SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

  It is undeniable that each one of us is created by God. We are all unique and God has called us for a reason and a purpose. Today's 1st reading encourages us to live consciously this truth in our lives. We have to stop living as if life just come and go without realizing that we have to exert effort in giving glory to God through a purpose driven life. We are urged to avail of every possible means in order to become holy. Let us always remind ourselves of how Jesus lived here on earth and do our best to follow His example. Amen. Hallelujah! 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 ...3 We ought to thank God always for  you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater. 4 Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you endure...We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and p...

  God have long ago established everything there is for us to follow and do. It is now just a matter of choice and we always have a choice and the free will to decide. Today's 1st reading speaks of Joshua's declaration to serve the Lord and the obvious firmness in his decision without considering whether they will follow him or not. He made it clear that his decision to serve the Lord is his personal commitment and will not have anything to do with the decision of others. He is so convinced of it that he did not have to say anything more to win them over to his side rather left them all to decide for themselves. God will never force Himself on us and will always be the Perfect Gentleman. It is all up to us to decide. Amen. Hallelujah! Joshua 24:1-2a. 15-17. 18b ...Joshua addressed all the people “If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelli...

     If we are truly desirous of making today's 1st reading a reality for us we should attain to the highest level of unity with the Holy Spirit. Whenever I encounter readings like one in today’s 1 st  reading that speak of the splendor of heaven what quickly comes to mind is the passage from 1 Cor.2:9 But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," Let us continuously work toward this goal and not lose sight of it. It may not yet be fully seen, heard and known of up to this present time but we hold on to God's word who have spoken and is able to make all things possible. It is very difficult to have a clear picture of how heaven looks like. The 1st reading today somehow gave a glimpse of it although it is never as accurate as it can possibly be. We can only guess and imagine for no one alive today has ever actually seen it. There were accounts of people who ...

   The readings for today permeate the truth about life and death. In Ezekiel’s vision which is from today's 1st reading, he saw the release of the Jews from their captivity which is likened to rising from the dead. It is a promise that they will experience new life that springs from God's own spirit. The same is true for us, when our battle on earth is over, then we, too can settle upon the land and kingdom that God has prepared for us. We may all be going through some kind of difficulty in our lives and things look like they will not get any better. When we come to this point and feel like the world is crumbling right before our eyes then we can always remember these powerful words in today's 1st reading. Ezekiel prophesied to the dry bones and saw before his very eyes the rattling bones that came together. Bone joining bone, sinews and the flesh came upon them, the skin covered them, the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army. These may all...

  With what we are presently witnessing nowadays, we can't help but think that the young people are getting themselves involved in so many inappropriate activities. We need to pray for our youth that they be guided well in the choices they make and be the light and hope for the future generation. Let us offer them up to the Lord and claim that this blessing in today's 1st reading be upon them all. When certain routines become embedded in us, we carry it out so naturally like waking up, taking a bath, eating our meals, going to work and sleeping. Everything becomes automatic, it requires lesser effort to do it over a period of time.  We marvel at how some athletes do their thing, excel in their field of expertise and win a gold medal. Some simply put it as born talent coupled with long years of hard work, discipline and dedication. I just realized that the same thing can happen to us if we will daily commit our lives to God. Living a life of a Christian may not be easy but...

   If we only think and look back at our lives, we will surely see how God cared for us, through good and bad times. There can never be anyone else but God alone in whom we can find perfect peace as St. Augustine said, "My soul is restless until it rests in Thee." How very reassuring are the words of God in today's 1st reading. When things are not going well with us and we seem to be going astray it is important to always remember these words of God. There are times when we are very unsure of where we are going, how things will turn out and what is in store for us. In times when we are confronted with things we are not familiar of, we can always draw inspiration in this truth that God looks after us the way a Good Shepherd does to His sheep. Amen. Hallelujah! Ezekiel 34:1-11 ...For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. Psalm 23 assures us where the road of God’s love will lead us because it tells us exactly what kind of road we are heading to...

   Sometimes we think, speak and act like we know better than God. We don't realize that whenever we doubt, place everything into our own hands and do not trust God's providence in our lives then we play god and master. We end up mismanaging our lives if we continue to set aside God's perfect plan for us. There is a need to consult all our plans to God and follow His lead if we truly believe that He is our big GOD. We have to acknowledge and thank God at all times, in all circumstances and situations for all the things that came to be. We have to look at everything as part of one whole and big picture of God's plan. We should act in accordance to this and not get lost in the biggest deception ever known and has fooled us many times. Sometimes this happens when we are at the top of everything we do and gets carried away by the several successes and conquests that we've gathered in our hands. There is a danger of thinking of ourselves almost like a god. We may not be ...