Inspirations at your Fingertips!

Saturday of the 6th week of Eastertide John 16:23-28 The gospel today offers us a lively faith far than we can ever imagine.  It is faith just as Jesus says, "Anything you ask from the Father he will grant in my name." It's been two months since we've been praying that God may remove the virus from the world.  It also has happened in our lives that though we prayed, our prayers were not granted.  But we never faltered in that faith.  We may have doubted sometimes, but the faith was never removed from our hearts.  Instead, we were taught to be steadfast in our faith, forever trusting the Lord that things would always turn out better in the end.  The faith that God has given us through Jesus in the Spirit call us: First, to continue being steadfast in the faith amidst trials as if it is being purged in fire or pruned to perfection.  Faith itself is the gift that no one can take away from. Second, even in the midst of trials, that f...

Tuesday of the 5th week of Eastertide John 14:27-31 How easy is it to proclaim the Good News! In the first reading, the apostles acknowledged that it is not easy being proclaimers of the Word, "We will have to suffer much before we can proclaim the Good News."   We will have to rid ourselves of every selfish intentions before we can deliver to others the purity of the Good News. In the Gospel, Jesus lays down the gifts the proclaimers need to effectively deliver the Good News. First, peace that comes from God himself and not as the world gives.  The world gives temporary peace like our money in the midst of covid.  But that money will soon disappear.  What kind of peace does God offer?  The gift of a heart that is oriented to every kind of goodness to others.  The rich is not at peace if the intention is to survive only on one's own.  But the peace that comes from God is oriented to serving everyone; that is peace. Second, courage....

 Wednesday of the 3rd week of Eastertide John 6:35-40 The persecution continues in the first reading.  But so is the work of Jesus till this very day.  In the Gospel, Jesus underscores eternity. Food is temporary.  We need food each day.  Physical food becomes stale.  But Jesus as food is eternal. It's undeniable that we're living on a day-to-day basis.  We need to be sustained till we age.  But we also need to understand eternity.  There are young people who floated the idea of not having a "forever".  But there are things that last forever.  These are: 1. God and all heavenly things - are forever 2. a heart changed in time - that's why we don't adhere to capital punishment.  The life God has given to every person is a call to a transformed self. 3.  love - indeed is forever.  It is perfection in God who is love. We are seeing things from a temporal perspective.  But if we imagine the perfectio...

Tuesday of the 3rd week of Eastertide John 6:30-35  Jesus invited the people: I am the bread of life.  he who believes will never be hungry.  He who believes in me will never thirst. In this Easter season, we may not be allowed to assemble as a community because of the covid, Jesus is still here in the midst.  But the Eucharist now becomes the family.   In what ways the family can be a Eucharist? First, every action comes from God.  It is Jesus who saves, not our action.  The family clings to Jesus who gathers them as a family.  Each family member is guided by God. Second, the fruit of communion is unity.  Family unity is very important.  The "mesa" is reminiscent of the "misa", the commemoration of the Last Supper of the Lord. Third, sacramental and actual graces - good works.  Every good work is a reflection of Jesus.  Every member becomes an Alter Christus.

Monday of the 3rd week of Eastertide John 6:22-29 At this stage, Stephen was already giving glory to God by testifying, to the consternation of the pharisees. Meanwhile, in the Gospel, Jesus confronted a crowd that was only interested in physical food and not the one that lasts forever. For us to truly experience what true Easter means, we need to shift from preoccupation exclusively with worldly things and aim for the food that really gives us life.  What is this food? First, that food is Jesus himself and how we regard him;  is he Lord only of the heavens, or someone who resides deep in our hearts? Second, his word.  His word is food that gives life and being, heals us, consoles us, strengthens us, molds us.  His word continues to resound this very moment as we listen to him. Third, his paschal mystery is food for our entire being.  Life is an experience of passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  If our preoccupation is physical food, th...