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.

paulines.ph

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 Power to Defeat Evil

Scripture: Luke 11:15-26
15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons"; 16 while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Be-el'zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; 22 but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. 23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.

Reflection:  Evil is real. In today's world we feel that more bad things are committed than good things. It is expected for we live in a sinful world. We humans have a fallen nature because of our disobedience to God, and in our weakness we are prone to choose what is bad instead of what is good. That's why news headlines are more about crime, scandal, and corruption than good deeds. It seems that the battle is favoring the dark side... for now. But the war is still not over. The war is between good and evil, between God and the devil. At stake is our eternal fate. So we must be active soldiers in this fight and choose the winning side.

We know who will come out victorious in this war for Jesus already conquered sin and death. His own death and resurrection is a powerful statement of victory against the forces of evil. Jesus always reminds His disciples: "be not afraid", and he continues to speak these words to us now. Jesus is the true conqueror, and all our fears are no match for His power. Evil spirits tremble at the mention of His name, and they scamper away at His command.

The power to resist evil is given by Jesus to those who let Him reign in their hearts. But first we must make room for Him by driving away all sinfulness. This power is ours for the taking. Jesus is knocking at the door of our hearts, let us open it and make it fit to be His throne room.

Surrounded by Abundant Blessings

Scripture: Luke 11:5-13
5 And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, `Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Manna
from susanbailey.org

Reflection: "Ask, and it will be given you." These words from the Lord show how gracious God is. He is under no obligation to give us anything because we have rejected Him through disobedience. But out of infinite goodness, He still continues to bless and provide for us. What's more, He does it gladly.

The universe belongs to God, and all living and non-living things exist because of Him. The richness of God is immeasurable and as His children through Christ, He offers it to us.

God's blessings surround us all the time. God longs to pour it out like a loving father would want to lavish his children with all the good things. But the problem is, most of us are not in the position to receive it. For instance, if you pray for a lifetime partner, God would want to see that you yourself can be a blessing to the person He wishes to give to you. But if He sees that you want a relationship for selfish purposes, he would delay or withhold the blessing, because He does not want you to end up in a hurtful relationship. If you pray for riches, God would want to see if your heart is formed for generosity. But if you're not ready, he would say no for now. God would not want you to destroy your life living in riches but drowning in selfishness and greed. Blessings can be curses if it lands on the wrong hands.

Blessings are around us, and we are swimming in it. Let us confidently approach God with hearts that are ready to receive His blessings. Being ready for blessings means being the blessing yourself. Share your blessings and be a blessing. 

God in Power, Father in Goodness

Scripture: Luke 11:1-41 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread; 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation."

Reflection: A father is an important figure in the life of a child, a source of security. When we were children as long as our fathers are present, we know everything will be alright. No one and nothing can harm us while he is around. And we can be sure that all that we need will be provided for. Even as adults, we still long for the security brought by our fathers. We often seek his strength, advice and wisdom in moments of doubt and fear. Even in schools, work places, organizations, sports teams, we look for father figures; mentors who we could lean on for guidance and inspiration. It is nice to know there is someone we could trust and depend on wherever we are.

When Jesus the Son came to the world, He revealed the full nature of God as Father. The Israelites of Jesus' time knew that God is their Father, but they did not dare call Him by that term. Jesus' revelation is so revolutionary that  He said we could even address God as "Abba", an intimate term for father just like "dad" in today's culture. You could just imagine the shock it created in those times. When Jesus was asked by His disciples about how to pray He taught them the Lord's Prayer. In the original Aramaic prayer He used the term "Abba", but it was later translated as "Father" probably to make it sound more formal. Imagine starting the Lord's Prayer with "Our daddy!"

If there is anyone truly credible to reveal the Father it is Jesus. He came from God and He is God. God from God, begotten not created, as we profess in our Creed.  Jesus certainly knew the Father intimately and anything He says about Him is the Truth. It is through Him that we are reborn and made adopted children of the Father.

God who is our Father, what a wonderful Truth! "God in power, Father in goodness" according to St. Augustine. If our earthly fathers or father figures make us feel secure, this Truth that our God is also our Father should drive away all fears. God who is almighty can absolutely do anything for the good of His children! He is our ultimate provider and protector.

God our Father is loving and merciful. In the many times we have disobeyed and disappointed Him, He still  patiently stands by us and encourages us to stand up from our fall . He is always there ready to forgive and give us a clean slate. He roots for us and runs the race with us pointing towards the finish line.

God is our Father and we are His children through grace. Let us be thankful for His great love and generosity in giving us the right to call Him Father. May we strive to live according to our nature as children of God.

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.

Stewards of God's Creation

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-43
33 "Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; 35 and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. 37 Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' 39 And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 41 They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." 42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."

Reflection:  God gave us a world that has everything we need. And He gave us the wisdom and talent to harness all the resources of His creation for the betterment of our lives. This shows great trust on the part of God to make us stewards of His vineyard--- caretakers of His creation. But God sees that we abuse the trust and freedom He has given us. This resulted in much destruction, suffering, and injustice. To make things right, God sent Jesus His Son. The Son's mission is not to condemn, but to make us realize the things we have done wrong, and show us the Way to fix our mistakes. In the hardness of our hearts, we rejected the Son and continue in our evil ways.

Thank God, He does not lose His trust in us. He continues to be patient, and calls us to follow Jesus. But there will be a time for God's Justice when on the day of Judgement He will likewise reject those who rejected Him. That time is coming.

Now is still the season for God's mercy. Let us not waste this great opportunity and blessing. While there is still time, let us hear the Son and embrace His ways. Let us be good stewards of life and creation which God has lovingly given to us. When the time of Judgement comes, we hope to hear God say: "Come to me my beloved children, you have become a faithful image of my Son."

Our Bodyguards... The Guardian Angels

October 2 is the feast of the Guardian Angels. God in His Infinite Love and Goodness gave them the task of guarding us day and night 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They are at our side round the clock, guiding, protecting, and praying for us. The protection does not only apply to our spiritual life, but to our physical well being as well.

Guardian Angel by Bartolome Esteban Murillo
From christianimagesource.com

I remember an experience when my friend and I had a car breakdown at around midnight. Because of the hour, no car repair shops were open and certainly no mechanics were around. As we were checking the engine not sure of what we would do next, a stranger approached us and offered to take a look. After he finished tinkering with the engine, he asked us to start the car and it worked! We were so happy that we are not about to be stranded till morning, so we decided that we should pay him for his services. To our surprise, he refused and said its ok. As we were about to ride the car, we looked back to see where he was going, but he was nowhere to be found. We looked around some more but there was no trace of him. It was really odd for him to disappear so quickly because only a few seconds ago, he was right there. Even if he ran, which is unlikely, we would still have seen him. We also didn't see any vehicle which he could have rode.  My friend and I considered this as an encounter with our guardian angel. Or if it wasn't an angel, still that man was heaven sent. 

Let us not forget to thank our Guardian Angels everyday for faithfully carrying out their God given mission for us. In times of temptation or trouble, rest assured that God's angels are there, ready to help. Call on them.