Inspirations at your Fingertips!

Saturday of week 11 in Ordinary Time Matthew 6:24-34 Unless we rely on our strength, material wealth and power, we shall not see the glory of God. St. Paul boasts of his own weakness, "For when I'm weak, then I'm strong."  His strength is Jesus alone. Because we rely on our own strength, we don't have time to serve the Lord in the Church because we are desperately trying to save our lives.  Unless we rely on God, no matter what amount of hard work we inject in our endeavors, eventually, our efforts come to naught. In the gospel, Jesus challenged those who relied on their own strength and thus end up more anxious with life, asking endless questions like, "What are we to eat?" or "What are we to wear?" It is God who supplies us every gift, even our very own lives Thus, let us proclaim our own weaknesses; only God is our strength.  Let us change our outlook on material things.  Instead of owning them, let's use them to give glory ...

Friday of week 10 in Ordinary Time Matthew 5:27-32 Not only St. Paul was trying to strengthen the faith of the Corinthian Church, he was also inspiring us to commit ourselves to do a greater good in the midst of persecutions.  What's the greater good?  To stand up for Christ as earthen vessels that would fulfill their essence such. We are God's earthen vessels; we are the not the masters of our lives and being. As earthen vessels these are what we're supposed to do: First, stay humble.  A humble person would stay faithful to God and exult him above his life. Second, fulfill his will.  The earthen vessel, under the responsible molding of its master would eventually be fold according to his mind.  All of us have our mission to do, not based on what we want for ourselves but what God wants us to do.  Life is not about ourselves; rather, it's about giving witness to him by our way of life. Third, we are always pushed to the limits of what we can...

Saturday of the 7th week of Eastertide John 21:20-25 We have reached the end of the Acts of the Apostles.  Even though Paul was in chains, he said, "It is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain." And the Good News of the Kingdom of God was proclaimed to all nations without hindrance. Peter in the Gospel inquired about John, "Lord, what will happen to him?" Jesus rebuked him, "If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me." We are to continue where the apostles have left off: First, get closer to Jesus - "Follow me." We have to follow Jesus.  We have to see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly "Day by Day". Second, proclaim the Kingdom of God "without hindrance."  The main hindrance is ourselves, our hesitations, and our sins. Rid ourselves of these hindrance and we shall clearly see the path towards the fulfillment of the k...

Friday of the 7th week of Eastertide John 21:15-19 We are nearing the end of the Acts of the Apostles with St. Paul decided by King Agrippa and Festus to send him to Rome to be tried.  We know that he would be judged unjustly to be condemned to death. In the Gospel, Jesus, after asking Peter, "Do you love me?" and receiving a positive answer, told him, "Follow me." Like St. Paul followed Jesus till Rome,  Peter followed Jesus till he was also martyred  in Rome.  Following Jesus has the following consequences: First, it starts from love and ends in love - Love is the sole motive for following Jesus whatever consequence it may have on the bearer; Second, it results in doing God's work on earth - With love as its sole motive, all our actions reflect what God wants us to do; Third, it gives life to others - Not only does following do good to the person, it also does good to all others loved by God, "Feed my sheep".  This is supreme generosity...

Tuesday of the 7th week of Eastertide John 17:1-11  What we have are memories, yet we can imagine Jesus on the road to going up to the Father while St. Paul in on his way to Jerusalem.  The message is in the core of those who are leaving: GLORIFY "to lift, praise or worship". Glorify Jesus and his works, to attest in one's life the presence of Jesus as the highest honor and respect. Glorify the Father - to let others know the identity of the Father who is the ruler of all! Glorify fellow human beings, not in the sense of worshiping but to accord respect and honor to them as children of God; to lift them from their state, to accord them hope; to love them as Jesus loves us.