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Tag: Surprises

  • God’s Surprise Visits 

    God’s Surprise Visits 

    October 19, 2022 – Wednesday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101922.cfm)

    God loves surprises and loves to surprise us in a very special way. The Gospel proclaimed to us today is certainly not just limited in God’s final judgment and delivering punishment for those who are wicked and rewarding the righteous. The Gospel invites us also to be more attentive of God’s surprise visits.

    God comes and reveals the Divine Presence to us in the way we would not expect it to be. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians gave us the hint on how he experienced such a surprise from Jesus. The Lord revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus when he was in search of Christians to persecute. That surprise from Jesus changed the whole life of Paul. It was in that surprise that Paul truly encountered the Lord and was converted to Jesus. That encounter and the revelation Paul received was the grace that he shared with others. Paul expressed it this way, “of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace” because the mystery of God was made known to him by revelation.

    This is the invitation for us today. We are called to be attentive and to make ourselves available to the many surprise visits and revelations of God. We need the eyes of faith to believe in the God of surprises.

    God may call us to serve and love Him in the way we have never thought about or to do something which was unthinkable before. God may reveal His presence to us in the most ordinary ways and to ordinary persons who are already familiar to us. The Lord may tell us something and reveal his wondrous presence in our life through the work we do or through the responsibilities we have at home. God may answer our prayer through the help and generosity of an unexpected friend or even through a stranger. God may bring us joy through a simple gift from a person we love or through reconciliation and peace offered to us by the person we have hurt or those who have hurt us.

    There are many possibilities for God’s surprise visits. Allow, then, the Lord to surprise us today. It would be very good to grasp and grab those surprises from God. Having those experiences will make us confident in our relationship with God.

    It would be good for us then also, to spend a time of recollection or of silence each day even in a short moment of 5 to 10 minutes before bedtime. Spend this time to recollect on how God has given us the grace of surprise visit during the day. Thank the Lord for the grace and never forget to share your grace also to others so that we too shall be God’s surprise for other people. Kabay pa.

  • To be surprised with God’s gifts to us

    To be surprised with God’s gifts to us

    December 19, 2020 – Fourth Day of the Misa de Aguinaldo

    Click here for the readings (https://adoseofgodtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/december-19-2020-fourth-day-of-the-misa-de-aguinaldo-liturgical-publication.pdf)

    Homily

    “How shall I know this?”

    I don’t like surprises. Yes, there’s that element of excitement that one feels over it. But I think it’s in this certain sense of mystery and of unpredictability in surprises which makes it unwanting for me.

    Zechariah was not ready for a surprise. For sure, in the course of time he had served God, he must had presented his desire to have at least a child. But the time he waited for God’s answer was long overdue. Being human and old, and his wife Elizabeth was found to be barren, his doubts were understandably considerable.

    To doubt or misunderstand God’s purpose in our life is obviously easy. Even highly spiritual people are sometimes subject to doubt. Maybe because we don’t pay much attention to God’s intimate presence in our lives. Or perhaps we underestimate our value by magnifying our inadequacies.

    But God’s power is not bound by human limitations or confined by our pessimistic views. These factors, therefore, are not deterrents to God’s promised plan of salvation.

    God is faithful, and He keeps his promise. And he delivers it on time, by his time and by his way. He, who created the whole universe and guided the events of history to prepare the coming of the Messiah, is very much capable of accomplishing what He had begun. What may be under humanly impossible circumstances, God makes it possible. Because He specializes in the “Impossibles.”

    However, to be able to appreciate God’s hands at work in our life, we must be open to what God can do in every situation, be it ordinary or extraordinary. And of course, to let God be God by patiently waiting for God to act in his time, in his ways.

    Lord, God of surprises, may you give us eyes of faith to see you present in our life and ears of faith to hear you speaking to us. And may we learn to trust you enough in every step of the way. Amen.

    Gibo Dandoy, CSsR

  • God Loves To Surprise Us

    God Loves To Surprise Us

    October 21, 2020 – Wednesday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102120.cfm)

    Homily

    What’s the difference between pranking and surprising someone? If we would scan our Facebook wall, prank videos are all over. These prank videos, though they may cause laughter and entertainment to the viewers, but these are malicious and mischievous acts played on someone. Some pranks are simple but others are way beyond simple tricks, but too much. These cause embarrassment and humiliation, shock and dismay or anger and irritation to people being tricked. A prank has no intention at all to bring joy to the person.

    A surprise, on the other hand, is to strike with wonder or amazement especially because it is unexpected (Merriam-Webster definition). A surprise brings joy not just to people around but also to the person being surprised. That’s why we like a good surprise for our loved ones particularly during special occasions. Surprises do not only flatter the heart of the person being loved, but, surprises also create true creativity and bonding among friends, families and lovers.

    Our God does not prank us. God would not dare to bring us into humiliation and embarrassment just for entertainment. What God loves, is to surprise us.

    This is something that we discover in today’s scripture readings. The Gospel of Luke, as it proclaims an image of God’s final judgment on us and delivering punishment for those who are wicked and rewarding the righteous, however, it is not just limited to this. This particular passage of Luke also conveys to us how the Lord loves to surprise us. Definitely, the Gospel invites us to be attentive to God’s surprises.

    God comes to us and reveals Himself to us in the way we would not expect it to be. That’s why it is a surprise. It is unexpected but with the intention to bring joy. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, gave us the hint on how he experienced such a surprise from Jesus. The Lord revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus when he was in search of Christians to be persecuted. That surprise from Jesus changed the whole life of Paul. It was in that surprise that Paul truly encountered the Lord and was converted to Jesus. Paul called this, revelation, a grace given to him. This grace that filled Paul is now being shared to others.

    This is the invitation for us today. We are called to be attentive and to make ourselves available to the many surprises of God. We need the eyes of faith to believe in the God of surprises. God will never prank and make us embarrassed. God would only surprise us to bring joy and peace.

    Thus, God may call us to serve and love Him in the way we have never thought about or to do something which was unthinkable before. God may reveal His presence to us in the most ordinary ways and to ordinary persons who are already familiar to us. God may answer our prayer through the help and generosity of an unexpected friend or even through a stranger. God may bring us joy through a simple gift from a person we love or through reconciliation and peace offered to us by the person we have hurt or those who have hurt us. God may surprise us through the embrace and acceptance of people around us. And like Paul, the Lord may also surprise us in the way that it will challenge and change our beliefs, attitudes and the way we look at things.

    Be always mindful of God’s daily dose of surprises.

    There are many possibilities of God surprising us. Let us allow, then, the Lord to surprise us today and every day. Grab and welcome those surprises from God by exercising a greater awareness of what surrounds us. Having those experiences will make us more confident in our relationship with God. Do not just be passive or complacent or indifferent. Be always mindful of God’s daily dose of surprises.

    I invite you now to spend a time of recollection or of silence each day even in a short moment of 5 to 10 minutes before you end your day. Spend these few minutes to recollect on how God gave us the grace of surprise during the day. Thank the Lord for the grace and never forget to share your grace of surprise to people around you so that we too shall become God’s surprise for others. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Our Experiences of Waiting

    Our Experiences of Waiting

    October 20, 2020 – Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102020.cfm)

    Homily

    We must have experienced in many ways the reality of waiting. These days, many have exercised their patience to wait for the arrival of their item ordered online. Others may have experienced to wait outside before they can enter a establishment because of the enforced health protocols. Others may be waiting for their medical result that causes anxiety because it may not be too good. Others too may be waiting to be given attention by their loved one and be given a chance to be loved again. Others also may be waiting to be forgiven and hoping to be embraced. Today, the whole human family is also waiting for the vaccine to be fully developed in order to fight Covid-19.

    These are just few examples of waiting that we experience daily. Some forms of waiting may be small and simple, but some could mean a long waiting, a tiring waiting and a painful waiting.

    With this reality of waiting in our life, there is another form of waiting and welcoming that is fairly significant for us to be given importance and attention. This is the “waiting of the Lord’s everyday coming” and “welcoming him daily.”

    Indeed, the Lord comes to us and also waits that he will be welcomed by us. This is portrayed today through the story in the Gospel. Jesus declares how blessed are those servants who awaits the return of their master because the presence of the master means something very great. Jesus gives us the image of the presence of the master who serves his servants and enjoys the company of his servants.

    Jesus emphasizes the importance to await and to be vigilant at all times to welcome him when he comes. The attitude of anticipating and being attentive to God’s coming is characterized by a joyful manner. Thus, to expect and to wait Jesus’ coming does not only require us to sit straight, but also to expect him with joy and with a dose of surprise.

    Let us remember, God’s manifestations of his presence and the revelations of his grace are done even in silence. Consequently, when God reveals himself, it is simple, humble and even ordinary.

    Again, Jesus reminds us today in the Gospel “blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival,” because the master himself brings peace. This is affirmed also today in our first reading. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians that, “Christ is our peace.” Moreover, our Psalm also proclaims to us, “The Lord speaks of peace to his people.”

    Therefore, Jesus wants us to await and be always attentive to his many surprises for us and to his simple revelations in us, in our daily life – wherever we are. Jesus calls us to expect, anticipate and await with joy his everyday coming to assure us of his abiding and ever-faithful presence. It is God’s promise that he brings peace to us to dispel the worries and anxieties, the boredom and the tiredness in our hearts from waiting, from whatever kind of waiting we may be enduring this moment.

    As we wait and welcome the Lord, may our daily encounter with him become life-changing and reassuring. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • To see and hear God everyday

    To see and hear God everyday

    October 12, 2020 – Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101220.cfm)

    Homily

    Will it be possible to see and hear God every day? God’s manifestation in the world and in our life is constant. God may not appear before us, as Jesus did walk among the people before, but God’s presence continues to abide with us.

    St. Ignatius of Loyola believed that we could find God in all things. God in His great and profound love reflects His divine presence in all things, even in events and in our experiences both in sad and joyful moments. Life, then, despite its everyday challenges, is brighter and more wonderful when one finds God in the simple and ordinary.

    Indeed, when we become more conscious of God every single day and in every moment of our life, we become friendlier and gentle. This makes our activities, our daily struggles and demands less stressful because we find delight in small and simple things.

    However, the more we also become anxious, find life stressful and disappointing, when we tend to focus on big and extraordinary things to happen. To become indifferent to what is simple and ordinary, makes us dismissive of God’s every action.

    This is something that Jesus criticized among the people in today’s Gospel. This particular passage in Luke, recounts how Jesus frankly told the people of their indifferent and dismissive attitude towards God’s presence. The people were looking and only after of spectacular signs that Jesus would do. They were more focused on extra-ordinary things to appear and to happen. They actually wanted Jesus to become like a magician.

    Nevertheless, such attitude missed the very presence of God. The people did not recognize the greatest sign who was standing in front of them. Hence, curse to these people because God has already lived among them, yet, did not see and hear the greatest sign.

    The Ninevites whom Jonah hated because they were enemies, believed in him and recognized the many signs, he brought to them. Thus, the people repented and believed in God. The same with another non-believer, the queen of the south also recognized God’s wisdom through Solomon and believed in God.

    These people recognized God though they were non-believers of God. They were, certainly, more inclined to God’s presence than those who claimed were believers.

    Jesus called the people to really “see and hear him” for through him, God walks and teaches them. In the same way, Jesus also calls us today, to see and hear him clearly in our life.

    Our demands coming from school, work, home, and in our relationships should not keep us from recognizing the Lord who constantly work through us. God has many wonderful things prepared for us. Life will be more wonderful too when we learn how to see and hear God everyday.

    For us to learn the way of seeing and hearing God even in simple and ordinary things, I suggest these three simple steps.

    First, pause once in a while and listen. The many inputs from all aspects of our life can crowd our heart and mind. Taking many things at a time could grip us to the point of not being able to respond well. Thus, pause for few minutes to just listen to yourself, to what surrounds you and to God. We can only truly listen too, once we take time to pause. Surely, we will discover more wonders in life when we learn how to pause and listen.

    Second, be surprised to experience simple joys. The routine that we go through every single day could prevent us from becoming more welcoming to the many surprises of God for us. Do not allow your routine to dictate you and get hold of you. The more we bury ourselves with our routine, the more we find life stressful and boring. Yet, let us not be distressed to wait for spectacular signs to happen. Rather, be surprised even with simple gestures of love and affection from your loved ones. Be surprised even with the small creatures around you, with the rain, with the wind, with sunrise and sunset. When we learn this, then, the more we also make ourselves open to God’s many surprises for us.

    Third, record your day. To learn the habit of recording what happened with our day could help us to see and hear more on how God reveals His presence. Yet, this might be too demanding for you to make a journal and write about what transpired during the day, but then, we can still make memories preserved through our smartphone. One can record those simple surprises through photos and videos saved in your smartphones. Thus, if you cannot write, then, take a photo of that something that caught your attention. To be able to do this, allows us to see and hear once again those simple surprises.

    May these simple steps make us more welcoming and open to the Lord’s everyday revelation in us. We may allow God then, to touch us that we may see and hear Him everyday. Hinaut pa

    Jom Baring, CSsR