Inspirations at your Fingertips!

5th day within the octave of Christmas Luke 2:22-35 Blessed are those whose Christmas did not end on December 25; rather, is just starting as of December 25 till today and forever. In the First Reading, St. John reminded the Christians to make their faith tangible and practical instead of being profound and abstract.  The one who knows God keeps his commandments. We are presented with two sets of commandments, the old and the new.  The old command are practical norms of serving God and others.  The new commandment is declared by Jesus, "Love one another as I have loved you." In the Gospel, Simeon was waiting all his life for the consolation of Israel through the coming of the Messiah.  The Jews are generally expecting a temporal Messiah; but Jesus brings much more.  He brings about the total redemption of men and women from sin. This Christmas Season, its truly lasting effects are found in the hearts of men and women.  We may be following all co...

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs Matthew 2:13-18  Today, we commemorate the Feast of the Holy Innocents who, despite their state of helplessness, already offered their lives to Christ. Matthew's gospel gave reference to Jeremiah 31:15, about Rachel who could not in any way be consoled because her children were "no more." In this reading, God speaks as the source of real consolation.  All others, material or any other thing in this world could not console us. This Christmas Season, let us offer this day for children, especially those aborted, who at their innocence become the victims of sin, darkness, and violence.  On the other hand, this day is an invitation for us to rely solely on God who consoles us no end.  Remember the Beatitudes, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Mt. 5:4). Let our Christmas not be a feast about food and gifts.  Knowing that these are temporary, the real Christmas is Christ who is our true source of consola...

Saint Stephen, the first Martyr Matthew 10:17-22 Stephen became the first martyr after the ascension of Jesus.  The sea of martyrs started growing. In the gospel, Jesus assures us not to worry because it is his spirit guiding us as we give witness amidst the trials and adversities of life. A day after Christmas and we heard the Christians such as Stephen sacrificing their lives for Christ.  How do we celebrate the Christmas season? Christmas is simply giving witness to the words and actions of Jesus as he saves us.  This involves an on-going process of getting to know him and how he carries out his plan of salvation.  Being born in a stable is part of that plan.  Jesus wishes to save not only in a spiritual way, but encompassing every human reality, including the ugliest, the most dreadful, and acceptable. Second is how Christmas affects our lives.  It should affect us in the same way Stephen was affected by the power of the gospel of Jesus....

23 December Luke 1:57-66 The Christmas story moves on with Elizabeth naming her child "John".  Zechariah was able to speak again. The Book of Malachi is one of the last books that give reference to the immediate coming of the Messiah. One very noticeable theme it gives is on the area of purification: "For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made." He shall restore Israel to its former glory. Two days to go and we shall celebrate Christmas.  But the Lord wants us to purify all our intentions to its pristine form, like John the Baptism and how he lived in righteousness.  Let us enter into our purification process: First, the Lord wants pure offerings - "He will purify the sons of Levi ..." If in the case of the priests of the Lord, they are deman...

22 December Luke 1:46-56 Continuing from yesterday's Gospel, Mary sang her "Magnificat", a song-prayer filled with love and joy for God, our Savior. In the First Reading, Hannah presented her new-born son Samuel humbly to Eli in the temple.  From the very start, she acknowledged that her son was already made, destined to serve in the temple. In these two personages, Hannah and Mary, is reflected utmost humility as condition experiencing the true meaning of Christmas. As we await the immediate coming of the Lord this Christmas, today's readings inspire us to respond through the words of Magnificat or even Hannah's generosity of offering her son, Samuel.  How should we respond to the Lord's gift of himself this Christmas? First, adore the Lord.   Mary adored the Lord, even though she was regarded as "blessed among all women", she said, "My spirit finds joy in God, my Savior, for he has looked kindly on his lowly servant; all generatio...

21 December Luke 1:39-45 Mary, after having learned that Elizabeth would bear a child, proceeded in haste to assist her in her home which was about 120 miles from Nazareth.  When Elizabeth saw her, the baby in her womb leapt for joy. In the book of the prophet Zephaniah, he called out on the people to rejoice with incomparable gladness because the Lord repealed his sentence, his kingship will dwell again in Israel, and he would drive its enemies away. After the conception of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Mother, what are the conditions of us jumping for joy given this Christmas?  Christmas is truly a time to jump for joy when we learn these three realities: First, "Emmanuel".   God is with us every moment of our lives to the minute detail.  Let's rejoice because our deliverer is always with us.  We experience eternal security in the presence of the Lord.  He is truly a loving God who dwells with us forever. Second, conversion.   We sha...

20 December Luke 1:26-38 Today's readings tell the story of Ahaz as he was given a prophecy of being sent a king born of a virgin whom she will call "Emmanuel" which means "God-is-with-us." In today's gospel, that virgin is Mary who consented to bring forth her son Jesus, the savior of the world. As we prepare for the blessed Christmas, we beg the Lord the grace so that we, like Mary, may incarnate Jesus in our lives and share him to others.  Let us learn from the personages presented to us in the readings: 1. Ahaz and the Fear of the Lord - Even if Ahaz, the king of Israel was notorious in worshiping false gods, still he knew when not to put the Lord God to the test. Let us be imbued with the Holy Fear of the Lord.  This is not to say that because we fear his majesty, we veer far away from him; nor practice the exact opposite - that we are not ashamed of committing sin against him.  Let us learn the two meanings of Fear of the Lord in the Act of...

19 December Luke 1:5-25 Today's story brings us to the precursor or forerunner of the Savior. In the Old Testament, we see the story of Manoah and his wife; from them came forth Samson, who was also the forerunner of the Lord. But in the gospel, though John's birth had been foretold, Zechariah had to come face to face with his doubts.  Not that he doubted God, but he doubted the angel for saying such things since both Zechariah and his wife were advanced in age.  But the Angel, standing as representative of the Lord in such a holy part of the temple could not accept such excuse; thus, he made Zechariah dumb. As Christmas approaches, let us learn the hard lesson Zechariah learned: 1. Stop doubting.  We have doubted before the Lord and relied on material things for our security.  We have sacrificed spirituality for practicality.  We have lost sight of God.  We don't know what Church means as the body of Christ.  Christ would still be born, but ...

Ikatlong Biyernes ng Adbiyento, Unang araw ng Simbang Gabi Jn. 5: 33 - 36 Ipaghanda natin ang Kapaskuhang dumarating nang may tamang disposisyon.  Magagawa lamang natin ito kung malinaw sa atin ang tunay nitong kahulugan - hindi konsepto ng Pasko, hindi mga regalo't palamuti, kundi si Hesus mismo. Maging malinaw nawa sa atin ang Pasko Sa unang pagbasa kay Isaias, pinanunumbalik sa ating alaala ang mga kahanga-hangang gawa ng Diyos.  Titipunin ninyang muli ang kanyang bayan; mamumuno ang katarungan at habag; at mawawala ang mga balakid na nakapaghihiwalay sa atin sa isa't isa't sa Diyos. Nililinaw sa atin ang pamumuno ng Diyos at ang kanyang papel na mag-ugnay, maghilom, at mamuno sa katarungan at habag.  Ang papel natin?  Maging saksi sa kahanga-hangang ginawa ng Diyos. Ikalawa, linawin natin ang papel ni Juan Bautista sa Pasko.  Ang buhay niya'y isang paghahanda sa daraanan ng Panginoon.  Handa ba ang mga pari't magulang na maging tagapaghanda ...

Saturday of the 2nd week of Advent Matthew 17:10-13 Let us start the Simbang Gabi with the proper disposition.  The First Reading reflects the power of the Lord to bring famine on the people as well as to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and restore the tribes of Jacob. In today's Gospel Jesus talks about Elijah coming to see that everything is restored as it should be. Simbang Gabi is about a direct encounter with the Lord through the different accounts leading to the Christmas night.  We need to restore some things in our lives so that we can authentically encounter the birth of Jesus, molding the way we view life itself. We need to restore the grace lost by sin and sinful orientation.  It means rekindling paradise, the state of mankind's total unity with God.  It is also our state in the womb of our mothers, untainted and waiting to be born in the world.  We can restore it through the sacraments of forgiveness and the Eucharist. S...

Friday of the 2nd week of Advent Matthew 11:16-19  Christmas is always a time to renew ourselves to know who the Child in the manger is and how we can consider his offer of salvation. Unfortunately, when people are too preoccupied with worldly things, this offer of salvation is cast aside till later date, perhaps at the time of death.  This is the message of the Lord to hard-headed children, " We played the pipes for you,  and you wouldn’t dance;  we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t be mourners.”   Let us resolve to use each day to know, love, adore, and serve the Lord.  Knowing the Lord does not commence at the end of life, but now. Doing the Lord's commands is not an end-of-life task but entails listening each day for his word. Loving the Lord through others entails utilizing each day to offer oneself to bring life to others.  Then we shall not be sidetracked with the materialistic concerns of preparing for Christmas; rather, our ho...

Saturday of the 1st week of Advent Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8 The readings present to us a state of abundance that God supplies for us.  Unfortunately, when we see pictures of poverty around us, we tend to doubt, saying, "Where is the abundance of God?" For abundance to be possible, every person needs to engage in paradigm shift in the way of thinking from  surviving to sharing one's life for others. Our lives are filled to the brim with the abundance of God.  It's time for us to give ourselves to the Lord and to others.  Imagine a world where all people are givers.  The world will surely dwell in abundance. Abundance can also be realized if people are not too concerned with building their own kingdoms; rather, be more concerned with propagating God's kingship on earth.  Analyze each motive, action, and decision: are we building God's kingdom or our little kingdoms?  Remember, only God can produce abundance.  Our abundance accounts to not...

Wednesday of the 1st week of Advent Matthew 15:29-37 Perhaps you might have heard about the story of the giving tree: ""Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy." So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave..." God we know has always been a giving God who gives what is best for his children.  He causes us to have life. Can we also be a giving Church?  As God is, as children of the Lord, we are called to be such.What are the marks of a giving Church? First, Jesus cared for his flock.  Everywhere, he cured them of their infirmities.  We can also partake of this gift by being genuinely concerned with one another the moment we see th...

Saturday of week 34 in Ordinary Time Luke 21:34-36  After Daniel was revealed the meaning of the four animals as signifying the powers during those times - Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Chaldeans, he was specially drawn to the fourth animal that is truly worse, hideous, and powerful enough to kill.  There is something in this animal that has 10 horns which symbolizes evil.  What he does is entirely opposite the compassion of Christ yet he declares himself as God.  We should do well to take care not to be subjected to his destructive reign. How do we guard ourselves so that our hearts remain pure, steadfastly waiting for the Son of Man to come? First, we need to equip ourselves with the proper arsenal - prayer, faith, and sacraments, never wallowing in a lax show of faith; Second, we need to constantly live our our faith - practice, practice, practice that faith to perfection.  Practice makes perfect.  There's no short cut to perfection except thr...