A LIE IN DISGUISE

 What is God's will for us? He wants us to live and not die. If we do what is right and just then we are headed in the right direction which is to live, but if we end up doing the opposite then we're doomed. Sounds so simple and yet most of the time we think, say and act in an entirely different way than what God expects of us. If we really want to live in the real sense of the word then we should think very carefully what these words in today's 1st reading are telling us. It is in discovering the truth in these words from today's 1st reading that we will surely live. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32

5 If a man is virtuous– if he does what is right and just,...that man is virtuous he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD ...all lives are mine...only the one who sins shall die.

...31 Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit...Return and live!

Bottom line, we don't know that much so we end up doing one of these things, take for granted, ignore, forget or neglect the things God is telling us to do. What's worse it could be all of the above! We get blinded and become preoccupied with a lot of things that lure us away from doing what God wants us to do. We are deceived into believing all the lies of this world disguised and packaged by the enemy in an inviting and convincing truth. We should realize that it is always for our own good that He commands us to do the right thing. It is not merely to impose but for us to freely decide for a life lived to the full. There is no other way to maintain the Holy Spirit dwelling in us but to let it reside in a clean heart.  We drive away God's Spirit in us if we don't strive to let our hearts remain clean. Today's psalm is a song that I have come to know and sing by heart without the aid of a song book. I always love to sing it and hear it being sung most especially by the choir during mass. It is well for us to not just love to sing it with our voices but with the sincerity of our hearts. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R: Create a clean heart in me, O God.

10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 13 [15] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. (R) 14 [16] Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God; then my tongue shall revel in your justice. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. 

Let us strive to become like the children who are always open to the truth and do not settle for lies. We ought to be like the little children who possess a clean and totally surrendered heart to the Lord in order to get a hold of our inheritance and belong to the kingdom of heaven. Today’s gospel should also make us realize how true and correct the Church teaching is with regards to children. The world’s point of view is totally different from this. According to a social scientist named Stephen Mosher who works for the Population Institute in the US he was struck by the fact that the Church does not only have the fullness of the truth in matters of faith and morals but also in the socioeconomic and all possible truth seeking levels. He cited the example whether the children are burden or a blessing. He quoted the Church and bible saying that children are a blessing from God and made in the image of God. The world does not see it this way because it says that it takes $200,000 to raise an infant to adulthood and so they are a burden on family, society and the planet. But he also said that if calculated we’ll see that the average child in the US will contribute 2/3 in his/her lifetime more in the economy than they will consume, therefore they are a blessing. Now, who is correct? This is just one example why the Church teaching is not only true and correct on the level of faith and morals but in all levels. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 19:13-15

13 Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

FOUNTAIN OF LIFE

We may not be able to deny that there is at least one time in our life when we felt like we went beyond our limits and almost felt like God can no longer forgive us or we've done a grave sin that we feel so unworthy. Let us keep this truth in mind, there is no sin that God can not forgive for as long as we ask for it. No matter how unforgiveable it may seem to the point of confusion and shame as Ezekiel is telling us in today's 1st reading we must never yield to it and just be amazed at how unbelievably great the love our God has for all of us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63

...That you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.

If we truly believe that God is our Savior then we should have no more room for fear and doubt. Our weaknesses are born from it and rather than give in to it we must cultivate in ourselves the strength and courage coming from the Lord. We have already been given access to the fountain of life, let us choose to approach it and draw water from it with joy and live. A prayer that I got from an e mail really caught my attention. It has personally touched my heart when I came upon this prayer and decided to write it down in a notebook so that it can always come in handy whenever I need an inspiration. This is the prayer: "None goes to the river early in the morning and brings dirty water. As you are up this morning may your life be clean, calm and clear like the early morning water. May the grace of the Almighty support, sustain and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Amen."  The psalm reading today reminds me of it because it somehow speaks of the same message conveyed in the prayer. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

R: You have turned from your anger.

2 God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. 3 With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation.

People nowadays no longer subscribe to what the Church teaches about the indissolubility of marriage. We can see it from the numerous cases of divorce and broken marriages all around us. It is so disheartening that married couples no longer consider the truth that it isn't just a union between man and woman but most importantly with God. Let us always think of marriage as not just a two way relationship but a triangle with God in the center. If we start to neglect or forget about this vital element then surely the marriage is bound to break once incompatible factors between 2 different individuals like man and woman set in. This is one of the reasons why everything should be directed to God in prayers. Although there may be other things to consider here, everything just fades in comparison to the truth that God is able to hold everything  together like marriage for example if He is in the center. It may not be easy to accept these things if we ourselves are not completely convinced especially with the present situation that is going on all over the world with regards to marriage. Despite of it all and more than anything else, we ought to hold on to God's word and allow it to be fulfilled in our lives. Let us commit to this very important reality and advice in today's gospel which is just right and fitting as we ought to do in Jesus name. Even in other areas and aspects of our lives, there are situations and events that we find hard to let go and avoid doing. Sometimes we find ourselves doing the same old mistakes and sins all over again. We ask ourselves, why and somehow today's gospel gives us an explanation although the issue here is about marriage we can also compare it with other things that affect our Christian life. We've come to this era or period of time when people develop a loose morality and everything seems to have become acceptable especially nowadays when the prevailing and existing situation greatly favors the popular demand of the majority. As human beings we have this desire to be accepted in the society where we belong and find it hard to define very clearly what is right and wrong in a society that has been so influenced by the values of this world. We'll just find ourselves up against something that has won over the acceptance and approval of this materialistic, practical and commercial place where we live. It is sometimes not easy to always stand up for what is right and be looked upon as not in conformity with the rest. It is always easy to just go with the flow instead of counteract especially when we deal with people who are born the way they are that it seems impossible to force them into something that is totally out of their range. Nonetheless, Jesus in today's gospel admonishes us to follow the commandments that serve as guidelines that the Lord our God has set before us but continues to respect our free will to decide what we ought to accept or not. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 19:3-12

3 Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” 4 He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 7 They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?” 8 He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” 10 [His] disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. 12 Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

DEMONSTRATION

We may have experienced not seeing the things right before us and not hearing what's being said to us. If we've been through something like this then it could be due to some issues bothering us therefore we fail to focus and become absentminded. This is what the chosen people in the time of Ezekiel had become. They had become deaf and blind to the messages of God. We must know that if we end up like them then we are bound for trouble. Just imagine if we are blind and deaf at the same time and we're about to stumble on a block and unable to hear what's going on around us. God really wanted us to make use of our senses in order to see and hear Him clearly. If our eyes are always focused on Him and our ears are always open to listen to His words then we are surely on the right path. If we are to analyze very closely the things that Ezekiel did in today's 1st reading then we would probably think that he went nuts. Just imagine his strange and unusual manner of proclaiming God's word to the house of Israel. It isn't easy to go out in the streets and proclaim God's word by shouting out loud at the top of your lungs but to actually demonstrate and act it out is another thing. At that time, when he heard the word of the Lord he followed and not just acted on it but demonstrated it as well.  Nowadays, we are richly blessed with a vast resource of God's word that is all within our reach. We owe the glorious background of our faith to these people who contributed to it and did as they were told. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 12:1-12

...they have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear,…I did as I was told. During the day I brought out my baggage as though it were that of an exile, and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness, shouldering my burden. 8 Then, in the morning, the word of the LORD came to me 9 Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, ask you what you were doing? 10 Tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel within it. 11 I am a sign for you as I have done, so shall it be done to them;

We should always be alert and not easily distracted and dissuaded by what is going on around us. Nowadays, we tend to just rely on our own strength and understanding because we are living in a very materialistic and advanced world and forget what's most important is to focus on how God can be fully at work in our lives. Today's psalm teaches a very important lesson and guideline that we should always live by. If we want to maintain our strength and not be susceptible to captivity in the hands of the enemy then we should always remember and not forget the wonderful things that God has done to us. This makes sense because God's works are holy and perfect we can surely rely on it for everything. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ps 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62

Responsorial Psalm

R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!

56 They tempted and rebelled against God the Most High, and kept not his decrees. 57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers; they recoiled like a treacherous bow. And he surrendered his strength into captivity, his glory in the hands of the foe. He abandoned his people to the sword and was enraged against his inheritance.

Today's gospel is one of the memorable parables for me because of the lessons and explanations it offers and learned from it about our Catholic faith concerning purgatory. Our God is consistent to all His attributes which includes not just merciful but just. We ought to realize that God treated us with ultimate love and mercy and it is only right and fitting that we fulfill all righteousness for the glory of God. Purgatory is an expression of this great love and mercy of God for us. He gives us all the chances we can get in order for us to square our accounts with God. We ought to realize that our entry to the kingdom of heaven can be withheld or worst be denied access to it.  Let us not place the eternal inheritance that is already being handed to us in grave danger. It tells us to be wise and diligent in handling our affairs well while we are still here on earth so as not to regret later the consequences of our actions. It is a consolation that the key lies in today's gospel. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God we can't help but become the person God has meant us to be, full of compassion and mercy. And the best way to attain this is to have a forgiving heart as implied in today's gospel. Forgiving someone who offended you 77x. This may sound “Mission Impossible” (MI) if we have become so attached to the values of this world. That's why there is an urgent need for us to always align ourselves to the will of God. It is only through His supernatural grace that we can do all things. We must avail of every possible means to attain holiness. The measure that we use with our brothers and sisters is the same measure that God will use to us. If we place judgment on others then we have also placed judgment on ourselves. Let us take care not to overlook and take for granted this reality that Jesus Himself said in the gospel. It is really a must that we learn to forgive those people who hurt us. The gospel requires us to forgive in order for us to go across whatever it is that is stopping us from fulfilling our God given destiny which is surely bound for success. We can never move on if we continue to harbor ill feelings in our hearts. It can be compared to the powerful flow of water in a river that can never be put to a stop unless we surrender it to God. We should truly be able to put a halt to the raging emotions in us. Thus, it is for our own good that we overcome all the hurts that we've experienced from people and really learn to forgive them from our hearts. Unless we do this we can never move forward and reach our goals and destinations in life. We read in the gospel that Peter wanted to put a limit on forgiveness. The gospel is especially relevant for those with deep hurts. Each time the memory of that hurt comes back, we have to forgive. We have to be honest that we haven’t been without guilt ourselves. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2843 it is stated, "Thus the Lord's words on forgiveness, the love that loves to the end,(Jn 13:1) become a living reality. The parable of the merciless servant, which crowns the Lord's teaching on ecclesial communion, ends with these words: "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."(Mt 18:23-35.) It is there, in fact, "in the depths of the heart," that everything is bound and loosed. It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession." It is not in our power to not feel the hurt of the memory or even to forget because it is part of our emotional well being to do so when it comes back. But the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury and the memory of the hurt to compassion. This ability to love comes from the Holy Spirit and can help us transform that hurt into intercession. Just like what Jesus did at the cross when He said, Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing even to the point of making excuses. When we run into people who have hurt us it is an unbelievable feeling to rise above the need for revenge. Forgiveness should be part of our life because revenge is just a never ending cycle. We have to adhere to putting God first and be disciplined in ourselves. We learn from the experience of forgiveness from the life of people who had been through a great deal of pain but were able to overcome it. We learn through their message of forgiveness and start ourselves as we forgive the little things done against us and then eventually it will be easy to forgive the big things. The gospel reminds us of our situation. We are debtors of an even greater debt. The reality of our situation is that we have a huge debt that we can't pay back.  We’re created out of nothing and while we were still sinners Jesus died for us to inherit eternal life. The debt you and I have is far greater than we can pay back. However great our suffering may be, it does not compare to what the Lord has done for us. If we think of this we may want to ask, is there anything way too big to forgive? On our own we can't do it but through the strength given to us from His love, forgiveness and mercy. We recall the words of Jesus while He was crucified on the cross. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, today you will be with me in paradise and behold your son, behold your mother. These are words of compassion and love at a time He was suffering and in a great deal of pain. We have to look upon the crucifix and remember what the Lord has done for us. We should picture ourselves at the foot of the cross for our sins and its forgiveness.  No one in this whole wide world ever had a perfect circumstance and situation. We have all been through our share of sorrows. The saints became saints in the midst of their trying times. They had all the reasons to be bitter. Instead of living with regret and resentment they looked at Jesus who was rejected Himself and offered their rejection in union with His. When we are assailed by pain and suffering we look to Him. Though, He was innocent but He died for us sinners. If we have deep and lasting hurts whenever they come back all we have to do is look at our Lord who is innocent but suffered and died for our salvation. We pray to Jesus and ask to turn our hearts like His own. The measure that we use with our brothers and sisters is the same measure that God will use to us. If we place judgment on others then we have also placed judgment on ourselves. Let us take care not to overlook and take for granted this reality that Jesus Himself said in his words in today's gospel. The goodness and mercy of God is repetitively mentioned thus God expects us to be just like Him full of mercy and compassion to our brothers and sisters. And as we grow in the knowledge and love of God we can't help but become the person God has meant us to be, compassionate and merciful. And the best way to attain this is to have a forgiving heart as implied in today's gospel. Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 18:21–19:1

21 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 25 Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. 26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ 27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. 28 When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. 32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ 34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

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. 12: 1 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."

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.

...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. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 1:39-56

...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...

YUMMY!

I can still remember my son, Jude when he was still a kid, during mealtimes we usually make a scene at home. It will take hours before he can finish his food. As a child he preferred to eat sweets like chocolate and ice cream but when it comes to real healthy food that a growing child is supposed to eat he simply refused to eat them. It was a very tedious task back then when I had to utilize all tactics in order to make him eat. Somehow I felt that God our Father feels the same way because He wants what's best for us but we sometimes refuse to follow and fail to understand that it will always be for our own good.

Ezekiel 2:8–3:48 The Lord God said to me: As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you, be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.

We've got to realize that there is nothing more delicious than the food 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. Amen. Hallelujah! 

Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131

R: How sweet to my taste is your promise!

14 In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. (R) 24 Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors. (R) 72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (R) 103 How sweet to my palate are your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (R) 111 Your decrees are my inheritance forever; the joy of my heart they are. (R) 131 I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your  commands

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.” 12 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? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

END OF THE RAINBOW

There are only few occasions when I get to see a rainbow in the sky. I have always loved and been amazed whenever I see one. It makes us think of a lot of wonderful things like this story of the Irish leprechaun. It was believed to be the secret hiding place for his pot of gold and is usually said to be at the end of the rainbow. This place is impossible to reach. We might have not noticed this but when walking towards the end of a rainbow it will appear to move further away because two people who simultaneously observe a rainbow at different locations will disagree about where a rainbow is. In today's 1st reading Ezekiel describes God from his vision. We all have differences in our perception and understanding of a lot of things. Just as a rainbow is said to be an optical effect which depends on the location of the viewer so is our perception of the glory of God. Where we are at right now with regards to our relationship with God makes all the difference. This we have to work on with the best of our abilities. We need to be in the optimum location in order to gain access to the best view of God's splendor and majesty. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c

...he was surrounded with splendor. 28 Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day was the splendor that surrounded him. Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

There is no conflict between faith and reason. There is no divide or arch rivalry between Church and Science. In fact, they imply a real need for each other. It's either we don't know our Science or we don't know our faith. It is overwhelming to know this information about the Human Genome Project. It is comprised of 2,000 scientists who worked to identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA and determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make it up. The project was completed in 2003 but analyses of the data will continue for many years. The philosophical implication of real science is so huge we can only conclude one thing, it is the language of God. We can benefit a lot from Science through good research that are producing cures rather than do something that is totally wrong. The scientists could sometimes cross the line. There is nothing wrong about being dedicated to the work that one does but there is a need to be passionate to the truth rather than in the political sense. This must not be contingent to any person or circumstance. Our faith calls us to goodness and we must play our part well. According to the Holy Father there is a danger that faith without reason would end up in fanaticism and reason without faith to paganism. If one is without the other a person would eventually fall into desperation. Faith purifies reason. Through faith we are united with, a real sharing of the life of Christ in contact with God, over come temptations and have His life within us. Finding the truth is not so hard but running away from the truth once we found it. Human intelligence is limited. Church does not condemn technology and science. It is open to discovery and corrections that would lead us to knowledge through faith and reason and to joy and peace that the world can not give. It is reasonable to believe in God. The miracles of Christ and the prophecies foretold have entered into several thousand years and still stand to this very day.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14

R: Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

...his majesty is above earth and heaven. (R) 14 He has lifted up the horn of his people. Be this his praise from all his faithful ones, from the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia.

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.”

BREAD OF LIFE

The 1st reading for today tells us of the very fascinating story of Elijah who was already pleading God for death. Maybe he has reached this point in his life where he was so exhausted and exasperated by the concerns of the world during his time. We, too sometimes come to the same situation when we feel we've reached the last breath of our strength and felt like giving up. Just like Elijah we may have also decided to stop doing anything about it. And when this happens we may also have encountered a situation or a person that urges us to go on, similar like the angel who woke him up twice and gave him food to eat which gave him the strength to carry on with his task. It only means that we must not give up and continue to hope in a God who looks after us and provides for all our needs. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 19:4-8

Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death “This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat. 6 He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again, 7 but the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” 8 He got up, ate and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find Him. Amen . Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9 (9a)

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

...I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears...The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

There are times when we tend to forget and get carried away by our feelings, emotions or give in to temptations without realizing that it could harm our relationship with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The 2nd reading today reminds us of this very important tip to always keep watch and guard our motives, intentions and actions.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 4:30–5:2

 Brothers and sisters: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. 5: 1 So be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

Today's gospel which speaks of the Bread of Life which is one of the most significant events I can always associate with my CLP experience. I have already shared this before in my previous reflections. At around this same time in 2008, I had the chance of attending the Christian Life Program (CLP) in Pomona sponsored by the Couples for Christ. (CFC) I had an unforgettable experience during the Baptism in the Spirit when I had a vision of the scene of the crucifixion of Jesus in Mt. Calvary between the 2 thieves as in Luke 23:42-43, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Indeed, I promise you" he replied "today you will be with me in paradise."  It was almost like it was being said to me instead of to the thief and I felt goose bumps and very warm all over me as I knelt down inside a small prayer room. Immediately after that, as I was led into a bigger room, the choir suddenly sang the song entitled, "I am the Bread of Life" in which the lyrics "And I will raise you up on the last day." really struck my heart and brought me to tears. The CFC leader then told the group after I have shared it to them that it was the first time that something like it had ever happened since he felt that it was indeed a great occasion to rejoice and be reminded of that standing invitation of Jesus to all of us to share in His Kingdom and live eternal life. Manna is the physical bread that our ancestors ate in the desert. Moses gave them the 10 commandments or the Torah, which is the path of life and the Law. It can not save by itself we need God's Grace more than just the right actions. We are made of flesh and have the tendency to stay in the natural or physical level. We need to go beyond this level for a spiritual, supernatural and divine life. We thirst and hunger and seek to satisfy it in the things that the world offers. Despite our prosperity we are still dissatisfied. We can't satisfy our deepest hunger if we just turn to natural things. Even the outward or physical sign of bread seemed nothing and no longer enjoy it. This happens when we are caught up in the web of this fast paced world we live in and forget to stop for a little while and think. We need to slow down and savor each bite. Jesus is the True Bread that will give us supernatural life. He is the Law that has become flesh. Scriptures tell us of the several occasions when Jesus demonstrated to us the importance of the Eucharist and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The Road to Emmaus, the Upper Room in Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee are only a few of these when Jesus took bread and fish, broke it and gave to His disciples. The temptation of Jesus in the desert to turn the stone into bread and His response based on scripture in Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." There is a need to correct the misunderstanding. The Old Testament mentality tells us that the brain is not associated with thinking rather with the senses to feel, hear, see etc. It is the marrow of the head and thinking is associated with the heart, stomach and kidneys. Human beings process thought in the internal organs as in the digestive system. In Sirach 21 it is written "Come to me, eat and be satisfied." Wisdom can be processed inside and stay within us. The word of God nourishes us more than bread. The Old Testament is a preparation for something more profound. We need to recall these instances and the miracles especially of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish. An example that could give light to this is the concentration camps during the time of the Nazis. It was said that people who are more focused on the word of God lasted longer than those who are physically fit. Those who do not have the physical strength were sustained. The act of faith is necessary in every walk of life. It could be faith in anything, in science, logic and other things. There are so many things we can take from faith but not everything will ultimately lead to life that removes ultimate hunger. The physical things like riches, power and fame could lead us to destruction. Nowadays, we see the effects of drugs, sex and other things. People are dying from overdose, sexually transmitted diseases and more that we may not know of. We have to refrain from things that are not necessary and take things that God gives us. We need to cooperate by believing in Christ. They say experience is the best teacher, and God wanted us all to learn from Him by living it out in our own lives whatever instructions we heard from God and was taught to us. And who could best teach us other than Jesus who experienced it all. Accept the word of God, digest, process and be nourished. We tend to ignore the deeper meaning and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. It is not simply a philosophy like the others which are great tools and help a lot but can never sustain us. We are invited to reflect on these miracles of the bread and wine in the scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and still understand our faith today. We have witnessed nice things, places and situations in our lifetime that help us to appreciate the goodness and graciousness of God. No one in this whole wide world can ever claim that he or she has not been given the chance of knowing our Supreme God and Creator for it is written in the scriptures that all will be taught and come to know about God. It is just a matter of listening well, making a decision to come to Him and really believe. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 6:41-51

44 Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”