Human

Jn 3:22-30

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”

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     I was reminded how close God is to us and how we are all His beloved. I believe He is always there to guide us, we just don't listen.

     I do not believe in people saying "I am only human."  God became man in Jesus. As a man, Jesus has also been subjected to temptation. Take note, it was Satan himself who tempted Jesus. But he stayed firm in God, prayed and did not sin.

     We should be like Jesus. Be prayerful and be a keen observer on things happening around us. Immorality is spreading fast.

The Cleansing

Gospel: Lk 5:12-16

While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

“Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”  This struck me when I read today's Gospel. The man full of leprosy had acknowledged Jesus as his healer. And with great faith, he begged saying those words and was healed; thus showing Jesus as the great healer. We all acknowledge that Jesus is the great healer but it was the man’s faith that had healed him.

At some point in our life, we had become like the man full of leprosy in the sense that we are unclean. By being unclean it means that we have been doing things which are not pleasing to God. And when we do things which are not pleasing to God, we commit sins. During the times we were unclean, did we have that desire to beg Jesus and make us clean?

The Gospel today gives us a picture of how a man full of leprosy became clean. And it was the man’s faith that made him clean. Every time we commit sins, let us try to reflect on this Gospel. The Lord is inviting us to be like the man full of leprosy who believed that He is the great healer. Moreover, we all know that God is always ready to cleanse us if we really asked for it. But it is not merely on how we ask God that we be made clean. Our cleansing comes within our hearts. Look inside your heart. Is it filled with great faith?

“Your faith has healed you.”

“THE JOURNEY CONTINUES”

Gospel: Luke 4:14-22

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’

How do we react when facing a difficult situation? Do we seek God in times of happiness? How about in difficult times? Today, my whole family grieves over the death of my Uncle and these are the questions running through my mind.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, continues to teach the people in the synagogue even if people doubted and to the point of rejecting Him. It reminds me that at this moment of our sadness the only thing we need to do is to pray, Pray, PRay, PRAy, PRAY and PRAY... putting our trust in God.

Jesus showed us how life can be, that He Himself experienced it by coming in to this world as a human. Even if people rejected Him and crucified Him, He still always seeks the Father in Heaven. Jesus in His human form reminds us to always seek God in all our circumstances. Even if people did not believe Him, He continued to proclaim God's greatness. No matter what challenges and problems you face in life continue to seek and serve Him. 

REMEMBER THAT AFTER THE CROSS THERE IS RESURRECTION.

Courage

Gospel: Mark 6:45-52 

Then he made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray.

When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. 

Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.

But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. 

They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!"

He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded. 

They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Once, I came across a quote saying “if your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough”. Sometimes, really great things can terrify us. What is unknown, what is uncertain can quickly steal all our courage. That is where faith comes in. When Jesus saw His disciples in fear, He said “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”

Think about this in the context of dreams. The world may contradict and tell us that our dreams are crazy and impractical just as the wind was against the boat in which the disciples boarded. But the Lord is calling us to take courage. When we let Jesus in to our boat, the wind will just die down and we will travel in peace. If we think that our dream is what the Lord has prepared for us, we must stand for it. There is no need to fear. It is Him fulfilling His plan for our life. 

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Always Say A Prayer

Even Jesus prayed.

Hungry. Eat. Share

Gospel: Mk 6: 34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already very late. Dismiss them so that they can go to the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” He said to them in reply, “Give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food and give it to them to eat?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties. Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; he also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish. Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

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            The amazing multiplication of the loaves and fish. Philosophically, scholars believe that some people brought their own food and shared it to everyone. Scientifically, it is simply a miracle to have all those men satisfied with five loaves and two fish. Personally, It was never about how this men got satisfied or if this is a miracle or not. It is about the desire of these men to be with our Lord.

            For so many years now, I am always trying to connect with God. In His simple yet mysterious ways, He showers me with so much blessings while I follow Him. That is why I really don't panic or worry about anything the way I did before I met Him.

Hungry? Eat His words and Share it.

Follow Me

Gospel: Mt 4:12-25

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." While walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

The gospel tells us on how Jesus called the first disciples. Simon, Andrew, James and John were fishermen and when Jesus said to them "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”, they immediately left everything and followed him. 

Nowadays, we are bombarded with a lot of things that we tend to forget those that are really important to us. We even tend to ignore Jesus in our life. But despite of all the things that we have been doing, Jesus never fails to knock our hearts and remind us of our calling. In today's gospel, we are reminded of Jesus' calling for all of us; to follow him. Furthermore, we are also invited by Jesus to be like the first disciples who followed him without hesitation.

Jesus is knocking on our hearts everyday, how have you responded to his call?

"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

The Traveler

Gospel: Mt 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, «Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw the rising of his star in the east and have come to honor him». When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed and with him all Jerusalem. He immediately called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and those who taught the people of God his Law, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, they told him, for this is what the prophet wrote: «And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel».Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them the precise time the star appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction, «Go and get precise information about the child. As soon as you have found him, report to me, so that I too may go and honor him».After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had seen in the East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. The wise men were overjoyed on seeing the star again. They went into the house and when they saw the child with Mary his mother, they knelt and worshiped him. They opened their bags and offered him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. In a dream they were warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another way.

The Gospel today reminds me of an experience in Homonhon, Guiuan, Eastern Samar when we attended the assembly in Couples for Christ. Homonhon is somehow a big island with eight barangays quite far from each other. To get there, people have to walk, get on a pump boat, and wait for a truck that comes only once in the morning and once in the afternoon. It strikes me how they travel so far just to  gather and come before the Lord.

The same is true with our life - we travel. Life is a journey of different cultures, attitudes, and folks. Like the wise men who traveled from the east, so do  we travel away sinfulness that keeps us apart from God. But the Lord does not look at our sinfulness. Instead, He shows us His great love by leading us to the path He prepared for us the same way He led the wise men who came to meet Him personally following only the light that is Jesus.

The Lord is inviting us to travel following His light no matter what the world dictates. This is the light that would lead us and others to the fulfillment of life and to break free from sin by meeting Him everyday - in personal prayer, Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, and in a support group like Couples for Christ. Repentance and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession are our gifts to Him like the gold, frankincense, and myrrh offered by the wise men which reminds us that He is King, He is God, and He is  our Salvation.

More to See

Gospel: John 1:43-51. 

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me." 

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. 

Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." 

But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Making people believe in God is a real challenge. In this world, most people think that to see is to believe. People doubt just like how Nathanael doubted when Philip told him about Jesus. To the contrary, as Christians we believe in order to see. Jesus said we are yet to see greater things. There is more to the joy we feel when we recognize God’s blessings; there is more to the peace we enjoy when we talk to God; there is more to the overwhelming feeling of worshipping God. Can you imagine that? We might think we already had the best of feelings at some point in our spiritual journey but God is telling us there is more to come. That’s His promise.

Now, don’t you see it fit to share this great promise with the rest of the world? I guess what makes our mission different from all other missions is that we have God. Unlike most missions which are accomplished only by individuals alone, ours is a mission where we work together – with each other and with God. It is never a burden then, is it? While we work, we get to enjoy the company of our brothers and sisters and more importantly, we enjoy God’s comforting presence.

However, we must also realize that this mission can be quite challenging; so challenging that our faith will be put to the test especially when doubt becomes contagious; so challenging that we might be tempted to give up and just live the easy life. If we ever reach this point, we just have to remember that we have God on our side. There is always more strength in Him. Besides, we never have to do it alone. If we do our part by bringing God into the lives of other people, we allow God to do His part also. By introducing God to other people, we also become a blessing. Once they come to know Him they will start to recognize and be grateful for the many wonderful things He has done for them. And together, we will see greater things just as God has promised us.

"COME and you will SEE"

Gospel: John 1:35-42 
John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them,"Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon.Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed).Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas" (which is translated Peter).

It has been almost five months since I came to Eastern Samar as a Mission Volunteer in CFC-Youth for Christ (YFC). I will never forget every experience with Lord that moved me from being a simple member of YFC to a Mission Volunteer. As I always say, being a missionary is a gift hidden in every person and is enjoyed by the people who recognize the mission.

Being far from my family, I can’t always check their everyday condition. The only thing I can do is to pray and intercede in the needs of my family. But the Lord is true to His promise. Amidst the many challenges we face, I see God’s graciousness in the many blessings He continues to shower my family with. My “pamangkin” wants to become a sacristan. For how many years our roof has been under repair and now, rain water no longer gets inside the house. These are only some of the Lord’s blessings to me and my family and I know there is more to come when we follow and cling unto Him, when He says “Come and you will see”. It is like  He is telling us "follow Me and I will open the heaven to bless you abundantly". And total submission of ourselves to Him can truly lead us to see many great things He has been doing for us.

Remaining True to the Mission

Gospel: John 1:29-34. 

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist said that the reason he came baptizing with water was so that Jesus might be known to Israel. Perhaps, we should also ask ourselves why we do the things we do.

We have a mission to proclaim God’s greatness to the world. Is our tight daily schedule helping us fulfill this mission or is it only distracting us from our real mission? Is our social life helping us evangelize people or are we being dragged into social activities which are contrary to living a holy life?   

It takes a personal relationship with Jesus to really know Him. As followers of Christ, we can only introduce Him to the lives of other people and that is already one great step in their spiritual growth. We can do this by speaking of God’s Word but there’s another effective way to do it. It is to live by God’s Word. It is by putting action in our faith. People would more likely imitate our actions than listen to our words.

We can only bring Christ into other people’s lives if we have grown spiritually as well, if we have come to have a deep relationship with Him. We have to remain faithful to this relationship. Let us be Christians even when we are outside the Church, even when it’s not Sunday. Let our every action, every word and every thought be a stepping stone to fulfilling our mission.