My Reflections...

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Reflection for June 1, Sunday; Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Matthew 28:16-20

Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

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Reflection:

A military man was about to be assigned in a faraway place so he said to his wife: Properly take care of the children. Teach them about our faith and teach them values so that they’ll grow-up to become responsible and God fearing individuals. The wife seriously followed the command of his husband. She taught their children the basic tenets of the faith and she educated them about good manners and values. After fifteen years he came back, his children were all grown-up and he was so happy for the reason that they were all responsibly brought-up by her wife.

Jesus in our gospel episode for this Sunday is about to leave HIS disciples for heaven but before doing so. He gave them this marching order: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).” The disciples lived to the hilt this command of Jesus. In fact many of them were martyred for the sake of advancing the gospel of Jesus.

To whom does these powerful words of Jesus speaks to now? It speaks to us with the same fervor during this very moment. Who is our target? Is it the population at large? The target is not the population at large, the target is the members of our family, let us creatively share Jesus’ teachings with them. And let us encourage them to attend Holy Mass.

The words of Jesus are like endless stream of pure water it flows with the passing of time and it speaks to us now. What will be our response?

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Catholic Univ. of America- 2014, Baccalaureate Mass w/ Manila Arch. Bishop Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle Celebrant and Homilist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2ELmRabmDE

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My Reflection for Tuesday April 29 Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church John 3:7-15

Gospel: John 3:7-15

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

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Reflection:

What does our firm faith in Jesus gives us? It gives us the courage to face the many challenges of our lives. It gives us the confidence that after our pilgrimage in this world is over we would now be having our eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

Faith is a gift that Jesus freely gives to each and everyone of us. However, even if it’s a gift we must also ask for it. For example if children want something from their parents they would ask for it from them. And once the parents realize that what their children are asking is reasonable then they would give it to them with love.

The same is true with faith; it’s a gift that we must ask Jesus to give us we ask for it in humble prayer. And if we do this Jesus would never refuse us He will freely give us this gift of faith. This same faith will now give us the confidence to always look-up and pray to Jesus on the cross.

In our gospel Jesus said to Nicodemus: ‘You must be born from above. Perhaps Jesus is asking Nicodemus to have more faith in Him and not to have faith on himself and on this world. Perhaps, this is also what Jesus is asking from us today. We must also be born from above and never be born from this world. We must have our faith in Him and not have our faith in this world.