Inspirations at your Fingertips!

Thursday of week 34 in Ordinary Time Luke 21:20-28  We are interested in endings.  What makes a meaningful story?  The ending Mankind's history may may have started with creation, it may have been tainted with sin and destruction, and we may be suffering due to the effects of sin.  But notice the ending: Jesus will come.  In the first reading, Daniel was spared from the attacks of the lions while his enemies were eaten.  Good will triumph over evil, and God will emerge triumphant. In the Creed, we believe in the end of life which is life everlasting.  What does this mean? First, we believe in the Beatific vision: we shall see God face-to-face for all eternity. Second, we will receive the crown of everlasting life.  That everlasting life may be eternity in heaven or hell.  We rely totally on God for our salvation. Third, we will have a new heaven and a new earth; and death will have no power over us for all eternity. It is Go...

Thursday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Luke 15:1-10 The common theme on the end of time is judgment.  Only God knows how he will judge us.  The question is: Where did passing judgment to other come from? Whatever the sources are, we admit that we pass judgment to others more than we do to ourselves.  We simply are playing gods in the process. It's clear to St. Paul in the first reading:  "This is also why you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt, as some of you have done."  We simply don't have the right! In the Gospel, God rejoices in one repentant sinner.  What must we do then? First, there is a colloquial in the business world that says, "Mind your own business!"  This statement is not derogatory at all.  It simply means we have to take care of our affairs more than we belittle others or pass judgments to others while remaining fruitless in all our endeavors. Second, possess the heart of God.  ...

Tuesday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Luke 14:15-24 There is a particular task God's wants us to do in this world.  This is unity in diversity.  Unfortunately, we don't give too much understanding on spiritual matters.  We treat as if life is our own. Even with those who don't believe, doing one's task in relation to a greater community is of paramount importance.  Imagine if a member of the community does nothing but wants to receive the gains worked hard by the community; or a member of the family who lazily looked at everyone and still gets his own piece of the pie.  The Lord says in the Gospel, "They shall not have a taste of my dinner." Translated, they shall not have a share of the life I want them to have.  So, let us do the tasks God assigned us to do in ths world.   Do them with diligence, accountability, and faithfulness.  At the end of the day, we are accountable to the Lord for all the things that we do in this world.

Tuesday of week 29 in Ordinary Time Luke 12:36-38 St. Pope John Paul II is regarded as the pope that brought us safely to the Great Jubillee of the New Millennium.  Everyone is uncertain that he would make, but he proudly prepared all of Christendom to welcome Jesus as we entered into the year 2000. This is also the gist of the readings for today.  They point to Jesus. St. Paul to the Romans pointed to Jesus as the destroyer of sin and restorer of grace. In the Gospel for today, Jesus explained that the servant who prepares for his master's return is truly blessed indeed. Pope John Paul II prepared the Church in so many ways.  First, he went out of Italy and traveled to different countries, 95 of them, to announce Jesus to them.  He also wrote various books, documents, encyclicals, all explaining one by one the image of the Lord in various topics that affect the Church. But what for me is most admirable is how he introduction to the whole world the beau...

Wednesday of week 27 in Ordinary Time Luke 11:1-4 Jonah's sentiments reflect a lot about our human frailties.  We all want to get even; we want justice; we want that our enemies suffer.  Well, the bad news is - this is not our story; this is God's story.  God chose to save Niniveh and save a people who couldn't understand which is left and right.  We will not get everything we want; rather, we can be assured that it's always God's will that will be followed, and God's will is filled with mercy and compassion. Instead of being too preoccupied with our wants and desires, opt more to fulfill God's will and plan for all of us.  The Lord's prayer says it all - about adoring God, fulfilling his will, providing us with food each day, forgiving others as we are forgiven by God, and delivering us from evil. Let our life story be God's story, not ours.

Luke 10:38-42 The people and  beasts of Niniveh starting from the king down to the least, repented in sackcloth and ashes.  But in the Gospel, Jesus had to reprimand Martha for being too preoccupied with the household chores that she forgot to pay attention to Jesus. Before we can proceed with asking for forgiveness, we have to know when we have sinned.  The trouble with our generation is that it forgot to understand what constitutes sin or not.  People who constantly excuse themselves for not serving the Lord because of a busy schedule; people living in without the benefit of the sacraments; people justifying how they hurt others in the name of justice, people who justify abortion as a way of life, divorces everywhere - we have lost sight of what is true and good. Only in admitting that we have sinned could we start the road to repentance.  Humility, the grace to understand that we have fallen short of the kingdom of God, becomes an imperative for forgive...

25th Friday in Ordinary time One thing we don’t really want to have a share at is suffering.  We want to take the easier path, the path of comfort. We want to be served more than serve.  Pain is alien from us. But God in his majesty chose the path of sacrifice to fulfill his will.  Through it, he renews his covenant with man, though sinners, have a share in his glory.  Moreover, Jesus showed us the way to really eradicate sin and selfishness, through the power of the cross. Reflect on the moment we partook in the sufferings of Jesus and of our brothers and sisters.  Reflect on the moment when it is not the comfortable life that united families and communities but partaking in the sufferings of one another.  Finally, reflect on the path Jesus took to cause our forgiveness, through the Offering of his life for love of us.  Then we shall see how the world teems with life from those who are ready to serve and give.