Risen from the Storm

Today, it's the 1st year anniversary of Bagyong Ondoy. Many families in Metro Manila, specially in Marikina, Pasig and the Rizal province were affected. Lives were lost, houses were devastated, belongings were ruined, and trauma lingered. On TV, I saw families offering thanksgiving to God for protecting them. One community puts up a church as a symbol of their rising from the tragic calamity.

"...persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Cor. 4:9)."

When we feel that we have hit rock bottom or depressed about life's situation, let's think of the Ondoy victims. They suffered, survived, recovered, and have risen. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! (Mark 16:6)"

Hunger for His Word

On my way home after a day's activities, I was in a very long queue waiting for a taxi. I could feel my stomach revolting in hunger. Finally I arrived at our residence, excited to eat home-cooked food. I had my fill and was content.

On another occassion, Me, Michelle and Sev went out to eat bread in a nearby bakery to fill our hunger in the morning. We had hot pandesal and juice. Sev wanted eat the bread whole.

I imagined how Jesus was very hungry after 40 days of fasting.

"He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:2-4)."

It could have been easy for Jesus to turn stone to bread, but He did not succumb to the devil's temptations but instead he stressed that God's word is the true bread.

In our life, there are different types of hunger: Physical hunger, which is the call of our stomach; Emotional hunger, the need for love and affirmation; Mental hunger, the need for knowledge and information; and most importantly, spiritual hunger, the need for God in our lives.

God has provided the earth with fruits and animals for us to fill our physical hunger. He has also filled our emotional hunger, by showing us the greatest love ever known; Christ's death on the cross. God also fills our mental hunger through the knowledge of Him through scripture and the books that God inspires others to write. Our spiritual hunger can be filled with our communion with God through prayer and sacraments.

But sadly, man wishes to fill His hunger through the ways of man instead of God's. Some fill their physical hunger by means of greed, hoarding more to themselves resulting to other people in starvation. Others commit suicide because they cannot cope with their emotional hunger brought about by stress, loss, or depression. While som even manipulate others by means of emotional engagement to fulfill their own needs. While others in pursuit of their mental hunger, convince themselves that God does not exist and everything can be explained through science. Others try to fill their spiritual hunger through beliefs that are comfortable to their own lifestyle.

The Word of God is our true bread that will satisfy all our hunger. When we live by His Word, there is sharing. There was no needy person among them (Acts 4:34). Even our physical hunger will be addressed. Through the Word of God, our mental, emotional, and spiritual hungers will also be filled. For His Word is rich in meaning, guidance, affirmation, and nourishment.

Let us not start our day without getting filled with God's sustainance for our daily lives.

What is your greatest hunger at present? (Physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental)
What are your ways of filling this hunger?
How has God filled your hunger in the past and how do you think will He fill your present hunger?

Open and Sensitive to God's Word

Having seen this amazing collection of swords made me imagine about medieval times. The word sword comes from the Old English sweord, meaning to wound or to cut. When we hear someone speak about God and he/she was able to drive home a point relevant to our lives, we say, "Natamaan ako sa sinabi nya" or "His words struck me." God's word strikes us like being struck by a sword. It cuts deep into our "calloused" hearts and opens us up to be sensitive to His will.

A speaker once said, "we must be sensitive like open wounds when we hear God's word." I recall the days when I had big knee wounds brought about by sports accidents. If someone unintentionally touched the wound, even as to get near it, I would always react and move into action. When listening to a priest's homily or a teaching, our hearts could be one or the other: calloused or open. When we have a calloused heart, it is as if we know everything. We are passive about the message. But if we are somebody with an open heart, even when the speaker hasn't started talking, we are excitedly anticipating the blessings and the richness of God's word. And upon hearing His message, we are filled with love and gratitude.

Is your heart calloused or open to God's word for you today?

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 12:4

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.

A Good Collection

I visited a friend's house while on mission and he has this amazing collection of action figures. There were all sorts of comic heroes, iron man, batman, superman, hulk, g.i. joes...you name it. All my childhood dreams of collecting these toys are in one single room.

What are the things in life we collect and store in the room or our hearts? Unknown to us, we might be collecting grudges, dissapointments, frustrations and other negative emotions. Once these things store up in our hearts, we can't help but talk about it. We then emit a negative presence with the people around us. We want to share our negativity to others and make them see our perspective. Often times we catch ourselves talking bad about other people.

We have to be conscious to collect and store in our hearts love, humility, and forgiveness. When these things build up inside of us, we also can't help but talk about 'em. We command a presence of encouragement and nourishment. When we are faced with challenging and humbling situations, our posture should be forgiveness, for we all fall short of His graces as humans. We then transform into persons who care, share, and honor the people around us.

May we collect what is good and discard what is bad.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).