Saturated With Grace

Like a sponge, we too, absorb. It can't be helped that in a day we are immersed in situations that seep in the negative: random people cursing and badmouthing; heavy winding traffic; sudden work pressures; family misunderstandings; and other unexpected concerns that weigh on us. Yet, we too can absorb the positive: God's Grace! At the start of the day, we have to soak in the Holy Spirit -- saturated in Grace through prayer and especially the Sacraments (daily Mass is highly recommended). Once saturated with Grace that sanctifies, all the absorbed negatives will be purified and met with faith, hope, and love. Burdens become challenges; the mundane turns exciting; hopeless cases find faith; anger trimmed to calmness; and work transforms into mission. Be a "gracious sponge" today!

There is Good in Every Thing and Every One

All that God created was good. (Cf. Genesis 1) It's so good, that all creation in this world---of which are temporary and changing---are meant to direct us to the permanent and unchanging heavenly reality. There is a spirituality behind the materiality in all creation. (Cf. Augustine) That's why we "find God in all things." (Ignatius) When one sees a tree, using a spiritual lens, it is a glimpse of the beauty, complexity, and wondrousness of the Creator -- to preserve and to behold. Man's wounded nature---inclined to sin---would perverse this and would look at a tree, cut as many of these for personal gain, regardless of the consequences like flash flood or global warming. When a man sees a woman, in the truest sense of God's intended creation, it should point to its true heavenly purpose: a helpmate, a nurturer, an inspiration for life -- to be loved, honored, and respected. Man's concupiscence would dictate to view a woman as an object of sexual utility; even worse is for a woman to regard herself as such. The case would be applicable vice-versa. To see Christ in others implies our being "sons in the Son" (John Paul II); adopted children of God the Father by virtue of our salvation in Christ -- redeemed from the sin of Adam. Now when we look at a person, there is good in Him -- there is God in him; the promised Holy Spirit within man. Through the Holy Spirit in baptism we are capacitated---empowered---for goodness. Sin blocks the Holy Spirit in our lives. But "where sin increases, grace overflowed all the more" (Romans 5:20) -- and the Father's love and forgiveness cannot be outdone. We have to start having a transcending view of every thing and every one -- pointing all to a Godly purpose. Then only can we intrinsically enjoy the beauty of the gift of life. 

Desire, Depend, and Delight in God's Grace

God's Grace, a gift not earned nor deserved. Like a birthday gift; we didn't actually "earn" to be born in this world to merit a gift every year. Nor did we have to "deserve" being born; we simply came to be by the miracle of pro-creation. Grace "depends entirely on God's gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1998) Grace though, to be received as a gift, we have to be there -- and not be lost in our sinfulness. We have to be "present for the present (gift)". That is why repentance---by the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit--- is the first step to once again be available for His grace; having that faith in Jesus, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be sustained and strengthened.  We humbly ask for this free gift, so we become true followers of Jesus -- desiring, depending, and delighting on His grace that enables and ennobles.

Therefore, first, desire Grace. Do we want to receive it? Are we too proud that we can go through life on our own without grace?  Our desire for Grace is manifested in our actions.  Going to Mass and confession as often as we can shows our desire.

Second, depend on Grace. It is not that we do not work at all and just wait for good things to happen. Depending on grace is acknowledging that our all our efforts and successes are there because God gave it -- He blessed it, and will continue blessing.  By his grace we achieve; we are able to serve; we endure suffering; we are able to provide for ourselves and for others. "Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God...". (CCC 1996) By depending on grace, we are sanctified -- made holy, and therefore strong.

Lastly, delight in Grace. There is true happiness in the realization of grace for "Grace is a participation in the life of God (CCC 1997)."  We delight in God, in His grace.  Happiness, which eludes many of us, can only be attained by His Grace. For "the grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God...". (CCC 1987) It is when we are truly free from the enslavement of sin and when we are  living in his righteousness can we experience indescribable joy!

May we be like Mary---who is full of Grace---ever desiring, depending, and delighting in God! 

1. Am I responding to the grace of the Holy Spirit within me that prods for repentance?

2. Is living in the Grace of God something I desire?

A Heart, Big as the World

In a retreat at St. Paul Center for Renewal in Cavite, I came upon the "Prayer to St. Paul". I was struck by the words, "Obtain for us the heart of an apostle, a heart, big as the world. 

Reflecting on this, I tried doing a "heart check-up". How big is my heart? Is my capacity to love enough only for my family and friends? How easily does my heart tire? Is my heart hosted with humility that I am able to accommodate criticism and correction? 

I am reminded of Saint Candida de Jesus (my high school alma mater's congregation founder). On favoring God over earthly lures, she said, "The world is too small for my desires". 

Indeed, when one discovers the joy of God and allows Him to enter the heart -- there is no other way but for the heart to grow bigger. 

A heart without God shrinks in size until it becomes compacted like stone. Nothing permeates through a stony heart. But the Lord cries out, "If today you hear My voice harden not your heart." It is the Lord who is the initiator of love. He knocks at the door of our hearts without tiring. Need we only open and welcome him and God will give us a new heart, big as the world!

"I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ez 36:26)."

There are many out there who will discover the truth about God's love through the channel of our own hearts. 

Love not as yourself, but as the Lord using you as conductor of the currents of His powerful love. A big heart can take in and deliver large amounts of God's grace to His people. 

St. Paul, pray for us as we dare take on the world with our puny hearts in the hope that God will expand it by His grace and mercy. Amen.

Permeating the Christ Culture in Society

The other day I was with two people who are very convicted in the work of evangelization. Fr. Jacob, from Bangladesh shared that even if Christians are the minority in his country, they continue to make an impact by simply being witnesses of Christ in their area. He shared to me that the way to truly evangelize is to bring families to the faith. This is something we both strongly agree upon. Moses, a CFC brother from Sierra Leone (West Africa), expressed that in spite the problems their country faces, especially coming from civil war that ended just in 2002, they do their best to pursue the work of evangelization through Couples For Christ.

No matter what color, race, or tongue--CHRIST is universal. There is one Christ culture. The culture of humility, servanthood, sacrifice, and the mandate to make disciples of all nations (Mt.29:18).

What is it that stops us from spreading the faith? Is it our office culture? Our peer culture? The Christ culture is seen and felt in our speech and in our deeds.  If one is truly filled with the presence of God, His grace will overflow to the people we meet.  With constancy, the environment will slowly transform and adapt to the culture of Christ. Let the Gospel permeate into society through the lives we live.

Be filled, let His lover overflow, and witness change!

Remember Your Destination

Being on a 13-hour trip to the northen tip of the Philippines, Cagayan Valley, it allowed me some time for myself. Travel situates thinking time and more so, a super extended personal prayer time. This is I believe is one of the great blessings of mission. As we journey to our destination, we are led to also journey internally, to the depths of our minds and hearts.

Life is one big journey. Often, many are swayed by the evil one to forget that heaven is our final destination. Everyday, in this journey of life we are to take time for ourselves and be in God's presence. We are to search from within and continually ask Jesus, "Lord am I still on track?" If we feel the peace that we are still on a ride towards heaven, then praise God! But if we are detoured, side tracked, or have made a u-turn to the opposite direction (hell bound), then prayer and God's mercy will open our eyes to heaven's road signs.

By God's grace, we shall reach heaven. May we fix our eyes on Him!
 

"Re-treat"

The word retreat is often referred to a weekend stay in a reflective venue, usually a retreat house or maybe a countryside. Retreat also implies to get back to ourselves, and draw strength from the Lord once again.

I'd also like to see it from the point of view from the word "treat." When someone treats us, we are pampered by not having to pay anything for special attention. People would usually say, "Don't worry, it's my treat."

Now, i'm in Batanes and I'm experiencing a "re-treat." The Lord is giving me a treat...again. When we come to him in generous prayer, he lavishes us with His grace and awesome presence. This is a treat that is inexplainable, beyond measure, and priceless.

Amidst the busy life of unending deliverables, let us not forget that the Lord wants to treat us again and again. We need only offer a generous time of prayer and wait upon His grace to rain upon our souls.
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Worth It

While in the Holy Land, we went through the "Via Dolorosa" or the way of suffering.  It also the name of the street referring to the path that Jesus walked while carrying the cross.  As part of the pilgrimage, we took turns in bearing the cross and stopping at the very locations of the fourteen stations.  The cross I carried was light.  I was not tied to it nor was I being whipped to get me moving. I did not carry it all the way to the crucifixion site and had just about 7 minutes in carrying the cross with the support of my wife Michelle at the back end. With the cold breeze, I was wrapped in my comfy jacket and scarf while Jesus was almost naked and fresh with wounds from the whipping and crowning of thorns.

It was an experience for me to even more appreciate the depth of Christ's love for mankind. He could have chosen not to suffer at all, but He chose to save us. For Him, we were worth it.

What are the crosses you carry?  Are you carrying them for the Lord, just as He carried the cross for you?  Like my experience in the Via Dolorosa, my own suffering with my crosses in life pail in comparison with the kind of physical and emotional suffering that Christ went through with His Cross.  And even yet if we suffer more than what Christ went through, can we say that Christ is worth it?

As for me, I can think of nothing else greater and more worthy than our Lord Jesus Christ.  "The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41)."

Lord, you are worth the sufferings we go through. Forgive us of the times we complain because of little discomforts, delays, or disappointments.  May we learn to value the Cross and realize daily that through Your suffering we are offered salvation.  Thank you for considering us to be worth it.  Amen.

"In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us (Ephesians 1:7-8)."