Category: Season of Lent
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Forgiving without a limit
Unless, we find forgiveness in our hearts that begins with accepting and embracing those painful experiences and go on with life, then, we will not be free. Remember, forgiveness will make us free.It will not erase the scar of betrayal or of abuse or of deceit in our life but we will be able to stand up, to wipe our tears and go on with life.
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Making God more present around us, more than the virus
Two invitations for us today. First, open our eyes to see and recognize how God works in our life. Be more sensitive also of God’s presence working in the life of others because God brings his grace to us through people around us. Like Naaman, we are invited to be welcoming of God’s instruments who could just be our family member, a friend, a colleague or even a stranger. Second, allow Jesus to make us His instruments. Like Elisha, be more welcoming of those who seek help from us. Indeed, God calls us in our own capacity to be an instrument of healing and of God’s grace. We may be moved to make ourselves available for God and for others out of gratitude to God.
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If and when the well runs dry, dig deeper
In dryness and abundance of water, there are a lot of positive things happens at wellsprings of life. Usually at the wellsprings of our life we experience, renew and deepen our life-commitments and relationships with one another and our faith in God through Jesus. The season of Lent is also the wellsprings of our Christian life. It is the appropriate place and time to once again in encounter and experience God’s life-giving saving act through the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ.
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Going deeper to dialogue with Jesus
Her dialogue with Jesus turned her bitterness, desperation and sadness into hope and joy. At the end, the words of Jesus, “Give me a drink,” have become her words too, she said, “Give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty again or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
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Loving beyond the minimum
What Jesus is calling us now is that in our relationships too and in the expression of our faith, go beyond what is minimum. And this is done by loving our enemies and by making them our friends, at least in our own perspective. Not just to settle down to what is only beneficial for us but to extend ourselves to others by becoming more generous of ourselves and presence to those who need company, friendship and assurance of love and affection.
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stoop down low enough… to listen to Him
Pope Francis once said: “People listen to radio, to TV and to gossips throughout the day, but do we take a bit a time each day to listen to Jesus?” True indeed, we spend a lot of time listening to and knowing about others. We also may spend some time listening to and knowing about ourselves. But do we spend some time to listen to and know Jesus? Listening to Jesus entails praying low enough in and with God’s silence. Only in silent prayer, we can recognize Him and listen to Him.
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To be righteous beyond what is minimal
Jesus gave a very practical challenge to his disciples, an action that expresses mercy and compassion. Jesus calls for “Reconciliation” and “Reparation” of the damage we have caused to others. To be reconciled with the person whom we have hurt and those who have hurt us expresses the essence of this Season of Lent.
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God is for everyone and His mercy is for all
God indeed shows mercy. Jesus who became human like us and lived among us is the Father’s ultimate sign of mercy and love. In Jesus, the Father tells us that we are never abandoned, that there is always hope and goodness in each of us no matter how broken we are, and sinful we have turned to be. God always sees goodness in us.
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What are my temptations?
The message for us today is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into our own deserts, to face our own struggles, difficulties and problems. We are called not to escape from our own difficulties and challenges in life but to face them with courage and faith. Like Jesus, we too are assured that the Holy Spirit is with us. Hopefully, we may discover and reaffirm God’s tremendous love and forgiveness for us in this season of Lent, to renew and transform us. Hinaut pa.
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Get-rid, Get-into, Get through
Easy for us indeed to fall into temptations. The biggest problem in dealing with temptations is our lack of self-knowledge, our lack of recognizing and overcoming the evil within ourselves. We struggle with the evils of others and in our society but the toughest struggle is to acknowledge and overcome the evil within our own selves, the evil in our own hearts. We were born with conflicting goodness and evil within. That is why we can be good and can do good, but not easily, since there are always tensions and struggles within ourselves. Moreover, we can only withstand these difficulties, if we are wise enough to rely not only in our strength but in God’s help and power.
A DOSE OF GOD TODAY 