Our Interdependence

God in His immense wisdom and power could have made us independent instead of Interdependent. Each person has something to give to another in our symbiotic ecosystem. (Idea before the Blessed Sacrament)

What is my cross?

Matthew 16:24

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

"Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Rejection of the cross is rejection of Jesus Christ.

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Come Lord Jesus!

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself."  (Philippians 3: 20 - 21)

Are your eyes permanently pointed to the skies or downwards?  Jesus says:
"For where your treasure is, there also will your heart."  (Matthew 6: 21)

Our Top Prize is in heaven.  There also is our heart. We live therefore in this world as pilgrims not holding anything too tightly because we know full well that our Lord and Bridegroom shall come any time.

Come Lord Jesus!

Mary's Sign

"And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God." (Luke 1: 36 - 37)

Some people receive revelations, word of knowledge and word of wisdom from God.  Some of these people claim that God confirms these communications with  signs.  My personal reaction is not to doubt.  Why should I?  I experience inspirations from God all the time.  In fact, I cannot survive without inspirations.  The inspirations make up for my lack of high intelligence quotient.

When the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the Mother of the Christ, Mary did not ask for any sign.  But God gave her a sign nevertheless.  That sign was a living person, her relative Elizabeth.  Elizabeth who desired to be a mother for most of her life was now old and her barrenness was absolute.  But God for whom nothing is impossible, infused strength and fruitfulness to Elizabeth.  Mary on hearing this would have said to herself, "If this is possible, then it is also possible for me a virgin to conceive to be a mother by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The confirmation of our signs could come from what God does for other people.  Such signs need no further communication from God.  When we receive the word or promise of God and consent to it, we look for examples of such fulfillments either from scripture, history or from our contemporary experience.  They are all signs.  Everything is scripture.

The word of God stands forever

"The grass withers, the flower wilts,
but the word of our God stands forever.”  (Isaiah 40: 8)

Your word leads to eternal life.  Teach us to love your word.

On the Occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

On the Occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

"I will rejoice heartily in the LORD,
my being exults in my God;
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation,
and wrapped me in a robe of justice,
Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."  (Isaiah 61: 10)


"For nothing will be impossible for God."  (Luke 1: 37)

O Most Immaculate Virgin and Mother, your Son took maximum care to adorn you with the gifts appropriate to you great Mission.  Remember us, who approach you in our distress.

Fill us with your Holy Spirit

"The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide."  (Isaiah 11: 2 - 3)

Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your gifts.  Lead us, guide us and use us as you wish.  We will not rebel against your total control of our lives.

Our home is in heaven

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."  (Philippians 3: 20)

Lord Jesus, strengthen our hearts this season of Advent as we wait for you.

Teach us to love heaven

Titus 2: 12-13
"Let our lives be honest and holy in this present age, as we wait for the happiness to come when our great God reveals Himself in glory. "

May your word teach us to love heaven.  May its promise and hope guide our way on earth.

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Great Way to see life by Cardinal John Newman

God has created me to do Him some definite service.  He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.

I have my mission.  I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.  He has not created me for naught.  I shall do good

     ---I shall do His work

     ---I shall be an angel of peace

     ---a preacher of truth

in my own place while not intending it, if I but keep His commandments.

Therefore I will trust Him.

Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.  If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him...

He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, he may shorten it; He knows what He is about.  He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers; He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me ---still,

He knows what He is about.

 Cardinal John Newman

Salvation comes from Jesus

"On that day it will be said:
“Indeed, this is our God; we looked to him, and he saved us!
This is the LORD to whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"  (Isaiah 25: 9)

Lord Jesus we waited for you.  At long last, you take pity and answer us.  We rejoice in hope.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me."  (Psalm 23: 4)

Lord Jesus, we hope in you.  Deliver us from all distress - all fears, all worries and all doubts. Amen!

The Kingdom of God belongs to the childlike

"At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and said, I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.* Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will."  (Luke 10: 21)

What does it mean to be childlike?
I am childlike when I trust your promises.
I am childlike when I live for the moment.
I am childlike when I do not take myself too seriously.
I am childlike when I am content to be carried and not to carry.

The childlike believes in miracles.  He delights in the simple manifestations of nature - rain, sunshine, snow and wind.

If the kingdom of God belongs to the childlike, I want to be childlike.

Give us faith Lord Jesus

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.
He said to him, “I will come and cure him."  (Matthew 8: 6 - 7)

Lord Jesus, grant us the faith of the Centurion and have mercy on us and heal our sick.

Multiple Signs of the Times

"And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."  (Romans 13: 11)

You know the time. What time? What are the signs of the times?  The season of Advent, the four weeks preparation for Christmas is a perfect time to reflect on the signs of the times.

What are the signs of this time and this season?
Extreme secularization
Shame in professing faith publicly
Persecution of Christianity in different parts of the world
Tolerance of same sex marriage
Tolerance of abortion
Profanation of the sacred character of Sunday
Hypercritical attitude towards any kind of authority
Universal availability of affordable mobile technology
Materialism

Romans 13: 11 teaches that because we know these signs, this knowledge and understanding should provoke extreme alert for all Christians.  We should be prepared for the coming of Christ anytime to take us home.

Come Lord Jesus!

Our faith comes from the word of Christ

"Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ."  (Romans 17: 17)

Our action flows from what we believe.  Our belief comes from preaching and teaching the word of Christ.

"And by Your Word You will light every step.  You are ever faithful Jesus.  You are ever faithful.
You will not be shaken, God of our salvation.  You are the Rock we stand on."  (CCLI Song)

What are the signs of these times?

"In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."  (Luke 21: 31 - 33)

Jesus implies that the signs of the times can be observed with certainty.  We can interpret the signs in nature.  How can we not interpret the signs concerning our destiny.  The  implication here too is that the spiritual signs or the signs concerning our destiny can be interpreted with certainty.

We can observe the chain of secondary causes in action. For example:
Martin needs financial assistance.  Why does Martin need financial assistance?
Martin lost his job.  Why did Martin lose his job?
There was exodus of customers from his company.  Why?
A more cost-effective technology replaced the services the Martin's provided. Why?
Because of recent escalation in investment in technology.

We see how the chain of secondary causes can continue ad infinitum until they stop at the Primary Cause, God.

In religion, secondary causes also terminate with the Primary Cause, God.  This is what is called Providence.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Divine Providence thus:  "Divine providence consists of the dispositions by which God guides all his creatures with wisdom and love to their ultimate end."  (CCC 321)

There could be either accident or providence.  According to the above quoted Catechism, there are no accidents.  Everything is providence.

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God,* who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8: 28)

Thanksgiving 2013

Revelation 19:9

"And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

"God our Father, from your hand we have received generous gifts so that we might learn to share our blessings in gratitude. Draw us closer to all our brothers and sisters in the family of man."

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Trust in Jesus with all your heart

"He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."   (Luke 21: 3 - 4)

As you trust Jesus, your generosity to Him grows.  You cannot undo Jesus in generosity.  He is King of kings, the Alpha and Omega. All the gold, all the silver belong to Him.  All the central banks,all the commercial banks belong to Him.  He is free to give whatever He likes to anybody.  But to His beloved, He gives the very best.  He gives the Holy Spirit.  He who has the Holy Spirit has everything.

I will praise you with all my heart

"I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will delight and rejoice in you;
I will sing hymns to your name, Most High."  (Psalm 9: 2 - 3)

Thank you Jesus for renewing your favors day by day.  Thank you for your promise of pardon, peace, power, purpose, protection, provision and presence. Thank you for that sacred space where your presence is tangible.  I will declare your wondrous deeds and share the knowledge of your name among my brothers.

I will find my delight in you O Lord and you will give me my heart's desires.  I will sing hymns to your Name for your Name is sweet and glorious.

Jesus Christ is our Teacher

"And every day Jesus was teaching in the temple area."  (Luke 19: 47)

It is interesting to observe the work habit of Jesus  in the Gospel.  He is a relentless worker.  Sometimes, He had no time to eat or rest.  He worked so hard that when He got into a boat at the end of the workday, He slumped into a seat and fell soundly asleep.  On one occasion, His relatives heard about how He worked for long hours without food or rest and became concerned about his mental health.  But as hard as He worked, He was a most compassionate and selfless boss.  He thought more of the welfare of His disciples than Himself.

"He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat."  (Mark 6: 31)