"Watch for you do not know when the time will come"

Scripture: Mark 13:33-37

33 Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Watch therefore -- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the  morning -- 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch."

Reflection: This first Sunday of Advent, Jesus reminds us to be vigilant and prepared for His coming. The second coming of the Messiah is sure to happen, but no one knows when the time is. Getting ready for the most important event in history should be our priority. No one will be exempt from the day of judgement, even those who have died will be judged on this day along with the living.

How do we prepare ourselves? By being faithful to God's will in our lives. And His will is for us to love as much as we can. Doing whatever duties we have with love no matter how simple it is. As St. John Bosco,  patron of the youth said: "Do your ordinary duties extraordinarily well." We cannot do anything well if we do not do it with love, especially love for God. God is easy to please. We can offer up to Him the most ordinary task as long as it is done with love for Him and others.

We are living in the end times, the time between the first coming of Christ and His second coming. We are constantly reminded to prepare ourselves by living a life of love and doing our best to be God's instruments of blessing to others. Are you God's instrument of love and blessing?

The Courage of Jesus

Scripture: Luke 13:31-35
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." 32 And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, `Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.' 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

Jesus showed courage in the face of
His enemies
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Reflection: In the face of danger, Jesus did not run away but continued on His mission for our redemption. It takes great courage to stand up to tyrants and exposing the truth about them. Jesus called Herod a fox, which in those days means a deceiver who would destroy for his own gain. In doing so, Jesus knew He faced certain death just like the prophets before Him who also died in the hands of powerful men whose authority they threatened.

Jesus' courage in the face of danger is the fruit of His love for us. Jesus cannot forsake His beloved people even if it means facing certain death in the hands of those who hate Him.  He knew that our sins has caused severe damage to our relationship with God that only God Himself can provide a way to restore it. Jesus' love for poor sinners has given Him the strength to face even death on a cross. He has fallen many times under the weight of the cross on the way to Calvary but stood up each time with a firm determination to carry out His mission.

Jesus' is committed to us all the way. His love has brought about our salvation through His perfect sacrifice. He felt the fear of facing death on a cross but went on to accomplish the will of the Father. It only shows that true courage is not the absence of fear but doing the right thing inspite of fear.

Thank you Jesus for your love that gave you courage to accomplish your saving mission. Thank you for bringing us back to the Father.

Make God Number 1 and Find Your Heart's Desire

Scripture:  Luke 12:49-53
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against  her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Jesus, the Light of the World
Warner Sallman

Reflection: When Jesus told His disciples that he came not to give peace but rather division on earth they were shocked. It is unusual for Jesus who promoted love and peace to say such a thing. What was his point in saying this?

God wants us to love Him above all, and love of God means that we make Him number one in our lives. It is possible that doing what God wants us to do can make us unpopular in today's society which places more importance in material things and pleasure. We may even have conflicts with friends and family members if putting them first becomes an obstacle with what God wants us to do. Being a Christian means being loyal to Jesus first even at the risk of causing division. If our loyalty belongs to someone or in many cases something, then we are guilty of having other "gods", a violation of God's commandment.

It may seem unreasonable for Jesus to demand this kind of relationship with us. But if we reflect on it deeply, God really deserves nothing less than all the love and loyalty we could give. He has showed us the way by loving us to the point of laying down His life. And He showed loyalty to us by carrying out His mission up to His painful death on the cross.

Putting God first is a winning decision for us. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. God knows exactly what is best for us, and He wants our happiness and welfare more than anything else. Putting God first ensures that we are always on the path to goodness, happiness, peace, love and our ultimate goal of eternal union with Him.

Be Truly Rich, Invest in Love

Scripture:  Luke 12:13-21
13 One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?" 15 And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

The Rich Fool
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Reflection: When can you say that a person is successful? When he/she has a six figure monthly salary?  Being a top executive in a large corporation? Owning top of the line techie gadgets? Wearing signature clothes and shoes? Driving a fancy car? There is no doubt that achieving all of the above means that you have "arrived".



In view of our consumerist and materialistic outlook, it is nice to recall and reflect on a quote from Blessed Mother Theresa: "At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me food to eat, naked and you clothe me, homeless and you took me in'. God will one day judge us if we have been successful in living our lives and His basis will be: How much have we loved.

The wise man lives a life of love. Love for God and love of neighbor. A fool according to Jesus is someone who stores up treasure for himself and has not enriched his relationship with God and others. True success is not measured based on our net worth but on the amount of love in our relationships especially in our relationship with God.

How can we nurture loving relationships? It is in giving of ourselves---our time, talent, and treasure. God has been consistently generous in sharing His blessings with us because He wants us to have something to share with those who don't have enough. God intends for each and everyone to be a blessing to one another. And being a blessing means being an instrument of God's love. The more we love and share, the more God blesses us, so that we could be a bigger blessing to others.

May God heal us of our selfish nature so that we may allow ourselves to be His instruments of love.

God is not Complicated

Scripture:  Luke 11:47-54
47 Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.  48 So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' 50 that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of  this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering." 53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.

Jesus confronting the Pharisees
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Reflection: Jesus was angry with the Pharisees because they have caused people to have wrong ideas about God and His will for their lives. They were so busy implementing strict rituals and meting out punishments for those who do not follow them, that they lost sight of what's important. They have interpreted the law in such a way that it has confused the people and complicated their faith.

God is not complicated. Yes He is immortal and all powerful, and because of that we think He is too complicated to understand. It is also true that someone who is Divine is really beyond the understanding of mere mortals. But God stooped to our level, He assumed our human nature so that we could know Him intimately and experience with us our fears and troubles. God revealed the truth about Himself in ways we could easily grasp, because He wants to be known. Just like in a loving relationship where both persons want to reveal themselves to their beloved, God wants us to know Him and not just superficially but intimately. God sent His Son,  the only person who could reveal who God really is.

Nothing is complicated about God and His will for our lives. He does not want us to be confused about who He is and what He wants for us. Jesus has already revealed the nature of God perfectly. And because of Him we know that God is love who is in-love with us, and wants nothing but our highest good.

May we make it our goal to love and to know God better each day. Let us ask Him to guide us towards His will and pour out on us the grace to follow it.

How is your Heart Today?

Scripture:  Luke 11:37-41
37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in and sat at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and  wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.

Jesus with the Pharisees
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Reflection: How many people do you know who are active in church and practice the daily rituals of religion, but do not live the values of Christ? All of us, in one way or another, are guilty of calling ourselves Christians but do deeds contrary to Jesus' teachings. We think that faithfully attending church services and being active in church activities is enough to have a vibrant spiritual life. Worse, many of us use our religious activities to impress other people, to give the impression of our "holiness" and closeness to God. There is nothing wrong with religious rituals and activities, it is a part of our faith. But if more importance is given to these than to living out our faith, then something is wrong. 

If our heart is filled with pride, greed, bitterness, and envy, then our words and actions would reflect that.  It is for this reason that God considers what's in your heart as more important than external acts of piety. If we go to church daily and attend all services on that day but do not cleanse our hearts from all that is contrary to God, then God is not pleased with us. God sees what's in our hearts, and He desires to drive away all obstacles of sin and fill us with love, mercy, compassion and kindness so that we may be His blessings to others.

Holiness comes from within. To have a heart filled with goodness and love, we cannot do it alone, we need God to fill us up with grace. Let us examine what is in our hearts, is it filled with greed or generosity?Bitterness or gratitude? Envy or kindness?  Remember that God sees what's within.

Do Not Reject the Sign

Scripture: Luke 11:29-32
29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it  except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to  hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

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Reflection: God wants to be part of our lives. He sends signs all around us to show His love and presence. Look at the beauty of nature, feel the embrace of a loved one, hear the kind words of someone who deeply cares for you. All these are signs that show God's presence in our daily lives. When you see a beautiful sunrise or feel a cool breeze, that is God trying to get your attention. God's signs are not only meant to point us to Him, He also uses it as a guide towards our welfare and to rescue us from going towards the path of self destruction and evil.

God who loves us very much, wants us to know that He is near. Sadly His presence is always drowned out by so many things like fears, worries, and doubts. Our own selfishness also blinds us to God's presence, because we are so preoccupied with getting our own desires and selfish pleasures that we fail to acknowledge what He wants for us. Failing to see or rejecting God's signs will point us to the road towards unhappiness. If God wants to be part of our lives, it is not for His sake but ours. He loves us deeply and wants the highest good for us.

God already sent His Son, who gave the greatest sign of all, His Resurrection. Jesus is the only way to the Father and to eternal happiness, there simply is no other way. The sure road to unhappiness is to reject Jesus. Let us open our minds and hearts to God's presence and His will for our lives. Let us hear God as He speaks to us through His Word, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us hear and understand.

The Antidote to Worry

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."

Christ in the House of Mary
and Martha
By: David Lindsay
www.theholyhouse.org

Reflection: Many studies have proven that worry is at the root of many illnesses. Ironically, many of our worries prove to be something not worth worrying about. How many times have we lost sleep worrying over a certain future event, only to find out when that event comes, there is really nothing to worry about? Think about the wasted energy agonizing over something that does not even happen! Think also about the blessings surrounding you but were obstructed by that monster called worry.

At the root of worry is another monster called fear. Jesus knew that fear paralyzes us. He is no stranger to fear, for He is also fully human like us, but unlike us fully Divine. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus experienced total fear and sadness. But how did He rise up from it and accomplished the greatest feat ever in the history of mankind? The answer is Love. Jesus' love for us gave Him the strength to carry His cross all the way to Calvary and win for us our salvation. Every step on the way of the cross when Jesus stumbled, He thought about us pitiful sinners, and His love and compassion made Him rise up to complete His mission for us.

Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus are friends of Jesus, and he loved hanging out with them. Probably Martha was such a good cook and gracious hostess. But she was so stressed out and worried about serving her guests. Mary on the other hand, just relaxed in the presence of Jesus, listening to Jesus' teachings that inspired her and brought her peace. Mary focused on Jesus and as she began to know Jesus more, the more she loved Him and the more she is at peace. Love conquers her worries.

It pays to focus on Jesus and to train our hearts to trust and love Him. Jesus is capable of meeting all our needs, and all fears known to man are no match for His power. He can heal all illnesses, strengthen every weakness, and calm every storm, natural or man made. The winds obey with just one word from Him. St. Peter began to sink in the water when Jesus asked Him to walk out of the boat, because he took away his eyes from Jesus. Peter instead focused on the sounds of the howling winds and he began to sink. Needless to say, Jesus was disappointed with him but still rescued Peter out of love. Jesus not only wants us to love Him, but He also wants us to trust Him. Our trust is something very valuable to Jesus, and He is very pleased when we surrender all our concerns to Him. Surrendering to Jesus means trusting Him completely, He who gave up His Life for us. How could we not trust and love Him?

May we learn to love and trust in Jesus, and may our hearts remain anchored on Him. Like Mary the sister of Lazarus, may we learn to love Jesus and rest in His presence that all fears may have no place in our hearts.

Who is your family?

Scripture:  Luke 8:19-21
19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. 20 And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." 21 But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Reflection: We are all called to love our families and relatives, but we should not stop with them. The whole human race is God's children, and He calls us to love everyone outside our own families. All human beings are created by God and belong to Him as His children. Most of the time it is difficult to love and care for those who are not your family. But God desires that all His children, regardless of race or religion be in a loving relationship with one another and with Him. Always remember that Jesus died for each and everyone of us, without thinking if you are a Jew or Gentile, Christian or Muslim, black or white. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are all given the right to belong to God's family.

The right to be Children of God is offered to us, but we need to accept it. God does not force anything on us, he just invites and wait for your acceptance. How do we accept His offer? By being faithful to Jesus His Son and striving to please the Father in all we do just as Jesus did.

Called to be God's flashlight

from www.givingblessing.com

Scripture: Luke 8:16-18
16 "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."

Reflection: God is the origin of love. And His love is light to all the world. In God's goodness, He calls us to be bearers of His light. Just like a friend who always wants to do things together with his best buddy, God calls us to be His coworkers in bringing light to a world darkened by sin. We know we are unworthy, but who is worthy? Only God can make us worthy. And He is so gracious to invite an unworthy sinner like us to join Him in His work of spreading love.

May God give us the grace and strength to be his light bearers. And love bearers.