The Gospel for today (Luke 11:27-28) is a story about a woman from the crowd listening to Jesus speak saying, "Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!" Jesus replied, "Surely blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it as well."
Speakers captivate their audience with the authority and confidence they deliver their speech, these must be the reasons that moved the woman to praise the mother of Jesus who bore and nursed him. Jesus’ reply must have confused the woman as it did to me. But on thinking of it, yes indeed those who listened to the words of God and kept and practiced what they heard are more blessed!
Based on my own experience, sometimes I get so engrossed with the speaker’s pleasing visual and audio attributes that the message they want to impart seem like a background music that fades away after the thunderous applause of a well delivered speech. Yes, I listened but did I believe it and acted on it? Sometimes …, more often I believed, but just let it be.
The meditation after the Bible readings made me realize that I still have to increase my faith to experience the fulfillment of God’s promises in my life. Belief and faith are not the same. Hearing or reading God’s word is believing Him and His teachings, acting on those beliefs is having faith. Belief is the abstract side and faith the concrete side, it is the action to our thoughts.
In order for God's word to do good in our lives, we must believe and act upon it, and do what it says!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Story of Jonah
Yahweh instructed Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach against it because of its wickedness, but Jonah didn’t wanted to go. Instead, he boarded a ship for Tarshish to flee from Yahweh. On board, he stayed in the ship’s hold maybe thinking Yahweh won’t find him there. When the ship sailed, a mighty storm threatened to sink the ship which made the sailors throw some of their cargoes to lighten the ship’s load and they cried out to their own gods for their safety. When the ship captain saw Jonah asleep in the ship’s hold unmindful of what was happening above deck, he asked Jonah to pray to his God so that they will not perish. The sailors cast out lots to find out who is responsible for the disaster. The lot fell on Jonah, so they questioned him where he was from and Jonah told them his story. When they knew that Jonah was fleeing from Yahweh they were terrified and asked him what they shall do to make the sea calm down which was by that time getting more rough.
Jonah told them to throw him overboard, because he knew that it was because of him that there was a storm. But the sailors still did their best to row back to land and the sea became much rougher than before. Finally, after asking Yahweh’s pardon for having to do what they had to do, they threw Jonah overboard, and the raging sea calmed down. A large fish swallowed Jonah where he stayed in its belly for three days and three nights. There he prayed to Yahweh for deliverance and the fish upon Yahweh’s command belched him out into dry land. The word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time and this time he obeyed and went to Nineveh to announce the message that God gave to him, which was the destruction of Nineveh if the people won’t repent of their wicked ways.
Jonah’s story maybe similar to some of our stories if we come to ponder on our lives. When trials besieged us that we come to a point of almost giving up, maybe we should ask ourselves if we are fleeing from something that God wants us to do. Perhaps, there is a task or a path that He wants us to do or follow but we want to pursue our own goals because we are deaf to his prompts and blind to His opportunities. So in following our own plans and ambitions, we encounter so many obstacles that we become bewildered why we are being tested so and everything seems insurmountable. Our rocking boat affects our relationship with family and friends too. And I’m sure that if we were at the same time and event like Jonah’s, they would like to cast lots too to determine who is the one responsible for their sufferings. How embarrassing it would be if the lot will fall on us! A soul searching will make us realize that there is something that God wanted us to do but we turned our backs on it. Then in utter dejection, we give up in surrender and abandon ourselves to God’s providence and we mope and cry with someone whom God sent to comfort us in our despair. It is during this time that we come to be still and reflect on what happened and what was possibly the cause. After reflection, comes submission to His will and then in obedience we become at peace with ourselves and with the world and everything falls into place. Which reminds me of the song, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, Allelu, alleluia!”
Jonah told them to throw him overboard, because he knew that it was because of him that there was a storm. But the sailors still did their best to row back to land and the sea became much rougher than before. Finally, after asking Yahweh’s pardon for having to do what they had to do, they threw Jonah overboard, and the raging sea calmed down. A large fish swallowed Jonah where he stayed in its belly for three days and three nights. There he prayed to Yahweh for deliverance and the fish upon Yahweh’s command belched him out into dry land. The word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time and this time he obeyed and went to Nineveh to announce the message that God gave to him, which was the destruction of Nineveh if the people won’t repent of their wicked ways.
Jonah’s story maybe similar to some of our stories if we come to ponder on our lives. When trials besieged us that we come to a point of almost giving up, maybe we should ask ourselves if we are fleeing from something that God wants us to do. Perhaps, there is a task or a path that He wants us to do or follow but we want to pursue our own goals because we are deaf to his prompts and blind to His opportunities. So in following our own plans and ambitions, we encounter so many obstacles that we become bewildered why we are being tested so and everything seems insurmountable. Our rocking boat affects our relationship with family and friends too. And I’m sure that if we were at the same time and event like Jonah’s, they would like to cast lots too to determine who is the one responsible for their sufferings. How embarrassing it would be if the lot will fall on us! A soul searching will make us realize that there is something that God wanted us to do but we turned our backs on it. Then in utter dejection, we give up in surrender and abandon ourselves to God’s providence and we mope and cry with someone whom God sent to comfort us in our despair. It is during this time that we come to be still and reflect on what happened and what was possibly the cause. After reflection, comes submission to His will and then in obedience we become at peace with ourselves and with the world and everything falls into place. Which reminds me of the song, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you, Allelu, alleluia!”
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The first reading today is about Ruth and her journey back to the land of her mother-in-law, Naomi. Naomi was a widow, then her sons died also leaving behind two Moabite women with an Israelite mother-in-law. Naomi told her daughter-in-laws to stay behind and perhaps marry another husband but Ruth can't be disuaded, while Orpah the other widow at first insisted that she won't leave Naomi, later gave the old woman a hug, then ultimately left the two to go back to her mother's house. Orpah loved her mother-in-law, Naomi but not enough to turn her back on what is familiar and dear to her while Ruth expressed how she really loved Naomi by turning back on her homeland and its religious practices and accepting and embracing the God that Naomi's people worship.
I love this Bible story because it is a story of two great and strong women, who are steadfast in their affection for each other and their faith in God. If only i have half the love and faith they have, or perhaps just one third added to what i have, then life will be okay or would it be ?
I love this Bible story because it is a story of two great and strong women, who are steadfast in their affection for each other and their faith in God. If only i have half the love and faith they have, or perhaps just one third added to what i have, then life will be okay or would it be ?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Miracle Hour
I came upon the booklet, Miracle Hour by Linda Schubert one time when I attended the novena Mass for Sr. Sto. Niño at the Basilica del Sto. Niño here in Cebu City, Philippines. Since, i want so much to improve my prayer time with God, i bought the booklet, read it but wasn't able to practice right away.
An hour of prayer is divided into twelve five-minute segments which begins with Praise, Singing to the Lord, Spiritual Warfare, Surrender, Release of the Holy Spirit, Repentance, Forgiveness, Scripture Reflections, Wait for the Lord to Speak, Intercessions, Petitions and last, Thanksgiving.
When finally i had the perfect time to try praying this way, it lasted almost two hours and i felt it still wasn't enough. The last three segments which are to me, the most important, had to be done hurriedly because i had to do something else. But i felt light, the experience is something i'd like to feel again. It is different from the usual way i say my prayers because there are so many things i don't do. I just say my petitions or requests, say sorry for my mistakes, give thanks then hurriedly say goodbye to my Creator and Provider without listening to what He has to say. Well, sometimes i'd wait for Him to speak but a minute of stillness seems to be an hour when you so many things are lined up in your head for the day. So, there is no interaction. My prayer was a one-sided communication. I missed out on His guidance. I also have difficulty on listening to His "voice." He might have spoken but i didn't hear. So, it's this aspect of prayer that i would like to enhance. I hope that with this guide, i will slowly learn to listen to the "little voice" and obey the prompts that i ignore but later find out that it must have been God's "voice."
An hour of prayer is divided into twelve five-minute segments which begins with Praise, Singing to the Lord, Spiritual Warfare, Surrender, Release of the Holy Spirit, Repentance, Forgiveness, Scripture Reflections, Wait for the Lord to Speak, Intercessions, Petitions and last, Thanksgiving.
When finally i had the perfect time to try praying this way, it lasted almost two hours and i felt it still wasn't enough. The last three segments which are to me, the most important, had to be done hurriedly because i had to do something else. But i felt light, the experience is something i'd like to feel again. It is different from the usual way i say my prayers because there are so many things i don't do. I just say my petitions or requests, say sorry for my mistakes, give thanks then hurriedly say goodbye to my Creator and Provider without listening to what He has to say. Well, sometimes i'd wait for Him to speak but a minute of stillness seems to be an hour when you so many things are lined up in your head for the day. So, there is no interaction. My prayer was a one-sided communication. I missed out on His guidance. I also have difficulty on listening to His "voice." He might have spoken but i didn't hear. So, it's this aspect of prayer that i would like to enhance. I hope that with this guide, i will slowly learn to listen to the "little voice" and obey the prompts that i ignore but later find out that it must have been God's "voice."
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