Source of Health and Strength

"Lord, you have given us these gifts to honor your name. bless them, let them become a source of health and strength …" (Prayer at Mass)

The Eucharist is the source of health and strength. Thank you, Jesus.

Discipleship Principles

"If you make my word your home, you will indeed be my disciples; you will come to know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8: 31-32)

Principles of discipleship:

• Make my word your home
  
• Carry your cross everyday and follow me
  
• Be inserted in me as the branch lives in the vine
  

Those are the words of Christ. Those are the three key principles of discipleship.

Daniel and his companions

"Blessed be the God of Sharach, Meshach and Abed-Nego: has sent his angels to rescue his servants who, putting their trust in him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their God." (Daniel 3: 28/95)

When we find ourselves in a similar situation as Daniel and his companions, how do we win? The scripture above gives the answer. The same idea is also expressed in Revelation:

"They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love of life did not deter them from death." (Revelation 12: 11)

The Word and the Sacrament

"Father of mercy, hear the prayers of your repentant children who call on you in love. Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts….." (Mass Prayer)

Enlighten our minds through your word. Sanctify our hearts through your sacraments.

Jesus Christ comes to us in word and in sacrament to strengthen us in holiness.

Long Journey

"But their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses." (Numbers 21: 4-5)

The Enterprise is a journey. It is a long journey. Beware of complaining, criticizing and condemning.

What are the things God provides to sustain my spirit in this journey? I think of the 7-Way plan. Yesterday was the feast of Corpus Christi. For a couple of times now, I have celebrated this feast which includes a procession after Mass at the Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral. I go the Cathedral to "do" thanks for the gift of the Eucharist which is a great food for this journey.

The Power of the Cross 2

"When you have lifted up the Son of man then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of my own accord." (John 8: 28)

No cross, no crown.

No crucifixion, no resurrection.

The crucifixion would prove the divinity of Christ. Our sufferings and triumph over them will glorify God.

"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself, says the Lord." (John 32: 32)

The power of the cross.

Christ saves us through His cross.

Response to Distress

"O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you. Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily." (Psalm 102: 2-3)

I do not complain, criticize or condemn. Instead my response to distress is: "O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you. Hide not your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; in the day when I call, answer me speedily." (Psalm 102: 2-3)

 

The People lost patience

"They left Mount Hor by the road to the sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses." (Numbers 21: 4-5)

The Enterprise is journey with Christ. The Enterprise is the extension of Desert-95 experience. The journey may be long and at times very hard. Do not complain. Do not criticize. Do not condemn.

Rather, "Put your hope in the Lord. Take courage and be strong." (Psalm 27: 14)

Unwavering love of truth

"Lord, through the apostolic work of St. Turibius and his unwavering love of the truth, you helped your Church to grow in faith and holiness…." (Mass Prayer)

Father, grant me an unwavering love of truth. Lead me, guide me and use me in your Church.

The reformers of the 16^th century lacked the unwavering love of truth. After about five centuries of multiple reformations, many of the churches that broke away from the Catholic Church have gone so far away from the Truth. They failed to perceive the wisdom of God in making the Church the bulwark of the truth. It is God's will that truth in the Church be maintained in a relationship of inter-dependent synergies of Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium. These trio functions like nature's ecosystem.

God’s will

"Lord, help us to do your will that your Church may grow and become more faithful in your service……" (Prayer at Mass)

Jesus said, "Without me, you can do nothing." I believe this thoroughly. Therefore I pray, "Lord, help me to do your will."

When I do God's will, the Church grows.

Take courage and be strong

"Put your hope in the Lord. Take courage and be strong." (Psalm 27:14)

Yes, I put all my hope in the Lord.

"Take courage and be strong." Let your hope not weaken. Let it grow stronger every day. Let challenges, delays, obstacles and disappointments strengthen it.

Do not condemn

"Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8: 7)

It is mercy that I want and not sacrifice.

Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate.

Do not criticize; do not condemn; do not complain.

Valley of Darkness

"Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me." (Psalm 23: 4)

I believe this. No matter the situation, I will not fear. I will remember always that God is with me. He was with Susana. He was with Daniel in the lions' den. He shall be with me always. That is His promise.

Susana

"The Lord heard her cry, and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy called Daniel who began to shout, 'I am innocent of this woman's death." (13: 44-46)

"This woman" is Susana falsely accused of adultery. At the very last moment, God intervened through Daniel to save the life of Susana.

O God, take pity on me! My enemies are crushing me. (Psalm 56:2)

"Then the whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the Savior of those who trust him." (Daniel 13: 60)

Yes, God saves those who trust in Him. He saved them as He saves Susana or He saves them as He saved St. Thomas More.

Father of love

"Father of love, source of all blessings, help us to pass from our old life of sin to the new life of grace. Prepare us for the glory of your kingdom…" (Prayer at Mass)

God is the Father of love. He is also the source of all blessings. Redemption is passage from the old life of sin to the new life of grace.

Prepare us for the glory of your kingdom. God is saving us through everything. Our life here and now and everything we do prepare us for eternal life.

Cry out to God

"God, take pity on me! My enemies are crushing me; all day long they wage war on me." (Psalm 56:2)

Lord, help me! I am drowning. Call on the Lord in the hour of distress and He will answer.

My enemies wage war on me all day long. How true! What do I do? Trust in the Lord at all times. Call on Him at the hour of confrontation.

Alive in the Spirit

"Almighty God, may the sacrifice we offer take away the sins of those whom you enlighten with the Christian faith…." (Prayer at Mass)

The Eucharist is a sacrifice that takes away our sins.

"He who lives and believes in me will not die forever." (John 11: 26)

He who believes in me and is alive in the Spirit will not die.

Plenteous Redemption

"For with the Lord is kindness and plenteous redemption; And he will redeem Israel from all its iniquities." (Psalm 130: 7-8)

I am Israel. The Lord will be kind to me. He will redeem me fully from all my iniquities. Thank you Father.

Sentinels waiting for the dawn

"With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption….. I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord." (Psalm 130: 5-7)

God is merciful. He will have mercy on me and grant me full redemption from my sins. Thank you Father. No longer will the sins of my youth disrupt God's plan for my life. Thank you Father. For this, I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word. I wait for the Lord to fulfill His promises to me more than watchmen wait for daybreak. Surely the Lord will come just like the dawn never fails to come.

Holy Spirit – The Transformer

"I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the Lord. I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord." (Ezekiel 37: 12 – 14)

The above scripture answers the question: How to embrace the world given to me without comprising myself? God promised to give me His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in me will anoint me for the work of my life and teach me how to embrace the world without any compromise.

Christ embraced the world without compromise. He ate with sinners. He embraced Mary Magdalene. He drank wine with sinners. When we surrender completely to the Holy Spirit, He will transform us to love like Christ.