PRESS CLOSER

We could very well understand why people let go of a gasp, a sigh in disbelief or even exclaim and react strongly whenever we hear of stories which started out well but ended up in disappointment. A good storyline, is something that builds its peak as it goes along and sustains it as it reaches the climax in the end. Today's 1st reading as far as this principle is concerned is a flop based on how King Solomon's life started as a well celebrated and famous king of Israel whose wisdom was well known for all time but ended up in failure because he did not sustain and live up to the great inheritance and legacy that was handed down to him by his father, King David. Though, we could all learn a lesson from his story and pick up the good example from his life. We can all identify with King Solomon because we also have all been handed down an inheritance, legacy and royalty much greater than any wealth and power known to this world that is the love of God which crucified our sins on the cross and redeemed us all. It is now up to us to respond with all our gratitude, take a hold and never let go from our grasp this great gift we have been endowed with. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19
...the God of Israel, says, ‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp...

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 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15
R: I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
...“My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; 12 [13] so I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.” (R) 13 [14] “If only my people would hear me, and Israel walk in my ways, 14 [15] quickly would I humble their enemies; against their foes I would turn my hand.”

Today's gospel tells us of a deaf and mute person healed by Jesus. It is noteworthy that Jesus took him off by himself away from the crowd. We could somehow apply this to ourselves in the sense that we too have to take off by ourselves with Jesus on our side so that we can spend a one on one time with God and really focus and feel His presence in our lives. We have to press closer to God and huddle together just like spending quality bonding time with a loved one. It surely feels good. Is there anything more in our lives that we can't give to God in prayer without trusting and believing that He will do what is best for us? No impediment is big enough for God. He is able to carry us through anything. Whenever we make our choices we must be sure to choose the one that is the best which is to always choose God above anything else. For He alone is capable of making all things well now and forever. Sometimes we have a tendency to always focus on the outward appearances and results without paying much attention to the more essential things. Jesus did a lot of wonders, signs and miracles and there's no more doubt that He is indeed God and powerful. How come in today's gospel Jesus is telling those people who witnessed His miracles not to tell the others. I guess more than our admiration and awe for all the obvious and visible wonderful things He had done, what He desires most of all is for us to go deeper in our faith which relies not only on the visible and the outward signs and miracles but more on the unseen and the things that are hoped for and yet to be known. Sometimes our minds have already been programmed to praise and thank God for the answered prayers and granted heart's desire but we tend to question God when things don't turn out the way we expected them to be. If we have been genuinely awed and convinced of the power of God then no amount of disappointment or discouragement should keep us from consistently believing in a God who will always make things work for good no matter how unpleasant things may seem to appear if we know that God is in control then we can always have a happy disposition and hope always that the best is yet to come. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 7:31-37

...He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it. And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

TRUE FAITH

We should be very careful of the kind of company that we keep. In today's 1st reading we are told of the fate of King Solomon because of his intermarriages with women from other faith. We may not be practicing polygamy the way King Solomon did but we could be married in a sense to a person or thing if we have become joined in such a way as in blended flavors, which the dictionary uses as an example to further elaborate on the word, marry. In fact, I have often heard this joke in the Philippines when someone likes a person and they are always together, are very good friends although not romantically linked, they would say, " E di pakasalan mo" In English, marry him, her, or it because it could pertain to a person, place or thing.  Now it makes better sense if I would hear somebody throw a similar joke. To marry is a very strong word that it requires loyalty and total devotion. No wonder, the Catholic Church maintains its position regarding marriage and divorce. Today's 1st reading tells us of how the life of King Solomon which started so beautifully ended in misery all because he failed to uphold his faith and got carried away by the influence of his many wives. We must learn to stand up to be faithful to God and never compromise our morals. We need to protect our faith in God in various ways and one of the things we can do is to learn the lesson of King Solomon's story. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 11:4-13
4 When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God, as the heart of his father David had been...

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!

Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37, 40
R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people; visit us with your saving help. (R) 34 They did not exterminate the peoples, as the LORD had commanded them, 35 but mingled with the nations and learned their works. (R) 36 They served their idols, which became a snare for them. (R) 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 40 And the LORD grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance. (R)

In today's gospel we are being reminded to always keep our feet on the ground and always maintain a spirit of humility knowing that we are all sinners and if we will just come to God with this kind of attitude then God who can discern anything even those hidden in our hearts will surely grant all our heart's desires. We must be willing to accept whatever situation is pulling us down and offer it to God with all trust and confidence that He will make a way. This woman in today's gospel is pagan. Jesus didn’t want to preach in Tyre and didn't want anybody to know He was there. Jesus seems not inclined to grant the woman’s request. He says, “The children should be fed first, because it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Instead of leave, she agreed to what He said and remarked herself, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” She was full of faith, humility and love in her heart that Jesus said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. Jesus already healed many and He did so by personally and actually touching them or allowing them to touch Him. This time, Jesus performed a “remote healing.” for this woman's daughter. There is definitely and absolutely no barrier too strong, big and remote for the healing of Jesus to flow. It is in this extreme demonstration of faith coming from a pagan woman since birth that Jesus was compelled to pronounce an instant blessing. She may not be worthy to receive any blessing judging from her current status but God did not look on her sins but on her faith. In the same way that we, too are not worthy but as we profess in all the masses we attend to, only say the word and we will be healed. The gospel connects to the 1st reading in a way in what happened to King Solomon who had all the right qualifications being the son of King David but did not live up to his legacy. This woman may have not been born from a chosen race but had definitely lived up to the expectations of true faith in God and was rewarded.  Amen. Hallelujah!

 

Mark 7:24-30

Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

THE GRAVITY OF SIN

 We are all prompted to pray, be vigilant and wise at all times. Today's 1st reading tells us of Queen Sheba who went out of her way to find out for herself the truth about King Solomon. We, too are encouraged to be pro-active and take part in the activities of our community so that people will know that we have a God who blesses us tremendously each day. Amen. Hallelujah! 

1 Kings 10:1-10
...“The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true,” she told the king. 7 “Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes, I have discovered that they were not telling me the half. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. 8 Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD, your God, whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice.”...

Fr. Barry has this very strong gift of discernment because each of us who attended his healing had the same story to say. He was able to see and feel the inner depths of our beings and it feels good to know that God communicates His love and concern to us through this anointed priest. These past few years of our life, whether we admit it or not testify to the truth that most part of it surprises us at how things fell into place. Looking back at all of them, the people involved, how it all came to play and work out well, we just can't deny the fact that when we pray we are getting direction from above. In fact the schedule of all the tasks, social obligations and activities lined up to do, no matter how unmanageable it may seem if we entrust it to God with all our heart, mind and strength would be carried out in a way a Master Planner does. We have an awesome God who makes all things work for good. I know in my heart that God is always with us to build up our confidence and faith in Him in the midst of all our trials and hardships. Whether we realize this or not, He also make sure that when we get our share of trials we doubly get our share of consolations from God and even more. We just have to look beyond what this limited vision can take us. This reminds me of Miggy, my landlady's grandson.  When we brought Bernadeth home from our bible study this incident made me look at things differently from a little boy’s perspective. I had been to their place several times already and all I was able to say about it is that it's a very difficult climb when walking up to their place since it is almost like on top of a hill. It was only when Miggy being the child that he is, was able to see things differently as we headed home on our way down. He was able to see the very beautiful view of what's ahead of us while up there and said that he can see miles and miles away. Sometimes we really ought to become like little children and be more appreciative of what we have and hold at the present moment and look ahead with so much hope. We have to start seeing the beautiful things that are right in front of us that we usually do not notice and even see beyond our limited point of view instead of bragging about the things that we don't have knowing that our security lies in a God who grants our heart's requests. God gives us inspiration in today's psalm since He is giving us an assurance that He will never forsake nor abandon and will continue to look after all our needs. No matter how tough things may become for us we only have to shrug it off and step up. Just like the story of the donkey that fell into a pit. When the people decided that it would be too much trouble for them to get it out of there they just decided to bury it down there. Every time people would throw dirt and sand into the pit instead of wallowing up into self pity and despair what it did was shrug it off and step up. Before the donkey knew it was out of the pit. The same thing should be our attitude towards life. When somebody throws bad things at us just shrug it off and step up. Then focus on what today’s psalm is telling and we’ll surely get out of whatever pit we’ve fallen into. We can get very good advice from it. Every word tells us exactly the right thing to do. It brings forth peace and serenity in us. These come from knowing that we can rely and depend on the words of God to do what it says it would do. Are we really convinced that God is able to do everything for our sake? Let us ponder upon the words of the psalm reading and try our very best to do what God wills in our life with the conviction and belief that anything that is for God's greater glory is in truth for our own sake and benefit. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40
R: The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.

5 Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. (R) The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom and his tongue utters what is right. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps do not falter. (R) 39 The salvation of the just is from the LORD: he is their refuge in time of distress. 40 And the LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (R)

We ought to be very careful in the conduct of our affairs. We may think that we are good enough Christians and not missing on the obligations we are all expected to fulfill. Today's gospel gives us a specific account of the things we must avoid doing. These are things that stain our soul. If we don't watch it, we may be going through life without realizing that we've made a mess of our souls. We may be looking all good on the outside but full of filth in the inside. When we leave earth we don't bring our bodies with us. We leave them behind what we bring with us is our soul. Only God’s love can transform us. It draws us from the gravity of sin that pulls us away from God. The heart is the center of man. Let us make sure we render it clean all the time so that when the time comes we can finally inherit the gift of eternal life. As in Rev. 7:14, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Every single thing has been spelled out for us by Jesus in order for us not to be led astray. We can no longer make excuses and justifications. No need to confuse ourselves any further with the rigid rules of our faith. All we have to do is come to Him in prayer at all times. God can make all things possible. We simply have to decide for God who is love in all our actions. We should always trust that God would do for us exactly what He deemed is best for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” ...“But what comes out of a person, that is what defiles. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”

GO BACK TO THE SOURCE

This week is a very busy one at St. Martha’s since there is a homeless sheltering and feeding scheduled there. This activity is a picture of love and compassion for our needy brothers and sisters in Christ. People who are able to serve them in such an activity have always the same thing to say which is it gives them a sense of fulfillment to be part of it. It gives a feeling that God is so pleased with such activities. On top of these civic works that we do for our less fortunate brothers and sisters it is also imperative that we pray for them hoping that someday they would be able to rise up from their present situation. It is not just a prayer for them but for each one of us to strive to not just become a better person for the Lord but the best. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30

...Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day...

Have you ever felt so at home in a certain place that you feel like you can stay there for a long time? I did. I have met these people who are so welcoming and accepting and it feels like I can stay with them for the longest time. And to think that these people are the ones I hardly even know, so just imagine how it would feel like dwelling in the house of the Lord as spoken of in today's psalm. We ought to be aware of that big difference always. It is a matter of dwelling in a place where there is eternal life of peace and joy or damnation. Our earthly bodies will naturally yearn for earthly desires which are just bound to last only here on earth. We've got to really get it straightened out and listen to the yearning of our souls which will outlast this world. In heaven we will be glorified magnificently. We will live forever with strength, power, beauty and sharing a new humanity with Jesus. There is no place else we would rather be than in God's dwelling place. We all hope to wear that crown of heaven and take our place in God's kingdom.

We have to go the extra mile always in doing everything in love. For God is love and He is in us. We should also be careful not to taint and mess up ourselves and this is only possible if we take good care of God's dwelling place as suggested in today's psalm. We are the temple or dwelling place of God and this we should know by now and always be aware of. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 84:3. 4. 5-6a and 8a. 11

R: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

 [3] My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) 4 [5] Happy they who dwell in your house! Continually they praise you. 5 [6] Happy the men whose strength you are! Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage 7 [8] They go from strength to strength. (R) 10 [11] I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R) 

The Pharisees and the scribes in today’s gospel are so obsessed about the tradition but have missed the most important point. The scribes and Pharisees put a fence around the law to make sure they do not break the law. An example of this is the 2nd commandment which is “Thou shall not use the Lord’s name in vain.” In order to make sure that they don’t break the law they were not allowed to even say the Lord’s name at all. Jesus does not tell us that tradition is bad but if it goes to the point of disregarding the spirit of the law which is love then it is just for nothing because it does not please God at all. Since it goes beyond to the point where some use the details of the law to undercut the law. The worst part here is when criminals go free. This mentality applies to certain laws. In everything we do we have to be clear with our motivations and agenda that we don’t tip the scale and do one thing for the extreme reasons and neglect a whole lot of things. This reminds me of certain rules that we needed to strictly follow during the feeding of the homeless like the wearing of hairnets and gloves. We found out that there was a particular incident in one Church during a feeding when somebody was sued for not wearing a hairnet while in the kitchen. Sometimes these rules which were meant to protect the people can be used to the detriment of unsuspecting people most especially the ones who only meant to help and be of service to the needy. What God is telling us is to go back to the source of scriptures and not use our own imagination to use the law for our personal agenda. We sometimes hear people say that they do not have any sins since they have not killed anybody. Sometimes we tend to make a criminal like Al Capone as the norm. We have to stop comparing ourselves to the worst kind of criminals. We have to go back to the real source of the scriptures and the laws. Jesus is our moral source and He should be our model. What God intends us to do is to examine our conscience to live our Christian life well. We need to prepare for a deeper repentance so we don’t get called hypocrites by our Lord but instead welcome us to fidelity to Him and the gospel. We ought to be very careful in the conduct of our affairs. We may think that we are good enough Christians and not missing on the obligations we are all expected to fulfill. Today's gospel gives us a specific account of the things we must avoid doing. These are things that stain our soul. If we don't watch it we may be going through life without realizing what we've made of our souls. We may be looking all good on the outside but full of filth in the inside. When we leave earth we don't bring our bodies with us. We leave them behind what we bring with us is our soul. Let us make sure we render it clean all the time so that when the time comes we can finally inherit the gift of eternal life. As in Rev. 7:14, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Let us not end up beyond recognition by the Lord and be told as spoken frequently in the gospels, I do not know you. Every single thing has been spelled out for us by Jesus in order for us not to be led astray. We can no longer make excuses and justifications. No need to confuse ourselves any further with the rigid rules of our faith. All we have to do is come to Him in prayer at all times. God can make all things possible. We simply have to decide for God who is love in all our actions. We should always trust that God would do for us exactly what He deemed is best for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 7:1-13

...So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.” You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”

THE CLOAK

St. Martha's Church have been sponsoring the sheltering and feeding of the homeless. In fact several volunteers coming from different ministries and prayer groups in the parish have made themselves available for this activity. It is a pooling of resources which amounted to something big. It became a venue of good works where the Lord abides forever for where there is love there is God. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13

...Then Solomon said, “The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud; 13 I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever.”

There is no doubt that God is able to fulfill all His promises and carry out everything that He said. A confirming event that I consider very special was whenever we chance upon Fr. Mike Barry. We have been following him wherever he has a healing session nearby and to have an unexpected chance of attending mass celebrated by him is something I consider a great blessing and indeed a very pleasant surprise. It has always brought joy to all of us most especially to me. He is a priest whom I consider my personal prophet due to the many times I have personally experienced his gift of discernment and prophecy which I have shared several times already in my previous reflections. I have been getting messages of confirmation through the things he said to me about my PAST and affirmation through the things that are happening to me at the PRESENT thus giving me hope for the things that I have been praying for and are bound to come in the FUTURE. These things happen one after the other in an orderly sequence every time he prays over me despite the fact that he doesn't know a single thing about me. Although he didn't say the homily and did not conduct a healing session I was able to get another confirmation through Fr. Alex Amayin who said in his homily at that same time that, "The Word of God is like rain, it will not go back to the clouds without fulfilling first its purpose of watering and nourishing the earth and its vegetation in the same way that His words will not go back to Him without doing what it said it would do. We should also be proud of our parents. They may not be perfect but they are the arms that cradled us when we were still babies, guided us through the different stages of our lives and stood with us through thick and thin. So wherever they may be now whether still living or resting in peace let us give back to them the honor and praise they deserve. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 132:6-7, 8-10

R: Lord, go up to the place of your rest!

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. Let us enter into his dwelling,

let us worship at his footstool. R. Advance, O LORD, to your resting place, you and the ark of your majesty. May your priests be clothed with justice; let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.

For the sake of David your servant, reject not the plea of your anointed. R.

The homeless people are everywhere there's an activity like the Coalition for the Homeless. They have flocked around at St. Martha's for days so as to avail of these services and benefits being provided for them. In fact several prayer groups and ministries are not able to conduct their regular meetings there because the rooms are being used for this purpose. In the same way the people in today's gospel scurried about just to get near Jesus and be healed. They are both in need of something they lack thus they scurry about to get near the source of this need. We may not be homeless and sick as these people in the gospel and in St. Martha's but just like them we, too need to scurry about to Jesus who is the source of all healing be it physical or spiritual. More than 2000 years ago, Jesus in His earthly ministry was perceived by the crowd as Healer. They believed that even the tassel of His clothes can bring about healing. Jesus may not be present to us anymore walking in physical form of flesh and blood like He did before but we must realize that He makes Himself available to us to be touched through the sacraments. In the pouring of the water and oil those things themselves, heal not because of the properties it has but because of Christ. He instituted these things as an extension of His flesh. He took flesh in the womb of Mary in order that we may be recreated through the experience of His flesh. It is nice to think about the connection of the pen and the hand to write a book. The ability to write in connection to the soul acts through the hand with a tool such as the pen. Today's gospel illustrates us these wonderful connections that we can benefit from as believers of Jesus. The tassel connected to the human body of Jesus has the ability to heal. In the same way that the 7 sacraments is God and the presence of Jesus’ flesh that heals. We must thank God for the sacraments that we can each receive to fulfill what creation was meant for from the beginning. The 7 days of creation and the 7th day, the Sabbath. We must not neglect this truth and through grace we must prepare ourselves for this. We thank God that we can touch His cloak in the sacraments. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 6:53-56

...They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.

SALT & LIGHT

Nothing that we do for our brothers and sisters especially for the least of them would go unnoticed by our Heavenly Father. He knows and sees all. Thus it is always for the best that we strive to be good not only to ourselves but to others as well. We can never out give God. He is generous beyond our comprehension, as in Luke 6:36-38, Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful. "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." The Lord is calling us to go much further from the fast that we have all been used to doing. We need to come up with concrete effects within ourselves and the people around us when we fast as specifically stated in today's 1st reading. We can not just go on fasting for the sake of obligation but we need to do better than that. We have to do things right in order to really benefit from it. When we always associate fasting with food I'd like to quote, Mother Angelica from EWTN when she said that it isn't our stomachs that's in bad shape but it's our souls. Sometimes our souls could be very calloused and desensitized to sin and error that goes on today. It's the worst kind of evil when people totally push aside the truth and doctrines of the Church. It is extremely necessary that we become sensitive to error. Our thoughts are important to God. The worries of our lives is a form of penance and always offer the sacrifice of the moment to God. It should be a daily thing and should keep on going, live it up and not end up being good for nothing. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 58:7-10

7 Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10 if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

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!

Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.

4 Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. 5 Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. (R) 6 He shall never be moved; the just man shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 An evil report he shall not fear; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. (R) 8 His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear. 9 Lavishly he gives to the poor; his justice shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory. (R)

Everything happens for a reason and there is a purpose for it but most of the time we fail to understand why things happen the way they do. We have to rely on God's power to make all things work for good. Sometimes we have this tendency to think that there is nothing more to this life than we see and hold right now. We have been bound by the physical aspect of life we forget that there is more to it. We ought to make this truth ever prevailing in us so that we do not fall for the trap of this world. The world has the advantage of making its values inculcated in us deeply if we just rely on human wisdom. Let us not be duped by this and rely not on anything less than the power of God. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

We have to stand up for something or else we'll end up falling for anything. It's also another thing what we are determined to live up to. These things we've got to decide on and be firmly committed to. We are God's special creation according to His image and likeness. We have to be always aware of this profound dignity that is bestowed on man by God. We ought to live up to this privilege and honor as salt of the earth. The priest said that even without us doing anything we are already salt of the earth and light of the world. He didn't say we are salt of the earth if we serve others and light of the world if we do good. The problem lies in the fact that when we sin, we lose our taste and obscure our light. Let us not allow any of the things that rob the taste of our being salt and hide the light that is within us dominate who we really are. Let us hold on to this identity God has given us and not allow it to be trampled underfoot. All we have to do is just live up to who God has meant us to be, salt of the earth and light of the world. When our Lord went to Calvary he was going away beyond the call of duty.  No one could compel or coerce any man to give his life for others. But our Lord made it clear that no one was taking away His life away from Him freely He was laying it down as a sacrifice of love to the Father for you and for me. I wonder if we in our lives have learned that lesson. There are certain demands, certain duties imposed on everyone on this earth. The employee has to go to work every morning, spends a certain number of hours on the job and performs certain duties as expected. It is the same with the mother and father. They must feed and cloth their children, educate them and treat them humanely. And so it is with the husband and wife, certain obligations are laid to them by the fact that they are one and two in one. It is the same with the priest, with the lawyer, doctor and student. There is another dimension to life that we have to learn if we are going to live radiantly on this earth. The student will never learn the meaning of education until he goes to the library himself beyond what is demanded of him by the professor and study and research on his own. Then will he begin to enjoy learning in itself. The mother and the father and the children will never become a family as such until they could go beyond what the law demands. And the man who works would never enjoy his occupation until he stops thinking about the paycheck. In every country and community there are 3 kinds of people, 1st the lawless who break the law, refuse to do their duty and have to be taken care of with the penal system. 2nd there is the man and the woman who are the people who do what the law demands. Last, there are the volunteers who go beyond the call of duty. They are the backbone of every country and every community. Everyday they are the salt of the earth But isn’t it what Christianity is all about. Isn’t this what our Lord has taught us, to give our cloak as well as our coat and to go the extra mile. Not to turn away from him who would borrow from us. To forgive not 7x but 70x7 (Mt. 18:21-22) that same person who does the same stupid things all the time who is indifferent and callous who never says thank you and takes us for granted. Our Lord said if you love those who love you what is there to that? The pagans do that. You and I must love our enemies, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us that we may be the child of our Father in heaven who causes the rain to fall on the good and the bad (Mt. 5:45) and the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. We have been tutored by the years that all the good things and its loveliness is not of our own making. This comes only from our union with God who lives within us. We can not be loving to our enemies, forgiving to those who hurt us, understanding and compassionate on our own. These are all a gift of God to us. It comes from the union with our Lord as we try to live day after day. Who compels Mother Teresa to do the things she does? Who compels the mother and the father to offer a sacrifice of themselves and do without, so their children can be educated, grow up and take their place in life? All of this comes from the Lord in whom we believe lives within us. Day after monotonous day we must go on striving, failing, falling and beginning again. The Lord doesn’t ask us to succeed in anything, success is His gift. What we are asked to do is to try and to go on trying all the days of our lives. And so we pray, “Lord lift us up of our lethargy, apathy, coldness, and indifference and make us so aware of your love for us that we may learn to love you in return.” Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 5:13-16

13 Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

DESTINED FOR SUCCESS

It is a good idea to follow Solomon's wisdom in today's 1st reading. And consequently this sharing from Didache. It is definitely just the right story that we needed to hear. Here it is entitled: Wise Discernment
  “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” – 1 Kings 3:9a
 The group of companies I worked for was closing down and I was about to lose my job. Some people with whom I had former business dealings offered me more than double my salary to manage their company. Upon closer scrutiny, I learned that this company didn’t pay minimum wages and didn’t pay the right taxes. But I desperately needed a better job then and lifted my cause in prayer to God. Through my wife’s prayer, God told me not to take the job.
A few years later, a multi-billion tax scandal landed on the front page of the papers. At the center of the scandal was this same company. Its owner, who had offered me the job, was on the run. If I had taken the job, I would have been his fall guy and taken the raps. I thanked God for the wisdom that he had given me not to take on that employment.
When we’re on the side of integrity and honesty, our discernment will always be a wise one!Rolly España (rolly@homeliving.com.ph)
 REFLECTION:Do you put your trust on what the world tells you or what God’s Word tells you?
Lord, thank You for the grace to discern what is wise from Your perspective.
-END-
Whenever we receive news that really surprise us in an unpleasant manner, we can either decide to keep our peace or lose it. There are ways to react to things that come our way. Our reaction could depend on how we see and feel about things.  Whenever we are confronted with slight or even big concerns it would be best not to succumb right away to our emotions and give ourselves some time to think and compose ourselves. God would definitely not leave us groping in the dark. But it would be best to follow Solomon's wisdom in today's 1st reading. We have to put our trust on what God’s Word tells us and not on what the world tells us. We have to pray to the Lord for the grace to discern what is wise from our perspective. Amen. Hallelujah!
1 Kings 3:4-13
...“Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.” ...

“Don't trust too much, don't love too much, don't care too much because that "too much" wiil hurt you so much...” This is a quotation I came across on Facebook. It somehow answers the part where we have to hurt so much. We use our mind to sort out what is true. God has given us the intellect, will, passions and emotions. Sometimes our emotions lead and carry us away in the search and to discern the truth. Our mind can seek the truth and our will can choose the truth freely. After the fall of our 1^st parents, even if we know what is right we have been infected by the malice of the world and our will have become weakened. Our emotions play a big role in our will. This is why it should be properly directed. Our emotions go up and down and it is not the proper gauge. Some relationships should not just be built upon a bunch of good feelings. It is a very dangerous basis for love. We need to ask the question of truth and get a hold of our emotions so that we can put our relationships in proper perspective. There are so many things that we are worried about but only one thing is needed and we have to be sure that we pick the best option. We need not confuse ourselves by even considering the options that the world enticingly and seductively present to us. Does this song sound familiar? "Gusto kong bumait pero di ko magawa." (I’d like to be good but I just can’t) Because we are still in this world and its laws  dominate  us it  is  indeed  hard  to  serve the  law of  God.  But we are constantly reminded  that  if  we   only  make a stand  on which side we are then God will deliver us. There is only one thing needed and we have to choose the best part. We have to do things according to God's statutes and precepts which is the only sure way to live a happy and abundant life first here on earth and then for eternity.  There is one thing we need to do. Let us always focus on Jesus and follow the example He has left for us to live by. What a friend we have in Jesus. He is never amiss on anything. Let us not hesitate to reach out to Him for in Him we find a true friend who is ready to help us. If we come to Him at all times for guidance and direction, He will always be there to take our hand and lead us to the right path. The Lord knows exactly what's in our hearts. There are times when people judge us based only on what they see but what matters most is that we are right before God. The truth is that we ought to realize by now that only God can deliver us from all evil and there is no one else to whom we can go but to Him. The Lord has promised and He will fulfill. This should give us so much joy and peace in knowing this. There is no doubt that God in His goodness surely sheds light, giving understanding to the simple in times of affliction. We need to always hold on to God at all times and never lose hope in Him. We just got to hold on tight! No matter what happen let us always keep in mind that God fulfills all His promises. It may not be right away and could be later but He will surely reveal things in His most perfect time. We've got to realize that there is no love greater than the love God is offering us. We need to make sure that what we sought and yearn for, is what should bring us genuine riches, true delight and the most precious treasure which the world can not give and only God can bring about. Just imagine ourselves walking in the dark without knowing what we are stepping on and where we are headed. It is very difficult there is no doubt about it. We need light to guide our steps and show the way. We have to realize that loving God means obeying with all our heart. Have you experienced waking up or going to bed at the same time everyday? It's because of the circadian clock or the rhythmic biological cycles that happen or recurring everyday in us. Let us pray to God that we develop in ourselves an instinct and discipline to naturally follow His commands like the circadian clock. The time to act is now. Let us seize every opportunity to know the Word of God while we still can.

1. Do we see God as the Primary agent?
God is the Primary Agent of Evangelization. It is not about us but about God.
2. Do we see Evangelization as everyone's responsibility?
We must not end up like the Dead Sea that just received water but did not give out. The same thing happens to us when we do not take the responsibility of evangelization as our own. We have to work on improving our skills for the work of God.
3. Do we communicate God's love?
4. Is total human betterment part of the ministry?
5. Do we respect other traditions?
God does not take sides. There is an equal opportunity for all but we have to make sure that we are on God's side. We need to rid ourselves of any triumphant or arrogant attitude towards people of other faith. The Abrahamic religion has a common denominator which is belief in God. We are not the sole professor of truth. We need to listen for God's revelation from others, too not only from us.
6. Does our love go beyond Catholic borders?
The kingdom of God is older and a broader reality than the Catholic Church. We need to live a humble life and forgive each other.
7. Is our approach ecumenical?
We do not have the monopoly of God because the Good News has no border and dealt with a common faith.
8. Do we use all available media?
The best media is our own life, no need for TV. The example of how we live our life is the best means to evangelize. Walk the talk.
9. Do we fully utilize existing groups like ministries that renew and energize members?
10. What is our total image?
We've got to maintain a wholesome image unlike the Crusaders, though they were able to convert many to the faith, the spread of the Good News was carried out using the sword. We must take extra care in projecting the right image as Good Messengers of the Good News. We can't just take one passage and take it as a whole, we have to consider the entire scriptures. It must be read within the living tradition of the Church. It is written in the Church's heart in the very essence of who Jesus is. The analogy of faith and inner harmony should co-exist and take all of them together as a unity. To take just one part of the truth and depend solely on it for everything else to unravel would end up in heresy and find ourselves outside the truth. The depository of faith is entrusted by the apostles to the whole of the Magisterium of the Church. This task of giving an authentic teaching of the depository of the faith is given to the living successors of Peter who is the Pope and the Bishops in our Catholic Church. We must have the guidance of the Holy Spirit with the Magisterium of the Church. If the Church is not a Divine institution it would have crashed 2000 yrs ago. Living tradition and sacred scriptures are the means to transmit the faith. We need to know this to understand how God's plan works through things revealed by God to us and recalled by faith.

Another interesting event I am reminded of is one of the MI (Militia Immaculata) Meetings we had in the past  wherein we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly by saying our names, parishes where we belong and the time when we were consecrated to the Mother Mary. I can never forget the date I was consecrated (March 15, 2008) since it was the same date, but in 1995, of my mother's death anniversary but I would rather call it her birth to eternal life. It was highlighted by another significant event which was a dream I had at that same time of my aunt, Tita Edna who also passed away on the same month, March 24 in the year 1992. The dream was quite interesting and very vivid because I saw Tita Edna  riding in a van and the moment I saw her I took off immediately and ran after the van which I almost missed if I did not leap and managed to make it to the door of the van from which I almost fell. When I finally made it inside the van, I saw that she was about to eat so I offered her a hand sanitizer and saw that it made her so glad that I had it. She immediately applied it in her hands and thanked me for it. It suddenly gave me the impression that the van could be a symbol of our transportation to heaven. It is very difficult to catch that ride, we have to be always alert and vigilant we might end up missing it and worst never be able catch the ride ever again. That is, if we are too busy with other things we tend to neglect what should we be paying attention to and end up missing out on our ride and get a different ride which instead of bringing us to heaven, be brought to another destination which I guess none of us would like to be. We must always know on whose authority we are basing our actions. It will always help to examine ourselves and really be aware where our loyalty lies. Are we for God or against God or are we just for God in the superficial sense?  If we are deeply rooted in Him then we can withstand that horrible day of trial  and still find ourselves persevering in our faith. Just the thought of ending up in hell should really make us pray fervently to God.  Today's psalm teaches us the way to always be attuned to God's Spirit in order for us to truly see the word of God, as the light shining like a lamp for our feet. If we really want to be truly happy then there is just one thing we have to always do that is to always keep ourselves blameless before the Lord. We can never run away from the probing eyes of God because nothing is hidden from Him. We sometimes have this impression that our God requires impossibilities from us. We misinterpret and take things in a different way whenever we hear of rules and regulations to be followed. The decrees of our Lord are not meant to make things difficult for us nor do they burden or tie us down. This is the deception and we should start looking at it the right way. Just imagine life without God's decrees to guide us, it would be very disorderly and chaotic. It's like driving in the freeway wherein one can just go his or her own way without any regard for any traffic rules and regulations. Real freedom is the ability to follow God and being totally free of the grasp and hold of sin that brings death. Some sins bring instant death but others just like cancer slowly creep in and before we know it has already eaten us up whole.  God loves us so much that He has given us His decrees because it is in following them that we become totally free and live. The only way to true freedom is by following God's commands. In doing this we become free of the bondage of sin and live a power filled life based on the Truth. We should believe that if there is someone in and out of this world who is most reasonable, just, fair and at the same time loving, caring, slow to anger and rich in kindness that is no other than our God. One thing for sure, if He requires us something, He will definitely equip us for it because it is written, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If we commit ourselves to following God then we will surely be blessed. Allow me to use the word "luck" or "swerte" in Tagalog in lieu of any other more appropriate word like blessed or pinagpala in Tagalog since I have always been hearing this word being used very often by some people in reference to certain situations within the broad context of this word. I just couldn't help but share it, first and foremost due to some personal circumstances. We often hear people say to another who is about to embark on something challenging, “good luck” If the word luck may have been associated with whatever negative meaning then consider it excluded from here and out of context for the mean time. Let's just say we would like to broaden the scope of our vocabulary. This is to further drive the point or message in today's psalm and is actually the catch here. This is to come up with an induction that following the law of the Lord is just as synonymous to being blessed, lucky, swerte or pinagpala or any other word that we could closely associate with this. It is not very easy to lead a life like that of the saints who followed the example of Jesus. Ignorance is not an excuse. We should always seek to enrich our knowledge about God so that we will continuously grow in our faith. Our world is ever changing with all the new technology coming up, it's so surprising that whatever is considered the latest and gold standard today may not hold true the following day. If there's one thing we should rely and hold on to in this very dynamic world of ours, then it should be something constant and enduring.  It gives us great consolation that we have a God who is true to His word. We may have heard it but we haven't learned yet. It is a lifelong journey and quest to know God better. Nothing can be more rewarding than having great peace in our lives. We can make this possible by adhering to God’s law and committing to following it in word and deed. It will always be well for us to consult the scriptures that shed light and give understanding. We've got to make sure that what we sought and yearn for, is what should bring us genuine riches, true delight and the most precious treasure which the world can not give and only God can bring about. It is only right that we follow the law of the Lord if we are really for God then our works should follow us and testify to who we really are. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
R: Lord, teach me your statutes.
9 How shall a young man be faultless in his way? By keeping to your words. (R) 10 With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands. (R) 11 Within my heart I treasure your promise, that I may not sin against you. (R) 12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes. (R) 13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. (R) 14 In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches.

Jesus also acknowledges the need for us to rest and regain our strength after a whole day's work. We should not overdo anything so as not to exasperate ourselves and become less effective in whatever we do. There are times when we end up just tiring ourselves in a lot of needless ways and must always take a closer look of what we're going into before doing something. This reminds me of the great amount of time, energy and effort a friend of mine had placed into something without much thought and just ended up with having to go back to what she previously had but with having more work to do. We are all guilty sometimes of going to and from and doing things just to end up for nothing but what matters most is that whenever we do something we should keep in mind that just like Jesus  our compassion for people who are in need should always take precedent in our lives. Although, there are times when we become so weary of what we do. In today's gospel, the apostles just came from their missionary efforts and are very tired. They were told by Jesus “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  They also needed to recharge themselves to carry on their mission. Although we may not realize it but sometimes we just have to get away for a while in order to get the much needed rest that our bodies need. We may also come to a point in our lives when we feel like we are in a far away place all by ourselves in a deserted place as described by Jesus in today's gospel. We sometimes think that our lives was suddenly put to a stop or on hold, for it looks like we've reached the end of the line and nothing exciting seems to be happening. If this is the case, we could consider ourselves to be in hibernation or in a forced resting mode although we may not like it. Let us not despair and think that we are going down the drain. God is not yet finished with us until He tells us so. Nothing is ever wasted for as long as we always make sure that we don't stray away from Jesus. Whatever aspect in life it is, we may want to look at this, take it and ought to consider everything as preparation. It is best to take advantage of this period that we're going through to rest a while and just be in hibernation in order to come out better Christians ready to fulfill our God given destiny with much fire and enthusiasm. It is of great consolation to know that we have a God who answers all our needs even before we ask for it. We need not whine, complain nor put matters into our hands because He got us covered and well taken care of. We might not be fully convinced of this if we still allow the world's influence to overpower us. This is perfectly understandable because we are still in this world. Let us not forget that we are not of this world and are destined for much greater things than any of us could imagine. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 6:30-34

And the apostles coming together unto Jesus, related to him all things that they had done and taught. And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat. And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart. And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them. And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.