No Looking Back

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111116.cfm) reminds me that as we live in Christ, there should be no looking back to our old life. 

We have a saying that goes “Ang hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan.” This shows that in our journey in life, it is important to know and remember where we came from, where we started, and not to forget our beginnings. However, in God’s kingdom, it may not always be best to look back as we move forward to serve him.

Everyone in Christ is a new creation. 

In the gospel, we see that the wife of Lot was not saved. In Genesis, there is a story about Lot and his wife. They were supposed to escape the destruction of Sodom, and the angel told them to just flee and don't look back. However, Lot's wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt.

Looking back can hinder the progress of moving forward.

It is not necessary to look back to your old life. This just opens the door to temptation and relapse.  Once you decide to choose God, to follow Him, then it should be permanent. No need to reminisce of your old life, or old decisions or sins. As we choose God, as we allow ourselves to be transformed, we should just let God use and mold us, and not look back to what we are before.

As we live our new life in Christ, as we allow Him to mold and use us, may we not be tempted to look back at our old lives and just focus on what lies ahead.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Lord, thank you for always welcoming me as I come to you. Thank you for fresh starts. Lord, sorry for the times I do not focus on you. Sorry for the times I look back and get affected in the process. Sorry for the times I relapse. I pray that I may continue to submit to you, and never look back to what I was before you in my life. Help me surrender and just focus in you. I allow you to mold me and change me. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 11, 2016
Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop
Lectionary: 495

Reading 1 2 Jn 4-9

[Chosen Lady:]
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth
just as we were commanded by the Father.
But now, Lady, I ask you,
not as though I were writing a new commandment
but the one we have had from the beginning:
let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments;
this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning,
in which you should walk.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world,
those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh;
such is the deceitful one and the antichrist.
Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for
but may receive a full recompense.
Anyone who is so “progressive”
as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God;
whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18

R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Alleluia Lk 21:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
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.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left.”
They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”
He said to them, “Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather.”