My Gospel Reflections for November 15; thirty-third Sunday in ordinary time: Mark 12:24-32

My Reflections:
During the end of the millennium (1999) some people predicted that the end times would come. Some even stored food already but nothing happened. We were all successfully ushered to the next millennium. So when is the end times going to happen? Nobody knows but God.

However, each and everyone of us faces our own inevitable end times and that is our deaths. When someone is sick with cancer doctors would even predict the days or months that we are going to last until the inevitable end.

Do we need to be afraid of our own death? It depends; for someone who has not developed a personal relationship with Jesus death is like a plague that needs to be avoided. But for those who have developed an intimate union with Jesus death is nothing but a gateway to something that is beautiful and heavenly.

Jesus in the gospel predicted a frightening depiction of the end times (the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.) perhaps some of the people who was within hearing distance of Jesus were afraid; maybe a few of the disciples were afraid too.

Fear not, continue moving on with your life—if we have this intimate relationship with Jesus we will not be afraid of the end times or of our own deaths. There are even some who would willingly embrace natural death with open arms because they know that death is the start of our everlasting journey with God. When death comes we will be able to see God and we will experience rapturous joy for the reason that we are already with our creator who loved us more than anyone else.

On the other hand, the horrible end times being described by Jesus is also a reality that will certainly happen. This is reserved for those people who know God but refuse to follow His teachings. After their deaths, they will be forever in the dustbin of hell.

In the first reading it says: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be on everlasting horror and disgrace (Daniel 12:2). …

The Danger of Celebrating Halloween...

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http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/halloween/halloween_danger_daniels.aspx

If you want to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana).

Please click on this link:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/27/09/tropical-storm-ondoy-how-you-can-help

My Gospel Reflections for MondayJuly 20: Matthew 19:38-42

My Reflections:
Majority of the scribes and the Pharisees were through and through against Jesus. They demand for a sign for what purpose? But Jesus knew them well; He knew the evil in their hearts.

We may not be like the scribes and the Pharisees who persecuted Jesus. But we are like them once in a while because sometimes we also demand for a sign from God. Especially when we are about to make major decisions we ask God for a sign.

For me, asking God for a sign is an indication of weak faith, come to think of it; why will we ask God for a sign if we have our full trust and faith in HIM?

"If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make that change." Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Penance assigned by priest helps reconcile penitent.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1805&Itemid=39

Good confession requires contrition, intention to change.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1742&Itemid=39

Take a U-turn toward Christ and away from the devil.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1682&Itemid=39

Examine your conscience for sacrament of reconciliation.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1636&Itemid=39

Mortal sin: The what, why and how to heal.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1593&Itemid=39

A primer on going to private confession.

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http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1545&Itemid=39

My Tribute to our Parish Pastor: Rev. Fr. Leonardo R. Bagos

In a few days our Parish Priest whom we fondly called Fr. Nards will be leaving us to go to his new place of assignment here in the Diocese of Imus. How time flies. It is as if just yesterday when he first set foot in our Parish (Saint Joseph’s Parish, Carmona Cavite) but the reality of it all is that his six years term will be over in a few days.

I would like to write here the many positive improvements that he instituted in the parish. First is the positive change that is very visible and that is the church’s edifice. When He took over the church was in the infancy stage of its construction now it’s done already. I credit him for tirelessly thinking of ways on how to raise funds for the church’s completion.

It seems impossible to me that he was able to achieve it considering that nowadays money is hard to come by due to the economic crisis. But he persisted, he never waivered in his firm faith in God that He will be able to realize his vision of a beautiful church.

The next visible positive change is the very orderly process of Communion wherein communicants would orderly fall in line per pews. He meticulously instructed the parishioners how to fall in line and how to properly receive Christ with respect and reverence.

There were a lot more positive changes that he instituted to name just a few: Clean and green church environment, inventory of the church’s properties. He put in place an excellent sound system to ensure that the Word of God is clearly heard.

But for me one of the few that would be forever etched in my mind is how he made sure that proper respect and reverence is given to the Eucharistic celebration and to the Body of Christ itself. For example during Communion whenever there’s a communicant who does not say Amen after he says: “The Body of Christ.” He would politely ask short and probing questions to the communicant once he finds out that the communicants doesn’t know how sacred the Consecrated Host that they’re about to receive. He would just place his hand over their heads and pray over them instead of giving them the Body of Christ. Every now and then he would also give short catechesis before he gives his final blessings and it often focuses on the proper respect and reverence to the Body of Christ.

Just like Jesus during His three years public ministry, Father Nards had also his own share of persecutors in the parish. If Jesus had the Pharisees and the Scribes; Father Nards had a few parishioners who wanted to embarrass and malign him. It pained him I’m sure of it, however being an Alter Christus and knowing him to have a soft and forgiving heart I am very sure that he had already forgiven them and even prayed for them too.

Now that you will soon leave the parish, I’d like to say that I will miss the friendship, the occasional exchange of ideas, the discipline and the frequent instructions for the Lay Ministers.

My prayers will forever be with you Padre. God bless you always!

I will be back in a few hours.

To everyone,

after two days without broadband connection I'm back again. I hope that you'll visit me again. Thanks for your patience.

God bless,

Marino

Holy Week explained.

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http://www.catholicaction.org/archbishop_burke_s_column/the-holiest-days-of-the-year.html