SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

 There are times when we find ourselves praying just to manipulate God. We must realize that we do not pray to change God. He is immutable but He does use prayer to change us especially our hearts in order to conform us to His own heart. St. Theresa said to God, "Give me what you want." We pray that God gives us what He wants. As a good Father, He does not spoil His children neither does He deprive us. He gives us what we lack and what we need. If there's something that we want but God recognizes as not what's best for us then He doesn't give it to us. On the other hand God sometimes wants us to wait. We often become impatient and wonder why the wait. Oftentimes too, God gives us what we want in order to gain our trust and ultimately come to a point when we want what He wants. This is because of the fact that we can trust God to know what is best for us more than ourselves. Whenever an election is upcoming it is expected to hear all kinds of things just for a cand...

 The instruction to Timothy gives us the classic test showing us the Divine inspiration of the scriptures. All of the books of the Old Testament (OT) are divinely inspired as it prepared the New Testament (NT) while the NT fulfilled the OT. One who belongs to God should be competent. We need to know sacred scriptures and live it. It is important for us to be fully equipped by sacred scriptures as understood by the church. God Himself came up with His own plan on how to make of this. As to how all men and women can be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and Jesus Christ. This is brought about by apostolic tradition, transmission of the message of Jesus Christ through preaching, bearing witness, instruction, worship, holy mass and inspired writings. The Apostles transmitted all that they received in Christ to all generations. As we listen to the same content of Divine revelation in Jesus Christ, we need to internalize, practice and help transmit it to someone else throughout...

   This is the hardest part of the deal. We can know and feel everything there is to know about our Lord Jesus Christ but if we don't live it out in our lives then it's for nothing. We should always have faith, hope and trust in the word of God despite the prevailing situations all around us. These things do not change the fact that He is God and in control. We have a God who is trustworthy and reliable and whom we can rely, depend on and will never forsake nor abandon. If there are moments in our life when we are faced with trials and persecutions we can be assured of the fact that God never leaves His gaze on us. He knows exactly what is going on with our life and will always be a loving, merciful and powerful God who is able to see us through whatever we are going through. Amen. Hallelujah! 2 Timothy 2:8-15 ...But the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Ch...

    After the “know what you're missing” stage comes the feeling that there is something more to knowing what is written in the scriptures. God gives us His Spirit that transcends all knowledge and understanding that leads to a spontaneous overflow of His love, grace and mercy. Let us be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and really feel and acknowledge His presence in us. The Holy Spirit's action in our lives is most often gentle and not immediately felt and works quietly. It's sometimes hardly perceptible at all. The Holy Spirit's specialty is in sanctifying men and women throughout history from the beginning of time until the end of the world. He is the saint maker of all times. He is the one who transforms sinners to become saints for as long as their willing to cooperate with Him. He is the one who converts the weak disciples of Christ to strong ones. Lukewarm souls turn to zealous ones. He converts coward disciples to bold and courageous disciples....

  Sometimes we encounter people who have different principles and beliefs in life. These people simply do not get it or understand some of the Christian values when it entails going through difficulty. For them it doesn't make any sense if it means going an extra mile and being in discomfort. We have to realize as Christians that we are not just after physical comfort and prosperity but what we are after first and foremost is to maintain spiritual integrity for only through it can we attain all other things and genuine peace. Knowledge is indeed power! Let us not be deceived nor dissuaded and be confident and firm in what we believe in, the truth about our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Hallelujah! 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18 ... beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. ...17 Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. 18 Bu...

  We commonly hear people say, “What we don't know won't hurt us.” But I say otherwise, what we don't know will certainly hurt a lot. That is why in today's 1st reading we are encouraged to know more about Jesus in order to live a life of peace and grace in abundance. 2 Peter 1:2-7 2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. 4 Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, It just makes sense that we trust somebody that we know. How can we trust somebody whom we don't know anything about? It's time that we use all our resources in order to grow in knowledge of who really is our Lord Jesus Christ. The more we know about Him the more we will love Him. There's still a lot to know about Him. Nobody can be more interesting than Him, who ...