RICHES IN HEAVEN

Today's 1st reading serves as a warning for all of us not to be led astray by the values that this world hold dear. It is so hard not to be influenced by it because we are still in this world and detaching from it poses a more difficult task than to imbibe the ways of the world and just go with the flow without any resistance. We must master all our courage and strength in sticking to the truth and values that Jesus teaches us in the bible as in the Book of James. Amen. Hallelujah!

James 5:1-6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. 2 Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, 3 your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. 4 Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you non resistance.

What's most important in life is to store up riches in heaven that we can bring with us when we die. All our material wealth will be left behind and only the good things we've done will follow us.

Psalm 49:14-15ab, 15cd-16, 17-18, 19-20

R: Blessed are the poor spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

This is the way of those whose trust is folly, the end of those contented with their lot: Like sheep they are herded into the nether world; death is their shepherd and the upright rule over them. R. Quickly their form is consumed; the nether world is their palace. But God will redeem me from the power of the nether world by receiving me. R. Fear not when a man grows rich, when the wealth of his house becomes great, For when he dies, he shall take none of it; his wealth shall not follow him down. R. Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed, “They will praise you for doing well for yourself,” He shall join the circle of his forebears who shall never more see light. R.

Mark the writer where today’s gospel is taken from was very much around the very people whom we usually look up to as the leaders of the community but fail to reach the mark. In Mark 9: 49-50 it is written, "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." During his time, salt was stored in a bag and used in the cooking the way in the same manner tea bags are used. This is to filter the impurities so after use the taste is gone and what's left is just a bag of dirt. Mark was very much around these kinds of people and this is what he was trying to convey in his writings. We should promote the improvement and betterment of our fellow men instead of being suspicious or jealous of them. I t is God's will for us that we all become better and improved people and eventually become the best. We may be encountering some problems at the moment but this should inspire us to see beyond the imperfections of our present situation for God is always at work in our lives and we should not lose sight of what God has in store for those who obey and follow Him. Jesus tells His disciples not to prevent those who drive out demons in His name. Although they are not part of their group, they are not doing something against them. Sometimes we get offensive and instead of attracting people to the faith we tend to drive them away. We can not claim to know everything so it is better to just give people the benefit of the doubt or not judge them outright and just entrust them to Jesus who definitely knows best.  Jesus also warns us of hell. Let us recall also that it is also written in the scriptures about the fig tree which bears no fruit and was thrown into fire to burn. We have to realize that in every sin there is pride. Our sins can bring us to hell if left unrepented.  There is a real need to live in virtue and strive to bear fruit as a Christian. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:41-50

41 Jesus said to his disciples: “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. 42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

DOUBLE BLESSINGS

There is some truth to the famous rap song, "Don't worry be happy" if we believe that our lives is in the hands of the Lord. The enemy of happiness is not sadness but fear. Happiness is not a mood or emotion. It is a way of life.  Here are the 7 tools of happy people I learned from Bro. Bo Sanchez.

1. They create their destiny.

2. They accept forgiveness.

3. They nurture connections.

4. They find delight everywhere.

5. They embrace change. They are eternal students.

6. They trust deeply.

7. They work their purpose daily.

The 7 tools address the different fears in our lives. Fear robs us of happiness. The 3 parts of the brain that control fear are the  brainstem, amygdale and the cortex. The brainstem and amygdale controls the endocrine glands which produces the fear hormones called the adrenaline and cortisone. Stress makes us unhappy. The antidote of fear is love. In 1 John 4:8 it is written, Perfect love casts out all fear. We have to fill our lives with love. Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and live it to the full. Happiness is part of abundance. God allows suffering only because it will bring greater happiness. As it is written, I will turn your sorrow into joy and your mourning into dancing. Happiness is not a product we can buy but a by product. We don’t look for it and find it. We need to focus on the essential part of our lives and not just on the money, job, honor and etc. Our life is just like coffee, if it is good coffee, it doesn’t matter what cup or kettle we use. If the coffee is good then it is good. If we have the 7 tools then we don’t have to look for happiness because happiness finds us. Amen. Hallelujah!

James 4:13-17

Beloved: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit”– you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Instead you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” But now you are boasting in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.

The problem in wealth does not lie on acquiring too much of it but our response to the wealth entrusted to us. If we have been blessed with it then there is a responsibility that goes with it. We should always be driven to action by a holy and godly motivation seeking not to enrich ourselves in evil means and for evil intentions. I could never forget those times when I was not working yet and used to spend most of my time in church and in the company of the Seniors Ministry. The highlight of it all was the opportunity to talk about God and praise and thank Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us. It's like the meeting of minds, bodies and souls to exult God to the highest heavens. It was definitely a time of blessings. What's most important in life is to store up riches in heaven that we can bring with us when we die. All our material wealth will be left behind and only the good things we've done will follow us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 49:2-3, 6-7, 8-10, 11

R: Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all who dwell in the world, Of lowly birth or high degree, rich and poor alike. R. Why should I fear in evil days when my wicked ensnarers ring me round? They trust in their wealth; the abundance of their riches is their boast. R. Yet in no way can a man redeem himself, or pay his own ransom to God; Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough to remain alive always and not see destruction. R. For he can see that wise men die, and likewise the senseless and the stupid pass away, leaving to others their wealth. R.

Jesus in today’s gospel tells His disciples not to prevent those who drive out demons in His name. Although they are not part of their group, they are not doing something against them. Sometimes we get offensive and instead of attracting people to the faith we tend to drive them away. We can not claim to know everything so it is better to just give people the benefit of the doubt or not judge them outright and just entrust them to Jesus who definitely knows best.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:38-40

38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” 39 Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us.”

FAIL PROOF TIPS

We often find ourselves asking the people around us, "Are you sure about that?" whenever we are in doubt of some things. One thing is certain, only God can give us sure and fail proof tips.  Amen. Hallelujah!

James 4:1-10

...3 You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions...7 So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...

Since I arrived here in the US, I can say that I have never been closer to God the way I am right now. Every single day is a new day with the Lord full of surprises. I could never forget that time when I got a call from an old friend and elementary classmate whom I haven't seen for almost 20 years. It gave me a new found joy of being able to talk to her and relate how things are with both of us. To top it all I found out that she lives near Beaupre, Quebec in Canada where the stately and famous basilica of St. Anne is situated. Being born on St. Anne's feastday, I was named after her that is why she is very close to my heart. I believe that I am already an inch closer to fulfilling my dream of being able to do a pilgrimage in that Church. We all have experiences like a trial, hardship or a fortunate event that made us shed tears of joy or sadness. These are the events in our lives that are supposed to draw us closer to God and gather strength from. It should give us the disposition and firm resolve that going through it made us a better person. Thus, it should make us see every single day as a new day with the Lord, full of surprises. We can face anything with courage because we just can’t deny the care and support that God extends to each one of us. Let us not doubt this truth and always be open to God’s grace. It would be best to really follow what the psalm is telling us today. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23

R: Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

6 [7] And I say, “Had I but wings like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest. 7 [8] Far away I would flee; I would lodge in the wilderness. (R) 8 [9] I would wait for him who saves me from the violent storm and the tempest.”

Haven’t we noticed that most of the saints have their images depicted as carrying the baby Jesus. This is because the characteristics of a child that are so often associated with helplessness, fully dependent, trusting and innocent makes them a perfect example of how we should be before God. And also how we should not undermine people but instead welcome everybody in the light of the truth that Jesus is in each one of us. There are so many explanations for it but one of the best is stated in today's gospel. Sometimes we are lacking in direction because we fail to follow the simple and effective strategies in life that we can all avail of. One of the best things to do is read our bibles. We must all consult the word of God which is living and true. When we read it we should always follow the rule of the W-O-R-D. W stands for the word that strikes us the most while listening or reading the gospel. O stands for the order of God in relation to the word impressed to us. R stands for reflection on the word as to its significance in relation to our present situation and circumstance. D stands for direction, after having thought of the word of God, discerned God's order, reflected on it based on our lives then we can follow the right direction leading us to the right path. We sometimes fail to achieve our goals because we did not follow the W-O-R-D. We could apply the principle of the W-O-R-D for today’s gospel. In doing so we could realize that God is telling us to aim high and be the first. If we truly believe that we are God's children then we ought to be the first and the best within the context of the gospel. Our life on earth is just temporary and we will all come to leave everything behind here on earth. If we truly believe in life after death which is eternity then we should work hard to attain this goal of achieving to be first in the life that awaits us for eternity rather than working to be the first in this temporary life. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 9:30-37

...Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the one who sent me.

NOBLE TASK

Everything that is attributed to Mary points to Jesus all because she accepted the will of God to happen in her life. We, like Mary are invited too, by the Angel Gabriel to conceive Jesus in our hearts. It is by our own decision that we should answer God's call just like what Mary did. We thank Mary for her obedience. She did not disobey God like what Adam and Eve did in today's first reading. The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that "Genesis 3:15 is called the Protoevangelium -first gospel: the first announcement of the Messiah and Redeemer, of a battle between the serpent and the Woman, and of the final victory of a descendant of hers." Even before the time when Mary was not yet born, she can already be found in the scriptures owing to the great role entrusted to her to be the Mother of God. It is God's original plan that we live in paradise but Adam and Eve fell into sin that He immediately switched to another plan through Mary who did not frustrate God's plan in her life but instead accepted God's will in her life. We’ve got to straighten up some things about God. Who He is and what He wants for our life. What is our picture of God? It’s not surprising to know that most of us think that God doesn’t want us to have fun. It’s like all the things that we want to do with our friends that are interesting and exciting when we were young is against God’s commandments. It may seem like we have to settle for less. What’s worse is that all the faithful Catholics get less out of life. This is part of the propaganda way back in the Garden of Eden. God gave us a magnificent paradise wherein there is perfect intimacy and no shame with each other. In the Garden they have everything they need but gave just one limit, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting because God said, “Don’t do this because you will die.” The reason why God commands us something is because He is a loving Father who cares for us. He wants us to have the best. But then came the serpent, he didn’t create Adam & Eve, nor gave the garden or anything at all. All the serpent gave was a lie and told Adam & Eve not to listen to God or they’ll lose out and won’t become like God. They were made to believe that God is holding out something from them and is actually their rival because God doesn’t want them to have what He has. So instead of trusting the one who gave them everything, they trusted a stranger. They disobeyed God and listened to the liar. They were hooked into a downward spiral of destruction. This is what sin is all about. It is a trap. It is disguised as an apparent good because the fruit looks good and desirable but it ends in disaster. The relationship with God is messed up and so creation turned against them, thorns and thistles appear and things in life become hard. This is what sin does, it seemed small but it gets out of control. Things get worse and worse and there are broken lives everywhere. This is the reality about sin. Don’t allow the trick to be on us. We are draining life out of ourselves unless we recognize the one true source of Life. Amen. Hallelujah!

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

...The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” ...

It is just overwhelming whenever people meet as one family of God during occasions like prayer gatherings. It feels good to be always reminded of how God looks after the needs of each member of a community and how each one should commit and encourage one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. He is indeed, God with us. Fr. Joseph Mary said in one of his homilies that he was given a Peanuts calendar by a friend which has this funny cartoon story. Linus and Charlie Brown were having a conversation. Linus said that when he grows up he would like to study about people because it interests him. Charlie Brown in reply said," I see, you want to study about them because with your knowledge you will be equipped to help them." But Linus said, "No, I am just nosy." Knowledge can be puffed up in such a way that is only limited to self advancement and tends to leave out the most important thing. It is important to advance in knowledge and works to our advantage but our knowledge especially of the Lord should be shared to others for all the nations to know. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalms 87:1-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: Glorious things are told of you, O city of God.

1 His foundation upon the holy mountains 2 the LORD loves, the gates of Zion, more than any dwelling of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God! (R) 4 I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those that know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia: “This man was born there.” 5 And of Zion they shall say: “One and all were born in her; and he who has established her is the Most High LORD.” (R) 6 They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled: “This man was born there.” 7 And all shall sing, in their festive dance: “My home is within you.” (R) 

The most holy and sacred woman who ever lived here on earth is Mary. We are so blessed to have her as our own mother, for Jesus shared and extended to us this noble and holy privilege. Today we commemorate the courage and strength of Mary in carrying out the most noble task ever known to man which she has faithfully fulfilled thus it gives us the inspiration to not grow weary in facing further trials that come our way and not despair and lose hope. The passion and death of Jesus on the cross is the ultimate pain and suffering that a human being could endure. It follows that the ultimate sorrow a mother could experience is to see her very own son subjected to such an excruciatingly painful way to die. On an afternoon of unnatural darkness she had to endure such cruel pain and agony that more than human nature could endure. Mary had to stand by and see the soldiers come and claim as their own all that was left of her dead son (John 19:24-25, Matthew 27:35). There at the foot of the cross was the little heap of Christ’s earthly belongings. They are the only heirlooms and the only souvenirs that she could have. There is the seamless tunic that she must have woven stitch by stitch with such love. There was his headdress which she had mended and his sandals which she had kept clean. And now these men were casting lots as to whose they should be as a reward and recompense for putting her son to death. We know that this world of ours is cruel, cold and heartless. But it can be kind to all men on 2 occasions, at birth and death and to be born and to die. To come into the world and to go out of it finds hospitality easily even from the world. But how was our Lord treated on those occasions? Why was it that it seemed too much just for Him to be born? It took the Almighty all His time to obtain a visible foothold of His own world. He wasn’t wanted. There was no room for Him in the inn. Though, we did hear the angels voices singing on the hillside that night but those voices soon changed. It changed into wailings of women, mothers mourning the loss of their sons in the killing of the innocents because man had been seeking God to murder Him. And at His death He wasn’t allowed to die a natural death like the rest of men. In the very prime of manhood His life was trampled out of Him as if it was something tiresome. His body was swiftly buried or else it would be polluting the air of festivity in the city (Mark 15:42, John 19:31) Mary stood at the foot of the cross as her heart was pierced with so much sorrow seeing her only Son, Jesus crucified. Only a heart full of faith, courage, strength and conviction could withstand such kind of sorrow and pain.  Mary never fainted nor faltered maintained reverence in God in that time of great sorrow and remained obedient. She is the “Stabat Mater” (Standing Mother) and such is the heart of Mary, a mother, immaculate and strong. Mary is the Lady of Sorrows for all these but we know from our faith that the pain of our Lady from that afternoon is nothing to what she endures now every time she sees a soul lose the garment of sanctifying grace for we are her children for Jesus said “Behold, your mother.”  For whenever we sin, a human being made in the image and likeness of God is brought lower than the beasts.  All the beauty is turned into hideousness. All the love turned into hatred and despair. There is only one evil in our lives and that is sin. Sin means we lose our God, the light goes out of our soul and we have become withered branches fit only to be burned in everlasting fire. We are living in a world now that says that sin doesn’t matter. That sin is only a little word in a dictionary that has long since lost its meaning. “Times have changed” we are told. Sin is the source of Mary’s greatest sorrow. May we realize that it places us in a better position with God when we know that we have the Our Lady of Sorrows, none other than our very own Blessed Mother who will always be with us, offering her cries and tears as she constantly prays for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. She is perfect enough for God to be the mother of His only Son surely she will also be for us, more than perfect as our Mother. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 19:25-34
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

PENTECOST

The talk entitled, "Opening to God's love" by Dominic Berardino broadened my understanding of God's love. I was specifically touched when the speaker said that God has so much love that He is not able to contain it and it overflows. God's creation is His way of making room for His love. We are all expressions of God's love. It was impressed to me that as pro creators of God we too are capable of expressing this love and make it grow and multiply through the help of the Holy Spirit. Allow God to change our hearts and live that love not just in words but in action, deeds and in truth. He further said that peace is still unfulfilled, which is very evident in the prevailing conditions worldwide because people or we are not yet fully transforming our hearts to love. He said he used to be a "Cultural Catholic" who never heard the personal message of God's love. Although he already felt the love of God at age 7 when he had his 1st communion, he still had an obscure image of Jesus. He even thought that Jesus was Italian being Italian himself and very Catholic. It was only after a long while when he started to have this personal relationship with God that he saw in Jesus the perfect image of God's love which is very unlike the typical image that we all sometimes used to have of God who is one who punishes and disciplines. It was the image of God from the Parable of the Prodigal Son that he was able to paint a better image of God in his life. He said that the Prodigal Son misused his free will and abused it. It was like the son wanted his father dead because he already asked for his share of wealth even though he is still living. When the time came when he already hit rock bottom and lost everything, the so called spiritual earthquakes of our lives that was when he decided to go back to his father. Thinking to himself that he is better off as a hired worker in his father's home and did not even thought of being treated as a son but the father's love was so great that upon seeing his son with nothing at all he immediately ordered that his son be given a robe, ring and sandals which means he has his freedom back. For in those times people who have no possessions at all are the slaves. He cited  this bible passage that not a single sparrow falls to the ground without the knowledge of our Heavenly Father and so much more should we be convinced that God is watching us always with love. 1 Cor.13 It's about time we heal the broken images of God and know that He has this unconditional love for us. In the end he quoted, St. John of the Cross "When the evening of this life comes we will be judged on love." He further recommended to read Mt. 25. and ended his talk with another quote from St. Gregory, "We all have this residue of selfishness and we wash it away with unselfishness." It was indeed a blessing that we were all gathered together to celebrate this very special occasion when we commemorate the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and from that time on their lives were never the same.

 Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim...

Only to God should we place our trust. He is a God who will never forsake nor abandon and will do for us much more than we can ever know. I am reminded of the talk delivered by Fr. John Hampsch, CMF entitled, "Don't take woe for an answer". He discussed not only about optimism per se but within the context of the Christian virtue, hope. He quoted Rom 5:5 which describes hope in God as something that doesn't disappoint. It is good to always put our hope in the Lord who make all things work together for good for all those who love Him.(Rom. 8:28) He said that we should always face the sun for the shadows to go behind. Come to think of it, I only realized it when I heard it, I guess it's another way of making us realize that if we are always facing the Son of God, Jesus who is the Light of the World, then every shadow that darkens and blocks the light in our lives will go behind us. He said there is only one place where there is only complete total disappointment for there is no hope of relief and that is hell or Dante's inferno. He further described Christian hope as not confined to the standards of this world and transcends emotional hope. It is an assurance or certainty of something good as in Ps. 42 where several times the words, "Put your hope in God" were repeated. Hope is a virtue infused by God in our wills not only in our emotions. Trust God with complete certainty. He quoted, the Council of Trent declaring that, "No one is certain of salvation.” This is somehow contradictory to what St. Augustine said that "You should think of salvation as if it were already certain." The certainty of salvation is as certain as our own existence. He explained that there is really no contradiction in the sense that the uncertainty comes from our side as human beings and not from God. He said we have the free will to choose our salvation. He reiterated the importance to see to it that the truth we heard remains in us and if it remains in us then God is surely assuring us of the certainty that He is on our side. It's just like finding something beautiful that we would never want to let go and remains forever. He mentioned the forces of evil that tempts us to become unfaithful. But God assured us that no one can snatch us out of His hands but the problem is if we choose to pull away from God. In the face of real challenges only those who stay firm in God's promises will hold and survive. It is given that God never abandons us, only we can abandon Him through the choices we make. In this present time of great trial and hardships we have to discover the grounds of hope which is rooted in the so called "Tripod of Hope" by St. Thomas Aquinas: 1. faith in the power of God (2 Thes. 1:11-12) 2. faith in the goodness of God (Ps. 146) 3. faith in the promises of God (Heb.11:1-2; Ps. 145:13) Sometimes this tripod is placed in a slippery floor of despair, conclusion of fools, neglect of faith and the like. We are called to always have faith and hope in God as written in the 1st book of Peter. If we feel like we are experiencing a hardship just like Job and starting to lose hope then we are called by God to stand firm and be joyful in hope. (2 Cor 1:5-6; Rom 12:2) Nothing or no one else can make or break us, only God gives and takes, this is something we have to realize, first and foremost. Everything is by the grace of God. It's about time we stop using words and saying things about our being human other than what we are in the eyes of God. May our thoughts, words and action be inclined to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. There is really no more denying that we have a God who created all of us including everything here on earth which has been appointed and assigned in its designated time and place for our continuous guidance and reminder. All the beautiful things around us speak of the greatness of God's creation He is great and Almighty. Thus we should always give thanks and praise to God as we say the psalm today. May we all have a grasp of this great and wonderful relationship that exists between God and the world or His creation. Jesus is intimately present in Creation as the wind and air like a force of love. All that is good is a reflection of divine love. It is infinite and eternal that generates from nothing and from the beginning of time and creation does not merely occur and end there but an eternal support of the Holy Trinity present in all creation. Especially in us, present in a special way since we have a soul and spirit. The Holy Spirit is the moving force when God speaks with His word. This is something we lost in original sin but was restored through the action of the word made flesh in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 104: 1. 24. 29-30. 31. 34

R: Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

...How manifold are your works, O LORD! The earth is full of your creatures. (R) 29 If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust...

The 2nd reading for today tells us that though we feel inadequate in ourselves we need not despair because God has given each one of us a gift for some benefit and the others too. We all belong in God's big family and we are all part of His body. We are all connected in a way and God will bring to us people, events and situations that will perfect us and our needs for His greater glory and for the good of the entire people of God, the Church in which we are all a part of. In the talk, "Revealing God's love to others" by Fr. Bill DeLaney, SJ. He said that there are several names attributed to God but the name "Abba" holds a special meaning. He is a God that is not distant and shows Himself as a loving Father to a son. He said we have a task at hand which is to continue the outpouring of the Spirit in the Church. He said that we have already been filled but we leak so we have to constantly be filled and there should be an ongoing filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is revealed in many ways and one of these is when the Holy Spirit reveals sovereignty, which means it is direct and only God can do it. The Holy Spirit is always present but we do not always feel its presence. We have to work with Jesus so that it can be revealed. In Gal. 5:22 there are several fruits of the Spirit which allows us to reveal God's presence to others and bring it out in others. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. It is sad that oftentimes we do not reflect the fruits rather the opposite. We are invited to live at peace with everyone by first becoming the person of peace. It can never be done in hostility but only in gentleness. 1 Tim  5:3, treat others even your enemies with courtesy and respect. It is how you relate and disagree with one another that tell much of who we really are. It is rooted in the truth of who we are and what we honestly believe. The will of Jesus for the community is unity. He prayed not only for the disciples but for all those who believe. A Christian community should love and respect each other even when we disagree. Heroic virtues and holiness should just be something ordinary since it is the way it should be for a true Christian. He said that when we pray for patience we should be willing to go through the process of planting, cultivating and nourishing it.  Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 12:3b-7. 12-13

3 Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6 there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

The 4th talk is about "Receiving and Giving Encouragement" by Kay Murdy. She said that the word courage came from the Old French word which means the heart, which can be taken as put courage into the heart. She further said that kind words can be short and brief but its echoes are endless and never forgotten. St. Paul strengthened and encouraged the Thessalonians by sending Timothy. God gives us encouragement through the scriptures even eternal encouragement as in the book of Romans. She mentioned about Joseph of Cyprus whose name became Barnabas which means "son of encouragement" because he lifted up Paul during the time when the other disciples were suspicious of him. We are encouraged to recognize the gifts and talents of others and letting them know about it by simply writing a note and saying something positive. Even King David when feeling depressed encouraged himself in the Lord. He recognized who he was and what he is called to be. She quoted this " If you can't change the direction of the wind then adjust your sails so that you can reach your destination." She further said that to each is given a gift not only to some and emphasized the word to each. We are called to develop and allow it to grow for us to share to others and be as contagious as possible. We should encourage each other as much as we can before it’s too late. She narrated a story of a man whose dream was to be a musician but ended up becoming a lawyer due to family pressure. It was like this man can be compared to a round peg being fitted into a square peg. The man was said to commit suicide. It is God's will that we encourage one another as our way of testifying to God. How does our God love? His love is immeasurable, unimaginable and indescribable. How can we not love Him back? God's word in today's gospel is an assurance that we can always depend on Him whatever situations we have right now. He is always with us and will never leave us provided we keep His word. How do the saints go about it? St. Therese had the habit of smiling whenever her work was interrupted by a nun coming to ask for help whether with or without good reason. Let us face it most of us are annoyed and impatient especially when we are disturbed especially when they don’t have a good reason. St. Therese’ habit of smiling when she is annoyed is a willed reaction. She does it quite naturally. At the beginning of a free period which Carmelite nuns do not have a lot of, she prepares herself ahead of time to react in a loving manner. Therefore nothing took her by surprise, she is ready to be disturbed, counts on being disturbed, thus she is always happy. This is called determination. She is practicing it and does something about it in order to change from good to better and to best. Holiness and sanctity is not an emotion, the thing itself is in the will. As the gospel tells us today, “He who does the will of my Father  is the one who loves Him.” As St. Thomas said, “Will it.” We need to light the fire and do something about it. Fidelity is all we need. Daily conversation with the Lord is one of the traits of geniuses. As we master the art of communication with the Lord then we can say the deepest things in just a few words. St. Augustine, said “Every Christian should be an Alleluia from head to toe.” The people who live completely the message of the Catholic Church are the saints. They live the Lord’s message and the most beautiful people in the planet.  The saints are the one who really live by the truth. They are walking in the living form and work enthusiastically. They are present in the world but not at home in this world, living the divine message as perfectly as they can, eager to act and yet devoted to contemplation. We may be going through a lot of trials and problems but it doesn't change the fact that He is God. It is a consolation to hear these words being said by Jesus in today's gospel. But at that time when He said this we might have guessed it right if we recognized that there is a sense of stress in the Upper Room among the Apostles. They are tense in their hearts and troubled and is exactly the reason why Jesus said it. The apostles may have been guessing already what's going to happen shortly. He said do not let your hearts be troubled so that they will be protected from despair when persecution comes. He said not to worry, be anxious or afraid like we always do at times or almost always. Though, it doesn't mean that men and women who worry and get anxious have no faith. We are not living in reality if we feel this way. Friends of God are not totally free from worries that trouble the heart. Sometimes we pray to God and still do not eliminate what we are distressed of. We still need to avoid things that we can avoid and do all we can to avoid suffering. We are on this road and journey. We constantly look for the right direction so that we will not get lost. It might have happened to everyone when we are headed for a place we've never been before. We ask directions and somewhere along the road we still get confused and lose our way. This happens when we lose track of it and given the wrong information. We can rest ourselves from worry and trouble because Jesus never leaves us. He is always with us through the Holy Spirit to strengthen, guide and shed light in our path. He personally leads us to show us the way for us not to get lost. He holds us by the hand and sees us through. We might think that when we pray we are doing service to God. We are wrong. Prayer first and foremost is an initiative of God. It is our giving to God the time to bring light and guidance into our lives. What makes life worth living? Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is the key to life. This is the kind of life that we should desire but sadly, not often found. What I noticed very much in romantic old movies is the signature characteristic of people hopelessly in love being portrayed in it. This famous line "I never knew what life was until I saw it in your eyes." always form part of the climax of these romantic movies. This should be the fervor and devotion that we ought to give to God. Only Jesus can give us the peace and love amidst all the turmoil surrounding us. It can be compared to the center or eye of a hurricane where there is complete tranquility in the presence of heavy rain, strong winds and heavy waves. Nothing is more uplifting and strengthening than these words of assurance in today's gospel coming from Jesus Himself a true and genuine friend and lover in the real sense of it. Thanks to God.  Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created and they shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

John 20:19-23
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

NEVER QUESTION

We are a people of different colors, shapes and sizes. Each person is unique but we all have something in common that we can share. We can all hope in God. Today's 1st reading tells us of the story of St. Paul imprisoned in Rome. Paul left us a wonderful example of following Jesus even in the midst of persecution and trials. He was very focused on just one thing, to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. It would require a whole lot of conviction and determination to carry on as he did considering the kind of situation and circumstance he is in at that time. If we are to look very closely we would just marvel at how he was able to do everything. We could only be sure of one thing, that where the Spirit of God dwells and prevails there we find abounding signs, wonders and miracles beyond our imagination. Despite his situation it did not stop him from fulfilling his mission. He continued to persevere to the end because of the hope he had for God. We too, are called to share and rely on this hope in God and carry on with our tasks against all odds. We have to extensively study, always read about the word of God and share it to others and discover the circumstances that have opened doors to being part of the lives of other people who are sent by God to us and vice versa, we are sent by God to them. When we encounter something wonderful and beyond our normal expectations the tendency is to rave about it. Let us hope and pray that we get to experience the wonders offered by the kingdom of God that no one can stop us from proclaiming it. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

...This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains.”

It is funny how sometimes we fail to see the things that are right before our very eyes. We overlook, neglect and take for granted what obviously should be our main concern and focus. Why is this so? We have to realize that when we are presented with a variety of good things all around us unless we know our criteria, take time to look very closely and inspect what we are getting then we might end up picking up the wrong choices. We should not allow any distractions to shift our gaze and remain focused on the Lord at all times. We should have this confidence that everything that happens does not escape the searching glance of God. He knows the past, present and the future and things surely happen for a reason and whatever it may be, it will always work for the best. We may have encountered various trials and difficulties but we have to keep this in mind, it pays to be tested for in the end we would find  ourselves like the board exam takers passers.

 Let us not forget to always work for justice and goodness in the name of Jesus and we can be assured of not only always being in God's presence but really gaze on His Holy face. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 11:4, 5, 7

R: The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his searching glance is on mankind. (R) 5 The LORD searches the just and the wicked; the lover of violence he hates. 7 For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds; the upright shall see his face.

According to Frances Hogan, it was John the youngest of all the apostles who really wrote the gospel. The person behind the gospel have seen and heard Jesus first hand. He came to Jesus as a teenager and seems to know the heart of Jesus instinctively. It was to John that Jesus gave His mother on the cross. John was taught by God's beloved mother, Mary. He has this special relationship with Jesus and referred to in the scriptures as the apostle that Jesus loved or the beloved. In fact only John among all the apostles was not martyred and just died a natural death. We can read in today's gospel that Peter was asking about him. Sometimes we are too preoccupied with other people's lives that we fail to attend to what should be our main concern, our very own lives. When we do this without attending to ourselves first we end up with nothing to give and worse may mess up other people's lives too. We have to look at our lives first and strive to mend our ways first before we can reach out to others. In today's gospel, Jesus did not answer Peter's question but responded with another question. The bottom line is that we ought not to concern ourselves too much of other people's businesses but should see to it first if we ourselves are on the right track and follow Jesus through and through. There is really no need to question God about what is happening in our lives. It should not be a cause for anxiety on our part what matters most is that we follow no matter what the cost. For only Him can answer all our concerns and anxieties. We have an indescribable God, awesome! His greatness encompasses all knowledge and understanding that no author can contain it. What we do for His glory is a mere speck of the honor and praise that God rightfully deserves. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 21:20-25

...When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” ...

BENEFITS

Trust, perseverance, doubt, frustration and anxiety are all part of one big mix of experiences that we need to go through. Just like a big cookie dough with all the bits and pieces of nuts, chocolate and all the other things that add up to its flavor and taste. We encounter these things so God can provide opportunities for us to advance in our faith and discover His perfect will in our lives. Sometimes we encounter people who belong to a different religion or same religion but different organization or prayer group. Whether you're Christian, Buddhist, Muslim or Catholic what matters most is that you respect each other's beliefs and know in your heart that each person is a child of God. Trusting God in His magnificent ways that He will reveal Himself in whatever way He deemed fit for each one of us. Sometimes our convictions and beliefs can place us in a difficult situation when we would have to be tested to the point of being forced to retract and abandon what we are standing up for. Especially when it comes to a matter of life and death, this would definitely make us think hard before we can ever decide if we are really willing to go through that kind of suffering and hardship. Reflecting on the life of Jesus, Mary and the saints should humble and embarrass us whenever we end up wavering in our faith. We have been blessed by the glorious background of their lives and gifted with this present time when we can freely exercise our faith without fear of being imprisoned and executed. During their time, profession of faith in Jesus meant persecution and death. Isn't it something that we should really be grateful and take advantage of. Those people who have worked hard for our faith paved the way for its richness and splendor that we have to appreciate every single moment of our life. Let us not waste nor disregard the hard work they have done for us to enjoy the blessings brought about by their great faith in God. Let us always treasure it in our hearts and be very thankful for it. May it inspire us to also work hard and contribute for the further flourishing, proliferation and spread of the good news about Jesus. Amen. Hallelujah!

Acts 25:13-21

... they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive.

We can never fathom the wisdom of God but we can always remain confident in the truth that His kindness is perfect and everlasting. He makes all things work for good. When we feel so helpless, miserable and alone, never ever doubt that He can't help but be the loving God that He is. God loves us so much that he will adjust to our needs and make things work for good. There is no reason for us to even doubt and hold back anything from the Lord for nothing is too difficult for Him. If we are confident of God's Providence in our lives then nothing should even make us doubt that God is able to redeem us and take us out of misery. God has made known His kindness, mercy and secures justice for all. He knows exactly what we need at the precise moment and brings forth everything in its appointed time. Furthermore, God wanted to take our transgressions as far as the east is from the west. How far is the east from the west? Only God knows. We know that the distance is unfathomable, that’s what the Lord does with our sins. How much does He loves us? We know that His love and mercy is immeasurable. There is really none like our God. And reading part of the psalm reading made me remember the song "Loving and Forgiving". He is our best bet for always and there is no one or nothing else that could or should take first place in our lives more than the Lord. Whenever we receive goodness and kindness from people we meet we are very much delighted and pleased with it. How much more would we feel if we have God's favor resting upon us. There is nothing else better compared to this. We may search long and hard but we can never really find true satisfaction and remain restless unless we have God in our life. We only have to believe in God's kindness and mercy and we will surely see it happen in our life before our very eyes. He is our refuge and strength. To whom can we go but to God alone. The world’s point of view is very contradictory to the message that God wanted us to live by.  We need to pray hard for the desire to always follow what is pleasing before the Lord and not forget that it is what really matters first and foremost. We are so blessed that we did not live during the time when Christians were being persecuted and martyred and what we are enjoying right now are already the benefits of God's marvelous work wrought by His mighty hand. This is why we should stop complaining and just keep our hope if we truly believe that we have a God and Father who is full of kindness and goodness. This reminds me of the prophet Amos. He is a prosperous herdsman/farmer, well educated and traveled. His time (746-786) was an age of prosperity but severely marked with moral decay and spiritual bankruptcy. He experienced a luxurious life, lived in the garrison city a place dominated by people of power and had all the time to study the scriptures. He lived in affluence, belonged and embraced the "clan system/wisdom" which is a guild or crusade to maintain the purity of the tradition of the temple of Jerusalem which houses the "Ark of the Covenant". He saw the evil of excess in Tekoa, he witnessed the "left" (poverty) and the "right" (wealth and affluence) side. Being himself a dresser of the sycamore tree who worked with his people, he also saw the plight and injustice that is existent during that time. His prophetic mission emerged as an offshoot of his kingly and priestly status and was able to go through all these stages making him a good "nabi" hebrew word for prophet. We, too as followers of Jesus should also go through certain stages and fulfill our call or mission to be king, priest and prophet in our own personal lives. What I learned in the bible study about the very relevant and essential Hebrew word "pescher" which means repetitious study, reading and pronunciation of the word of God is a tool to achieve this goal and always be reminded about the goodness and benefits of being a genuine, equipped and well fulfilled follower of Jesus. The God of yesterday, today and forevermore. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 103:1-2. 11-12. 19-20ab

R: The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.

Love is not exclusive. Jesus wanted Peter to show his love for Him by reaching out to others. This is exactly what we're supposed to do no matter who the person is. Our faith in God brings us to circumstances when we can no longer decide on our own but on the basis that we are totally disposed and abandoned to His perfect plan for us. This is why in today’s gospel Jesus had to emphasize it to Peter. Whenever we want to make a point then we tend to repeatedly say and ask things and sometimes, too we tend to feel hurt when someone seem to doubt our capacity to do it. Jesus in today's gospel asked Peter 3x if he loves Him and he also replied positively to Him 3x. But we know the rest of the story when Peter ended up denying Jesus 3x also. The same in our own lives, God sometimes needed to emphasize some things in our life so as to really focus and commit to it. God knows each and every one of us and it is just proper and fitting that we must take every persistent message that God gives us, really take action and surely benefit from it. Knowing that our God will always bring about what is good for us. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 21:15-19

...“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.