Hearing

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/113013.cfm) reminds me how important hearing God’s word is.

In the first reading we see one of the sources of faith. We hear of people asking God to increase their faith, now we see what we can do to increase it.

Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ

Hearing the Word of God. There are homilies of priests in downloadable podcasts. There are a lot of preachers having podcasts of their sermons. There are speakers who proclaim the word of God. There are a lot of ways how we can literally hear God’s word. Reading. Aside from hearing the word, there is also the tried and tested, old school reading of the WORD – something that will really help us build and develop our faith. Hearing and reading God’s word will enable us to know him better. As we hear of his love to us, sinners. As we hear of his power, from stories in the bible to current day, everyday stories, we will definitely have our faith improved. As we get to know him more, our faith will be stronger.

OF course, this is not enough. we should not be contented with just receiving these, with just improving our faith.  We should also heed Christ’s command to bring this faith to others. The reading also says:

And how can they hear without someone to preach?

And how can people preach unless they are sent?

As it is written,

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!

We do not have to be preachers or missionaries who go to different cities and countries to proclaim God’s word. That’s great if you are, but even in our own little way, the way we act at home, the way we treat others in the office, the way we deal with other people – can be our little ways of preaching Christ to others.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another weekend. Lord, I thank you for the gift of faith, and thank you for telling me how to improve and strengthen it. May I find it in my heart to listen to your word in different ways. And as I experience your love, your power, and as you increase my faith, may I also do my part to share it with others, to make others hear your word as well. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Heaven is Near

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112913.cfm) reminds me that the kingdom of heaven is near.

The readings lately speak of the end of times, and preceding it are wars, calamities and the like. A lot of people are saying that these are the things happening now, that the end is coming. Maybe true, but when I heard mass, the priest told us otherwise. He said that the only thing ending is the ordinary time, as we usher in the season of advent!

Yes it is good to be prepared and do good as we wait for Christ's coming. However, He himself said that no one knows the hour or day. However,  we do know one thing - that advent is almost here. Christmas is almost here! It is the season we should prepare for, not just with gifts for ourselves and others, but preparing our lives for Christ. Doing Christ's work. Being Christ to others.

In a seminar I attended last weekend, we were told that eternity starts not when you die, rather, when you accept Jesus as Christ and Savior in your life. As we prepare for Advent, for Christmas, for Christ's coming, we can experience a taste of heaven here on earth. And as we do God's work, we can make heaven near and real, not only to ourselves, but to other people, especially those who need it most.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live and be Christ to others. Lord, I pray that you help me make the most out of the coming advent season. May I be more and more like you as I try to do your work, especially to those who need it the most. As I do so, i know that Heaven is becoming nearer and real to us. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Honoring God

The WORD today (http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112813.cfm) reminds me how God values it when we honor Him.

They say that "when you honor God, God will honor you" today, we see that it is true in the readings. In the first reading we see Daniel honoring God even to the point of death. In return, God honored him and saved him from the lion. In the gospel we see that in the end of time, God will honor those who honor him in their lives.

It is not always easy to honor God. He is not human. We cannot readily hear him say he appreciates us for honoring him. We cannot hear him commending and appreciating us. We cannot immediately feel his love and protection. However, we should have faith and know that as we honor him daily, in the little and big things in life, in the small and big decisions, he will honor us as well. God will reward us, this life or the next.

May we be challenged and inspired to always honor God, for we know what will happen next.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for your blessings. Lord, i thank you for always rewarding me faith. I pray that you help me to honor you everyday with my life. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Persevere in Faith

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112713.cfm) reminds me that we should persevere in faith.

The gospel is inspiring. It provides a ray of light amidst the darkness. Jesus told them of challenges they would be facing, but he also assured them of God's guidance and protection. Only one condition - they need to persevere in faith. Jesus told them that God will guide them on what they are to say when persecuted so no need to prepare beforehand.

However, it does not mean they really don't have to do anything. They do - they have to continuously live a life according to God's ways. They need to be attuned to God, in synch with God... So they can hear his word.

God cannot speak to us if we don't know his voice. We cannot be guided if we do not recognize his voice. That is why Jesus told them that their perseverance will save them. We have to persevere in knowing him continuously, in praying, reading his word, partaking of the sacraments, so when challenges come, we would be sensitive enough and we know him enough to hear and recognize his voice.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for always being there to protect me. Lord, i pray that you help me have a persevering heart. May i always strive to improve my relationship with you. May I always seek you. May i always love you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Worldly Beauty

  

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112613.cfm) reminds me that worldly beauty is temporary

An excerpt of the gospel says:

While some people were speaking about

how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,

Jesus said, “All that you see here–

the days will come when there will not be left

a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Everything on earth is temporary. We saw that with the recent typhoon. Houses, buildings, cars, even ships, can be destroyed. Nothing is too strong or too powerful not to be destroyed. As such, we should not invest entirely on these things, on material things.

God wants us to invest instead on heavenly things, to things that will not perish with this world. Good works, faith, love – these are what will not perish, and will actually benefit us for eternity. In chasing worldly beauty, we should not compromise our values, because it is not worth it. Worldly success, things, fame and fortune are very temporary and are not things that we can bring to eternity.

May we be wise and not be blinded by the worldly beauty we see everyday.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder not to be blinded on worldly things, worldly beauty. Lord, I pray that you help me be focused on you, and invest on heavenly things rather than earthly, temporary though more immediately experienced ones. Amen..

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Painful Giving

  

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112513.cfm) reminds me how God appreciates painful giving.

They say that a day is no day without pain and that no pain, no gain. Probably true. We do not truly live if we do not experience pain. If we are too comfortable to step out of our comfort zone and too afraid to experience pain, then we probably are not really living, and not really improving.

In the gospel we see a familiar story – Jesus telling that the two small coins had more value than others, because the woman who gave them gave her all, and it hurt the woman, unlike others who gave a lot but all our of their surplus. Makes me think of the people who gave until it hurts during this time of challenge to our beloved country. You hear of street sweepers giving away their day’s wage to help Yolanda victims. You hear of soldiers giving away their food subsidy to help the victims. You hear kids emptying their piggy banks to help the victims. These may not be as huge based on the standards of the world, but it has higher value because it hurt them, because it took a lot from them – compared to others who gave hundreds of thousands or even millions out of their surplus. Same is true with people who volunteer, who take time off from work and business, and give their time helping, re packing and doing what they can to help out others. Giving until it hurts. Loving like Jesus did – with pain.

God does not look at the worldly value of what we give. He looks at our hearts as we give. May we be inspired and encouraged to give until it hurts, not because we like pain or are crazy, but because we want to love like Jesus did – with pain, dying of one’s self, and putting others first.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the opportunity to help and give until it hurts. Lord, I pray that you continue to sustain me so I can continue to give to others. May I never tire of helping and of giving, and as I do so, may I not hold back and continue to give until it hurts me, until I can feel your pain of dying of myself and allowing God to live through me. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Christ the King 2013

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112413.cfm) reminds me that we should recognize and always make Christ the King in our lives!

When we hear the word king, what usually comes to mind are the kings of the world – with crown of gold, jewels, with a lot of servants and powerful in his kingdom. However, Christ our King is different.

The King wans us back! In the first reading, we see that God sent David to bring the people back to God. He wants us back into his kingdom, into his presence. Why? Not because he needs servants or knights to defend him but because he wants us to be saved, to be happy, to be prosperous. The only way we could have all these is if we are back in his arms, in his goodness, in his kingdom.

In the gospel, we see the repentant thief. During his last moments in this world, he recognized Christ, and made him king in his life. Talk about being saved by the bell. Jesus saw how sincere and repentant the sinner is, and immediately granted him salvation. We also see how powerful Jesus is to be able to say the words: “Today, you will be with me in Paradise”

In our lives, a lot of people and things are trying to take away the place of Jesus as our king. A lot of temptations, and false kings. Like the repentant thief, may we recognize him amidst all these, and take it a step further to always recognize and make him king in our lives. Only then can we hear Jesus saying to us as we depart from this world “Today, you will be with me in Paradise”

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for this weekend. Thank you for all the lessons and realizations. Lord, I pray that you help me to be sensitive to you. may I always recognize you and make you the only king in my life. And as I do so, may I bring you to others and lead others to make you king in their lives as well. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

ps

see related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-king-and-my-shepherd.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/11/christ-my-king.html

GOTL

  

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112313.cfm) reminds me that God is a God of the Living

There are times in life that we tend to question God – his actions, decisions, and even his mere existence. There are situations in life that we as ourselves is God is really present, or is he really alive and cares about us. The WORD today reminds us that he is alive and is our God.

Jesus reminds us that God is the God of the living – that is us! He is the God of our ancestors – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and still is the God watching over us at this very moment. Despite all the calamities and challenges we are experiencing, He is our God and he is watching over us, protecting us.

May we take comfort in knowing that God is the God of the living, and be challenged that as such, we be willing to be his hands, feet and love to other living people who need to feel Him in their lives.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another weekend. Lord, I ask for your blessing guidance and protection this weekend. May I be able to make the most out of this, may I learn a lot this weekend, and may I always be ready to be a manifestation of your real and living love to people in this world. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Do Not Forget

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112213.cfm) reminds me that we should not forget God

When we need anything, we tend to say anything just to get that. We tend to promise anything just to get that. The more impossible or urgent our need is, the more we are willing to do or say something for it. Some people tend to promise God anything if they will get what they are praying for. However, not all people actually do it, or sustain it, especially after getting what they wanted. That is why it is admirable to know of people who keep their word to God.

In the first reading, we see someone who did not forget God. Judas and his brothers, after winning against their enemies, came to God and thanked and praised Him. they did not allow that success to get into their heads, or neither did they forget to thank God after having success. So should we.

We all have things we are praying for. We all have our concerns, worries, and things we lift up to God. May we never forget to thank Him as we get answered prayers, and may we never stop serving him even if his answer is different from what we want.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another opportunity to know more about you. Lord, I pray that I may never forget to thank you as I get answered prayers. May I never forget you, and may answered prayers move me to love you even more. I also ask that you help me continue serving you even if your answers are different from the way I want. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Focused on God

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112113.cfm) reminds me that we should always be focused on God.

There are many modus operandi's being used by thieves and petty criminals. Some bump you then steal your wallet. Some create a scene then steals your bag. Others drop a coin before looting your bag. They say that others even hypnotize to get what they want. These are different ways, but there is one thing in common - they distract you. They take your focus away before they do the bad deed. This is what happens when we are not focused.

In the first reading, we see another man focused on God - Mattathias. He was ready to die for God, like the seven brothers in yesterday's reading. They were focused on God, so all the worldly promises - power, fame and riches, were not enough to distract them, to make them turn away from God.

As we live our lives, we too are faced with similar promises. Money, success, fame, power, gadgets, etc. if we are not focused on God, these things will take God's place in our lives. These things can slowly lead us to a life away from God.

May we always be focused on God so we can say no to the things threatening to take his place in our lives.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for all the blessings you have been giving me. Lord, I pray that you help me keep my focus on you. May I always be sensitive to you and may I have anyone or anything that is trying to take your place in my life. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Multiplied

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112013.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to multiply our blessings.

We are all blessed. No man is so poor that he has nothing to give. Everyone may not be rich with material possession, but we have one thing we all have the same amount of - time. We all have our talents that we can share with others.

How do we multiply our blessings? Simple - we share it. We all have something to share. And we can only multiply it if we share with others, if we share our talents, blessings, happiness.

One need not be rich to help out the victims. You hear of soldiers giving up a day's food subsidy to donate to typhoon victims. You hear of street sweepers giving up their day's wage for donation. Instead of that amount benefiting only them, or their respective family, they wisely multiplied it by sharing it, by giving it away, thus making others happy, both recipients of the blessings, and people like me who heard about it and got inspired and motivated by it. 

Multiplied.

May we all be ready to share to be able to multiply what we have.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another opportunity to work, to earn, so that I can give more to others. Lord, I pray that you create in me a heart that would be ready to give until it hurts, so that more people can be blessed, and that my blessings can be multiplied. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Effort

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111913.cfm) reminds me that God appreciates the effort we give for him.

Back in high school, there is such a term as effort points. Some teachers, sometimes in math or in literature, are generous to award effort points in examinations. In math problems, even if the answer is wrong, some teachers give partial points to those who tried and have solutions in their papers. In literature, especially on essay type tests, even if the answer is wrong or shallow, sometimes effort points are given to appreciate the effort of students in trying to answer it. Of course these effort points are not enough to pass the test, but it shows how the effort was appreciated.

In the gospel, we see Jesus appreciating the effort of Zacchaeus. Being a small man, he climbed a tree to see Jesus. Jesus appreciated his effort and saw his heart, so he dined with him which eventually led to the repentance and salvation of Zacchaeus. In the first reading, we see a greater form of effort when Eleazar remained loyal to God to the point of death.

With what is happening with our country, the more we need to make an effort to show God we love him, to love others. It can be simple, like Zacchaeus climbing a tree, or taking it to the next level like Zacchaeus giving back to others a lot of his possessions, or as extreme as Eleazar giving up his life for God, what is important is we make a conscious effort to help others especially in this time of need. God appreciates it, and will magnify it so that his name would be glorified even more.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another sunrise. Lord, I pray that you give me a heart that would not think twice of making an effort for you. may I step out of my comfort zone and do what I can to help others in this time of need. Amen..

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Faith that Saves

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111813.cfm) reminds me again how powerful faith is.

In the gospel, we see another story of a miracle made by the power of Jesus through the blind man’s faith. We could just imagine how difficult life was for the blind man – begging on the streets and relying on alms. So when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he did his best to be heard, to be healed. He was noisy, and probably distracting the people, so they asked him to be silent, but he shouted louder - “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” Eventually he was called by Jesus and was healed – because of God’s goodness and power, and by his faith.

We all know the current situation of our country. We all know a lot were affected by the super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and even those survivors are still suffering. Many lost not only their homes and property, but also their loved ones. Add to the fact that we are still recovering from a strong earthquake that hit us. Some are asking what we did to deserve this, why we are being punished. But rather than thinking that, by letting our emotions, fear, anxiety and worry get the best of us, let us be inspired by the blind man.  Jesus, have pity on me. Have pity on our country. And when help seem not to reach the victims, let us shout louder. Jesus, have pity on us. Let us not let these things take away our faith and dampen our spirit. Instead, let us stay strong in faith, let us continue doing what we can to help each other out, and as one nation, as children of God, cry out to him louder and with full faith – Jesus have pity on us, heal us, save us.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for everything. Lord, we just lift up to you our country. Have pity on us. May we have faith in you, strong, persistent and complete faith on your goodness, power and love. Embrace our nation, especially those greatly affected. Melt the hearts of those people who have the earthly power to help – may they not take advantage of the situation for their personal or political gain, but sincerely do whatever they can to help. Strengthen those who have the capacity to help – may we not lose faith in the government and in people, and just give us a heart that would continue helping and doing what we can for others. Lord, have pity on us, heal us, save us. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Work

  

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111713.cfm) reminds me how important working is.

We all know that people need to work to survive, well at least for most of us. However, it is interesting and surprising to know that even God wants us to work. He is that concerned and involved in our lives. The second reading says that “if one is unwilling to work, neither should that one eat”

However, we know that God does not mean just physical work – working in this world. He wants us to work for his kingdom too – to do his work, spread his love, and build his kingdom. If we are unwilling to work for Him, then we definitely would not taste the fruits of his kingdom.

With the recent calamities that have struck our beloved country, it is obvious that we should work for God. Especially right now, God needs a lot of workers to do his work here on earth, to make his love more alive and more real to others. Right now, we have a lot of opportunities to work for God through others. Let us take this chance.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the capacity to help. Lord, we continue to pray for our country Bless those who were greatly affected by the calamities – the super typhoon, the earthquake. Lord, uplift their spirits. May they never lose hope. May they never lose faith in you. Lord, only you can do that, and we pray that these calamities may not dampen their spirits and faith. Lord, we also ask that you continue to strengthen and bless us as we do what we can for others. Magnify our works for you, so that it may be of great effect to others, that your name be glorified with our actions. amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Persistent in Prayer

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111613.cfm) reminds me that we should be persistent in prayer.

They say that patience is a virtue, and I believe that is true. Not everyone is patient. When we give instructions, we only want to explain it once and expect the person to understand what we want to happen. When we give directions, we expect that it would be understood and remembered. Even when we order food, we want to give our order only once and expect the person to capture everything completely.

However, God does not want us to act like that when we pray. Yes, he is God and he knows what we want even before we ask him. but he wants us to pray always – not because he wants to tease us, but because as we pray, we are slowly being changed to be more like him. as we pray to him everyday, our faith in him builds up. That’s what he wants to happen to us.

In the wake of the recent calamities that struck our beloved country, God wants us to continuously pray. To pray everyday. To not lose hope and faith. Donations may not readily available. There may be logistical challenges in extending relief goods to affected places. There may be the tendency of violence. But God wants us to never cease praying, to never get weary no matter what the situation may be.

May we be encouraged to pray always, and whatever happens, continue praying with full faith in him.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the gift of life. Lord, I ask that you have mercy on the souls of those who perished in the recent calamities. In the same way, I pray for those who were left behind. Protect them. May they not lose hope and faith and goodness. I also pray for us who have the capacity and opportunity to help. May all of us never tire of helping each other out, but most importantly, may we never tire of praying. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Reflecting God

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111513.cfm) reminds me that we should reflect God.

Sharing an excerpt from the first reading:

For from the greatness and the beauty of created things

their original author, by analogy, is seen.

And in the psalm, we see something similar: The heavens proclaim the glory of God

How challenging!

Artists are known for their works. Artists become great and famous because of their great works. Thus, it follows that as creations of God, we should reflect God’s greatness and goodness.

As we live our lives, let us check if we are indeed doing this. Are we reflecting God’s goodness as we deal with others? Especially now that our country is struck with calamities, are we going out of our comfort zones and helping others? Are we giving and loving until it hurts? Are we giving our best in what we do – in work, business, sports?

May we respond positively to the challenge of reflecting our maker’s goodness and greatness!

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to be a Jesus to others. Lord, I pray that you help me respond to your challenge. May I show how great, how good and how loving you are with the way  I live my life. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

No Easy Way

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111413.cfm) reminds me that there is no easy way to glory.

For me, the movie series Rocky gives the best motivation and inspiration to push yourself to the limits to reach your dream. In every movie there will always be a part which shows Rocky Balboa training and pushing himself to be better. The theme and song are probably some of the best inspirational, motivational and pump up songs as you do physical activities. Indeed, there is no easy way to greatness, to glory.

In the gospel Jesus says he will suffer before he comes in glory. "But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected..." If Jesus suffered, so will we, his followers.

May we be positive and instead of focusing on our sufferings and challenges, focus on the greatness and glory waiting for us as we continue to be faithful to Him.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for protecting and helping our country get back on our feet. Lord, our spirits never be dampened by challenges and sufferings. As we try to get back on our feet, may we first get down on our knees and put you first. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Thank You

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111313.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to always be thankful, no matter what situation we may be in.

In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 thes 5:18)

God wants us to be thankful not only when things are doing well, or when we are feeling God's blessings and favor, but in all circumstances.

In the gospel we see that Jesus was pleased with the healed man who came back. Though only one of the ten healed came back, Jesus was pleased with him, and told him that his faith has saved him.

In light of the different calamities that have struck our beloved country, the Philippines, it is easy to be discouraged, to feel sad, low and down. But there are also a lot to be thankful for. My girlfriend's family lives in Ormoc, one of the cities greatly affected by super typhoon Yolanda. There are a lot of damages - houses, buildings, farms, etc, but we are thankful that her whole family is alive and safe. We should see the positive in every situation and thank God for it.

No matter what situation we may be in, may we see the positive and thank God for it.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for keeping our family safe. Thank you for the donations that have been pouring. Thank you for generous hearts. Thank you for the heart and the capacity to serve and give back. Thank you for shelter and water. Thank you for the communications and electricity. Thank you that in this challenging situations, heroes will rise, and your name will be glorified even more. We continue to pray for our country - keep us in your hand. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Servant of God

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111213.cfm) reminds me what our attitude should be while we are serving God.

We are all servants of God. Yes, we are children of God, but we should not act like spoiled children, waiting for blessings and graces from our loving father. As God’s children, we should not let the sense of entitlement engulf us – that we should not do anything, and just live our lives the way we want to, expecting that as children of God, we will inherit and experience his graces and goodness. Knowing God should move us into loving him more, and with loving comes serving Him.

As we love God, as we serve Him through others, we should always remember that it is not mandatory, and he does not owe us anything because of us serving Him. His being God is not increased as we serve Him. He does not become stronger, mightier, and more powerful if we serve him. he actually do not need us to serve Him, he is God. However, he wans us to, not for himself, but for us. As we know him more, we will be moved to love him, and as we love him, we will be moved to serve him. and as we serve him, he can slowly change us to become more and more like him – which will eventually be the reason we will be able to spend eternity with Him.

May we be happy and grateful servants of God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for all your blessings, which I do not deserve. Clean my heart, Lord. Remove all the pride and any sense of entitlement to your goodness, to your blessings. I pray that you give me a happy servant’s heart and make me more and more like you. Now that our country needs a lot of servants, more people who would be ready to serve and help others, may you create in us a heart like that. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

He has Faith in Us

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111113.cfm) reminds me that God has faith in us.

Reading the gospel reminded me of a reflection I wrote last month

We all know it is difficult to forgive, especially if we are hurt by people closest to us. That is why when Jesus taught about forgiveness, his disciples asked him to help them forgive. What Jesus is asking from us, to always be ready to forgive, is not easy. Yet he asks it nonetheless…because he has faith in us, in our goodness, in our capacity to forgive.

The disciples asked Jesus to help them forgive, to increase their faith. Jesus said if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, then we can move mountains. Really, that small faith is enough? I used to think that yes, that probably is enough. But what I recently discovered is that is becomes enough not for anything, but because God has faith in us! It is his faith in us that increases the power of our little faith. It is his faith in us, our capacity to do good, our capacity to do great things through him, our capacity to love and to forgive, that enables us to do so, to move mountains, to forgive others even when we are deeply hurt, to love others the way Jesus wants us to. Yes, I believe that it is not just our faith, but God’s faith in us, that enables our mustard seed sized faith to do great things.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another week. Thank you for all the blessings you have been giving me. Lord, I pray that you continue to complement my faith, and continue to have faith in me. I know I have little faith, so I pray that you never tire of having faith in me. Your faith in me increases the power of my little faith, and I pray that as I continuously experience your love and faith in me, my faith will slowly and eventually increase as well. Help me be able to forgive others especially when I am deeply hurt. Enable me to love others without thinking of myself, of what I can get in return, and just love others the way you want me to. Enable me to give to others, especially during this time that a lot need help. May I be selfless and serve others, give to others, as I have been blessed.  Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/10/of-faith-and-perspective.html

A Different Ending

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111013.cfm) reminds me that in life, there are different endings.

We have seen a lot of stories in the bible wherein God intervenes and gives a happy ending to his people. We see that at the last minute, Abraham was not asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, though he was ready to. We see how God sends his angels to save the three men from the burning furnace, or how an angel closed the mouth of the lion to protect Daniel, or how God kept Jonah alive in the belly of the whale. Somehow, we hope (and sometimes think) that as God’s followers, he will always come to our rescue the way we want to, that we will have a “happy ending.” However, we see that in the first reading, that is not always the case.

In the first reading, we see that seven brothers and their mother were arrested. All of them were faithful servants of God, ready to die in obedience to God’s laws. We would have thought that God would send an angel to save the faithful and loyal family. But in the story we see that all of them died, even their mother. A different ending.

God’s wisdom is far beyond ours. God’s will is perfect. His reasons are always correct. May we always remember these, especially when things does not go our way, or we don’t seem to get the happy ending we want or we think we deserve as faithful children of God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for the reminder that even though life is full of surprises, it will never be out of your control. Lord, I pray that I have firm faith in you. things may not go my way or the way I want it or expect it, but may I always remember that it is always under your control. Our beloved country may be in a difficult situation right now, but we just continue to have full faith in you. May we trust in your infinite goodness and your wisdom, Lord. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

In God's Time

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110913.cfm) reminds me how perfectly God works

There are times in our lives when we do not understand what is happening. There are times we question if God is really watching over us, or if God really has a plan for us. We cannot seem to imagine that there is indeed a perfect plan for us, given the current situation we are in. The gospel today reminds us to just trust and have faith in God.

The gospel tells us the story of when Jesus got mad at those selling in the temple area. Probably it was the first time the disciples saw Jesus angry. Then when Jesus told the people that he will rebuild the temple in three days, probably they too did not understand what he meant. Maybe they just took it as it is, or probably they did not take it seriously since Jesus was angry and they thought his emotions just led him to say those things. Or maybe, they were wondering what he really meant, but was just too afraid to ask an angry man. However, whatever the disciples felt or were thinking during that time, we saw that when Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples remembered this incident and understood what Jesus really meant.

We should have faith.

Even if we do not understand what is happening in our lives, even if we have a lot of questions or concerns, even If the future seems uncertain, we just need to have faith that in God’s perfect time, we will understand things, and he always has the best plan for us.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for the reminder and the assurance that you got my back. Lord, I am sorry for the times I doubt, I question or I am impatient. Sorry for letting my feelings take over my faith. Especially now with what is happening in the Philippines, Lord, I pray that you help me increase my faith, for I know that in your perfect time, everything will make sense. Be with us always, and help us, Lord. May our faith and spirit not be dampened, but be strengthened as we hold on to you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Invest in Eternity

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110813.cfm) again reminds me that we should be able to use our temporary resources to gain eternal rewards

Re-posting a previous reflection related to the gospel:

There is a show in TV I watch called “Barter Kings” in which they trade their items for bigger, better items. They do this by making deals in which they get a slightly better item for what they originally have. Little by little, they make deals in their favour, and at the end of the show, they end up having an item with a value a lot bigger than their original item.

This is similar to what God wants from us.

A few years back, I read a book called “The Law of Rewards” and one of the main point it says is that we should invest in eternity. The book puts it that we are just travellers in this world, and heaven is our real home. We will just stay in this earth for a short time. That being the case, we should be wise and use whatever we have on earth to build our home for eternity. To use temporary resources on earth to build our house in heaven, instead of holding on to it and enjoying it here.

In the gospel, we see the story of a dishonest steward. It was said that during that time, the stewards get a certain amount or percentage from the money the owners get. They have an automatic cut from the payments of the people. That is why when the steward found out he will be dismissed from work, he actually did not “cheat” the master to gain favour from the people. What he actually did was to take off his “cut” or his share in the amount, and just asked the people to pay exactly what will be given to the master. In that way, he found favour in the eyes of the people, and the master commended him for using his resources (or letting go of it) in preparation for his being fired from the job.

God has given us resources on this earth. And to live decently and comfortably, we don’t actually need a lot. What we spend is sometimes above and beyond the actual basics that we need. This is what God wants us to realize – that we should not enjoy too much that we forget other people. We are given resources not only for ourselves, but for us to help others as well. In doing so, we are not only doing good, but being wise as well. Money and everything in this earth will pass away, will gather dust, and will be left in this earth when we die. We need to be prudent and wise with how we use what we have. As we use our resources to help others and build God’s kingdom, we are being wise and use these temporary resources to build our eternal home in heaven.

May we live by the quote – live simply, so that others may simply live. And be wise stewards and prepare our eternal place in heaven by the temporary riches on earth.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live and to serve you. In a special way I pray for pur country that is experiencing the strongest typhoon this year. Protect us Lord. Keep us safe, especially those really affected in the provinces. Lord, I also pray that I always be reminded to love and serve you. I pray that I always be reminded how to use my resources properly. I thank you for providing for me and my family, and I make the decision to share whatever I have to others, especially after this typhoon that hit us. A lot of people need help. May I be generous not only with my material resources, but with my time and prayers as well. Create in me a heart that would always be sensitive to others. May I be a happy giver for your kingdom. Amen.

In Christ,

-g-

ps

see related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/09/temporary-for-forever.html