Romans 11:29 - "For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable".
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We are all called for a mission. But knowing what it could be can difficult for most. And this era of distractions, we can miss it.
We were not born accidentally. We should realize that we were born for a reason, for a mission. God has already set a path for us to follow. He valued us before anyone else knew we would exist. He cared for us wile we were in our mother's womb. He planned our life while our body was still being formed.
He values us more highly than we value ourselves.
And we do not have to go far to know that mission, that path reserved for us. That would be being a good father to your son, a good child to your parents. Being a good teacher to your students. Being a good civil servant to the people in need.
And in all of these, one thing is common: being the model of goodness for others, so they may pass on the same goodness forward. And this is the message of Christ's reign - to love and be loved. We are called to proclaim to those around us that there is a way which we can cast our own shadow of love to those we love. And more than ever, we need to listen and follow Jesus.
We are all called to follow Him and be a witness to God's loving power at work in the world. And the mission of love is for ours to take and share.
+ Let us pray: Loving Father, You called us each by name and gave Your only Son to redeem us. Send us the Holy Spirit to continue the mission of Jesus among us. Give us the courage to speak His name to those who are close to us. And grant us the generosity to share His love with those who most need it. Amen +
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
LOVE ABOVE ALL
Luke 14:3 - "Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?"
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We are all entitled to a rest day. After a week long work, our body, mind and spirit would get exhausted. And a day of rest to "recuperate" would prepare us for the challenges of another week.
And Jews have laws and restrictions during the Sabbath day. This is to allow everyone to recharge and cultivate familial, cultural, social and religious ties among another.
And the same for us Christians. We always allot Sunday to provide us time to commune with God through worship, prayer and song during the Holy Mass and participating in the Eucharist. It provides us the opportunity to experience God's presence through companionship in a very special way. And as we share our lives with our loved ones, we also share in God's loving mercy and compassion during this holy day with the Lord.
And Jesus is clear on this. Love must persist during the day of rest, whether it is during Sabbath or Sunday. He doesn't care whatever things others would say during His time. He doesn't care whether He would be punished. But healing and curing is showing more love than just remembering the Sabbath. And loving is the first and foremost.
Love should persist, above and beyond, in everything that we decide to do. If only everyone would remember this, then perhaps, the world would be a peaceful place to live in today. It is not just mere celebrating or remembering.
It is doing those with love and care for others.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of Sabbath. Your love is above anything else. Teach us to have that same love and impart the same to those in needs. Teach us to obey Your commandments as well as the rules of this land, but may we always remember that we shall always do this with living in mind as we work to make this world a better place to live in. Amen +
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We are all entitled to a rest day. After a week long work, our body, mind and spirit would get exhausted. And a day of rest to "recuperate" would prepare us for the challenges of another week.
And Jews have laws and restrictions during the Sabbath day. This is to allow everyone to recharge and cultivate familial, cultural, social and religious ties among another.
And the same for us Christians. We always allot Sunday to provide us time to commune with God through worship, prayer and song during the Holy Mass and participating in the Eucharist. It provides us the opportunity to experience God's presence through companionship in a very special way. And as we share our lives with our loved ones, we also share in God's loving mercy and compassion during this holy day with the Lord.
And Jesus is clear on this. Love must persist during the day of rest, whether it is during Sabbath or Sunday. He doesn't care whatever things others would say during His time. He doesn't care whether He would be punished. But healing and curing is showing more love than just remembering the Sabbath. And loving is the first and foremost.
Love should persist, above and beyond, in everything that we decide to do. If only everyone would remember this, then perhaps, the world would be a peaceful place to live in today. It is not just mere celebrating or remembering.
It is doing those with love and care for others.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of Sabbath. Your love is above anything else. Teach us to have that same love and impart the same to those in needs. Teach us to obey Your commandments as well as the rules of this land, but may we always remember that we shall always do this with living in mind as we work to make this world a better place to live in. Amen +
Thursday, October 29, 2015
WITH GOD FOREVER
Romans 8:35a - "What will separate us from the love of Christ?"
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Nothing but sin.
The devil would continue to haunt us. It doesn't want us to be serving the Lord. Together with its minions, all of them will continue to pounce on us - in different forms, in different times and at different opportunities.
And we should not back down. We should all hold our ground.
We need to continue to be the loving, compassionate and peacemaking children of God, as what we have called to be. Only through, with and in Him can we protect ourselves from the devil.
It is war and God calls us to be men and women of God. We need to fight the good fight, to stand fast in faith and be strong in the Lord. In the midst of this dark and evil world, our weapons are through God's power and might.
Put on the whole armor of God through prayers and living our daily lives by faith, shielding ourselves with the truth and righteousness, with loving reverence to our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Nothing but sin.
The devil would continue to haunt us. It doesn't want us to be serving the Lord. Together with its minions, all of them will continue to pounce on us - in different forms, in different times and at different opportunities.
And we should not back down. We should all hold our ground.
We need to continue to be the loving, compassionate and peacemaking children of God, as what we have called to be. Only through, with and in Him can we protect ourselves from the devil.
It is war and God calls us to be men and women of God. We need to fight the good fight, to stand fast in faith and be strong in the Lord. In the midst of this dark and evil world, our weapons are through God's power and might.
Put on the whole armor of God through prayers and living our daily lives by faith, shielding ourselves with the truth and righteousness, with loving reverence to our Lord Jesus Christ.
The army of darkness is real, active and working day and night. The devil is our enemy. So, are you ready to fight for the Army of Light?
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, strengthen our hearts so that we achieve the certainty that final victory is reserved for us against the army of evil. Teach me to bow in humility before Your Word and accept the Holy Spirit as the true Teacher of God. Dress us in Your armor as we vow to win this war and establish Your love here on earth among us. Amen +
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
A DECISION TO MAKE
Luke 6:12 - "Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God".
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Before a big decision is made, what do you do? Drink the night away? Roam the mall and do window shopping? Watch a movie and repeat it 3 times? Listen to your favorite playlist?
And you do this to ease your mind, and to loosen your thinking so you can make a better decision.
But, how about praying. Praying hard. Praying to God and asking for enlightenment. Praying to God to ask for a open mind and guidance so yo can make a better decision that would benefit the most. Praying to God, fully knowing that He knows everything.
Before choosing His twelve Apostles, Jesus did the same. And He did it the whole night. He knows that this is a very big decision to make. The people He will choose are the ones to continue His mission on earth long after He ascended to Heaven.
So, let it all out to God and seek His guidance. And "feel that tap on your shoulder". The Lord maybe telling that everything will be alright and He will continually grasping your hands in times when something goes wrong, for He knows, your decision is really for the better.
When we have this relationship of prayer with God, we can always rely on His promises. We can be strong and of good courage. We can fear nothing because God is with us and He will never fail or forsake us. Climb the mountain with Him and find the greatest decision there is.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, let me climb the mountain with You. May I look up to You and seek Your mighty name so I may not be afraid on making a very important decision in my life. I know I can, because I have put my total trust in You. Amen +
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Before a big decision is made, what do you do? Drink the night away? Roam the mall and do window shopping? Watch a movie and repeat it 3 times? Listen to your favorite playlist?
And you do this to ease your mind, and to loosen your thinking so you can make a better decision.
But, how about praying. Praying hard. Praying to God and asking for enlightenment. Praying to God to ask for a open mind and guidance so yo can make a better decision that would benefit the most. Praying to God, fully knowing that He knows everything.
Before choosing His twelve Apostles, Jesus did the same. And He did it the whole night. He knows that this is a very big decision to make. The people He will choose are the ones to continue His mission on earth long after He ascended to Heaven.
So, let it all out to God and seek His guidance. And "feel that tap on your shoulder". The Lord maybe telling that everything will be alright and He will continually grasping your hands in times when something goes wrong, for He knows, your decision is really for the better.
When we have this relationship of prayer with God, we can always rely on His promises. We can be strong and of good courage. We can fear nothing because God is with us and He will never fail or forsake us. Climb the mountain with Him and find the greatest decision there is.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, let me climb the mountain with You. May I look up to You and seek Your mighty name so I may not be afraid on making a very important decision in my life. I know I can, because I have put my total trust in You. Amen +
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
CHOSEN TO LEAD
Luke 6:13 - When day came, He called His disciples to Himself and from them He chose Twelve, whom He also named Apostles".
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During my first communion, I was chosen as one of those who will lead the singing of "Our Father". It was a great feeling, being in front at the altar and leading hundreds of fellow students. There were other cases similar like group "Sabayang Bigkas", "Dramatization" and more. But this first one has really made a change in me and formed me to follow my faith until now.
And imagine what could be the feeling of the Twelve when they were chosen by Jesus as His Apostles that will be leaders of different groups. The Twelve were chose out of a wider group both to be with Jesus as disciples and to be sent out to preach and teach as Apostles.
Maybe, some of them responded since Jesus was popular at that time. But Jesus is very clear - following Him would mean giving up yourself for the sake of many.
I would mean carrying the same cross that He would carry. It is about listening and doing and putting into practice all that Jesus has taught us. And we you are called and responded in the positive, you have to drop everything and follow Him.
It always start with a "yes". You may encounter some rough sailings at the start, but continue to focus your attention to Him. And as you straighten your path towards Him, never let go, for He never will. His love will continue to guide You in that same path towards Heaven.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, there are so many things that You have done for us. May our love for You and for others be our only concern. We are your disciples, forever. Amen +
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During my first communion, I was chosen as one of those who will lead the singing of "Our Father". It was a great feeling, being in front at the altar and leading hundreds of fellow students. There were other cases similar like group "Sabayang Bigkas", "Dramatization" and more. But this first one has really made a change in me and formed me to follow my faith until now.
And imagine what could be the feeling of the Twelve when they were chosen by Jesus as His Apostles that will be leaders of different groups. The Twelve were chose out of a wider group both to be with Jesus as disciples and to be sent out to preach and teach as Apostles.
Maybe, some of them responded since Jesus was popular at that time. But Jesus is very clear - following Him would mean giving up yourself for the sake of many.
I would mean carrying the same cross that He would carry. It is about listening and doing and putting into practice all that Jesus has taught us. And we you are called and responded in the positive, you have to drop everything and follow Him.
It always start with a "yes". You may encounter some rough sailings at the start, but continue to focus your attention to Him. And as you straighten your path towards Him, never let go, for He never will. His love will continue to guide You in that same path towards Heaven.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, there are so many things that You have done for us. May our love for You and for others be our only concern. We are your disciples, forever. Amen +
Monday, October 26, 2015
BUTIHIN AT MAPAGPALANG AMA
Romans 8:14 - For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God".
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Lahat tayo ay may pinagmulang isang ama. Siya ang ating Tatay, Papa, Daddy, Dada. At sa ating paglaki, siya ang ating huwaran at gabay. Maaaring mayroon siyang mga limitasyon at pagkukulang, ngunit nag-iisa lamang siya sa ating buhay. At ang kakulangang ito ay tayo na lamang ang magpupuno, at maging isa ring magandang huwaran sa ating mga anak.
At kung sa pag-aarugang ito ng ating ama ay nakararanas na tayo ng walang-hanggang kasiyahan, paano pa kaya kung patuloy natin itong madarama mula sa ating Kataas-taasang Ama sa langit? Hindi ba't tunay na napakasaya ng ating buhay sa piling Niya?
Tinanggap Niya tayo sa oras ng ating binyag. At magmula noon hanggang ngayon, tayo ay Kanyang ginagabayan, binibiyayaan, inaalagaan at minamahal. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, sa kanyang piling, tayo ay patuloy na namumuhay ng sagana dahil tinanggap natin Siyang ating tagapagligtas at ilaw at tamang daan sa ating buhay.
At sa pamamagitan lamang Niya matatagpuan natin ang katotohanan at kaligayahan na ating hinahanap. Siya ay nariyan at tayo ay narito para sa Kanya dahil nilalang Niya tayo sa ngalan ng pag-ibig.
At ano ang tamang tugon natin sa pagmamahal na ito?
Pananampalataya, paniniwala, pag-asa at pagmamahal sa kapwa. Hindi madali? Sa katunayan, ito ay napakadali kung ilalagay lamang natin ang ating sarili sa Kanyang presensiya sa ating buhay. Kung patuloy lang natin Siyang isasapuso at tatawagan sa lahat ng ating mga gagawin.
Siya ang ating Ama. Huwaran ng ating pagkatao. Lumapit tayo sa Kanya, Siyang unang nagmahal sa atin at patuloy na mamuhat nang ayon sa Kanyang kalooban.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, salamat po sa Iyong walang hanggang pagmamahal. Hind man kami karapat-dapat, ngunit tinawag at itinuring Mo pa rin kaming mga anak. At dahil sa sakripisyo ni Hesus sa krus, nanumbalik ang pagmamahal Mo sa amin upang manahan Ka sa aming puso nang walang hanggan. Salamat po, Panginoon sa lahat ng Iyong pagpapala. Amen +
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Lahat tayo ay may pinagmulang isang ama. Siya ang ating Tatay, Papa, Daddy, Dada. At sa ating paglaki, siya ang ating huwaran at gabay. Maaaring mayroon siyang mga limitasyon at pagkukulang, ngunit nag-iisa lamang siya sa ating buhay. At ang kakulangang ito ay tayo na lamang ang magpupuno, at maging isa ring magandang huwaran sa ating mga anak.
At kung sa pag-aarugang ito ng ating ama ay nakararanas na tayo ng walang-hanggang kasiyahan, paano pa kaya kung patuloy natin itong madarama mula sa ating Kataas-taasang Ama sa langit? Hindi ba't tunay na napakasaya ng ating buhay sa piling Niya?
Tinanggap Niya tayo sa oras ng ating binyag. At magmula noon hanggang ngayon, tayo ay Kanyang ginagabayan, binibiyayaan, inaalagaan at minamahal. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, sa kanyang piling, tayo ay patuloy na namumuhay ng sagana dahil tinanggap natin Siyang ating tagapagligtas at ilaw at tamang daan sa ating buhay.
At sa pamamagitan lamang Niya matatagpuan natin ang katotohanan at kaligayahan na ating hinahanap. Siya ay nariyan at tayo ay narito para sa Kanya dahil nilalang Niya tayo sa ngalan ng pag-ibig.
At ano ang tamang tugon natin sa pagmamahal na ito?
Pananampalataya, paniniwala, pag-asa at pagmamahal sa kapwa. Hindi madali? Sa katunayan, ito ay napakadali kung ilalagay lamang natin ang ating sarili sa Kanyang presensiya sa ating buhay. Kung patuloy lang natin Siyang isasapuso at tatawagan sa lahat ng ating mga gagawin.
Siya ang ating Ama. Huwaran ng ating pagkatao. Lumapit tayo sa Kanya, Siyang unang nagmahal sa atin at patuloy na mamuhat nang ayon sa Kanyang kalooban.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, salamat po sa Iyong walang hanggang pagmamahal. Hind man kami karapat-dapat, ngunit tinawag at itinuring Mo pa rin kaming mga anak. At dahil sa sakripisyo ni Hesus sa krus, nanumbalik ang pagmamahal Mo sa amin upang manahan Ka sa aming puso nang walang hanggan. Salamat po, Panginoon sa lahat ng Iyong pagpapala. Amen +
Sunday, October 25, 2015
I WANT TO SEE
Mark 10:51b - "Master, I want to see".
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For most, it was a big request. Maybe, most in the crown knows the real personality of Bartimaeus. And maybe, for most them, he doesn't deserve to be healed. He doesn't deserve to receive the miracle coming from the Lord.
But Jesus sees through the heart. He knows if that person is sincere in his request. He knows if that person is repentant of his sin. He knows if that person deserve His forgiveness.
He simply knows. And we can see these all over the Scripture. The lepers who wants to be healed, the woman suffering from hemorrhage who only wants to touch His garment so she can be cured and the Roman officer who asked Jesus to heal his child.
In all of these, their faith has made them well.
The story of Bartimaeus is a sign of who Jesus is for us. He is there always and we only need to invite Him in our hearts, seeing with the eyes of faith. And as He cures us, make sure we neve go blind again. The change should be permanent. And as we live our new life with the Lord, may others also see the good and right things in us so they may also know that the Lord our God is really and merciful and loving God.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, forgive me for my unbelief. Renew my faith with the unstoppable faith that Bartimaeus possessed. And as I seek Your forgiveness and accept Your love and will, through Your Son, Jesus, may we never stop believing in and loving You. Amen +
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For most, it was a big request. Maybe, most in the crown knows the real personality of Bartimaeus. And maybe, for most them, he doesn't deserve to be healed. He doesn't deserve to receive the miracle coming from the Lord.
But Jesus sees through the heart. He knows if that person is sincere in his request. He knows if that person is repentant of his sin. He knows if that person deserve His forgiveness.
He simply knows. And we can see these all over the Scripture. The lepers who wants to be healed, the woman suffering from hemorrhage who only wants to touch His garment so she can be cured and the Roman officer who asked Jesus to heal his child.
In all of these, their faith has made them well.
The story of Bartimaeus is a sign of who Jesus is for us. He is there always and we only need to invite Him in our hearts, seeing with the eyes of faith. And as He cures us, make sure we neve go blind again. The change should be permanent. And as we live our new life with the Lord, may others also see the good and right things in us so they may also know that the Lord our God is really and merciful and loving God.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, forgive me for my unbelief. Renew my faith with the unstoppable faith that Bartimaeus possessed. And as I seek Your forgiveness and accept Your love and will, through Your Son, Jesus, may we never stop believing in and loving You. Amen +
Saturday, October 24, 2015
IS HEAVEN YOUR CHOICE?
Romans 8:6 - "The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace".
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You have heard about Heaven, You have heart about Hell.
You have heard about living in eternal bliss and joy, but you have also heard about eternal pain, heat and fire.
But still, we fall. We fall in sin.
So, is just mere knowing it not enough? Do you first want to experience it, before you believe? Well, I have a bad news for you. You can only experience it if your earthly body is dead!
The Bible has described to show us a glimpse of Heaven. It is a place of peace, rest and joy. It is free from evil, free from guilt because of sin, from fears, disease, sickness and suffering. There are no tears in heaven, as we are in communion with the Father himself in the highest perfection without interruption.
And Hell is the entire opposite, where there is eternal fire and gnashing of teeth.
Yes, we were given a choice. We were given the opportunity to follow either the path to eternal pain or the path to eternal bliss.
Now, what is your choice?
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make us thirst for You. Teach us to find true happiness only in You and not from the worldly flesh and richness around us. Forgive us our sine so we may finally rejoice with You in Heaven. Amen +
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You have heard about Heaven, You have heart about Hell.
You have heard about living in eternal bliss and joy, but you have also heard about eternal pain, heat and fire.
But still, we fall. We fall in sin.
So, is just mere knowing it not enough? Do you first want to experience it, before you believe? Well, I have a bad news for you. You can only experience it if your earthly body is dead!
The Bible has described to show us a glimpse of Heaven. It is a place of peace, rest and joy. It is free from evil, free from guilt because of sin, from fears, disease, sickness and suffering. There are no tears in heaven, as we are in communion with the Father himself in the highest perfection without interruption.
And Hell is the entire opposite, where there is eternal fire and gnashing of teeth.
Yes, we were given a choice. We were given the opportunity to follow either the path to eternal pain or the path to eternal bliss.
Now, what is your choice?
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make us thirst for You. Teach us to find true happiness only in You and not from the worldly flesh and richness around us. Forgive us our sine so we may finally rejoice with You in Heaven. Amen +
Friday, October 23, 2015
FRUITFUL TO THE END
Luke 13:9 - "it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down".
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WE are all expected to be "fruitful". If a tree is now anymore bearing fruits, it would be cut down and plant another one in its place.
And as Christians, we are also expected to bear fruits.
Am I bearing fruits now? What are the "fruits" that I can share and show?
Alms-giving, praying, righteousness, forgiveness, ministering, giving to the Church, leading others to Christ, missionary support. We may not do everything, but the question is have we done at least one of them?
Each of us is different with different gifts and fruits, but we all come from the same God. And we are all planted on the best root soil the world has ever known: Jesus Christ himself.
Use what God has given you for His glory, to bear fruit and to further His Kingdom. Do not bury them to the ground, but rather, use it and share with others, so they may also bear fruits.
Start bearing fruits now, or be cut down!
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, You are a patient and merciful God. Teach us to respond with great reverence to You so I may bear good fruits and be a blessing to others. Teach us to use this time of grace proclaiming Your words so others may also bear fruit, all for Your glory and praise. Amen +
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WE are all expected to be "fruitful". If a tree is now anymore bearing fruits, it would be cut down and plant another one in its place.
And as Christians, we are also expected to bear fruits.
Am I bearing fruits now? What are the "fruits" that I can share and show?
Alms-giving, praying, righteousness, forgiveness, ministering, giving to the Church, leading others to Christ, missionary support. We may not do everything, but the question is have we done at least one of them?
Each of us is different with different gifts and fruits, but we all come from the same God. And we are all planted on the best root soil the world has ever known: Jesus Christ himself.
Use what God has given you for His glory, to bear fruit and to further His Kingdom. Do not bury them to the ground, but rather, use it and share with others, so they may also bear fruits.
Start bearing fruits now, or be cut down!
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, You are a patient and merciful God. Teach us to respond with great reverence to You so I may bear good fruits and be a blessing to others. Teach us to use this time of grace proclaiming Your words so others may also bear fruit, all for Your glory and praise. Amen +
Thursday, October 22, 2015
ONE CHURCH UNDIVIDED
Luke 12:51 - "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
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Election time is near again. And, is some areas, those who are allied with each other before, are now foes. And it doesn't matter if they below to same families or clans. The lure of power have made them run for the same position against each other.
And it is a continual battle between good and evil. Someone will really take a side based on his belief. Someone has to take side not because it is the right one, but because that is where he is comfortable to move or work with. And it is because of this thinking that even families become divided.
This is the same reason why Jesus mentioned that He came here for "division". For He is aware that not everyone would believe in Him, and some people will still follow the "evilness" that this world has to offer. And as people starts believing in Him and obeying His will, some will still be in the "other side of the fence". And this creates division among people, among families, among clans.
This cannot be prevented. Most of us really have a hardened heart and because of pride, we would not accept the holiness and salvation that Jesus is offering.
Jesus always give His Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that we are expected to be. There would be divisions, but everyone should pray such that those on the other side would finally be enlightened and be one in Spirit and Body.
+ Let us pray: We praise you, Lord, for making us members of one body by one Spirit. We pray that you provide us the zealousness to walk in the unity of the faith that the Spirit provides. We pray for the will and the resolve to work for unity, allowing our diversity to be a source of strength and vitality rather than a source of division. Help us to remember what unites us as your people: faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and the unifying power of the Holy Spirit. Amen +
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Election time is near again. And, is some areas, those who are allied with each other before, are now foes. And it doesn't matter if they below to same families or clans. The lure of power have made them run for the same position against each other.
And it is a continual battle between good and evil. Someone will really take a side based on his belief. Someone has to take side not because it is the right one, but because that is where he is comfortable to move or work with. And it is because of this thinking that even families become divided.
This is the same reason why Jesus mentioned that He came here for "division". For He is aware that not everyone would believe in Him, and some people will still follow the "evilness" that this world has to offer. And as people starts believing in Him and obeying His will, some will still be in the "other side of the fence". And this creates division among people, among families, among clans.
This cannot be prevented. Most of us really have a hardened heart and because of pride, we would not accept the holiness and salvation that Jesus is offering.
Jesus always give His Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that we are expected to be. There would be divisions, but everyone should pray such that those on the other side would finally be enlightened and be one in Spirit and Body.
+ Let us pray: We praise you, Lord, for making us members of one body by one Spirit. We pray that you provide us the zealousness to walk in the unity of the faith that the Spirit provides. We pray for the will and the resolve to work for unity, allowing our diversity to be a source of strength and vitality rather than a source of division. Help us to remember what unites us as your people: faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and the unifying power of the Holy Spirit. Amen +
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
STORIES OF LIFE
Luke 12:41 - "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?"
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Before going to sleep, out father would tell us stories, most animal stories from "Aesop's Fables". Fables are fictional stories that would have animal characters and would interpret a good deed and have a moral lesson for everyone to emulate.
Kids would like stories about animals. I would listen intently to my father. But the most important thing is how he would explain the moral lesson of the story and how we should apply it to ourselves. That would stick to our mind, and remember it forever.
A very similar type of story is the Parable. Jesus would teach using parables. It would expound lessons in patience, humility, forgiveness, mercy, love of God, growth in Spirit, etc. And most, especially the disciples, would sometimes have a hard time understanding the parables of Jesus.
And Jesus was even clear on this. If we would harden our hearts because of pride and arrogance, or do not simply care about what He is saying, then we would really have a hard time understanding the parables. "Even though we have ears, we won't be able to hear; and even though we have eyes, we won't be able to see."
But when we put in the effort to understand them, what we can learn from them is truly worth the effort. If you can read the parables of Jesus, learn from them, and apply it to our lives, we would be changed by them, grow in them and live our lives fully in Him.
+ Let us pray: 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. May we live the lessons we get from them, and grow fully in Your love, knowing fully Your will. Amen +
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Before going to sleep, out father would tell us stories, most animal stories from "Aesop's Fables". Fables are fictional stories that would have animal characters and would interpret a good deed and have a moral lesson for everyone to emulate.
Kids would like stories about animals. I would listen intently to my father. But the most important thing is how he would explain the moral lesson of the story and how we should apply it to ourselves. That would stick to our mind, and remember it forever.
A very similar type of story is the Parable. Jesus would teach using parables. It would expound lessons in patience, humility, forgiveness, mercy, love of God, growth in Spirit, etc. And most, especially the disciples, would sometimes have a hard time understanding the parables of Jesus.
And Jesus was even clear on this. If we would harden our hearts because of pride and arrogance, or do not simply care about what He is saying, then we would really have a hard time understanding the parables. "Even though we have ears, we won't be able to hear; and even though we have eyes, we won't be able to see."
But when we put in the effort to understand them, what we can learn from them is truly worth the effort. If you can read the parables of Jesus, learn from them, and apply it to our lives, we would be changed by them, grow in them and live our lives fully in Him.
+ Let us pray: 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. May we live the lessons we get from them, and grow fully in Your love, knowing fully Your will. Amen +
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
TAMANG PANAHON
Luke 12:37 - "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival".
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Lagi na lang tayong naghihintay. Sa pagdating ng bus. Paghihintay sa kahabaan ng pila. Paghihintay sa minamahal o mamahalin.
Paghihintay ng isang milagro. Paghihintay ng araw kung kailan makakapiling na muli natin ang ating Diyos at Panginoon.
Ngunit mas higit sa paghihintay, ay kung ano ba ang mga bagay na ating ginagawa habang tayo ay naghihintay. Ano bang pag-uugali ang ating ipinapakita habang tayo ay naghihintay?
Inihahanda ba natin ang ating sarili? Wala ba tayong nakalimutan, nang sa gayon, pagdating ng ating hinihintay ay sigurado na tayo upang sumama sa kanya?
Lagi na lang tayong naghihintay, ngunit tayo ba ay handa?
Ihanda natin ang tuwid na daan ng Panginoon patungo sa ating puso. Patuloy tayong magtiwala na sa Kanyang pagdating, tunay na mapagbabago nya ang ating buhay at ang mundong ating ginagalawan. Hindi man natin maranasan ang ganda ng buhay sa ngayon, yan ay isang pagsubok lamang ng ating katatagan at pagtitiwala sa Kanya.
Ngunit kung tayo ay handa at palaging nasa Kanya ang ating puso at pamumuhay, Siya na nga mismo ang ating makakapiling sa tama at habang panahon.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, gabayan mo kami sa aming paghihintay sa Iyo. Nawa'y matutunan namin na gawin ang mga bagay na magpapaligaya sa Iyo, at magbibigay sa amin ng kagandahan ng puso at isipan. Patuloy kaming maghihintay sa Iyo ng may pagpupunyagi at pagtitiwala na muli Ka naming makakapiling sa tamang panahon. Amen +
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Lagi na lang tayong naghihintay. Sa pagdating ng bus. Paghihintay sa kahabaan ng pila. Paghihintay sa minamahal o mamahalin.
Paghihintay ng isang milagro. Paghihintay ng araw kung kailan makakapiling na muli natin ang ating Diyos at Panginoon.
Ngunit mas higit sa paghihintay, ay kung ano ba ang mga bagay na ating ginagawa habang tayo ay naghihintay. Ano bang pag-uugali ang ating ipinapakita habang tayo ay naghihintay?
Inihahanda ba natin ang ating sarili? Wala ba tayong nakalimutan, nang sa gayon, pagdating ng ating hinihintay ay sigurado na tayo upang sumama sa kanya?
Lagi na lang tayong naghihintay, ngunit tayo ba ay handa?
Ihanda natin ang tuwid na daan ng Panginoon patungo sa ating puso. Patuloy tayong magtiwala na sa Kanyang pagdating, tunay na mapagbabago nya ang ating buhay at ang mundong ating ginagalawan. Hindi man natin maranasan ang ganda ng buhay sa ngayon, yan ay isang pagsubok lamang ng ating katatagan at pagtitiwala sa Kanya.
Ngunit kung tayo ay handa at palaging nasa Kanya ang ating puso at pamumuhay, Siya na nga mismo ang ating makakapiling sa tama at habang panahon.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, gabayan mo kami sa aming paghihintay sa Iyo. Nawa'y matutunan namin na gawin ang mga bagay na magpapaligaya sa Iyo, at magbibigay sa amin ng kagandahan ng puso at isipan. Patuloy kaming maghihintay sa Iyo ng may pagpupunyagi at pagtitiwala na muli Ka naming makakapiling sa tamang panahon. Amen +
Sunday, October 18, 2015
LET'S ALL BE SAFE
Life is indeed short. So we must all ensure that we live our life to the fullest.
As we prepare for the incoming onslaught of typhoon "Lando", let us not forget to pray for our safety and the safety of others.
Stay at home if you have nothing important to do. Keep tuned to radio for announcements.
Keep safe everyone!!!
+ Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we put our lives in Your care. Thank You for all the blessings You have given us. May we overcome this typhoon and place the casualties to zero or at least the minimum. Amen +
Saturday, October 17, 2015
THE GIFT OF SPIRIT
Luke 12:12 - "For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say".
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"Esprit the corps" - the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion and strong regard for the honor of the group.
When we look tired or not up to par with our task, our friends would remark that we lack the spirit to continue or we lack the spirit to take the task at hand. For it is that "spirit" that would keep us going, be united and have the will to continue.
And in our lives with the Lord, it is that Spirit that continue to nourish our body and soul so we may continue to live a life of holiness. It was first given to the disciples during the Pentecost and received the same by us during our baptism, confirmation and eucharist.
Through the Holy Spirit, we become alive in God. We continue to receive a new fullness of the Spirit and are empowered to serve the Church and bear witness to Jesus.
Truly, there is no gift of God more excellent than this. And the Holy Spirit continue to remain with the Church forever, as promised by Jesus.
The Holy Spirit promises are in alignment with a holy and just God. Our bad habits get cleaned up as we permit the Holy Spirit to show us how to overcome our self-indulgent thinking, behaviors and bad habits. Our pride gets smaller and the presence of God begins to manifest in our lives.
May we confidently and continually beg of Him to illuminate us daily more and more with His light, inflame us with His charity and inspire us with faith and love. Receive Him and let the Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts, forever.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We pray that as we rejoice in Your name, our eyes and hearts would be open to what You want to teach us through the Holy Spirit. Teach us to have the same life-changing power in other people's lives as we continue to protect our lives against bad habits and evil. Amen +
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"Esprit the corps" - the common spirit existing in the members of a group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion and strong regard for the honor of the group.
When we look tired or not up to par with our task, our friends would remark that we lack the spirit to continue or we lack the spirit to take the task at hand. For it is that "spirit" that would keep us going, be united and have the will to continue.
And in our lives with the Lord, it is that Spirit that continue to nourish our body and soul so we may continue to live a life of holiness. It was first given to the disciples during the Pentecost and received the same by us during our baptism, confirmation and eucharist.
Through the Holy Spirit, we become alive in God. We continue to receive a new fullness of the Spirit and are empowered to serve the Church and bear witness to Jesus.
Truly, there is no gift of God more excellent than this. And the Holy Spirit continue to remain with the Church forever, as promised by Jesus.
The Holy Spirit promises are in alignment with a holy and just God. Our bad habits get cleaned up as we permit the Holy Spirit to show us how to overcome our self-indulgent thinking, behaviors and bad habits. Our pride gets smaller and the presence of God begins to manifest in our lives.
May we confidently and continually beg of Him to illuminate us daily more and more with His light, inflame us with His charity and inspire us with faith and love. Receive Him and let the Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts, forever.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We pray that as we rejoice in Your name, our eyes and hearts would be open to what You want to teach us through the Holy Spirit. Teach us to have the same life-changing power in other people's lives as we continue to protect our lives against bad habits and evil. Amen +
Friday, October 16, 2015
WE ARE LOVED
Luke 12:7 - "Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows".
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Would you believe that on the average, human being would have 100,000 hairs on his head. And since this is an average number, you cannot really tell the exact number on your head now.
Or do you? Well, let us say you do know, but would you know the number of hair on the head of your wife, or the person beside you? If you do, then that would already be amazing!
But imagine knowing that number for each and every human being in this world. That is not just amazing, not even phenomenal, but really mind-boggling.
But, yes, God knows it. And He knows everything about You. Your past, your present and your future. And if someone is that interested in knowing you, that someone must love you very much that He wants to be with you more and to love you more.
If the Father i aware and even concerned of the tiny sparrow, all the more is He for us. No one can harm us. He even knows each hair on our head. For His Divine Providence cares for us. We are all His beloved children for whom He sent His Son to redeem us by His death and resurrection.
In return, we must act in our faith.
We must exemplify the value of Jesus' teaching by our behvior and our actions: the modesty with which we act, the charity with which we speak, the kind acts of service that we render to others and the love and praise that we offer our God.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for my life here on earth, however challenging it is or not. We know that You will forever be with us, protecting us, so we should never be afraid. We praise You and acknowledge Your great power. Amen +
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Would you believe that on the average, human being would have 100,000 hairs on his head. And since this is an average number, you cannot really tell the exact number on your head now.
Or do you? Well, let us say you do know, but would you know the number of hair on the head of your wife, or the person beside you? If you do, then that would already be amazing!
But imagine knowing that number for each and every human being in this world. That is not just amazing, not even phenomenal, but really mind-boggling.
But, yes, God knows it. And He knows everything about You. Your past, your present and your future. And if someone is that interested in knowing you, that someone must love you very much that He wants to be with you more and to love you more.
If the Father i aware and even concerned of the tiny sparrow, all the more is He for us. No one can harm us. He even knows each hair on our head. For His Divine Providence cares for us. We are all His beloved children for whom He sent His Son to redeem us by His death and resurrection.
In return, we must act in our faith.
We must exemplify the value of Jesus' teaching by our behvior and our actions: the modesty with which we act, the charity with which we speak, the kind acts of service that we render to others and the love and praise that we offer our God.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for my life here on earth, however challenging it is or not. We know that You will forever be with us, protecting us, so we should never be afraid. We praise You and acknowledge Your great power. Amen +
Thursday, October 15, 2015
ANG NAG-IISANG DIYOS
Romans 3:30a - "for God is One..."
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Kailangan pa ba ang anting-anting? Kailangan pa ba ang mga istatwa ni Buddha? Kailangan pa ba ang mga pa-pungsoy? Kailangan pa ang ibang "diyos-diyosan" sa buhay natin?
Hindi pa ba malinaw sa atin ang katotohanang iisa lang ang Diyos at Panginoon ng lahat? Hindi pa tayo naniniwala sa katotohanang ito?
Hindi man natin lubos na mauunawaan ang tunay na kahulugan nito, iisa lamang ang katotohanang ang ating buhay at anumang ating tinatanggap ngayon ay dahil sa Kanyang pagmamahal, awa at lubos na pagpapatawad. At sa Kanya lamang nararapat nakatutok ang ating buhay, na Siyang tunay na hinahangad ng ating puso.
Patuloy tayong naghahanap ng makapag-bibigay sa atin ng tunay na kahulugan ng ating buhay - bakit tayo naririto, ano ang gusto nating gawin, saan tayo patutungo, Umpisahan natin yan sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa Kanya, pagbabasa at pag-unawa sa Kanyang Salita at pagsasapuso ng lahat ng mga ito sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod at pagtalima sa Kanyang kagustuhan.
Hindi madali ngunit maaring gawin. Ang hirap sa iba sa atin, kaagad tayong sumusuko kapag hindi na ayon sa kagustuhan natin ang nangyayari sa ating buhay. Naghahanap na agad tayo ng ibang paraan upang makuha natin ang ating gusto.
Balikan natin Siya. Siya lamang ang Diyos at Panginoon. Wala nang iba
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, ikaw lamang ang Diyos ng lahat. Ikaw lang ang aming dapat purihin, mahalin at pasalamatan sa lahat ng tinatanggap naming biyaya ngayon. Salamat po sa patuloy mong pagmamahal sa amin. Nawa'y di Ka mawala sa aming puso, dahil tunay lamang na ibalik namin lahat ng ito sa Iyo bilang papuri at pagsamba sa Iyo. Amen +
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Kailangan pa ba ang anting-anting? Kailangan pa ba ang mga istatwa ni Buddha? Kailangan pa ba ang mga pa-pungsoy? Kailangan pa ang ibang "diyos-diyosan" sa buhay natin?
Hindi pa ba malinaw sa atin ang katotohanang iisa lang ang Diyos at Panginoon ng lahat? Hindi pa tayo naniniwala sa katotohanang ito?
Hindi man natin lubos na mauunawaan ang tunay na kahulugan nito, iisa lamang ang katotohanang ang ating buhay at anumang ating tinatanggap ngayon ay dahil sa Kanyang pagmamahal, awa at lubos na pagpapatawad. At sa Kanya lamang nararapat nakatutok ang ating buhay, na Siyang tunay na hinahangad ng ating puso.
Patuloy tayong naghahanap ng makapag-bibigay sa atin ng tunay na kahulugan ng ating buhay - bakit tayo naririto, ano ang gusto nating gawin, saan tayo patutungo, Umpisahan natin yan sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa Kanya, pagbabasa at pag-unawa sa Kanyang Salita at pagsasapuso ng lahat ng mga ito sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod at pagtalima sa Kanyang kagustuhan.
Hindi madali ngunit maaring gawin. Ang hirap sa iba sa atin, kaagad tayong sumusuko kapag hindi na ayon sa kagustuhan natin ang nangyayari sa ating buhay. Naghahanap na agad tayo ng ibang paraan upang makuha natin ang ating gusto.
Balikan natin Siya. Siya lamang ang Diyos at Panginoon. Wala nang iba
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, ikaw lamang ang Diyos ng lahat. Ikaw lang ang aming dapat purihin, mahalin at pasalamatan sa lahat ng tinatanggap naming biyaya ngayon. Salamat po sa patuloy mong pagmamahal sa amin. Nawa'y di Ka mawala sa aming puso, dahil tunay lamang na ibalik namin lahat ng ito sa Iyo bilang papuri at pagsamba sa Iyo. Amen +
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
JUST AND FAITHFUL GOD
Romans 2:11 - "There is no partiality with God".
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I would sometimes feel that He is not listening. That He is not there. That He is ignoring my pleas, requests and prayers. That He simply abandoned me.
My neighbor is a known cheater, but he has a big house and three cars. That politician is a known plunderer, but he is still free and even running for a higher position come next election.
So, is life really unfair?
Or am I just reacting the same as how Cain reacted and thought, the moment he killed his brother, Abel. For I may have failed to see the blessings I received and instead focus on stressing myself on things that other people got.
We are not the true judge of what is fair and what is unfair. For even our judgement is tainted with partiality. Our concept of fairness is tainted by envy and selfishness as we only think of things centered to ourselves, that everything should happen to us.
But God has his plans and purposes. And believe you me, those are fair and for the goodness of all.
I would just do the right things. I would just look at my limitations and improve on those through God's blessings and mercy. I would just pray and give thanks to Him for all the things He has given me. I will just forever be faithful in Him as He is a just and faithful God.
He always look at our hearts, for He is the only One who can really judge the hearts of men. We may perceive others to be worthy of His wrath or even hell, but He is the only one who knows what should be done. For there are things we do not know, hear or see.
Life may never look fair to us, but His grace is much bigger than what we have sometimes allowed ourselves to believe.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, there is no partiality in You. You know what we need and will provide it as you deemed necessary. We look with suspicious eyes on the good things received by others, out of envy and jealousy. But we failed to see things we also do that is not in consonance with Your will. Clean our hearts, Lord so we may fully appreciate the things we receive and just pray for others that they may also open their hearts to You. Amen +
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I would sometimes feel that He is not listening. That He is not there. That He is ignoring my pleas, requests and prayers. That He simply abandoned me.
My neighbor is a known cheater, but he has a big house and three cars. That politician is a known plunderer, but he is still free and even running for a higher position come next election.
So, is life really unfair?
Or am I just reacting the same as how Cain reacted and thought, the moment he killed his brother, Abel. For I may have failed to see the blessings I received and instead focus on stressing myself on things that other people got.
We are not the true judge of what is fair and what is unfair. For even our judgement is tainted with partiality. Our concept of fairness is tainted by envy and selfishness as we only think of things centered to ourselves, that everything should happen to us.
But God has his plans and purposes. And believe you me, those are fair and for the goodness of all.
I would just do the right things. I would just look at my limitations and improve on those through God's blessings and mercy. I would just pray and give thanks to Him for all the things He has given me. I will just forever be faithful in Him as He is a just and faithful God.
He always look at our hearts, for He is the only One who can really judge the hearts of men. We may perceive others to be worthy of His wrath or even hell, but He is the only one who knows what should be done. For there are things we do not know, hear or see.
Life may never look fair to us, but His grace is much bigger than what we have sometimes allowed ourselves to believe.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, there is no partiality in You. You know what we need and will provide it as you deemed necessary. We look with suspicious eyes on the good things received by others, out of envy and jealousy. But we failed to see things we also do that is not in consonance with Your will. Clean our hearts, Lord so we may fully appreciate the things we receive and just pray for others that they may also open their hearts to You. Amen +
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
CLEANSE MY SPIRIT, LORD
Luke 11:39 - "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil".
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As a child, we are all taught at home and in school the proper way of washing our hands. In order to prevent being sick, we have to do this before and after meal and after doing our things in the toilet. It is actually easy and we just have to do it consistently and make it a habit.
I even joined this project before as part of a Six Sigma project in a hospital wherein they are seeing a high occurrence of infections in patients at ICU area. Study shows this is due to failure of staffs and visitors to wash their hands prior entering the ICU room. As a solution, they put a sensor that can tell whether a person washed he hands before entering the room.
And if Jesus has lived today, His failure to wash His hands would be an ordinary thing as this would just be His prerogative. But during His times, washing of hands, aside from hygienic purposes, it is also a commandment that must be followed by every Jews. It is based on grounds that the ideal of holiness demands a special, ritualistic washing of the hands.
This would be the reason why the Pharisees in the house was shocked and cannot believe what Jesus has done (or has not done). But Jesus knows too well. Most Pharisees in His time are only clean from the outside but not inside.
But God is still more concerned with the cleanliness of our hearts. What is contained in our hearts is utterly important to Jesus. He came to the world in order to reform the hearts of sinners, like you and me. He came into the world because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified through Him. And our hearts need to be pure so we may live perfectly as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
Yes cleanliness of the body is important. But our whole being should be as well - body, soul and spirit. Open your hearts to the Lord and let Him cleanse you, not just the outside but also from the inside.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make my soul a perfect dwelling place for You. A place filled with love of You. A place filled with holiness. Provide the grace I need to keep my soul holy and lead me away from sins. Let others see You in my soul and my actions and may whatever I do bring glory to You. Come into my soul and abide in You forever and ever. Amen +
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As a child, we are all taught at home and in school the proper way of washing our hands. In order to prevent being sick, we have to do this before and after meal and after doing our things in the toilet. It is actually easy and we just have to do it consistently and make it a habit.
I even joined this project before as part of a Six Sigma project in a hospital wherein they are seeing a high occurrence of infections in patients at ICU area. Study shows this is due to failure of staffs and visitors to wash their hands prior entering the ICU room. As a solution, they put a sensor that can tell whether a person washed he hands before entering the room.
And if Jesus has lived today, His failure to wash His hands would be an ordinary thing as this would just be His prerogative. But during His times, washing of hands, aside from hygienic purposes, it is also a commandment that must be followed by every Jews. It is based on grounds that the ideal of holiness demands a special, ritualistic washing of the hands.
This would be the reason why the Pharisees in the house was shocked and cannot believe what Jesus has done (or has not done). But Jesus knows too well. Most Pharisees in His time are only clean from the outside but not inside.
But God is still more concerned with the cleanliness of our hearts. What is contained in our hearts is utterly important to Jesus. He came to the world in order to reform the hearts of sinners, like you and me. He came into the world because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified through Him. And our hearts need to be pure so we may live perfectly as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
Yes cleanliness of the body is important. But our whole being should be as well - body, soul and spirit. Open your hearts to the Lord and let Him cleanse you, not just the outside but also from the inside.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make my soul a perfect dwelling place for You. A place filled with love of You. A place filled with holiness. Provide the grace I need to keep my soul holy and lead me away from sins. Let others see You in my soul and my actions and may whatever I do bring glory to You. Come into my soul and abide in You forever and ever. Amen +
Monday, October 12, 2015
THE GREATEST OF ALL SIGNS
Luke 11:30 - "Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation".
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The signs says it all. They are all around us not just as guidelines, but for us to follow.
There will be the traffic lights and signs. The signs at the entrance of a building, that will guide us where to go. The signs at the street for our own protection and safety. The signs at things we use, to guide us on how to properly use them to prolong their life.
And disregarding each of these signs could mean life and death to anyone. For if you will not follow the sign, there will indeed be chaos in this world.
But as most of us really do not follow road and street signs, we still tend to seek for "signs" to follow when it comes to our personal lives. When we try to decide for something, we ask God for signs whether we do it or not, or we do some other things. We are so enamored with signs that we always depend our life on it.
And yet, that sign has already been given to us a long ago. And that Cross has become the sign of our salvation and continual relationship with God. It has become the sign of our Salvation and being with God for eternity.
So, what else of a sign do we yearn or wait for?
Being strong in faith would not anymore need for signs and wonders. We should all know that the Father, through His Son, cares for all of us. We don't need signs and wonders to prove that He exists or that He hears our prayers. Faith comes by hearing the Word about Christ and the Salvation He gave so we may experience eternity with Him.
Do not disregard the sign of the Cross that is Jesus. For He is the sign of the love of God, There is not greater and mightier sign than that.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for giving Your Son to us, so we may continue to be with Your love here on earth and in Heaven. He is the only wonder and miracle that we should seek, believe and long for. For in Him comes joy and a promise that we will be with You forever. Amen +
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The signs says it all. They are all around us not just as guidelines, but for us to follow.
There will be the traffic lights and signs. The signs at the entrance of a building, that will guide us where to go. The signs at the street for our own protection and safety. The signs at things we use, to guide us on how to properly use them to prolong their life.
And disregarding each of these signs could mean life and death to anyone. For if you will not follow the sign, there will indeed be chaos in this world.
But as most of us really do not follow road and street signs, we still tend to seek for "signs" to follow when it comes to our personal lives. When we try to decide for something, we ask God for signs whether we do it or not, or we do some other things. We are so enamored with signs that we always depend our life on it.
And yet, that sign has already been given to us a long ago. And that Cross has become the sign of our salvation and continual relationship with God. It has become the sign of our Salvation and being with God for eternity.
So, what else of a sign do we yearn or wait for?
Being strong in faith would not anymore need for signs and wonders. We should all know that the Father, through His Son, cares for all of us. We don't need signs and wonders to prove that He exists or that He hears our prayers. Faith comes by hearing the Word about Christ and the Salvation He gave so we may experience eternity with Him.
Do not disregard the sign of the Cross that is Jesus. For He is the sign of the love of God, There is not greater and mightier sign than that.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, thank You for giving Your Son to us, so we may continue to be with Your love here on earth and in Heaven. He is the only wonder and miracle that we should seek, believe and long for. For in Him comes joy and a promise that we will be with You forever. Amen +
Sunday, October 11, 2015
CALLED TO FOLLOW
Mark 10:27 - "For human beings, it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God".
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Follow the commandments. Honor your father and mother. Do not commit murder, adultery and bear false witness against your neighbors. Most of us have followed this and are committed to follow them until the end. But, are these enough to inherit the Kingdom of God?
And Jesus established again a higher standard. It is not just mere following the commandments. It is living them to the fullest, up to the point of living in total trust to the Lord - without all the convenience of life, serving the poor and even detaching yourself from your family to do this.
And then, we follow Him.
We may think that this is impossible. Yes it is. I, myself, have not totally done this. I may have surrendered myself to Him years ago, but I still live within the convenience that this world offers. I still live a life that is so good, that I sometimes forget God, and go on with things that I want.
But it is really up to the Lord. What is impossible to us, is not impossible to Him. Once that time comes that He really asked you to serve Him, nothing can stop you from doing so. And like Jonah, who will just simply give in to His will, not because you have no choice, but because you are His choice. It is you whom He wants to share the Good News to others.
And once we choose that path, there is no turning back. But along that path, He will never leave us or forsake us. There will be no moments when the "flesh is week, even though the spirit wills". The Lord will be there there in our hearts to guide us.
He seeks our whole-hearted commitment. He wants to live his life in us – loving and serving others through us. What will be your response?
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, let me follow You without hesitation for your glory and the goodness of others. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do something, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen +
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Follow the commandments. Honor your father and mother. Do not commit murder, adultery and bear false witness against your neighbors. Most of us have followed this and are committed to follow them until the end. But, are these enough to inherit the Kingdom of God?
And Jesus established again a higher standard. It is not just mere following the commandments. It is living them to the fullest, up to the point of living in total trust to the Lord - without all the convenience of life, serving the poor and even detaching yourself from your family to do this.
And then, we follow Him.
We may think that this is impossible. Yes it is. I, myself, have not totally done this. I may have surrendered myself to Him years ago, but I still live within the convenience that this world offers. I still live a life that is so good, that I sometimes forget God, and go on with things that I want.
But it is really up to the Lord. What is impossible to us, is not impossible to Him. Once that time comes that He really asked you to serve Him, nothing can stop you from doing so. And like Jonah, who will just simply give in to His will, not because you have no choice, but because you are His choice. It is you whom He wants to share the Good News to others.
And once we choose that path, there is no turning back. But along that path, He will never leave us or forsake us. There will be no moments when the "flesh is week, even though the spirit wills". The Lord will be there there in our hearts to guide us.
He seeks our whole-hearted commitment. He wants to live his life in us – loving and serving others through us. What will be your response?
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, let me follow You without hesitation for your glory and the goodness of others. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do something, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen +
Saturday, October 10, 2015
PANANAMPALATAYA AT GAWA
Luke 11:28 - "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it".
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Pananampalataya lamang?
Hindi sapat na magsisimba ka lamang tuwing Linggo. O kaya ay mangungumpisal ka minsan sa isang buwan. O kaya naman ay pag-ro-Rosaryo araw-araw. Hindi sapat ang pananampalataya lamang. Nararapat na tugunan mo rin ito ng mga gawaing pang-kawanggawa.
Ayon nga sa Mateo 7:21 - "Hindi ang bawat isa na nagsasabi sa akin: Panginoon, Panginoon, ay makakapasok sa paghahari ng langit, kundi ang gumagawa ng kalooban ng aking Ama na nasa langit."
Pananampalataya.... at Gawa!
Totoong umpisahan mo ang iyong paglalakbay sa piling ni Hesus sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa Kanya bilang iyong Diyos at Panginoon. Ngunit ito ay hindi nagtatapos sa isang pagdarasal lamang ng pagtanggap.
Ito ay nararapat na sundan ng mga pagtanggap at pagsunod sa Kanyang salita, pamantayan at kalooban; pagpasan ng iyong sariling Krus at sundan Siya; at ang pagtulong at pagsisilbi sa mga mas nangangailangan upang sa pamamagitan mo, ay makilala nila ang Panginoon kagaya mo.
Tunay na mahirap ang maging isang Kristiyanong tagasunod ni Kristo. Ito ay panghabang-buhay na paninindigan. Ito rin marahil ang dahilan kung kaya't maraming tumitiwalag sa paniniwalang ito kay Hesus. Hindi dahil sa hindi nila kayang gawin, kundi dahil ang kagustuhan lamang nila ay ang madaling daan patungong langit.
At hindi nila ito makakamit, dahil mismong si Hesus ay naghirap at namatay para lamang makamit natin ang kaligtasan.
Nasa Diyos ang awa. Ibinigay na sa atin ng Diyos ang langit. Iniligtas na Niya tayo sa demonyo at sa init ng impiyerno. Sa pagkamatay ni Hesus sa Krus, naligtas na tayo sa lahat ng ito.
Ngunit, sa tao pa rin ang gawa. Pagdarasal. Pagbibigay ng awa at tulong sa iba. Pagsamba. Pagbibigay salamat. Pagtanggap at pakikibahagi sa mga Sakramento. Pagiging huwaran sa iba upang makita nila ang Diyos sa iyo.
Iyan ang tunay na Kristiyano - na makikita sa kanyang Pananampalataya at Gawa.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, salamat po sa Iyong Anak at kami ay naligtas at naibalik ang pagkakataong makapiling Ka namin sa langit. Turuan Mo po kaming isabuhay ang pananampalataya sa Iyo, sa pamamagitan ng mga gawain ng kabutihan dito sa lupa. Ibigay Mo po sa amin ang biyaya ng Espiritu Santo upang malampasan namin ang aming kahinaan at makamit ang tunay na grasya at awa mula sa Iyo at maisapuso namin ang lahat ng ito para sa Iyo. Amen +
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Pananampalataya lamang?
Hindi sapat na magsisimba ka lamang tuwing Linggo. O kaya ay mangungumpisal ka minsan sa isang buwan. O kaya naman ay pag-ro-Rosaryo araw-araw. Hindi sapat ang pananampalataya lamang. Nararapat na tugunan mo rin ito ng mga gawaing pang-kawanggawa.
Ayon nga sa Mateo 7:21 - "Hindi ang bawat isa na nagsasabi sa akin: Panginoon, Panginoon, ay makakapasok sa paghahari ng langit, kundi ang gumagawa ng kalooban ng aking Ama na nasa langit."
Pananampalataya.... at Gawa!
Totoong umpisahan mo ang iyong paglalakbay sa piling ni Hesus sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa Kanya bilang iyong Diyos at Panginoon. Ngunit ito ay hindi nagtatapos sa isang pagdarasal lamang ng pagtanggap.
Ito ay nararapat na sundan ng mga pagtanggap at pagsunod sa Kanyang salita, pamantayan at kalooban; pagpasan ng iyong sariling Krus at sundan Siya; at ang pagtulong at pagsisilbi sa mga mas nangangailangan upang sa pamamagitan mo, ay makilala nila ang Panginoon kagaya mo.
Tunay na mahirap ang maging isang Kristiyanong tagasunod ni Kristo. Ito ay panghabang-buhay na paninindigan. Ito rin marahil ang dahilan kung kaya't maraming tumitiwalag sa paniniwalang ito kay Hesus. Hindi dahil sa hindi nila kayang gawin, kundi dahil ang kagustuhan lamang nila ay ang madaling daan patungong langit.
At hindi nila ito makakamit, dahil mismong si Hesus ay naghirap at namatay para lamang makamit natin ang kaligtasan.
Nasa Diyos ang awa. Ibinigay na sa atin ng Diyos ang langit. Iniligtas na Niya tayo sa demonyo at sa init ng impiyerno. Sa pagkamatay ni Hesus sa Krus, naligtas na tayo sa lahat ng ito.
Ngunit, sa tao pa rin ang gawa. Pagdarasal. Pagbibigay ng awa at tulong sa iba. Pagsamba. Pagbibigay salamat. Pagtanggap at pakikibahagi sa mga Sakramento. Pagiging huwaran sa iba upang makita nila ang Diyos sa iyo.
Iyan ang tunay na Kristiyano - na makikita sa kanyang Pananampalataya at Gawa.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoong Ama, salamat po sa Iyong Anak at kami ay naligtas at naibalik ang pagkakataong makapiling Ka namin sa langit. Turuan Mo po kaming isabuhay ang pananampalataya sa Iyo, sa pamamagitan ng mga gawain ng kabutihan dito sa lupa. Ibigay Mo po sa amin ang biyaya ng Espiritu Santo upang malampasan namin ang aming kahinaan at makamit ang tunay na grasya at awa mula sa Iyo at maisapuso namin ang lahat ng ito para sa Iyo. Amen +
Friday, October 9, 2015
A CLEAN HEART
Luke 11:20 - "But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you".
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We often do "spring" cleaning where we would take out some things from our room or a place in the house, then take them out - by selling or giving them out to others. We would then clean the place of dirt and other items. But most of the time, we would again neglect the place as dirt and unusable things start to build up again. And it will remain that way, until the next spring cleaning.
That can be acceptable, but when it comes to our spiritual life, that could pose a problem.
As we commit sin and fall into temptations, we build up "dirt" inside us. And these dirts would affect our soul and our relationship with the Lord. And this cannot simply be done by spring cleaning or taking out things out of our body. We are to repent so as to remove the obstacles that keep us from abiding in God's will.
We do this through the sacrament of reconciliation, wherein we confess and be absolved of our sins. And in doing this involves getting our heart to the hear the truth and word of God, as we allow God to change us from inside out.
And as we are just human, we can again fall into the same sins. But if we are already cleaned by God, then no need to worry. We are not things. We are living person with free will. And as we go through the same process over and over again, we clean our souls so it may not be dirty again.
Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest in accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, reconciling our hearts with Him involves a change of mind. It involves fully understanding His will and plan for our lives.
And in relation to salvation, it is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to full reliance in Him through faith in Christ and obedience to His will.
+ Let us pray: Dear Lord, I pay that you will not remember thesis of my youth, nor my transgressions. Lord, as I turn from all those sins that I committed, I ask for Your help in washing the memory and thoughts of that sin completely from my mind. Please restore me to faithful obedience to Your Word, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit anew. Amen +
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We often do "spring" cleaning where we would take out some things from our room or a place in the house, then take them out - by selling or giving them out to others. We would then clean the place of dirt and other items. But most of the time, we would again neglect the place as dirt and unusable things start to build up again. And it will remain that way, until the next spring cleaning.
That can be acceptable, but when it comes to our spiritual life, that could pose a problem.
As we commit sin and fall into temptations, we build up "dirt" inside us. And these dirts would affect our soul and our relationship with the Lord. And this cannot simply be done by spring cleaning or taking out things out of our body. We are to repent so as to remove the obstacles that keep us from abiding in God's will.
We do this through the sacrament of reconciliation, wherein we confess and be absolved of our sins. And in doing this involves getting our heart to the hear the truth and word of God, as we allow God to change us from inside out.
And as we are just human, we can again fall into the same sins. But if we are already cleaned by God, then no need to worry. We are not things. We are living person with free will. And as we go through the same process over and over again, we clean our souls so it may not be dirty again.
Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest in accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, reconciling our hearts with Him involves a change of mind. It involves fully understanding His will and plan for our lives.
And in relation to salvation, it is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to full reliance in Him through faith in Christ and obedience to His will.
+ Let us pray: Dear Lord, I pay that you will not remember thesis of my youth, nor my transgressions. Lord, as I turn from all those sins that I committed, I ask for Your help in washing the memory and thoughts of that sin completely from my mind. Please restore me to faithful obedience to Your Word, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit anew. Amen +
Thursday, October 8, 2015
ASK, SEEK AND KNOCK
Luke 11:9 - "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you"
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When you are being let go by a company, you would normally get a "severance" pay on your last day. This means that your relationship with that company had been "severed" or cut-off. You are not anymore an employee and all rights and privileges have been revoked already.
And the same thing happened when our forefathers - Adam and Eve - committed the sin of disobedience when they eat upon the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We were totally severed from God and all His blessings.
But God would not allow that we forever be detached from His love. This is the reason why He really planned to send His only Son on earth to redeem us through His blood by dying on the cross. And that cross once again connected us to God, and allow us to experience once again His love, blessings and mercy.
But still, in our daily life, we continue to feel that we are severed from His love. When we failed to get what we prayed for, we always thought that God has abandoned us. And so we start doing things that could harm our relationship with Him and make us totally severed from Him, again.
We simply lost our perseverance and persistence.
And Jesus is clear when he says that by continual knocking, asking and seeking, God can finally open everything for us. He already knows what we want, but still, He wants us to ask for it. We may not receive it immediately, or in the same form as we asked it. But one thing is for sure, we would receive it as what God wants it to be, in His time, not ours.
And as we ask them in prayers, let is do it consistently and persistently. And in every trials that comes into our lives, we should not run away from Him. We face them head-on, knowing that God is with us always. Welcome Him into our lives and make Him stay in our hearts as His home.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, sorry for me giving up on You, when all the time, You are not giving up on me. You continue to seek me when I am lost. You continue to accept me and give the same love when You found me again. Teach me to seek Your will persistently and be obedient in Your will. You shall always be in my heart, as we continually pray for Your forgiveness, blessings and mercy. Amen +
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When you are being let go by a company, you would normally get a "severance" pay on your last day. This means that your relationship with that company had been "severed" or cut-off. You are not anymore an employee and all rights and privileges have been revoked already.
And the same thing happened when our forefathers - Adam and Eve - committed the sin of disobedience when they eat upon the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We were totally severed from God and all His blessings.
But God would not allow that we forever be detached from His love. This is the reason why He really planned to send His only Son on earth to redeem us through His blood by dying on the cross. And that cross once again connected us to God, and allow us to experience once again His love, blessings and mercy.
But still, in our daily life, we continue to feel that we are severed from His love. When we failed to get what we prayed for, we always thought that God has abandoned us. And so we start doing things that could harm our relationship with Him and make us totally severed from Him, again.
We simply lost our perseverance and persistence.
And Jesus is clear when he says that by continual knocking, asking and seeking, God can finally open everything for us. He already knows what we want, but still, He wants us to ask for it. We may not receive it immediately, or in the same form as we asked it. But one thing is for sure, we would receive it as what God wants it to be, in His time, not ours.
And as we ask them in prayers, let is do it consistently and persistently. And in every trials that comes into our lives, we should not run away from Him. We face them head-on, knowing that God is with us always. Welcome Him into our lives and make Him stay in our hearts as His home.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, sorry for me giving up on You, when all the time, You are not giving up on me. You continue to seek me when I am lost. You continue to accept me and give the same love when You found me again. Teach me to seek Your will persistently and be obedient in Your will. You shall always be in my heart, as we continually pray for Your forgiveness, blessings and mercy. Amen +
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
OUR DAILY BREAD
Luke 11:3 - "Give us each day our daily bread..."
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Why ask for a daily bread, and not a monthly supply or maybe a whole year supply? God will surely provide, right?
Of course, He will. He would even provide for our entire life. He will not have any problem doing that.
But by asking for our daily bread, this means He wants us to remember Him everyday for the rest of our lives.
Isn't it a fact that when we receive something bigger than the ordinary, we would thank God now, and then forget Him... that is, until the next blessings. When we are sick, we would pray to Him almost every seconds, but as soon as we got well, then we forget to pray... that is, until the next sickness.
The Lord provides, there should be no question about that. In fact, we are alive today because He provides us the nutrients, the air, the water the we need to live. But we simply do not recognize it. We still get angry to Him if our prayers are left unanswered. We would doubt Him, once we did not get what we ask for.
Pray to Him everyday in praise and thanksgiving. Upon waking up and before going to bed. And ask for your next bread for tomorrow, fully trusting in Him that He will provide everything that we need.
God will sustain us wholly - physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. He is the bread that would satisfy our spiritual hunger, and only Him can provide us this bread. And by faith, we know that He can provide so we may live in Him, one day at a time, humbly acknowledging that He is the sole giver of all the things we need.
+ Let us pray: Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hollowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen +
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Why ask for a daily bread, and not a monthly supply or maybe a whole year supply? God will surely provide, right?
Of course, He will. He would even provide for our entire life. He will not have any problem doing that.
But by asking for our daily bread, this means He wants us to remember Him everyday for the rest of our lives.
Isn't it a fact that when we receive something bigger than the ordinary, we would thank God now, and then forget Him... that is, until the next blessings. When we are sick, we would pray to Him almost every seconds, but as soon as we got well, then we forget to pray... that is, until the next sickness.
The Lord provides, there should be no question about that. In fact, we are alive today because He provides us the nutrients, the air, the water the we need to live. But we simply do not recognize it. We still get angry to Him if our prayers are left unanswered. We would doubt Him, once we did not get what we ask for.
Pray to Him everyday in praise and thanksgiving. Upon waking up and before going to bed. And ask for your next bread for tomorrow, fully trusting in Him that He will provide everything that we need.
God will sustain us wholly - physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. He is the bread that would satisfy our spiritual hunger, and only Him can provide us this bread. And by faith, we know that He can provide so we may live in Him, one day at a time, humbly acknowledging that He is the sole giver of all the things we need.
+ Let us pray: Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hollowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen +
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
HIS WORD, HIS LOVE, NOTHING ELSE
Luke 10:41-42 - "Matha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
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Most probably, we are all guilty of this. During our child's baptism or even during our wedding, our minds are wandering. And about what? Our minds are thinking about the reception.
How many will attend the reception? Would there be enough tables? Would there be enough food? Will my boss come? Will there be extras that I need to pay, but my budget is just enough?
We got so anxious and worried that we forgot to trust in Lord that He can provide everything if we only ask for it in His name. And by being in this situation, we forgot a lot of things.
We forgot about the solemnity of the sacrament unfolding before us. We forgot to appreciate the beauty of what is happening upon us, through the grace of God. We forgot to understand what the sacrament will bring upon our marriage or upon our christened child, all because of fear that should not be there in the first place.
Let us be Mary in this gospel. She has chosen to listen to the Lord. It is not because she is lazy or unhelpful, but rather because she chose what is right at that moment. Jesus visited to bless the house with His words, so it is just proper that everyone listen to Him. All other else, that are too insignificant compared to His presence, will follow.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, take away all the fear and anxiousness from our hearts. Teach us to listen to Your words first and foremost and all other things will just follow as You will. And as we grow in Your love through Your words, that love can never be taken away from again, ever. Amen +
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Most probably, we are all guilty of this. During our child's baptism or even during our wedding, our minds are wandering. And about what? Our minds are thinking about the reception.
How many will attend the reception? Would there be enough tables? Would there be enough food? Will my boss come? Will there be extras that I need to pay, but my budget is just enough?
We got so anxious and worried that we forgot to trust in Lord that He can provide everything if we only ask for it in His name. And by being in this situation, we forgot a lot of things.
Let us be Mary in this gospel. She has chosen to listen to the Lord. It is not because she is lazy or unhelpful, but rather because she chose what is right at that moment. Jesus visited to bless the house with His words, so it is just proper that everyone listen to Him. All other else, that are too insignificant compared to His presence, will follow.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, take away all the fear and anxiousness from our hearts. Teach us to listen to Your words first and foremost and all other things will just follow as You will. And as we grow in Your love through Your words, that love can never be taken away from again, ever. Amen +
Monday, October 5, 2015
ANG MABUTING SAMARITANO
Luke 10:37 - "He answered, 'The one who treated him with mercy.' Jesus said to him, 'Go and do likewise.'"
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Hindi natin sila masisisi.
Maaaring ang Levitano at ang pari ay nagdalawang-isip na tumulong. Sa kanilang isip, ang taong nakahandusay sa kalsada ay puwedeng isang magnanakaw. At sa oras na lumapit sila sa kanya ay agad silang gagawan ng masama. At dahil sa takot na ito, hindi na lamang nila siya tinulungan at pinabayaan na lamang.
Ito rin marahil ang unang nasa isip ng Samaritano. Nanaig din marahil ang takot sa kanya. Ngunit ang pagkakaiba niya sa dalawang nauna, ay hindi niya hinayaang mamayani sa kanyang puso ang takot. Alam niyang may isang taong nangangailangan ng tulong. Bilang isang taong nagmamalasakit, kailangan niyang kumilos at tumulong.
Kaaway man o kaibigan, darating din ang araw na kailangan natin silang tulungan. Maaaring may takot tayo at isiping baka niloloko lamang ako nito, o kaya'y baka hindi ako bayaran nito. Ngunit ang tunay na nagmamalasakit ay tunay na nagmamahal. Hindi siya umaasa sa anumang kapalit sa anumang tulong na kanyang ibinibigay.
Ipinakita ito ni Hesus nang ihain Niya ang kanyang buhay upang tayo ay mailigtas, kaibigan man o kaaway. Lahat tayo ay pinatawad ng Diyos dahil sa pagmamalasakit, pagpapasakit ng Kanyang Anak at pagmamahal sa ating lahat.
Mahirap gawin ngunit nararapat at kinakailangan. Alisin ang takot at umasa sa Kanya. Ang tunay na pagmamahal ay buong-pusong pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa kapwa, ng walang kapalit, kaaway man o kagalit.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoon, salamat po sa pag-ibig na Iyong ibinibigay sa amin. Patuloy nawa naming ipadama rin sa iba ang pag-ibig na ito. Patawarin Mo po kami sa mga pagkakataong natatakot kami na tumulong dahil na rin sa mga pansariling kadahilanan. Minamahal ka namin ng buong-puso at sa Iyo lamang namin ibinibigay ang aming buhay para sa iba. Amen +
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Hindi natin sila masisisi.
Maaaring ang Levitano at ang pari ay nagdalawang-isip na tumulong. Sa kanilang isip, ang taong nakahandusay sa kalsada ay puwedeng isang magnanakaw. At sa oras na lumapit sila sa kanya ay agad silang gagawan ng masama. At dahil sa takot na ito, hindi na lamang nila siya tinulungan at pinabayaan na lamang.
Ito rin marahil ang unang nasa isip ng Samaritano. Nanaig din marahil ang takot sa kanya. Ngunit ang pagkakaiba niya sa dalawang nauna, ay hindi niya hinayaang mamayani sa kanyang puso ang takot. Alam niyang may isang taong nangangailangan ng tulong. Bilang isang taong nagmamalasakit, kailangan niyang kumilos at tumulong.
Kaaway man o kaibigan, darating din ang araw na kailangan natin silang tulungan. Maaaring may takot tayo at isiping baka niloloko lamang ako nito, o kaya'y baka hindi ako bayaran nito. Ngunit ang tunay na nagmamalasakit ay tunay na nagmamahal. Hindi siya umaasa sa anumang kapalit sa anumang tulong na kanyang ibinibigay.
Ipinakita ito ni Hesus nang ihain Niya ang kanyang buhay upang tayo ay mailigtas, kaibigan man o kaaway. Lahat tayo ay pinatawad ng Diyos dahil sa pagmamalasakit, pagpapasakit ng Kanyang Anak at pagmamahal sa ating lahat.
Mahirap gawin ngunit nararapat at kinakailangan. Alisin ang takot at umasa sa Kanya. Ang tunay na pagmamahal ay buong-pusong pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa kapwa, ng walang kapalit, kaaway man o kagalit.
+ Manalangin tayo: Panginoon, salamat po sa pag-ibig na Iyong ibinibigay sa amin. Patuloy nawa naming ipadama rin sa iba ang pag-ibig na ito. Patawarin Mo po kami sa mga pagkakataong natatakot kami na tumulong dahil na rin sa mga pansariling kadahilanan. Minamahal ka namin ng buong-puso at sa Iyo lamang namin ibinibigay ang aming buhay para sa iba. Amen +
Sunday, October 4, 2015
ONE FLESH JOINED BY GOD
Mark 10: 5-6 - "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female".
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"...AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH".
In today's society, most will say that keeping the vow of marriage is getting harder and harder. Because of too many distractions and temptations, husbands and wives just simply fell to these, without even giving a fight.
They have always thought that they also need to be happy. They have always thought that they always have a choice. They have always thought that they need also to be free, if their marriage is not working anymore.
I am not a judge on that. My marriage has been on the rocks also before. But we hold on. We tried to "calm the storm" and hold on to each other when the storm is passing. We had a choice to be free then, but we chose to remain in God and His will.
And the State, instead of pushing for reforms in keeping up with the family tradition, is not helping also. They are pushing for divorce, citing the separation of Church and the State.
But Jesus us very clear on this. "What God has joined together, no human being must separate". And whoever divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery. But our hearts cannot accept this. We try to harden our hearts about this command and reality, and try to insist that we have a choice and freewill.
To those who are in this situation now, may the Lord God enlighten your mind. May the Lord God continue to enlighten your heart so you may consider keeping your vow of marriage. And may the Lord God continue to bless your union, and forever accept Him in your family.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, bless the family. Bless the union of marriage of every wives and husbands. May they continue to bring back to You their married life and be blessed in You. For those who have hardened their hearts, may they realize their limitations and repent back to You. You have joined men and women to form a family dedicated to You, and may no one separate this union. Amen +
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"...AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH".
In today's society, most will say that keeping the vow of marriage is getting harder and harder. Because of too many distractions and temptations, husbands and wives just simply fell to these, without even giving a fight.
They have always thought that they also need to be happy. They have always thought that they always have a choice. They have always thought that they need also to be free, if their marriage is not working anymore.
I am not a judge on that. My marriage has been on the rocks also before. But we hold on. We tried to "calm the storm" and hold on to each other when the storm is passing. We had a choice to be free then, but we chose to remain in God and His will.
And the State, instead of pushing for reforms in keeping up with the family tradition, is not helping also. They are pushing for divorce, citing the separation of Church and the State.
But Jesus us very clear on this. "What God has joined together, no human being must separate". And whoever divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery. But our hearts cannot accept this. We try to harden our hearts about this command and reality, and try to insist that we have a choice and freewill.
To those who are in this situation now, may the Lord God enlighten your mind. May the Lord God continue to enlighten your heart so you may consider keeping your vow of marriage. And may the Lord God continue to bless your union, and forever accept Him in your family.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, bless the family. Bless the union of marriage of every wives and husbands. May they continue to bring back to You their married life and be blessed in You. For those who have hardened their hearts, may they realize their limitations and repent back to You. You have joined men and women to form a family dedicated to You, and may no one separate this union. Amen +
Saturday, October 3, 2015
ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
Luke 10:20 - "Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven".
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We do good things.
But most of the time, instead of just thanking the Lord for giving us that opportunity, we want others to know what we did. Even, others would post it on the billboards or even have it shown on TV's. We want others to know that we are generous, but lost that virtue of humility.
Jesus is clear. Do not rejoice because we have done things for His glory. It is given, and are things that we should be doing all along. These are things expected of us, hence, these are not something we should celebrate or let others know about.
But rather, rejoice because by doing so, God have in scripted our names in Heaven. He has come to know us and is now waiting for us. And our mansion in heaven is at works - brick by brick, tiles by tiles.
And when we reached that place, we have the mansion all by ourselves, the reward for being with Him while here on earth, following His will, being obedient in all His command and being humble at heart when sharing that same blessings with others.
We do good things, not because for our glory, but for the glory of God, forever.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, we adore You. We praise You. We obey You. We love You. And as we do these, we shall remain humble. We shall remain silent in our hearts as we just keep these to ourselves, fully knowing that these will prepare everything there in Heaven for my coming. Amen +
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We do good things.
But most of the time, instead of just thanking the Lord for giving us that opportunity, we want others to know what we did. Even, others would post it on the billboards or even have it shown on TV's. We want others to know that we are generous, but lost that virtue of humility.
Jesus is clear. Do not rejoice because we have done things for His glory. It is given, and are things that we should be doing all along. These are things expected of us, hence, these are not something we should celebrate or let others know about.
But rather, rejoice because by doing so, God have in scripted our names in Heaven. He has come to know us and is now waiting for us. And our mansion in heaven is at works - brick by brick, tiles by tiles.
And when we reached that place, we have the mansion all by ourselves, the reward for being with Him while here on earth, following His will, being obedient in all His command and being humble at heart when sharing that same blessings with others.
We do good things, not because for our glory, but for the glory of God, forever.
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, we adore You. We praise You. We obey You. We love You. And as we do these, we shall remain humble. We shall remain silent in our hearts as we just keep these to ourselves, fully knowing that these will prepare everything there in Heaven for my coming. Amen +
Friday, October 2, 2015
CHILD AT HEART
Matthew 18:3 - "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven".
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They are prayerful. Everything they would want, they will ask it in prayers. And even they will not get it, they will just ask for another one.
They are playful. They are friendly. They would like to play with other kids, whether they knew them before, or just today or even not yet. For them, having more friends, the better.
They are trustful. They know that their parents can provide for them. They know that there are people close to them that would give them gifts, care and love. They simply know it.
Being a kid. We were once like them - trusting, happy, playful.
A child who doesn't have to understand everything so he can believe on something. A child who doesn't require God to prove everything so he would believe in Him.
So what happened? As we grow, we simply lost that feeling. It was replaced by fear, sadness and anger. And unless everything is explained fully, then we would not believe.
Let us bring back that trusting feeling, that playfulness, that simplicity and that prayerfulness. Let us all be honest in our hearts and agree that there is God who would take care of our needs.
Allow our hearts to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Cleanse our hearts and our minds of fear by truly relying and trusting in the Lord. And being that child again can lead us to heaven, where we do really belong.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you were a child once. But you never lost that childlike heart in You. Teach me to be a child again and fill my heart with Your love. And let that love be the bind that will tie me to You as I trust again in everything that is You, believing in Your will without question. Amen +
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They are prayerful. Everything they would want, they will ask it in prayers. And even they will not get it, they will just ask for another one.
They are playful. They are friendly. They would like to play with other kids, whether they knew them before, or just today or even not yet. For them, having more friends, the better.
They are trustful. They know that their parents can provide for them. They know that there are people close to them that would give them gifts, care and love. They simply know it.
Being a kid. We were once like them - trusting, happy, playful.
A child who doesn't have to understand everything so he can believe on something. A child who doesn't require God to prove everything so he would believe in Him.
So what happened? As we grow, we simply lost that feeling. It was replaced by fear, sadness and anger. And unless everything is explained fully, then we would not believe.
Let us bring back that trusting feeling, that playfulness, that simplicity and that prayerfulness. Let us all be honest in our hearts and agree that there is God who would take care of our needs.
Allow our hearts to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Cleanse our hearts and our minds of fear by truly relying and trusting in the Lord. And being that child again can lead us to heaven, where we do really belong.
+ Let us pray: Lord Jesus, you were a child once. But you never lost that childlike heart in You. Teach me to be a child again and fill my heart with Your love. And let that love be the bind that will tie me to You as I trust again in everything that is You, believing in Your will without question. Amen +
Thursday, October 1, 2015
BECAUSE OF YOU
Luke 10:2 - "The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few...".
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On that time that you are facing the Lord in the afterlife, and He asked you this question, "Child, how many souls are now in heaven because of you?", then how will you respond? One, two, or you do not know?
Do not worry. It is really hard to tell or what to say. That question is really for God to understand one thing - "how did you really live your life here in earth?"
Was it a life of sinfulness, immorality, pride, and unending denial of the Lord as your God? Do you spend more on justifying sin as part of being alive? Do you believe that if other people can commit sin and still be happy, then why can't I do the same?
And as you deny the reality of sin in your life, you become addicted to it and don't recognize it anymore as the cause of your total detachment from God. And worse even, you invite other people to join you in this little world of sinfulness, making them the same as you.
How about doing the other way? Living a life in holiness. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it is full of sacrifices. Yes, it is very difficult to do. But, Jesus had not promised it to be easy. It is carrying your own cross and following Him through the narrow path.
But the rewards are great. If it means joining Him in the eternal life of joy and blessings, wouldn't you do it. On the average, a seventy year life of sacrifice here on earth that leads to eternal life in Heaven - isn't that a good deal?
I don't know about you. But for me, I want that life of joy, peace, and being blessed. Please like it, too. Ask God now to give you the strength to finally walk with Him. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior now, and bring glory to His own name as you share Him with others.
And so when God ask you how many are in heaven because of you, your response will be - "Honestly, Lord, I don't know the exact number because there are too many of them".
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make me an instrument of Your love and peace. Let me share your blessings with others, so they may also get to know You, more and more. I am a sinner just like them, but that should not hinder me from bringing them to You. My blindness is their blindness, but my heart continues to beat in consonance with Your heart, as I follow You in eternity. Amen +
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On that time that you are facing the Lord in the afterlife, and He asked you this question, "Child, how many souls are now in heaven because of you?", then how will you respond? One, two, or you do not know?
Do not worry. It is really hard to tell or what to say. That question is really for God to understand one thing - "how did you really live your life here in earth?"
Was it a life of sinfulness, immorality, pride, and unending denial of the Lord as your God? Do you spend more on justifying sin as part of being alive? Do you believe that if other people can commit sin and still be happy, then why can't I do the same?
And as you deny the reality of sin in your life, you become addicted to it and don't recognize it anymore as the cause of your total detachment from God. And worse even, you invite other people to join you in this little world of sinfulness, making them the same as you.
How about doing the other way? Living a life in holiness. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it is full of sacrifices. Yes, it is very difficult to do. But, Jesus had not promised it to be easy. It is carrying your own cross and following Him through the narrow path.
But the rewards are great. If it means joining Him in the eternal life of joy and blessings, wouldn't you do it. On the average, a seventy year life of sacrifice here on earth that leads to eternal life in Heaven - isn't that a good deal?
I don't know about you. But for me, I want that life of joy, peace, and being blessed. Please like it, too. Ask God now to give you the strength to finally walk with Him. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior now, and bring glory to His own name as you share Him with others.
And so when God ask you how many are in heaven because of you, your response will be - "Honestly, Lord, I don't know the exact number because there are too many of them".
+ Let us pray: Almighty Father, make me an instrument of Your love and peace. Let me share your blessings with others, so they may also get to know You, more and more. I am a sinner just like them, but that should not hinder me from bringing them to You. My blindness is their blindness, but my heart continues to beat in consonance with Your heart, as I follow You in eternity. Amen +
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