Inspirations at your Fingertips!

Obedience "The fullness of the revelation of God is found in the Catholic Church."  This has been the official stand of the Catholic Church, specifically referring to our Lord Jesus Christ who is God's revelation.  The way to salvation is definitely through following Jesus. The effects of following Jesus is explained by the gospel today."I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life." (Mk. 10, 28 - 31) If we can only reflect on the true meaning of following Jesus; if only we have heeded Jesus throughout our lives, we could have been living in a Spirit-filled Christian community.

"To glorify the Father" St. Paul delivered a farewell speech that moved the whole Christian community at Ephesus - he was to be delivered to Jerusalem to be persecuted and tried. This is reminiscent of Jesus who readied himself and the apostles to what awaited him in Jerusalem - crucifixion - all because of love. As we are readied by the Church to live life in the Spirit, the Word exhorts us to be faithful to Jesus who was glorified by the Father as he glorifies Him.  This is the true mark of the Holy Spirit - none of my life and glory belong to me; everything belongs to the Father.  Every act, gesture, and intention glorifies Jesus and the Father. To glorify Jesus and the Father also means fulfilling the mission entrusted to us the moment we were born.  Whatever that mission is, it will end up fulfilling what God wants for all of us here on earth - life. Thus, let us live lives in the Spirit.  As Jesus says, we are in the world but not of this world. ...

Increase the zeal to evangelize It dawned upon me that the resurrection story is now grounded in our own experiences of the resurrection of our lives here on earth and in the world to come. In this resurrection, we can review every moment of our lives when the hand of the Lord touched us.  Now we see the Lord through the eyes of our faith.  Now we know our mission in this world.  This mission is now as clear as the proclamation of St. Paul in the first reading: I am going to the gentiles with a clear conscience. The fruits of all our work of love is found in the first reading: we may be sad, but our sadness will turn into joy.  Jesus further said, "You will not see me; but in time you'll see me back."  We shall see the fruits of all our patience, our generosity, and our love: we shall see Jesus.

Love heals all wounds This is the start of the application of Christianity: will the newly baptized Christians be circumcised or not?  Will they be warned against eating the blood of the meat or not? These and other things can only be resolved by those who have faith and love.  If there is love among people, all problems can be solved. In the gospel, Jesus commands not only the apostles but all of us to "love one another as I have loved you."  In this kind of love, we are not slaves but friends.  In this love, we know our reference point: Jesus himself who sends us to go forth and bear fruit that will last. The remedy to sin and division is love.