SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

     Sometimes we feel guilty about something that we didn't directly or indirectly cause. Or we feel responsible for the actions of other people especially those who are close to us. We must keep in mind that we are not supposed to own the decisions and actions of other people since there are certain limits to this and must know up to where our responsibilities extend. In the same way we must not blame other people for things we ourselves have caused. We must be brave enough to accept the consequences of our actions and not point fingers. We have to be clear about these things for God said that sins will be punished accordingly in its appointed time. So while we still have the time let us see to it that everything is in the right order before it gets too late. Exodus 32:15-24. 30-34 ...So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves! 32 If you would only forgive their sin! If you will not, ...

    Isn't it nice if someone you're asking for a favor would do as you requested? There are times when not all our requests, wishes and desires are granted. It may be due to our own shortcomings as recipient, the other person’s as the giver and could be many other reasons. According to St. Augustine, one of the four Great Fathers of the Church, the reason our prayers are not heard are (1) because our personal dispositions are not good (2) we pray badly (3) we do not persevere in prayer (4) we do not pray humbly (5) we pray without faith and (6) we ask for things which are not good for us. (From De civitate Dei) We can be assured of the fact that if we go to God then we are surely going to get the best answers to our prayers.  It is also a good idea to follow Solomon's wisdom in today's 1st reading. And consequently this sharing from Didache. It is definitely just the right story that we needed to hear. Here it is entitled: Wise Discernment   “Give your servant, there...

 The Holy Eucharist is at the root of all holiness. How many saints have advanced to holiness through the Eucharist? Holiness has always found its center in the Eucharist. God recognizes the fact that we are material beings in embodied souls. God uses sensible signs to lead us to spiritual realities. This time, God did not just use a sign or symbol. Jesus offered bread and wine and turned it into His own body and blood. We remember the Holy Eucharist models, martyrs and saints who discovered the secret in the Body and Blood of Christ. We can not live without the Holy Eucharist. It is only through it that we can cope with the toil and exhaustion of this life journey. God is the source of every good thing and He pours it out on us from the moment of creation up to the present time. When we receive the bread and wine turned into the body and blood of Christ during the mass, He becomes a part of us. It is a call to love Him and be attached to Him. This invitation of God is not exclusiv...

   We’ve got to straighten up some things about God. Who He is and what He wants for our life. What is our picture of God? It’s not surprising to know that most of us think that God doesn’t want us to have fun. It’s like all the things that we want to do with our friends that are interesting and exciting when we were young was against God’s commandments. It may seem like we have to settle for less. What’s worse is that all the faithful Catholics get less out of life. This is part of the propaganda way back in the Garden of Eden. God gave us a magnificent paradise wherein there is perfect intimacy and no shame with each other. In the Garden they have everything they need but gave just one limit, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting because God said, “Don’t do this because you will die.” The reason why God commands us something is because He is a loving Father who cares for us. He wants us to have the best. But then came the serpent,...

 During the time of Moses, the presence of God is very evident as in today's 1st reading. God came to them in a dense cloud accompanied by peals of thunder and lightning and a very loud trumpet blast which made God's people tremble. Nowadays we rarely or no longer experience these trembling when we communicate with God. We started drifting away from God and could hardly feel God's presence in our lives and fail to establish a clear communication line with Him. There had been many interruptions, distractions and hindrances in our lives that keep us from being fully aware of God. We have gotten used to the things around us and the daily events in our lives that we sometimes take things for granted already. It is not God who changed rather it is us, His people, who have changed by neglecting and breaking our relationship with God. I am very sure that if we will only do our part in this relationship then we can also see marvels and wonders or even greater things happening in ou...

   How we live our life in each passing day is a testimony of how we follow the will of God in our lives. There is a need to constantly and regularly connect to God everything that we do. If we make a conscious effort to do this everyday then we'll surely find it easier to obey the things that God wants us to do and be more sensitive in knowing the will of God in our lives. If we will just honestly and sincerely seek God then we will surely find Him. As we do this we will eventually discover a lot of things that we need to know in order to live our faith in accordance to God's will and be able to overcome all trials and difficulties that come our way.    It is really important that we know and follow the instructions of God as in today's 1st reading when God rained down bread from heaven and tested whether the Israelites will follow or not. In the same way when we, like the Israelites believe after witnessing in our lives God's Almighty Power to provide for our need ...

   Fr. Adrian Delima was a priest from Rome who used to visit St. Martha’s Church regularly. He is involved in some kind of research work that tries to explain the mysteries or rather manifestations that go with the miracles of God. He was particularly involved in cases who received healing through Padre Pio and in Lourdes, France. He said that there is really no doubt that miracles really took place and continues to believe that it is still taking place in each and every moment of our life for that matter. He said that there is no discrepancy between Science and God. For God is the Creator of everything. Aside from the scientific explanations and laboratory values that these group of experts are looking for in these miracles, this bible passage in the 1st reading today should inspire us because it where we can find the gold standard of the ultimate test that needs to be done. If we are experiencing the same things being said here then we need not undergo s...