SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

   Given the several times Jesus has manifested His divinity to the disciples and after witnessing His power through all the signs, wonders and miracles He did right before their very eyes they should have understood well enough. But the case is not so and this happens when hearts have hardened and have eyes and not see, ears and not hear as in Mark 8:17-18. We can not deny the fact that we too, are like that when we fail to see, hear and understand in the way God wanted us to. Today's 1 st reading speaks of the yeast. It is written in Mark 8:15, "Be on your guard for the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod." Also in Gal 5:8-10 it is said, "That enticement does not come from the one who called you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident of you in the Lord that you will not take a different view, and that the one who is troubling you will bear the condemnation, whoever he may be." The baker breaks up a solid block of yeast and spreads it ov...

    I was reminded to share about this very blessed Growth in the Spirit Seminar (GSS) at St. Martha. Everything turned out to be a surprise for me. All the while I thought that it would be just like any other Spirit Seminars I attended. I was wrong and even one of the organizers, Brod Pete, did not expect that a priest could come and minister to us the entire duration of the seminar. This activity was on the same day that the SCRC was currently being conducted so to be honest enough I must say that I wouldn’t had been there if I had the opportunity to be at the SCRC but I was glad I was there. We indeed have a God of surprises. Fr. Bernie Taylor gave us 2 talks and prayed over us during the in filling of the Holy Spirit. The 1 st reading for today speaks of a watchman and this priest that God sent our way in an extraordinary way became for us the mouthpiece of God who filled us with God’s wisdom and love. Amen. Hallelujah! Ezekiel 33:7-9 7 You, son of man, I have appointed w...

     We could never go wrong if we carefully adhere to Paul's advice in today's 1st reading. Although it is not an easy thing to do we can always be assured that it is the best thing we can do. It may not be the wisest thing to do based on the world's standard because ridicule, persecution and slander are very hurtful actions that we can't help but respond in the same manner and be offensive ourselves. What made St. Paul react differently lies in the fact that he is doing it all on Christ's account. We don’t have to be too hard on ourselves. No matter how little or insignificant the things we do we must keep in mind that whatever we do on His account will never be lost and wasted. It will surely bring about things we never thought possible. We have a God who can make all things bright and beautiful in His perfect time. Amen. Hallelujah! 1 Corinthians 4:6b-15 ...learn from us not to go beyond what is written,... "What do you possess that you have not received? ...

     Faith alone doctrine states that justification simply means being "declared righteous" We can not just be declared righteous but instead we have to be made righteous by not continuing to sin. Whenever things become complicated and difficult with the people around us because of differences in opinion and points of view all we need to do is refer to today's 1st reading. Justification actually means being "made righteous" i.e. it entails the sanctification of his whole being (CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) 1989, 1990, &1995) We are justified not by faith alone nor by works alone. Justification has its stages i.e. initial and progressive. Initial justification takes place at our baptism. We still have a tendency to backslide and during the hour of death is the period of intense spiritual battle over our soul. That is why we need to mature in our faith.    Certainty of salvation which states, "Once saved, always saved." tends to put off our...

     What's your standard? I used to do R & D (Research and Development) work at the ITDI (Industrial Technology Development Institute) when I was in the Philippines and if there's one important thing that you've got to have that is to establish a set of standard to be used for the analysis. The same way with our life we've got to continue R & D work too, if we want to see improvement and success. As we are faced constantly with the struggles of daily life we have to discover new things, ways and strategies to come up with the best. As we go along our way we've got to carry on using the optimum parameters based on the only proven and reliable standard that is God’s. There should be no biases or indifferences among the community of God.    Today's 1st reading presents to us a problem among the disciples at the time of Jesus and even up to the present time. We should avoid taking sides and engaging in actions that instead of uniting, create factions. We s...

     If we sometimes feel so tired and fed up with what's going on with our life then there is no reason for us to lose hope if we believe that we are under the care of a loving, merciful and just God. Each of us is called to fulfill our God given destiny here on earth. We can consider ourselves God's co-workers if we take upon ourselves the mission to spread the Good News of salvation that Jesus has won for us. We need not do exactly as Apollos and Paul in today's 1st reading. It doesn't matter whenever, wherever, whatever and whoever. We can contribute to the growth of God's Kingdom right here and right now. Amen. Hallelujah! 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 ...What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. 7 Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. 8 The one who plants and...