Our Advocate of Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter A (Filipino Mass)
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Psalm: 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
April 27, 2008

Holy Spirit: Our Advocate of Love

Story
One time there was a Pinoy attorney who went on vacation in a small farming town during the long-weekend. While walking through the streets and enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery, he noticed that a car was involved in an accident. As expected, a large crowd gathered (mga usisero).

“A propect client” the attorney said to himself. The Pinoy attorney was excited and eager to get to the injured, but he couldn't get near the car. Being a rather clever person, he started shouting loudly, "Let me through! Let me through! I am the son of the victim. Let me through. "

The crowd made way for him. Lying in front of the car was a donkey.

Advocate of the Apostles
In today’s Gospel the Lord promises his disciples that he will send them an Advocate to be with them always. Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit, the Second Person of the Trinity, as an Advocate, it means counselor, protector. The Holy Spirit is like an attorney (but a much clever one compared to the lawyer from the story) who will pleads for our case, to stand by us and defend us in time of need (without fee!)

In Greek, Holy Spirit is translated as “parakletos” which means a lawyer or a witness who will testify in your behalf. It also refers to a person who gives comfort, counsel or strength that we always of need. [I’m not sure if the word “parak” in Tagalog comes from “parakletos”? Parak is pulis tagapaglitas. Of course not! :) ]

Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit as he prepares his disciples for the day when He will no longer be with them physically. It is through the Holy Spirit, their advocate, that they come to have a deeper or mature understanding of the teaching of Jesus, his mission, his miracles, and the purpose of his Birth, Death and Resurrection.

Our Advocate Too!
Inasmuch as the Holy Spirit is the apostle’s Advocate, the Holy Spirit is also our Advocate! It is through the Holy Spirit that we can feel Jesus’ loving presence in the Church, in the sacraments, in our community, his loving presence in each and one of us even we can not see him physically (Look the person next to you. Can you feel the presence of Jesus to the person next to you? If not, pray more for the Holy Spirit.). The Holy Spirit comes to us for the first time in the sacrament of baptism. The Holy Spirit’s in us is perfected and strengthened on the day of our confirmation, when the Bishop said to us, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is why confirmation is called the sacrament of our maturity in faith.

Commandment to Love
Before our Lord promised his disciples that He will send the Advocate, he first spoke one of his final words, his final reminder was (o huling habilin) – If you love me, you will keep my commandments. We need to ponder his words deeply in our hearts. And we know that his commandments are: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength. Love one another as I have loved you.

Let us ask ourselves… What makes us sure that we really love Jesus and our neighbour? What makes us sure that we obey his commandment of love?

To Jesus real love is something difficult and it must be expressed not as sentiment or emotion but as real obedience to God. The word ‘obedience’ means ‘to listen carefully’. The more obedient we are to Christ's commandments, the more we are listening to the Holy Spirit’s call in our lives

Checking Spiritual condition
I read in a book 3 practical questions we should ask ourselves to check our spiritual condition if we really love God both in words and deeds:

First question: Are you yapping?
Yapping means “to bark, to yelp, to talking noisily”. We yap when we always criticize people, when we always find fault to others. A yapping person discourages, hurts and destroys people rather than seek to be helpful.

Second question: Are you yawning?
Some people go to church as if sleeping, they hear nothing, see nothing, and do nothing. (I must admit I was guilty of this when I was young). St Paul says, “we must be alive unto God – revive our hope, increase our love, and work our faith” (Rom 13:11-12).

Third question: Are you yearning?
Are you yearning or seeking for material pleasures, excessive wealth (40Million jackpot?) rather than yearning to fill your spiritual emptiness that Christ alone can satisfy? When we consecrate ourselves to love God, we only yearn for a more effective, meaningful and holy life, and for the Holy Spirit to fill us with divine love.

Conclusion
If your answer is to these questions is three big yes that means we need to be more open to the Holy Spirit, our Advocate. We all have our personal faults, imperfections, wrong decisions, sinfulness, lust, etc., that prevent to obey faithful God’s commandment of love, but the Holy Spirit will help us grow towards maturity and wholeness.

St Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians that the Holy Spirit is already in us as, he writes, “Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? Each of us are sacred, we are temple of God.”

We just need to allow ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help us see the truth and beauty of ourselves. Like the good Advocate the Holy Spirit will enable us to become stronger, will aid us and guide when we face difficult and painful situation, and will help to love truly.

I invite you to bow your heads and pray with me:

Come Holy Spirit, renew me with your gifts.
My life will be more joyful and fulfilling with you action in me.
Heal my brokenness, pour down your wisdom.
Instill your peace within me, inspire my every need.

Amen.

Do not be afraid

5th Sunday of Easter
Do not be afraid

Jesus Is the Way
"Where are you going in life, or what are you living for?" is the most important question to ask ourselves, one another, the Church, our people. Even, we, Christians at times feel lost. Yet we shouldn't, for we have Jesus who shows us the way, who is our way, to God, to ourselves, to people. Jesus is not only our way but he is our companion on the road.

Modern Martyrs
I received an email today about the persecution of Christians around the world. In our modern world it’s hard to imagine how our many fellow Christians suffer a lot, beaten and tortured simply for their faith in Jesus Christ.

In Sudan, a Christian boy, Damare, has his knees and feet nailed to a board and he is left to die just for attending a church service. When rescued he says he forgives the man who did this because Jesus was also nailed and forgave him.

In Vietnam, a Christian pastor is sentenced to two years in prison. When he is offered an early release, he declines stating that he has a group of new Believers in the prison – they thirst for the Word of God.

A Colombian missionary is kidnapped and told she only has two hours to live. She tells her captors that if she only has two hours to live, she wants to spend it telling them about Jesus.

The Way to God, to People, to Ourselves
Although life had been uneasy for them, they clearly know where they are going. They know their destination; they know the beautiful end of their journey; because of their faith.

We learn from their stories of faith practical help and encouragement to welcome Jesus in our hearts.

Isn’t it sad even if we have everything in life, we sometimes feel totally "lost"; when we do not know where we stand in life, when we all looks confusing and senseless.

Today Jesus speaks to us, who says not only "I will show you the way, but: "I AM THE WAY." Go with me, follow me, I will lead you to your goal in life. I will bring you safely to the Father and to your loved ones, yes even to your own true self. Live as I have lived, for I am the way and the truth and the life.

Jesus is the way to God, that he is the truth of God and in him is God’s own life. Let us loving embrace, treasure and live out the beauty of our faith.

Teary

will make you teary

Watch

Wanted: Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd Sunday A
April 12-13, 2008

“..the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and lead them out..”

The Good Shepherd image in the New Testament:
In Palestine the word "shepherd" was a synonym for selfless love, sincerity, commitment and sacrificial service. Hence Jesus selects it as the most fitting term to denote his life and mission.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are his flock, however Jesus is also calling us to be good shepherds to one another – most especially to those people who are entrusted to our care.

In that sense, priests, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials and the politicians are all shepherds. The teacher who really loves the children in her charge, the nurse who carefully tends to the sick, the friend who listens attentively to another's problems, the nona or nono who looks after grandchildren during holidays -–all these remind us of the abiding presence of the Good Shepherd among us.

The parents become good shepherds when they provide the means for their children to grow both physically and spiritually. Parents are good shepherds when they become the role models for their children, encouraging them in their prayer and sacramental life.

This Sunday, we join Catholics around the world praying for the increase of shepherds whose task is unique from those I mentioned earlier. We pray for shepherds who will the spiritual needs of God’s people. Thus we pray for the increase of priests in the church.

Nick (guest seminarian from Corpus Christi) later on will speak briefly about the mystery of the priesthood and his personal response to our Lord's calling.

Lost two shepherd
We are saddened about the death Archbishop Frank Little. He was our shepherd for 22 years as Archbishop of Melbourne. We thank the Lord for all his worked in the church.

Yesterday a friend priest of mine, Fr Robert del Rosario, was buried in the Philippines. He was the priest who asking for books early this year for the new school he was building. Last March he celebrated 1st year anniversary. Though his ministry was short, we thank his example of saying “yes” to our Lord to follow him.

Pray for new shepherds
We join our prayer today in this Mass that the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd will be heard by many young men and adults today called them to be shepherds of souls.

May I also ask you to pray for us priests, young and old that we may constantly be faithful to this beautiful ministry entrusted to us by our Lord in the loving service of his flock – his Church.

Paalam Fr Robert del Rosario

Don Robert,

Musta na?

Pasensya na di ako nakapunta sa Misa Pasasalamat sa iyo kanina. Pero nakapunta naman kahapon dyan sa Balanga ang Ama't Ina ko. Nakausap daw nila ang Tatay at Tita mo. Gustong gusto ko talagang pumunta sa iyo kanina para magpaalam. Sayang si Bishop Soc pa naman ang nag-misa. Pinagpala ka at isang banal na obispo ang nagmisa sa iyo. Di ba binanggit ko sa iyo dati hinahangaan ko si Bishop Soc at lagi kong nagagamit ko ang mga libro niya sa homily ko dito.


Sayang ipapakilala mo sana ako sa kanya ng personal pag-uwi ko: if narito ka uli sa Pilipinas, just tell me and maybe we can arrange schedule for a visit to Bishop Soc. he is very much cordial and warm to receive you. (Jan 15 2008 3:08pm) Di bale, makikila ko din si Bishop Soc sa ibang pagkakataon.

Natutuwa ako at nakarating ang mga libro na ipinadala ko sa iyo. Salamat sa walang hanggang pasasalamat sa email mo sa akin kahit nakapasimpleng bagay lang ang naicontribute ko school na itinatayo mo dyan:

thank you po ng marami and pls extend my sincerest gratitude din sa mga friends mo na nagbigay ng book for our school! rest assured of my prayers for you and for them!!! thanks po uli (March 26/2008 1:23 pm)

Pasensya na Don Robert itinawag ko sayo kasi lang nuong mga nakaraang araw binalikan ko ang mga ala-ala mo nuong nasa ICMS pa tayo. Sa seminaryo Don Robert ang tawag ko sa iyo, bihira kitang tawaging kuya kahit senior ka sa akin ng ilang taon.

Naalala ko tuloy sa seminaryo lahat na lang napapansin natin at ginagawang katatawanan, kaya masaya tayo kahit na nasa "loob". Kahit sino may kanya-kanyang tukso. Tulad mo – Don Robert, Jaworski, at higit sa lahat ang di mo matanggap na kalbo. Maaga kasing umangat ang hairline mo e. Tampol ka lagi ng biro dahil lagi kang cool (minsan/madalas din ay pikon). Natatandaan ko nung first year college ata ako nun pagkatapos ng community night prayer natin e bigla kang nagsalita ka sa lecturn. Sabi mo sa community bawas-bawasan na natin ang biruan. Tulad ng inaasahan nagpalakpakan at nagsigawan pa kaming lahat! Sigurado akong walang pari nung oras na iyon.

Isa pa, tuwing ikaw ang tutugtog sa Misa kabisado na namin ang recessional song - ang walang kamatayang “Tell the World of His Love” (kahit apat na taon nang lumipas ang World Youth Day!).

Ngayon ko lang din naalala lagi kang nakatuck-in at laging puti ang tshirt mo. Style.

Tsk tsk. Matagal nang lumipas buhay natin sa seminaryo. Lahat ng iyon lilingunin na lang sabay tawa. Mga pari na tayo ngayon...

Hindi ko na hahabaan pa ang sulat na ito. Hindi mo naman ito matatangap e. Saka di naman ganito ang style ng mga sagot ko sa mga email mo sakin. Inaaliw ko lang ang sarili ko dahil hindi ako naka-attend sa Misa Pasasalamat at libing mo.


Hindi ko maitype ang salitang “libing” para kasing di bagay kasi parang buhay ka pa.

Nagdadasal nga pala ako ng night prayer nang magtext sa akin si Patrick nung Lunes. Sabi nya “Fr. Robert del Rosario passed away. Pls. Pray 4 his repose.” Hindi ko ito agad pinansin tinuloy ko lang ang dasal ko. Siguro mali ang balita. Siguro ibang pari iyon. Siguro hindi ikaw iyon. Matagal bago tumimo ang katotohan. Pero nang tinawagan ko si Patrick sabi nya ikaw nga.

Nakakalungkot pala ang mamatayan ng isang kapatid na pari. Lalo na iyong halos kasabayan mo lang maordenahan. Gusto kong i-quote dito ang isang parte ng sulat mo sa akin dati. Pabiro iyon pero may lalim.

musta na ang aking kapatid na pari? well, today i am celebrating the 1st day of the 11th month of my priesthood hehhehee...everything has been a blessing to me despite my shortcomings and sinfulness...well, pinag-UUBRA lang naman tayo talaga ng Diyos for his purposes and plans. but im trying to be an OBRA of his hands, a beautiful masterpiece of his. let's contunue praying for each other for us to be always docile to him.(Jan /10/2008 12:18 pm)

Ako din araw-araw pinag-uubra lang. Isa ka ng OBRA ngayon kapatid! Kahanga-hanga namatay kang isang pari. Congratulations!

Hanggang dito na lang Don Robert, alam ko daig mo pa ang totoong Don diyan dahil nakamit mo na ang tunay na kayamanan.

May you rest in peace with our Good Shepherd.

Pray for us Fr. Robert!

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Read the report of his death

Our Meeting Place

3rd Sunday of Easter A
Acts 2:14, 22-33;
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 1 Peter 1:17-21;
Luke 24:13-35 April 5-6, 2008

Road of Emmaus

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Our Scripture readings this Sunday have one common, an encouraging theme: “No matter what happens in our lives, our Risen Lord is always with us.” We must not feel we are abandoned or alone, Jesus is always with us. We encounter Jesus day by day but because we are preoccupied or busy, oftentimes we don’t recognise him most especially to unexpected persons or events.

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The risen Lord with the most beautiful smile

A young boy was walking home through the park after attending a Sunday school class. Somehow, he couldn’t stop thinking about the lesson for that day about Jesus’ teaching on the Last Judgment. What impressed him most was what the teacher said, "When you give something to another person, you’re really giving it to Jesus and you will find the risen Jesus in every one you meet." As he continued through the park, he noticed an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked lonely and hungry. So he sat down next to her, took a chocolate bar he had saved and offered some to her. She accepted it with a beautiful smile and he watched her smiles as she chewed the chocolate.

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Then they sat together in silence, just smiling at each other. Finally, the boy got up to leave. As he began to walk away, he turned, ran back to the bench, and gave the woman a big hug. When he arrived home, his mother saw a big smile on his face and asked, "What made you so happy today?" He said, "I shared my chocolate bar with God." Before his mother could ask more questions, he added, "You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world." Meanwhile, the old woman returned to her little apartment where she lived with her sister. "You’re all smiles," said her sister. "What made you so happy today?" She replied, "I was sitting in the park, eating a chocolate bar with Jesus. And, you know, he looks a lot younger than I expected."

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The message of the story is simple – Jesus is with us and he always desires to stay with us. He wants to join us in our travels of life.

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He is with us; Jesus desires to walk always on our journey…

It’s the same message of the Gospel story today. The road to Emmaus story illustrates that Jesus is with us even when we do not recognize him. It tells us how our Lord always desires to walk with us on our journey.

Jesus is present in the Word of the Scripture
Jesus remains with us in two ways: in the Eucharist and in his word. He is present in both: in the Eucharist under the form of food, in the Word under the form of light and.

The Scripture is the Word of God. When God speaks a word he always means it. His message is always sincere, reliable and true. When Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; or do not worry” he means it. Jesus wants to assure us his protection. When Jesus says “I am with you always” he fulfills that promise. Jesus is our companion both in ups and downs of our life.

For instance, in today’s post-Easter story, we heard how the two disciples of Jesus, Cleopas and his companions, were discouraged and devastated, as they set out on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were met by a stranger going along the same road. Because they were so preoccupied with their own disappointment and sorrow at the death of Jesus they didn’t recognise that it was Jesus himself, who was walking with them!

Jesus is present in the Eucharist
Secondly Jesus is very present with us in the Eucharist. In the Gospel, the disciples recognize him at the breaking of the bread, then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us…”

Jesus is with us in every celebration of Mass, the celebration of the breaking of the bread. Jesus says it lovingly, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood shall live with me eternally.” It a pity that sometimes don’t realize what is happening during Holy Communion.
The Eucharist is soul food, the bread of life for eternity. It feeds us and fills our spiritual needs. It is a pity that sometimes we take going to Mass on Sunday for granted.

Conclusion
The Eucharist is our meeting place with our Lord, it can be our Road to Emmaus. Let us pray in this Mass that our eyes and heart will recognise Jesus’ presence in our midst. May all of us be nourished with His life-giving Word and with the Bread of Life. Amen.

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story from Fr Tony

I Doubt...

Second Sunday of Easter A

March 29-30, 2008
Scripture: John 20:19-31 “

Help my unbelief Lord”

Doubt
All of us have our moments of doubt and uncertainty - should we quit our job and try a new one? Do I really love my girlfriend? Should we marry? Should we break from an unfulfilling relationship? What I’d like to do in university? Do I really want to become a priest? Should I trade in my old car on a newer model? Buy a new house in a more expensive suburb? Will I ever be a good mother to my children? What about church’s moral teachings or government policies?

You doubt. I doubt. Why not? We all have the right to doubt.

There are a number of reasons for our doubting, uncertainty and indecision in life - in some instances it is simply lack of will power or confidence. More often we doubt things because of of ignorance and lack of information. When we doubt we demand for proof. We always want to be 100 percent really sure of things in life. We know the saying "to see is to believe!" To say in other way, "to believe is to see".

Thomas the Twin This exactly what happened to Thomas after the Lord Risen from the dead. His mind and heart are full of doubt whether to believe that Jesus really rose from the dead. Thomas laid down his requirements for believing in the resurrection. His doubts that the Lord has truly risen echo through history. His doubts echo as well our unbelief and lack of faith.

Thomas sincerely believes that Jesus, who he followed wherever he went, was now dead and gone. He was sincere about his doubt. He was sincere in demanding proof that the Jesus is alive. Suddenly his fellow apostles reversed his unbelief as they proclaim, "We have seen the Lord! Jesus is alive! The doors were all locked and suddenly he stood there among us! He talked to us!" Thomas’ heart could not accept it. Too much was at stake. So he dramatically cried out loud, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

This is exactly in character for Thomas. The tough words are really a protection for a heart that would break in half if given another false hope. “The only way I would believe such nonsense is if you give me very practical proof.”

Jesus gave it. Fingers in nail marks, hand into side.

In spite of his cynicism, Thomas had always belonged to Jesus. When he got the practical proof he needed, he sank to the ground.

And then, doubting apostle proclaimed the greatest profession of faith: “My Lord and my God.”

It becomes the foundation of our Christian faith. Our faith is based on the divinity of Jesus as proved by his miracles, especially by the supreme miracle of his resurrection from the dead. Thomas’ profession of faith is the strongest evidence we have of the resurrection of Jesus. It was such a faith that culminated in Thomas’ self surrender to Jesus, his heroic missionary expedition to India in A.D. 52 and his fearless preaching and powerful testimony by life, which led him to his martyrdom in A.D. 72.

We are like Thomas, we doubt things...are doubt is strong at times of trials and sadness. When like is tough we doubt the presence of our loving God. We accept our being human but like Thomas let us use our doubt, our skeptism to help us grow in faith.

The good thing about Thomas was that he was honest. He was sincere and courageous enough to say, “I really do not understand…I really cannot understand that the Lord died and rose from the dead.”

Thomas became a saint because of his sincerity and courage. He did not understand at the start, but once he understood, once it was clear in his mind and heart, he went all the way – even unto death – in following our Lord.

More often it is our genuine doubts about our faith or the doctrines of our religion that encourage us to study more and thus grow in our faith. This will naturally lead us to a personal encounter with Jesus through prayer, study of the Word of God, and frequenting of the sacraments. If have doubt in your faith remember the words of our Lord, “ask and you shall receive.”

However, we must never forget that our faith is not our own doing, but a gift from God. Hence we need to increase our faith every day by prayer, by sharing our faith with our children, our families and our neighbors, so that we may join St. Thomas in his Easter proclamation: “My Lord and my God”.

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Readings: Fr tony's homily & Bishop Soc

Katawa

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Based on a true story...

Barker ng bus: ah Cubao, Cubao, Cubao, Cubao,
Cubao,Cubao, Cubao,Cubao, Cubao, Cubao,
Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,Cubao,!!!!
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Pasahero ng Bus: Boss Cubao?
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In Europe were the Pieta created by Michaelangelo is displayed:

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Italian: "Magnifico!"
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English: "Brilliant!"
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Aussie: "Superb mate!"
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American: "Wow! Amazing!"
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Filipino: "Picture! picture! dali pangfriendster!"

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text messages received today from cune and ruthie

Bday Greetings!

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Hi Sister Lan!

Chuc Mung Sinh Nhat! :)

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Be at Peace

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Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are,
will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms.

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Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same understanding Father who cares for
you today will take care of you then and every day.

He will either shield you from suffering
or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, and put aside
all anxious thoughts and imaginations.




by St. Francis de Sales

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picture: Sunset in Danshui, north Taiwan

Pulilan

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Pulilan

bayang sinilangan

hinahanap-hanap

di kailanman malilimutan

lupang kinagisnan

tahanang bayan

Pulilan

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larawan kuha ni Matilde de Guzman

Beauty of Silence

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What cannot be expressed, should be left in silence.

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Lesson In Life

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Perseverance is much more important in life than intelligence.

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Entering Holy Week

Palm Sunday 2008

During Holy Week we are entering into a special part of Church calendar when you and I will accompany the final moments of our Lord – his agony in the Garden, his arrest, his abandonment by his friends, the denial of Peter.

On Holy Thursday we will remember the Last Supper and the betrayal of Judas.

On Good Friday, the arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ.

Holy Saturday, the Sabbath on which Jesus rested in the grave.

Easter Sunday, the glorious Resurrection of our Lord.


You and I, and the rest of Catholic around the world, are invited during this Holy Week to enter prayerfully and meditatively into the heart and mystery of our salvation. It’s the mystery of dying and rising, the mystery of humiliation and exaltation, the mystery of suffering and glorification, the mystery of death of one person in order that we live eternally, the mystery of defeat which is crowed with victory.

We just heard the narration of the Lord’s Passion according to the Gospel of St Matthew. The scripture story invites us all to enter into the story of Christ’s passion, his psychological torture, physical torment of the scourging and the crowning with thorn.

There are several characters in the story that perhaps we can relate with - Pilate, the crowds, Judas, Simon of Cyrene, Barabbas, the good thief, the bad thief, the crown, etc. Let us journey with them this Holy Week. Gradually we will experience during this week our Lord’s desire to be near us, to be so intimately closed to each one of us and reveal his love.

Jesus wants you and I, to always remember how he loves us, love that caused his own death on the cross.

Commitment
Today, let us make a commitment to celebrate this holy week in the way never celebrate before. Let us participate in our liturgical activities during the week as an expression of our desire to encounter Jesus and not to abandon him.

Jesus knows our own suffering too, the burdens we bear, depression, conflict in our family, health problem and all other conflict we carry in our mind and heart. During this week we ask our Lord to give us the strength and courage to carry our own crosses in life and make sacrifices for others sake.

With all this in mind and heart we are ready for Holy Week.

Living Up

Fifth Sunday of Lent A
Hope – Raising of Lazarus
March 8, 2008

Herald Sun Weekend magazine
Last Saturday week Herald Sun Weekend magazine had a big section on how to achieve a better life – how to feel fitter, eat better, think faster, de-stress and put real meaning back into our world. The magazine enumerated 20 practical ways how to change our life. They are in this order: invite your neighbour in, show that you appreciate your friends and family, learn to cook something new, drink more water, cook at home, learn to dance, have a check-up, meditate, find your own special place, get some exercise, get a good night’s sleep, play mind games, manage conflict at work, take up a team sport, heal yourself through laughter, consider yoga, keep a diary, enroll in a coarse, and lastly, go easy on yourself as a parent.

I myself would personally try most of these (except the last one) and see what will happen. I believe our modern technology and health experts can provide us the possibility of rapid change in our life for better, a balance and healthy life-style.

Then, I ask myself, let’s say that I’ve done all these things good exercise, good diet, and everything, still in the end I will die. Even if I’m the most discipline, smart and healthy person on earth, I can’t be here forever.

I must be hope for something more than good health or a radical change in our life!

We must hope for something that is not temporary but lasting, that is beyond this life.

Ultimate Hope
Today’s readings point to our ultimate hope in life in the midst of the mess in humanity, depression and all its confusion. We have all the ultimate hope to live a life untouched by debt, miseries, pain and death. Our ultimate hope is eternal life.

In encyclical letter Spes Salvi (On Christian Hope), Pope Benedict XIV says, In some way we want life itself, true life, untouched even by death; yet we do not know the thing towards which we feel driven. We cannot stop reaching out for it, and yet we know that all we can experience or accomplish is not what we yearn for.

I suppose what the Holy Father is saying is that we are all hoping for a better life, we often don’t know how to achieve it. No medical breakthrough or modern technology can offer us eternal life. We cannot simply download it from the internet.

In today’s Gospel Jesus brings the ultimate hope to humanity that we are all longing for – the hope for eternal life.

We heard from the Gospel last Sunday when Jesus healed the blind, he brings the sign of light into the world. Today’s raising of Lazarus is a sign of the new life, of new hope, offered through the Spirit of the risen Lord.

The dramatic scene of Lazarus coming out from the cave, wrapped in linen but alive and well, is not really the main point of the reading. Lazarus was only temporarily resuscitated by our Lord. Like all human beings, Lazarus would succumb to natural death later on.

The raising of Lazarus is one of the last and greatest miracles worked by our Lord to prove that he is the Messiah, sent by God to give a new life, an eternal life, to humankind and that through faith in him believers will receive eternal life.

Jesus explains the purpose of this miracle not because Lazarus was one of his very close friends, rather “it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” How? First, when Jesus brings Lazarus back to life, people will give God glory for the miracle. Second, by restoring the life of Lazarus, Jewish leaders of his time would be more determine to kill Jesus. And ironically, the death of Jesus would bring true life and hope to the world.

Message
When Lazarus came out of the cave, Jesus commanded the people to “Untie him, let him go.” This is what Jesus saying to each of us today as we approach the end of Lent.

Untie him, let him go.
There are so many dark areas in our private life. We often bind ourselves with strings of our sinfulness, laziness, un-forgiveness, pride gossip, prejudices, hatred and uncontrollable anger and bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Jesus asks us today to seek his help and that of the community around us to loosen those chains and come out of tombs of our own creation.

Is there an area of your life where your hope is gone? Do you want to lock it up in a tomb and seal it away from Jesus or are you willing to have Jesus visit this area of your life? There are times when we refuse to let God enter into lives, to unbind and free us from the darkness of mess.

If you want Jesus to visit the dark dungeons of your life, ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of His Holy Spirit into your private life and ask him to liberate us from our tombs.

Let the story of the resurrection of Lazarus become our story! We are called to leave our graves of sin and unhappiness. Jesus calls each of us by name to come out of our graves and help others to do the same.

Only then after we come out from our raised own grave of sinfulness, and be re-created by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we can truly say that we live better, feel fitter, eat better, think faster, put real meaning back into our world.

Blind can see

Fourth Sunday of Lent A
March 1-2, 2008

(DRAFT )

Healing of the Blind Man

Highschool class discussion
If you would have one disability what would you choose?
It’s alright to be deaf;
Somehow it’s ok mute; limp; lose one leg; arm
To be blind? To loose sight it’s like leaving in a dark hole; Imagine you cannot the colour of a flowers; the change of season; the face of your loved ones.
It doesn’t only restricts your mobility but you seem to live in your own world; it’s not easy…
Imagine yourself being blind – close you eyes for a minute. How blessed we are that we can see.

Sri Lankan
- met at St Peters parish 4 years ago...
She prays not for herself but for world, for the poor, young people and her children and grandchildren. I never heard her praying for her own needs. Her physical eyes were blind but her heart has clear vision of the needs of the people.

Physical blindness
Spiritual blindness
People who can see yet they cannot see what is essential.
Some people pretend to be blind or not seeing things because they don’t what to see the reality. (Mother pretending not seeing the jocks and socks scattered in the house; Cat during Mass; beggars in the streets)

Some people cannot see the goodness of their loved ones. Those who do not appreciate good things in life – those who cannot appreciate smile; laughter; friendship

We are spiritually blind when we cannot see the needs of other people. (In the train pregnant woman without seat; elderly person crossing the road)

We are spiritually blind when we pretend not to see evil/harmful things in our lives. When we tolerate one’s inclination to sins. When we pretend not seeing sinfulness happening inside or around us.

The highest level of spiritual blindness – we cannot see Jesus as the light of our life.


Pharisees are spiritually blind
They witnessed before their eyes the miracle that happened to a man born blind yet their “eyes of faith” are closed; they were blind to it. They met Jesus, without really meeting him. They heard Jesus and they saw him, but they neither saw nor heard the salvation that Jesus brings. Why? Because if they admitted the truth that Jesus is God – Messiah - they were afraid that they would lose their seat of power and their influence.

Their pride is the one that is covering the eyes of their faith – which makes them “spiritually blind”.

Spiritual blindness is worst than being physically blind. When people are spiritually blind they do not believe in Jesus or obey him. But when people trust in Jesus to save them, they are given "spiritual eyes" to see God’s will for their lives. When our “eyes of our faith” is open we are able to see and understand the goodness of God; the beauty of the world; the grandeur of being human; that other people do not see and understand.

Jesus is the light
When Jesus healed the blind man in the Gospel. Jesus brought both physical and spiritual healing.

When the former blind man believed that Jesus is the Lord his vision goes beyond seeing. He faith able to see Jesus as the Light that shun the darkness of sin. The Light that illumines the humanity and the whole world. In Jesus, he found a much important security in life more than having clear vision eyes.

Jesus is ever ready to heal us and to free us from the darkness of sin and deception. There is no sickness, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual that the Lord Jesus cannot heal.

The Lord offers us freedom from spiritual blindness due to sin and he restores us to wholeness of body, mind, soul, and heart.

We ask our Lord in this Eucharist to touch and open our eyes to the deeper and beautiful realities of our faith.

Let's rejoice today that Christ is the Light of the World. We cannot remain in the darkness of sin; miseries and anxiety. We have Jesus who can take us out of the darkness of our sins and even our dark past.

He is the our Saviour, Healer and our Light.


"Jesus, in your name the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead are raised to life. Come into our lives and heal the wounds of our broken hearts. Give us eyes of faith to see your glory and hearts of courage to bring you glory in all we say and do."

Let's Drink

3rd Sunday of Lent A
Exodus 17:3-7
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
John 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42

The Samaritan Woman and the Water of Life

Water
Water is absolutely essential to the survival of life on Earth. Every living organism on earth must have water in some form in order to survive. Every living cell is composed primarily of water.

When space probes are dispatched to other planets in search of other life forms, they look for the presence to water to determine if life, as we know it, is possible there. Water means life.

Have you ever noticed in public place how many people around you are carrying a bottle of water? One can live without food for several days, but not without water. We cannot go for more than a couple of hours without satisfying our thirst.

In the first reading today, the Jewish people were desperate for water. When they complained about their water crisis in the wilderness, God instructed Moses to strike the rock and a stream of fresh living water gushed out (Exodus17:6 ). Even though the Israelites did not trust God to care for them in the wilderness, God, nonetheless gave them abundant water and provision through the intercession of his servant Moses.

Gospel message
In the Gospel today, we heard an encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan women at the well. Jesus wanted to offer this woman the living water. Jesus is not referring to water that can satisfy our physical thirst rather water that satisfies our spiritual thirst. He is offering “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” This symbolizes the Holy Spirit and his work of recreating us in God’s image and sustaining in us the new life which comes from God.

The long version of the Gospel gives us background of this woman. She was longing for happiness and satisfaction, which she couldn’t find. She has five husbands (plus she has a new lover) and they hadn’t brought her what she was really looking for. She is a figure of a human being longing for spiritual satisfaction but has no idea where to find it, until Jesus found her.

At the end of the long heart to heart conversation Jesus reveals himself to her as the Messiah, which in turn leads her to faith in him.

Human Thirst
Like the woman at the well in today's Gospel, we try every kind of water under the sun to satisfy our thirst. Later in life, we recognize that our “thirst” is far more than physical thirst — it's thirst for happiness, satisfaction, peace of mind. Sometimes we "get it right," but often we look for the wrong kind of water, and we look for it in the wrong places. We often spend all kinds of money and waste a lot of time, looking for something to quench our thirsts – drinks, food, work, looks, accomplishment, other persons, sexual pleasure, and so on.

Jesus - living water
Jesus offers us the spiritual water that really satisfies. He is offering us what He offered the Samaritan woman—water far superior to anything she had ever tasted or ever dreamed of.

Jesus never despised her sinful state or bad reputation; instead offered her “a living water” that will cleanse, refresh and renew her life.

Jesus understood her hidden longing even better than she did, and so he began to lead her to where he, the healer, could astound her by the truth that indeed he is the Messiah.
When she heard this, she dropped her bucket and joyfully ran back to her townspeople to spread the good news that she has found the Messiah!

Lenten Message
Lent is a time for us to let Jesus satisfy our thirst. Like the Samaritan woman, we find real joy and satisfaction in letting the Lord fill us with the grace of the season. Like her, we find that our joy is greatest when we were accepted despite of who we are.

Our relationship with the Lord is the water of our lives: essential for our well being and the source of our joy. Without the Lord we would wither away like dried leaves.

Only Jesus, always Jesus fulfils all our desires!

“Lord Jesus, my soul thirsts for you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may always find joy in your presence and take delight in doing your will. Bring me always the spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

turning...

naks!

Constant Change

Second Sunday of Lent A
February 16-17, 2008
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm: 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
2 Timothy 1:8b-10
Matthew 17:1-9

Change
An ancient Greek philosopher by the name of Heraclitus said our world is ruled by the law of change. Everything around us is changing that “no one can step the same river twice.” Because different waters flow in rivers, the water are always changing.

Nothing is permanent in this world. The only permanent in this world is change. Season change and temperature change. "Cold things warm up, the hot cools off, wet becomes dry, dry becomes wet."

We human life is also governed by the law of change. Our appearance change, our weight and waistline change, our mood or emotion swings from one to another. As year go pass we grow old in age, we gain wisdom, we learn new things, we mature and developed.

Lent
Change is the call of Lenten season. We are invited during this time of the year to change our old ways, change our bad habits to conversion.

We notice various changes in the life of the Church during the time of Lent: our liturgy is simple we don’t sing or recite the Gloria; we don’t sing or say the Alleluia to welcome the Gospel; there are no flowers in the church. In some churches they cover the statues and images during Lenten season.

During the time of Lent, we change a bit our normal lifestyle - we make sacrifices, we give up something pleasurable, we let go off things that stop us following Him, so that inner change may truly happen within us. Inner change is called a conversion heart. To be converted means allowing our hearts being touched by the words Jesus through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Lent is a time when we bring our mind and heart closer to our Lord so that we can listen attentively to him attentively. Conversion of heart is the goal we want to achieve in Lent.

Transfiguration
In the Gospel reading, Peter, James and John, witnessed a sudden change in Jesus – He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. They were dumbfounded at this dramatic vision, also with the appearance of the two great men from the Old Testament, Moses and Elijan appeared to them. As this happens they head a voice saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

In an instant the three disciples, Peter, James and John, experience a glorious moment that would change and deepen their understanding about Jesus – the person whom they were following. Up until now they knew Jesus only in his external appearance: He was not a man different from others; they knew where he came from, his habits, the timber of his voice. Now they know another Jesus, the true Jesus, the one who cannot be seen with the eyes of ordinary life, in the normal light of the sun; what they now know of him is the fruit of a sudden revelation, of a change, of a gift.

Because things change for us too, as they changed for the three disciples on Tabor; something needs to happen in our lives similar to what happens when a young man and woman fall in love. In falling in love with someone, the beloved, who before was one of many, or perhaps unknown, suddenly becomes the only one, the sole person in the world who interests us.

The Transfiguration of Jesus calls us to transfigure our hearts which means making him the sole center of our life amidst the world around us that is constantly changing. What are those changes around us? Faith and religious practice are in decline, and they not seem to constitute, the point of reference in life. There is the boredom, the weariness, the struggle for believers in performing their duties. Many young people are not attracted to the faith. There is dullness and lack of joy among the believers in Christ. On the other hand, being faithful Christian makes you unpopular and considered old fashioned.

Challenge
We should not be discouraged about this change. When Jesus allowed his disciples to see him transfigured, his purpose was not to show off his glory and power rather he wanted to encourage and strengthen their faith. So when they see him suffer on the cross they would not lose hope. And when themselves experience persecution because of their faith they would not lose their love and trust in him.

The Transfiguration of our Lord transfigures the hearts of his disciples, loving him faithfully both in times of joy and sorrow.

The challenge for us during this today, especially at this time of Lent: are you ready to transfigure your heart?

Real change of heart happens when we are no longer so much preoccupied with selfish questions such as: How beautiful is my look? How much money do I have? How much power do I posses? How much pleasures are available for me?

Real changed of heart happens when we simply ask: How can I please God? How can I serve him in other people? Will my attitude make God happy?

Let us remember nothing is not permanent in this world, all things we see, taste and touch are all but temporary, including ourselves, we will all leave this world.

There is one thing that is more permanent than change. The unchangeable love of God to us is the only concrete and permanent in this world. We can enjoy the permanence and eternity God’s love, but first we need our hearts transfigured.

Evil Exists

First Sunday of Lent (YearA)

February 8-9, 2008 Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17
Romans 5:12-19
17-19Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation...Temptation is something that allures, excites, and seduces someone. Temptation has many form, it exists anywhere at any time (mostly in the kitchen table, even in the church and during Mass). Some people are tempted to leave just before the Mass finished. Temptation by its nature distracts our attention and focus in doing what is right and good and what is pleasing before the eyes of God.

Human as we are, anyone is prone to temptation we lose our attention in doing the will of God. Even the most holiest priest can be tempted.

There was once a young, pious priest waiting for a taxi at a street corner. Suddenly rain started to pour down and the poor priest was getting soaked to the bones. Luckily a car came a long and stopped to offer him a ride. As the priest got in, he found out that the one behind the driver was a young, very attractive lady.

For spiritual protection, the devout priest prayed to himself: “Lord, deliver me from evil.” As they drove on, a freak accident happened causing the car to slide and swerve out of the road falling into a ditch. The car overturned, knocking off the two unconscious.

A few moments later… The young priest regained consciousness, he saw his hand resting on the smooth, tender hand of the lady, of course by accident. Seeing the compromising situation, the pious priest looked up to heaven and prayed: “Lord, thy will be done!”

We do not know the end of the story. Did the priest give in to temptation or not?

Lent begins
The celebration of Ash Wednesday four days ago marked the beginning of Lent. The imposition of ash on our foreheads reminded us of our own mortality in order to help us focus on Christ’s self-sacrifice and more eagerly to celebrate his Resurrection.

Lenten season is a 40-day journey. It's a 40-day of discipline not lose our focus and attention to our Lord who is the destiny of our earthly journey. The purpose of 40 days is to ready us to celebrate Easter with ‘mind and heart renewed’. We begin the first Sunday of Lent with the reading of today’s Gospel – the Temptation of Jesus. Yes, Jesus himself was tempted. Jesus is like us in every way, he was tempted as we are, but always with this one exception: He did not sin. In contrast to Adam and Eve, from the first reading, Jesus remained faithful to God when he was tempted and never lose his focus to obey God, even though it would lead him to the Cross and the Tomb.

Sin
Sin is not a popular topic in our modern culture, but during this time of Lent we are called to face up to its reality in our lives and to the devastating effect it has had on the world around us. Sin always had an effect not in our personal life but also has social implications – it affects our family, children, community…

The logic is this: Temptation leads to sin, sin leads to death. Thus the best way to avoid sin is to prevent temptation as we always pray when we recited the Lord’s pray we say, “Lead us not to temptation but deliver us from evil.”

In our modern culture the greatest temptation we are facing is the attitude that denies existence of evil. The demon’s greatest trick is to make people believe that he does not exist. Evil tells us that sin is not a big deal, everyone does it anyway: it’s ok to swear; it’s ok to commit adultery; it’s ok to abort a fetus it’s not a baby; it’s ok to live together outside marriage it’s common now; it's ok to have sex before marriage; it's to sometimes disobey our parents; it's ok not to pray; it’s ok not to go to confession; it’s ok not to church on Sunday, God is everywhere anyway and I will go to church when I feel like going;

It’s ok to sin. Not a big deal.

But we know it’s not ok to sin. When we sin deep in our heart there is an little voice (conscience) that tells us "something is not right" and guilt confronts us. No matter how hard we justify ourselves we feel it's not ok.

We all know from our personal experience the bad effect of sin, again to our family, loved ones, children, community, even to our economy.

Jesus conquers Sin
Evil exists, it’s a fact. The devil roams around and within us. Yet the most important thing that the Christian faith has to tell us is not that evil exist, but that Christ has defeated evil. Christ is more powerful than the devil. With Christ we have nothing to fear. Nothing and no one can do us ill, unless we ourselves allow it. Satan, said an ancient Father of the Church, after Christ's coming, is like a dog chained up in the barnyard: He can bark and lunge as much as he wants, but if we don't go near him, he cannot harm us.

In the desert Jesus freed himself from Satan to free us! This is the joyous news with which we begin our Lenten journey toward Easter.

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving
During these 40days of Lent we acknowledge our sinfulness before God. We trust his loving mercy and forgiveness to renew our lives and set us free from our past mistakes and wrong decision.

This week, Archbishop Denis Hart, Archbishop of Melbourne, wrote in his Pastoral Letter for 2008 some guidelines how we make this season of Lenten a meaningful journey. His letter is available for us to read.

He presents us what the Gospel calls us to do during this time of Lent – to pray, fast and almsgiving or works of love.

The archbishop invites us to be faithful in our prayer life most especially the celebration of Mass. We are invited to observe silence in our churches before and after Mass to provide each other with opportunities to reach out to the Lord in prayer. He encourages us also to walk with Jesus during this time of Lent by attending Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Way of the Cross and the Rosary.

Archbishop Hart briefly mentioned the importance of fasting as discipline which enables us to focus our attention to God and the needs of others, rather than our own needs.

Lastly he encourages us Catholics to continue our strong tradition of helping the poor as an expression of our love. He says, We who live in a land of plenty are given the opportunity to think of others who lack the abundance that we have. Each year we contribute financial help to alleviate the poor through Project Compassion.

The core of almsgiving is love and justice. We donate something to the poor not because we are rich and they are poor. We do not give because of pity but we give, we help, not merely because they poor but because they are our brothers and sisters, and we love them.

Conclusion
We pray as one family that together we make this Lenten season an opportunity to overcome temptation, an opportunity to say sorry for the many times gave in to temptation, an opportunity of renewal and growth and a real pilgrimage that we may reach the destiny of our journey, no other than our Resurrected Lord. Amen.