Fearless

Sharing something I wrote for Didache:

“Don’t be afraid when you hear of wars and revolutions, such things must happen first, but they do not mean that the end is near.” – Luke 21:9

I remember watching the movie 2012. During the week it was shown in the cinemas in 2009, there was a lot of talk going around about the possibilities of doomsday. I recall that there were documentaries coming out on TV and it even became the topic of homilies during the Mass. Well, if you’re alive and reading this reflection today, that means it was all untrue.

Many of us are scared of death, or the end of the world, because we are not ready. We don’t have to wait for the world to end to accept God into our lives. His kingdom resides in us if we invite Him in. “The Kingdom of God is near, repent and believe in the Good News (Mark 1:15).”

The best way to live is to live for Christ. Then there will be nothing to fear, not even death. Or the end of the world.

REFLECTION:
If you knew that you only had one day to live, how would you spend the next 24 hours?

Lord, I invite You into my life. May Your kingdom reign in my heart and soul. Make me fearless in facing life, knowing that You are my Savior. Amen.

St. Francesco Antonio Fasani, pray for us.

Multiplying Our Talents

I'm reflecting on the parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14-30. The Hebrew talent is a unit of weight. 1 talent would equal 34.2 kilos or 75.4 pounds. It referred mostly to the weight of silver and gold and other precious stones. In essence if you were given a talent of gold, that would mean much already. Although incidentally talents for us would mean our abilities that God has given, which is actually worth more than gold. So, each of us were given different weights of abilities or various unique key strengths that is expected to be multiplied.

How do we multiply the talents God has given us? We are all created out of his love and endowed with gifts to help build God's kingdom. Have we realized this set of special gifts, which is our key strength? How can we be more productive with the limited amount of time given to us live on this earth? Here are some suggested steps:

1. Discover the Uniqueness of Your Talent.

We are all created unique. The combination of our skills, virtues, intellect, feelings, and experience makes us distinct from the rest. Each of us have that quality that contributes distinctively from others. A way to do this is to simply list them down or ask others what is positively unique in you. Often we are not aware of this and tend to put ourselves down. The discovery of our own strength or self-awareness is an important step to improve ourselves.

2. Spend more time, money, and effort in harnessing your talent 

Where does our money go? The more we invest in our talents, the more we actually increase our value. Attending workshops or even doing further study to 'professionalize' our talent will help multiply our God-given abilities. Buying books and finding the right mentor will accelerate our learning curve.

3. Build a team of loyal, differently talented, and dedicated people 

We all have weaknesses that others can fill. We are created this way, so we may work as a community and live harmoniously. Building a team will increase our productivity a hundred fold. Have the eye for talent, avoid redundancy, and let your people shine by giving them work that matches their skill set.

4. Delegate work that do not match your strengths which may take up your time 

Often we find ourselves doing urgent things that we can probably delegate or most probably others will be better at doing. Let us spend our time and effort on our strengths and see the excellent results.

5. Go from strength to strength.

"Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities." Mt 25:21When engaging in new and large responsibilities, there is an initial difficulty that will challenge the limits of our talents. Press on, persevere, and be consistent. Soon enough we will gain "talent muscles" that will lead us from strength to strength.

We do not easily give up out of fear and "bury our talents." Even if we fall at times, we have to resurrect and pursue our goals.  At the end of our lives we wish to offer God our talents and long to hear Him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Value Your Freedom

We went to a pizza place today and was delighted to be able to avail of a good deal on a meal. I got a super sized slice and a large drink for 99 pesos.  Compared to many pizza prices, this was inexpensive and the pizza was excellent!

I am reminded of how Christ saved us.  In order to set us free from sin, he bailed us out with His very own life!  Unlike the pizza, our freedom is expensive! We are indeed "dear" to God.  God thought we were worth the heartache of seeing His only begotten Son suffer and die to buy us from death.  Everytime we see the cross, we should be reminded of the price God paid for our liberation.

Knowing this, how are we valuing our freedom in Christ? Since we have been bought by His blood, we are no longer bound by sin.  But there times we act as if we have not been liberated.  We keep on going back to that cell, imprisoning ourselves even with the knowledge that Christ can set us free. Let us be remided of the following:

Christ on the Cross by Francisco de Zurbarán

1. Let us not take the cross for granted, our freedom did not come cheap.
2. Let us value the freedom of our new life in Christ, which is the best life anyone can ever live.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. John 3:16

 

God Answers Our Prayers

When we ask in faith, like the blind man in Luke 18, we will be saved.

 What do you want me to do for you? He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." (Luke 18: 41-42).

We praise God for the many answered prayers he has granted in our lives. Like the blind man who asked in faith, we too have experienced big and small miracles in our lives. But there are times too that it seems that our prayers go unanswered. Times when we desperately needed a miracle, but it just didn't come. We also pray for something or "someone" important to happen in our lives and that miracle hasn't come yet and its been years. I'd like to reflect and share on 3 things pertaining to our faith that might help us when it seems that our prayers are not being heard.

1. God's plan is always better than our own. 

There is a divine reason why our prayers don't go our way: His way is better. And if our prayers are answered exactly as we ask it, it is because it matches with His will for us. God is always faithful and He is perfect. In faith, all our prayers have already been answered, as to when and how, we leave it to God because He knows best.

2. We have to endure in prayer.

Jesus heals to save us, totally. The miracle is in the saving of our souls. Often we ask for physical healing or financial miracles, but it is in the spiritual healing that we are ultimately saved. That is why we pray-over someone in order for the person to ask in faith and that faith will purify and heal the soul. The essence of total Christian liberation is in freeing the person from the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bondages brought by sin. God heals totally by means of the faith we put in Him. Total healing and liberation is a process and not a one-shot deal. The constant prayers we offer to Jesus, should mold us to become more and more like Him. The mother of St. Augustine, St. Monica , became a saint because of her persistence in praying for her son's conversion. As she endured in prayer, she herself became holy. And yes, her prayers were answered. Augustine did not only convert and reform his ways but also became one of the greatest saints that ever lived.

3. Faith without action is dead.

 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  (James 2:17)

Like the blind man, he did not only have full faith that Jesus would heal him, he also exerted his best effort. He put his faith into action.

He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"
The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!"  Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; (Luke 18: 38-40)

Despite that the people were hindering the blind man to approach Jesus, he persisted and acted upon the situation. If we want financial miracles, we have to get off the couch and act upon it! If we want to get better physically, we have to sweat it out in exercise or find means to buy medicine. There will be many hindrances and distractions along the way in asking Jesus to heal and save us, but we have to focus and work doubly hard. Pray hard and work hard! At the end, it is by His grace that we are saved, not by the merit of our works. But if through these works we are led to a stronger faith in Him, then grace abounds.

Let us continue to pray knowing that God is faithful and perfect. When the right time comes in His wonderful and mysterious ways, that our prayers are manifested, let us give glory to Him Who saves!

"When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God." Luke 18:43

Marvelous!

Behind us is one of the tallest Christmas trees I've seen so far this season. I think it's 5 floors high. It's just in our neighborhood in Cubao. People stop, smile, and marvel at this big tree. Christmas is truly in the air.

When was the last time we marveled at something? Often we take many awesome things in our life for granted. Neil Pasricha, In his TED talk, the 3A's of Awesome, he called this 'Awareness'. He refers to seeing life through the eyes of a 3-year old. Toddlers see many things in this world for the first time, and marvel at it.God created a marvelous world. He created it so, so we can live happy and be awed by life. What blinds us from marveling? I can think of three.

1. When we stop thanking God.

Having a grateful heart leads us to acknowledge the joy in everyday things. Notice that if we forget to thank God, we complain most of the time. At the end of the day, thank the Lord of at least 3 things.

2. When our worries overcome our faith.

Sometimes our days are filled with fears and doubts about our future. We must be aware if we are becoming 'weary worriers' instead of prayer warriors. We sometimes fail to acknowledge that God provides. Let us marvel for a while at how God provides for the birds, the fishes, the plants and the rest of the living things in this world. Yet God loves us more than these things. Surely, our faith should be greater than our worries.

3. When we focus too much on ourselves.

In helping others, we can marvel at God's mission for us on this earth. But if we are too greedy specially with our time, and we are not be able to serve, we will eventually lose sight of our purpose. What is your "occupation" or what occupies most of your time? Shouldn't God's mission for you take priority? I'm not saying that you should quit your job. But how is your job helping you fulfill God's purpose for you, which is to help build His kingdom on earth? Marvel in the discovery of your mission and live an amazing journey with Him according to His purpose. Let us see life with lenses of faith. Let not our ungratefulness, worries, and self-centeredness blind us. Find God in all things and...marvel!

The LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Psalm 118:23

Finding Strength In Surrender

Life as it is, is not always easy. It comes with pressures and high expectations. We need to be strong. But man's strength falls short to the demands of this world. So we try to find strength in convenient places, things or persons. We try to seek it through our friends. Others resort to addictive things like alcohol, drugs, or vices. Some like to go on a vacation to recharge. We surrender to these pleasures, hoping to reset ourselves and be re-energized.

But what is real strength? What should we do to gain it?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your strength and with all your mind." Luke 10:27

To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is an act of sweet surrender. Instead of surrendering to the love of temporary pleasures to "regain strength." We are to surrender to loving Him. To God shall we lift up our worries, hopes, and dreams. Surrendering to God is to yield, giving way for His love to capture us.

When we give to God our love, we are responding to His initiative. God loved us first and He is just waiting for us to accept His love. Our response is like opening the flood gates of abundance that is reserved for us every single day. When we are filled with His love, then we have much strength to give. We then shall overcome the world.

So go ahead, surrender to loving Him and see how real strength...God's strength, will change your life today.

Unprofitable Servants

Reflecting on servanthood in Luke 17:7-10, a servant is one who...
1. Seeks no affirmation
2. Faithful to his obligation
3. Serves without expectation of reward.

By using the metaphor of a servant, the apostles understood the level of commitment and humility required to truly follow Jesus.

Christianity is not an easy path. It's ideals are humanly difficult. But we are blessed by the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The lives of thousands of Saints, through the Spirit's power, also remind us that "Christianity is possible." To serve Christ with a servant's attitude is possible.

In today's world, we do not see Servanthood being espoused in commercials and ads. The lure is to live an "easy life", to be recognized, to have power and fame. Christianity with it's Gospel of the Cross does not seem to fit in the world's standards.

But the Lord wants us to live a blessed life, more so to live in abundance. Contrary to the world, true abundance is in knowing Him, following Him, and in serving Him.

Only in having a personal relationship with the Master can we truly appreciate why to live in abundance is to be an unprofitable servant of Christ.
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The Building Blocks of our Character

We went to a kids recreation area and I was fascinated by how my children were excited to play with wooden building blocks. I guess I'm so used to seeing plastic toys with lots of fancy designs. With the blocks, their imagination started to work and they tried out their own design ideas. With a solid base of blocks, my son was able to build a tower! The simplest of toys gave them great joy and tons of fun.

What is our character made of? What are the values that we consider to be building blocks of who we are? On the surface we can try to express and even impress, but sooner or later when unguarded, our true character comes out.

Let us recall the times when we were in crisis or when people offended us. How did we react? How do we behave at home? These are the unguarded times when we find out the strength of the foundation of our character.

I have heard once in a homily that humility is the mother of all virtues. It is the strength of God and the weakness of the devil. The crucifixion of Christ was an act of utmost humility that saved us all.

Funny thing about humility is that when you admit that you are humble you automatically lose the virtue.

Like the wooden blocks, it is humble in appearance but rich in value. Let humility be the foundation of the building blocks of our character. May humility be evident in our unguarded moments, when no one is around to judge. May Christ, our sure foundation, build us up to be like Him.

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