I Am Special

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110713.cfm) reminds me that I am special in God's eyes.

All of us wants to feel loved. All of us wants to feel special. All of us wants to be important. However, not all of us feel that way. People around us does not necessarily make us feel that way. But in the gospel, Jesus himself tells us that we are.

In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Wow. One sinner. That is me. Imagine how many people are in this world, yet heaven rejoices over me. That's how special and important I am. That's how special and important you are.

No matter how normal we may feel, or no matter how unimportant we may feel or others may make us feel, we are reminded that we are important in God's eyes. He reaches to each and everyone of us in a personal way, in a way only you and Him can understand. And every time we repent, every time we try to do God's will, every time we surrender to God, heaven rejoices!

May we always remember how special and important we are in God's eyes.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another reminder that i am special in your eyes, that I am important in your eyes. Lord, I pray that I see myself as you see me - special, important and capable of doing good. And as i do so, I ask that you help me repent and live for you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

A Different Kind of Love

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110613.cfm) gave me a new perspective on love.

An excerpt of the first reading says:

and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

When we hear the word love, a lot of times we think of something romantic. However, that is just an aspect or a kind of love. In the reading wee see a powerful, everyday, normal kind of love - love we sometimes take for granted or so not practice.

As Christians, we have 10 commandments. However, Jesus rightly sums this in two - love God above all, and love neighbor as yourself. We all love ourselves and will not deliberately do anything that will put ourselves at a disadvantage - and Jesus wants us to do this to others as well.

As we look at commandments 4-10, we see that it is all about other people. To fulfill the law and commandments, we need not memorize everything word for word. We just need to remember one thing- love and do no evil to others.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for your reminder of how important and powerful love is. I am sorry for failing to love others the way you want me to. I pray that you help me love others - love that does not want anything in return, love that loves until it hurts, and love that loves even the unlovable. As i do so, i know that I will not only follow your law and commandants, but will also be more and more like you. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Excuses

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110513.cfm) reminds me that we give God a lot of excuses in our lives.

In the gospel we see the parable of the great feast. The master invited a lot of people but they all declined. They have a lot of excuses not to go to the feast. Though they seem valid, it shows that going to the feast was given less importance in their lives.

In our lives, something similar is happening. God is clear how he wants us to live our lives. God is clear on what he wants us to do. We see that in the first reading. However, like the original guests, we give him excuses for not doing these things. "Lord, I will love others when I have more time. Lord, I will help others when I have more resources. Lord I will serve you when I retire from work. Lord, i will forgive others after i have gotten back at them. Lord, I will start praying more, going to mass, go to confession tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. We all have excuses for not doing what God wants.

May we be challenged and moved as we hear today's Word.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another gift. Thank you for another opportunity to live for you. I am sorry for all the excuses I give you. May I be moved as I am challenged today. Help me Lord. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Of Helping and Giving

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110413.cfm) reminds me that we should not expect anything in return for doing good.

When we give something to someone, or do something good to someone, we somehow, consciously or not expect that person to be at least good to us - as a way of saying thank you. When we give a gift, we expect the person to at least say thank you. That maybe is just normal, but one wise person once told me that we should not expect anything, even a thank you, as we do things for others. Why? Because when we help others, the intention should be to help, period. We should not help expecting the person to feel a sense of 'utang na loob' or to have a favor to us. That is self serving. How the person takes it or reacts to the help we give should be of no concern to us.

This is what Jesus is saying in the gospel. Helping others is not an investment. Helping is not a fallback in case you would be needing help in the future. You don’t help people to they owe you something, just in case you would be needing their help in the future. Giving to others is not for future savings, so you would be able to ask from them when you are in need. Helping is helping, giving is giving, period.

May we always remember this, and may our intentions always be pure as we do things for others.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another week. Lord, as I start the week, I pray that I always be reminded of the reason I should help. May my intentions always be pure as I do things for others, and may i not treat helping as an investment for the future. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Action, Man

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110313.cfm) reminds me that we should be moved into action as we experience God.

God wants us to act. Experiencing him is not enough. Knowing him is not enough. In Scripture it says that faith without works is dead. Indeed, hindi pwedeng puro realizations lang. We should act.

In the gospel we see how God wants us to act. How he values us acting. Repenting. He visited Zacchaeus, and his visit was a fruitful one. Zacchaeus did not only know God and learned about Him. He had realizations, but it did not stop there. It moved him into action, and Jesus appreciated it and confirmed that "salvation has come to this house"

They say love is not love till you give it away. And same with God, knowing him is not real until it moves us to action - to repentance and to good works.

May we be challenged and inspired.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday! Lord, I thank you for Zacchaeus who is an inspiration. Thank you for not being quick to judge. I pray that experiencing you ib my life move me into action - to repent and to do good. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Grace of God

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110213.cfm) reminds me that God is so gracious to us, even if we don’t deserve it.

There are a lot of readings for today, but one of the options of the gospel struck me. Luke 7:11-17. As Jesus and his disciples was walking, a dead man was being carried out the gate of the city. He was the only son, and Jesus saw the mother, a widow, weeping. Jesus was moved with pity and brought the man back to life. This in essence also brought the woman to life – since they get their identity in society from men. And being a widow, and just losing her only son, meant she is nothing already.

Grace of God.

In a lot of miracles, we see that Jesus needs an act of faith from us. People had faith in him – asking them to heal them, their friend, their mother in law, or daughter. Some have faith that if they are able to touch the tassel of Jesus’ cloak, they will be healed. However, we did not see that in this gospel. The widow did not ask that Jesus bring her son to life. She probably did not even know who Jesus was. She probably do not have faith at all. However, God is gracious.

There are a lot of times we experience his grace. There are a lot of times we experience blessings – undeserved blessings. There are a lot of times we experience his goodness even if we do not deserve it, even if we do not expect it.

As we celebrate the solemnity of all souls, let us have faith that just as God is gracious to us, he too is gracious to those who went ahead. And as we experience his grace and blessings in our lives, may we also be moved and pass it to others, especially to those who do not deserve it.

Father God,

Thank you for today. thank you for another day to live. Thank you for this weekend. Lord, I thank you for your graces. Thank you for undeserved blessings. Thank you for seeing the goodness in me, and for blessing me even if I do not deserve it. I pray that I be moved and bless others, especially those who do not deserve it. In a special way we also lift up to you today our dearly departed. Welcome them into your kingdom. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Great Reward

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110113.cfm) reminds me that there is a great reward waiting for the faithful ones.

When we were small kids, we usually go to the province, in the beach house of my uncle. In that place, you have to go down 150 steps to get to the beach. Of course going down was easy, it is the stairs up that was always the problem. One time i was on the way up and was really tired, then a family friend going up the stairs with me told me to imagine food waiting for me when i reach the top of the stairs. Of course it got me excited and instead of focusing on the pain and hardship of walking up the 150 step stairway, i focused on the imaginary food waiting for me when I get to the top.

This is what I was reminded of in today's readings. Something great is waiting for us, and we should focus on that.

In the first reading it says that those who survived the time of great distress will be rewarded. In the second reading it is said that what even if what will happen to us has not yet been revealed, we should have faith that we will be like Jesus. And in the gospel, Jesus assures us that despite of the hardships and challenges we experience in this world as we follow him, we will be rewarded in heaven.

As we celebrate the solemnity of all saints, may we be inspired that as we continually work for God, we will certainly be rewarded, like the saints.  Something great is waiting for us, so we should be one with the psalmist in saying that we too, long to see God's face and enjoy our reward.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another holiday. Thank you for reminding me that something great is waiting for me. Lord I pray that I be inspired by the Saints and continue to live my life in love and service of you, expecting you to bless and reward me when we see each other i heaven. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-