Defeat

Defeat

“If your people Israel are defeated by the enemy because they have sinned against you, but then return to acknowledge your name, and pray and seek your favor in this temple, then listen from heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the country which you gave to them and their ancestors.” (2 Chronicles 6: 24 – 25)

What brings about defeat in life? Does the following bring about defeat in life?

· Health problems?

· Money problems?

· Job?

· No tools?

· No food?

· No friends?

· No rest?

Defeat in life is only brought about by sin, that is, disobedience to God. In every other circumstance in our life, we can say with St. Paul:

“I have learned the secret ….. There is nothing I cannot master with the help of Christ who gives me strength.” Jesus Christ gives us the know-how to turn cross into crown.

Sin causes the defeat in our life not so much because of the punishment attached to sin but because sin causes us to lose our status as sons and daughters of God and the confidence that goes with that relationship. We feel bewildered, terrified and helpless.

Short Season

Short Season

“Do not be afraid of the sufferings that are coming to you. Look, the devil will send some of you to prison to put you to the test, and you must face hardship for ten days.” (Revelation 2: 10)

How long did my desert experience last? Only two years. I can say “Only” today; but at the time, it seemed to go on forever. The Bible is right in saying that our tribulations and trials last for a short season. The fact that the trial is for a short period is often given as an encouragement for endurance. The following scriptures attest to this:

“Go, my people, go to your private room, shut yourselves in. Hide yourselves a little while until the retribution has passed.” (Isaiah 26: 20)

“In a flood of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But in everlasting love I have taken pity on you, says Yahweh, your redeemer. (Isaiah 5: 8)

“And if time had not been shortened, no human being would have survived; but shortened that time shall be, for the sake of those who are chosen.” (Matthew 24: 22)

“The temporary, light burden of our hardships is earning for us forever an utterly incomparable, eternal weight of glory, since what we aim for is not visible but invisible. Visible things are transitory, but invisible things are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4: 17)

“This is a great joy to you, even though for a short time yet you must bear all sorts of trials; so that the worth of your faith, more valuable than gold, which is perishable even though it has been tested by fire, may be proved.” (1 Peter 1: 6 – 7)

“The night is nearly over, daylight is on the way; so let us throw off everything that belongs to the darkness and equip ourselves for the light.” (Revelations 13: 12)

Naaman the Leper

Naaman the Leper

“Go and bathe in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more. But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I, thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the part that was diseased.” (2 Kings 5: 10)

Naaman had his own ideas about how he would be healed. His preconception and programming nearly deprived him of his cure. Naaman did not know that:

· For God everything is possible. “All things serve you.” (Psalm 119: 91)

· God’s ways are not our ways.

· God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.

· God is master of means.

· God is the Lord of times and seasons.

When I compare Naaman’s behavior with that of the Centurion in Matthew 8: 5 – 13, I understand that faith is a simple and childlike trust in God’s word. The centurion knew that the power of God can work through words and through space. Naaman wanted something more tangible as in pagan practices, for example: incantations, rituals, etc.

God’s word is always sufficient.

Intuition

Intuition

“Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no good like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, as loyal to the covenant and faithful in love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept the promise you made to your servant, my father David, as you promised him you would. Today you have carried it out by your power. And now, Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise you have made to your servant David….” (1 Kings 8: 23 – 25)

The attributes of Yahweh from the above prayers of Solomon are:

· Loyal

· Faithful

· Loving

As long as I walk wholeheartedly in his way, Yahweh will keep his promises to me. What are these promises?

· Success of the Enterprise

· Health

· Famille

What does walking wholeheartedly in the way of Yahweh mean to me today?

· Total surrender to Yahweh

· Openness to the Holy Spirit

· Knowing God’s word

· Confessing God’s word

· Holding firmly to God’s word

How strong is my faith in:

· Christ

· Prayer

· Eucharist

· Word of God

· God’s wisdom

· God’s power

· The Enterprise

How do I strengthen my faith in the Enterprise?

· Prayer

· Eucharist

· Word of God

· Writing

· Patience

· Affirmative action

I believe strongly that God is an excellent communicator.

How do I know that the Enterprise will succeed?

· Word of God

· My own intuition (Sirach 37: 13 – 15)[i]

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[i] “Then, too, heed your own heart’s counsel; for what have you that you can depend on more? A man’s conscience can tell him his situation better than seven watchmen in a lofty tower. Most important of all, pray to God to set your feet in the path of truth.” (Sirach 37: 13 – 15)

Ask and keep Asking

Ask and Keep Asking

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; anyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, would hand him a snake? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11: 9-13)

I recall the event of 060195. I desired strongly for the Holy Spirit. At the end of nine day novena, I knelt down at 11 am and pleaded for the Holy Spirit. God answered my prayer. The event of 060195 at 11.26 am changed my life completely. That event still drives my life. My personal experience confirms Christ’s words in Luke 11: 9 – 13.

Solomon had a similar experience:

“So give your servant a heart to understand how to govern your people, how to discern between good and evil, for how could one otherwise govern such a great people as yours?’ It pleased Yahweh that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this,’ God said, ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies but have asked for a discerning judgment for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as no one has had before and none will have after you….” (1 Kings 3: 9 – 12)

Solomon asked for wisdom and it pleased God. He did not ask for long life, riches or power. Some prayers are more pleasing to God than others. Prayers that ask for spiritual favors are absolutely certain to be answered. Christ taught “how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Ask for anything that is good for you and God will give it to you. Ask for the Holy Spirit and you shall receive it at once.

What am I asking for today?

· Deep faith

· Patience

· Wisdom

· Humility

I ask also for strong desire to see God’s will accomplished in every detail of my life. Luke 11: 9 – 13 and 1 Kings 3: 9 – 12 are a big encouragement to all who ask.

Ask and keep asking; seek and keep seeking.

This is Success

This is Success

“Be strong and show yourself a man. Observe the injunctions of Yahweh your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments, and his ordinances and his decrees, as stands written in the Laws of Moses, so that you may be successful in everything you do and undertake, and that Yahweh may fulfill the promise which he made to me.” (1 Kings 2:2)

Ten years ago, when I was obsessed with success, I wrote the following reflection on the above scripture:

“Here, I am given once again the secret of success: This is to be found in the word of God. What is the word of God? It is:

• The injunctions of God


• His ways and his laws


• His commandments, ordinances and decrees.

Everything I need to be successful in everything I do and in all my undertakings is in the word. Today, I seek for success in the Enterprise and the Holy Spirit is pointing to me where and how this success is to be achieved.

Where is the secret of success? The word of God.
How can I get this power from the word of God?

• Read the word and understand it spiritually


• Confess the word


• Stand firm on the promise of the word


• Exercise faith in the word of promise and be patient

In my situation today, this is what it means to, “observe the injunctions of Yahweh, my God, following his ways and keeping his laws, his commandments and ordinances and decrees.”
Christ has given us his Body and Blood as a seal to this relationship. Jesus Christ is the faithful witness.”

Fast forward ten years to 2006. I see success entirely in a different light. Success today means to me: understanding who I am and my mission; growing in this understanding everyday and accomplishing my mission one step at a time.

Lately, I have learned different tools for success from the Liturgy of the Church. The catechumens and candidates received into the Church are asked this question:
“What do you ask of God’s Church?”
The candidate may answer in these words:
Faith, joy, peace, knowledge, success, etc.
The celebrant presents the candidate with a cross and calls his name as says something like:
“Mary, this is faith….” Or joy, peace or success. In order words, the cross is the fulfillment to all our aspirations. The Paschal Mystery satisfies everything we shall ever desire in this life.

Today, the secret of success is not just knowing and keeping the word of God. It is something much more sublime: embracing the paschal mystery of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who am I?

Who am I?

“Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this? Yet, to you, Lord Yahweh, this seems too little.” (2 Samuel 7: 18)

When I think of the Enterprise and how far I have gone, I praise and thank God. I have the strong belief that more goodness and kindness await me. Like David, I have the feeling that Yahweh is saying to me: “But this is too little.”

Who am I and what is my lineage for Yahweh to have led me as far as this?

“How rich and deep are the wisdom and knowledge of God! We cannot reach to the root of his decisions or his ways. Who has ever known the mind of the Lord?” (Romans 11: 33-34)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways, declares Yahweh. For the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

“Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this?”

The answer is hidden in the mind of God, in his “wisdom and knowledge”, in his “thoughts and ways.” Praise the Lord!

“Such is human destiny, Lord Yahweh. What more can David say to you, since you, Lord Yahweh, know all about your servant? Because of your promise and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal this to your servant.” (2 Samuel 7: 19-21)

Yahweh knows everything about me.

He has made many promises to me.

He has revealed to me my destiny. To be a friend and companion of his Son, Jesus. To be with Jesus, learn about him and communicate this lesson to others.

“Is there another people on earth like your people, like Israel, whom a god proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make a name for himself by performing great and terrible things on their behalf, by driving out nations and their gods before his people? For you constituted your people Israel your own people forever and you, Yahweh, became their God.” (2 Samuel 7: 23-24)

In my days of oppression, Yahweh proceeded to redeem me.

He made me his own: his portion and inheritance.

He did great things on my behalf: the Enterprise.

“Now, Yahweh God, may the promise which you have made for your servant and for his family stand firm forever as you have said, so that your name will be exalted forever and people will say, ”Israel’s God is Yahweh Sabaoth.” (2 Samuel 7: 25-26)

Yahweh’s Promises to me:

· Genesis 12: 1-4

· Exodus 14:14

· Deuteronomy 8: 1-10

· Deuteronomy 30: 19-20

· Deuteronomy 31: 3

· Deuteronomy 31: 6

· Joshua 1:9

· Psalm 23

· Isaiah 12:3

· Isaiah 45: 2-5

· Jeremiah 29:11

· Malachi 3: 10

· Romans 8: 28

· Revelation 3:8