Everyday Decision

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021413.cfm) reminds me that following God is an everyday decision.

Yesterday, before going to the 12noon Ash Wednesday mass in our office, I was about to pay my credit card bill, when after I reviewed, I saw one transaction that was not supposed to be there. I called the card company to report the incident, and was told that I would have to file a credit card dispute, receipt of which would trigger their investigation on the matter. Right then and there, I wanted to go to the merchant to inform them of the incident with the hope of expediting things, but I saw that it was almost 12:00 noon. As a person, I want to get things done as soon as possible, I don’t want to have pending items to be done, especially when I can do them anyway. However, I was thinking that if I go to the merchant, I would surely be late for mass and might not be able to focus on the Eucharistic Celebration. Praise God, I was led to choose to go to mass first, was able to find a good spot inside the chapel, and was able to focus on the great celebration.

The gospel tells us the same thing. The decision to follow God is done everyday. The decision to love God should be done everyday.

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me

Being a follower of Christ is not a one-time deal. It is not a one-time big time decision you make after you attend a retreat or join a community. It may start from there, but following Jesus is an every day decision we should make. From the little things in life, to the things we consider as “big.” Everyday we decide who we follow, who we love, and who we are living for.

May we use this season of lent to prepare for our church’s greatest celebration – Easter. May we grow closer to God as we choose to follow him every day.

Do I realize that I should follow God everyday, or do I think that it is a one-time decision? Am I willing to follow Christ everyday? How am I carrying my cross everyday?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me of the challenge you have for me – to take up my cross everyday, to follow you everyday. I am sorry Lord for being complacent and for thinking that following you is a one-time decision. Help me to choose you every day, that in my thoughts, words and actions, I may always choose to love, serve and glorify you, Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ash Wednesday 2013

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021313.cfm) reminds us of the importance of detachment from the things of the world.

Ash Wednesday is a day where Catholics do fasting and abstinence. The readings show us how God values fasting. It is one of the spiritual disciplines we do in order to get closer to God and show him how much we love him, as well as how much we are sorry for our sins.

When we fast, we detach ourselves from the comforts of this world and take time to be one with God in his suffering for our sins. We reject the pleasures of this world, even the food we need, and depend fully on God to get us through the day. We offer the pain and suffering, from food, and allow God to give us strength. We try to show God that our love for him and the desire to be one with him and to be more like him is greater than our desire to be comfortable.

We also fast when we are praying for something – during discernment or when we are asking for a favour from God. This is not our way of bargaining with God, but rather a way in which we want to be closer to God. As we go through the fasting, we call unto God to give us strength. We offer the pain to him and ask that we be more like him. As we become one with him, his desires will be our desires, and we will be more enlightened to choose what God wants us to take when we are discerning, and openly accept God’s answer to our prayers when we ask him for something.

Good news – we will be rewarded for fasting.

Bad news – we will be rewarded only once.

The gospel reminds us that we should not fast for others to see. It will either be God, or others, who will reward us for fasting. This is true for prayer and almsgiving. We should fast, pray, give alms and abstain for the right intentions.

As we usher in the season of Lent, may we be disciplined to fast, abstain, pray more and give alms to others. Today, we are  required to fast and abstain. Fasting and abstinence is not just from food and meat, but in these world nowadays there are a lot of ways and things we can fast and abstain from – internet, facebook, sweets, too much food, etc. what is important is we are ready and willing to detach ourselves from this world and be one with God in suffering for others for love of God.

Am I ready to fast and abstain today? This holy week, what am I ready to give up for Christ?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for your love that is always ready to welcome me back into your arms. Lord, as we usher in the season of lent, help me be ready and willing to fast and abstain. Lead me Lord and tell me what you want me to give up this lent. Help me also to become extra sensitive to the needs of others, and spend more time in prayer. This season, may I be one with you in suffering and detachment from this world, and may I grow even more closer to you, and more in love with you, just like Jesus and Mary. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflections:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/02/god-sees.html

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/10/detachment.html

What’s Your Choice?

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021213.cfm) reminds us that we have to make our choices everyday.

Yesterday, we saw that everything that God created was good. (See http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/02/is-god-glad.html). Today, we are again reminded that he created the other creatures of the earth, and again, he found everything good.

However, when God created man, he not only found them good, but he made them in His image and likeness.

Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them

We were created in the image and likeness of God, he put more effort in creating us, and gave us dominion over everything that God created.

If God created us in his image and likeness, why do we see “bad” people, as Christ tells the Pharisees and scribes in the gospel?

God loves us so much that he gave us free will. Even if he created us in his image and likeness, it is up to us if we will stay that way or if we will choose to let the world and all its evil corrupt us.

In as much as he loves us and gave us dominion over other things, he also gave us the responsibility to care and protect them, not to exploit them for our needs. It is our choice if we will take care of them or exploit them. It is also our choice if we will stay in the image and likeness of God, loving him and serving him, or if we will let the evil of the world drown us and corrupt us. We are given choices everyday, and we should always make a choice – for God or against him.

What is your choice?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me how much you love me, and that I am made in your image and likeness. Thank you for the gift of freedom, of having choices in life to do good or otherwise. Lord, I pray that I always make the right choice. Help me focus on you and not let the world and all its evil corrupt me. May I keep my eyes on the prize and constantly choose to love and serve you, as I stay in your image and likeness. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Is God Glad?

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021113.cfm) reminds me that we should make God glad.

The first reading reminds us of the story of creation. God created everything from nothing. God created everything with his word, his powerful word. We believe that everything that God created is beautiful, indeed it is written – “God saw how good it was.” God did not create something ugly or evil – everything God created was seen as good in the eyes of God, they made God glad.

In the gospel, we see someone who made God really glad. Jesus, out of love for God, became man, did God’s work on earth, and died so that we could live. His life on earth, his love for God, surely made God glad.

We are challenged and encouraged by the psalmist to do the same. “May the Lord be glad in his works.”

Is the Lord glad in you?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another week. Lord, I ask that you help me live a life that would make you glad. I know that sometimes, or a lot of times, I am not able to make you happy by the way I live my life, and for that, I am sorry.  You know my heart, and you know how much I love you. I pray that that love may be translated into action. May my life be pleasing to you and others. Amen.

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

Conversion

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021013.cfm) shows us three separate instances of conversion.

In the first reading, we see Isaiah being converted. He was made clean by God.

Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed!
For I am a man of unclean lips,

He touched my mouth with it, and said,
“See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged

God is like soap. He doesn’t run away from dirty objects, but his mere presence cleans us from all sin and unworthiness. We just need to humble ourselves and come to him.

The gospel shows us the conversion of his first apostles -  Simon, James and John. From their usual routine, these fishermen were called to become fishers of men. No matter how simple, normal or routinary our lives may be, Jesus still calls us to serve him in ways more than one. We just need to be open to Him and respond when he calls us.

Probably one of the greatest conversion story in history is St Paul’s conversion. We see his story in the second reading. From one of the fierce persecutors of Christians, Saul was called by God, and was converted to become Paul, one of the great evangelists of all time.

because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me

No matter how lost we may be, God will still find us, and will still invite us to serve him. we just need to be open and allow him to use us.

Where are you right now in your life? Are you needing conversion? Are you open to be used by God?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for seeing the goodness in me. Lord, I may not be serving you now in the way you want me to, or in the way I should be. Give me humility and faith to just come to you. Help me become open to you and be sensitive to ways you are calling me to be converted, ways you are calling me to serve you. Lord, I pray that I see myself as you see me- precious, capable of doing good, and worthy to serve you. May I also be open and allow you to use me, however unworthy I may see myself. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

Others First

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020913.cfm) reminds me to be like Christ and put others first

We see in the gospel that Christ put others first – his disciples and the people.

The disciples were telling him stories on their journey. They were tired but happy. Fulfilled with their mission. Jesus probably would have wanted to continue listening to them, or to continue working with them to further God’s kingdom. However, he knew they were tired, so he put them first and told them to go away and rest – both physically and spiritually.

Then when they got to the place, instead of resting and spending time with the disciples, Jesus again out others first, this time the people. They were hungry for God’s word, as shown by their effort to go to the place even before Jesus and his disciples arrived.  Jesus was moved and taught them many things, he satisfied their desires and longing to know God more.

As Christ is willing and ready to put others first, we too are encouraged to do the same. Sometimes, or a lot of times, we have personal needs and desires. However, we also are called to be sensitive to others, and reach out to others and not just focus on ourselves. As we experience God’s love, we are expected to share it to others.

Am I willing to put others first, or am I too focused on my own concerns?

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another weekend. Lord, thank you for putting me first. Thank you for always being ready to come to my rescue, and thank you for your heart that is moved with pity for us who seek you, for us who are hungry for you. Lord, may I have the heart of Mama Mary, that even if she was pregnant and had her concerns on her pregnancy and her being the mother of Christ, she put others first and travelled to serve her cousin Elizabeth. Lord, give me that heart, and enable me to serve and put others first despite my personal concerns. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Don't be Afraid

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020813.cfm) reminds is not to be afraid.

They say that the word “Do not be afraid” appears in the bible more than 365 times, and that is more than enough to remind us every day not to be afraid, that God is with us and he is in control.

The readings are full of reminders for us not to be afraid…

Let your life be free from love of money
but be content with what you have,
for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.
Thus we may say with confidence:

The Lord is my helper,
and I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?

Further on, the psalmist tells us..

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?

Be it people or circumstances, we are reminded not to be afraid. God is on our side, and he is in control of everything.

In the gospel we see a man who lived this. John the Baptist was not afraid to live his faith. He was not afraid to work for God, even going against the powerful during his time. He was committed to God’s work, to the point of death. He may have died on earth, but we know that God is taking care of him for eternity.

Having God on our side does not necessarily mean life is going to be easy. Jesus himself said that he is not of this world, and that the devil is the prince of this world. That’s why we should expect the world to treat us bad, since we are of God, and God is not of this world. Whatever challenges we may experience in the world, we are reminded not to be afraid, God is on our side and is always in control. Like John the Baptist we just need to be faithful in doing God’s work despite of everything.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me again to not be afraid. Thank you for always reminding me that I should not be afraid, that you are on my side, and that you are in control. Father God, help me always remember that. Help me surrender to you and live my life in serving you, knowing that my work for you will not be vain. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-