Confused people often ask for opinions of others. They ask multiple people. However, most of he time, they already have an answer in mind and are just seeking validation from others. This is why they ignore opinions different from what they want, and focus on opinions that support what they want to do or want to happen. This is similar to the first reading, with what Paul did and how the people of Athens reacted.
You Athenians, I see that in every respect
you are very religious
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.'
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything
The Athenians should have been happy to know the truth, or to receive new information on their faith. They should have been excited. But they were not. Instead, they ignored Paul. They were contented on their current situation and do not want to know and do the truth.
We may not be like the Athenians worshipping an unknown God, but probably we can ask ourselves, who is my God? Who am I worshipping? Yes, I know that he created everything, that he loves us so much, that he sent his son Jesus to die for us… people tell us that. Doctrine tells us that. We can read that in catholic literature, or have probably known that ever since grade school. However, we are asked personally… sino ba si God para sa iyo? Sino ba si God sa buhay mo? Sino ba ang Diyos mo? Do I really know that he loves me so much? That he is merciful? That he is faithful? That he is mighty? Do I live that faith and knowledge of Him?
Kapag tinanong ka ng Diyos kung sino sya sa buhay mo, ano ang isasagot mo?
Sometimes, we say we worship God without really having a deep and personal relationship with Him. Minsan, nagsisimba lang tayo kasi ganun tayo lumaki. Minsan, nagdadasal ka lang kasi sabi nila dapat magdasal. Minsan, nag p prayer meeting ka lang kasi nandun mga kaibigan mo. But that is not enough. We can only worship if we personally know who God is in our lives. We can only worship with abandon if we really experience Him in our lives.
How do we know him? He reveals himself to us through a lot of ways. Bible. Songs. Friends. People around us. Prayer. We just have to be sensitive. We just have to seek him, and have faith in his word. Sabi nya, “You will seek me and find me, if you seek me with all of your heart…(Jeremiah 29:13)” Let us pray to have that heart that seeks God, and that faith to believe.
Sometimes, we may also act like the Athenians when we do not follow everything God tells us. Like the Athenians who left when what Paul said was not what they wanted to hear, we too sometimes just choose what commandments we want to follow and we want to do. We want God to adjust to us. This is not right.
In the reading, he also says that he would forgive our ignorance, but should start acting now.
God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will 'judge the world
with justice' through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead."
It’s okay if we’ll start just now. It is okay if we’ll seek him just now. It’s okay to follow him wholeheartedly just now. It is okay if we had other gods in our life, money, fame, power, as long as we seek him now. We need to be consistent in seeking Him and in following his path. He has revealed himself to us, we just need to make the decision to follow him, to let him be God in our lives, and to pray for God’s guidance in helping us stick to that decision.
Who is God in my life? Do I have other gods - money, fame, success, wealth, popularity? What is important in my life right now? How can I improve my relationship with God now? What is HE telling me today?
May we find time to ask who is God in my life, and who the God in my life is. and make the effort to work on that realization.
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 the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times you are not God in my life. Sorry for working for money, fame, and other worldly things instead of you. Sorry for the times I do not focus on you and on building my relationship with you. Help me live right. Help me know and do what is right. Help me live my faith. Help me improve my relationship with you. May my life consistently show you who you are in my life. You know I love you, help me make that concrete. Amen.
May 12, 2021
6th Week of Easter - Wednesday; St. Pancras
FIRST READING
After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: “You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination. God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.”
When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” And so Paul left them. But some did join him, and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Court of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights. Praise him, all you his angels; praise him, all you his hosts.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples, the princes and all the judges of the earth, Young men too, and maidens, old men and boys.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has lifted up the horn of his people; Be this his praise from all his faithful ones, from the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia.
R. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
or:
R. Alleluia.
ALLELUIA
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
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