Second Chance

"The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah a second time. 'Up' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to it as I shall tell you.' Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to Yahweh." (Jonah 3: 1-3)

The word of Yahweh is addressed to the prophet a second time. To which 'city' is the Lord sending me? What message does he want me to preach?

Father, I will go wherever you send me. I will say exactly what you want me to say. Jonah obeyed the Lord and delivered the message of the Lord. The result was a rich harvest.

"And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sack cloth, from the greatest to the least." (Jonah 3: 5)

I observe here a principle of apostolic productivity: Cast the net where Jesus asks you to do so.

Faith comes from hearing

"Lord, look upon us and hear our prayer. By the good works you inspire, help us to discipline our bodies and to be renewed in spirit…" (Eucharistic Prayer in Lent)

Lent is a time of grace; a favorable time to ask and receive God's favors. When we listen attentively to God's word during Lent, we may be inspired on the good works to undertake during Lent. Just as faith comes through hearing (Romans 10: 17) so too does God's inspiration. When we act on our faith, we are blessed. We pray during Lent that God will help us to act on the inspirations he gives us.

During the Lent of 1988, I got the inspiration to abstain from tobacco for Ash Wednesday. I did and then I got the inspiration to abstain from tobacco for the period of Lent. I acted on this inspiration and was completely freed from the curse of tobacco. In the Lent of 1999, I was inspired to discipline my body through self-control with regard to food.

Desert Journey

"Remember your mercies, Lord; your tenderness from ages past. Do not let our enemies triumph over us." (Psalm 25: 6, 3, 22)

Early in 1999, I confided to my journal the reflection below on the scripture above.

"Remembering God's mercies and tenderness from ages past is a bulwark against the inevitable struggles in our desert journey. Today, when I install my Epson 440 Printer, the first file I will print is Voyage So Far. This is a document celebrating God's mercies and tenderness to me dating from SJC63.

The enemies continue to wage pitiless war against us on all fronts. Father, may your mercies and tenderness protect me from every assault of the evil one.

Purpose, Personality and Position

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own perception. In everything you do acknowledge him and he will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5)

God knows the best. He has seen the whole pattern of the weaving with regard to my life's purpose. He is making a strategic match between my:

• Purpose
  
• Personality
  
• Position (environment)
  

I trust God to arrange the best.

My purpose and personality are constant. My position is constantly changing. What I need above all is to have a firm faith in God's plan for my life. I like the way Isaiah talked about faith in Isaiah 7:9:

"If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all." (NRSV)

"Have firm faith or you shall fail to stand firm." (Revised English Bible)

"Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm!" (New American Bible)

"If you will not take your stand on me, you will not stand firm." (New Jerusalem Bible)

"You do not believe me? If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say." (New Living Translation)

 

Four of the above translations talk about the quality of faith in terms of firmness. I looked up "firm' in Merriam Webster Dictionary and found the following:

1 a
: securely or solidly fixed in place  b
: not weak or uncertain : vigorous  c
: having a solid or compact structure that resists stress or pressure
2 a(1) : not subject to change or revision (2) : not subject to price weakness : steady  b
: not easily moved or disturbed : steadfast  c
: well-founded

Restraining our earthly desires

"Lord, may we who receive this sacrament restrain our earthly desires and grow in love for the things of heaven…." Opening Prayer in Mass in Lent.

The Eucharist helps us to restrain our earthly desires:

• Food
  
• Drink
  
• Human affections
  

As we decrease in materiality, we increase in spirituality.

Our Doubts

"My God of justice, you answer my cry; you come to my help when I am in trouble. Take pity on me, Lord, and hear my prayer." (Psalm 4:2)

This is our faith: God is our Father. He is an utterly just God. He is the guardian of my rights. He comes to my help when I am in trouble. Mother M. Angelica says: "Doubts increase our Faith when we act according to our beliefs rather than our reasoning."

I will act as if God is with me in every step and every moment of this day.

Christ the King

"The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, 'He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.' Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, 'If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.' Above him there was an inscription that read, 'This is the King of the Jews.' Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." (Luke 23: 35 – 39)

The above scripture is taken from the Gospel on the Solemnity of Christ the King, November 25, 2007. I watched the Mass of the Rings in St. Peter's Square in Rome carried by the EWTN. At this Mass, Pope Benedict gave rings to the new cardinals created in the Consistory of yesterday, November 24. Commenting on the above scripture he said that the enemies of Christ challenged him to come down from the cross in order to prove that he is the Messiah. But instead, Christ showed his regal power by choosing to remain on the cross.

The saints show the power of God by accepting suffering and death. Pope John Paul II showed the power of God through his patience during his long illness. Mother Theresa showed the power of God through her life of poverty and complete dedication to the service of the poor and the sick.

Do not babble

"In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6: 6-7)

Why do the pagans babble when they pray? They pray according to their knowledge and belief about their gods. Their gods are local, not omnipotent or omniscient. Their gods are not omnipresent or all-loving. The pagan prays to convince his god to act for him.

But our God is a Father who knows what we need even before we ask him. He has a loving and provident plan for our life. Jesus wants us to know God as a loving Father. He wants us to come to him not just begging for what we need, which will be provided anyway but to come to him in praise and thanksgiving. Animals have the instinct to care for their young ones. The human being who is created in the image of God has an elevated instinct when it comes to protecting and providing for his young ones. Now consider who God is. Jesus describes God as a Good Shepherd who provides all that we need.

Fruitfulness of God’s word

"For, as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return before having watered the earth, fertilizing it and making it germinate to provide seed for the sower and food to eat, so it is with the word that goes forth from my mouth: it will not return to me unfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do." (Isaiah 55: 10-11)

I pray that God's word will be fruitful in my life. How can I prepare my heart and mind to be good soil to receive the seed of the sower? I will use the tools of prayer and study. I believe that God will complete what his word has started in my life.

Discipline of Lent2

"Father, look on us, your children. Through the discipline of Lent help us to grow in our desire for you ….. " (Opening prayer in Mass in the season of Lent)

God is our Father. He gave us the holy season of Lent as a time of favor to grow to know him more, to love him more and to serve him more. We grow through decreasing our dependence on the following:

• Food
  
• Drink
  
• Snacks
  
• Money
  
• Television
  
• Sightseeing
  
• Etc
  

As we decrease in our materiality, we grow in our spirituality.

The Indestructible Rock

"Peter said, 'You are the Christ, the son of the living God.' Jesus answered: 'You are Peter, the rock on which I will build my Church." (Matthew 16: 16, 18)

It is Christ's will that the papacy be the rock on which the indestructible foundation of the Church is built. Matthew 16: 16, 18 is the foundation scripture. Word and experience, theory and practice have confirmed this in 2000 years of Church history. The enemies of the Church had never been able to destroy the papacy. There had been many serious attempts in the past. There will continue to be attempts to do so till the end of time. But we know from the word of God that they will not succeed. Jesus Christ keeps his pledge come what may.

Dark Valley

"Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage." (Psalm 23: 4)

Christ was at my side when I walked the dark valley of:

• AJS84
  
• UEF86
  
• PAE91
  
• AJS94
  
• Desert95
  

What lessons have I learned from the above?

Dark valleys will be regular occurrences in the journey of life.

As Christ was faithful in the first dark valley, so will he be till the last.

As Christ was with me in the dark valley protecting and encouraging me, so will I be with my flock when they walk the dark valleys of the lives.

The Chief Shepherd

"When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the unfading crown of glory." (1 Peter 5: 4)

Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd. What are the qualities of Christ, the Shepherd?

"The Lord is my shepherd; I have no want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

Besides restful waters he leads me;

He refreshes my soul." (Psalm 23)

 

Christ the Shepherd provides all that we need for life and protects us from all dangers.

I am also a shepherd of the flock that the Lord has entrusted to me. In Psalm 23, Jesus proposes himself as a model. I am to shepherd my flock as Jesus Christ himself shepherds me. I will take the needs of my flock to the Chief Shepherd who has the resources to satisfy all living things.

 

"In due season, he gives food to all living things. When he opens his hand all are satisfied."

The Flock

"Give a shepherd's care to the flock of God entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly as God wants; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it." (1 Peter 5:2)

Strengthen the faith of your flock as Christ has strengthened your faith.

Pray for your flock as Christ has prayed for you.

We may not be bishops but each of us is entrusted with a flock. Who is my flock? Who is my neighbor?

• Family
  
• Prayer partners
  
• Friends and benefactors
  
• All those whom God sends to me every day.
  

I prayed for compound faith in order to exercise my ministry. Today, I ask Jesus to grant me a compound knowledge of his word so that I can be effective in serving the flock that he has entrusted to me. Through daily reading and reflection on Sacred Scripture, I hope to gain the faith and knowledge I need to serve Christ in the ministry that he is calling me.

Robust Faith

"The Lord said to Simon Peter: I have prayed that your faith may not fail; and you in your turn must strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22: 32)

On the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22, 1999, I confided the following reflection to my journal.

Jesus said to Emmanuel: I have prayed that your faith may not fail; and you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.

Jesus prayed that my faith will remain strong. Lord, since you prayed that my faith may not fail, I have the boldness and confidence to ask you to grant me a compound faith. Strengthen my faith and grant me the ministry of encouragement. Anoint me for this, dear Jesus. Lord, I dare to believe NOW that I have what I have asked for. Thank you Jesus. May you be completely glorified through this gift. Amen!

Lessons from the Desert

"If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.' He said in reply, 'It is written:

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4: 3-4)

 

The Temptation of Jesus was the proximate preparation for his ministry. Jesus was led into the desert by the devil to be tried. Jesus was tested on the following points:

• Food
  
• Use of power
  
• Possessions /prosperity
  

The three temptations of Jesus are types and shadows of our struggle. If the enemy were to tempt me today, what will he say to me? What have I learned from the Temptation of Jesus?

• Man does not live on bread alone.
  
• Man does not live on money alone.
  
• Man does not live on salary alone.
  
• Man does not live on job alone.
  

"Man lives on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

It is through faith that we appropriate God's promise of provision.

Accused and Acquitted

"One single offence brought condemnation, but now, after many offences, have come that free gift and so acquittal!" (Romans 5: 16)

In February, 1999, I confided the reflection below on the above text to my journal.

"Once upon a time, a certain big man was tried for many offences and was acquitted by the senate.

Jesus Christ is the Senate who through his passion and death and resurrection acquitted us of so many offences. This acquittal is a free gift. I experienced a joy in the acquittal of the man tried by the senate. Do I realize the significance of this incident to my own acquittal?

The devil, the accuser of man goes before the Senate, Jesus Christ and presents a list of all my sins with proofs. After he had carefully presented his case, my Advocate swings into action. He overcomes his argument one by one. Then comes my acquittal.

Thank you Jesus. Now that I am acquitted, I will no longer submit to the yoke of slavery."

A Prayer for healing

"Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me …. " (Psalm 51: 1-2)

How many times in my life have I used this Psalm of David to find healing and peace at a moment of brokenness? Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding me to this effective prayer at the moment of great need. Yes, God is merciful and good. His compassion is great. He is always disposed to deploy his great compassion and love to meet our needs. The Church uses Psalm 51 a great deal in the holy season of Lent. Lent is a time of favor. When we show signs through our Lenten observances that we want God to act for us, he responds magnanimously.

Forbidden fruits

"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die." (Genesis 3: 2-3)

• What are the fruits in my life that I am forbidden to eat under pain of death?
  
• What are the fruits that are tempting me today?
  

The word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword. It reveals the secrets of the heart. Reading and reflecting on the word of God constantly leads us to self-knowledge.

Walking by faith

I heard a great question from the Christian Radio during my lunch.

"What area of my life do I need to walk in faith today?"

 

I surveyed the 6 war zones:

1. Family
   
2. Job
   
3. Money
   
4. Health
   
5. Tools
   
6. Food
   

 

Then I rephrased the question: "What is the most challenging area of my life today?"

At first, I thought the clear answer was job. Then I considered the answer closely. I am self-employed in 3 areas I consider myself competent and enjoy. These 3 areas of my endeavor are:

• JSP
  
• CLI
  
• SFJ
  

 

If I say that I am challenged in these businesses, does that not imply incompetency? After considering the question more deeply, I settled for the 2 interrelated areas of job and money. How do I walk in faith in these 2 areas?

Think of the October 07 gift: "God is the source of all inspiration and power." He is the source of all inspiration for job as well as money. All the good things I have done in my life has come from God's inspiration and power. I have recognized and articulated this truth as early as 1982. I therefore resolved to trust God today to inspire me. I remember too that God is a good communicator. He not only inspires but provides the power to act on his inspiration.