SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

     God's promise to King David that from His descendants will come forth a Savior who is to rule the world was fulfilled when our Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's plan. At the time when the Angel Gabriel announced to her that she will bear Jesus, the Son of God she just surrendered her will to God. It was not an easy decision for her at that time but she trusted God completely. She may not have understood everything but she entered into that deep trust in God and believed. It was a decision not merely based on some vague feeling or a pleasant emotion that makes people good when times are good. Thus the title "Seat of Wisdom" perfectly fits her. Our Lady not only does the normal part of loving. She is filled by the love of her Son that is given to her in very extraordinary circumstances. Not by a normal birth and conception before marriage. She conceived in her womb the Son of God and with that conception is a God sent promise. Her motherhood goes beyond the normal...

     Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. It's a good thing we have a Good Shepherd in the Lord Jesus who never fails. If He is our Shepherd then that is very consoling. If we look closely around us we can still find good shepherds among us who continue the work of God tirelessly. There is no indication that the hired hand is a bad shepherd. Not all the money in the world could compel a man to give his life for the sheep. Our Lord tells us that He is the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep. Remember the Good Shepherd knew each sheep by name. He loves the sheep and would die for the sheep. When our Lord went to  Calvary  he was going away beyond the call of duty.    No one could compel or coerce any man to give his life for others. But our Lord made it clear that no one was taking away His life away from Him freely He was laying it down as a sacrifice of love to the Father for you and for me. I wonder if we in our li...

     I was so amazed w hen I heard the story of Fr. Manuel Julian Zapanta from Cartago,  Columbia .  This priest goes out to the streets e very Sunday and gives out a written catechesis for his parishioners especially to those who seldom go to church. A lady approached him and asked if he had seen or recognized the devil who he handed out the catechesis. The priest said that he didn't see anybody that looked like the devil nor had he ever seen one before. Once he was asking who might be able to help him because he was looking for someone who could provide a ride for him to fetch a fellow priest. A little boy approached him and asked if he would like the devil to take him. There he was and saw the devil for the first time. Their conversation during the trip turned into an interview. The devil said that he couldn't remember anymore why he was called the devil. The priest invited him to attend holy mass but he said not now maybe someday. He further said that he had...

  God's gift of forgiveness and salvation is not exclusive to only a selected few, it is open to all. Let us broaden our perspective with regards to this and always extend a welcoming spirit to everyone regardless of who they are. We do not have to belong to a particular race. We have all been qualified by God Himself. We are expected to extend this same love to our brothers and sisters regardless of race and culture. Oftentimes we are guilty of discriminating whenever we come in contact with people who are different so to speak or those who do not conform to our standards. Whether we admit it or not we are all guilty of this and we should follow Peter's example of acknowledging God's universal love to all of us. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 11: 1-18 ...‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane...If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they stopped...

   I am reminded of the time when I was in Downtown LA and had the chance of spending time with my relatives. Passing through the commercial area, entering the stores, walking through the familiar streets there, and choosing a place where to dine in with family made me realize the experience a total sensory experience, an experience of sight, of sound, of taste, touch and smell which brought back and also stored up good memories to last. It was quite an experience because I never intended for an extension of the party I had earlier that day because the schedule did not fit my itinerary for the day. I was just led to it by the circumstances that followed unexpectedly and was able to fit them all together since I was even suggesting a different place earlier. I felt like everything about it was all arranged and planned by the Lord who knew what was going to be. It was such an enjoyable and fun filled experience. All I knew was that it held a special and deep meaning th...

    Today’s readings bring back memories of all sorts. My son, Jude when he was still a few months old and he sees me coming home from work he would giggle and start to raise his hand as a gesture that he wanted to be carried. I was always full of joy whenever I see him do that. These kinds of emotions impressed to me that God our Father feels even more strongly for us. Let us think of ourselves kneeling before Him absorbed in prayer that cultivate in us a surge of strong emotion the kind that suddenly envelops us whenever we are on the verge of shedding tears of joy. This we can feel if we imagine God right before us, looking at us so eagerly and excited to give us a kiss and wrap us in His arms like an eager parent is for a beloved child. While this is the case for Jude it is not so for Allan. It made me think why my 2nd and youngest son, Allan did not cling to me as much as Jude did when he was his age. I realized that when I was still pregnant with Allan, Jude who was bare...