HIS PROVISIONS (07-31-13)

Matthew 14:20-21

They all ate and were satisfied… about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

We were both tired and hungry.  The whole morning was spent talking to doctors, buying some needed medicines and medical stuffs, checking the bill, talking to visiting friends and relatives.  It was 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we haven’t really eaten our lunch.  Then, suddenly, a knock was heard on the door.  A friend of my wife visited and brought some food.  Whew, what a relief, what an answered prayer!

The Miracle of Multiplication of the Bread and Fish is an amazing miracle which marks in a way the beginning of a long historical process: the uninterrupted multiplication in the Church of the Bread of new life for the people of every race and culture.  This sacramental ministry is entrusted to the Apostles and to their successors.  And they, faithful to the divine Master's command, never cease to break and distribute the Eucharistic bread from generation to generation.  With this Bread of life, a remedy of immortality, countless saints and martyrs were nourished and from it drew the strength to resist even harsh and prolonged sufferings.

Our body hungers for food once in a while, but our soul and spirit hungers for Him the more and always.  He wanted to make Himself the bread which is broken so that everyone can be nourished by His very life through participation in the sacrament of His Body and Blood.

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, it is right that we should give You thanks and glory: You are the one God, living and true. Through all eternity You live in unapproachable light.  Source of life and goodness, You have created all things, to fill Your creatures with every blessing and lead all men to the joyful vision of Your light.  Countless hosts of angels stand before You to do Your will; they look upon Your splendor and praise You, night and day.  United with them, and in the name of every creature under heaven, we too praise Your glory, forever.

Sing with joy to God our help.

HIS BLESSINGS (07-30-13)

Psalms 67:7

The earth has yielded its fruits; God, our God, has blessed us.

We are truly thankful for receiving great blessings.  However, most of us always think that we are given these blessings for our only own consumption.  And even more of us would be very dependent and concerned about them that we seriously neglect other important aspects of our life.  Our dependence is to be on God and not on money.  "Where your treasure is," warned Christ, "there your heart will be also.”

God sees whether we honor Him with the blessings He gives us, how we care for our families and how we treat the poor.  The Scriptures teach us not to set our heart on riches but to help people in genuine need and generously support the work of sharing God's truth with others.  Such priorities are an important part of loving our neighbors as ourselves.  We should seek to live a balanced life, putting our finances into proper perspective. 

In bestowing His own blessing, God declares His goodness.  We in turn bless God by praising Him, thanking Him for all of His benefits and offering to Him our service, adoration and worship.  When we invoke God's blessing, we implore His divine benevolence, trusting that He will respond to our needs.  Be truly happy and thankful that God has promised to bless man in such a way that man can easily become a recipient of God's blessings. 

Is your heart – and your treasure – focused primarily on things of this life, or is it focused on God in heaven?  God bless you!

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, may the work I do bring growth in this life to me and those I love and help to extend the Kingdom of Christ.  Give all persons work that draws them to You and to each other in cheerful service.  I beg Your blessing upon all my efforts.  With Saint Joseph as my example and guide, help me to do the work You have asked and come to the reward You have prepared.

Amen +

O God, let all the nations praise you!

HONOR (07-29-13)

Matthew 13:57

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.”

Isn’t it frustrating?  One has to leave his country to work in a foreign land.  There, he would spend his time and use his talent and skill to help other people, build buildings, develop something useful and be productive – all for the sake of a country that is not his.  And back home, he would be considered as “modern-day hero” – not because of the things he has done, but because of the dollars he is sending home.

Have you experienced that or is experiencing it?  Yes, I know the feeling.  Been there, done that… and is doing it again.  Getting the raw end of the deal… been frustrated before, but not anymore.  As the tagalog saying goes, “ang mainis, talo” (in frustration, the loser is you).  So, I would just do it… and do it well.  “Ikaw na ang mainis, di ako…” (you lose, not me).

Jesus came home to Nazareth and displayed great power in healing and preaching.  But in His ways and outward appearance, He remained the same humble son of the carpenter Joseph.  Being the Son of God, He needed no praise or adulation, but He certainly did not deserve His villagers’ depreciating and offensive remarks.

Jesus teaches us to be humble in the face of such criticisms or prejudice. Even when He was rejected by His own hometown, He did not use His powers to “show them” as some of us would have done to prove ourselves. He teaches us not to seek honor for ourselves, because the only honor we should strive for is what we hope to receive from the Father when we have found true humility.

So, as they become more frustrated, in the end, they become more of the losers in the eyes of God.  Are you a loser?

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, let me not seek the honor and praise of men; but just grant me the grace to act according to Your Will, and be pleasing to You in everything that I do.  Amen +

Sing with joy to God our help.

LOVE PREVAILS (07-28-13)

Matthew 5:44, 46

But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you… for if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

This commandment from Jesus had me thinking.  For almost everyday, we would encounter people who would make our lives miserable – a neighbor who would spread gossips about us, drivers cutting us off in the street, unresponsive co-workers or even bosses, service (supposed-to-be) people who would make us wait and wait and wait… can we really love these people?  Our human instinct would say “we cannot”.  The unfortunate thing about feeling this way is that it really hurts us emotionally, and sometimes physically, so that we can’t think clearly.  God did not create these people to be evil; they became that way on their own or through the influence of the people and situations around them; and this grieves God, as it would any loving parent.  And Jesus showed how it can be done.

We need to grieve for them, along with God.  So our prayers should also contain a prayer for them... not a prayer to bless them, but a prayer to soften their hearts to feel the pain and suffering that they are causing, so that they would turn from their evil ways and be saved from the wrath to come.

The prescription to love your enemy and to denounce evil with good is sometimes thought of as an impractical and perfectionist ethic, able to be practiced only by a few exceptional souls.  When we hold on to this perfect love, we find that we turn over our anger to the Lord in prayer, and we are able to think clearly.  And when we think clearly, we are able to find ways to peacefully take a stand against these forces of evil.

We need to continue to be the loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God we have been called to be.  We may have hated someone in our life, but always remember to hate the actions done and not the person.  We must continue to show love to that person so that same love may change him and change us.  Loving others is taking out the enemy within.

Almighty Father, anger destroys the peace of our own soul, but being a loving and compassionate peacemaker brings peace to our soul.  Teach us to love those who brings injustice to our lives.  Teach us to love our enemies.  Teach us to trust in You, knowing that this is how we have been called to be.

Where true love prevails, there no enemies are found.

LIFE (07-27-13)

John 11:25-26

…whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

I had my share of accidents and disasters.  On strong rains, our place would be flooded up to about 2 feet.  Then, there was the fire that destroyed our house.  I’ve been involved in 3 vehicular accidents:  the first one, while I am in a jeep with my family.  Luckily, my father-in-law was able to slow it down before hitting the back of the truck, or else, no one knows.  The second one is when my car got hit by another at the back.  We suddenly stopped because a bus cut the taxi in front of us.  The last one is in China.  The taxi I am in hit another in an intersection.  I don’t know anymore whether we have the green light or not, I just remember that I am still alive after that.

Thinking about all of this brush with deaths really makes me shudder.  What if I was not lucky at that time, where would I be the next time I opened my eyes.  Would I be facing the devil and his minions or come face to face with God, finally feeling the warmth of His love and care?  Our hearts and souls should always yearn for the latter.  For that is the very essence of our lives – to serve and follow His will and be the temple of the living God, so we may join Him in the after-life.

Almighty Father, we worship You, the only true and living God who created us, who watches over us, who loves us, who hears our prayers and who takes care of us.  May we continue to live for You today and in all eternity.

Oh Lord, make us faithful followers of the spirit of your resurrection.  Grant that we may be inwardly renewed; dying to ourselves in order that you may live in us.  May our lives serve as signs of the transforming power of your love.  This we ask of you, Lord Jesus, living and reigning with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever.

Amen +

“May I live for You

And live with You forever

For I live because of You.”

…for holy is the LORD, our God.

GOING UP (07-26-13)

Matthew 13:41-42

“…all who cause others to sin and all evildoers (will be thrown) into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

Sheol… Hades… Gehenna… Hell… Inferno.  I doesn’t matter how you call that place.  It doesn’t matter what the temperature would be in that place.  These are words that few really understand, yet most people will go there.  It is usually considered the location for the incorrigibly wicked.  It might be used to express anger or frustration.  It may be used as a destination to assign to those you do not like.  However, the hell that is described in the pages of the Bible is a very real place. You may be surprised to learn who goes to that location!

We live in a world that includes the good and the wicked.  But like it or not, God has always made it clear - we must do the right things, by His standards, in order to achieve salvation.  What Jesus reveals to us in this passage though, is even more specific. Not only are evildoers condemned, but “all who cause others to sin” as well.  It’s not always clear who are the weeds and who are the wheat, and God has given us the freedom to change between the two.  What is clear is that those who strive to serve God, while trying to lead others to Him rather than away from Him, stand a much better chance in the afterlife.

God’s gift of time is beyond measure.  It is truly priceless and there will be a day when we will be asked to account for our time spent on this earth.  At the end of time, the believers in Christ will be gathered together to be brought into the storehouse, where they will experience eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven; however, the tares or weeds shall be separated and bound together to be thrown into the flames.  These represent those who refused the invitation to repent and believe.  The “barn” or the “burning”, it is your choice.  But still, please, choose the former!

Almighty Father, we beseech You to deliver us, by Your eternal power, from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness.  Grant us Your powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound.  May Your Spirit grant us a loving and merciful heart as we live in You through Jesus Christ Our Lord.  Amen +

Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.

GROWING UP GOD’S WAY (07-25-13)

Matthew 13:33

“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”

My mother bought some bread for breakfast.  I took it and slice it so I can put some butter.  But I noticed that there are a lot of air spaces inside.  It looks big but really all-air.  My mother just remarked that they must have put a lot of yeast in the dough.  I didn’t understand at first until she explained that the yeast is the one that makes the bread “rise”.  When yeast is used for making bread, it is mixed with flour, salt, and warm water.  A longer rising time gives a better flavor by allowing more fermentation products and by encouraging bacterial fermentation.

The yeast reacts with moisture, heat, acidity, or other triggers to produce gas that becomes trapped as bubbles within the dough.  So, more yeast – more gas bubbles are formed.

Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to the yeast.  Even before, God is looking for people in that are willing to be consumed with Him.  People who are willing to do whatever the Holy Spirit leads them to do in order to mature in the things of God.  However, we should not just let God put yeast in us.  We must also act and follow Him.  Someone who just accepted Jesus Christ should be mature in Christ and grow in Him.  But we should not just be “rising-up” due to bubbles and trapped air.  We should not just be sitting under the Word of God and just “getting fat”.  We should cease walking in the flesh and start walking in the Spirit and be a change to other people.

It is time to grow up.  God is warning us but God is also depending on us.  Now more than ever, God is calling the body of Christ to a level of maturity.  It is time to grow up in the things of God.  It is time to grow up in the spirit.

Almighty Father, You have inspired Your Church to set aside special times when this growth can develop more intensely - the special seasons of the Church Year.  If I fail to move toward You during these times, I waste precious opportunities and endanger my spiritual life.  Help me to take them seriously and make a real attempt to use them well, so that I may grow into the person You want me to be.  Amen +

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

TEACH AND INSPIRE (07-24-13)

John 6:3

Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 

Jesus is a great Teacher.  All through His public life, he must have preached and taught people everyday – in their houses, in the market, in the public parks, in the sea and in the mountains.  He never ceased teaching people about the promises of God and how man’s salvation is at hand. 

In today’s gospel, prior to performing the miracles of multiplication of the bread, He did three things:  He went up the mountain, He sat down and He began to teach. 

First, He went up the mountain so more people can see and hear Him.  The Gospel writers tell us of many times when Jesus withdrew to the wilderness, into a desert place or up on a mountain.  In his life, He always go to a mountain to pray so He may talk to the Father in total silence – one on one in prayer.  And as He teaches, he wants people to see Him as an authority when it comes to teaching about God.

But, out of humility, He still wants the people to feel Him and His sincerity in teaching them about God.  He sits down so people can still relate with Him – knowing that He is still at the same level with them.  For he came not to be served but to serve.  And when seated, he would be at the same eye level with most of the people – so He can look them straight in the eyes, so they may feel and truly understand what He is preaching.

Finally, He does what He does best – He teach.  Sharing everything from His heart so we may learn.  But He doesn’t want us to remain in the mountain with Him.  Those who go the mountain to be with God are called back into the life of the community as servants.  Where there are hills, there are also valleys.  We are called back into community life.  That is what it is all about after all - to be inspired by the high experience and get back to the valley for sharing what we have learned so others may learn the same.

Almighty Father, permit me to teach only the truth.  Help me to inspire others so that learning will not cease at the top of the mountain.  And, Lord, let me bring them to You.  Teach them through me to love You.  Finally, permit me to learn the lessons they teach in return.  Amen +

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

WHEN I GROW UP (07-23-13)

Matthew 20:21

“What do you wish?”

I wanted to be a doctor.  But I know that my parents don’t have the money to sustain me through college and pre-med.  So, one evening, my father asked me, “what do you want to become”.  I knew then that he is not asking me what I want to finish in college.  He is actually asking me what I want to become as a person.  I remember that my only response was “to be a successful man”.  Then, he responded, “then follow your dream”.

Twenty years after, I would consider myself successful – having a wonderful family that is God-fearing, properties that I can say are product of hard-work and a job where I learn more and more each day.  Would I be more successful if I am a doctor?  I don’t know.  And I don’t care.  I like the life I have now, knowing that God is with me, forever.

What do you wish in life?  Are we like the mother of John and James who asked Jesus to make her sons “sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom”.  Perhaps, she thought that as a Messiah, Jesus is destined to be the King of Israel on earth, leading an army to overturn the Roman empire.  But His Kingdom is not on earth.  And taking up His chalice means suffering and following Him.  In the end, James and John did dedicated their lives to God.  And they gained the Kingdom of Heaven with Jesus.  James was beheaded by King Agrippa, and John was exiled to Pathos (a Greek Island) and heard the persecution his beloved community was experiencing.

If we wish, I believe God will not hold back what he has promised to do.  This is the season to ask what we desire – the desire to serve Him for the betterment of others.  God is ever ready to grant us this desire and is not just fulfilling our needs.  Let Him found grace and favor in you.  For to those whom He is pleased, He will ask, “What do you wish for?”

Almighty Father, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility.  May we be with You in Your Kingdom, this is our wish.  Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of Your Son’s suffering, and also share in his resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever.  Amen +

Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

RECEIVE THE WORD (07-22-13)

Matthew 13:23

“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it… bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

They were born from the same parents, and yet, when they grew up, they took different paths in life.  One grew up as a professional, helping others in needs and a God-fearing Christian.  The other one is a wanted criminal, constantly running away from the law.  This story is not only taken out of movies.  It was actually happening in real life.  And then we would ask, “why?”  Why do some produce fruit for the kingdom and others apparently not?  Does it depend on whether we take Jesus and his message seriously?

Jesus gives reasons why.  Some people allow the devil to take the word from their heart.  These are the people who receive the seed on the edge of the path.  They hear the word of God but don’t believe its promises.  They have heard the teaching of Jesus but don’t take it seriously.

On Sundays, millions of people go to mass or Sunday services.  But how many of them would go home and practice what he heard and experience?  How many would live a life dedicated to Him and denounce devil totally?  If we forget what hope God’s call holds for us, or what rich glories God has promised us, then we will not produce fruit and we will be like the seed sown at the edge of the path or with the thorns.

Open your hearts and enrich your soul for Him so when the seeds of Spirit is sown, it will grow in you in fullness of life, producing fruits a hundred fold.  Think of how beautiful our world would be if we all produced these fruits 100% all the time; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.

We would have heaven on earth!  Are you ready to be the seed that will yield healthy fruits?  Be ready to inherit Heaven.  Receive the Word of God.

Almighty Father, I receive you in my heart as you enrich my soul so I may produce healthy fruits.  In your infinite mercy, bring peace and comfort to those of us who face days sometimes filled with pain and depression.  Walk before and beside us so that we may walk in your footsteps and reach out to you in our journey on this earth.  Amen +

Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

LIVING STORIES (07-21-13)

Matthew 13:16

But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, (for) they hear.

Before we sleep, my father would tell us stories.  Most are based on Aesop’s fables.  He would tell it with gusto together with animal sounds.  We would enjoy every part of it.  But he would emphasize more on the lessons learned in the end.  And these lessons in life will be firmly embedded within us based on the stories and examples he shared with us.

A parable is a story that teaches us something about God, his kingdom, and ourselves. They can often be a bit confusing, and sometimes hard to understand.  Jesus teaches in parables to separate those “who have ears and those who have not”.  This is a figurative way of saying “those who want to know about God’s kingdom, those who want to learn from Jesus will be able to understand what these parables are saying because the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven have been given to them. 

But those who do not want to know about God’s kingdom or learn from Jesus just won’t get it… even what they know will be taken away from them, so that even though they have ears - they won’t be able to hear; and even though they have eyes - they won’t be able to see… because they have hardened their heart against Jesus.  Or they simply doesn’t care because of pride and arrogance.

Parables are hard to understand.  But when we put in the effort to understand them, what we learn about God, his kingdom, and ourselves is truly worth the effort.  If you can read the parables of Jesus, learn from them, and be changed by them for the secrets of the kingdom of God have been given to you, for you to grow in Him.

Almighty Father, allow us to understand Your words through the parables of Your son, Jesus.  May our eyes and ears be open to receive every Words that you say.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Amen +

Glory and praise for ever!

HEAVENLY BREAD (07-20-13)

Exodus 16:15

“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

Whenever I walk through the mall, I marvel at the number of restaurants present in there.  Morever, the business is good for them since most of the time, they are full.  And as walk the streets, the same phenomenon can be observed – little canteens (carinderia) and fast food chains abound.  This can be due to the fact that most Filipinos eat SIX times a day.  Yes, SIX times – breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and midnight snack.  And like the Jews as they cross the desert from Egypt, we really ask for more food to satisfy our physical hunger.

But we also have another type of hunger – our spiritual hunger.  And there is a mean that would complete us – our SEVENTH meal for the day.  The meal is no other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the bread of life.  We could not live without food for very long.  Food sustains us.  But what is bread of life?  Jesus clearly meant something more than mere physical existence.  The life Jesus refers to is connected with God, who is the author of life.  Real life is a relationship with the living God, a relationship of faith, trust, love, obedience.  This is what Jesus makes possible for us -- a loving relationship with the God who created us for love with Him.  Apart from Jesus no one can enter that kind of life and relationship.

First he offers Himself as spiritual food which produces the very life of God within us.  Second, He promises unbroken friendship and freedom from the fear of being forsaken or cut off from God.  Third, He offers us the hope of sharing in his resurrection.  Do you know the joy and hope of the resurrection?  He is the bread of life, include Him and make Him the most important meal in your life.

Lord Jesus Christ, Your death brought life and hope where there was once only despair and defeat.  Give me the unshakeable hope of everlasting life, the inexpressible joy of knowing your unfailing love, and the unquestioning faith and obedience in doing the will of our Father in heaven.

“Ikaw, Hesus, ang tinapay ng buhay

Binasbasan, hinati't inialay… ”

He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.

CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE (07-19-13)

Matthew 12:50

“For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

When working in my first company, I have come to learn that any process has inherent variation.  And this variation is due to interactions between the different parts of a process – man, machine, methods and materials.  And through the years, engineers and scientists have tried to develop tools to measure, predict and reduce this variation.  Because unacceptable variation (operating outside the norm or customer requirements) could potentially pose problems in quality, cost and delivery.

In our life with the Lord, we vary in the way we really live our life.  We go to mass on Sundays, and suddenly the next day, we are cursing, committing petty sins and allowing temptations to overcome us.  There is a time when we read the whole chapter of Luke, then suddenly the will to read the Bible is gone and the Bible gathers dust once again.  A big variation, indeed!  And how can we change this?  By focusing all our energy on the “target value”, who is no other than the Lord.

We need to have Jesus at the center of our lives.  Knowing His will and commands, our actions and words should be based on his works and words.  As soon as the world tries to get our attention, thereby deviating from the center, we should immediately disengage and do fixes or corrective actions in order to go back to the center.  And as we practice good works again and again, disengaging totally from temptations, we find that the variation becomes smaller and smaller until we realize that we are operating only at that one target value, that is obeying the will of the Lord. 

For a life in Him is not just because we are not smoking, or drinking or watching porn.  It is living is a spirit of humility, love, mercy, and a lifestyle that says “to live is Christ, and to die is gain”.  That is the will of the Father.  And that is your target value.

Lord Jesus, You are the center of our lives.  We may deviate from that truth once in a while, but You are the One who pulls us back to Your love.  Teach us to forever be with You, obeying Your will.  Amen +

Let us sing to the Lord; He has covered Himself in glory.

PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (07-18-13)

Matthew 12:39

“An…unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it…”

It is a frightening prediction.  Scientists have detected an increase in mysterious underground tremors along a stretch of the San Andreas fault, signaling stress that could boost the likelihood of a major earthquake.  It has been predicted even before, that a great earthquake along the California coast could rip apart that state from the rest of the continent.  And no one can really predict when that would happen.  And not even the present “doomsday” seers can do that, for “no sign will be given”.  And the more that we should give our hope and trust to the Lord.

The wisdom and power of Jesus to convert sinners and unbelievers were greater than the greatest prophets and kings of the Old Testament, and far greater than the “seers” and “prophets” of today.  Unlike His own generation, with whom He walked and talked, the billions of Christians all over the world today do not need any sign to believe in Him.  His Word is enough for us, and our life conversions stand as testimonies and proof that the power of Jesus, the love and mercy of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is in and forever be in our lives.

What we can do just now is remain steadfast and true to Jesus Christ and be a “city set on a hill” for all to see, to witness each day in our workplace, homes, neighborhoods and pray that people return to the Lord as the bedrock and foundation of their lives.  There are now two paths people must choose from today.  One leads back to God, restoration and the Light of Jesus Christ.  The other to Satan, destruction and eternal darkness.  Let us pray that people can be drawn back to the path of Jesus Christ and be restored once again to God.

Almighty Father, You have not given us signs but love.  We will not give you doubt but faith.  You have brought about our conversion through the power of faith in Your Word, and the evidence of Your love in Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Let Your indwelling Spirit sustain our hope so that we may not be discouraged like the prophet Jonah, or be unfaithful like King Solomon in spite of his wisdom.  Only by Your grace can we persevere.   Amen +

My strength and my courage is the LORD, and He has been my savior.

LIFE’S MANUAL (07-17-13)

Acts 2:24

…his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Jesus is a great Teacher.  All through His public life, he must have preached and taught people everyday – in their houses, in the market, in the public parks, in the sea and in the mountains.  He never ceased teaching people about the promises of God and how man’s salvation is at hand. 

In our lives, we may have read hundreds of books since we learned how to read.  And these books have built up our knowledge and became the foundation of what we are today – “what we eat is what we are now but what we read is what we will become.”  Still, we hunger for more knowledge.  We seek for masteral and doctoral degrees.  We read more books on things that is outside our gift zone.  But have we done the same for our spiritual knowledge?  When was the last time you read the bible, took note of what it means and really applied it on your lives?  We are like gadgets, we also have a user’s guide – on how we should operate ourselves.  And that manual is no other than the Bible.

Christianity not only claims the Bible is grounded in history, it also claims it is the actual Word of God.  That is, the Bible is God’s revelation to man.  It contains His instructions to us, written in a manner understandable to men and women alike.  And because we have failed (and will continue to fail) to perfectly obey His commands, He has also revealed His plan to save us from His just wrath through the sacrifice and blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Read the Bible and learn from it as you continue to train yourself towards righteousness.  Equip yourself with the Word of God, and apply what you have learned for the good of many.  Read life’s manual, today!

We are called back into community life.  That is what it is all about after all - to be inspired by the high experience and get back to the valley for sharing what we have learned so others may learn the same.

Almighty Father, You have provided the greatest guide for our lives – Your own Word.  Teach us to read it faithfully.  Teach us to understand it truthfully.  And teach us to apply it constantly.  Amen +

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

DO MORE FOR HIS NAME (07-16-13)

Matthew 12:18

I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.  He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

Even as a child, I can say I already have accomplished something – best in math, best in spelling, most neat, graduated third honor in elementary.  My parents even framed my medals for everyone to see and appreciate.  And everytime a relative or a friend look at it, it would really make me proud for all my accomplishments, and I would bring back those “praises” back to my parents who have really worked hard so we would grow in the right direction and as God-fearing Christians.

Throughout the Bible, God has chosen common men and women to perform miraculous accomplishments to further God’s purpose.  A majority of them were either unwilling, unskilled, and quite overwhelmed by the path that God placed them on.  But one fact common among all these servants that God chose - they were obedient, although reluctant at first, but they did not fail.  God qualified those He chose, rarely choosing those that were qualified.  And they would not keep these accomplishments to themselves and would return it back to Him – for they know and believe that it is Him Who have accomplished all that they have done.

Man looks at the outward accomplishments, but God looks at the heart.  If you would just listen to your heart, God must be whispering something.  He is asking you to accomplish something in His name.  Are you willing to face the challenge, or are you afraid of failures?  Do you belong to the many who thinks the life of the Kingdom of God seems too demanding, a weak competitor in relation to the dazzling fascinations offered by the world of material wealth and pleasure?  Be proud of your accomplishments and do more for His name.  For in Heaven we will not be asked how many have we gained for ourselves, but rather how much have we given up and accomplished for and in His Name.

Almighty Father, I may have accomplished a lot or I may have accomplished a little, but everything I have done, I bring them back to You.  Grant that Your Spirit may be ever upon our hearts and in our lives.  May we give ourselves to Your service in serving others and walk before You humbly and gratefully all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen +

His mercy endures forever.

MERCIFUL LOVE (07-15-13)

Psalms 116:17

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

In the old testament, sacrifice honored God by offering him creatures precious to man that are either bloody and unbloody.  Among the bloody sacrifices, the holocaust, or whole-burnt offering, was the most perfect sacrifice where the animal was completely consumed by fire and offered twice each day, in the morning and evening.  The sacrifice could either be sin offering, guilt offering or peace offering was in gratitude, in fulfillment of a vow, or simply voluntary.

However, in the new testament, salvation and forgiveness has already come in Jesus Christ.  In effect, we do not need sacrifices for our own sake anymore, just to please God.  God is a God of mercy.  Because God is a merciful God, he expects his children to be merciful.  We now have to share in the very work of God – by showing mercy to others as God has shown mercy to us!  This is how God makes our lives special and that by showing mercy, we lead others to the love of God in Jesus Christ that they might receive Him as their Lord and Savior.

God wants people to enter our lives who we think will not deserve our love in order to give us the blessed painful opportunity of practicing mercy.  Our mercy to people merits the grace we need to be forgiven and, what is most important, merits grace for the ones towards whom we are practicing mercy. 

Turn to the living God for He will have mercy, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.  It is not about living a perfect life of sacrifice anymore, but about people coming together and learning to love and accept each other, by loving God more than we would have; showing mercy towards others by loving those who do not deserve to be loved. 

Lord Jesus Christ, you are our merciful God become Man to redeem us from our sins.  Open our eyes to the debt of love that we owe You for Your unspeakable merciful love for us.  Open our hearts to give ourselves to You through those whom You place into our lives, so that by our mercy toward them we may win mercy from You and cooperate with You in the redemption of a sinful world.  Amen +

I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.

COME TO HIM (07-14-13)

Matthew 11:28

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

We all need rest.  As we work 5 or 6 days a week, we always look forward to Sunday (or for some, their day-off) in order to give ourselves some pampering (watch a movie, go to the mall, spa, sleep all day) or engage in soul-enriching activities (going to mass/Sunday services, retreat).  This would ensure a renewed energy when we go back to work the following day.

When you want rest, go to the Lord in prayer.  In the Gospel today Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest”.  Only Him can give us total rest from all the troubles and problems of this world.  And as we let Him come into our hearts in prayer, that same state of rest will change us, yearning for His care and mercy all the more, for His Spirit is within us - “Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you”.  I am fully convinced that we should all spend a few hours in prayer every day.

Are you tired from work or are you burdened with cares and responsibilities?  Jesus said, “come to Me”.  We don’t have to grunt and strain on our own.  We will have help.  As we take Christ’s yoke upon us, we will learn from the one who knows how to handle suffering and trials.  Christ has chosen to give us a distinctive day of rest.  He has chosen to give us a special rest.  But we have to come to Him. When we come to Him, he has promised that He will give us rest for our souls. 

Seek Him and let Him enter your heart, your soul.  And feel the serenity, the peace, the quietness of it all.  Feel his gentleness as He carry you in His arms and let you feel the warmth of His embrace.  We will gain a peace in our souls as we see the burden lifted and the work made easy.  Christ calls us to fellowship under His yoke, to prepare the field for the Gospel.  Let Him free you, cleanse you and enable you to serve God.  It is pure joy and delight to live with Him and serve Him.

Almighty Father, You are peace and quietness for my soul.  Let Your Spirit come upon me as he whispers to me of gentleness.  Restore my soul, made weary and tired.  Refresh my spirit with the kindness of your Word and help me to be a refuge for others from their struggles.  Amen +

The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

REVEALED TO THE CHILDLIKE (07-13-13)

Matthew 11:25

“…for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.”

As a child, we are all like sponge.  We try to understand everything that moves and revolves around us.  We ask so many questions – from witty, to innocent, to the mundane.  We are curious up to a point of maybe hurting ourselves in the process.  But we do not stop learning – in school, in the house and learning even while playing.  Our mind and our heart is simply open in accepting everything, living in total humility, accepting that we know nothing and ignorant of everything.

As we grow old, as we gain new knowledge, there comes a point when we stop learning and just live our lives the way it is.  Our hearts harden and would not accept new ideas and concepts that go our way.  We become proud for we think we know everything and adept at anything.  At that instance, we start to deteriorate.  Our mind starts to decay.  Our heart stops beating.  We simply stop learning.

We could only understand the workings and the love that God wants to share with us if we would have the mind and the heart of a child.  He doesn’t want us to understand everything but He wants us to trust in Him as we live our life, totally oblivious of what will happen tomorrow.  God looks upon us as His children for children are trusting by nature, especially towards those who particularly show them affection.

Always be a kid at heart where even simple things can make you smile.  Take time to enjoy the little things, the many little blessings that come along your way.  As time goes by, reflect on your childhood days which re now a beautiful memory.  And, life goes on.  We live.  We love.  We learn.

Almighty Father, thank You for giving me a mind that can know
and a heart that can love.  Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to You and let me know how to find You and love You in all the things You have made.  Grant me the grace to put my knowledge to use in building the Your kingdom on earth as I prepare myself for the kingdom in heaven.  Amen +

For the LORD will not cast off His people, nor abandon His inheritance.

PATH OF GOODNESS (07-12-13)

Matthew 11:24

“But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Since childhood, we have been told over and over again – do not do this, do not do that.  For our parents know that as I child, we have a very poor concept yet of good and evil.  So they have to lead us to the path of good and punish us if we take otherwise. 

Still, we hurt others, we hurt ourselves and we hurt God - we sin.  Each and every one of us has done this at least a few times in our lives.

We have known what was right and what was wrong and still, we consciously, deliberately chose to do wrong.  But our God is a merciful God.  He is a loving God.  As He sees the sins of the world, He would not really punish us by inflicting us pain.  Instead, He sent His only Son so He would bear the pain and die for our sins. 

We live in a difficult world, so we must make sure that God is in charge of our lives.  He does not want us to commit sins and misdeeds.  He wants us to denounce evil totally.  He wants us to become something better, seeking perfection as He is perfect.

The Jews in the time of Jesus has not also learned from the lessons of history.  They knew about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because of sins, and yet, they would still commit the same.  What is worse, they have the Son of God in their midst, and still they would not recognize and heed His Words. 

In this time of mercy, God is inviting us to know Him, believe in Him and follow Him.  He is asking us to be the righteous person that He wants us to be.  And Jesus’ life is the true manifestation of how a child of God should live in this sinful world.  Accept Him as your Lord, and the judgment that is Heaven will be yours.

Almighty Father, My God, I love You with all my heart.  Pardon me the evil I have done, and accept the good I have done.  May Your love, joy, peace, and patience be at the heart of our relationships with one another.  May Your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones.  Amen +

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

FIRM FOUNDATION (07-11-13)

Psalms 124:8

Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

It is time to rebuild our house after the fire that gutted our neighborhood.  They took out all the structure that remains like walls and ceilings.  When they started to remove the concrete flooring, I asked my father why.  They can just build the house again using that flooring.  My father responded that the floor may have weakened due to the fire so they need to take the floor out and dig another foundation for the new house.  The new one may still be as big as the old one, but it has to be firm, and the foundation that they will dig will ensure that. 

Unless that foundation is firm, the house will not be firm.

The family now is in constant attack brought by wrong ideals as shown in mass media and some people who want to challenge the power of God.  And if the foundation of each member of the family is not firm and is not rooted upon the rock of Jesus, then they are doomed to fail and go with the way of the evil.  In our roles as parents, husbands, wives, sisters and brothers, we must stand firm as role models. 

A firm one!  Because we love them, we want to give our family members a strong, righteous pattern to follow. In everything we do and say, we demonstrate what we believe, and that become their pattern to follow. 

Your strong and unwavering faith in and knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His plan for you and your family will be a great protection against conflicting viewpoints and evil influences. Your obedience and faithfulness to eternal covenants and commandments can bring peace and, yes, even happiness amid the chaos of this world.

With the Lord's help we can build homes that are a righteous fortress.

Give us, O Lord, give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen + (by St. Thomas Aquinas)

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

SEEDS ON RICH SOIL (07-10-13)

Matthew 13:8

But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

When Jesus interprets the parable of the soils in Mark 4:14-20, he only refers to Satan once. He says in verse 14 that the sower is sowing the Word, and then in verse 15 he says, “These are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them.”

But there are two other kinds of soil where the Word bears no fruit. There is the rocky ground in verse 16 and the thorny ground in verse 18. Jesus doesn't mention Satan in connection with these. But we know from other teachings in the New Testament that Satan is very much at work in these soils to nullify the Word of God and make the hearers fruitless.

If we do listen to Jesus’ message, both in Scripture and in the many indirect ways he manifests his will to us in our lives, and if we appreciate what a gift this is, we must show our gratitude with the way we live. We have to be the good soil that bears fruit a hundredfold.  That means not only growing in our own faith and living in consonance with it, but also multiplying the gift by sharing it with others. 

We can’t be satisfied with being good and not sinning; in order to be good Christians, we have to spread the message in whatever ways are available to us in our state of life. 

Every day we should ask ourselves:  What have I done today to spread the seeds of the Gospel?

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, may I be a seed that falls on a rich soil so I may produce fruit.  May I find the importance of hearing Your words and participating in activities that would glorify Your name.  Bless us, Oh Lord with that wisdom that we may bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.  Amen +

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

HE IS WATCHING US (07-09-13)

Matthew 10:30-31

Even all the hairs of your head are counted.  So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

As a child, whenever I have a fever, my mother would take me to our family doctor.  When we arrived, I would feel some fear as I would smell the scent of mixture of medicines, alcohols – “amoy-ospital” (hospital scent).  After checking me up, she would say the words I dreaded most, “have to inject him with antibiotic.”  She would go to a small room to arrange everything.  And once she goes out, she has with her this injection.  All I can do is to hug my mother to get some relief, some protection from the “menacing” injection.  I would feel the prick, and then it is finished.  My fever would be gone after a day or two, and I am ready again to play with my friends.

Problems in our lives would come and go.  But if we try to dodge every problems that come our way, then it will surely hunt you down repeatedly in the future.  All we need to do is seek Him and pray.  Let Him hug you and carry you in His arms as the “storm” passes by.  You will feel a little pain, but then, it would be gone in a little while.

Trusting in God banishes fear.  He knows the count of the number of our hairs.  Imagine, as trivial as this, He knows!  What more of those vital things in our lives.  Jesus wants to get across the idea that it doesn’t matter what is happening in your life, God has an intimate knowledge of every detail. 

It may be that you are suffering in silence, or that your friends and family do not appreciate the depth of your anguish and pain, however, in the end God knows everything.  He knows in detail everything!

God does not want us to be afraid of anything but to have confidence in him.  If you acknowledge him as the source of all goodness, he will acknowledge you, when you appear before him for judgment. 

Like a father who will do anything to protect his child, God watches over us.

Almighty Father, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.  Amen +

Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!