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Tag: bible

  • IN GRATITUDE AND LOVE

    IN GRATITUDE AND LOVE

    March 28, 2025 – Friday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032825.cfm)

    A scholar of the law asked Jesus, what was the greatest of all the commandments? Jesus responded with two that are inter-related. The first is, “to love God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” And second, “to love your neighbor as yourself.”

    Our Christian faith must be rooted in these two commandments. However, following these two greatest commandments we need the right attitude.

    The possible failure and difficulty for many of us in practicing our faith is when we limit faith within church laws. Limiting ourselves within the imposed laws or commandments brings us into a legalistic attitude. This attitude believes that Christianity is only about fulfilling laws. When we break a law or a rule, we feel guilty.

    This attitude is not what God wants for us. God does not want us to merely feel guilty of the wrong we did. To only feel guilty does not make move forward. It does not inspire growth and maturity in our heart and spirit. Rather, God wants us to feel sorry because our response to Him is lacking and ungrateful. This makes us understand of the gravity of our faults. This brings us towards reconciliation and conversion.

    Indeed, we may have laws but God wants us to look what is behind these many laws. This is what Jesus said to the teachers of the law. Jesus revealed to them the meaning behind those laws, and that was love – to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

    We are only able to respond to God with love when we ourselves are conscious of God’s love for us, of God’s goodness and generosity in us.

    The first reading from the Book of Hosea tells us how God shows mercy and compassion to the erring people. God promised, “I will heal their disloyalty and love them with all my heart.” God as if speaking in human language, shows faithfulness to us despite our unfaithfulness.

    This experience of forgiveness, mercy, love and faithfulness from God moves us now to respond to God, to respond in “gratitude and love.” This is the right attitude that we are called to develop.

    Jesus invites us today – that as we live our lives as Christians, our response to God should be out of “gratefulness and love” not out of fear or mere obligation. Thus, faith is beyond obligation, it is a human response of love to the God who first loved us, as the late Pope Benedict XVI reminded us.

    Our love for God will then be shown in our words as well as in our actions. We express our generosity to those who are in need because we are grateful to God who is generous to us. We show our concern and affection to our friends because God shows his love to us in many ways. We forgive those who have hurt us because God has forgiven us first. Hinaut pa.

  • BY THE FINGER OF GOD

    BY THE FINGER OF GOD

    March 27, 2025 – Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032725.cfm)

    It would be very easy to take for granted God’s manifestations. The Lord bestows graces in the most ordinary and simple ways. More so, when our heart is filled with selfishness, then, we tend to only see ourselves and not the Lord God who is at work in our lives and in the lives of others.

    This was the very situation that Jesus found himself as he was surrounded by people who were filled with selfishness. They refused to believe in God’s power working in Jesus and thus failed to recognize the wonder that the finger of God has done.

    This where we shall also find the difference between those who said that Jesus drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul and those who were possessed by the evil spirits.

    Those who said that Jesus worked with Beelzebul were the ones who did not recognize God in the person of Jesus. Their arrogance blinded them from acknowledging that God liberates those who were distressed and suffering. The arrogance in them came from the “self that was filled of themselves.”

    This means that some of those Pharisees and teachers of the law had no room for God. They seemed to believe in God because of their elaborate prayers and meticulous observance of the law. Yet, what mattered most for them was for the people to recognize them and praise their self-righteousness. They also looked at and treated those who were suffering and possessed by evil spirits as completely hopeless.

    In that way, Jesus cannot work in them. No matter how Jesus would desire conversion from them but their denial of God’s presence and power prevented them. Their arrogance truly blinds and also paralyzes them making them unaware of God’s liberating presence in their midst.

    However, those who were suffering and in pain were restored by Jesus. Those who were possessed were liberated and healed “by the finger of God.” These kind of people recognized their need of healing and freedom, thus, of their need of God. Through their suffering, they humbled themselves. Through their humility, they recognized God in the person of Jesus. Jesus, therefore, was allowed to work in them, to heal them and to free them from whatever burden and suffering they had.

    This tells us that Jesus is indeed more powerful than any evil spirit. Yet, Jesus can only work also if we would allow Jesus to heal us. Our arrogance and denial of our issues and problems would do us no good.

    The Gospel reminds us too that we do not need to seek “signs from heaven” or any extra-ordinary events to happen, before we believe. Jesus works in us and brings healing in us even through ordinary means.

    So, be mindful of the goodness and kindness of the people around you. Affirm and appreciate the ordinary expressions of love and affection from your loved ones and friends. Never underestimate the power of silent prayers of those who support you. The Lord is also truly present with those people and in those moments. Never miss, then, the encouraging and healing presence of the Lord in those familiar and ordinary expressions from our relationships. Hinaut pa.

  • TO FOLLOW AND OBEY

    TO FOLLOW AND OBEY

    March 26, 2025 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032625.cfm)

    When we are told to only “do this” and to “do that” as well as “don’t do this” and “don’t do that,” how do we react? How do we respond? Wherever we are, whether at home, at school at work or in an organization or community, we find rules and regulations being implemented. Our nation and the church is also being guided by laws and decrees that we have to follow. With all of these, are they restricting and limiting us? Do they give us rather more freedom and protection?

    When I was also younger especially in high school and college, I would always look at rules and regulations as something that put limitations to what I can do. These were mostly expressed or stated like, “you shall not,” or “don’t.”

    These rules and regulations were reinforced by my strict parents, siblings and teachers at schools. I was taught indirectly to be fearful. If ever I disobey, then, there will be a consequence, a corresponding punishment whether corporal or verbal.

    This formed me be to obedient. Yet, I was also a very fearful boy. I followed every rule. I was never been late in school and had only one absent in my entire high school. And that was when I was very sick. I was obedient to the rules and regulations, to teachers and other persons of authority. And it was because I fear them. Only later that I realized that I was relating in a very unhealthy way. I felt so unfree because of my fear of being punished. I saw authority figures as merely who executed and deliver painful and shameful punishments.

    Yet, I also realized that this was not the right attitude. Rules and regulations, or even Church laws are originally designed to make us free. As we relate with one another, laws and decrees are meant to protect us rather than harm us. We feel them restrictive to our freedom only when we lack the right attitude. Self-expression suffers if we do not respond properly to laws or rules and regulations.

    Our Gospel today reminded us of the right attitude towards laws. Jesus himself told us that he has come not to abolish the law and the teachings of the prophets. Jesus was to fulfill them.

    Hence, it is in fulfilling the law or commandment of God that we find joy and peace, security and life.

    So how, what kind of attitude then? We find it in Jesus’ relationship with his Father in heaven. Jesus trusts completely the Father. He never doubted his intimacy with the Father and the Father’s love for him. He is indeed secured in the Father’s love. This was manifested and clear when Jesus was on the cross, in pain and was about to die. Despite his confusions and questions in his own suffering, he trusted the Father as he offered his life.

    The invitation for us now is to take confidence in God’s tremendous love and affection for us. It is only by being confident that we also learn to follow God’s commands because we know that we respond in love and not in fear.

    To follow and obey out of love will make us Christians who are free; Christian who live not in the fear of being punished or being limited by many restrictions and “don’ts.” We are rather, Christians who are confident and assured of being loved and cherished by God. Hinaut pa.

  • HOPE? Only If & When….

    HOPE? Only If & When….

    March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032325-YearC.cfm)

    How do we make sense of a lot of things going on with our lives nowadays? Still adjusting from the life-threatening COVID pandemic, we are also now amidst violence, terrorism, disasters, and killings along with the imminent threat of world war, oil price hike, dwindling geo & national politics. On the jubilee year of Hope, as pilgrims of hope amidst challenging life-situations, we also ponder & discern the question: “Is there and can we still HOPE in life?

    As some people reported to Jesus about disasters and killings happened to Galileans in our gospel today, the central issue raised is also about Hope in life. “Can we still hope for God’s salvation? Is there still a hope and meaning in life now & ahead?” Sometimes with a lot of miseries happening in our world today, like calamities, wars, poverty, disasters, exploitation, corruptions, electioneering and injustices, we do find life at times hopeless and meaningless.

    This reminds me of a story about a beggar who had a rice bowl to beg. Every time he asks for some food or money from others, he would just stick out his rice bowl and beg for something. At times, he is too ashamed to beg – he cannot even look at them at the eyes. But many at times, he could be too rude to force others to give him some scraps of food or some coins.

    Like other beggars, he dreams that someday he will become a millionaire. But he knows that such dream is impossible and just a wishful thinking because he got nothing but a mere dirty battered rice bowl he inherited from his family of beggars. Sometimes he would blame God for his life’s misery. He considers himself a hopeless and useless case.

    One day, while begging, a merchant noticed his rice bowl and asked if he could have a look at it. The merchant then examined his rice bowl and concluded, “You must be stupid begging for  scraps. You should not be asking for others help because you are one of the most fortunate persons in the city. This rice bowl of yours is a priceless antique made of pure GOLD. Just wash it clean and it will cost you a fortune. Why don’t you sell it to me? I could give you five million dollars for it.”

    But the beggar just laughed off what he heard from the merchant. He simply could not believe that his useless rice bowl is worth a fortune. He dismissed everything the merchant said and continued to beg for some food or money using his dirty battered but priceless golden antique rice bowl. What a waste. What a shame.

    Sometimes, we are like that beggar. God has already given us a lot of His graces. He almost gave up everything for us – His life, His love, His salvation, His only Son. God has already endowed each and everyone of us enough of His blessings. He has given us not only a chance but a lot of chances to live life, and a golden rice bowl of faith in Him.

    But like that beggar, we rarely recognize God’s precious gifts to us. We rarely recognize our Faith. Sometimes we are not contented with our simple faith. Instead, we look for signs. We look for other substitutes. We beg for other scraps of beliefs. We dream for miracles but in vain. Then, we find life useless, and get hopeless with life.

    Like in our gospel however, as the gardener assured his master that there is always a hope for a dry fig tree to bear fruits again – only if and when given a chance, Jesus also reassures us that there is always hope in life, if & when we change our ways. Jesus in our gospel today reminds us that God has given each and everyone of us a chance to live life to its fullness.

    He calls us to see all life miseries are not signs of a vengeful God, but a constant wake up call & pruning for us to repentance, conversion and Christian life. For Him, there is still hope for those who repent and believe in the Gospel – for those who cleans up their golden bowl of our Christian faith.

    We began the Lenten season last Ash Wednesday, with the words: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.” It simply means that the season of Lent is the time for us not only to prepare ourselves for the Easter but also to examine and purify our rice bowl of faith, and then to recognize and accept the preciousness, fortune, and chance it brings. In other words, there is hope only if and when we repent, we change our ways and believe in the Gospel – in the good news, in our golden bowl of chance to live God has already given & blessed us. Otherwise, there is no hope and meaning at all.

    Perhaps more than saying that “We are Filipinos for nothing”, more so we should believe & proclaim to ourselves & others that “We are Filipino Christians for nothing.”

    As we struggle with our life-journey nowadays during these trying times, help usO Lord to acknowledge & responsibly accept Your Gift of faith in us, for us to discover meaning, hope, strength, & direction through the life-challenges ahead of us.

    So be it. Amen.

  • AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    AN ENVIOUS HEART CORRUPTS

    March 21, 2025 – Friday of the Second Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032125.cfm)

    Having siblings makes our home more fun. During our childhood days, our siblings were our first playmates. They too become our protectors at school whenever someone would bully us. Being in any home, we too experience quarrels and tensions with our siblings.

    Moreover, when some kind of competition would arise, it also breeds jealousy and even envy among siblings. To us children, in some occasions we could have felt that we are more loved by our parents than the rest of our siblings. However, it could also be the other way around. We might have felt we are receiving lesser love and attention from our parents.

    When we are being compared to the one who is more responsible than us, or more talented and intelligent, etc., this can be painful. A deep emotional wound is created deep within our heart because of constant comparison and discrimination that we receive at home. Hence, relationships among our siblings are being stretched until a gap of indifference and mutual bitterness and hatred arise.

    In the first reading, Book of Genesis told us that “Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age.” These are the first words from the first reading today. Yet, that love of Israel towards his youngest son, became the reason for deep envy and hatred of his other sons.

    The envious hearts of Joseph’s brothers became cruel and vicious. The older brothers must have believed that their brother did not deserve such love and attention from their father. In that culture before, the youngest was considered to be the least and the less important.

    Thus, the brothers must have claimed that they deserved more than him. This was how their envy consumed them to the point that their thoughts and actions became violent and corrupted. Their youngest brother became the victim of those envious hearts.

    Though Reuben and Judah tried to save the life of their brother, yet, not one of them stoop up and confronted the evil that they were planning. They could not because they were into it already.

    This tells us that when we become envious of others, we will tend to get aggressively what we wanted. Our selfish ambitions and intentions will lead us to corrupt and evil practices, such as in deceiving and manipulating others. 

    Such attitude only portrays a self-image that is dominating, powerful and that must be considered a master who is above everybody else. However, this attitude would consider others as lesser and not important. It is in fact a boastful self, arrogant and vain, but deep within, insecure and filled with bitterness.

    This is what we have heard also from the Gospel. The parable was not actually about labor issues. It was about the bitterness and aggression showed by the tenants against the servants and to the son of the landowner. The tenants, who were actually the chief priests and Pharisees, became self-entitled and believed that they were the only deserving people of God’s grace and favor. Their envious and ambitious hearts also became unwelcoming, greedy and vicious.

    Like the brothers of Joseph, they too began to plan evil things against Jesus. They wanted to arrest and kill him. Indeed, this happened to Jesus. But then, their evil thoughts and plans cannot and will not defeat God’s power to bring salvation and freedom to all.

    As Joseph became the savior of his own brothers during the great drought and famine, Jesus also through his resurrection proved that evil has no match with the wonder of what love can do.

    As we continue to journey in this Season of Lent, let our hearts be overwhelmed, not by our envy towards others, but by our love and affection towards one another. Let us also recall and acknowledge the conflicts, tensions and misunderstanding we have with our siblings. Have the courage and humility to repair any gap of indifference and to heal any mutual bitterness with our siblings and friends. Hinaut pa.