SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

     While we still have time, let's take advantage of it. We'll never know the time and the hour and not wait before it's too late. Let's not cram and lose everything. Have you ever experienced cramming for an exam and trying to read and absorb everything on the night before an exam? I did and the result was disastrous. Amos the prophet where today's 1st reading is taken from calls us to act on the word of God. He is not just a shepherd and dresser of sycamores. He is a herdsman, rancher and a wealthy person. He lives in the garrison city a place dominated by people of power who live in luxury. He lived in affluence and belonged to the clan system which is a guild or crusade to maintain the purity of the tradition of the temple (Ark of the Covenant). He was well educated,  and embraced the clan wisdom.  Although he experienced a luxurious life he was also aware of the injustice and plight of the people being a sycamore dresser who worked in close contact with the p

  Have you ever experienced doing something that you have not planned or intended to do and just happened before you know it or without you knowing it as if you had no other choice so to speak. This was what happened to Amos, the prophet whom today’s 1 st  reading is taken from. Our bible study teacher, Bro. Willy Santa Maria was so on fire in his presentation of the Book of Amos since he said that Amos is his favorite prophet. He even tackled about who Amos really was and gave us a broad and clear picture of what it was like when God called Amos to prophesy. Which is also why it remained clearly etched in my mind and was always reminded of it whenever encountering a reading from the book of Amos. Amos apart from what is written in today's reading is not just a shepherd and dresser of sycamores. He is a herdsman, rancher and a wealthy person. He lives in the garrison city a place dominated by people of power who live in luxury. He lived in affluence and belonged to the clan system

    It can be told, we are God's dwelling place. Thus we ought to do everything in our power to make ourselves pleasing and holy before the Lord. When we speak of physically constructing something like a temple we've got to have all the necessary funds and materials to build it. It really costs a lot to build especially at this time when there is economic distress all over the world. Spiritually, it is not like we are lacking in resources of any kind to fulfill this. The Holy Spirit has the gifts, well equipped and will never run low to carry out this task of building us into a  temple  of  God . Isn't it a relief, all we have to do is desire and ask for it with a pure and sincere heart. There is no reason to be afraid as we are assured in today's 1st reading by God that there is really no reason to be. Death may be a time of grief but it is also a time of hope. For the Lord has promised to prepare a place for us so that where He is, we may also be. As we all strive to

  Weather forecasts and disaster and calamity preparedness efforts have always been helpful. The Japanese are very well known for these. When I was there in 2000 my sensei (professor) told me to bring my umbrella when we go on a trip because he saw on the weather forecast that it will rain on the day we'll go sightseeing in  Kyoto . He even told me what color of the maple tree leaves to expect on specific days while we're there. And he was right, it did rain on that day that he predicted it to rain and the maple tree leaves really turned into the color he said it would become. Very impressing considering that it was a week in advance when he said this. The same is true with our Christian life. We should always be ready to listen and discern God's warnings and advice. Nothing could be more precise and without fail than God's word. Amos 3: 1-8; 4: 11-12 ...7Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. 8 The lion roars — who w