Hour of Grace
Hour of Grace with Fr. Boniface
Discipleship is a call to Christian daily living, which continues to define a life worth living, which has both immediate and future implications. Our spiritual, mental and emotional adherence to the Gospel remains evalescent until it is committed to the art of shaping our lives in the direction of practical discipleship. (“Be doers of the Word and not just hearers” – James )
In Luke 6 the question is asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?” Different people might like to think differently but the Bible gives us the most profound response to such questions. If truly the meaning of Christian community most come alive, then we have to understand St. James teaching on faith which says “faith without works is dead”. Therefore faith is not a dream, an illusion or emotion, it is rather a life lived out through Christian works of charity and prayer. When we implement our faith in terms of being practical, then we can justifiably claim that our faith has provern itself having gone through the tests of life. Challenges help test and strengthen our faith, plants its deapth, charts its contours, put it on a straight track, dicern its implications and discover its strengths for a graceful living. Our duty for what is right then is rewarded by God, hence we must look beyond the obvious pitfalls that keep us laboring for what is just.
St. Paul counted it a blessing and a joy when he suffered for Christ and His Church. He described his suffering as working and struggling – 1 Cor. 1:29. It takes grace to find joy in the priviledge of working, struggling and sufferring for the Gospel. St. Paul had tension daily pressing on him, particularly his anxiety for the churches. – 2 Cor. 11:28. However, his love for Christ and the Church continued to be his source of motivation – Eph 3:17. We are therefore to live not for ourselves but for Christ Who died that we might live. – Col 2:2.
Thousands of people die at the hands of terrorists. Millions of people are innocently attacked. Children are kidnapped, people are murdered, rights are denied, etc. The outcome unfortunately is that it creates lasting hostility, which sometimes transfers from generation to generation. In our world today, hostility is becoming a pandemic, yet few people admit that they have hatred in their hearts and even fewer admit that they actually nourish hatred. We overstretch the law that protects our rights, territories and space, at the expense of compassion and love. We live in that tension today whereby we over stretch the law beyond compassion and God’s standard of seeing things. For some are afraid of the slippery slope of leniency. In Jesus’ time the Pharisees were extremely legalistic and most times ended up with a system of legalism. The demands for the observance of the Law became extremely racorous that most people fort the presence of God in it all. Only living the life that Christ called us to live that we can be able to see with the lens of love and be able to pull down the barrier of hostility. – Eph 2:14.
Living in the Spirit demands us to do the things of the Spirit and bear the fruits of the Spirit. We live in a very radical time, where the only healing tool is for men of faith to be open to the Spirit and do the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. If we want peace, we should pray and work for peace. If we want love, we should pray and work for love. If we want happiness we should pray and work for happiness. The book of Galatians spells out the fruits of the Spirit that comes through the act of living in the Spirit. One of the secrets of living in the Spirit is practicing fasting. Fasting is a way of stretching our faith. It is a spiritual demand whereby our relationship with God takes precedence over our selfish desires, compulsions and habits.
When we start living in the Spirit, faith helps us carry the soul past proof and the lack of proof, past resilience on another’s word, past intuition and hesitation, past the need of all assurance except that of faith itself. Therefore living in Spirit, faith takes over where knowledge ceases. We no longer need to justify our pleasure. In the Spirit I will be able to sday “Those things I used to consider as gain, we have now counted as loss in the light of Christ, that in Him I may enjoy every spiritual blessing” – Phil 3:7-9.
When we live in the Spirit, we fast and fasting sets us free. – Is 58:6. When we live in the Spirit, we are able to cast out demons. –Matt 17:21. Living in the Spirit is the pathway to a well-focused life. It demands discipline that gives God glory and disciplines that are enabled for believers through the grace of God.
One step to a true search
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Wed. Sept 2, 2009
Readings: Col 1:1-8
Lk 4:38-44
In prayer the pious soul speaks to God and communes with his creator. Saint Paul today speaks words of encouragement to the people of Galatians, at the same time thanking God for the unbounded and numberless blessings he bestowed on them and thanking the people for cooperating with the grace of God in prayer and faithful devotion.
This was inspiring for the Galatian Christians. It strengthened and encouraged them to be more committed. Words of encouragement that give glory to God are a source of strength for the weak, a source of awareness for those in the right track, and a source of inspiration for those hoping to advance further in life. Life is a journey with uncertainty, with hidden opportunities for us to discover. It takes discernment, patience, and love to discover the spots where the opportunities are hidden.
When discovered, we cannot but share our stories as a living testimonial meant to strengthen people in faith, make them appreciate life, and bring them closer to God. Hence it is good to give credit to those who are making an effort to be closer to God. If we learn to recognize the grace of God in action in the life of the people we meet every day, the kingdom of God would be seen in the life of believers and nonbelievers would make up their mind to surrender to God.
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Sept 1, 2009
Readings: 1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11
Lk 4:31-37
On 9/11 the unexpected happened as the demon of destruction took over some individuals who high-jacked planes and went after the life of the innocent. Two planes hit the twin towers killing thousands of people, and there another plane went down in Pennsylvania.
At the morning hour, no one thought something like that would ever happen. Such a horrifying experience took people off guard. From the next day down through the entire year, churches were filled to capacity. The confessional was daily filled as people quickly tried to make amendment. Prayers stormed heaven every day as people spent the evening in vigil praying for clemency and perhaps asking God to accept their soul. Those who left the church for years did not hesitate to quickly make amendment and return back to the church.
It is not really a good experience to replay over and over but to an extent it reflects what God meant when He warned us to always be prepared that we may not be taken unawares and the final end would come like a thief in the night when we least expect. Unfortunately, one year after 9/11, people went back to their natural life.
The book of Thess., chapter 5 encourages us to be prepared. When we are prepared we have no cause to be afraid. Only unprepared Christians are afraid, contemplating what might happen to their soul when they leave Mother Earth. Like a soldier, I will encourage you to be prepared.
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Hour of Grace with Fr. Boniface
One step to Wisdom
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Sat. Aug. 29, 2009Readings: Jeremiah 1: 17-19
Mark 6:17-29A beast is often defined as something with a strange phenomenon. An animal-like being that is brutal, contemptible and can easily destroy. In the loose sense there are various kinds of beasts in unfiltered grudges. These include bitterness, violence, hatred, unforgiveness, sexual perversions and resentment. Anyone that is consumed with grudges is automatically carrying one or multiple marks of the beast, with the end result to glorify Lucifer with all sorts of actions resulting from the grudges. Consequently this makes a mockery of Christian beliefs. This mark of the beast wrapped up in grudges, are catalysts for satanic activities. Grudges have a chain reaction. The result is often as murderous as Herod beheading John the Baptist. One of the first signs of grudges is bitterness, which can easily defile a man. – Heb 12:15.
Herod was bitter, followed by perversion which drove him to the point of beheading John. Grudges are a baggage that we cannot carry to the altar of God, particularly when we bring our offering to the altar of God. We don’t offer only our gifts, but we also offer our very own selves, who have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ and marked with the sign of faith through baptism. When we are carrying grudges and at the same time bringing our gift to the altar, such gifts cannot be accepted because the mark is not the mark of God. Hence we are encouraged to go back and put things right with our brother before bringing our gifts. – Matt 5:23-25.Those who hold grudges destroy themselves and others without realizing it. Herod did not realize the diabolical power of Herodius’grudge against St. John the Baptist. She used her diabolical power to manipulate Herod to commit the murderous act. If we live with grudges every day, we are indirectly living with the mark of the beast and we become Satan’s degrading person._________________________________________________________________
Fri. Aug 28, 2009Readings: 1 Thess 4:1-8
Matt 25:1-13
Many occasions arise daily that threaten our virtues. Sometimes we are pushed to the wall and our soul gets afflicted and we are left broken to the point that we cannot function. Sometimes we experience nervousness as we spend our energy trying to figure out how to overcome our afflictions. If not properly managed, it could shatter our interior well being, whereby we begin to experience a melancholy, listlessness, restlessness, loneliness and grief.
As humans, we cannot fully insure ourselves against the hazards of life and the afflictions that come against our souls. The good news is that there is a divine insurance, which comes with wisdom. Wisdom helps navigate us with the compass of God through the dangers of life, the cobwebs of satanic traps, and bring us to a safe haven.
There is a difference between the natural sufferings of life and sufferings that we personally bring upon ourselves due to our carelessness and lack of wisdom. Worldly wisdom can be very misleading. It entices us and gives us a good feeling, hence in Matthew 5:28, we are asked to rebuke looking lustfully at another. David was guilty of this when he looked at Bathsheba and lost his wisdom.
In Eph 2:3-4, we are also encouraged to flee from unclean jokes for it can easily sadden the spirit. It is better to be wise enough to be fools in the eyes of the world and to allow the wisdom of God to lead you to the safe haven. We must always deal with the issues of life in a very rational way, guided by the wisdom of God.
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Thur. Aug 27, 2009
Readings: 1 Thess. 3:7-13
Matt. 24:42-51
“Our Christian baptism makes us beneficiaries and legatees of Christ’s salvific mission, hence Christ invites us to be co-workers in His vineyard. We are therefore not to be a passive participant, but an active one and being active is to be consistently bear a lot, doing exactly what our Christian duties require of us in season and out of season.”- Fr. B
The limited knowledge on the part of man as to when Christ will return, speaks of our limitation as a mortal being, yet a being that finds meaning in true dependency on the grace of God. Christ is truly coming back but we do not know the exact time –
Matt 24:42.
The Scripture says that He will come at a time we least expect – Matt 24:34. Christians are not supposed to be afraid if the soul is consistently undergoing a spiritual checkup through the sacraments of the Church and the personal virtues one lives out every day.
In military parlance, soldiers are taught to be ever ready and ever forward. The fact is that readiness gives them an edge over their presumed enemies. We may not be military personnel in the secular sense; however our baptism makes us spiritual militants for Christ, always in spiritual warfare and doing the right thing to counter the strategies of the evil one. The Scriptures warn us to be vigilant and not to be carried away by the tactics of the evil one so that on the day of the Lord’s coming, our souls will be properly dressed and prepared to welcome the Lord. For our preparation to be successful, we need to be faithful and foresighted servants – Matt 24:25. We need to renew our spiritual strength and that of others – Matt 24:46. We need to constantly be inspired by the fact that we will be rewarded eternally – 1 Peter 3:15.
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Wed. Aug 26, 2009
Readings: 1 Thess. 2:13
Matt. 23:27-32
“The Church’s evangelical character has its desired influence on a nation, culture and generation, if only her inner life is properly activated by the Holy Spirit.” – Fr. B
The experience of God’s love is timeless. Rev Fr. Otillo, a Dominican priest to Nigeria, brought the overwhelming love of Christ along with evangelization and was able to penetrate cultures and generations beyond the imagination. His first arrival, like for any missionary, was quite challenging. In order to properly evangelize, he knew he had to adapt to the people’s culture, food and language. The good news is that Fr. Otillo was never discouraged since the goal was evangelization and the motivation behind the scenes was the Holy Spirit.
His first gathering of people for the Liturgy of the Mass was in a garage with a tin roof. The first day of starting a church, he had just 30 people. As he allowed the Holy Spirit to nurture the seed of evangelization for him, his church blossomed and today he has nothing less than 500 people for each Mass. Apart from allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him, it might suffice for us to also discover other reasons behind his success. Like St. Paul (1 Thess. 2:9) he preached with conviction and remained responsible to his civic duty and to the demands of the culture, provided it pointed to the glory of God.
In the spirit of St. Paul, he went beyond words to live out his gospel teaching. He was upright, just, and above reproach. – 1 Thess. 2:10. In order to win converts without necessarily judging them, he extended a caring spirit to everyone that comes his way. He brought hope to those who were discouraged with life, particularly the downtrodden, the depressed and the lonely.
Can we for a while give a second thought to such an evangelic spirit that Fr. Otillo took to Nigeria? Do we know that we can also be fired up by the Holy Spirit, particularly when we realize the strength and commission given to us by our baptism? Our evangelization territory may vary. For some it may be the family circle, the neighborhood and for others it may the workplace or the community. However, we must realize that we are all evangelists. We should never doubt the impact that the Holy Spirit will have on those whom we evangelize. For no one can fail to be cut to the heart when he has an opportunity to encounter the passionate, overwhelming love of God.
We can succeed in making a difference through evangelization if we make room for self-sacrifice, holiness of life, conviction of faith, determination and at the same time, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead while we follow.
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Tuesday: August 25, 2009
1 Thes. 2:1-8
Mathew 23:23 - 26
THE BATTLE FOR HUMILITY
A lot of people today wonder why among all the saints in the world, Saint Benedict is most revered for his virtue of humility. He was called the doctor of humilitatis. It wasn’t just a mere title, but a title he won by justification. When in the midst of his great achievement, he embraced the highest form of humility. He experienced humiliation in different forms, yet for him, it was not a mark of weakness but a pathway to a heroic spirituality. Saint Paul once said, when I am weak then I am strong. Jesus Christ invites every believer to take up his cross and follow him. We must acknowledge with our day to day experience, a lot of people will not face that humiliation that goes side by side with the cross, accept the cultivation of the virtue of humility. Virtue is made perfect in infirmity. But only very few people realize this since the virtue of humility can be elusive. Sometimes we think we’ve gotten it and we are in control only to realize, that we are turning into the opposite. This commonly happens when we resist and triumph over humiliation, we attribute the credit to our own personal effort and use our achievement as an instrument of intimidation to jettison those people who are making an effort and have not gotten there yet.
That is one of the devil’s strategies to make foolery of our struggles. There are also moments when our humility is tested and if we do not respond in a healthy spiritual manner we turn inward, lick our wounds, or have a pity party. The harmful outcome of this, is that it turns us into being very legalistic, rigid in principle, unforgiving and resentful. Don’t ever think that you are the first, nor will you be the last to suffer humiliation, even from the least expected person. Spiritual heroes became popular for their beliefs not just because they did what they did very well but because they gave humility a chance to speak the glory of God, instead of their own personal achievement. Many of them suffered untold humiliation yet they were happy in their pain which in turn became a channel for their evangelization.
Saint Paul, for example, was beaten and dragged from Lystra. Thinking that he was going to die, they abandoned him on the roadside. By God’s grace, he recovered and courageously went into the next town and continued to proclaim the gospel. (Acts. 14: 9-20) In another context, Paul and Silas became spiritual warriors yet carried out their pastoral work with every spirit of humility. When their adversaries couldn’t resist their presence any more, they had them put in jail. While in jail, they were stripped, flogged, and their feet were chained to a post. Such a horrific torture was too much to bear for these innocent evangelizers. Yet it never bothered them, because in humility, they accepted to carry the cross in Christ. They never stopped praying. The more they prayed, the more they gave life to their humility. The more humble they were the more they glorified God in songs. Their humility, songs of worship, and prayer stormed the heavenly body for intervention. The glory of God reined down on the cell and the doors were all opened. Their simple acts of humility accompanied by this miracle amazed the jail officer and a lot of people in the city that they couldn’t help but embrace an immediate conversion.
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Monday: August 24, 2009
Rev 21: 9-4
John 1:45-51
PREJUDICE IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO SPIRITUAL MATURITY
The awesome presence of God reflected in the life of those who walk in the Spirit is capable of breaking down every possible barrier to spiritual maturity posed by human sentiment. Philip and Nathanial were so anxious to serve God. There attitude and response to spiritual maturity was completely different from each other. Both of them wanted to experience interior calmness of the soul and so they decided to explore the walking prayer through the orchard. As they walk Philip was able to connect with God in prayer because he was open to spiritual discipline which demands on its part, not to withhold any grudges or prejudice. On the other hand Nathanial couldn’t connect with God in prayer because of the prejudice he was holding which was against the commandment of God to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves. After a long walk in prayer Nathanial was not feeling any connectedness, got frustrated and took shelter under the fig tree. Philip felt the presence of God the minute he encountered Jesus Christ. In charity, he gave spiritual support to Nathanial by inviting Nathanial to come and experience God’s presence through Jesus Christ as well. As Nathanial walked closer to Jesus, Nathanial still doubted if Jesus was the Messiah. Why you may ask? Because the prejudice wall was clouding his vision. In those days cultural pride, national pride, social pride, and all kinds of pride seemed to control the heart of man instead of building relationships inspired by love.
Greeks regarded everyone who did not adopt their language as barbarians. On the contrary, Jews looked down on the Greeks because they weren’t the chosen people of God. There was clearly ethnocentrism, tribalism, nepotism, and deep social chasm separating slaves from free persons and the poor from those who were fabulously rich.
Jesus Christ knew that Nathanial was already caught up in this unhealthy web which of course has been a stumbling block to his prayer life. Jesus Chris immediately ceased the moment to pull down those walls erected selfishly by man. He called Nathanial directly by name and said to him, I know who you are and all that you were thinking under the fig tree. Immediately the barriers were brought down. Jesus Christ promised to unfold greater signs to Nathanial. (John 1:15) And only then will Daniel in spirit be able to connect with God in prayer as he would truly see his prayer yielding positive fruit from Christ himself who ascended and descended into glory. In a similar context, Jesus Christ did break the barrier that was also put forth by the Canaanite woman at the well. In response Jesus Christ said to her, woman give me water to drink. For a day will come when all barriers will be broken and you shall drink like everyone else from the fountain of the living water.
As believers, we have to work towards Christian maturity in words and action by addressing those things which are easily overlooked such as hatred, bitterness, anger, malice, unforgiveness, and destructive criticism which sin with an objective lens obviously lies at the root of all national, political, and social divisions. Christ by his redemptive blood has overcome every wall in the form of hostility, prejudice, hatred, and conflict between individual’s families and communities and nations. In Christ we are all one with the same struggle for perfection and a common destiny.
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Sat. Aug 22nd, 2009
Readings: Ruth, 2:1-3, 8-11: 4:13-17
Matt 23:1-12
The vocation we owe to this earth and to God is to make this world a better place, which can only be possible through commitment and self sacrifice, inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. This is further carried out by communications in word and actions, enabled by God’s indwelling grace.
The gradual penetration of truth in a world already prejudiced by original sin and an aura of self-centeredness, means we need consistent prayers for effective discernment on the part of leaders, and cooperation on the parts of the subjects being led. Life is everybody’s business and Christ’s presence in our world models how leadership ought to be. The gospel continues to elicit the loving admiration of a well-defined principle that gives meaning to true leadership.
Leadership is a matter of self-giving which at times will encroach into our personal life. We can only endure and make sense out of it by Christ’s enabling grace. If we use human standards to judge such encroachments, we might end up not doing that which we are called to do. We will spend time trying to explain and justify instead of moving forward. People who look up to leaders are always inspired by different things because people are wired differently and have different historical, cultural and social backgrounds.
What might interest Mr. So-and-So about a leader, might not interest another about the same leader and vice versa. People have different standards of evaluation and what they expect from their leaders. The good news for us Christians is that in whatever way we look at leadership, it must be narrowed down to that which draws people closer to the love of God and to the love and betterment of our fellow humans.
I imagine how the Fathers of the Church who came after Christ continued to replay the model leadership of Christ. We think of the martyrs who shed their blood for people of faith in order to keep the faith going. We remember the oppressed, the poor, who choose to be content with their lifestyle in order to consolidate the unbroken tradition of sanctity. However, we have also seen the dark side of the church, the worldliness and corruption in the church–the intolerance and injustices that have transpired due to sinful human nature.
The good news is that we are consoled because it is the Church of Christ and it will eventually bring all things to perfect fruition to the glory of His name.
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One step to Leadership
Wed. Aug. 19th, 2009
Readings: Judges 9:6-15
Matt. 20:1-16
“Everyone loves light because of his capacity to brighten, strengthen and illuminate” –
Fr. B
Every purpose-driven leader sees success as a motivating force. Wherever success excels or prevails, there is celebration. The outcome of success can easily be related to an illuminating bulb that dispels the presence of darkness and enthrone clarity. Christians by the very nature of their vocation, have the mandate to demonstrate leadership qualities wherever they are, be it in the family circle, work place, the church or civil society. They are always champions and always strive to be victorious. Hence, they are considered agents of positive change, inspirational visionaries and motivating personalities.
If Christians understand the power they have and use it in the right way, our world would be the best place for humans to dwell. Unfortunately, Christians shy away from leadership roles for so many reasons, especially from a of fear sharing their faith in the workplace.
A preacher once said that if you are a true believer “steam” the power of faith from wherever you are. Not everyone will be comfortable with your “steam” energy, however, we must remember this is part of who you are and this is also a source of leadership. Christians are called to model the leadership quality after Christ. A leadership that is very objective and dismisses every “isms” such as tribalism, nepotism and favoritism.
Leaders obviously hear different types of voices, but only the best leaders will strive to resist being misled by those voices. They simply do this by harmonizing the interior with the exterior part of their being, reconciling all values and giving God His appropriate place in their life and in the life of the subjects they are called to lead.
How can leaders allow Christ to be their model and at the same time embrace all the values preached by Christ? The open door for such direction for authentic leadership is to deflate our overwhelming ego and empower the strength of humility. When our ego is overwhelmed, it can easily distort our vision, hence we need to tame it. On the converse, purpose driven leaders allow humility to be their vehicle of grace, which continues to strengthen their courage as they thrive on hope.
When a leader chooses to be humble, it does not necessarily suggest that he is weak or discouraged. Rather it is the opposite. For discouragement thrives on lack of humility. If you are not humble, you will easily be discouraged when certain things do not go your way. Does that mean that leaders don’t make mistakes? Not at all. Even as Christians your faith doesn’t exclude you from human frailties and limitations. If that was possible, then you are an angel and if you are an angel then you shouldn’t be in this imperfect world.
The good news is that Christian leaders, who are purpose driven, even when they make mistakes, can easily turn away from despair as instinctively as they turn away from pride and presumption. We are all called to be leaders. Don’t try to shift the responsibility and criticize others, rather stand up and embrace the crown of leadership. If every Christian appreciates the fact that they are called to lead, together we shall make this world a better place.
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Tue. Aug. 18th, 2009
Readings: Judges 6:11-24a
Matt 19:23-30
“Natural inclination may inspire us to be benevolent, however it must be noted that fastidiousness is no substitute for supernatural faith.”- Fr. B
In this day and age you would think that the desire for God would be the uppermost priority. It is quite disappointing to note that the world does not take its stance on supernatural verities. It has obviously championed and encouraged so many things that enhance human development and civilization. Unfortunately it all begins and ends within the controlled force of secular humanism.
Government today promotes justice and obedience to the law. It promotes education and hospitality. Unfortunately in the face of these principles and virtues, it tends to undermine bearing witness to spiritual realities. So many policies stemming from the welfare state, despite their good intention, tend to oppose the principles of religion. Little wonder issues like abortion have remained a subject of ethical controversy.
Where do Christians stand in this entire picture? Sometimes it is difficult to take a position when our conscience has been seared by material things that do not stand the test of time. For a good Christian to survive the pressure from society against spiritual things, it is wise for him to step aside and examine the tenets of contemporary civilization. He must see objectively the means used by the government of population control, divorce, war and the economic crisis.
The supernatural should always be our first priority when it comes to defining the basic tenets that give meaning to existence. A good Christian must hunger after the Will of God and not necessarily what appears to be good order. Natural inclinations may inspire us to demonstrate benevolence, but remember it is the grace that moves us to supernatural reality.
In the economy of salvation, those who do the will of God are entitled to His divine reward of eternal salvation. There is a place for the rich and the poor alike; however, it comes with justification whereby we don’t allow our wealth to delude us to the point of believing that we can easily buy salvation with our money without working to justify it with faith.
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Mon. Aug. 17th, 2009
Readings: Judges 2:11-19
Matt 19:16-22
In the practice of our Christian faith, we are constantly invited to transcend the drawbacks to human existence, the transcendence over the contingencies of life. We must acknowledge that it is not an escapist approach to life in which we become indifferent or try to avoid being involved in the day to day activities of life. If we deny total involvement in daily activities of life, it is like living in a blind world where we are sent into an illusive reality.
Some people might mistake it for a total mystical experience void of human element. They are in error, for transcendence is not a thing of the imagination, rather it is a detachment brought about by the spirit in which we live in the world and have the emotions and faith like anyone else in the world, yet our soul and desires are able to rise above our emotions. – “Be in the world but not of it” – John 17.
Jesus Christ in His approach to the rich man who thought by having faith he was being totally mystical, void of human element. Christ immediately reminded him that his attitude could easily create an atmosphere of insensitivity, lack of compassion, which is tantamount to the sin of omission. Hence Jesus said to the rich man to sell all he had and give to the poor, and then come and follow Him. This is simply an act of charity and love that not only helps us to transcend, but helps to translate what we transcended into.
As you engage in the activities of today, don’t be too scrupulous about the sin of commission and fail to see with objectivity the little things that can be easily overlooked, and consequently, generate the sin of omission.
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Sat. Aug 15, 2009
Readings: 1 Chron 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2
Luke 1:39-56
In the dawn of this new age, with the current economic, social and political upheaval, the world is in total chaos, begging desperately for a radical change for the better. Every area of expertise has been employed and there seems to be no positive solution. Hence, people are beginning to look to Christians. The unprecedented surge to pray for the world is highly demanded like never before in human history. There is a resounding theme “rekindle the fire of hope” in every church’s liturgical worship.
The reality is that life is fast caving in, causing more anxiety for people. Can the alternative offered by society overcome the worries and fears of the people? I don’t think so. In the last century, society has offered many alternate scripts for private and public life. These new cultural scripts are always competing for allegiance, always offering us the theme of self-aggrandizement, self-inflation and self-promotion. Unfortunately, many of us are fooled by these unrealistic promises and short-lived pleasures. They only satisfy for a while and give us a sense of self-transcendence, which overcomes group and personal limits, only to leave us in the dungeon of self-illusion.
The TV fills us daily with frightening scenarios that downplay our spirituality and quench the flame of hope in us. For example, there is no week that goes by without us hearing of suicides committed either instantly or slowly as people choose compulsive behaviors out of despair. Our world today needs prayer. You as a Christian must be the one to take the first step. Don’t wait for Mr. Smith to take the lead. If everyone prays from his little domain like drops of water our prayers will storm the heavenly bodies and rain down blessings upon our land and the world at large. For our victory to come through, the following is our armour for battle:
• Prayer accompanied by great faith – “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chron. 7:14
• The Bible – reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures, willing and ready to share and be able to live it out. It will influence and heal those in desperate need of it. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God” – 2 Tim 2:15
• The paternal and maternal guidance of the Church in matters of faith and morals. –
“Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me
holy is his name. – Luke 1:46-49
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Fri. Aug 14, 2009
Readings: Joshua 24:1-13
Matt 19:3-12
“A marriage that begins and is directed by the Divine, stands the test of time and becomes a testimony in itself that accompanies the couple in question as they look forward to the Kingdom of God after life here on earth” – Fr. Bon
Christ, in His Omnipotence, knows the primacy and importance of marriage in the economy of our salvific mission. Hence He elevated marriage vocation to the realm of sacramentality. This obviously explains that marriage is not just a social or ceremonial event carried out just to fill an emotional void. If that was the case, then it would have remained at the level of courtship, which in most cases, if not directed by evoking the Divine wisdom of God, easily leads to chaos as most people try to fill that void with things that are vanity, (i.e. money, power, ego, status, etc.).
In the Bible, God points out the steps of a Godly marriage:
A.) Believers must always consider marriage as sacred.
B.) Marriage must always be between a man and a woman.
C.) Both parties must love God and each other just like Christ loves the church, His bride – Eph 5:25.
D.) Both parties must be willing and ready to sacrifice for each other as an expression of love when needs arise.
E.) The man must protect the wife – 1 Cor. 7:33
F.) The wife must respect her husband – Eph 5:23
These simple acts of the relationship, speaks of the visible connectedness of Christ and His church – Eph 5:32-33.
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Thur. Aug 13, 2009
Readings: Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Matt 18:21-19:1
“Men of faith are not intimidated by the size of mountains. Like Abraham and Moses, they are always willing to courageously climb to the highest peak in order to be connected and to receive Divine victorious messages and a crown of victory from the giver of life Himself who lives in the uppermost.” - Fr. Bon
How can you sit on the King’s throne without learning to climb up to the chair? Life is an adventure which only men and women of faith choose to dream courageously, irrespective of the way it presents itself. Learning to depend on God is the secret to a victorious faith where men are not intimidated, nor tempted to keep an ace in the hole, just in case God’s promise of deliverance don’t come through. To act that way is tantamount to being a spiritual coward who has no knowledge of what he has, let alone what he can possibly use it for. (“But my righteous one will live by faith and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him,” Heb 10:38).
The Christian Faith always challenges and inspires Christians to fish out strategies for overcoming mountains and not focusing on the possibility of tragedy. In every circumstance, they always fall back to their source of strength and do not necessarily dwell on the negativity that comes with their struggle. They always look forward to success and not to cowardly dwelling on self-pity that creates nothing but perpetual sorrow.
Faith is a gift, a package that intrinsically comes with our Christian belief, which helps us not to look for existential facts before believing, but to accept the Gospel truth as a flame of knowledge of the inner mysteries of life. To see before believing is not faith, it rather makes us lose the entire essence of “miracle”. (“We live by faith and not by sight” – 2 Cor. 5:7.) Men of faith always take chances with trust in God and God alone. If you don’t risk chances, then you will never have the possibility to see a miracle. Peter walked for a while on the water when his faith was quite strong. Like Peter, many of us have strong faith but our faith can be challenged to the point of losing confidence and trust in God. This is what happened to Peter when he began sinking. –Matt. 14:29. The good news is that he realized that he could not walk on the path of a turbulent life without the grace of God. Hence he called out to Jesus and Jesus supported him with His grace. (“My grace is sufficient for you” – 2 Cor. 12:9).
As you go throughout your day’s business, don’t lose faith when challenged by overwhelming situations. If you truly believe in God, His grace will be sufficient for you and will be able to lead you through. Be blessed!
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Wed. Aug 12, 2009
Readings: Deut 34: 1-12
Matt 18:15-20
“Christians must, with love, attack the root cause of wars and divisions, which are external signs of the evil in man’s selfish heart, and which he is often unwilling to admit”.
People who have experienced the First World War will realistically share the scourge of war without reservation. I bet it was not, nor will ever be a good memory. Thanks be to God, by His enabling grace and through the openness of man to full civilization guided by love, man has come to realize that we all, irrespective of our ideas, age color or status, are children of God; hence when conflict arises we can maturely dialogue and resolve it without inciting war. Pope Paul VI, in his speech to the United Nations, reminded his delegates to do all they could but to always remember that all human life is sacred and no one dares offend against it.
In the name of the dead who fell in the terrible wars of the past and in the name of the youths of the present generation who legitimately expect a better human race; in the name of the poor, the disinherited, the suffering of those who long for justice, please stop war. For the moment of conversion has come, for personal transformation and eternal renewal. As we go into the office today, let us realize that war is never the answer, but always the product of a divided heart and unhealed spirits, despairs and doubts, hostilities and hatred. War is not a disease, but a symptom of a sickness in the heart of man. It is always the end product of every choice we make of objects over persons, exploitation over love, prestige over life.
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Tuesday Aug 11, 2009
Readings: Deut 31: 1-8
Matt 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14
“Humility is the first virtue that elevates man to experience the profound love of God, for it was the first virtue of our original parents Adam & Eve which gave them the opportunity to experience God’s unprecedented love, while pride is the first vice that brought the fall” – Fr. B
People who aspire to be great always see humility as a vehicle of grace to their greatness. Our present generation has the highest intellectuals ever produced in human history, particularly in the areas of science and philosophy. In ordinary parlance it would be logical to say that the knowledge of God should have been more meaningful and well understood more than ever.
Unfortunately the opposite is the case as our institutions continue to breed professors who are materially rich but spiritually empty. It is more challenging now that the Bible, for centuries has helped man to trace his origin and define his present moment and future, has been taken away from our institutions.
What man has succeeded in doing is to allow the spirit of pride to overtake his faculties and reasoning. If only man would have the innocent mind of a little child, then he would continue to enjoy the favor of God without being anxious about what he will eat, drink or wear. – Phil 4:6-8.
Our accomplishments in life have no meaning until in humble submission we attribute the source and glory to God. God is not some nebulous concept that needs a philosophical approach, rather He is the Supreme Being who alone exists of Himself and is always willing and ready to relate with us, to take care of our needs. He is always ready to realign our motives, build our characters and personalities for us. When we become obsessed with ourselves, our ego becomes a problem to us and to people around us instead of enabling us to do good.
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Mon. Aug 10th, 2009
Readings: 2 Cor 9:6-10
John 12: 24-26
“Greatness that stands the test of time is not in what you do to earn a name, but the lives that are touched and changed by your humble and unassuming acts.”- Fr. Boniface
Christian maturity challenges Christians to embrace a life of sacrifice in order to receive divine reward that comes from God. Hence, the idea of almsgiving and the call to share goes beyond frenzies and the importations of human ambitions. In fact, when Christians carry out charitable acts expecting rewards from man, it is nothing but a delusion and an obstacle to God’s enabling grace.
Christians must learn to identify the voice that encourages them to give. If it is the worldly voice for power, recognition, and selfish gain, then the act of giving itself is nothing but Pharisaical externalism, or what I would refer to as a “pseudo spirituality of activism.” If the action is motivated by our Christian obligation, then the fruits will show and we can see the vitality and the spiritual energy that comes with it, and also it has no room for grudges.
The act of giving back to God comes in different forms. It could be our time, talents, property, skill, and financial support to mention a few. Giving is more than an attitude towards life. In giving we experience a test of heavenly activities. We become healthier and very much at peace with ourselves and others. We offer friendship easily, always ready and willing to console. We don’t emphasize our rights at the expense of the general interest. We generally smile and try to make life easy and simple for others. We are not attached like lampreys to the things of our lives.