Dressed For The Occasion

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082213.cfm) reminds us that God wants us to be properly dressed for the occasion

Not being dressed for the occasion is a very awkward feeling. It goes both ways – being overdressed and underdressed. It is important that one dress appropriately for the specific occasion.

The gospel tells us of a story – a king calling a wedding fest. The original invitees did not attend, so the invite was opened to all. However, the king daw someone not dressed for a wedding garment, and it enraged the king.

Why? Paano kung mahirap lang talaga yung tao at walang damit na pang kasal?

They say the clothes were not a problem that time. When the king invited people, it was said that he also prepared the clothes for them to wear to the feast. How cool is that? Libre na ang pagkain, libre ka pa sa damit! That’s how festive and how well taken care of the guests were. So we can understand the king expecting, and in this case, demanding the guests be in the proper attire.

What is the significance of this in our lives? This does not happen anymore anyway. Right?

We know that God, our king, invited us to the feast – heaven. It is now up to us if we will heed his call, if we will go to the invitation. However, it does not end there. We cannot just say we want to go to heaven, and show up there. We need to be dressed appropriately. As the king gave clothes, God also gave us this life to wear properly. He gives us opportunities to shine for Him ,and to prepare for us attending the feast. Then when he sees us, we will know if we prepared enough – if he will be happy to see us in the feast, appropriately dressed, or if he will get mad at us attending not being properly dressed, and send us away.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you that after days, I now see the Mr. Sun again! I thank you for new life, for a new day, for new opportunities and for your mercies that are new every morning. Lord, thank you for inviting me to the feast. You know I want to be there, so I ask that you help me live my life preparing for it, so that you would be delighted to see me appropriately dressed for it. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Envy and Generosity

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082113.cfm) reminds me how much evil being envious can bring. 

God is a generous God. His standards are not the same ours. That is why in the gospel, he gave the same benefit to those who worked a bit as to those who worked the whole day. 

Unfair to those who worked for the whole day? Probably, in the twisted sense of the world. We would think those who worked more should be given more. 

However, they were given what was told them. God just decided to be extra generous and gracious to others, like the ones who worked last, like the repentant thief he brought in heaven. 

Again, we feel like this because we focus on ourselves. If the people had not known there were late comers who got the same benefits as them, probably there wouldn't be a problem because they got what they expected, what they were told. Being envious changed everything. 

Looking at our lives, we have enough. We can read, can write, can eat, can move about, can breathe, can work. We may not have much, but we have what we need to survive. We are contented. Problem is, when we look at other people and see things they have that we don't. That's when things change. 

May we focus on God, his generosity and grace, and not on our own concerns, wants, and feeling of envy towards others. 

Father God, 

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live, and to rest. Lord, i pray for those still affected by the typhoon. Continue to protect, bless, and keep them safe. I also ask your help lord that i be able to focus on you and be thankful for the blessings you have been graciously giving me, and not dwell on what I don't have and and be envious of other people. Amen. 

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

It’s All About God, Not You

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082013.cfm) reinds me that life is all about God, not me.

In the gospel, we see God calling Gideon and asking him to serve God in a mighty way. However, Gideon initially did not receive it well. He had a lot of doubts, of questions…

But Gideon answered him, “Please, my lord, how can I save Israel?

My family is the lowliest in Manasseh,

and I am the most insignificant in my father’s house.”

Why was he like this? Was he not trusting God? Does he think God is not that powerful?

A lot of times we are also like Gideon. When God asks us to do something for him, something we think is big or something we have not done before, we tend to question – “why me?” or “Can I really do it?.” This shows one thing – we focus too much on ourselves. We focus on what we think we can do, on what we have previously done, on what we think we are capable of.

God does not choose us based on our qualiications. He looks at our heart. And as we are called to serve him in different ways, we should not doubt as we look at ourselves. Rather, we should focus on him and be excited at what he can accomplish as he uses us. The gospel says that nothing is impossible with God. He can do anything, and he can do mighty things to us and through us.

As we are called to serve God. may we not look at ourselves and focus on God, for God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.

Father God,

Thank you for today. It is still rainy, and I pray that you keep us safe, especially those greatly affected by the typhoon. Lord, may this not dampen our spirit, but enable us to focus on you and hope on you. Lord, I am sorry for looking at and focusing on myself as you call me, thinking that it is only through my abilities that I can serve you.  Sorry for the times I doubt you, times I doubt your powers and what you can do to me and through me. Also, I am sorry for the times I feel so confident and proud and believe I can do whatever you want me to do because of my own abilities and talents. May I focus on you as I serve you, never on myself. Amen.

Have a safe and blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Bad Lapse

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081913.cfm) reminds me to be aware of possibility of having bad lapses in faith.

It is very difficult to change habits because these habits were formed over the years. For example, a lot of people want to quit smoking. Yes, it is good while they can resist the temptation, but once they light a stick, some end up smoking more than before they stopped. Same goes true for those who radically change their diet. Some do cohen diet and are very pleased with the effects on weight loss. However, once they stop the diet and start eating normal, some also end up bigger than their original size.

In the faith, this is true as well. In one of the gospels Jesus warns us to replace evil with the holy spirit, because if we don’t, the evil spirit that was cast out will invite more spirits stronger than it, and it will be worse for the person than the original state. In the first reading, we see this as well. People would relapse and do worse than their ancestors – displeasing God more.

As we follow God, falling down is inevitable. We are human beings, we have the tendency to sin. However, when we sin, we should not allow ourselves to be distracted, not allot ourselves to be disappointed at ourselves, not feel that we are hopeless and helpless. If we do so, it will be easier to fall into the bad lapse, to become worse than the original state.

God is good. God is gracious. God is merciful. We should remember this, and focus on this as we try to get back on our feet and following Him again after we fall.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another week.. Lord, as I start the week, I ask that I always have the focus on you. as I follow you, I will sin and hurt you, but help me Lord not to wallow on this, rather, put my focus on you and use your love to help me get back on track in loving you, in living for you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Let Go Everyday

The WORD today  (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081813.cfm) reminds me that we need to continuously let go of all the things that is not of Christ

Yesterday, I was reminded not only to choose God, but to live my life as such. Today, I am again reminded to let go of everything that is not of God.

…let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us

and persevere in running the race that lies before us…

Choosing God is not a one-time big time decision. It is a daily process, daily decision. We have to be persistent in choosing him, especially after every time we fall. Sometimes when we fall, when we sin, especially after saying we love God and we want to follow him, we can become disheartened. We lose hope on ourselves. We are disappointed with ourselves. We may feel we are making no progress. However, Jesus tells us otherwise. We should persevere in the race.

What should keep up from giving up, from being disheartened and disappointed? The same person who inspired us to begin the race as well – Jesus. The reading continues…

… while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,

the leader and perfecter of faith…

As we live our lives on earth, and try to live for God, we might fall from time to time. However, we should not lose hope, not be disheartened, and just focus our eyes on Jesus as we get up on our feet and run the race for Him.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another Sunday. Lord, I am again working today, but I still thank you for the blessing of work. Thank you that I am able to move about freely, to think, to breathe, and do to things for you. Lord, I pray that you help me keep my focus on you. As I live my life for you, a lot of times I will fall. I am sorry. Help me to get back on my feet, ask for your forgiveness, and persevere in running for you. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

You Decide

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081713.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to decide who we shall serve.

Jesus said to his disciples in one occasion that “whoever is not for me is against me. (Mt 12:30)” IT shows that we are either for God or against God, no in between, no 50-50. In another verse in the bible, it says that “but since you are lukewarm water, neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:16). Yup, God wants us to choose.

In the first reading, we see Joshua, Moses’ replacement, telling the people to decide. He did not force the people to choose to serve God, he just told them that he, together with his household, will serve the Lord. And eventually when the people proclaimed they will follow God, Joshua held them accountable, he told them that it is not enough to proclaim it, that with the decision comes the accountability, that we should live our lives like it.

God wants us to decide, and act on our decision. We cannot just serve him when we feel like it. We cannot just love him when we feel loved and blessed. We cannot follow him just when we want to. We cannot live double lives. When we decide to choose him, it should be a hundred percent – a total dedication of our lives to him, choosing him in every big and especially small, seemingly insignificant decisions of our everyday life. These small decisions actually prove we love him, these small decisions actually develop our character – wether or not to follow traffic rules when no one is watching, wether or not to obey our parents and other authorities in our lives despite differences in our opinions, wether or not to do good even if no one can see and will acknowledge us.

May we decide to choose God, and follow him always.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another weekend. Though I have a busy weekend ahead of me, weekend that will require me to work, I thank you because of the gift of work. Lord, I pray that you give me a heart that would always decide to choose you. May I always be optimistic and see how I can choose you in the little and big things in life, and as I work this weekend, I pray that I be able to give you my best and glorify you with whatever I am doing. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related song:

http://youtu.be/2DsKpXljOTc

Hardened Heart

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/081613.cfm) reminds me that there are a lot of consequences for having a hardened heart.

Divorce is a sensitive topic. Currently, the Philippines is one of the few countries who still not to allow divorce. We see in the gospel that divorce, even in the time of Jesus and even Moses was a sensitive topic. However, when Jesus explained that divorce should not be allowed, he also mentioned that not everyone would be able to understand it.

Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

They said to him, “Then why did Moses command

that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”

He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts

.....

He answered, “Not all can accept this word,

but only those to whom that is granted

Maybe in this particular situation, Jesus was referring to the teaching about divorce or the vocation of married life – that not everyone is for it, that not everyone can accept it. However, I believe that this is true in other aspects of our faith as well. Not everyone can accept it.

There are a lot of things hard to accept. It is hard to accept that we should surrender our lives to God and die of ourselves because we want to be in control of our lives, we want to enjoy life. It is hard to accept that we should carry our cross because we do not want to experience sufferings. It is hard to accept that we should love others first, because we want to put ourselves first. It is hard to accept that we should obey God, because there are a lot of times his will is against what we want, when we think we know better. Is it hard to do all these if our hearts are hardened to God.

Jesus tells us today not everyone can accept these things. Question is, are we one of those people? Do we submit our will to God, and die of ourselves and our desires, no matter how hard it is? Are we willing to carry our cross so we can be one with Jesus in his suffering as we prepare for eternal life with him? are we willing to love others first, and put their welfare above ours, even if they are unlovable people? Are we willing to obey God and the church leaders even if we do not always agree with them, even If we think we know better?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you it’s Friday! Lord, I pray for a heart that is made after yours. Slowly transform my heart to become more and more like yours. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-