SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

   We all know that if there is something that is real and existing as life then it is death. They are 2 different things but we could never agree more to the fact that they both happen every single day all over the world. In fact, this life and death reality happens several times a day if we would just check Statistics. With this I quote Sister Wendy Beckett, "Yes, in silence we can actually break the hold time has on us, and accept that our true home is not here on earth, but in eternity."     This is followed by this statement for Reflection: Today I will spend fifteen minutes silently reflecting on the four last things - death, judgment, heaven, and hell. Sometimes we never fully realize the impact of these realities unless they happen to us. As we ponder upon the side by side, occurrence of these especially, life and death, it could help us in life if we are always in touch with these realities and take a serious look at these events with reference to God, ...

  If we are to read the entire 1 st  reading which is taken from the Old Testament we can not help but think that we have a God who is vindictive. This is due to the fact that it shows an entirely different and ancient understanding of morality and punishment. This is why people who intend to read the entire bible are advised to read backwards, start with the New Testament before reading the Old Testament. We, the present day Christians are truly and deeply blessed when it comes to attaining a better understanding of God than the Israelites during those ancient times. The coming of Jesus in the New Testament made all the difference for us in terms of God's revelation of mercy and love. Just imagine our God coming to us in the form of man to suffer, die on the cross and resurrect after 3 days to show His great love and save us from our sins. Throughout all the ages we have never seen a much greater sacrifice than this. We have a glorious background and history for our faith and...

   How would we feel if someone wants to get rid of us? Would we still find ourselves loving that person? Just like David in today's 1st reading we should not harbor any ill feelings in our hearts.    The love that he has in his heart triumphed over the hatred that should have risen from the evil plot of his son, Absalom to kill him. Just like King David we sometimes encounter people who say all bad things about us and in today's 1st reading we are urged to imitate David's kindness and self control despite the curses being hurled at him he decided not to fight back. He continued to trust in God's goodness and mercy who sees all things we are going through. We must find the love of God above all. Amen. Hallelujah! 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3 ...Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom; 3 and that day’s victory was turned into mourning for the whole army when they heard that the king was grieving for his son. We have to be grateful to...

  To utter a curse to someone and spread slanderous words against somebody much more to a king is never an acceptable thing and could definitely spell trouble. In fact, a person could be charged of slander and libel and go to jail for something like this. But in today's 1st reading, King David, the leader of his people allowed himself to be cursed. He could have easily silenced this man at his bidding but he did not. It was the deep remorse and awareness of his own sins that withheld his anger for this man (Shimei) who insulted him. We may have been to the same situation as King David's, though we are not royalty we may have reacted, retaliated and answered back in a very fierce way if we were told of the same curses that could ruin our reputation and hurt our ego. We could never deny the fact that at least once in our life if not many times, we were all guilty of getting back at somebody who may have hurt us in a certain way. There could be times too, when we could not lower ...

  We sometimes fall prey to the trap of the enemy when we succumb to temptations. There are instances when we say words that we don't mean or fail to say words that we should have said. We sometimes ask ourselves things like, I should have said it or I shouldn't have said it. Definitely, there are words which you really need to say and some also that are better left unsaid. We really have to be careful about the words we say and be bold enough to speak out the words that should be said. Amen. Hallelujah!  Deuteronomy 18:15-20 ...and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him.19 If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. 20 But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’” Today's psalm reading is used as a preparatory psalm in the Liturgy of the Hours just as it was used in the Old T...

   The most important thing that the Lord expects of us when we sin is true conversion. We can say all the sorry/s we like but if it's not coupled with a transformation of our hearts then we are no better than the snakes that shed off their skin but come out the same. We've got to be like those caterpillars after shedding off their chrysalis or silk coverings emerge into a beautiful butterfly. Just like in today's 1st reading when David asked God for forgiveness, truly repented and mend his ways. Amen. Hallelujah! 2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17 ...Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan answered David, “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin you shall not die.14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die.” 15 Then Nathan returned to his house. The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and it became desperately ill. 16 David besought God for the child. He kept a fast, ret...

   Today's 1st reading is a call for us to remain true to the faith which reminds me of charismatic seminars like LSS, (Life in the Spirit Seminar) LLS, (Living in the Light Seminar) CLP (Christian Life Program) or whatever they call it wherein people are laid hands on, get baptized and received God's gifts of the Holy Spirit. We all have to recall and not leave to be forgotten the good memories that strengthened our faith the way Paul is doing for Timothy and Titus whose feasts we are celebrating today. Paul one of the greatest apostles did not do everything by himself. He had these 2 greatest collaborators who help him fulfill God's mission. Timothy and Titus served the church and carried out good deeds in whatever situation they are in even in times of challenges. We are encourage also to stir in into flame the same grace given to them, the laity and all the baptized to participate in the mission of the church. When Jesus called the first apostles who were mending their ...