Created with Divine Reason

If one does not learn more about his faith, his faith will not stand strong. Reason---our desire for truth---is needed to enrich our spiritual life; as much as our reasoning (secular, that is) is enlivened---given purpose---by the spirituality of our faith. In perspective, Benedict XVI mentions: “If man were merely a random product of evolution in some place on the margins of the universe, then his life would make no sense or might even be a chance of nature. But no, Reason is there at the beginning: creative, divine Reason.” God made us with his creative love: for a purpose, for a reason; to be in Love, to be in God. Our Creator perfectly desires for us to believe in Him and gradually deepen our divine love relationship with Him through Christ in the Holy Spirit. John 15:9 says, "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." We have to stay in love, "stay in God." One who has not God's inexhaustible love, will be exhausted with life. Love will propel us to understand our reason for being. Our continuos understanding of our faith will make us excellent people; for now we can work, serve, and relate beyond the motivation of incentives but from a realization of our God-given role in this world. 

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. 

Step Back

Once in a while, let's step back. Step back: to appreciate beauty; to realize our purpose; and to sense God's will. For it is in stepping back that we can relentlessly move forward with conviction and certitude.

Appreciate beauty, for it enriches the soul. There are just too many things that we take for granted.  Behold... beauty is before us! Take a second look at creation, our loved ones, the Gospels -- our own lives!  The beauty of God's handiwork and His wisdom is more than enough to fill us---and---to knock sense into us that life is a gift that we need to fully open and appreciate more.

Realize your purpose! Sometimes busyness, ironically, can be a comfort zone.  For as long as we are doing something urgent, we run with it -- 'til we become cranky and overly stressed. When one does something difficult, but with a purpose, it's passion.  When one is stressed (even in menial matters), it is often a symptom of a misplaced purpose. Realizing our purpose is knowing that what we do contributes to a bigger goal -- towards a dream that is worth all the hardships and "shipwrecks", as in St. Paul's missionary experience.

Sense God's will in prayer.  Amidst a hurried and noisy world, contemplation is becoming less in practice. The voice we hear is often our own, and we as human beings, are not fully reliable; for sin mars sound judgement and only in God can we find peace and direction for our lives. Without prayer, we are lost! What can matter more than doing God's will?  He, Whose only intent is to give what is best for us. 

In stepping back, we can face the future with more confidence -- emboldened by gratefulness, mission, and divine guidance. Therefore one should not discount the value of a rest day, a recollection, a retreat, or a lengthened time of prayer; for these can be the very "pit stops" that will equip us to zoom towards our true and eternal destination with our Father in heaven.  

"In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer
to God." (Luke 6:12)

1. What has been stressing you lately?
2. When do you plan to "step back" for a while? Schedule your personal recollection or retreat.

Marriage is Mission

My wife Michelle and I took the midnight bus to Baguio. We were on a mission trip to share God's goodness in our life. I thank God for giving our marriage a purpose beyond ourselves. Serving God as a couple gives me great joy and affirmation.

I believe that people in love with each other have to seriously consider the following:

1. To love God more than your spouse.

It is In loving God that we can truly learn how to love the other.  For there is no question that God loves us. It is in opening ourselves to Him that we are filled with abundant love. The person nearest to us is the greatest beneficiary of this overflow of divine love.

2. To share the same purpose of building God's kingdom on earth

This settles the purpose of wealth, time, and even raising kids. Many quarrels  happen because of a lack of purpose in the marriage. Marriage is a sacred vocation. Just as priests are called to serve God, so are married couples. Marriage is also mission. It is not enough to look at each other and declare your love, but to look towards the same direction and declare your mission. 

3. To see Christ in each other.

How will you treat your beloved if she/he is Christ?  Truth is, Christ is in all of us--especially with our spouses. It is in looking through the lenses of grace that we can treat each other with respect, love, gentleness, and kindness.

Your spouse is your mission partner--forever. Let us fulfill the purpose of our vocation and live our lives with fullness in Christ.

Christ is our Purpose

9As Jesus passed on from there,^d he saw a man named Matthew^*sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9

It is inherent for man to search for meaning in his life. Whether this seeking of purpose is conscious or not, we feel that we are called to something--a role to play in the bigger scheme of things.  When we are not in communication with our Creator, it will be hard for us--His creation, to hear our calling.

Matthew, being face to face with Jesus, was struck by the truth of his calling. An experience of Christ will radically change our lives because suddenly the truth becomes clear: CHRIST IS OUR PURPOSE.

Following Christ then is the most spiritual and most logical decision we can ever make.

God Is In Our Favor

My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.” Then the two walked on together. Gen. 22:8

Abraham, knowing that Isaac is the actual sacrifice, hoped in the Lord to provide a substitute for Isaac.  Having hope amidst desperate situations is what The Lord requires. As well as having faith that The Lord has a purpose for our obedience.

Having encountered The Truth--who is God, Abraham obeyed without question even if it was excruciating for him. I would have thought, "How can God ask this of me?" Yet an encounter with The Truth makes us realize that all we see are His--even our children, that He is good all the time, and that He always acts in our favor.

God Reveals Who We Are

"When God reveals Himself to us, He reveals who we are."  These were words spoken by Msgr. Allen Aganon in the last Mission Core teaching night.  I come to reflect on this statement. I'll try to rephrase it.  When we come to know God, we come to realize who we really are.  By our relationship with Jesus, our true selves come out.  Our purpose, our worth, our design, and why we have experienced all the sweet and bitter things of life come to realization when we are one with the Lord.

We reflect on some people to whom God revealed Himself.

A drug addict comes to embrace the salvation of the Cross and becomes a renewed productive citizen, then shares his life and inspires others.

A heart that was badly hurt because of much betrayal, then comes to know the loving mercy of Jesus, and is given the grace to forgive and heal.

A corrupt businessman upon knowing the true riches of Heaven, gives up all that is illegal and decides to help the poor.

An inspirer, healer, helper of the poor, among other things that are great are who really are.  God through His love, reveals our true nature.

Great Things Await

Fear not how I may use you
My purpose will bring you joy
Worry not of the future
Tomorrow is in my hands

Surrender all evil intentions
Let me purify your soul
Receive my offer of blessing
Open your heart to me

My child, to Me you belong
behold your Father's love
Rise up, claim your identity
you are heir to My kingdom

Do not fret on the impossible
your faith can achieve no bounds
wake up from your slumber
Today great things await
 

To Live is Christ

 In Cairo, Egypt, we visited the the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.  They are sights to behold. They were built around 2550 B.C. The pyramids were tombs of King Khufu (grandfather), Khafre (son), and Menkaure (grandson). The Greeks called them Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos respectively. The three smaller pyramids were tombs for the queens. What's interesting to note is that not until the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, the Great Pyramid of Khufu was the tallest monument on earth. So for 4300 years, the largest building on earth was a tomb.

This month alone I visited 3 wakes of the relatives of good friends.  Truly, they were greatly loved by the people around them. They are were not buried in Pyramids like the Kings and Queens of Ancient Egypt, but the people that loved them honored their memory and considered them great in their hearts.  They prayed for them to rest peace for eternity with our Lord Jesus.

In a span of 6 years, there have also been many deaths in my family. My father passed away two years ago. My mother-in-law just last year, and my father-in-law in 2006.  We continue to pray for their souls.

We all know that death is a certainty.  It all comes to our lives and in the lives of our loved ones.  It makes us reflect on how we are living our lives.  How are we spending this day that God has given us?  What are our plans in the next 10 years, considering that life is short?  These are my reflections:

1. Live a life of purpose.  God our Creator has designed each of us to fulfill His purpose.  This purpose will bring us meaningful living.  We look upon ourselves and ask, "What has God gifted me to help build His Kingdom on earth?"

2. Invest in Love. Love as much as you can. Love is the only thing that lasts and it is far reaching.  In eulogies, we do not hear of people reporting the net worth of assets a person has, instead people express the amount of love the person has impacted in their lives. Love can be felt from generation to generation. Build a legacy of love for your family, friends, and society. Invest in love.

3. Find Happiness in God. In our journey for purpose and love, we are motivated by happiness. Some misinterpret happiness by indulging in the temporary (vices, money, material wealth, physical beauty etc.).  The prodigal son learned this the hard way. In the end, he realized that happiness could be found again by being back with his father.  Although many of us know that real happiness is to be with God, we tend to become lost in the world. Let us find our way back to our Father for He has prepared a feast for us.

4. Expect Great Things to Happen.  We can be paralyzed by fear and worries.  The Lord wants us to live in the abundance of His blessings. Yet, our mind-set or "heart-set" is that of scarcity and negativity. When we are willing to carry His Cross, we are opening a world of abundance. The Lord does not want us to run away from our crosses.  It will be these crosses that will lead us to successful living. When we become stronger, wiser, and more faithful through our crosses, then will abundance flow in our lives.

Let us be inspired by St. Paul's exhortation. His conviction was this, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)." A life of purpose, love, happiness, and greatness can only be lived with Christ. And in the end, we hope for the grace to gain a life of eternity in heaven.  It doesn't matter if we are buried in a simple coffin or in a great pyramid, what matters is if that we have lived with Christ at the center of our lives.

Passion for God

Passion is a very strong word. It reminds us of two things. Christ's passion, which is His suffering and death on the cross. Also, it reminds of us of the things we love to do, the things we are passionate about.  In the dictionary, the meaning of the word passion is "any powerful or compelling feeling or emotion, as love or hate." I'd like to focus on the side of Passion, which pertains to the things we love to do.

 Passion is something God given, it is innate in us. Not all people have the same passions. Not everyone is passionate about music or art, nor are others passionate about numbers and algorithms. Since each of us have different sets of passions, we can conclude that God has uniquely planted in each of us a combination of interests and desires we can use for His purpose.

Purposeful Passion. Passion with purpose is very important. Without purpose, our passion will have no clear direction.  It can go wild and destructive, and to a certain point meaningless.  When it's meaningless, our passions often end up in sinfulness. Having a purposeful passion stems from knowing "Why we are doing what we love doing." Having a clear purpose will sustain our passion and even deepen our passion. Let's say a person is passionate about music.  This person will have then to ask himself, "Why am I passionate about music? Is there a greater reason and purpose behind my interest?"  Being able to answer this question will lead him to the enlightenment of why God planted in him the love for music.  We also have to watch out because our passion can end up having selfish intentions, like doing it only for money.  Money is not enough motivation.  You cannot derive creativity just by thinking of money.  For some this will motivate them in the beginning, but in the long run, it can become meaningless. That is why companies or organizations have vision and mission statements, so that those working will have a greater purpose and clear contribution to the world.

Powerful Passion. The result of purposeful passion is powerful passion. Power has a negative connotation, and it is often associated with greed.  But if we turn to the definition of power, we find out that in the field of science power means, "a measure of how quickly work can be done."  It is also defined as "the capability of doing and accomplishing something." God has a mission for each one of us, and he intends to use our passion gifts for this. With passion, we can get things done quickly and with greater capacity.  Passion is fuel to our purpose to be able to powerfully make a difference.

Passion for God. Having both purposeful and powerful passion for the Lord's mission is Passion for God. When we raise our hands or bow in reverence when we pray and worship, we are passionate.  When we serve Him through our God given passions, it is a form of worship. Passion for God is expressed in both prayer and action. Our passion for God is brought to its fullness with the Power of the Holy Spirit.  Often when we refer to the Spirit, we imagine fire burning in us.  Passion for God is the Spirit's Holy Fire burning in us to have the power to do our purpose.

May we discover and harness our passions for His purpose to make a powerful difference in the world.

Our Hearts as Mangers

Inside the Church of the Nativity. The star represents the spot where Christ was born

We were able to visit the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Bethlehem.  I was in awe of being able to touch the place where Christ's manger was standing.  One has to kneel and reach in to be able to kiss the area. There are latin inscriptions on the star saying, ”Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est” (Here the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ”).  I felt like one of the shepherds who witnessed the new born Christ.

Here are some of my reflections regarding this experience:

1. You cannot save someone without being there for them. Jesus, Son of God, out of His love for us came down to earth, became flesh, to save us from our sins.  We long to help others, but they need us to be present in their lives.  We want to help and save the poor, but we are only content with our donations.  We want to help our own family, but we do not give time to talk and heal.  The only way for Christ to save us was to be there for us by becoming human, so we can be brought to heaven with him through the saving power of His death and resurrection.

2. If we are to be like Christ, we are to be born out of humility.  My 4 year old son, Sev, can already narrate the nativity story in his own words.  He would stress that the place where Christ was born did not smell nice because there were animals around.  Following Christ is a nativity experience.  We will always be humbled and put in a "manger" instead of a comfortable or pleasant position. Truly the Lord blesses us in abundance. But without the experience of being humbled, we will never be genuinely grateful for what we have.

3. We kneel before the King to also be reminded of who we are.  We often kneel in prayer for reverence to God, but kneeling is also to remind us about ourselves and that we cannot be above our King.  When pride comes into our hearts, it is often difficult to kneel.  Although Jesus was just a baby, both shepherds and earthly kings knelt before Him.  They understood who they were in the presence of the One. Therefore the best way to know ourselves is not to psycho-analyze but to be in God's presence.  If we were to realize our purpose, we can only discover it from the reference point of God.

Experiencing Bethlehem made this year's Christmas extra meaningful for me.  I believe that what is important is that we are able to transform our hearts into humble mangers so that Christ will be born in us.  Have a meaningful Christmas season!

The Mosaic of Life

Madaba, Jordan is famous for its Mosaics. The process of making mosaics, specially the smaller art pieces, is painstaking. The artist has to carve each piece of stone with its natural colors and fit them to the plan for the mosaic. One has to see the big picture first before working on the details.
God sees the Big picture for our lives, while we only know bits of it. He is the Mosaic Artist and our daily lives are the small pieces of stone that contribute to the Mosaic of Life. God places us on His Mosaic board to fulfill a role and make His design and vision a reality.


Let's take these lessons from the Mosaic:



1. We are a significant piece of His grand design. Some people think that they are not important or special. In God's eyes, we are so important that He sent Jesus to save each of us from our sins.  The only hindrance is that if we choose not to realize our own greatness and significance as His sons and daughters, then we become discarded stones by our own doing.  Let us choose to be a "piece" of His plan that completes His great Mosaic. 



2. Let us be willing to be used for His purpose. This is not easy. It requires full surrender. We will go through "carving off" of our attachments to vices, materialism, bad attitudes and habits.  This process is painful but necessary. With our surrender, great things will happen through us, for we serve a great God.


3. Life is painstakingly beautiful with God. Like putting together the pieces of the mosaic, putting the pieces of our lives together is not easy to comprehend.  We painstakingly go through each phase of our life, trying to understand how that phase complements the next.  But through the harshness and joys of life, we just have to put our faith in the "Mosaic Artist of Life" that He has a plan, a design, and that it is beautiful.  A plan of which its fullness might be realized in our own lifetime or in the generations to come. Abraham really never understood why God was so harsh that He had commanded to sacrifice Isaac. But then Abraham passed the test of obedience and God stopped the sacrifice.  He then became the father of a great nation. Let us go through life with obedience to God, no matter how painstaking it can get, we will later realize His purpose.


Let today be a colorful piece of God's Mosaic for our lives!


1. Recall your significant past experiences and relate it to who you are today.
2. How has God used that piece of you life to make you a better person at present?
3. Are you willing to be used for His purpose and take part in His design? Why?

Build On The Goodness God Has Gifted You

There is a self-imposed pressure people set on themselves in becoming like their predecessors, specially when the one before them was very gifted. Yes it is right to emulate the strengths of previous leaders, but to be burdened by becoming like them might not be God's purpose for you.  Build on the goodness God has gifted you. 

Things to remember when God calls you to lead:
1. God has called your predecessors for a specific purpose, for a specific time, matching their specific gift.  This means God wants to accomplish something else in your term. Something uniquely matched to your gifts as well.
2. Know your strengths, and build on them.  If you are an artist, build on your knack for design and expand from there.  If you are hardworking and persevering, then build on it and grow from that quality.  If you are a visionary, express what you see and let others gravitate to the bigger picture.
3. Let love be the reason for all that you do.  Any ordinary thing done out of love becomes extraordinary.  This, I believe should be felt to the ones you are leading.  And the rest of the details will just flow.

"I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another (Romans 15:14)." 

The Discovery of Why

Sometimes we get too caught up in the system of things that we forget to learn about the spirit behind them.  We fail to realize or understand the "why" and get right into the "how."

One easily gets tired of an endeavor or a commitment if he or she does not have a grounding on the history, the growth, and the present state.  It is important to imbibe the full intent behind your organization, business, or activity.  That is why vision and mission statements are important.  Philosophies can help further explain the intent of the over-arching statements.   It is easy to give up on something you do not appreciate.

A tool that can help us in discovering an intent is to perpetually ask why.  An example: Question: Why are we having this activity? Answer: To be able to share the love of Christ. Q:: Why do we need to share the love of Christ? A: So that they may realize how Christ can save them from their sins.  And the whys continue to one's satisfaction.

Yet some of us have a rich understanding of the why but do not exactly know how to go about it.
A tool for this is to ask myriads of hows. Example: Q: How are we going to share the love of Christ? A: By choosing a bible verse that will make them understand the essence of Christ's love. Q: How do we choose the right verse? A: By having a discernment session. Q: How will the discernment session run? And so on and so forth.

Let us not be tempted to put the horse before the carriage.  The value of the "Why" is often taken for granted.  We just assume that the people we have are committed and will do as told.  Unless the leader wants to build up followers instead of leaders, then you can get into the "How"of things immediately.  But if we are to train leaders, then we have to take time to explain or discover the whys of what we do.

If we are to propel our organization or business, we have to start asking the difficult whys.  Why are we losing members?  Why is our country poor? Why is our product losing sales?  And when we finally find the answers, be bold enough to do the hows.

A lot of us try to find answers for our lives' crossroads.  The truth is that it is hard to find the right answers if we are asking the wrong questions. Let us be discerning of the questions we ask ourselves.  Then and only that we are sure that we are on our way to finding the answers we seek.

Jesus declared why He came down to earth in Luke 4:18 "


“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free...

His mission was clear.  In our endeavors, let us strive for clarity of purpose.  May we accept the challenge to  plunge deep into the sea of knowing why, so that when we rise to the surface we may come to know how.

Temporary Residents

I went through US immigration today.  The officer asked the basic stuff; how long am I in the U.S. for and my purpose of travel.

This might be something we want to ask God as temporary residents of this earth:
Lord, how long am I here for? What is my purpose on earth?

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20)

Asking Questions

This picture was taken in front of the Academy of Athens in my recent mission trip. Above me are the statues of Socrates (right) and Plato (left), two of mankind's great philosophers. The Socratic method, described by Plato (Socrate's student) in the Socratic dialogues, influenced much of Western thinking. It is a method of problem solving wherein a problem is broken down to a series of questions. And the answers to these gradually reveal the solution a person would seek.

In life, we ask ourselves many questions. Questions like, "Why me?" or "Why now?" We even pose questions to God, like many of the verses written by David in the book of Psalms:

Psalm 13: 1-6

How long, LORD? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look upon me, answer me, LORD, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death, lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed," lest my foes rejoice at my downfall. I trust in your faithfulness. Grant my heart joy in your help, That I may sing of the LORD, "How good our God has been to me!"

We pose questions to be able to understand clearly our life's situations. For us to find the right answers, then we have first to ask the right questions. In the Psalm above, David asked God questions, to be able to convict his own trust in God and affirm God's faithfulness to him. Not to doubt Him.

In my own life, 10 years ago, our family went through a great trial. We were swindled a great amount of money that significantly affected our way of life. It was at the same year when I was about to start in my missionary work. In my prayers I asked God, "Why Lord? Have I not been faithful?" I asked that question to be able to seek deep in my heart and be convicted that the Lord has a plan. Jeremiah 29:11 always affirmed me, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." True enough, I saw God's plan unfold as He allowed my family to live a simple life, away from the temptations of drugs, infidelity, corruption, mysticism and other things that would lure us into great sin. Then I realized later that God has answered, "Yes, my son, exactly because you have been faithful."

As we probe our hearts and go deeper in seeking God, we humble ourselves and ask difficult questions. When being in a state of unforgiveness we ask, "Is my pride higher that my love for God?" Questions like this can help us come face to face with ourselves and be brought to the point of surrendering before God. For He alone holds all the answers to all of our questions.

Socrates posture is this, and I quote, "I know that I know nothing." This is one of his Socratic paradoxes. Coming before the God of the Universe, we also say, Lord, I know that I know nothing. Therefore to ask God questions is an act of humility and the gateway to great wisdom.

Don't Let the Enemy "Ruin" Your Life

Yesterday we visited the Acropolis. I was particularly drawn to the Parthenon. It was constructed from 447 B.C. until 438 B.C. as a temple dedicated to the greek goddess Athena. An interesting fact is that during the 6th century A.D., it was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Under the Latin occupation, it was for 250 years, a Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady. Later, in the early 1460's it was turned into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks.

What struck me is it's survival. It went through many wars, occupied by different invaders, and used by different religions. In 1687, the Parthenon suffered its greatest blow when the Venetians attacked Athens. Yet it still stands, together with the other structures around it. In general we refer to structures like the Parthenon as "ancient ruins."

Just like us, we might have gone through lots of devastating blows in our lives. Maybe emotional, spiritually, and physically the enemy has tried to "ruin" our lives. Yet we still stand. We still stand because of the great love and mercy that the Lord gives us. If not for His sacrifice of death on the cross, we will not be restored and our lives will be in ruins. Many of those who give powerful testimonies have experienced living a "life in ruins." These are those who were ruined by their vices, hatred, misbeliefs, and absence of faith. Yet, even if we go through some damages in our lives like a tainted past, a physical incapability, or a loss of a loved one, the Lord will still use us for a greater purpose: to testify to His love.

"I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love (Luke 7:47)."

Like the woman in the passage, she was damaged. Her life was in ruins. He went to the Lord and bathed His feet with her tears and wiped it with her hair, then she put ointment on Jesus' feet. She gave much love because she had been forgiven much.

We must remember that Satan wants to totally ruin our lives. He wants to make us feel unworthy to go back to the Lord because of the depth of our sins. Yet in the Scriptures, the woman chose to ask for forgiveness and mercy from Jesus. He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven (Luke 7:48)." This episode in the Bible exemplifies how the Lord restores our ruined lives and makes us whole again.

Therefore let us not forget these three things. First, no matter how ruined our lives are, the Lord's will is to restore us back to Him. Second, we need only to accept Him as our Saviour and ask for His love and mercy. Third, He will use our once ruined lives as a powerful testimony of His transforming love.

Just like the Parthenon, it appears damaged and most of its sculptures were destroyed or stolen. Yet it stands as a testimony of the greatness of Ancient Greece. People from all over the world visit Greece just to marvel at this amazing structure. Our lives too, no matter how much damaged we are in the past, the Lord will use us draw people closer to Him and reveal His glory.

Use Your Talents to Build God's Kingdom

Yesterday we went to Salzburg, the city where Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart was born and raised. It's also the city setting of the movie, Sound of Music. But I'm inclined to be more interested in Mozart and how this genius came to be. I was able to visit the house of his birth and the house where he grew up.

Mozart composed over 600 works. He composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. After Mozart's death, his older sister "Nannerl" had this to say about her brother when Wolfgang was three years old:

He often spent much time at the clavier, picking out thirds, which he was always striking, and his pleasure showed that it sounded good. In the fourth year of his age his father, for a game as it were, began to teach him a few minuets and pieces at the clavier. He could play it faultlessly and with the greatest delicacy, and keeping exactly in time. At the age of five he was already composing little pieces, which he played to his father who wrote them down (wikipedia).

Mozart was a prodigy. Yet his talent could have only come from one greater than him...God. What talents do we have? What are we doing to nurture God's gifts of talents? We recall the parable of the talents. The others did well in multiplying the talents God entrusted to them, while the one who hid it had this to say:

'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back (Matthew 25:18).'

This is what the talent giver had to say at the end of his reply:

Now Then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Matthew 25:28-29)

These are some of my realizations: We have to acknowledge God's gifts through our interests. God planted in us a feeling of bias towards particular interests. Not everyone is interested in the same things. Then, we cultivate and grow our interests so it may bless others and help in building God's kingdom on earth. Many are blessed with amazing talents but use it only to enrich themselves without thought for others. Even worse, some use it out of greed, corruption, and exploitation. If we hide our talents, (in the context that it is not used for the good of God's kingdom) we are preventing God's blessings upon us. Hiding our talents from God's intended purpose will cause us to live a life that is deprived of His goodness. Think of those who use their intellect and administrative talents to make themselves rich. At first their conscience will haunt them. Then they are able to train and tame their consciences. Then corruption becomes their lifestyle, until all these lies and deceit will turn against itself and bring them to peril. Then everything will be taken away from them, including their souls.

Mozart is considered as one of the world's greatest musicians who ever lived. But as Christians, we only seek to be great in God's eyes. Let us use our talents for His service and strive to grow them so others may be blessed and God's kingdom expanded.