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Tag: Signs from God

  • SIGNS AND MEANINGS

    SIGNS AND MEANINGS

    October 14, 2024 – Monday 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101424.cfm)

    Everywhere we look at, there are many signs around us. Depending on its intended us, a particular sign will tell us what it is about. For example, a red light in an intersection, would tell us that cars should stop and let those other side of the intersection pass through since they have the green light. In a water dispenser, a red colored faucet means hot water while the green or blue means cold water.

    There are also natural signs around us. When we see thick and dark clouds above us, most likely rain will come in few minutes or hours. After an earthquake, when the sea would recede quickly, surely, there will be a tsunami after.

    Aside from these, there are also human emotional signs that we have to be aware of. When a person who withdraws into the recesses of his/her room, feeling sad or anxious and lonely, the person might be already undergoing depression. A person who feels afraid and terrified over particular  another person, event or place, the person might have a traumatic experience associated in those things.

    These are just few examples of different signs around us and of their meanings. And it is also important that we are able to understand them and so respond appropriately to every particular situation.

    In today’s Gospel, we too are reminded of signs. Jesus was asked by the people to give them sign before they believe in him and in what he showed them. The people seemed to believe rather that Jesus was like a magician who would do out of this world signs that would entertain them. Their demand to give them a sign was rather, a sign as well, that they have not able to understand the greatest sign already given to them.

    Jesus was the greatest sign ever revealed by the Father. Yet, their unbelieving and malicious hearts made them close-minded. Even when the sign was in front of them, they refused to see and recognized God’s greatest sign of love and salvation.

    St. Paul in his Letter to the Galatians reminds us that such attitude and way of life is a sign that these people still like with the yoke of slavery. It was slavery of hatred and indifference, the slavery of malice and selfishness. Hence, they were not free.

    However, Jesus desires that we indeed become free. Again St. Paul told us, “for freedom Christ set us free.” The very presence of Jesus in us brings us to freedom!

    Thus, as we come to understand the many signs around us, may we also become more attuned and familiar to the signs the Lord gives us. These signs from the Lord, and his presence revealed to us may not be extra-ordinary or spectacular, but simple and ordinary. Let us be discerning and patient then and make ourselves free from anything that would prevent us from recognizing and embracing God’s many manifestations in our life and relationships. Hinaut pa.

  • Give me a sign Lord

    Give me a sign Lord

    October 10, 2022 – Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101022.cfm)

    Do you also ask signs from God? This is surely a common experience to many of us to ask signs from God especially when we are about to make a major decision in life or undergoing difficult situations. We take comfort and assurance when we also believe that we already have the sign that we have been asking. This belief must be coming from our need to see something physical or concrete because we want certainty and security.

    However, the divine signs that we ask for may not appear to what we expect it to be. Meaning, we could be more focused to look for what is extra-ordinary and out of this world signs when in fact, the Lord reveals his presence and graces through ordinary means. This is something that we have heard in today’s Gospel which is both a warning and an invitation for us.

    The people who were around Jesus asked for a sign from him. They want Jesus to do something extra-ordinary, perhaps, some kind of magic. This was the sign that they wanted to ask before they would believe in him. Yet, as Jesus said, no sign shall be given them.

    They did not realize that Jesus himself, his very presence in their midst is the greatest sign shown by the Lord God to them. Jesus is the Word-made-Man, God who dwells among us, nevertheless, people were unable to recognize such Divine Presence because they were blinded and deaf. They were blinded by hatred and bitterness in their hearts. They have become deaf to God’s invitation because of being self-righteous and self-centered.

    Indeed, we could become a person who is blinded and deaf of God’s self-revelation and invitations when we only think of ourselves and more busy of looking for extra-ordinary things to happen. Let us remember, God manifests himself in ordinary ways, through our human experiences, through the movements of the world and the whole creation. Let us be more welcoming of the presence of a person in our life, of an embrace of a loved one, of the kind words and generosity of our friends.

    Thus, we are invited to be more attuned to God’s many manifestations in our life and in the world. It is by being able to discern and recognize God’s invitation that we also discover more God’s desire for us. Kabay pa.

  • Beyond Signs

    Beyond Signs

    February 15, 2021 – Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021521.cfm)

    Once we happened to be night driving from Sagada to Baguio City. As we were fast approaching the city at around three o’ clock in the morning, we got lost looking for traffic signs. We happened to see a police outpost & we asked the police: “Sir, where is the road going to Baguio?” And the police officer replied: “This is already Baguio.” We realized how foolish we are looking for signs that we missed what is obvious – that we are already in Baguio.

    In our gospel today, the Pharisees try to test Jesus by asking for a sign from heaven. It seems they have missed a lot of signs & miracles already revealed, like the healings of people, casting out of demons, feeding of thousands, & countless of people following Jesus. Great things have been already happening in their presence but they still look for signs. They are yet to recognize God is in all things, already surrounding us with signs of His presence & love.

    Somehow during these pandemic times, like the Pharisees, we may have found ourselves searching for a sign from heaven. We may have asked & looked where God in all these things going on & happening to us.

    Be as it may. Jesus however said: “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generations.”  Beyond his frustration & exasperation, Jesus is telling us here that we don’t need anymore signs, for His presence is better enough than what we are looking & searching in life. All we have to do is just to look, recognize & believe in Him who is God’s way, will, & plan for us.

    True indeed, we may concern & worry ourselves with signs, that we may have missed the obvious presence & blessing already upon us.  Remember that God’s graces are not only about the blessings we ask & look for in life but moreso about Jesus, the source of our blessings already given us & have with us – better & beyond than what we ask for, though yet to be recognized & accepted into our lives.

    So, stop looking for signs, rather, Start looking at Jesus.

    In other words: “If you cannot sleep, stop counting sheep. Talk to the Shepherd.”

  • Seek the face of God Today

    Seek the face of God Today

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    October 23, 2020 – Friday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102320.cfm)

    Homily

    The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel, sound quite harsh but simple. He said, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why you do not know how to interpret the present time?” The crowd that gathered around Jesus were very slow to recognize the person in front of them. The kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus. The face of God has already been revealed. Yet, the people were not able to understand the signs revealed in the ministry of the Lord.

    What could have prevented them? What was the cause of the blindness of the people or of their indifference towards the Lord?

    The crowd that gathered around Jesus, most of them, were perhaps became only intrigued of the works of Jesus. The Lord who became popular among the people because of his works and preaching, were sought after by the people. Others wanted to meet him to be healed, to get answers for the questions of their life, others must have been there in order to witness something spectacular from Jesus.

    However, many of them, did not really understand who was before their eyes. Many failed to see God working in the ministry and in the life of Jesus. This must have been caused by that limited understanding of the people.

    This limited understanding was caused by the biases, preconceived notions and uncompromising belief about God that hardened the heart and mind of the people. For example, the people saw Jesus as merely a prophet, or a healer, a preacher, a reformer or a carpenter. People were so fixated that God was distant and cannot become closer to the people. The people believed in a God who easily get angry, violent and aggressive. The Pharisees and scholars of the law promoted a belief in a God who is untouchable. Hence, sinners and sick people were removed from the community.

    These are just some possibilities that prevented people from recognizing the Lord and understanding the signs of God’s grace in the present. There are still many others that until now have gripped us from reading and recognizing those signs of God’s grace for us.

    Hence, on our part, we might fall to the same failure of the people as we also bury ourselves into our past mistakes, into our habitual sins, into feelings of hopelessness and despair, into guilt and fear, into our anger and hatred, into our abusive tendencies, into our selfish intentions. When we yield even into one of these, then, we could also become dismissive of God’s presence and ignorant to God’s manifestation in the present moment.

    Today, Jesus wants us to become a people who longs to see God’s face and able to accept God’s grace today. This is what our Psalm proclaims today, “Seek the face of the God of Jacob.” Let us seek God’s face and enjoy God’s presence among our friends and family members, with God’s creation and all the things that surround us now. As we recognize the Lord, let the Lord challenge us and move us to go beyond ourselves. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • How to recognize God’s signs

    How to recognize God’s signs

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    July 20, 2020 – Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072020.cfm)

    Homily

    As the pandemic developed and caused great difficulties all over the world, many have interpreted this event as a sign of the apocalyptic days or the end of the world. In fact, many tragic events in the past were also taken as signs of the end of the world. This caused panic and anxiety among those who really believed on this.

    Moreover, it has been our attitude to seek for signs especially when we are confused and filled with unanswered questions. We also ask God to give us signs when we are in the situation of making decisions. We also ask signs from God especially when we become doubtful of His presence and when we experience problems and trials in life. We believe that if God would give us a sign, then, that will make us confident in God.

    However, it has been our experience too, that when we do not receive any sign from God, we begin to doubt more or become angry with God for not listening to us. We may also think that life is so unfair because even a single sign of assurance is not given to us.

    Yet, we remind ourselves today of our tendency to expect impressive signs that will unfold before us. This is actually the problem that we have heard in our readings today. We are reminded of these two attitudes in us namely, our forgetfulness of God’s blessings and coldness towards God’s presence.

    The Book of Prophet Micah reminds us of this first tendency in us, of our short memory and inclination to forget God’s blessings. This is how Yahweh expressed the Divine plea to the people. God reminded the people how they were saved and brought out from Egypt and were released from slavery. Moreover, God sent instruments to guide the people like Moses, Aaron and Miriam. These events and people were signs of God’s blessings yet, the people have forgotten all of these. The people have become ungrateful to God because of their forgetfulness.

    Likewise, our Gospel today reminds us also of our tendency to become cold towards God’s presence. This has been portrayed the way people asked Jesus for a sign so that they will believe in him. The people expected Jesus to do a big and great sign before their eyes before they will recognize God. They thought of Jesus to be some kind of magician. This was the mistake of the people at that time because they asked sign from Jesus, when, in fact, Jesus himself was the greatest sign and miracle that ever happened.

    That is why, Jesus, as if scolding them of their ignorance and indifference, reminded them on how the Ninevites believed in Jonah’s sign and on how the Queen of Sheba believed also in the signs present with King Solomon. However, these people though Jesus was greater than Jonah and Solomon, did not recognize God in the person of Jesus.

    This happens also to us when we tend to be indifferent to what is ordinary. The Jews at that time were not able to recognize God’s tremendous presence in the ordinary life of Jesus. Because Jesus was too ordinary for them, and a mere son of a carpenter from Nazareth, the people refused to believe in Jesus and refused to recognize God in the person of Jesus.

    The Lord reveals himself to us in ordinary and many ways. This is what Jesus is inviting us today, that we may recognize daily God’s blessings and presence in us. But how?

    First, be appreciative and be always grateful even of small graces and blessings that you receive each day. Express in words and actions your gratitude. Be more generous to say sincerely “thank you” to people around you and to God. With this attitude we will always be reminded of the many blessings from God and avoid becoming forgetful.

    Second, be more discerning and listen better on how Jesus reveals himself in ordinary ways. This is also a call to be sensitive to God’s many revelations even in the most ordinary ways. Indeed, God reveals himself and his love for us every day and every moment of our life, in moments of defeat and moments victory, in moments of failures and moments of success, in moments of death and in moments of life. To discern and to listen, then, will make us less judgmental and to become more welcoming of God’s presence in our life.

    In these ways, we may always see and recognize God’s many ways of revealing His signs for us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR