SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

  There are some things that we could have hesitated in doing if we had only known exactly what the outcome was going to be. We make some decisions that lead us to doubt or wonder whether we did the right thing or not. One thing is sure, if it is a product of much prayers and confirmation from the Lord then we should never faint nor falter. We remain standing and firm in our faith to the end. No matter how difficult things may seem to be our strength should not waver. God gives us faith and hope but not the power to see exactly what is going to happen in the future. This should make us realize how much agony Jesus had to go through knowing all of those things that are going to happen to him and yet did not hesitate nor back out. Whenever we meditate on the 1st Sorrowful Mystery which is the Agony in the Garden we picture in our mind Jesus sweating with blood due to so much fear and anguish. Being God, He is capable of knowing what is bound to happen in the next few hours, He k...

   Trust, perseverance, doubt, frustration and anxiety are all part of one big mix of experiences that we need to go through. Just like a big cookie dough with all the bits and pieces of nuts, chocolate and all the other things that add up to its flavor and taste. We encounter these things so God can provide opportunities for us to advance in our faith and discover His perfect will in our lives. Sometimes we encounter people who belong to a different religion or same religion but different organization or prayer group. Whether you're Christian, Buddhist, Muslim or Catholic what matters most is that you respect each other's beliefs and know in your heart that each person is a child of God. Trusting God in His magnificent ways that He will reveal Himself in whatever way He deemed fit for each one of us. Sometimes our convictions and beliefs can place us in a difficult situation when we would have to be tested to the point of being forced to retract and abandon what we are s...

   God permitted our present situations and for sure after all we've been through and done with much prayers and supplications that whatever may be the outcome it will always be for the best. We should always believe that if God deemed it necessary that we go through something then it is for the best. This is what most of us fail to understand when we have to go through some challenges and trials. We should thank God for the experience gained and lessons learned during these times.    Although we sometimes still feel uncertain and anxious but what should keep us going is the assurance that God is giving us daily in His word. Just like Paul who had to go through a mountain load of problems and be faced with difficult decisions and compelled to take a specific action in response to God's call we should take courage because the Lord said so. We bear the name of Jesus and with that come the courage to take each step to go forward and beyond the road where God brings us. ...

   Sis Pat Pua shared to me before about an experience she had way back in the Philippines when she wasn't in the Charismatic Renewal yet. She said she was at that time still grieving over the loss of her mother and adjusting to married life and relocation to the hometown of her husband. She said that during her time of grief she had a vision of her dead mother wearing a brown habit and clothes like that of St. Anthony of Padua. I learned from a talk a long time ago when I was still new in the Renewal about the spiritual war which could be found in Ephesians 6:10-20. The presence of the spiritual army of evil in the heavens could take the form of dead loved ones or even be disguised as holy and divine. Those spirits could take advantage of the present state a person is in which could be grief and be used against him/her. There is really a need to always anchor ourselves firmly to God and not be easily deceived which is exactly what Paul is telling and warning us in today'...

   We are called to perform a priestly function. Just like Paul, we too are called for a mission. It may not be the same one as what he did and may be just a simple task that we do daily or it could be a very difficult one but what's most important is our commitment and consistency to carry it out and really offer it to God. It is in these situations when we are compelled by the Spirit to do something that challenges our faith and put it to the test.   In doing so, we encounter difficulties and hardships to the point of uncertainty. In the face of adversity and in this time of great trial do we bear witness to the gospel of God's grace. No matter how tough the opposition may be around us, pressing from all sides we must not waiver nor falter. Not everyone may understand or agree with our convictions and firm stand in the small or big things that we do but what matters most is that we do it for the greater glory of God. If we really claim to be God's faithful follower...

  We should have an attitude and impression that everything is bound to fall into place if we strive to attain the enrichment of our spiritual life. We would just be surprised and overwhelmed by the various opportunities that come our way that manifest that we are truly blessed as God is equipping us with the necessary things for the growth and strengthening of our faith.    We should be asking ourselves the same question in today's 1st reading. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the special strength to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Jesus Christ, in order to confess the name of Christ boldly and never to be ashamed of the cross.    And to put into word and action, the way that we live our faith. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 19:1-8 ...“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” ...He said, "How were you baptized?" ...And when Paul laid (his) hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tong...

 There was this sharing in Didache entitled, "In His time" and it just hit me straight in the heart. Just like this lady who wrote it, I was in a period of waiting and significantly enough was on my 7th year. She said in her sharing, "I opted to “wait for further instructions” and accepted a part-time job in a nearby school in the meantime. Three years later, I was invited to serve in the Basic Ecclesial Community of that parish. It turned out to be a much bigger job than any ministry I could have started on my own. I heard the Lord correctly three years earlier but it was only prophetic. It was not yet His time. I’m glad I chose to “remain in the city” — working only in the vicinity and ready to be uprooted anytime. So when He called, I was available." In Oct. 7 2007, I too heard the Lord's message through Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has...