Ready and Prepared

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/113014.cfm) reminds me of the need to always be ready and prepared.

The readings for the past few days have been talking about the judgment, Christ’s second coming. Today, we are again reminded to be ready and prepared, but as we usher in the happiest season of the year, as we usher in advent, we are reminded to prepare as we commemorate Christ’s birth.

We now officially start the advent season, and this first Sunday of advent should set us in the mood just not of Christmas, but to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming we commemorate on Christmas day.

Looking at our lives and at our hearts, a lot of us can say that we are not ready to welcome him. We are not yet prepared. There are a lot of issues, concerns and even sins that make our hearts unworthy of God’s visitation. Good thing is we have 4 weeks to prepare. 4 weeks to clean our hearts. We are reminded to hear mass more often, to partake of the sacraments, to pray more, and to love others more as we prepare our hearts for Christ.

May we take this opportunity and make the most out of the time we have to prepare for Christ’s visitation, so that when he comes, we will be ready.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for another Sunday. Lord, my heart is not clean. Help me do my best and prepare for you in this season of advent. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Too Busy

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112914.cfm) reminds me that we should never be too busy with the concerns of the world.

They say that one of the main weapons of Satan is busyness. It is very easy to be busy, and drown in the concerns of this world. Work, school, business, health, relationships – these are some of the things that keep us busy. We tend to work hard to be able to get well in life, to be able to provide for our family. We tend to be workaholics to get ahead in our respective careers. These things can become our main priority in life, that we forget God. We give him the backseat of our lives, and just wait until we’re all settled, or retired, before spending time for and with him. This is what Jesus warns us with in the gospel.

Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,

It is easy to forget God. It is easy to be busy. It is easy to be worried about worldly concerns – bills that need to be paid, education, shelter, food, and health. It easy to enjoy ourselves to escape the harsh realities of life. It is easy, but foolish.

God will come again. May we never forget him and may our lives tell him that He has his place in our hearts.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend. Lord, I pray that you always remind me of you. May I never forget you, to do your work, to do your will, despite all the craziness in this world. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Words

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112814.cfm) reminds me that God’s words will not pass away

For a few days now, the readings have all been about judgment, about Christ’s second coming. This is not something we should be afraid of, rather, get us inspired and motivated to live life according to God’s ways. And in today’s readings, we are also reminded that God’s words will not pass away.

Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away

His words will be fulfilled.

God did not only tell us about judgment time, he also has promises for us as we live here on earth. He has promises of provision, of great plans, of love, of protection. And we are reminded to trust in his words, all of it. However, we will not know his words if we do not read up on it.

One of my favorite praise rap artist, Lecrae, writes this in his song: “when he gets home, I pray he'll open up the sixty-six book love letter you wrote and soak it up “ Makes sense. Sometimes we feel so down and low, and we are not doing anything about it. We won’t improve if we will just wait for things to get better. Reading God’s word, his promises, and soaking up ourselves on them will help us be better.  His love letter, the bible, will remind us of his promises and his love for us.

God’s words will not pass away. May we soak ourselves on his word and live life by it.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another weekend coming up. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your word, for your love letter to me. I pray that I may have the desire to just soak it up and bask in it. May I always remember how much you love me and the promises you have for me. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Redemption

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112714-weekday.cfm) reminds me that as long as we do God’s work, we will be rewarded.

There was a time before when word was strong about the end of the world. People said there would be chaos, wars, days of darkness, pestilence and scary things that would happen. Once, when I was with a group discussing these things, if these are true and what was supposed to be done if it indeed happen, one was asked of his opinion, and he said simply, with full faith and confidence, that his God won’t let that happen, that He is not that kind of God. This confidence can only come from  a deep and personal relationship with God.

In the gospel, this is what Jesus told the disciples. When people are panicking, just relax and know that I am on your side.

People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand

Whatever may happen when Christ comes again is not something we will know. There may be scary things happening, but we are reminded on how we should react. As long as we are living in God’s ways, as long as we have a deep and personal relationship with him, these things should not scare us. On the other hand, we should be happy that we would be rescued from this evil world.

The people of the world, the seemingly invincible, powerful and wealthy ones of the world, will have their time in Christ. Their reign will not be forever. So we should not be intimidated, or be envious of them. Instead, we should continue to focus on God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to feel your love in my life. Thank you for all the blessings. Lord, help me focus on you. May I have faith and just do your will and your work on earth, no matter what I see in it. When your perfect time comes, I know that I will be redeemed and will be able to forever be by your side. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Protected

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112614.cfm) reminds me that God will always be there to protect his own.

I started to watch a new TV series called “The Blacklist”  , where the main character is a powerful and well-connected criminal who for some reason wanted to work with the FBI to catch other criminals. On one episode, the person he cares for doesn’t know that he sent someone to follow her and keep her safe. She only knew about it when the person actually saved her from danger.

God is more powerful and more loving than that.

In the gospel, we see that he is speaking to us, his followers. People may try to harm us or hurt us or humiliate us. But he promises us help and assistance.

It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speakingthat all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

We need to trust in Him, even if it may seem that it doesn’t make sense. We need to trust him even if we would rather do our way.

Jesus asked them not to prepare beforehand. This should not be an excuse not to do our part and just hope God will come to our rescue. That’s laziness. Jesus told them not to prepare because he wanted them to trust in Him rather than trust in themselves. Rather than preparing and exerting human effort, God wants us to prepare by having a good relationship with him.

People may try to hurt us or humiliate us, but we are reminded by Jesus that not a hair on our head will be destroyed. He is more powerful than the enemy, and he will continue to protect us from all harm. This should reassure us.

May we always remember that as God’s children doing his will, we will always be protected.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for all the blessings and for always protecting me. I may not always see it, and I may not always feel it, but I know that it is precisely the reason why I don’t feel it – because you keep me safe. I pray that I may continue to work on my relationship in you and do your will in my life as you continue to bless and protect me. Amen

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

The Judge

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112514.cfm) reminds me that God will come to judge us.

We see a lot of evil in this world. Evil people prosper. And we sometimes ask where God is and why he is allowing these things to happen. However, we are again reminded that God’s silence does not mean his permission. In time, he will come again and judge us all. All the readings today remind us of that.

The gospel reminds us that the time will come when Jesus would again return. The first reading shows us what God will o when harvest time comes. And the psalmist reminds us that God will judge us.

Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Being good and doing good may not be rewarding in this earth, and in this life. But we are reminded to persevere and continue to live right, for God will come and when he does, his judgment will have eternal effects.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the reminder of how much you love me. Thank you for reminding me the importance of living right, of living good. I will do my best to live right, to live for you, despite everything that is happening in this world. For I know that when you come, I will be eternally rewarded and be able to spend eternity with you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Value

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112414.cfm) reminds me that God looks at the value of what we give.

There are a lot of people who have favorite sleepwear. They always use old and oversized shirts for sleeping. It makes them feel comfortable and relaxed. They could easily buy new and expensive sleepwear, but choose to use their old ones. These may not be worth a lot, since they are old and worn out, but to the owners, their value is high. Same is true for people who keep old toys, whose worth may be minimal, but who value these things a lot.

God looks at the value of what we give him, not  the worldly worth.

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”

In the gospel, what the widow gave may not have much worth in the world. Two cents may not be able to help the poor that much.  But it’s value is high because it was all the woman got. God is not a man, and he does not see things the way we do. He does not need money from us to be able to do great things, to help the poor. What he needs from us is a heart surrendered, a heart ready to give him what we value most, and a heart who trusts in him to make use of whatever we give and multiply it.

We also see the woman’s faith in God. Being a widow, she is practically worthless in society. So she needs every money she has to survive. But her situation did not prevent her from sharing for God’s kingdom. Her situation did not prevent her from surrendering to God. She gave all she had because she had faith that God would continue to take care of her.

The woman may not have given a lot, but she gave everything she had. That may not have much worth in the world’s eyes, but in God’s eyes, the value of it is very high.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another week to live and experience you. Lord, I pray that you help me give you high importance like the woman in the gospel. May  I be willing to give you whatever I got. May I be willing and ready to give you my best. Help me be detached from the things of this world. May I give you what I value most in life. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Jesus in Others

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112314.cfm) reminds me that Jesus is in others, especially the least, the last, and the lost

A lot of people say they love Jesus, however not all of us say they love the lost, the faithless, the unchurched. A lot say that they want to serve Jesus, but not all say they want to serve the poor, those in prison, the sick. Some say they don’t deserve service, because those in prison are criminals, or the poor may be part of a syndicate, of the sick did not take care of themselves. However, in today’s gospel, we are reminded that Jesus is not a statue in the church that we profess love to, but is alive on others living with us.

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

…

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life

God is not contented with simple profession of love and service. God wants us to act. And we can tell him we really love him and we really want to serve him, if we do. Doesn’t matter if other people don’t see the action. Doesn’t matter if we don’t get acknowledgement or affirmation. God sees everything we do, and God sees what we do and not do unto others.

May we be able to live our love for God by sharing it to others.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend to rest and spend time with you and the people I love. Thank you for the blessings in life, Lord, and thank you for the opportunity to serve and share these blessings with others. I pray that I may be able to show my love for you as I love others. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

My Rock

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112214.cfm) reminds me that in life, God should be my Rock

A rock is a simple, yet sturdy thing. We think of a rock when we think of something hard and powerful. Aside from that, rocks are also strong foundation. That is why Jesus told us that a house built on a rock will withstand challenges, unlike a house built on sand. And in today’s psalm, we are reminded that God should be the Rock of our lives.

R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

We all go through different challenges in life. Everyone has challenges. Everyone has problems. It just differs what kind and up to what extent these challenges are. And while some rely on different things – sports, family, and some even drugs, we are reminded not to forget God in facing these challenges. Only when God is our rock can we confidently stand against life’s challenges.

God does not choose who to protect. On the other hand, we have the power to choose who protects us. May we be wise and choose God to be our rock.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend. Lord, I pray for all of us undergoing challenges in life. May we be humble and wise and make you our rock. Continue to protect and bless us as we face life’s challenges. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Sweet Promises

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112114.cfm) reminds me how sweet God’s promises are

Children generally like sweets. Candies, chocolates, cakes, ice cream – these things are happy food for children. I remember the lyrics of a song by 50 cent – “I love you like a fat kid love cake.” And even for a lot of adult people, these are comfort food until now – things we don’t really want to eat because of the calories that make us gain unwanted weight, but when stressed or tired, generally makes us feel happy. Comfort food. Reward food. Happy food.

In the first reading, we see how sweet God’s word is to the mouth.

So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll.
He said to me, “Take and swallow it.
It will turn your stomach sour,
but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.”
I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and swallowed it.
In my mouth it was like sweet honey,.

And in the psalm, we continue to see declaration of how sweet God’s promise is.

How sweet to my taste is your promise!
How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!

In the gospel, we see people seeing God’s words as sweet and important, because they hang on to them.

The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words

Wow, How sweet God’s word is. How sweet his promises are. When he says he has great plans for us, that should be sweet. When he says he will always be there for us, to bless and protect us, that is sweet. When he says with Him, nothing is impossible, that is sweet. When he says that he will give us eternal life, that is sweet. His word, the bible, is full of sweet promises. Inspiring words. Strengthening and encouraging us to move forward and face the challenges. But we need to know it. We need to read and understand, so we would know and feel it alive in our lives.

How do we see God’s word? How do we feel when we hear God’s promises to us? Are we too busy to read God’s word, or do we give it it’s due importance in life? when God tells us he has great plans for us, and he promises salvation to those who come to him, do we feel impatient because we don’t want to wait for it to happen? Do we feel anxious because these may not be what we want to happen in our lives? Or do we feel excited, and feel want more of his word and his promises?

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another day to love you, to feel you, to get closer to you. Lord, I am sorry for not giving importance to you and your word. Sorry for justifying my not being able to read and bask in your word with my being busy and tired. Help me feel and realize your sweet words in my life. Grant me a heart Lord that would always want you and desire you. May I have childlike faith and heart, that your every word and promise would be sweet to me. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2014/08/sweet-for-child.html

Unrecognized

  

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112014.cfm) reminds me what can happen if we don’t recognize God.

I used to watch a television show called “Undercover Boss”, wherein the top executive of a big company disguises as a new employee to the company. The people doesn’t know it, so they treat the boss in different ways. Some are very nice, patiently teaching and guiding, a new member while others give a harsh treatment. In the course of the stay, employees tell stories of themselves to the so called new comer. Then at the end, the boss reveals himself. OF course people were shocked. Those who are very nice and who are grateful for the company and the work were rewarded, and those who are harsh, full of complaints and who badmouth the company were dealt with accordingly as well.

The real character of a person is seen during unguarded moments.

The employees who tell different things, and treat the “new employee” differently, do so because they did not recognize the boss. If they knew it was the boss, they would have put their best foot forward. This is true to us as well. We probably don’t realize God visiting us daily, so we live the way we want to – be that good or bad. However, we are reminded by Jesus in today’s gospel to not only recognize Jesus visitation, but do something about it as well. Even if we recognize Jesus visiting our lives, but we don’t change and improve ourselves, we are not in a good situation.

They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
because you did not recognize the time of your visitation

Jesus is patient with us. He visits us everyday in the hopes of us recognizing him, and allowing him to change us. However, there will come a day when there will be no more chance. There will come a day when he will take our current state as our answer to him. There will come a day that we will either be crushed and punished for the way we treat him through others, or be rewarded because of the way we live our lives.

May we recognize him, and allow him to work in us.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Lord, I pray that I may be sensitive to you. May I recognize you as you visit me in my life, and may I allow you to change me and make me a better person. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Grow It

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111914.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to grow the things he gave us

Growth usually takes time. Back in grade school, one of the usual science project is to grow mongo seeds. Students are asked to plant mongo seeds in cups or pots and take care of them and make them grow. This is one of the faster growing plant, but still it takes time and causes one to be impatient. However, when one sees leaves sprouting, it gets one excited and rewarded for all the efforts done to make the seed grow.

This is what God wants us to do with all he has given us.

He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’

God gave us different gifts – Time, talent and treasure, that we should not compare with others, instead, use to grow. Our gifts will not grow and be preserved if we do not use it. We should be generous and not reserve it for special occasions, for if unused, God may take it away from us and give it to those who are using what they have. No matter how little or simple or normal our talents may be, as long as we use it, God would be pleased, and God would make it grow.

Earthly blessings are simple gifts God wants to test us with.

If we can handle earthly, temporary gifts, then we show him that we know what is important, that we do not hold on to temporary things. Then God can give us heavenly gifts we can enjoy with him in his kingdom. The first reading and the psalm reminds us how we should use these gifts – not for our own benefit but for the praise and glory of God.

May we be ready and willing to share our time, talent and treasure as we build God’s kingdom here on earth.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me. Lord, I pray that I may always be generous and share whatever you have given me. May I not keep these things to myself, but be ready and willing to share all your goodness to others, so they too may experience you more. As I do this, I know you will continue to bless me, not because I am doing a good job, but because you want me to share more blessings to others. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Effort

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111814.cfm) reminds me that God rewards our effort for Him

Back in high school, we usually joke our teachers in the hopes of getting effort points, especially in math and essays. Even if the final answer is wrong, we ask for a point or so for effort in trying to come up with a solution. On essay questions, even if the answer or thought is incorrect, we also ask for a point for the paragraph/s written to answer the question. Some teachers give in an award effort points, but some do not. In today’s gospel, we see Jesus awarding in a big way the effort done for Him.

Now a man there named Zacchaeus,

who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house

Zacchaeus was probably just curious of Jesus, what he looked like and what he really does, so he made the effort to just see him. And Jesus rewarded him when he not only acknowledged Zacchaeus but also ate in his house. Zacchaeus not only saw Jesus, he experienced Jesus.

No one leaves the presence of God unchanged.

Zacchaeus experienced Jesus, and he was changed for good. But he had to do something on his part. Merely Jesus’ presence cannot change him if he did not allow Jesus to. Zacchaeus also had to do his part. He allowed Jesus to move him into action. He allowed Jesus to save him.

We cannot expect to just sit and allow Jesus to change us, we also have to do our part.

Everyday, Jesus reaches out to us in different ways. Through circumstances around us. Through the news. Through people in our lives. But realizations are not enough. Experiencing him is not enough. We have to act, and do our part, so we can be changed, so we can be saved.

May we be willing to act and exert effort not just in seeing Jesus, but in changing for Jesus.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for al the opportunities you give me to experience you. Thank you also for rewarding my effort for you. Help me be like Zacchaeus, Lord. May I be ready and willing to step out of my comfort zone, to take the extra step, extra effort for you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Faith that Sees

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111714.cfm) reminds me that there is no situation that should dampen our faith

Hebrews 11:1 defines is as: “Faith is the substance of the things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” The blind man in the gospel clearly had this faith.

A blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

Being a blind person, he begged by the roadside. Probably he was really desperate, but definitely not hopeless. When he heard the Jesus passed by, he gave all he got and shouted to get Jesus’ attention. When asked by the people to shut up, he did not lose hope, his spirit was not dampened, instead, shouted louder.

Makulit sya.

When he was called by people, not even Jesus, he showed even greater faith. Even if Jesus was not the one who personally called him, he knew that being summoned by Jesus would forever change his life. He had full faith in the power of Jesus, and he was not disappointed. He did not only get his sight, but he was saved as well. And when he did get what he wanted, he followed Jesus.

How about us? How do we react when we don’t seem to get what we want in the first try? Do we get angry or lose hope, or are we like the blind man whose faith was unwavering? What do I pray for right now? Do I have faith that God can grant me that? Do I have faith that he wants to, if it is according to His plan for me?  Am I willing to take a leap of faith? When God gives me what I pray for, do I remember to thank Him and live my life following Him?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another week to live for you. Thank you for reminding me that you do not disappoint. Thank you for reminding me how powerful and loving you are. Lord, help me improve my faith. Help me have faith and be persistent, especially when my prayers seem unanswered. May I have faith like the blind man. When faced with challenges or when I don’t get what I pray for, may my faith get stronger and still do my part. May I be brave enough to take a leap of faith, knowing you are there to guide and catch me. And Lord, when you give me what I pray for, may I never forget to thank you and live my life following you. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps.

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-blind-mans-clear-and-unwavering-faith.html

Use IT

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111614.cfm) reminds me that we should use whatever God has given us

There are things that you preserve if you do not use it. Toys, for example. Increases the value if not used and remains sealed in a box. However, other things get wasted if not used. Perishable items get expired and wasted if not used before the expiry date.

In the gospel, we see that God wants us to use whatever he has given us.

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?

God wants us to use and grow whatever he gave us. God gave us different gifts – Time, talent and treasure, that we should not compare with others and use to grow. Our gifts will not grow and be preserved if we do not use it. We should be generous and not reserve it for special occasions, for if unused, God may take it away from us and give it to those who are using what they have.

God is a generous God, and he wants his children to experience his love, blessings and care. However, we should not just be contented in experiencing it. We should also be willing to share it with others. We should also be willing to be used by God to touch other people’s lives, and one way we can do that is to use whatever he has given us for the benefit of others.

May we be ready and willing to share our time, talent and treasure as we build God’s kingdom here on earth.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me. Lord, I pray that I may always be generous and share whatever you have given me. May I not keep these things to myself, but be ready and willing to share all your goodness to others, so they too may experience you more. As I do this, I know you will continue to bless me, not because I am doing a good job, but because you want me to share more blessings to others. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Persistent Prayer

  

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111514.cfm) reminds me that we should be persistent in prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:!6 tells us that we should pray unceasingly and give thanks in all circumstance. This is what Jesus reminds us in today’s gospel. We should be persistent in prayer.

Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?

We should not give up when we do not get what we want or what we pray for. In fact, we should do the opposite. We should work more and work harder to get it. We should pray harder to get what we want, what we are praying for.

Praying changes us. And when we pray always, when we pray more, we are changed more.

There is no minimum requirement of prayer before God grants our requests. He does not need 1000 Hail Mary’s before he hears us. Saying novena and attending masses are not prerequisites for God to hear us. However, these things, and prayer in general, molds and changes us to become more and more like him. And as we become more like him, as we get to know him more, we get to increase our faith. We get to love him more. And probably that’s what God wants for us, before he grants our requests.

May God’s silence on our prayers not discourage us, but lead us to pray more.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for all the opportunities to pray and get closer to you. Thank you for the chance to get to know you more and experience your love. Lord, I pray that you continue to mold me as I pray to you. Amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Ordinary Day

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111414.cfm) reminds me that God will come in an ordinary day.

They say that death comes like a thief in the night. No one notices it. No one is aware. No one can stop it. In the same way, God will not announce in a grand way when he is about to come. It would be an ordinary day for us when he comes.

Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Ordinary day. Normal day. Same routine. Unlike the president’s convoy that has escorts and vehicles warning people to give way and announcing the arrival of the president, God’s coming will be simple and silent… until he fully comes.

This should lead us to always be ready. Who knows, God may come later, or tomorrow morning. We really do not know, so we must prepare our hearts to welcome him. We must prepare our lives and give an accounting to him. We should continue living our lives, working, studying, running a business, taking care of the family. However, we should not forget to prepare for him as well.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend coming up. Lord, I pray that you help me remember you always, as I live my life and as I go through my daily activities. May I prepare myself, my heart and my soul so I would be ready when we meet. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Nothing Comes Easy

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111314.cfm) reminds me that nothing comes easy in life.

There are a lot of great structures in this world. Great skyscrapers and infrastructures. We all admire the final output, but when we get deeper, we get to appreciate it more because of all the hardwork done for it to be complete. The challenges the people overcame, the blood, sweat and tears that those involve had to shed out, makes these structures more meaningful.

This is what Jesus reminds us in the gospel.

For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation

Nothing comes easy. But when you know the result, it becomes worth it. Even Jesus had his share of suffering and challenges before shining in God’s glory.

There are times in life we suffer and experience challenges. There may be times we want to just give up and surrender. We are reminded today to just focus on the prize, to focus on God and his eternal reward for us as we remain faithful to him. Let us remember that even Jesus had his share of suffering before triumphing. Let us allow God to strengthen us amidst the challenges in life.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for all the opportunities you give me to know about you and to be stronger in faith. Help me remain faithful and focused on you, Lord. I know that nothing comes easy, but it becomes worth it as long as I keep my focus on you and your prize for me. Amen,

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Sulit

  

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111214.cfm) reminds me that a lot of times, we get more than what we want.

We Filipinos generally want to get more than what we pay for. In tagalog, “sulit.” That’s why a lot of products and services offer freebies to get people to buy them instead of the competition. This is what the leper got in the gospel.

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

He came back to Jesus simply to say thank you. He wanted to thank the man who healed him. He acknowledged Jesus’ power in his life. Unlike the others who went their own ways, he did not forget who healed him in the first place. However, Jesus gave him more than what he wanted. He gave the man more than he deserved.

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

In those days, it was believed that people got sick because of sin. Some people see it as a punishment for their sins, or for the sins of their ancestors. Well, regardless or not this is the case, we know that we all sin and we all need healing and we all need to be saved. So Jesus gave that to the man. Jesus saw the goodness in the man, and he saw the man acknowledged and did not forget him, and probably that is enough indication that the man wanted to change, that the man had faith… thus he was saved as well aside from being healed.

In life, we too experience this. God gives us so much blessings, more than we deserve. He answers our prayers with more than we pray for. May this remind us how much God loves us, and how loving God is. And may this realization lead us to love God more.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Lord, I pray for faith and heart like the man in the gospel. May I never forget all the blessings you have given me, and all the love you have been showing me. May this lead me to love you more, to serve you through others. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Focus on Him

  

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111114.cfm) reminds me to just focus on Christ as we serve.

There are people who value affirmation. To them, it is important to be affirmed, to be told that they are doing a good job, to get a pat on the back. However, others take this a little too far when they expect affirmation in everything they do, and when they don’t do well if there are no affirmation and encouragement. This is the danger Jesus warns us about in the gospel.

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

The lack of affirmation should not stop us from doing what is right.

We should not expect affirmation all the time. We should remember where we stand, and who we are. We are God’s beloved creations. We should remember that everything that we have, came from God. As such, we should be ready and willing to give back to him everything, we should be ready to serve him with everything we have got.

In the same way, we should also not expect blessings if we do God’s work. Though God is infinitely good and generous, and he will continue to bless us, we should not use our service and work for him as a means of getting favors or blessings from God. Working for God should be treated as such – service and a proclamation of love for God, not as an investment we plan to collect rewards after.

May we allow God to love us always, and may that love encourage us to love him back and serve him. As we do so, may we focus on Him, and not on other things.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for all the blessings. Thank you for loving me regardless of what I do and how I live my life. Lord, I pray that I may be able to profess my love for you through my life, through serving you. Help me be willing to do so. And help me to focus on you as I serve you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-