In the Beginning…

The readings today remind me to look back, to reflect. The first reading says that “it is the last hour…” There is a warning, but there also is encouragement and affirmation. In here God reminds us that “we have the anointing, and we know the truth.” Despite all the things that are happening in our world today, we are encouraged to take a moment and realize that our one true God does not change, and his love never fades.

The gospel reminds me to look back on the year that was. 2011. There were a lot of challenges, a lot of trials, frustrations… but there are more blessings, affirmation, and love that God made me feel, especially though my family and friends. Amidst all the celebration this Christmas, then this new year, God encourages us to look back and see where it all starts, what is the root of all of this. God. His love made concrete by Him sending his only Son to be human like us to save us from our sins. That for me is what God wants to remind me as I end this year. God’s love.

As we all close this year, may we always be reminded of God’s love, and may we be like John, who prepared the way for Jesus, who brought Christ to others and brought others to Christ.

God bless!

Waiting in Expectant Faith

Faith is very important, especially as we serve God, as we live our lives. This is what the readings today remind me.

In the first reading, Abraham had faith in God, that despite his old age and Sarah being sterile, God can still give him a son, and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. Alam nyang hindi stir, hindi OA si God. Then it doesn’t stop there. When God asked Isaac to be sacrificed up to him, Abraham obeyed. Hassle diba, after giving you a son in your old age, you’ll feel so happy because God was true to his promise and he will now have an heir. Tapos ipapa sacrifice. Labo, diba? However, Abraham still obeyed and had faith.

Then in the gospel, we see people having faith. Simeon had faith. We met him in the gospel yesterday. He has been waiting for the Messiah, and he had faith that what has been told him will come true. Then Anna, who worshipped night and day in the temple, had faith in the messiah as well. And I am sure Joseph and Mary had faith as well, that while Jesus was growing up, God’s promise would come true.

All of them were waiting in expectant faith. Abraham, kahit matanda na, waited that God’s promise will be fulfilled, and when God asked Isaac to be sacrificed, Abraham had expectant faith as well that God could raise him up even if he takes him. Simeon and Anna had expectant faith, staying in the temple and worshiping God. It may have not been easy, matagal din sila naghintay, but it was worth it. Joseph and Mary had expectant faith that God’s promises will come true through Jesus. Expectant Faith.

How about us? Do we wait with expectant faith? Do we have faith, that despite all possible natural and physical situations, God’s word will come true? Do we believe that God’s power is limitless, or do we doubt when we feel it is logically impossible? Do we patiently wait for God’s promises to come true in our lives, or are we too impatient and take matters in our own hands? How can we improve our faith?

This season, though Christmas day is over, may we continue to have expectant faith that God’s promises will come true. May we continue to prepare ourselves for his coming, having expectant faith that he indeed will come, and all will be worth it.

God bless!

Do You Recognize God?

In the gospel today, a righteous and devout man named Simeon recognized Jesus when he saw the baby in the temple. Jesus earthly parents were amazed when Simeon recognized Jesus and blessed God. IT must have felt good, having affirmation that your earthly son will indeed bring salvation, and at the same time, scary for Mary, having heard Simeon’s prophecy that a sword will pierce her heart.

How amazing is it to be like Simeon. How great it is to recognize God in the simplest of things. He saw God in a small baby. We too can see these things – if we consistently live in Him. If we consistently try to be in a state of grace, living a righteous life.

This season, the season of celebration, merrymaking and gift giving, may we not forget to pray. May we never forget to small baby who came to save us. May we never forget to give back to the little ones, to the less fortunate ones. Amidst all the grandeur of this season, may we never fail to see God in the simplest of things.

God bless!

Consistency is the key

The readings today remind me to act consistently with what I’m  saying, with my faith. In the first reading, John says that “If we have fellowship with Him (God) while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.” In the gospel, Herod asked the magi to tell him where Jesus is when they find him, so that he may give him homage…and when he realized the magi did not come back, he became furious and ordered the massacre of the children. Both remind me to say what I mean and mean what I say, to act in a way consistent of what I say, of my faith.

This is a common problem of people. We say we love God, we worship him, we listen and sing to praise songs… but how do we act when no one is seeing us? What do we do when we’re alone? What kind of programs do we watch? What sites do we visit in the internet? When listening to praise songs while driving, how do we act? Are we acting consistently with the worship song, or do we get used to the song and curse anyway? What do we do after prayer meetings / bible sharings? Do we act consistent with what we have just done?

It is easy to be good when you’re with “good” friends – friends from church or community… but what’s just as important is how we act with other people. When we are with officemates who do not know we are serving in a community, do they see Christ in us? When we’re with friends we had before joining a community, do they see the changes in us? Are we proud to show these changes? Are there even real changes?

May we always remember that we should act consistently with our faith. Whoever we are with, may we remember that there is someone who ALWAYS sees what we do. May we always remember that God is watching us, whoever we are with, and his expectations do not change, they are not based on who we are with.

God bless!

He is Risen

Ang bilis! Two days ago was Christmas when we commemorate Jesus’ birth. Yesterday was the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr, who reminded us that we should be willing to suffer and face trials as we work for God. Today, the gospel tells us that Jesus is risen. He has won over sin and death – he saved us.

It is something joyful – Jesus Christ rising from the dead to save us. God loves us so much, that’s why through Jesus, his only son, he saved us from sin and death. Out of that joy, we should love and serve God, and bring others that joy as well. That’s why in the first reading, we are reminded to bring other people to God. We should not keep this to ourselves..

so that you too may have fellowship with us;

for our fellowship is with the Father

and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

The readings also reminds us that the birth of Jesus is just part of the saving plan of God. Maybe that’s why the gospel was included in the Christmas season readings. Jesus being born is yes, a big step, but that’s not everything. He still had to proclaim the kingdom, suffer, and die before he will be risen up from the dead, before he can save us. It is not easy. Maybe God wants to remind us that tayo din. Being baptized is not enough. We should also do our part, we should also work for him for his plan to be fulfilled. We should constantly be aware of his plans, and constantly abide by it. In the process, we will experience challenges, which we should lift up to God, knowing that He will take care of everything and that he is guiding us. It is okay to want other things from time to time, it is okay to question or even ask for something else… Even Jesus did that – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me…” But what’s important is at the end of the day, we still obey God’s plan, kahit mahirap, kahit masakit, because we know by faith that God's plan is the best. In the words of Jesus – “yet not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42)”

Back to Reality

Back to reality. Holiday’s over. This is what some, or most of us feel today. Immediately the day after Christmas, we’re going back to work, back to our normal lives. It seems that Christmas was just a weekend – well it literally was anyway.

The readings today remind me of something similar to that. After preparing for weeks, expecting Jesus to come, to save us from sin and death, Jesus was finally born during Christmas. Then this, immediately after Christmas, we celebrate the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr. After celebrating that the Messiah was born, we now remember the first martyr. For me, this is a reminder that life is not all about celebrating. Yes, we are happy that Jesus was born, but that did not stop there. Jesus had to suffer and die to fulfil his mission, not just celebrate and go to parties. Tayo rin, after all the merrymaking, we should remember that we should work for God, and we will experience hardships.

However, the readings also inspire us and remind us that when we work for God, he works double time for and with us.

came forward and debated with Stephen,

but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke

When they hand you over,

do not worry about how you are to speak

or what you are to say.

You will be given at that moment what you are to say.

For it will not be you who speak

but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

How amazing, how great, how comforting. Even if we experience trials, problems, challenges, we should have faith that God will be with us to defend us. As we continue to celebrate the Christmas Season, may we also act in a way pleasing and glorifying God, and have faith that in every challenge we face, God is always with us.

God bless!

O Holy Night

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

I haven’t given much attention to this song before. For me, it was just one of those normal Christmas songs that have been there for ages. However, when a good friend asked me what my favourite Christmas song is, and he said that this song is his favourite, I saw it in a different way. Tlll he appeared and the soul felt its worth. This encapsulates Christmas. This is what God, through Jesus, did.

The first reading tells us that it is finally here. After weeks of preparing and waiting for Jesus, we now commemorate his coming. For a child is born to us, a son is given us (Isaiah 9:6). Eto na yun. God’s immense love for us made concrete by his sending of his one and only Son to save us from our sins. He even allowed his Son to be born in a manger, with the animals, because he loves us. Ibang klase talaga.

Pasko na. We’ve been preparing and waiting for several weeks. How do you feel? Others may have been blessed by attending the “Misa De Gallo” or “Simbang Gabi” every 4AM for 9 consecutive days. Good for you. Others may have been blessed by helping out others who were struck by calamity – because it gave them an opportunity to serve and help out. Praise God. Others may have been blessed by reading His word, praying, and reflecting. That’s great. Pero paano yung iba? What about those who were so stressed preparing gifts, cooking food, arranging get togethers,  that they did not realize it’s already Christmas? How about those who got so engrossed with the year end responsibilities at work that they forgot about Christmas? How about those who did their best, prepared spiritually for this, yet parang wala parin, parang normal lang? It is never too late.

Jesus was born in a stable, probably a dirty one, together with animals. This shows external appearance is not so important to him. What’s important is the owners welcomed them. Are we welcoming him as well? IF you haven’t been preparing, ok lang, never too late. If kulang pa yung preparation, ok lang, never too late. If parang walang epekto, ok lang, never too late, dasal pa, sabi nga nya diba, If you seek me you’ll find me, if you seek me with all of your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). What is important to God is we welcome him, we allow Him to stay in us, no matter how unprepared, no matter how dirty, no matter how unworthy our heart is for Him. IF we allow him to stay, if we welcome him, if we allow him to do whatever he wants, he will use us mightily, and we would glorify God by it, our soul will feel its worth, because Christ sees us worthy.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for this day. Thank you for coming into this world as a little child born in a stable in a little town of Bethlehem. Father, thank you for not being intimidating. Thank you for humbling yourself so we could relate to you. Thank you for your great love for us. Lord, my heart is not so clean. Madumi sya, madami pa kailangang ayusin, linisin. But Lord, however unworthy I am, kakapalan ko na ang mukha ko. I ask, I beg you to come into my life, into my heart, kahit madumi sya. Make the most out of it. Fill it with your love,  that I may always realize how special I am to you. I ask that you grant me the grace to see myself the way you see me – beautiful, worthy of your love, capable of doing good. I ask that you continuously use me to do your work, and this CHRISTmas and always, may I always remember who this is for, who should come first, who my attention and focus should be. Amen.

Pasko na Bukas

It's almost Christmas, and the readings continue to inspire and encourage us to prepare.

Zechariah, in his canticle in the gospel, knows that his son, John, is to prepare the way for the Messiah. He utters praises to God. He knows God is always faithful to his promises. King David in the first reading, prepared as well for God... so should we

Pasko na bukas. For others, it's just a normal weekend, papasok nanaman sa monday. Others would be having parties here and there, gatherings with friends and family, of course with good food. Others just wish Christmas would be over soon, para mawala narin ang traffic and things would get back to normal. Others, like our brothers and sisters who were affected by the typhoon, are just happy and thankful to be alive this Christmas.

It is not yet too late to prepare. In fact, it is never too late. We still have time to confess, at least when we commemorate His birth tomorrow, medyo malinis linis ang puso natin. We still have time to help - be it monetary, donating goods, actual presence, and of course, prayers for our brothers and sisters. We still have time to pray. Kahit the past few weeks have been busy with work, gift buying and what have you, we can still prepare our hearts for His coming, we still have time to focus on Him. Weekend naman, wala nang trabaho.. Sya naman pansinin natin. May we never forget to pray and think of Him during parties and merrymaking, kasi birthday nya nga yung pinagdiriwang natin eh.

This Christmas, may we bring others to Christ, and Christ to others.

God bless!

Refiner and Purifier of Silver

The first reading today struck me, although in a way not directly relating to Christmas or preparing…

For he is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.

The story below (which I just copied, not my own) helps me understand more the verse.. And  it made me realize that this is God’s way of preparing me, or purifying me…. Until he can see his face in me. As Christmas comes, may we continue to allow God to prepare us the way he wants to. This may entail pain, but we should just trust in Him, and know that all he wants is the best for us. Even if we feel pain, let us remember that he is holding us the entire time, and he knows exactly what we can handle, he knows when to take us out.. Faith lang =)

God bless!

---------

Malachi 3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver
and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to
watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for
her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining
Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the
fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one
needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames
were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she
thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and
purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he
had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was
being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the
silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it
was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the
flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith,
'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has
His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in
you.

This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.

And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

Who Do You Glorify?

The readings for today remind me whom I should glorify.

In the first reading, Hannah did not forget to thank God for answering her prayers for a son. She dedicated Samuel for the Lord. The did not keep him to herself, she did not forget God when her prayers were answered. She glorified God by giving Him the one thing precious to her – her son.

In the gospel, Mary says it explicitly. After being called blessed by Elizabeth, Mary responded with her canticle. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. All honour and glory was given back to God, as it should be. She did not boast that she is special, that she is blessed, that she was carrying the Son of God. Rather, she gave back everything to God. She knew who she was and did not forget God’s part in everything.

As we prepare for Christmas, may we never forget whom to glorify, whom the season is all about. In celebrating Christmas, may we not forget that amidst all the gift-giving, the merrymaking, the parties and gatherings, Jesus is the one whose birthday we are celebrating. In celebrating his birthday, may we STILL give him glory by how we act, by what we say and what we do. Christmas is not just about having fun, giving gifts to family and friends, and relaxing, having a good time. This is about Christ and his great love for us. With all these parties, merrymaking, and gift giving, may we never forget to give to others who cannot give us back, may we remember the words of Jesus…

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:30)

 ¹² Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14)

Right now, with what is happening in CDO and Iligan, we have all the opportunities to give back, to bring Christ to others and others to Christ. Let us respond to God’s call and bring the spirit of Christmas more alive, then we will glorify God even more.

God bless!

Tatalon ka ba?

The gospel today made me think. When John the baptist heard Mary's greeting, he lept for joy, because he knew who mary was, he knew who mary was carrying in her womb. It got me thinking... What about me? What if Jesus comes and calls my name. How will i react? Will i jump for joy, knowing that salvation is here, that he is here to give me rest? Or will i hide from him, knowing that i have lots of unfinished business, that i am not yet ready to meet him.

As Christmas nears, may we be ready. May we continue to prepare, for Jesus may come anytime. When he comes and calls us, may we be happy and excited.

Do You See the Sign?

It is not uncommon for people to ask for a sign from God. As human beings, we want to have tangible feedback from God, that’s why we ask for signs, and God knows this. The first reading tells us

The LORD spoke to Ahaz:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!

However, Ahaz knew he should not tempt God, that He should have faith. Isaiah confirms this, and tells us the sign of God

But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary men,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.

Are you looking for a sign? God has given the ultimate sign for us. A sign of his great, unconditional love for us. A sign of his humility. A sign of his strength.. A sign of his power. A sign of might. A sign of his protection

God sent Jesus because he loves us, even if we are sinners, even if we are unworthy of that love. Jesus came as a carpenter’s son, born in a stable – reminding us that he is humble of heart, and he loves us so much he is willing to take human form to relate to us better, to know us better, and for us to relate to him and know him better. God conquered the world – he sent Jesus and defeated sin and death because of that love for us, because he is the only one who can do that. He wants to protect us from the evil one, and he continues to do so.

Whatever sign we are looking for, we can find it in God sending Jesus for us. When we don’t know what to do, let us continue to pray and seek God’s will as a sign of our humility and faith in Him. Let us not ask for mighty signs from God that confirms what we want, but be humble and willing to seek his will and obey it, even if it is not what we would have wanted.

As we prepare for Christmas, may we continue to seek God’s will in our lives. May we continue to be humble and prepare our hearts to be ready for him – for his will, for his coming.

Faith or Doubt?

The readings today show the different reactions of people after hearing a good message from an angel.

The first reading shows a reaction of faith – the wife of Manoah believed the angel’s message to her. It was not explicitly written but as we can see from the readings she obeyed the angel’s instructions and God blessed Samson. This was in contrast to the reaction of Zechariah in the gospel. After being told of the message, he questioned. It may seem like an innocent question, but the angel knew that he did not believe the words. The seemingly innocent concerns or questions come from a doubting heart – contrary to the woman and Mary. Although God’s plans still came into fruition, this unbelief got him  a little punishment until John was born.

God loves to use imperfect, simple people for his work. People like you and me. Whether we feel capable or worthy – does not matter with God. What’s important is we believe and say yes to him when He calls us, even if we do not know how or what it will take. God calls us to do his work, and he will enable us. Indeed, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through Him

As Christmas draws near, may we continue to prepare and pray for faith – faith to believe, faith to act, faith to say yes.

God bless!

Will You Allow God to Dwell in You?

The readings today ask us that question. Will I allow God to dwell in me? Will I even recognize that God needs a dwelling place?

We usually call on God when we're down, depressed, problematic. However, when things are doing well, when our prayers have been answered, when we're happy, we usually put God aside. Sad, but true. That is why in the first reading, it is nice to note that King David, while resting in his palace after being delivered by God from his enemies, remembred God. Nakaka inspire and at the same time, nakakahiya. Inspiring dahil sya, hari na, pero naalala si God kahit wala sya problema. Nakakahiya kasi tayo, hindi laging ganun. He remembered God and acted upon his realizations. He wanted to give God a physical dwelling place, and God rewarded him for that. However, God does not want this from us. He wants to dwell in our hearts, in our lives. Would we say yes?

Mary, in the gospel, said yes. She allowed herself to be used by God. She gave space for God to dwell in her life. God rewarded her. He used her mightily. That is what will happen if we give our yes to God, if we allow him to dwell in us. Allowing him is accepting him in our lives. This will consume us. This will bless us. If we allow Him to dwell in us, things will not always be easy, but it will be more bearable because of Him.

As we near Christmas, do we recognize that God wants to dwell in our lives? What do we say to him? Do we give our yes and allow him to? What prevents us from allowing Him to?

Tao Rin Sya

The gospel today reminds me that Jesus is a human being like us. Yes, he is the Son of God, but at the same time, he is also a human being. Cool no? This just means that he had problems, temptations, and other things we experience. He worked, being a son of a carpenter. He studied. He gets hungry and eats. He gets frustrated like we do. He gets angry. He gets happy. He really is one with us, except on sin. It’s nice to think of this aspect of Jesus from time to time – that he is both God and human.

Knowing this, we can relate to him more. It is easier to have a personal relationship with him since he knows exactly what we are going through. How amazing is that. How blessed are we to be have a God that totally understands us – because he loves us so much he sent his only son to be like one like us, to be one with us.

During times of challenges, it is great to remember that Jesus knows exactly what we are going though, and by praying and having faith in Him, he can help us out, he can tell us how to act, how to trust in God. As we prepare ourselves, may we also know that he doesn’t expect a lot of fancy things. He just wants what we can give freely for Him. Tao rin sya, alam nya ano mabibigay natin, alam nya paano tayo makakapaghanda para sa pagdating nya.

God bless!

He Wants to Save You

The readings today tell me that God is the God of ALL, and he wants us to be saved. The first reading says that God does not play favourites. He is open to all who come to him, who want to know Him, who wants to serve Him.

The gospel says that Jesus tried things to save the people. “I do not accept… But I say this so that you may be saved.” He loves us so much that he would do anything for us to be saved. Tayo lang ang matigas ang ulo. Tayo lang ang manhid at makulit.  I personally am thankful that God is still like this. He never fail to make me feel his love, to bring me back when I feel I’m going astray or when I’m about to go astray. Grabe, God really loves us so much. How blessed are we!

As we prepare for Christmas, may we recognize God’s big and small ways to save us, to make us feel his love, to bring us back. May we be sensitive enough to recognize and act upon God’s reminders.

Rejecting God's Plan

God loves us and He has great plans in store for us. That’s a fact, because He said it (Jeremiah 29:11) and when God says it, we know that he means it. He is not a man who lies (Numbers 23:19).

However, God loves us too much that he gave us free will. The gospel today says that it is possible to reject God’s plans. However great His plans for us are, we still have the option to reject it, to have things done our way, to do what we want. Sometimes, when God’s plans seem to be different from ours, when his ways does not seem to fit ours, we reject God’s plans. We choose to do what we want, we choose to rebel, feeling that we deserve more, or that we should be enjoying life. God’s ways are not always fun or easy, but we need to have faith and trust in Him, especially when things get hard.

As Christmas draws near, it’s easy to be distracted. The so called “Holiday Rush” aka “holiday stress” can easily make us miss the whole point of the season. The people during the time of Jesus were busy with life, with the things of the world, that they missed Jesus coming into the world. Unfortunately, that is still happening today. We get distracted by decorating, buying gifts, parties, and even food… we complain about traffic, year end work, busy schedule. We feel stressed that we actually say “Hay Salamat, tapos na ang Pasko, makakapag pahinga na ako…” Sad, but true. By choosing to be OF the world, we choose to reject God’s plan. We unknowingly choose to ignore Christ and his great love for us. We forget to reflect, be thankful, and prepare ourselves for him. We forget to give our time, talent and treasure, not to our family and friends, but to people who need it the most, to people who can’t repay us back.

Pero kahit ganun, God loves us so much. It’s comforting to know how much he loves us! The first reading reiterates this.

Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
My love shall never leave you

Ang galing diba? People often hear this kind of profession of love from admirers or manliligaws, but of course, it cannot be taken literally, and people does not usually live up to this. However, when God says this, we know that it’s true. So kahit pa anong gawin mo, kahit gaano ka kapasaway, Mahal na Mahal ka ng Diyos. This Christmas, as we remember and put that to heart, may we also share that love to other people, people who need it the most, people who cannot repay us back.

Have a blessed day!

Do You Recognize Him?

Do we recognize God?

Do we really know who he is? Do we know him more than what our minds tell us, what we have been taught about him?

The first reading http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121411.cfm tells us who God is. He created everything. He is the great designer. He is the mighty savior. He is powerful. He is the Lord. How great it is to be serving a God like this. He is so powerful, mighty, yet so gentle of heart and so loving. What joy we would feel serving such a God (see http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/rejoice-in-lord.html).

Yes, it is great to know God, to have a personal relationship with Him. However, if we don’t yet, or we feel we need to build it up, we should not be discouraged. We should take inspiration from John the Baptist in today’s gospel. He sent his followers to Jesus. He wanted to know more about Jesus. He was humble enough to ask. Jesus did not really fit the description of the messiah people were expecting. He was not a strong political figure, so john must have wondered if this Jesus really is the real thing. Jesus answers by telling John’s disciples His work, his actions (Yes, actions speak louder than words sometimes. See http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/actions-speak-louder-than-words.html). It must have been difficult for John, knowing Jesus is not the Messiah they were expecting, but upon recognizing him, John still did his role. He continued to prepare the way for Jesus, and led the people to him. John’s testimonies even led his disciples to follow Jesus (john 1:37 http://wwwdev.bibleshark.com/bible/NAB/John/1/37/ ). John had faith in God, and obeyed God’s will even if things are not always the way he expected.

It is not always easy to act like John the Baptist. Sometimes, when I don’t understand God’s ways, I question him. Sometimes, when things are not what I expect, I pause and wonder. During these times, we should pray for faith. God sees the entire picture. God loves us so much to let us go. We have to remember who God is, what he can do, and how much he loves us. This makes things better.  Likewise, it is comforting to know how great God is, that his great and perfect plan cannot be destroyed by one bad judgement on our part. Kahit minsan sumasablay tayo, God’s plans will still happen, so we should be too hard on ourselves when we feel we could have done more or when we feel we should have done the opposite of what we did. That will not make Him love us less. What’s important is we learn from our mistakes and continue to serve him.

Reflection questions:
Who is God for me? Do I really know him? What do we do when we don’t know something about our faith? What do we do when we feel we don’t know Jesus enough? Do we just expect the answers to come, or do we proactively and humbly seek the answer ourselves? What if God’s answers come in a way I don’t expect? Do I still obey, or do I insist on having it my way?

Actions speak louder than words

The gospel today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121311.cfm reminds me of what God looks at. Yes, words are important and powerful , however, sometimes It’s true that actions speak louder than words. What we say is important, but it should be backed up by what we do.

It is important to walk the talk. Lip service is not enough. In the gospel, Jesus says that the “sinners” who used to act like they did not want to follow God, changed their ways

when John the Baptist came. That was better than those who were “righteous”, the Scribes and Pharisees, who says they follow God but act otherwise.

As we serve, it is important to have a mixture of both – speaking and acting. It is not enough to pray and sing praises to God, we should also get up and act as another way of worshipping and serving God. It is not enough to just do good works, we should also do so for love of God, for his glory.

May today be another day we can start worshipping, serving and loving Him with our words and actions.

God bless!

Choose Wisely

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121211.cfm give us two options for the first reading and the gospel. Personally, I just find this great because I love having options. Options give us opportunities to choose what we think is best, and lets us exercise and improve our decision making skills.

God always gives us options. It may not necessarily be between good and evil. Sometimes it’s between good and good – in which we have to choose not what we want or think is good, but what God wants us to do, what we know is the best. We see this in action in the second option for the gospel.

Mary, after being told she is to be the mother of Jesus, went to visit her cousin Elizabeth. She could have stayed home and took care of herself. She could have just wondered what just happened with the angel. She could have just pampered herself in preparation for her pregnancy with the Son of God. But she didn’t. She made a choice. She chose to travel to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Being pregnant did not stop her, it did not become an excuse. She chose to visit and be with her cousin as Elizabeth goes through the final stages of her pregnancy. With her visitation, Mary blessed Elizabeth, and the unborn cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist.

Reflection questions:

Do I see the options God is always giving me? Do I choose His will above mine? Do I allow God to use me to bless others? When I have problems or concerns, do I still allow God to use me? Do I step out of my comfort zone to bless others, or do I focus all attention on myself, thinking about my problem and expecting everyone else to help me out?

Rejoice in the Lord

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121111.cfm is full of reminders to rejoice, to be happy. Well, it’s not called “rejoice Sunday” for nothing.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,

in my God is the joy of my soul;

...

My soul rejoices in my God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked upon his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed

...

Brothers and sisters:

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.

In all circumstances give thanks,

Two things struck me in this Sunday’s readings. First is of course, rejoicing. The readings reminded me who my reason for rejoicing should be. It is normal to be happy about things of this world – career promotion, lovelife, good friends, loving family…but these things are temporary. These things will not bring us full, complete joy. A single thing can happen, and it would be enough to take that joy from us, to replace joy with sorrow. That’s why we should find our reason for this happiness in God – because only God will be forever, only God will not disappoint, only God will love us unconditionally.

Why should we rejoice in God? Because God loves us so much! He sees us in a way “higher” than we see ourselves. He sees the good in us even if we ourselves are having a hard time finding it. He knows us more than we know ourselves. He believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. Yes, He loves us more than we love ourselves. God continues to use us, however unworthy we are, or however un capable we think of ourselves. He still continues to believe in us, to use us for his work. He still continues to bless us mightily, even if we don’t deserve it. He continues to love us even if we don’t love him back, even if we hurt him, even if we forget him when everything is doing well. For me, this is more than enough reason to bring me joy, for me to rejoice in the Lord.

Out of this joy comes service. This is the second thing that struck me. It is natural to love and serve God once we know and realize how much he loves us and what he’s done for us. John the Baptist, in today’s gospel, is a very good example of a servant of God. He knew his role and he knew God’s role. His role as a servant of God was clear to him. He knew he was unworthy to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandals. All focus should be on God, and not on him. His heart was in the right place as he was serving.

May we always rejoice, knowing how much value God has put on us – knowing how much he loves us. And out of that joy, may we find it in our hearts to serve Him and bring other people closer to Hm. This advent season, may we continue to prepare the way – for Him to enter our lives and the lives of others.

Awesome Elijah!

Awesome Elijah!

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121011.cfm describe how awesome Elijah is!

How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob

How interesting. Astig pag nakita mo yun no? Elijah taken in a whirlwind of fire in a chariot with fiery horses! And how awesome Elijah’s role is, to re-establish people and prepare them for Christ’s coming. During that time, it was believed that Elijah would come back before the Messiah comes. And in the gospel, Jesus tells us that it’s true. However, he did not come in a way they wanted to or they expected him to. He came in the person of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus. By baptising and proclaiming the message, he prepared the people for Christ’s coming. That’s how he re-established the people with God.

This is again an example that God’s ways are not always our ways. As Elijah came in the person of John the Baptist, the Messiah came in Jesus, a carpenter’s son born in a stable – not the mighty king and ruler they were expecting. It reminds us that even if things does not fit the way we expect them to be, God’s purpose can still be accomplished. We should not close our minds and expect God to behave in the way we expect him to be.

Another thing is that God uses us in ways we don’t expect, if only we allow him. We may not know the implications or effects of the things that we do for Him, but we still do it anyway. He needs us to. He used John to prepare the way for Christ, and after 2000 years, he still needs people who will do that. In our own little way, we can. As we prepare ourselves, we should also be open and let God use us, we should also do our part to help others prepare for Christ’s coming. This has been the theme for a number of days now because it is important. God is continuously inviting us. He’s just waiting for our reply.

Who Do You Follow?

Who do you follow?

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120911.cfm  remind us what we will get when we follow God.

The first reading and psalm say that we will be blessed immensely when we follow God, that we will have the “light of life” when we follow God. God really loves us and takes care of us, and when we follow Him, it does not necessarily follow that we will get what we want. For me, it’s more of us being transformed into God’s image and likeness, into the persons we were created and destined to be. We start to see the blessings we used to take for granted. We start seeing God’s hands working in our lives. We start to realize what’s important in this life. These are the reasons why we are blessed.

Nothing will be enough proof or evidence if we really don’t want to follow God. In the gospel, when John the Baptist was not eating or drinking, people said he was possessed by a demon. Then when Jesus came, eating and drinking, they said He’s a glutton and drunkard. Ano ba talaga? Labo diba? It just shows that no proof is enough those whose hearts are hardened to Christ. As followers of Christ, we should also pray for these people.

Reflection Questions:

Who am I following? Am I following God, or am I just doing it my way? What prevents me from fully following God? What can I do so I can follow God wholeheartedly? Are there people I need to pray for so they would start following God?

Fiat!

 

They say that great things start from small beginnings. And today’s gospel http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120811.cfm shows us that.

It started with Mary’s Fiat. Mary’s Yes to allowing God’s will to happen, to cooperate with God’s will.

Mary was surprised when the angel visited her, much more when the angel addressed her as “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” She was even more surprised when the angel told her God’s plan. Yes, she asked a question, but eventually said yes. She may not know what she’s getting herself into. She probably knew the consequences of saying “yes” during that time, being pregnant outside marriage is a grave offense. She would be stoned for it. But she still said yes to God’s plan. She trusted in God so much, that even if there were doubts, even if there were questions, even if there were possible consequences of her yes, she still gave it to God. That’s faith. That’s grace.

As we commemorate and celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Conception today, may we also rejoice, not just because Mary was conceived without original sin (which was illustrated in the first reading), but because God loves us so much. God wanted Jesus’ earthly mother to be pure, because God wants to show us what we can become when we come to Him. Jesus died to save us from our sin, a sin that he, or his mother, did not have. That’s pure love. And the bible tells us that we are new creations if we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The second reading affirms that “God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.”

As we participate in the celebration of the holy mass today (being one of three holy days of obligation in the Philippines, the other two being Christmas (Dec 25) and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God,(January 1)), may we rejoice with and for Mary. May we feel extra blessed because Mary, our mother, was so special to God and to Jesus. Let us ask for God’s grace so we could be like Mary, who consistently said Yes to God and gave her life for God.

Reflection questions:

Do I always give my “fiat” to God, even if I don’t fully understand what He is asking of me? What is hindering me from always saying “yes” to God’s call? Do I trust God completely with my life, knowing that He loves me so much? Do I have faith that like the angel said in the gospel, nothing is impossible with God?

Tired?

All of us feel tired from time to time - be it from working, studying, serving, or whatever we do, it's normal to feel tired. However today's readings http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120711.cfm remind us what we should do. It reminds us where we can get rest, and strength to carry on. 

Reading 1

The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
…
He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles' wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.

Gospel Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Yes, God can give us rest if we come to Him, and we can do great things if we allow ourselves to be used be him, to be refreshed by Him.

Jesus is inviting us to come to Him because he will give us rest. He will not solve our problems then and there. He will not make all our concerns and fears disappear. Rather, he will help us put things in perspective. He will help us feel the love of God, and that it is what matters most. He will help us realize that things and concerns of this world is not as important as we think it is, because everything will eventually disappear. What’s important is how we prepare for eternity with Him. He will carry our burdens and share the pain we are experiencing. Then, despite all our problems, fears and concerns, we will find rest, we will find true peace, knowing that God loves us so much and that He is always there to help us.

Coming to Christ alone is not enough. We have to subject ourselves to Him. He is not a pitstop where we can recharge, or an ATM we can get money to get us by. When we come to him, we should do so in humility, allowing him to change us, to mold us, to make us into the persons he wants us to be, the persons we are destined to be. Then, we can find the rest and strength only He can give.

Tired? You know what to do.

God bless!

Special Ka!

How much God loves us!

The readings for today reminds us that http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120611.cfm

Here is your God!
Here comes with power
the Lord GOD,
who rules by his strong arm;Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom,
and leading the ewes with care

The first reading reminds us that a mighty and strong God loves us! But mighty as He is, he is also gentle when he needs to. He is like a shepherd carrying the lambs with care. This mighty, strong yet caring God of ours loves us so much. Each and every one of us is special in his eyes.

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?

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

No matter how little we look at ourselves, He finds us so special and worthy of his love. He is willing to leave the others and search for us. Hindi sya yung magsasabing “pasaway ka ha, alis ka ng alis, sige bahala ka”, rather, he leaves the others and goes after us. Kahit nagiisa lang tayong nawawala. Kahit pasaway tayo. He always goes out of His way to find us, to bring us back. It maybe through a friend, a bible verse, a realization… but he always finds a way to bring us back, to get his message across. It’s just up to us if we will heed his call.

Life may seem unfair. There may be unavoidable circumstances which may lead us to go astray – maybe out of loneliness, rebellion or desperation. However, as we can see in the readings, God loves us so much. Even if we look down on ourselves, God sees us worthy of his love, so much that He sent his only son to die for our sins. If that doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, I don’t know what will.

Have a blessed day!

Do You Give Up Easily?

Things does not always come easy.

In today’s gospel http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120511.cfm, the men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. Jesus healed the man because of their faith. We know how important faith is in healing (see http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/total-surrender.html ). The gospel now reminds me to be like the men who did not give up easily.

Their intention was good, they want the paralyzed man to be healed. However, it was not easy. There were a lot of people so they could not get in. Like Zacchaeus who went up the tree to see Jesus, these men went up the roof and lowered the paralyzed man so he can be healed. Effort talaga. This shows that even if our intentions are good, even if we want to serve and bless others, things will not always come easy. However, we should not give up, we should be persistent in doing good, in serving, in living our faith.

Reflection questions:

How easily do I give up? When things doesn’t go my way, what do I do? Do I expect everything to be smooth sailing because I am serving and doing God’s will? What kind of friends so I keep? Are they like the men in the gospel who brings me to God, or are like the Pharisees whose hearts are closed to Jesus? In the same way, what kind of friend am i?

Prepare the way

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120411.cfm clearly speak about preparing the way. As we prepare for Christ's second coming, right now we are also preparing to commemorate His first coming. As Christmas draws near, we should also focus on our inner selves and prepare our hearts to welcome him, and not just focus on exernal decorations.

However, what particularly struck me was the gospel. John the Baptist, while preparing himself, also worked to prepare other people for Christ. He did not only want to prepare himself, but also wanted to help others in preparing themselves as well. As he did this, people realized the importance and followed Him. However, he did not lose his focus. He knew that he was not the messiah, and he knew what his role was. That may have been tempting, seeing people follow and respect you for what you do. It may have entered his heart to just say that he is the messiah... but he did not. He was humble all the way. He humbly served the Lord, and prepared the way of the Lord. Thus, by being humble, Jesus said that He was one of the greatest man who ever lived (Mt 11:11).

As the priest mentioned in the mass, God loves us! He will do everything he can to save us. He sends people to help us prepare. He sends messages to help us prepare and realize these things. He has great plans for us (Jer 29:11). We just need to cooperate with his plans and not make things harder as they should.

God bless!

God Wants to Heal You

The readings today http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120311.cfm remind me that God wants to heal me.

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.

As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons

In the gospel, Christ himself went around to heal people, to cure them of their diseases and illness. He then gave this power to the disciples, and instructed them to use it. He really wants to heal and cure us – of course, not just physically. Just as Christ proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom, he also asked the disciples to proclaim this. Their mission was not to just cure and make miracles, but first to proclaim the kingdom. This shows that God does not only want to cure our physical disease, the does not just want to raise up the dead and cleanse lepers. God wants our total healing. He wants to heal us spiritually as well. He wants to cleanse us from everything that is not of Him. He wants to awaken our faith, our spirit. We just need to wait on Him, and to heed his call. As the psalmist says: Blessed are all who wait on the Lord. The first reading affirms this, because when Christ comes, On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people, he will heal the bruises left by his blows

Yes, God wants to heal you. Be it physical disease, be it financial crisis, be it a heart break – He wants to heal you. And he can, if you let Him.

Have a blessed Saturday.

Total Surrender

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120211.cfm

the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."

When we say, we believe in Christ, what if he asks us “How much?” When we say we follow His ways, what if he asks “to what extent?”

The gospel today is another story of faith and power. Yes, God is all powerful, he can do everything. Matthew 19:26 says that “With God, all things are possible.” There is no question on God’s power. However, He needs our faith. Matthew 13:58 says that “Jesus did not do much miracles there because of their lack of faith.” Indeed, faith is so important that Jesus said that “nothing is impossible for him who has faith (Mark 9:23)”

What if he gives us only according to our faith, according to what we believe in, or how much we believe in Him?

The blind men in the gospel were desperate. They were usually begging on the streets, so when the heard that this Messiah, the Son of David, was passing by, they put their hope and faith in Him. Maybe they were thinking that this guy right here is our last resort, last chance to be healed and live normal lives again. It was not easy. They shouted and followed Jesus in the house. But in the end, because of their faith and Jesus’ love and power, they were healed.

Sometimes it’s good to be in this state. Sometimes, when we’re down and are helpless, that’s when we cling to God, when we give Him our total  surrender. We know what will happen next. Once we give him total control of our lives, he will bless us intensely and make us feel his love and his power. We just need to surrender and believe in Him. They say that the darkest part of the night is just before the sun rises, so when we’re in our lowest, darkest state, we should have faith that God’s light will soon turn everything around.