TIME FOR SHARPENING

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter ask for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees "Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!" Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

In the coming new year, let’s find a quiet place and start assessing ourselves. Do we need sharpening as we face new challenges in life? Make plans to sharpen our skills, our knowledge and of course, our spirit. God will continue to sharpen us, for we are the swords God has chosen to sharpen others for His great work until the end of time.

Almighty Father, sharpen me. May I continue to grow in You, continually learning Your words, understanding Your will and doing what is right. I submit myself to Your Son, Jesus so we see Him clearly as His kingdom come in our lives and in the world!

Oh Lord, Your word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. We pray for each other today, as we share Your great work with each other through our friendships.

“My life is dull, I can’t seem to do anything
But God can sharpen anything, make our lives everything.”

We need sharpening, once in a while.

FAMILY TIES

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Matthew 2:21,23

He rose, took the child and his mother… (and) went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

When we are just starting to raise a family, my wife and I would be changing address almost every two years. In our first year, we lived with our in-laws in Mandaluyong. After a year, we would transfer further south in Cavite, when Motorola transferred its facility in that location. We would stay there for three years until I joined General Electric so I have to transfer near the Makati area, and rented a townhouse.

Then the opportunity to work in IR-China presented itself, so all of us expatriated to Xi’an, where we stayed for another three years. We came back in 2006. At present, we live in a condominium that me and my wife invested on. For 14 years, we were like nomads going from once place to another. But we did stick together, through thick and thin. As family, “no one will be left behind!”

The Holy Family have traveled farther – going from Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, to Egypt, then back to Israel, where they settled finally in Nazareth, fulfilling what was prophesized about Jesus. There, He would live as a young carpenter, “and (He) grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him”.

Almighty Father, we thank You for the gift of family. We acknowledge that our image and name as family come from you. We believe that within our family lies a homemade holiness. We are Family. We give thanks to You for the many joys and blessings that have come to us through family.

Oh Lord, we pray for the strength to be a light within our family. May we open our hearts, and carry our light to those in need. Help us to continue to appreciate the diversity of persons in our homes and in our world. As members equal in human dignity, may we build a better world and proclaim our willingness to be the holy people You call us to be. Amen +

A family is holy not because it is perfect, but because God’s grace is at work in it.

IN HIS TIME

Psalms 144:15

Happy the people to whom such blessings fall! Happy the people whose God is the LORD!

God only promises us today. We don't know what is ahead of us. But God knows. He doesn't always show us what is in store for us or even if we will have a tomorrow. So we should live our lives as if each day is the last. How terrible it would be to live your whole life and in the end be full of regret. Live life to the fullest – for the goodness and glory of God!

Be blessed with this beautiful message from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Oh Lord, as we look at the vastness of the universe that the You have created, we are overwhelmed with Your love. What comfort, what peace and what joy do we constantly feel under Your immense greatness. May the new year brings us more blessings, for in Your name, we put our trust.

He hath made every thing beautiful in His time.

PURITY OF THE HEART

Feast of the Holy Innocents

Matthew 2:13

"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

We can now see it everywhere – the magazines we read, the songs we sing, the music we dance to, the billboards along the busy highways – pictures or themes or messages that promote sex and sexuality. And the bad news is that these same messages are picked-up by our children. Today’s sex-obsessed culture forces children into roles they are not mentally, physically or emotionally ready to handle. Innocence is dying in our children. When will parents act like adults and stand up to say, “enough!”?

Two-thousand years ago, the devil used Herod to execute all innocent male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, in the hope of killing the Child Jesus. Today, the devil is using another tool to take that innocence out of our children – taking their mind out from godly existence, to live a life full of lust and worldly anxieties, in the hope of killing Jesus in their hearts.

Almighty Father, as parents, teach us to share with our children the purity of mind, body, soul and spirit:

1. MIND. Let them know how to control his/her own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust.

2. BODY. Let them be busy in doing good deeds, praying and attending to needs of others. By doing good deeds, they can definitely attain a reasonable level of purity of mind.

3. SOUL & SPIRIT. Let them know that they are loved by “holding them close to our hearts”, so they may understand Your love towards them, generating a sense of serenity and simplicity as their soul connect with You, in oneness with You.

Oh Lord, through our prayers, may we reach purity. Through our prayers, may we be example of purity. Through our prayers, may we teach others purity. Through our prayers, let all things we are become pure.

“If my heart and mind is pure,
God lives in me, I am sure.”

Purity is a yes to the goodness of God's creation – Pope John Paul II

OUTSIDE LINE

Psalms 9:11

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!

It was my first day at work. I was really very excited to call my parents to tell them that I was already accepted as a cadet engineer. Before I left the house that day, I asked them to pray for me that I be accepted for the position, whatever it is. And now, it’s my turn to advise them about the good news.

I noticed only one phone on the table. I picked it up and dial the number to our house. But nothing happened. I tried again but to no avail. I then observed a directory on the wall – and on it is written, “DIAL 9 for OUTSIDE LINE”. So, I pressed 9 and heard another dial tone and started dialing the number. It worked! I was able to call my mother and was very happy to tell her about my first day at work.

In the bible, one can also try dialing 9 by going to Psalm 9, where David expresses his exaltations, praises and gratitude to all the good things given to him by the Lord. Start talking to the Lord:

Ø I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds (v.1)

Ø I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High (v.2)

Ø For thou hast maintained my just cause; thou hast sat on the throne giving righteous judgment (v.4)

Ø Be gracious to me, O LORD! Behold what I suffer from those who hate me (v.13)

Ø For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever (v.18)

Oh Lord Jesus, I reconnect with You. I believe You are God in the flesh, the Savior of the world. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I have been directing my own life, but now I surrender my life to You. I ask you to forgive me of my sin and be my Lord. Please change my heart. I choose to follow You. I want to be baptized, and receive your Holy Spirit. I want to be part of Your plan.

Hello, Jesus!

LEFTOVERS

John 6:12
"Collect the pieces that are left over so that nothing is lost."

After all the drinking, eating and merry-making, all that is left would be leftovers. It has always been the case through these years – we would cook and prepare so much food that we cannot really consume them all. So, we share them with others – we invite our neighbors to eat with us, or we send some food to our relatives. In all, it gives us full satisfaction seeing bountiful blessings for the season and the coming new year.

In the bible, one of the most famous miracle story is the feeding of five-thousand. It was the end of the day, and people are hungry. It was getting dark, and maybe, children are crying and people are asking for food. Worse, the disciples doesn’t even know what to do. And Jesus, being a good host, “was moved with compassion for them”. “You give them something to eat”, He said. And something to eat, they found – five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus did not panicked – in fact, He never panics! He blessed the bread and the fish, and was able to feed the five-thousand.

And there were even leftovers! Jesus was showing us that not only does He solve our problems, He does it with more abundance than we could ask for or even imagine.

Almighty Father, I have been blessed with material things, as well as the blessing of having the Gospel of salvation. Yet, I still feel little desire to provide those same blessings to others. We are stewards of what You have given us and we have a responsibility to share with others the same thing that You have shared with us.

Oh Lord, feed us with Your words and love. You will provide for us, forever. Our job is to have faith that You will; to trust in You; and to pray without ceasing so we may live in Your love.

“Another year, another Christmas
May the memories still linger in our mind
As constant reminders of how the Lord loves us
As yesterday, today and for years to come.”

Giving is the only proof that you have overcome greed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas Day

Luke 2:11

For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.

“Hay, salamat – natapos din!” (“Thank God, it’s finished”). Most of us adults must be exclaiming the same words. What started three months ago (or even earlier for some), has come to an end – shopping for gifts, parties, meeting old friends, buying toys or clothes for loved ones, eating puto bumbong and bibingka (Filipino Christmas delicacies). But for our Lord Jesus Christ, His birth is just the beginning – the beginning of His journey in life to redeem our souls from the devil – and bring us back to the grace and mercy of the Almighty Father.

The material aspect of Christmas may have been over, but may we not forget the real reason for our celebration. I, myself, have received gifts and I am really very thankful for those. But, I am more grateful for the gift of salvation that the birth of Christ has given and that God has promised us. And that has no end, for in our hearts we know, that Jesus is in us forever and ever.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!!!

+ Almighty Father, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise You for the great wonders You have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger. We praise You for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold His glory, and are bathed in its radiance.

Lord Jesus, we welcome You as our Lord, the true light of the world. Bring us to eternal joy in the kingdom of heaven, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. +

“The joy in Mary’s heart,
The song of the angels,
The gladness of the shepherds,
And the worship of the wise men...”

Today is born our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.

LET IT SNOW

Tonight is Christmas Eve

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

Two men sat in a pew at church. One prayed to the Lord, “God, give us a white Christmas this year. The beauty of the snow You send always reminds me of the glory of Your son who came to save us from our sins.”

The other man prayed, “O merciful Lord, do not let it snow this Christmas. So many of Your people are homeless this year, and I do not want them to freeze or suffer. The mercy You show to the poor always reminds me of the glory of Your son who came to save us from our sins.”

On Christmas there was snow. Not because the Lord cared more for the first man’s prayers, nor because He did not want to show mercy to the poor and homeless. The Lord allowed it to snow because the snow would bring out the best in both men: For if the snow did not come, the first man would not feel close to God, and the second man would stay home forgetting about the poor. But because it did snow, the first man felt the sense of peace and holiness he desired, and the poor were shown mercy when the second man went out in the cold to care for the homeless.

Oh Lord Jesus, it's Your birthday! Let's praise You, the king we adore. We raise our hands, loudly sing, praise and honor to the King of Kings who is born today to be our light, our life, our way!!! Let us rejoice in Your love with the joyous heart of a child. And then, like a jolly laughing Santa, we go out and share it with the whole world.

And as we await Your second coming, may we live our lives in total surrender to Your love, mercy and compassion.

“As Mary and Joseph search for a place
Where the Lord Jesus would be born
We prepare our hearts, straighten our ways
As we receive Jesus as our King, our Lord.”

Glory to God in the Highest!

GOD IS WITH US

Today is Fourth Sunday of Advent

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."

When was the last time you said “no” to someone asking for help or a favor? Maybe, when your wife asking you to help in cooking breakfast; or when your daughter asking you to help her in her homework; or your mother requesting you to come over for a dinner; or maybe, God whispering in your ears asking you to repent and stop your addictions.

Or, maybe, when an angel came to you, telling you that you will bear the Son of God. Imagine the very dire consequence if Mary had not accepted the proposal from God. Or Joseph running away after knowing that his fiancée is pregnant and the father is not him!

Most people agree that if someone says no and they have a good reason, that makes the “no” more acceptable. So, if you explain your reasons, people will often accept that you need to say no. But for Mary and Joseph, there is really no point in saying “No”. And God, being all-knowing, knows that they will say “Yes”. This is one of the reasons why Mary and Joseph are regarded with great respect by many people. They showed what the ultimate obedience was. And the rest, as they say, was history. Jesus was born, suffered, died, resurrected, ascended to Heaven – all for our salvation; as we await for His second coming.

Let us pray, as Advent draws to a close for the faith that opens our lives to the spirit of God +

Almighty Father, all-powerful God, Your eternal Word took flesh on our earth when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service of Your plan. Lift our minds in watchful hope to hear the voice which announces His glory and open our minds to receive the Spirit Who prepares us for His coming.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen +

“OH EMMANUEL, God is with us,
Our King and Lawgiver,
Come save us, O Lord our God!”

Let the Lord enter; He is King of glory.

SANTA CLAUS

Mark 10:15
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

In these days of commercialism, every holiday celebration is punctuated by material gift-giving, along with animated symbols – Easter Bunnies, Valentine Cupid, Halloween Pumpkin and of course, Christmas Santa Claus. And like every children in the world, I believed in Santa Claus. I still do today – at least not on the person in red suit, but on the virtues he exemplifies – sharing, gift-giving, and love of children.

The story of St. Nicholas offers a possible way of dealing with the "Santa Claus" problem, to parents who do not want to lie to their children, even in fun, but do not want to say simply: "Bah, humbug! There is no such thing as Santa. Forget about him." Nicholas was a native of the western part of what is now Asiatic Turkey. He became Bishop of Myra in the fourth century, and there are many stories of his love for God and for his neighbor.

Nicholas became a symbol of anonymous gift-giving. Hence, if we give a gift to someone today without saying whom it is from, it can be called "a present from Saint Nicholas (or Santa Claus)."

In this season of love and giving, may we not forget to share our hearts with others. Only then can we really feel the true meaning of Christmas.

Let us pray +

Almighty God, who in your love gave to your servant Nicholas of Myra a perpetual name for deeds of kindness on land and sea: Grant, we pray, that your Church may never cease to work for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen +

“You better watch out, you better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why…”

Santa Claus is coming to town.

MEMORY UPGRADE

Psalm 119:11
I have laid up Thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

In the morning, I would always hear this from a Philippine FM radio station as it’s tag line: “Kelangan Pa Bang I-Memorize ‘Yan?” (“Do We Really Need to Memorize It?”). The premise is that there are things that we should already know by heart, that we just do it as it comes – without thinking. Since our childhood days, we have been constantly memorizing something, because that is how you can get good grades in school, especially during exams – names, formulae, places, plural nouns, important dates – and the list goes on and on. Then, there are those that we know – or memorized – by heart: the national anthem, oath of allegiance, prayers like Our Father and Hail Mary, love songs (especially memorable ones), telephone numbers.

In our spiritual lives, we also have what we call MEMORY VERSES. A memory verse is a passage of Scripture that is memorized, repeatedly, until we came to remember it by heart. The memorization of Scripture is considered to be a spiritual discipline. But, we do not just memorize these verses. It is important that we incorporate what we have read or memorized in our daily lives. We should harness the power of these verses to improve our relationship with the Lord and to win others to Jesus Christ.

Almighty Father, Your word is living and powerful - sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. May we forever speak Your word, constantly renewing our hearts and minds.

A-B-C Memory Verse (you may get more in the internet):

A - All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

B - Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Acts 16:31

C - Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Ephesians 6:1

“My life is off to a great start
For Your words, I know them all by heart.”

I will not forget Your word, for I trust in Your word.

REMEMBER ME

Psalm 143:5

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.

I was able to see the movie, “Bourne Ultimatum” as a fly back to Manila from a 3-day business trip in Bangkok, Thailand. In the movie, the main character suffered severe amnesia and had to work against time and assassins who want him dead. He takes off on a search to find out who he is and why he is being hunted.

In “Ultimatum”, he is once again brought out of hiding and started blaming the CIA for the all the mess in his life. He then came to realize that he himself is a trained assassin. He came to understand this when he finally reached the place where he was first “converted”. In fact, he volunteered himself to the job! Succeeding complications in his life and work led to him being “assassinated”. As soon as he realized this, he knew that he only has himself to blame for what has happened in his life.

In one instance in our life, we have came to know God or has been called to join His family. However, due to life problems, busyness at work, or wordly attachments, we experienced amnesia of the heart and forgotten Him. We struggled to come out and even blame Him for all those bad things happening to us. Yet, if we only come back to Him and re-accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we would realize that we only have ourselves to blame.

Almighty Father, help me remember Your faithfulness throughout my life. Help me see how You have loved me, redeemed me, forgiven me, and given me new and eternal life. Help me realize how You have brought me through past struggles, provided for my needs, woke me up this morning, and how You continue to cover me with Your love.

Oh Lord, bless us—each and all—to always remember You with love, to direct our hearts and lives in fulfilling of Your holy will, that You—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—would make our hearts and spirit Your abode, now and always.

“Teach me to do Thy will;
For Thou art my God”

Oh Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.

HIDING INSIDE MYSELF

Hebrews 11:6

For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

During brownouts, me and my playmates would go out of the house and play one of our favorite games – hide and seek. In our place, there were a lot of places where once can hide – inside a jeepney, behind or inside a trash can (yes, one of us tried hiding inside it once, that is why in the next round, we were able to identify his location by his smelly scent), garage, on top of trees, behind the fences, and yes, inside a drum filled with water.

Everyone is quietly hiding until a scream would fill the air, “Pung, taya!” (meaning “I have found you!”). Sometimes, I would got scared of the dark that I would have myself seen by the seeker or say, “andito ako!” (“I am here”) so I could finally get out of the dark. It doesn’t matter if I would be the next seeker, for sometimes it is better to be the hunter, than the hunted.

Through our lives, we have been constantly seeking for God - in the hope that we might feel Him and find Him. But we do not have to go far and look in the darkness. If we can only open our hearts, we can hear Him saying, “I am here”, yes, in our hearts. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

Almighty Father, I am looking for You, not because You got lost, but because I tried to hide from You. But now, I have found You. Since, and even before I was born, You already know me. And there is always this longing in my heart for You. I knew that I wouldn't be complete unless I am with You and loving You and I'm glad I've found You.

Oh Lord, we realize that everything in the world is meaningless unless we obey Your will. We can gain money and possession, but they don't satisfy our needs. In our death, those will all fall away and mean nothing. So, we look up to the heavens as You call upon us, exclaiming, “Here I am.”

“Lord, I hear my name
Now I go before You, my Lord
If it is Your will - Let it be, let it be
Let me do Your will.”

I seek You for I thirst.

GIFT-GIVING 2007

Hebrews 13:16
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Pictures are posted here: http://junmanacsa.multiply.com/photos/album/3/GIFT-GIVING_2007

For a first-timer, it was indeed a very successful one. Last Friday, December 14, we had a gift-giving celebration and Christmas Party. It benefited about 50 children together with their parents, coming from the community where my wife grew up. It was co-sponsored by the Aquinas and Dominican College Family Council and the CGS Homeowners Association together with the Department of Social Works and Development (DSWD) Mandaluyong Chapter.

The day started with a mass celebrated by Fr. Louis Niez. Immediately after, the gift-giving started where we distributed groceries and toys to the children. Then, dinner and party time!

Christmas is truly for the kids and for those who are kids at heart. As the celebration of our Lord’s nativity draws near, may we never forget that the true happiness in this season of joy can only be realized through sharing and giving. May we share our hearts with the needy and those longing for our unending love and care.

Let us pray +

God, our Father
We pray that You will protect our children.
Keep them safe from harm
And help them to grow healthy in mind and body.
Give them enough strength to keep their faith in You,
And keep alive their joy at the Birth of Jesus at Christmas time.

Amen +

Be like a child with our FAITH!

CALMNESS OF THE HEART

Psalm 4:8
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou alone, O LORD, makest me dwell in safety.

There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest... perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The King chose the second picture. Do you know why? "Because," explained the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Oh Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. My heart beats for You forever and calmness fills my soul, so I will never feel troubled; neither would I be afraid. And since we have been justified by faith, we would forever be living in peace with the Almighty Father through You.

Almighty Father, Your peace You have given us, and Your peace we share with each other. In the midst of conflicts, war and disagreements, we would be thankful for the strength You have given us.

“The God of silence beckons me
To journey to my heart
Where He awaits me.”

Peace is not the absence of conflict, it’s the absence of inner conflict.

BE PREPARED

Today is Third Sunday of Advent

Matthew 11:10

This is He of Whom it is written, “Behold, I send my messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.”

I was a barangay (village) secretary before, while my father is a councilor. Before every meetings, he would ask me to go early to the barangay hall to arrange everything – blackboard, chalks, PA system, microphones, etc. If there are already people present, I shall discuss with them the agenda for that day and give them a glimpse of what is happening in our barangay. When the barangay captain (leader) arrives, all will be ready and the people already have an idea about the meeting and could prepare and ask questions intelligently.

St. John the Baptist is the greatest messenger of all times, for he heralded and prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. He went through all the places around the Jordan river, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Crowds of people came confessing their sins and he baptized them in the Jordan River. John always spoke the truth, even when people didn't want to hear it. He fearlessly confronted King Herod with the evil things he had done. Eventually, this stand for the truth cost John his life.

John's purpose was to prepare the people to accept Jesus. Could you help someone to accept Jesus as they see His love living in You?

Lord Jesus, You are the way, the truth and the life. As the celebration of Your nativity draws near, may we continuously prepare our hearts to fully accept You as our Lord and our King. And as we wait for Your glorious second coming, may we continuously prepare ourselves, through Your mercy and grace, to join You in eternal life.

Oh Lord, we are Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You prepared beforehand. This Christmas, may we let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave us.

“Your way shall be our way
As you fill our hearts with love in this season of joy.”

Lord, come and save us.

CRADLE

Psalm 28:9

O save your people, and bless your heritage
Be their shepherd, and carry them forever.

Life is indeed very precious. It is a gift from God. He created us out of love, and would certainly expect that we love and praise Him in return, by loving others. Yet, there are people who would rather destroy that life at the very onset of conception, in exchange for a better “choice” – freedom from responsibility.

In his book, “Go In Peace”, Pope John Paul II dwelt on abortion as “denial of the basic rights of every human being to life; and in harming one of its members, it injures the whole human race.” Further, he mentioned that each and everyone of us, from conception, already have an infinite value. Killing a child is killing that value that he could have shared with mankind.

Let me share with you a poem (CRADLE) I wrote in 1992. It is about the plea of an unborn child that he be given a chance to live and experience life to its fullest.

Cradle me in your womb
As the reckoning day looms
Go on, go on living
And spare me the spectre
Of an impending doom

Cradle me in your loving presence
When the days are bleak and blue
Go on, go on fighting
And spare me the nonsense
Of other people’s reason

Cradle me in your thought
When the night is long and cold
Come on, stop crying
And spare me anymore sufferings
The choice of yours will bring.

Our existence is absolute, not relative.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

1 John 4:19
We love, because he first loved us.

I may have given my son a gift last week, but I do expect that he studies well. I may have said “I love you” to my wife this morning, but I expect that she loves me back. I may have donated some money to charity, and yet I expect that God will return back the favor a hundred times. When was the last time I gave something without expecting something in return? When was the last time I have given something, all out of love, because I believe that is the right thing to do?

St. Francis Xavier was a pioneering Roman Catholic Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). The Roman Catholic Church considers him to have converted more people to Christianity than anyone since St. Paul having devoted much of his life to missions in foreign countries – Indonesia, India, Malacca, Japan and South China.

In his prayer, we should love God, not because of anything else (i.e., we want to go to heaven, have eternal life). We should love and praise God, simply because He is our Creator, our Lord and our eternal King. God should expect more from us, rather than we expecting anything from Him.

My God, I love thee; not because I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because who love thee not are lost eternally.

Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear, and manifold disgrace.

And griefs and torments numberless and sweat of agony;
even death itself -- and all for one Who was thine enemy.

Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ should I not love thee well?
not for the hope of winning heaven, or of escaping hell.
not with the hope of gaining aught, nor seeking a reward,
but as thyself has lovèd me, O ever-loving Lord!

Even so I love thee, and will love and in thy praise will sing,
solely because thou art my God, and my eternal king.

Praise the Lord, for He is our love, forever!

I'M COMING HOME

Luke 15:6

Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I left the shopping bag in a restaurant. I only realized it when I reached the hotel. Worse, I didn’t really knew exactly where I left it, it’s just that the restaurant was the first thing that came into my mind. I may have left it in the shopping center, or in the taxi… I didn’t really know. So, I rushed back to the restaurant to check and left all my other things in the concierge. I went back to the table where I dined, and no luck. I looked further and even asked the waitress, but plainly told me that they haven’t seen any.

As I go back to the taxi, that’s when I remembered to pray. I have been into lots of worrying and rushing around, and I forgot to pray! It finally made me calm and just resolved to let this thing pass by. When I reached the hotel, the concierge told me that a taxi driver recognized me… and he has something for me. I met the taxi driver and he gave me the shopping bag. I didn’t really knew if I gave him some rewards, or have given him at all, because at that time, I was very happy. When I reached my room, I thanked God and asked for forgiveness.

Almighty Father, I am Your property, and I am Yours, forever. Thank you very much for continually seeking out for me when I get lost. I still remember when You lift me up from a horrible pit. When You sent Your grace and spirit from above and become my strength. I shall never forget those days and what a wonderful lift it was for me when the Great Shepherd lifted me into the newness of life.

Oh Lord, come, for we wait for our salvation! Save us, for we trust in You, forever. Hear the voice of Your sheep so we may know You more and follow You. We come to You, as You come to us. We look to You as You look after us.

“I seek for You, Oh Lord
For I am lost.
But with Your love and mercy
I will be forever with You.”

A sinner has come home!

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Romans 8:28

We know that in everything, God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

As a child, I was taller than the average Filipino kid. At Grade 5, I am already at 5’4”. No wonder they tapped me to join the basketball league in my school. They thought that I can play really good. They were excited to see me play. In my first game, I was caught doing nothing inside “the paint” for three seconds (3-second rule) during our first ball possession. And I did it two more times before I understood what the rule is. After the first game, my score is zero together with zero rebounds and four fouls. In the next game, I was just used sparingly, if not at all. They have high expectations… and they felt that I have failed them.

In our life, we tend to expect more from someone or something good based on first impressions. We would befriend fair-complexioned person because he would be rich. Men would be better managers than ladies. Choose Pizza Hut than Shakey’s, “dahil mas class ang dating” (because it exudes more class). Marry a handsome guy or a lovely woman. In the end, when our choice fails to meet our expectations, we become disappointed, disgusted, with that person or thing. But in reality, we become frustrated with ourselves.

Almighty Father, teach me to be contented. Teach me to appreciate everything and everyone that You have given and provided me. Moreover, if anything does not go well – based on how I look at it, and not based on what You want – teach me to trust in You, for You are a faithful God.

Oh Lord, our trust is in You, forever. Grant us the patience and the ability to accept the consequences of our choices. May we forever be grateful for all the blessings that You have given us. May we see true beauty in everything we have and everyone we love, for they are part of the plan You have laid out for each of us.

“Whenever I make choices,I always expect something good to come out of it;
So I chose You, My Lord, for You are the best that can ever happen to me.”

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

FIRST COMMUNION

Matthew 26:26-28

"Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

I was wearing all white – polo, pants and even shoes. I have a rose pinned at my left breast. I may have smelled good at that time, but I don’t really remember. No, it is not my graduation. It was my First Communion. I may have been excited. I may have felt very proud for having dressed in all-white. I didn’t remember anymore. But one thing is for sure – I felt something special within me for I have received, for the first time, the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I have continued to be doing so – and for the rest of my life – as I become one with Christ and believe and share in His eternal life.

The Sacrament of Holy Eucharist involves a sacramental covenant, an exchange of persons. When Jesus gives His body, blood, soul and divinity to us, we give our body, blood, soul and humanity to Him. We give ourself to Jesus by preparing for heaven, by truly loving God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and by truly loving one another.

Let us pray the Prayer of St. Faustina before the Eucharist +

O Lord Jesus Christ, let my greatest delight be to see You loved and Your praise and glory proclaimed, especially the honor of Your mercy. Oh Lord Jesus Chirst, let me glorify Your goodness and mercy to the last moment of my life, with every drop of my blood and every beat of my heart.

Would that I be transformed into a hymn of adoration of You. When I find myself on my deathbed, may the last beat of my heart be a loving hymn glorifying Your unfathomable mercy.

Amen +

“Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, give me strength.”

Through Him, with Him and in Him… all honor and glory is Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever.

BURDEN-FREE

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear it's weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then open another door and pick any cross you wish." The man was filled with relief. "Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and did as he was told. As he looked around the room he saw many different crosses; some so large the tops were not visible. Then he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.

And the Lord replied, "My son, that's the cross you brought in."

A burden is the heaviness of the heart, soul and spirit. It's something that you might have done or it could be a natural thing that has happened. Therefore, we must not focus on the burden we have. We must focus on how God has blessed us. We must let God handle our burdens.

Almighty Father, teach me to be a burden-bearer, not a burden-passer. And as I help lift other people’s burden – I know You will lift mine, for You are a merciful God. I shall never think I am too important to help someone, for if that is what I believe, then I am only fooling myself.

Oh Lord, may we share each other's burdens, and in this way, we obey the law of Christ. The rest that You give, we know we don't deserve it. But we believe that You will give us the ability to have peace and confidence of mind. You may not remove the whole burden, because You want us to see how great are You. But we must still come to You; we lay it all out to You, for we trust in You forever and our lives to You we surrender.

“Both near and far, there You are,
My one bright shining star.
Well, here I am, at Your command:
Lead me by Your hand.”

I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.

STAY AWAKE

Today is Second Sunday of Advent

Matthew 3:2
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

We would go to the beach. The night before that, I cannot sleep. My mother would tell me that I am excited. I said no, I am not excited – I just don’t want to be left behind me when the morning comes and it is time to go. So, I have to stay awake.

It was Christmas Eve. I cannot sleep and have to wait for midnight. My mother would tell me to sleep and she will just wake me up in time for the midnight dinner. I said no, I have to stay awake for she might not wake me up and miss everything that I have waited for. So, I have to stay awake.

I can still remember other instances wherein I have to stay awake, prepare and wait for something or someone. In this season of advent, may we be reminded to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Ultimately then, waiting upon God protects us, deepens our trust in Him, forces us to seek His ways and brings Him the most glory. They are times the Lord is testing whether we are really seeking Him and His ways. So, I have to stay awake.

As we prepare for the coming of the Lord, let us pray +

Almighty Father, Lord, our God,
We praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ,
For He is Emmanuel, the Hope of all people.
He is the Wisdom that teaches and guides us.
He is the Savior of us all.

O Lord,
We light a candle today, a small dim light
Against a world that often seems forbidding and dark.
But we light it because we are a people of hope,
A people whose faith is marked by an expectation
That we should always be ready for the coming of the Master.
The Lord will make the darkest places bright, in Jesus’ name.

Amen. +

Justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace for ever.

REASON FOR THE SEASON

Today is Solemnity of
the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend to you, and they are. They are there for a reason, you need them to be.

It’s the time of the year
When happiness abounds
Parents with their kids
Buying presents, shopping all around.

It’s the season of giving
Children’s caroling and singing
Old friends and families meet
And greet the season with joy unending.

It’s truly the season of all seasons
As we anticipate the coming of the Lord
May our hearts be truly blessed and pure
When in us, Jesus Christ is born.

A voice cries:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain."

Let us hearts be filled with gladness
For the King of all Kings is coming
Let us spirit be filled with joy, exulting
For the Lord is with us, forever and ever.

May His coming instill eternal happiness in our hearts.

RESISTANCE

James 1:13

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one…

The devil knows when to hit me, when to tempt me so I may sin against God and against the people I love. He knows he cannot hit me in the morning. When I wake up, I am strong in mind, body and spirit – prayer time, meditation time through the Rosary, write my daily devotions, hearty breakfast, kiss my wife and off I go to the office.

But he knows he can hit me in the evening. After a long day in the office, I would be at my lowest ebb. Very tired from work, hungry, my brain is simply not functioning anymore, and to think that I still have to finish another presentation before I retire at night (that is if I still have then energy to finish it), “I am really ripe for the devil’s picking”. He would tempt me to be a glutton at dinner (“hey, I need the energy”), tempt me to watch TV and ignore my kid’s plea to help them in their homework (“sorry, my brain is out there, somewhere”).

But I can always ignore Satan. How about another prayer time in the evening, asking God to give me more strength – to resist evil and to look after the needs of my spirit and my loved ones. It is not hard to do, if I can put my heart into it.

Almighty Father, You are my strength, and to You I would forever be faithful; You will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear. But I firmly believe that when I am tempted, You will also provide a way out so that I can stand up under it, and simply say no to Satan.

Oh Lord, to struggle courageously against temptation is one of the most meritorious acts we can perform; and once we have triumphed with Your grace, may we receive the crown of life that You have promised to those who fully and truly love You.

“You are my strength, Oh Lord, my everything
Fill my heart with Your spirit and love
So I may only heed Your will and Your being
And forever be at Your mercy, the only One I have.

Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

PART OF A WHOLE

1 Timothy 4:10

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc... Meanwhile, his Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does.

"Here, have some cooking oil." "Yuck" says the boy. "How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" "Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Grandma, those are all yucky!" To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!”

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust in Him and, eventually, He will all make these into something wonderful!

Almighty Father, You are a wonderful God. And you have created wonderful things – including me. Yet, I fail to recognize that. I look at things separately and not as a part of a whole, of something wonderful. I still make individual plans for my own, for myself. But my plans are not always Your plans. You may see that it is best for us, and for Your cause, to sometimes refuse our very best intentions. But of one thing is assured, You will bless and use in the advancement of Your cause those who sincerely devote themselves for Your glory and praise.

Oh Lord, help us to do our best in serving You and others. Teach us how to do better and more wonderful things in Your name. Give us energy and cheerfulness that may help us to bring into our lives the loving ministry of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

“For your works are wonderful,
Meaningful, marvelous, so beautiful!”

…do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful – Mother Teresa

DIAL 4-6-3 (G-O-D)

Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

In the 80’s, call centers are still not the norm. And when someone needs help, one has to call the utility company’s service hotline numbers. And I do tell you, getting someone to talk to you is next to impossible!

I still remember one time, when suddenly, the electricity in our house got cut-off. It is not really a power brownout since only a few houses in our area were affected. My father repeatedly called Meralco (the utility firm) operator to no avail for the last hour or so. When we were finally able to talk to someone, she put us on hold for 20 minutes, and later advised my father that a crew is on its way to fix whatever is wrong in the power line. The truck came after 12 hours and was able to fix the problem in a matter of minutes. I was really mad, because the ice and the ice candy that I sell at that time have all melted – Business NOT Usual!

Isn’t it great to know that this is not the case when we call God for help? For we can do it by a simple prayer – no need for a phone, no need to talk to an operator. Now He may not give us everything we want, and He may not do it in our time, but He will hear, and He will answer us. We can trust Him completely.

Let us pray +

Father in Heaven, ever-living source of all that is good,
Keep us faithful in serving You.
Help us to drink of Christ's Truth, and fill our hearts with Your Love
So that we may serve You in faith, love each other and reach eternal life.

In the Sacrament of the Eucharist
You give us the joy of sharing Your Life.
Keep us in Your presence.
Never let us be separated from You
And help us obey Your Will.
We ask all of these, in Your son Jesus’ name.

Amen +

Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY

Proverbs 16:20

He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the LORD.

I am happy that you are happy! Throughout my life, I have received numerous greetings telling me (or maybe asking me) to be HAPPY.

“Happy Birthday”, “Welcome to the Christian World”, “Happy Graduation”, “Best Wishes and May You Be Happy”, “Merry Christmas”, “Happy New Year”, “I know you are alone, but I hope you are happy and not lonely”, “Happy Halloween”. Even in a recent survey by AXA-Asia Life, Filipinos are the second happiest and most optimistic people in Asia, next to Indians (the one on motorcycles, not the one on horses). We all want to be happy, but true happiness must come from Him, and not from any material things. Realizing that we have God as our Father and that he loves us, is reason enough to be happy.

Sin has destroyed the original happiness that God provided to man. Let us restore that in our hearts by loving Him back and obeying His will.

Almighty Father, I am very happy just to know that You love and care for me. I know I am very valuable to You, and I shall never even give that fact a hint of a doubt. I am so thankful that True Happiness is Your will for me, and that You always want only good for me, because that’s just how You are. You are truly wonderful!

Oh Lord, may we never let anyone tell us any differently about the love You shower us. We are children of God and have inherited all that is Yours. All our needs are met by You and come only from You. Through our lives, we have an abundance, prosperous and healthy, and in You, our souls are prospering. All of this is because of Jesus and our identification with Him.

“Thou dost show me the path of life;
In thy presence there is fullness of joy,
In thy right hand
Are pleasures forevermore.”

God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself.