Friday May 16, 2008: 2:14-24, 26; Mark 8:34–9:1

St. James challenges us today to match up our faith with actions. We can pray for all the poor in the world, we can pray for all the sick in the world, we can pray for the hungry in the world, if we cannot match up our prayers with some action, our faith is in vain. It is understandable if we do not have, but if we have, but do not give, in vain are our prayers. Christianity is a practical religion. Jesus Christ consistently showed this when he was here on earth. He did not only feed the people with spiritual bread, he also fed their immediate physical hunger. How many times have people brought great needs to us and even though we can help them, we assured them of our prayers and did not do anything practically to help them. I do not want to underestimate the power of prayer for those in need, but Jesus Christ uses also as instruments to answer those prayers of faith.

How can you help those who are in need today?

Wednesday May 14, 2008: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; John 15:9-17

Jesus Christ in today’s gospel emphasizes love as the greatest commandment of Christianity. He presents himself as an example of this love. As the Father has loved him, so has he loved us. Jesus goes on to give us the greatest challenge of our Christian faith, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The challenge here is that Jesus Christ laid down his life for his enemies. St. Paul tells us that Christ died for us while we were still yet in sin. Sin makes us an enemy of Jesus Christ. If we are going to be Christ-like, we must do the same thing that he did, love our enemies. This is not an easy thing to do. We sometimes even find it difficult to love our friends. Judas sold Jesus Christ who was supposed to be his friend. Mathias is chosen to take the place of Judas whose selfishness led him away from the love of Jesus Christ. Mathias is called like every one of us to enter into this fellowship of love with Jesus and the Father.

John 5: 31-37, (Thursday, March 6, 2008)

During elections, candidates are always eager to get endorsements of prominent persons; they want those persons to testify to their suitability for the office. As Christians, sometimes, we seek these kinds of endorsements. We want people to say how good Christians we are. We do many things not because they come from our inside, but because we want to show people how Christian or holy we are. In the gospel of today, Jesus Christ alludes to the endorsements he has received from John the Baptist, from Moses, from the scripture itself. He says all these endorsements are nothing to him, compared to his works in relation to his relationship with the Father. He says, “I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf.”

The way we live our lives in and out of the Church give testimony for us; and not what the pastor or some member of the parish council says about us. Jesus Christ tells us in the gospel of John that it is by the way we love that other people will know that we are truly his disciples. Rather than seeking the praise of men and women, let us let the fruits of our work speak for us.

What are the fruits of your Christian life?

John 5: 17-30, (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)

Jesus Christ in today’s gospel tells us that we will not be lost if we hear his word and believe in the one who sent him. He describes himself also as the just judge. What does it mean to hear the word of God? When Jesus speaks about hearing the word, he is saying something more than listening as is understood in day to day conversation. For him, hearing and doing go together. You have not really heard the gospel, if you leave Church every day and return to the same old things the gospel has challenged you to change. You begin to hear the word, when you start acting on what the word challenges you to do.

Christianity is not a social club in which it is just enough to show up at meetings and pay your dues. Christianity is a radical relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship with Jesus grows by hearing the word. Jesus gives us some clues on how we would be judged on the last day. He tells us that we will be judged by how we heard the word. Our failure to hear the word is an act of dishonor to the Father who has showed so much love to us and has sent us his only begotten son.

The question today is, are you hearing the word of God?

Luke 17: 1-6 (Monday, November 12, 2007 – Feast of St. Josephat)

We all have had occasions when we have forgiven someone who has wronged us one or two times and we conclude that we will never forgive again because the person is making a fool of us. If in forgiving those who sincerely ask for forgiveness, we are making a fool of ourselves, Jesus wants us to be fools in forgiving. Remember that people did not understand why anyone in his right senses will choose to die a shameful death on the Cross for his enemies. When Jesus prayed on the Cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing,” the people may have thought he is foolish. When you live radically the Christian vocation, people will think you are foolish. Just as Jesus Christ does not impose limits on the amount of mercy he shows to us, so he does not want us put limits on how much we can forgive. This is the distinctiveness of the Christian dogma. In other religions, it is an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but in Christianity, we are invited to forgive those who hurt us as many times as possible. Is it easy to forgive? No. However, God has given us the graces we need to be able to forgive those who hurt us. We need faith to be able to forgive. When we forgive, we bring healing not only to the person who has offended us, but we become healed ourselves.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your forgiveness which you gave to us on the Cross of Calvary. Help us every day of our lives to grow in the spirit of forgiveness, that we may generous forgive all those whom we find the most difficult to forgive.

Romans 8: 18-25 (Tuesday, October 30, 2007)

St. Paul in this beautiful reading encourages the people of Romans to endure the pains and anguish they go through now since they hope for something greater in the future. Sometimes it feels like Christians are the losers in the world. If you try to live out radically your Christianity as a business person or as a professional worker, you may not make as much money or grow in your career as others because you are not willing to cut corners. We are invited by St. Paul to enjoy these present inconveniences because the glory of God that is our destiny is greater. Like Jesus would say, of what profit would it be, if you gain the whole world and lose your soul. It is important to keep in mind that our home is not here on earth but it is in heaven and it is that glory and joy of heaven that we should work towards. There, they shall be no pain or sorrow.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ help us to keep our eyes on your glory and not the glories of the world. Amidst the pains and sorrows of this world, give us the endurance to continue to work towards your glory.

Luke 6: 6-11 (Monday, September 10, 2007)

One thing very significant in today’s gospel is Jesus’ healing of the man even though it was a Sabbath day. It raises the question of the importance of laws. The laws are not there to enslave us, but to guide us. Since the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church in the United States, some priests have become paranoid in doing ministry. So many laws have been created to protect our children. These laws are not to be taken literally. Would you deny listening to a confession of a child under the age of 18 years just because there isn’t an adult around? Must you insist on a transparent confessional door even if the parish cannot afford one? We must always keep in mind the spirit of the law. At each point in time, it is always important to do what is right even if it is going to generate opposition. Jesus knew the people were going to use the incident to accuse him, but he still went ahead to heal the man because he believed that was the right thing to do. As you strive to live your Christianity in a radical way, you would be confronted with decisions in which if you make the right decision, you would be opposed or persecuted. Jesus invites you today to fear no opposition, just do the right thing.

Prayer:
Lord, sometimes we are timid and afraid of opposition. Give us the courage to always stand firm and do the right thing even if it will bring us persecution.

Mark 6: 17-29 (Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Beheading of John the Baptist)

The feast of today is a celebration of courage, courage to preach the truth. John dared to preach the truth to Herod who was a despot and had the life or death of John within his control. John however knew that the truth was more important than his life and he hoped for a life beyond the temporal life on earth. John knew what the truth is and was ready to preach it irrespective of the consequences. The truth is always not very fashionable. The truth is also not very popular. If you stand for the truth, you will always find yourself alone. Yet, this is what Jesus calls us his followers to do. He says the spirit of truth will teach us all that we need to know. Have we always been faithful to the Christian truth or do we always go with the crowd? As Christian people, we are invited to hold and teach the truth. This will come with a lot of consequences. In some parts of the world, this might still lead to your death like in the case of John the Baptist. In our beloved country, the United States, you head will not likely be chopped off because you spoke the Christian truth, but sure, you might be attacked by the media, members of other religions and co-workers. Just know that you are not alone – Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and the saints are with you. The truth is always victorious.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you have not given to us the spirit of timidity. You have given to us the spirit of boldness. Give us the courage we need to speak the truth without coloring it. Help us to always stand for the truth even when it will get us into trouble.