I know that I do not know

There was a story that in olden times, people were asking who were the wisest person on earth. Then an oracle, a priest or priestess who gives prophecy or advice from gods, said that Socrates is the wisest man – because he knows that he does not know.

The gospel today reminds me of that thought. I know that I do not know.

The disciples did not pretend to know or understand what the parable is about. (see related reflection http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/07/weed.html They did not pretend to know the lesson behind the parable. They were humble enough to ask Jesus what it meant, so they can understand it in their lives.

In life, there are a lot of things we don’t understand. There are a lot of situations or events when we cant seem to understand the logic behind. We cant seem to understand God’s reason for a lot of things. This is why we should be humble enough to come to God and ask for his guidance, his explanation.

When coming to him, we should not only be humble, we should also have faith. Have faith in his word that says: “If you look for me you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all of your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). God says that if we look for him with all of our heart, if we come to him in faith and humility, we will find him. We may not immediately know his purpose or his plans, but we should have faith that he has the best intentions for us, he has great plans for us. I know well the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not your woe, plans to give you a future of hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

Looking in my life, what is something I do not understand? How do I react? Do I humble, and in faith, come to Jesus for guidance and enlightenment, or do I try to resolve things on my own?

Father God,

Thank you for who you are. Thank you for reminding me through the gospel, that I just need to come to you, humble and in faith, and you will guide me. Your explanation may not be immediate, but I just have to seek you with all my heart, and trust in faith that you have great plans for me. May I always seek you and may I always be humble enough to know that I do not know everything. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Stay Close to Jesus

We are reminded today to stay close to Jesus. God reminded us in the first reading that just as a loincloth is useless outside its purpose, we too, if we stay away from God and turn away from him, will be useless. We have nothing to boast of our own – no talents, skills, riches and abilities that God did not give us, whether natural or developed. Is it important to stay close to remain focused on God and remember that He gave us everything, especially when we seem to have accomplished a lot in the terms of the world.

The psalm also shows us that God can turn away his face from his people, even if he loves us so much, if we constantly turn away from him. As human beings, we sometimes forget all the good things God has done for us. Sometimes we forget how he blesses us and how he saves us when we call to him. When things are doing well, we tend to brush him aside and forget him, and in the process, lose our focus on him and start disobeying him.

God’s kingdom may not always be evident in this world. The gospel says that it can be likened to a mustard seed or a yeast. Sometimes we feel that it is so small, in comparison to what the world offers and provides. It may seem powerless against the evil of this world. However the gospel reminds us, that in due time, in God’s perfect time, in Christ’s second coming, we will see the fullness of God’s kingdom. Therefore we should persevere now, even if it is not evident, trusting in faith that everything will be revealed in His perfect time.

How is my relationship with God? Am I close to him? Do I call upon him or do I try to do everything on my own?  Do I call upon him ONLY when I am down and cannot face things on my own? Do I thank Him after each challenge? Do I pray even if things are going smoothly? Do I remain focused on Him and His kingdom, even if the world as we know it may seem powerful right now?

Dear God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for waking me up and giving me another day to live. Lord, I ask that you bless those people greatly affected by the weather. Protect them Lord. May the hard rain and wind not dampen their spirits. Lord, may we be reminded today, the importance of staying close to you, and having the focus on you all the time. Amen.

Have a blessed and safe week!

In Christ,

-g-

A Prayer

Sharing with you my prayer based from this Sunday’s readings…

Father God,

Like the people in the gospel, here we are coming to you in prayer. Lord, we are hungry and thirsty for your word.  We recognize that the world cannot satisfy us. The world and all its pleasures cannot quench our thirst. Only you Lord satisfies. Only you lord can give us what we are looking for. Only you can give us real peace, real contentment, real happiness and real love. So Lord, like the people, we humbly come to you so you can fill us.

Father God, we ask for faith. Lord, when faced with a seemingly impossible situation, we react like Philip. We judge based on human standards. We instantly say, imposible naman yan! Sometimes we are like Andrew. We seem to have faith. We seem to be in the right direction. We do not readily say it is impossible. We say “we may have a chance” but after that, we go back to reality and look whatever we have and say, “anong magagawa nito , Lord?” We belittle what we have. We let the world distract us. We let the lies of the enemy deceive us. We lose our focus on you.

Lord, we sometimes forget your word that says nothing impossible to those who have faith. Lord, help us be like the little boy, who surrendered himself and gave everything he has. I bet lord hindi nya alam kung anong gagawin nyo, hindi nya alam kung sino mapapakain ng pagkain nya, but nonetheless, he gave it all to you. Lord, I know yun lang naman ang kailangan mo eh. You just need me to surrender. You just need me to have faith. You just need me to let go of everything I have and let you take control. What we can offer is more than enough for you. Alam kong ikaw na ang bahala Lord, I just have to have faith and surrender to you. I just have to let you use me.

Lord, we have a lot of intentions. We pray for our country. We pray for our communities. We pray for our families. We pray for our careers.  Alam naming Lord na madaming kailangang gawin, madaming kailangang ayusin, madaming kailangang baguhin. On our own lord talagang hindi naming kaya. but Lord, with you, nothing is impossible. Give us the faith to trust in you wholeheartedly. Enable us lord to surrender and let you take control and use us. I know Lord whatever little I think I can give, as long as I let you use me, will be magnified and will be enough for you to accomplish your purpose. Lord, help me surrender and empty myself of everything that is not of you so that you can fill me with what is yours. Only then can I be an effective instrument of your work.

Lord, we lift up to you our intentions. We lift up the sick. We claim in faith that you will restore to perfect health these people so they may continue to serve you with a healthy body. We lift up the members of our family and those dear to us. Keep us safe lord, keep us healthy, and protect us Lord. Keep us close to you, and keep us surrendered to you. We lift up our career. Lord, kayo na ang bahala sa amin. Guide us to where we could glorify you the most, and to where we could make a living and at the same time, have enough time to serve you. Lord, we lift up our relationships to you. May you always be in the center of our relationship, and may we bring each other closer to you.

Lord, help us and teach us how to surrender to you daily, in little ways fist, then slowly surrendering our lives to you. We know that you would use us and do mighty things through us, as long as we trust you, and as long as our focus is on you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Weed

The gospel today reminds us that God is in control.

In the gospel, we see the enemy planting weeds in the farmer’s field with good seed. However, when the farmer saw it, he did not had it immediately cut out, even if he knew it was from the enemy. Instead, he gave time for the weed and the wheat, then when the time is right, he separated them from each other and burned the weed.

What a way to remind us that God is in control.

God does not panic. When he saw the weeds, he knew it was the enemy’s work. However, he knew pulling them out at once might affect those wheat who are still growing their roots. It may look like he was not in control because the enemy was able to plant weeds which grew. For that instance, probably doesn’t look like it. However, we see that in the end, he was in full control, and he burned the weeds and the wheat were able to grow fully.

God is in control of our lives. Sometimes we may not feel like it. Sometimes we may only see the weeds. Sometimes we fail to focus the growing wheat and see the annoying weed, and say, God is not in control. We may see evil people prospering, we may see them being rich and powerful. We sometimes focus on them, and fail to see God slowly working in people who are developing their roots, on people ready and willing to bear fruit for him. He gives us time to develop and serve him. however, when the time comes, he will come and separate the weed from the productive wheat. That is what we should look forward to.

Do I know that God is in control of my life and of everything? Do I focus on the enemy and the seemingly powerful weeds in my life and in the world? Am I afraid of them,? Do I lose faith on God? Am I willing to wait until I grow in faith and produce fruits for him? Am I excited when he comes to separate the weeds from the wheat?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me that you are in control, even if sometimes, it does not look like it. Lord, I ask that I always trust in you and that I always focus on you, even if there are seemingly powerful and annoying weeds around me. May I trust that you are allowing us to grow roots and enable us to withstand the weeds in our lives. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Loved and Challenged

The first reading continues the theme of this Sunday’s gospel of the good shepherd. God continues to assure us that he will send shepherds after his own heart – shepherds who genuinely care for us and our growth in the faith. We just need to trust in God that he will provide and take care of us.

The psalm assures us again of how important we are to God. He guards us. A good shepherd is willing to die for his lambs. God proved that when he sent his son Jesus who died for us. That’s how much he loves us. That’s how much he protects us from the enemy. That’s how true he is to his word.

On the contrary, God reminds us in the gospel of the importance of bearing fruit. He has done and will always do his part. He will forever be loyal and true to us. His love is constant. He will continue to provide seeds for us – through his word, through other people, through circumstances around us.  The seed, the word of God, will always be there. What will make the difference is what we do with it.

IT is not easy being a follower of Christ. You will experience persecution, especially from people of this world. As followers of Christ, we are not of this world, that’s why the world hates us. Hearing the word is easy. Making it grow in us is the hard part, and allowing it to bear fruit is even harder. That is the challenge to us. That is what we should work on. After receiving and experiencing God’s love in our lives, we are challenged to bear fruit.

Am I bearing fruit? How? Do I allow God to penetrate in my life? Do I spend time studying and reading his word? Do I believe that he will always be there to love, bless and protect me? How do I see God? IS he my protector? My good shepherd?

Dear God,

Thank you for your love. Thank you for your constant love. Thank you that no matter what I do, it will never be enough to make you love me less. Lord, kahit hindi halata minsan, I love you. Help me lord be a good lamb. May I give importance to your word. May I be sensitive to your word. Lord, I pray that I meditate and love your word, that when the time comes, I will be a good soil bearing fruit for you. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Blessed ka!

At first look, the gospel today seem to support what is happening in society today

To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away

Rich people get richer, poor people get poorer. That’s how society works, and it seems that the gospel affirms that.

True? Of course not! If we look at the phrase before this, Jesus was talking about “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, that is what this is about – not earthly riches. However, both have something in common – what you have, or don’t have, does not necessarily come from God. Human effort has a lot to do with it.

Generally, people do things, whether ethical or not, to get richer. Same goes with knowledge of God’s kingdom. Jesus Christ came for all. He saved us all. Pantay pantay tayo. Sabi nga sa gospel, he makes the sun shine on both the good and the bad.

IF we want our relationship with God to grow deeper, if we want to strengthen our faith, if we want to understand him more, then it’s up to us. We should work for it. Nanjan and bible. Nanjan ang sacraments. Nanjan and prayer. Nanjan ang community. Lahat ng kailangan natin to build our faith and our relationship with God is available. Thus, if we really work for it, whatever faith we receive from God will become bigger and we will grow richer in knowledge of Him.

Same is true on the other side. If we choose to seek our own interests, if we follow our will and harden our hearts to God, then kung anuman yung faith na bibigay nya ay mawawala na talaga. Will he take it away? Of course not. Decision natin yun eh. It is our decision to let the devil take away everything that is of God that is in us, thus we are left with nothing.

Nasaan ka? I believe the fact that you’re reading this means you’re getting richer in faith, knowledge and relationship with him. Kaya, blessed ka! You have something the world cannot take away. You have God’s love and God’s peace in your life. You have God in your life. No matter where you are in your journey or relationship with him, you have him, and that’s what’s important. That’s what blesses you. That’s what you should continue to improve on.

What is my definition of being blessed? Is it based purely on material things? Do I know and believe that I am blessed? Do I have God in my life? How can I become richer and become closer to him? What am I willing to do to be there?

Dear God,

Thank you for reminding me that I am blessed. Lord, ang daming problema sa buhay. Ang daming challenges. Ang daming temptations. But Lord, the fact that you are in my life makes me feel blessed. Makes me feel special. Lord, alam kong mahal na mahal mo ako kaya pumayag kang mamatay sa krus para sa kasalanan ko. May I always remember that, and may I always remember that in spite of all the things that are happening in the world, I should keep my focus on you and I should work in getting close to you, in getting rich in my knowledge of you. Then I will always feel that indeed, I am blessed. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Great Servant

The gospel today shows how different God’s ways from that of the world.

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many

As followers of Christ, we should imitate him. We should imitate how he lived his life.

How different Christ is from us. He, the Son of God, came down to our level and became human. Not only that, he came not as a strong and mighty king, but as a baby in a manger in a small town of Bethlehem. No fuzz, no attention to himself.

Christ’s life was of pure obedience to God the Father. It was pure surrender to God’s will, even when it is difficult to. It was pure service to God through human beings, even the unlovable ones. This is a result of Christ’s pure love to God the Father – willing to empty himself and allow God to fill him, to control him, to use him. This is how Christ wants us to live.

Christ came to serve us. He could have asked his disciples or the angels to do all the work. Preaching. Proclaiming. Miracles. Praying. But he did not. He did things himself. Instead of asking others to serve him, the son of God, he came to serve us to the point of death. Napaka baliktad sa mundo natin where  powerful people are being served by those who have less.

Christ was not just a leader, he was a servant leader. Being a servant comes first before being a leader. Thus being a great leader requires being a great servant as well. May this inspire us as we live our lives and build our dreams.

What is my definition of greatness? In what way am I a leader? More than a leader, am I a servant leader? What do I want to do or accomplish with my life? Am I humble enough to let God control my life or do I want things to happen my own way?

Father God,

Thank you for this day. Thank you Lord for reminding me that your ways are not the same as the way of this world we are currently living in. Lord, help me have the desire to strive for greatness, not in terms of this world, but in yours. Help me use my life on earth to prepare for eternity with you. May I desire to serve other people, for in serving them, I serve you Lord. Use me and fill me with everything that is of you as you take away everything that is not of you. This I ask in faith in Jesus name, Amen.

God bless!

In Christ,

-g-

Friends of Christ

The readings today show us the nature of God and how we should respond to it.

The first reading shows us God as he is – forgiving, generous, compassion and loving. God has been that God since the beginning. His love is constant, it never changes. It is us humans who change. We ignore him. We sin. We choose follow the enemy instead of Him, and as a result of our actions and decisions, we wander away from God.

When we sin, God readily forgives. Yes, he is a God of justice, but he is merciful as well. He is kind and loving. He will readily forgive us our sins. We just have to be humble and be truly sorry for them. It is then that we will experience his mercy and love.

The gospel encourages us how we should live. After knowing how loving God really is, after experiencing his  forgiveness, after experiencing his love, we should also love him. His love should move us to love him back. Experiencing his great love should make us want to be friends of Christ – doing God’s will in our lives and obeying Christ’s commandments.

Have you experienced God’s love in your life? How? Are you allowing God to love you or is you heart shut to him? Are you a friend of Christ? How can you become one?

Dear God,

Thank you for your word. Thank you for who you are. Thank you for loving me. Lord, I see beauty in myself because you find me worthy to die for. Always remind me of that. May I always remember and feel how special I am, and as a result, may I always be moved to love and serve you as your friend, as your child. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Astig ka ba?

We Filipinos are fond of mixing up the letters of or spelling the words backwards. “Tol” is a term used to refer to sibling. It is a shorter version of “utol” which is derived from “kaputol.” “Arep” is a term for money, it being the Filipino equivalent of money which is “pera” spelled backwards. The word “astig” is “tigas” with letters jumbled.

The readings today ask us “Astig ka ba”? Tigas ka ba? Matigas ba ang puso mo kay God?

People in the readings have a hard heart. The people in the first reading easily forgot all great things God has done for them. In the gospel, the people had a hard heart. They were seeking a sign that would conform to what they wanted. Gusto nila sila ang masunod. Gusto nila si God ang mag adjust para sa kanila. Their hearts were closed to Jesus – the ultimate sign! Their hearts were closed to all the miracles, healing and teaching Jesus is doing. Binubuhay na nya ang patay, kulang parin. For them whose hearts were closed, nothing, no miracle or sign would ever be enough.

Jesus compared these scribes and Pharisees to the people who lived before them. The people of Nineveh were living a worldly life, but when Jonah was sent to them, they repented. The queen of the south was in awe with Solomon’s wisdom. These people were transformed by people who are far less than Jesus! Jesus is greater than Jonah or Solomon. He was the son of God! Yet the people failed to see that. They did not want to see that. Yes, astig sila. Ang tigas ng puso nila kay God!

What about us? Are we sensitive enough to God calling us in different ways? Are we sensitive enough to God’s whisper in our hearts? Do we believe in what Jesus wants to tell us through the bible, his Word? Do we read it? Do we seek a sign when making big decisions? Are we open on how he wants to reach out to us, or do we want him to give us the sign we are expecting? Do we want him to adjust to what we want?

As we start the week, let us be challenged by this question. Astig ka ba? Let us hear his voice and harden not our hearts.

Dear God,

Thank you for the weekend. It was fast, but it gave me a needed time to rest and to spend time with people important to me. Lord, as I start a new week, may I always be sensitive to you when you come to me in different ways. May I always recognize you and may I always surrender to your will. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Rest

The readings today talk about God taking care of us, his sheep. Yes, he is the one true shepherd.

In the first reading, we can see him bringing justice. He warns that he will bring justice to his shepherds who mislead the flock. Not all people are given the task of taking care of God’s people, and it is one big task and should be taken seriously. Those who are not responding to this call of God, and instead of bringing God’s people to Him, scatter them, will be punished. However, more than this, God promises to take care of his sheep, gather them and take care of them, and give them new shepherds to take good care of them.

Kung shepherd ka, in one way or another, at pasaway ka na naaapektuhan yung mga alaga mo.yari ka kay God. At kung pasaway naman ang shepherd mo, wag ka mag alala, si God ang bahala sayo.

The second reading shows us Jesus being the Shepherd God sent. He came to sacrifice himself to bring us back to God, the Father. God is really true to his word to take care of us. In the gospel we can see that even if he had no intention to do so, he taught the people to quench their thirst – because his heart was moved for them. He became a shepherd and took care of the sheep.

Yes, that was the theme of the readings, but what struck me was something else. Thus the title.

We can see that in the gospel, after working for God and doing his work, the disciples met with Jesus and reported all they had done. Then Jesus told them to rest.

The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.

Yes, even Jesus rested. He wants us to rest too. Even if what we do is for his kingdom, he wants us to rest. Tao din tayo. We need to rest physically, but more importantly, spiritually. We need this so we could continue serving Him and not be burned out. We need to be well rested so we can give our best to God.

Do I give importance to resting and re charging, not just my physical body, but more importantly my spirit? Am I being a good shepherd to others? When faced with challenges from people around me, do I trust in God to take care of me and come to my rescue?

Dear God,

Thank you for this day. Thank you for your assuring word that tells me to be still and have faith in you. I know that you are always watching over us, even if sometimes we may not feel like it. Thank you for letting me know that you will take care of me and will send people to guide me. Lord, may I make the most of this day. May I rest, not only spiritually, but also spiritually, so I can better serve you in the coming week. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Unlimited

What struck me in today’s gospel were Jesus and his unlimited power. Nakaka inspire! 

“Many people followed him, and he cured them all.”

Wow! How great is that!

Unlimited ang power nya! Hindi nauubusan. It does not matter how many come to him. He healed them all!

God does not choose whom he heals. It doesn’t matter how simple or severe their concern was. It doesn’t matter what background they had. It doesn’t matter if they were Jews or Gentiles. He healed them all. He cured all of their concerns. As long as the people had faith in him, he could cure them.

God does not look at our situation as much as he looks at our hearts. What is inside our heart is more important to him than how severe our sickness or what background we have. A humble heart filled with faith in him is all he needs to cure us.

Do I believe that God can cure whatever my concern is, or do I think that his power is limited to the olden times? Do I come to God for healing? Do I have faith and am I humble when I come before him? Do I come to God with all my concerns, or do I think that I should not bother him at all? Do I think my problem is too big or too petty for Him?

May we always remember how powerful and gracious God is. Yes, he cured them all, and he can and will cure us, if we come to him.

Dear God,

Thank you for your grace and your power. Thank you for taking care of me, from my seemingly larger than life concerns, to my petty concerns. Yes Lord, I know that as I come to you, you can and will heal me. I know that nothing is too big or too small for you, and that you don’t run out of power and grace. Thank you for that, Lord. In my own little way, may I bring people to you for their healing. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Mercy, not sacrifice

The readings today show us the nature of God as echoed by Jesus in the gospel. I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

In the gospel, the Pharisees chose to see evil in the disciples’ actions. Their hearts are closed and are quick to judge the actions based on their own standards, based on strict observance of the law. Kung hindi ginagawa ng mga Pharisees, kung kontra sa mga batas nila, mali na outright. Jesus told them that he desires mercy, not sacrifice. He chooses to see the goodness in us, he chooses to put more importance on the person rather than the law – for their laws are man-made, but people were made by God.

This does not give us an excuse to break the law. Wag naman maging pilosopo. In another gospel, Jesus DID NOT tell the people NOT to pay taxes to the government. Jesus told them to give to Caesar what is due to Caesar, and to God what is due God. Jesus tells us that more than the superficial observance and adherence of the law, the disposition of a person is more important. Jesus tells us that God is above human law, and working for Him exempts us from following human law, if such conflict arises.

In the first reading, we see how different God is from humans. Compared to the Pharisees in the gospel, God chose to forgive Hezekiah who was about to die, and gave him an additional 15 years in his life. How gracious God is! How merciful God is! Yes, the psalmist says it – You saved my life, Lord; I shall not die! If it were the Pharisees who were to decide and hear Hezekiah’s prayer, how do you think they would react?

God loves us so much and he gives us all the love we need, and all the opportunities to change our ways and follow Him. How merciful and gracious he really is!

Where do I tend to focus, on the positive or on the negative? Am I being too hard on myself, or on others? Am I too strict with the law? What is God telling me today?

Dear God,

I praise and adore you for who you are. I do not deserve your mercy and your grace, but you wholeheartedly give me those. Such a great God I am serving. Thank you for seeing the goodness in me and my actions, and for always giving me a chance to make myself better. Lord, I ask that I also see the goodness in other people and lead them into changing their lives as we serve you. Amen.

God bless!

In Christ,

-g-

Come to Me

In today’s gospel, we see Jesus inviting us to come to him.

"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."

In this world, a lot of things can weigh us down. Focusing too much on studies, career, business and worldly achievements and accomplishments will weigh us down. The quest for fame, power and fortune will burn us out. These things of the world are temporary, and as long as long as we focus on these, we will never be satisfied and will just be tired, because thirst for worldly things will never be quenched. There will always be someone more beautiful, more successful, more intelligent, more powerful, and more famous than you. IF we will focus on these things, no matter how hard we work, we will never attain the fullness of life, and it will only weigh us down.

What can we do then?

Come to Jesus.

In the gospel, He says that all who are tired and burdened come to him. He will give us rest. How can we rest? Will he give us what we want? Money, fame, power, achievements. Will we have all that when we come to Jesus? No – but we will have something much more than those.

Coming to Him is not the only thing he is asking from us. With coming to him comes the need to surrender to him. Take my yoke and learn from me. It is not enough to come to him. We should also submit ourselves to him. We should also surrender to Him. Yes, the famous saying, Let go and let God. As we come to him, as we submit our self to him, we will slowly be transformed to be more and more like him. As we surrender our personal desires, we allow God to empty us, only then will he be able to fill up with everything that is of his. Then as we are transformed, we see that all the material things in the world should not be the focus of our lives, thus not be burdened with these things anymore.

What is weighing me down right now? What is my biggest concern? Am I willing to come to God for help? Am I willing to submit myself, including all my desires, to Him? Am I willing to empty myself out so he can fill me with everything that is of his? Am i ready to let go and let God?

Dear God,

Thank you for this day. Thank you Lord for consistently reminding me that you are always thinking of me and my concerns. Thank you for always calling me to you, and for always being ready to accept me with open arms. Lord, I ask that I build my faith in you. I know Lord that as I surrender to your will, I will be transformed and that you will take care of everything. You always do, Lord. You have never failed to bless me with things more than I need and more than I deserve. May I always seek your will in my life, and have faith that you will continue to provide and take care of me. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Are you Childlike?

Sharing with you an excerpt from today’s gospel:

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike

We can see how God values us being childlike.

What is being childlike? It is the opposite of being childish.

A childlike attitude puts full faith and trust in the parents. Kapag bata, walang choice eh. The child needs to rely on the parents to walk, stand up, eat, etc. Ganun nalang yung dependency nya sa magulang. Ganun nalang yung tiwala nya sa magulang. Complete faith.

A childish attitude is the opposite. It is the person wanting to have things their way. Kapag hindi nakuha ang gusto, magdadabog o magagalit. Gusto laging masunod. The focus is on the self.

This is why God blessed the childlike. He blessed those who relied on Him, instead of relying on their own personal achievements. He blessed those who know that they are nothing and everything they have came from God, not those who think highly of themselves because of their accomplishments and credentials. God wants us to have that childlike faith, that will humble and totally rely and trust on Him, knowing that He is the only one who loves us enough to die for us and save us from our sin, and that everything happening will lead to a full life in Him.

Are you childlike or childish? Are you proud of your own accomplishments and credentials that you forget the source of all those? Do you get mad at God when things doesn’t go your way, or when you don’t understand everything that is happening? Do you have full faith in God, confidently walking with him even if you can only see until the next step, knowing that He will be there every step of the way?

Dear God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me the importance of being childlike and not childish. Lord, as I live my life, help me develop a childlike faith. May I always trust in you, especially when things are challenging. A lot of times, I do not understand what is happening and how all these could turn into something great. But Lord, i have faith that you can see, and that as long as I cooperate in your plan, things will turn out great. May I develop that childlike faith as I live my life in service of you. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Firm Faith

Again, the readings today show us the importance of faith. Firm faith, that is.

In the first reading, we see Ahaz trembling. Well, initially, we could understand why. There are a lot of people attacking his kingdom. Syempre natatakot sya. Being a leader, that fear goes down to the people under him. Dahil takot ang leader, mas lalong takot ang mga tao.

However, God sent Isaiah to tell Ahaz not to be afraid. “remain tranquil and do not fear, let not your courage fail…” Si God na mismo nagsabi sa kanya ng ganun. Si God na. What else does he need?

You may say that buti pa sya, sinabihan ni God. E ngayon, wala naming prophet na magsasabi sa akin to not be afraid, that God is with me. Well, we don’t need a prophet to tell us that. We have God’s WORD readily accessible to us. When he tells us to not be afraid, we should not be afraid. When he tells us he will take care of us, he will.

Faith should translate into action.

Di pwedeng sabihing may faith ka kay God, pero pag mahirap na ang sitwasyon, bibigay ka na. When the world seem to overwhelm us, we should not lose faith, but rather hold on to it. God himself said in the first reading "unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm.” Our faith will enable God to do great works and unleash his power in our lives. It doesn’t work the other way, that we expect God to prove himself first before we have faith in him.

Do I have a firm faith? How do I react when faced with life’s challenges? When the world seems to overwhelm me and what is happening seem to be overpowering God, how do I react? Do I keep calm and keep firm in my faith in God, or do I panic and do everything in my own power, not God, to fight it?

Dear God,

Thank you for reminding me about faith. Thank you for challenging me to be still and have complete faith in you, especially in challenging times. Lord, I know that life will not always be easy, but I also know that you will always be there to guide and bless me. I just need to have firm faith in you. Help me build that faith, and may my faith bring others to you as well. Amen.

Have a faith filled day!

God bless!

In Christ,

-g-

ps

see related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/06/gods-power-unleashed-through-our-faith.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/06/grounded-on-god.html

Magka alaman na!

The readings today remind us that God knows what is inside of us. God knows what is in our hearts, even if, and especially if these things are not consistent with what we seem to portray by our actions.

It is easy to portray yourself being a good person. It is easy to build an image of yourself. Mabait. Madasalin. Matulungin. People do not see you 24 hours a day, so the image is based only on the times they see you. You can even portray yourself in different ways to different kinds of people. However, God sees more than that. God sees what the eyes cannot. God sees way past the image. God sees the character.

What’s the difference?

They say that an image, or reputation, is what other people think of you. It is how they see you based on what you do in front of them. However, your character is what you do, how you act, when you are alone in the dark and no one can see you…only God.

In the first reading, God sees the character of the people. He sees what is in their hearts. Yes, they offer to God, they sacrifice, they pray, they celebrate. All of these are nonsense to God! Why? Because they are doing evil and they are not doing what God commands them to.

The psalmist compliments this. God looks way past beyond the sacrifices and offerings, and sees what is in the heart of the people.

Magkaalaman na.

The gospel says that Jesus came to divide. This division is not war. Hindi sya misunderstanding. This division is between those who are really followers of Christ and those who are not. Whoever loves other people more than God, whoever loves his life more than God, whoever loves himself more than God is definitely not worthy of God, definitely not a follower of God. If we are not willing to step out of our comfort zone and go the extra mile for him, wala tayong pinag kaiba sa mga tao sa first reading, people who only do what is comfortable for them, people who seem to love God with their actions, but not in their hearts.

God sees what is inside of us. He sees what is in our hearts. There is not use hiding our feelings and thoughts from him. We may be able to hide them from people, but definitely not from God.

Are my actions consistent with what is in my heart? Am I more worried and concerned with my image or reputation rather than my character? Do I realize that God sees what is inside of me, and knows my heart? IS my heart for him? Am I willing to go out of my comfort zone and go the extra mile for him?

Dear God,

Thank you for the weekend. Thank you for giving me a renewed spirit, a renewed look in things. Lord, as you remind me today that you see everything, I ask that you help me change my heart. May my heart always beat for you, and may my actions always be consistent with what is in my heart. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Light Journey

In the gospel, we see Jesus sending out his disciples.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick--
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.

Jesus instructed his disciples to just bring what is necessary, the very basics. He told them not to take anything except a walking stick. Bakit kaya special sya?

In those times, it was not unusual for people to have a walking stick. People, especially those advanced in age and those who often travel, have a walking stick. It helps them,  kasi malalyo yung pinupuntahan nila dati. It gives them additional strength by acting sort of their third leg, or something that would support their weary legs so as not to take all the weight of the body. It is also used to protect themselves from stray animals. Pamalo. Also, we see in the bible God using the walking stick or staff to perform great things. Moses parted the red sea, led Israelites to victories in wars, and drew water out of a stone all by using a staff or a stick. Kaya important sya. Kaya basic sya.

How light the disciples must have felt.

In today’s day and age, we feel that as though we need a lot of things to survive. There are a lot of gadgets, smartphones, portable battery source and even internet, that we feel we need with us everytime. When we travel, laging ang daming dala kung ano ano. That’s why minsan, instead of enjoying our journey and focusing on it, our attention is divided because we have to think of what we brought, kung may battery ba to take pictures, kung may signal ba, kung may internet, kung may spare batter, etc.

This is exactly what Jesus did not want to happen to his apostles. He wanted them to remain simple and focus on their task. More than that, they wanted them to have faith that God will provide and stay focused on God.

As I look at my things, what are the extras that seem to be necessities to me? What is weighing me down? What things are hindering me from focusing on God and on the task he has for me? What things are hindering me from fully trusting and surrendering to God? Am I willing to let go?

May we be challenged and see what things we do not really need, the things that are taking our focus away from God and the task he has in store for us. Let us develop our faith in God’s providence – he still provides, until now!

Dear God,

I praise and thank you for the gospel. Thank you for reminding us the importance of staying light – to rid ourselves of anything and everything that prevents us from focusing on you and from doing what you want us to do. Lord, ang daming distractions sa mundo ngayon, and I ask that you help me keep my focus on you. I have faith that you will always provide as long as I focus on you and put you first. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Do not be afraid

The short gospel today repeats the phrase “do not be afraid” three (3) times. This is how much God wants to tell and assure us not to be afraid and trust in Him.

Life is not easy. There will be a lot of challenges. We are living in the world, and we know that Christ, our master, is NOT of this world. We know that the enemy controls this world. Thus, we can expect this world not to treat us the best possible way, simply because we are not its own. We belong to Christ, we belong to eternity with him.

When faced with these challenges, Christ tells us not to be afraid. He tells us three times in today’s gospel. Even if we are not of this world, our God is victorious and there is no reason we should be afraid of anything. No being is more powerful than God, so as long as we remain in him, there is no reason to be afraid.

Christ promises that he is watching over us. He even says that all the hair on our head is counted. That’s how much he is watching over us. When we feel we are alone, when we feel overwhelmed by the challenges of this world, we are to take courage and remember this – that God is watching over us even if we do not feel it.

Am I living in the world or of the world? What am I afraid of? Do I know and believe that Christ has won over sin and death, and there is no reason to be afraid of anything as long as we are in Him? Do I believe that God is always watching over me, even if I do not feel like it?

Dear God,

Thank you for today. Lord, I ask that this weekend, you speak to me and constantly remind me not to be afraid. I know lord that sometimes, things seem overwhelming, and I hope that I always remember to trust in you, and that you are always watching over me and protecting me even if I do not feel it. May I constantly trust in you no matter what. Amen.

Have a blessed Saturday!

In Christ.

-g-

Founded in Faith

The gospel today is an example of an inspiring promise of God to us.

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

Challenges will always be there, but again, Christ tells us not to worry. He’s got our back.

I’ve always imagined how it is like to live during those times. Being persecuted for proclaiming the gospel is not easy, much more face influential and powerful pagan leaders. How much anxiety would there be in their hearts. However, Christ tells us not to worry. He will give us what we should say.

Pano kaya yun? Bigla ka nalang magsasalita? Bigla ka nalang tatalino?

Probably yes, but that is not alone. You cant just live your life not thinking about God, and expect to say these things when faced with problems.

You can’t give what you don’t have.

You can’t give a testimony about Christ is you do not have a personal relationship with him.

The disciples, because they do God’s work, definitely have a personal relationship with Christ. It goes without saying that they can say these things because they have faith in God, they have faith in God’s word and power because they have a personal relationship with God.

How can we have that?

We know that God is everywhere and all around us. We can easily talk to him anytime. However, today’s technology makes it easier to know things about him. There are a lot of books and resources that would make us know him more. There are a lot of faith stories that would help us build our own faith. The bible is always there. We just need to make use of these things around us, and spend time with him in prayer, and eventually, we will be living a life pleasing to him, because we love him, because we know him and have a personal relationship with him already.

How is my relationship with God? Am I working on building my personal relationship with him? How? How is my faith? Do I build my faith as well? Do I practice and live my faith?

Dear God,

Thank you for this week. It was a fast one. Lord, as I head into the weekend, I know you still have great things in store for me. Lord, use this weekend to reach out to me. Help me build my faith, help me build my relationship with you. Help me strengthen whatever relationship with you I have, and may it bring other people to you. All this I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

Have a blessed Friday!

In Christ,

-g-