibility in our hands and we are accountable for it. Let us do all in our power to measure up and give it our best. We sometimes get shocked at how this modern world of ours have drifted further down the pit of moral decay and got into the lure of what seemed to be the accepted and existing norms of our society. It is so difficult most especially for us trying to live the call of Jesus in our lives. It looks like wherever we go we are faced by these challenges. Sometimes we feel like people have no more room for godly talk. Just when I thought that we're running out of godly resources in our environment today's gospel suddenly reminded me of the movie, "Spiderman". I can consider the following words of Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility" a modern version of this bible passage that I have quoted below. Although we are sometimes overwhelmed by the discouraging reality of the kind of world we live in, God never runs out of occasions and circumstances to always reinforce His words which serve as guiding principles in life that can always keep us attuned and conformed to Him rather than to this present world. Although there are times when we find ourselves overwhelmed by the tasks in our hands, we should be glad and rejoice that we are continuously being entrusted with responsibilities knowing that God will not give us anything that we can not accomplish. There is a need to be really vigilant at all times. Being always on the watch and careful of our actions at all cost. We must admit that there are moments when we become out of focus but God has always been faithful in giving us reminders. We need to have the confidence and conviction that we are where we are and doing what we are doing today because God has lead us to it. If such is the case then there is no reason to be afraid for we will surely be blessed. Today we should commit ourselves to the vigilant waiting for the Lord, for in Him alone, we place our trust. Doing God's will in our lives at all times is a sure way of preparing for the 2nd coming or the return of Jesus. There were lots of predictions as to when will this day come. Sometimes we lose track of what the 2nd coming of Jesus is all about and tend to be out of focus. Instead of focusing on the end of the world or the Armageddon in which the signs of the times that accompany the 2nd coming of Christ being proclaimed like the so called earthquakes, floods, fire and hailstorms and tornadoes are already happening and rattles us by causing so much fear, anxiety and confusion it would be better if we focus more on the reality that the Kingdom of God is at hand and is here right now within our individual selves. It would help us stay in focus and more in control if we concentrate more on our personal lives and mind our very own armageddon on our last day here on earth that we should all prepare for. Each day of our life is a battle being fought for the ownership of our souls that we really have to be mindful of right now, whether we will come to see the end of the world or not and it is coming soon or later that we really don't know. One thing is sure, we will all leave this earth and die and that is the reality that we all have to face and prepare for. During my nursing student days we used to make a lot of NCPs (Nursing Care Plan) especially in our clinical rotations in different hospitals. These NCPs based on our instructor's format are composed of 5 columns namely, ADPIE which stands for A- Assessment, D- Diagnosis, P-Planning, I-Implementation and E - Evaluation. We are able to carry out our duties well and give the optimum care to patients if we can come up with priority NCPs. It's just as the name itself says, nursing care plan with its important components (ADPIE). We all need to have a good NCP not just in the hospital setting but in our daily lives. In doing so we are well prepared and ready for anything that might or is bound to come up. If we are always on the look out and well equipped then we can picture ourselves just like those servants in today's gospel, truly blessed. There is really much and still more to learn from today's gospel. Jesus has left us with a vast resource of learning to attain to the kingdom of God. We could no longer make excuses for everything else has been provided for us by the Lord. If we will only take to heart and act with diligence all these wonderful advice or words of wisdom that Jesus has given us then we can definitely reach our God given destiny without fail. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Luke 12:32-48

...Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. 34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be...Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 35 Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 38 And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.” 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” .....Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. .....Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

PERCENT PROBABILITY

Our God is indeed a God who provides for everything we need. I was reminded of a friend who is worried about her job situation. I told her that her doubts and anxieties will not make things better in fact it may even worsen things. I shared to her about the fruits of the Holy Spirit which is love, peace, joy, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. If it produces none of these like worry and anxiety then those are not of the Lord's and every time we succumb to it then we give power to the opposite spirit or the enemy since we choose to bring about these fruits that are not of the Holy Spirit. I told her that she has to dispel right away these negative feelings whenever there is an occasion that leads her to it. I even laughed at myself when I told her about a point system. Every time she succumbs to these ill feelings then she is unconsciously although not deliberately willing it, giving the enemy the advantage to win in the battle by adding points to the opponent. I told her we have to be aware that we are engaged in a battle while here on earth and we have to consciously make a firm stand on which side we really are through our words, thoughts and actions. If we truly believe what is said in today's 1st reading then there is really no cause for us to even doubt that God is able to supply all that we need and multiply all our points to our advantage for His greater glory. We need not fear or doubt. When we encounter situations that make us lose our confidence and wear us down we should focus on what today's 1st reading is telling us. It is also important that we faithfully adhere to it. When we toil and earn a living, our harvest should be a product of righteousness. It is indeed a chain of kindness and goodness that continuously goes on and on. Amen. Hallelujah! 

2 Corinthians 9:6-10

6 Brothers and sisters: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver...God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work...The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God...

As human beings we all long to be loved and be in a relationship especially if we are in that stage of life defined by Erikson in psychosocial development which is love. The Intimacy vs. Isolation conflict is emphasized in this stage which is around the ages of 20 to 34. It is important that we enter into a relationship forming intimate, reciprocal relationships (e.g. through close friendships or marriage) and willingly make the sacrifices and compromises that such relationships require. Though, we are also aware of rejections such as being turned down or our partners breaking up with us. We are familiar with pain, and to some of us, rejection is painful; our egos cannot bear the pain. We should realize all the more the importance of establishing an intimate relationship for that matter with God always at the center.  If we allow God to take an active part in our life especially in our relationships then He will surely do. He will not intrude or trespass but if we will gladly invite and welcome Him then He will surely come to be with us. Just imagine having a good friend at our side ready to support and help us at all times. We will never be disappointed if we stick to God and all the things He stands for. In fact we will find that God can be our constant companion and friend, the greatest one we could ever get. It is never easy, we are still striving and sometimes struggling to do the work that God has lead us to do, nevertheless, we are hopeful and persevering that we can make a difference. Trustworthiness, honesty and sincerity is the key. Have you ever been in darkness that you can't see even the tiniest thread of light? I have been to such and know exactly how it feels to be trapped in darkness. We were in a cave and it was pure black. It felt good when a torch was lighted and shone through the darkness. We all depended on that light to take us where we were going. The same is true with our own lives when we stumble and fall and feel as if we are left all alone in the dark. We must not forget that there is a light that shines within us. God dwells in each one of us. If we conduct our affairs justly and not choose to do wrong then no darkness can terrify us. We can always rely on the words and promises of God for they are trustworthy. Despite all the negativities that assail us from day to day and the list is endless, we should remain hopeful and steadfast in the Lord for we are not relying on the limited efforts of human beings but on God. What are we willing to put at stake just to uphold our faith and confidence in God? Sometimes we are tested by the difficult circumstances that we are faced with and when these trying times come up our disposition in life tend to waver and we start to lose our ground. We can always come up with alibis and excuses most especially the overused line which is "The Lord will understand." Of course He will always understand but it is in these situations that we are being offered the chance of reaping bountifully instead of just sparingly. Let us not miss and always take advantage of every opportunity that the Lord sends our way to really take the challenge. To have the heart of a champion who knows no defeat only victory. It is time we discover who we really are in the eyes of God and prove what we are really made of. It is through the daily events in our life especially those that challenge us to go further down the road of life that can bring us to the peak of our faith. If we are always full of doubt and uncertainties it could mean that we are not confident of the greatest and sole source of blessings who is God Himself. Only the brave, daring and courageous make it big. But it is also true that the more daring we are the more chances we have of losing more. There is always a 50/50 probability whenever we place our bet on something. But if we are betting, giving our all and putting at stake all that we've got on the words and promises of our Lord then our probability turns into 100% certainty. If God says so then it is ultimately and without a trace of doubt very true. The light that is within us will surely break through the darkness and not have fear. Although many people misunderstand the fear of the Lord. Recalling the verse in Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10, the fear of the Lord is called the beginning or foundation of wisdom. In Proverbs 15:33, the fear of the Lord is described as the "discipline" or "instruction" of wisdom. They think that the fear of the Lord is something that is good to have when we first start out as a Christian, but that we should grow beyond it. That should not be the case; rather, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because it is one of the foundations of our religious life. It is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated in Isaiah 11:2-3. When we are infused with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit the way that Christ Himself would. It confirms the virtue of hope. We often think of hope and fear as mutually exclusive, but the fear of the Lord is the desire not to offend Him, and the certainty that He will give us the grace necessary to keep from doing so. It is that certainty that gives us hope. The fear of the Lord is like the respect we have for our parents. We do not wish to offend them, but we also do not live in fear of them, in the sense of being frightened. In other words, it is not a fear of punishment, but a desire not to offend God that parallels our desire not to offend our parents. This gift "fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread, above all things, to offend Him. It is always for our own good to have a holy fear in the Lord. It is not the same as fear in the sense that we are just compelled to do something solely because of fear but rather with love and respect. God is indeed one who speaks to us in many ways especially through the circumstances that surround us. He knows exactly the day and the hour and make everything fit perfectly according to His plan. Nothing can ever be wiser than a man who follows the Lord with all his mind, heart and soul. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 112:1-2. 5-6. 7-8. 9

R: Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

1 Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. 2 His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. 4 Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just... (R) 5 Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice; 6 he shall never be moved; the just man shall be in everlasting remembrance. (R) 7 An evil report he shall not fear; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.

The gospel for today says it all. We can never be too sure of anything in this world. Everything seems to be a risk. There are times when we thought we are already cautious and careful enough and yet we still inevitably encounter things that we thought were already taken care of. Or we thought everything has been laid out and well planned and yet still get caught unaware by the surprises in life. This leads us to conclude that in this present life we ought to take chances, be willing to stretch out ourselves, give it our best shot, not be afraid and go for it. Too many dos and donts and should have done this or that. Though we may also end up regretting things we have or haven't done. But at the end of it all it is always for the good to have tried and done our best than to have not tried and done anything at all. Especially if we are rooted in the Lord and at the heart of everything we do, even the tiniest and most simple task, is the motivation to offer it to God as a form of service and make it a pleasing offering to Him. Let us not lose heart and always stand firm in our faith in God as in solid rock. It is not an easy task but a very difficult one in this world we live in but let us hold on to God's words in today's gospel and not be moved. We should always follow and do what God wills for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

WANNA BET?

God has done a lot of wondrous and amazing things during the time of Moses and even up to the present time. It is undeniable that God continues to show signs, wonders and miracles in our lives. We simply have to examine ourselves closely and ask the same questions in today's 1st reading. Although we had not been in Egypt when those things happened, I am sure and it can not be denied that there had been times in our lives when we were in almost the same plight as the Israelites, in desperate need, great distress and have seen the saving glory and power of God. A promise is a promise. Surely our God knows how to keep and fulfill it because he is God. No one can deny that God has done great things for all of us and is displayed throughout the universe. Whenever we look at all the things around us and really fix in our heart the truth that there is none like our God then we are safe and secure in His loving care. Just remember that we are bound to keep the statutes and commandments of the Lord God and everything else will follow. Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Deuteronomy 4:32-40

...‘Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? All this you were allowed to see that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other...You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever.”

The words remember, meditate and discover what is made known to us are key words in today's psalm that we do not just say and think about but we really need to take action. These are things that can really help us in improving our relationship with God.

P S A L M

Psalm 77:12-13. 14-15. 16 and 21

R: I remember the deeds of the Lord.

...yes, I remember your wonders of old. 12 [13] And I meditate on your works; your exploits I ponder. (R) 13 [14] O God, your way is holy; what great god is there like our God? 14 [15] You are the God who works wonders; among the peoples you have made known your power...

Our journey with God is a continuous struggle to allow God's will to happen in our lives. We should strive to succeed in our transformation and achieve to have the mind and attitude of God. We have several selves we have to lose our sinful selves. St. Paul in Gal. 2:20 said, it is no longer I who lives. No coexistence but Jesus should take over.  There can never be anything more rewarding than possessing the greatest treasure in the whole wide world. Are you willing to give up everything just to take hold of it. If you are wise and smart then you must carefully decide what you consider most precious for you. Indeed, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul. It's wiser to invest on treasures that will benefit our soul instead of material wealth. Wanna bet? There are very difficult situations in life that we simply have to experience and go through. But whatever it may be it is of great consolation if these difficulties, trials and hardships that we are confronted with and encountering are offered to God as a form of sacrifice that will make us whom God meant us to be. If we know that we are always conformed and aligned with God's will and plan in our lives to become a pleasing sacrifice before Him then nothing that we go through and suffer is in vain. If man recognizes, acknowledges and gives tribute to the goodness of a person how much more can God give to those who faithfully follow and obey Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

 Matthew 16:24-28

24 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.