14th Sunday In Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 2:2-5
Psalm 122:1-4
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6

This is the first time for me to write a reflection for God-speak. And what a nice coincidence that this Sunday’s Gospel reading is about how prophets were rejected! :)

Since I am a new comer, allow me to introduce myself and let you know my credentials:
I am a sinner. In my 35 years of existence, I have committed too many mistakes. Although none of these mistakes are illegal or could be categorized as crimes, yet they are the ones a Christian will not be proud of.

Nice resume for a reflection writer huh? It doesn’t end there though as I did struggle to straighten my ways... and until now, the struggle goes on. And along the way as I fight to follow the right path to Christianity, I decided I wanted to evangelize. I wanted to start small, with my friends. I thought that if I will be able to lead at least one soul to righteousness, it will be a big success for me. But how will they even listen? First of all, I am not a good speaker. Second, my friends despise preaching. Third, they know my past. (Fourth … and the list goes on) Once they hear me talk about the Good News they will say: “What’s wrong with our friend? Why is he speaking about God? Weren’t we just drinking with him the other night? Isn’t he just a sinner like us?”

Sounds familiar?

Yes, I am one of them. But I will not let a dark past get in the way of my mission to spread the light. I will not let it be the chink in my armour. Instead, I will use these bad credentials as my weapon in gathering His sheep back to His herd. I will use the same mistakes to relate to those who have the same experiences as I do. I will be a living proof that God is a merciful and forgiving God!

Lord, Your grace is sufficient for me for power is made perfect in weaknesses. I will rather boast gladly of my weaknesses in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Amen.”

March 22, 2009
4th Sunday Of Lent
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
Ps 137
Eph 2:4-10
Jn 3:14-21

“And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, to prevent his actions from being shown up; but whoever does the truth comes out into the light, so that what he is doing may plainly appear as done in God.'
- Jn 3:20-21

If you go to our house in Pampanga in a typical day (a typical day is probably one when you are not expected to visit), you might think that we don’t feel the current global financial crisis. Or that money is super abundant at home. I am not saying that “money is really not a problem” (although, friends know me by that phrase), but you will see a P100-bill on the dining table, coins on top of the fridge, and another P50 bill inserted in a notebook on a coffee centerpiece. “Mga salaula” you might say. Not really. The bills and coins on the tables are usually payment for celphone load (which is a sideline at home...see we feel the crisis). Usually, if anyone of us other than my Ate Suzette, the owner of the e-load biz, answers the e-load customers, we usually just leave the fee anywhere visible and tell her later about it or probably leave a note. The story is actually not about us being disorganized or “salaula”. Rather it is about my ten nephews and nieces, aged 1 to 17, who come in and out our house every single day. Despite how equally challenging life is for all of us, and despite all the temptation of these money scattered around the house, never did we encounter a single coin missing at home. My bedroom is open to these Ten Little Indians because the desktop PC is in there but, hey, my wallet is just next to the PC yet I do not worry about it at all.

This might not be a big deal but I am really proud of my nephews and nieces for being trustworthy of little things like this. It reflects something of their character and the kind of upbringing my siblings gave them.

Truly one’s real character is what he/she does when nobody’s looking.

Who are we in the dark of night?

PS: Today marks the 6th year when I, Rhonee, Gwen, Mark, Lyn, and Tere held our first household prayer meeting. Happy Anniv JLU!!!

People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

-Mother Teresa
1910-1997

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Desiderata

Max Ehrmann

Q: Why should Catholic babies be baptized?
A: Children don’t have to understand the significance of the sacrament of Baptism to benefit from it. This sacrament’s great value lies in what it does to the soul by bestowing on it sanctifying grace which makes us co-heirs of heaven with Christ.Through Baptism the life of Jesus becomes our own. This means that we are raised to the level of the divine, which we could never achieve on our own.

We don’t wait for children to understand the value of vitamins before we give them to them. Why would we ever want to wait to give them the greatest gift possible—life in Christ?

- Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P. of Catholic.com

Other less important things babies don't understand yet we grant to them: first birthday party, branded clothes, sometimes even a watch.

There was one baptism rite I attended as a substitute (proxy) godfather. The presiding priest had this message:

"Does this baby know Jesus? Not yet. Does Jesus know this baby? Of course. Do the parents know Jesus? Yes.
Does this baby love Jesus? Probably not yet. Does Jesus love this baby? Of course. Do the parents love Jesus and the baby? Yes.

Then whoever loves the most makes the first move. Very applicable not just in baptism.

- EO

I attended the last two (actually the first 2) SM Hypermarket Bloggers' Events in early July and, just recently, on Aug 23rd. In both occassions, I was representing the so-called faith-based bloggers together with Jomar, Bro Jun, Arlene, Hiyas, Kirby, Master Gopher, and Cathie. But I have been thinking for nights now on how to start to really blog about my faith. Well, I have this existing group multiply site JLU but I rarely contribute. So I created a new Blogger account which I planned to dedicate solely on writing about spreading the Good News into the blogging community.

Introducing: The Remedy (remedian.blogspot.com). No, it was not named after Jason Mraz' song. The title came from Virgen De Los Remedios, the patron and name of my parish in Pampanga where I served as a Knight of the Blessed Sacrament from my gradeschool days till I graduated college.

I find the name appropriate as I am envisioning in my own little way, together with the Remedians, to be of help in Christian cyber community in promoting the great remedy in all negativities, that is the Good News.

This new account will also be cross linked with JLU and my personal devotional multiply site.

Pls do checkout my other accounts:

Jesus League Unlimited (by the Jesus Addicts)
Earthened Vessel (my personal prayer blog)
Yng Kanaqung Taquiaran (my personal blog)
2loveboat (i still dont know what to do with this..hehehe)