The Time is Near!

"The time is near at hand!" (Lk 21: 8)

The one big question we Christians need to keep on asking ourselves is not when or how the world will end but how well are we prepared for the end of our journey.

33rd Sunday's Gospel (Lk 21: 5-19) serves to prepare us for the Lord’s coming. What we are challenged to do today is to turn our fingers toward ourselves and ask truthfully, “Am I ready?” Before we allow ourselves to take comfort in thinking the end of time is far off, we are also called to acknowledge that our personal time in this world is limited. Surely, the end of the world will come but it is yet far…far from our understanding, perception and prediction.

Jesus warns us, “Not to be misled” by those who would say, “The time is near.” Jesus is urging us to be well prepared for the end of our lives by engaging ourselves in our daily task – which is far most challenging. We have to be prepared to face the challenges of the world, tensions, conflicts and difficulties ahead of us.

Our state of readiness to meet the Lord depends on the type of life we choose. Jesus is actually asking us to be well prepared for the end by facing the world courageously and bravely with all its trials, conflicts, and sufferings by trusting and building confidence in Him.

Psalms: "The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness and peace"

Life doesn't End with the Grave!

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection

Why do we believe in the resurrection of the "body" (YouCat # 153)

If you asked the question to the Jews at the time of Maccabaeus and prophet Isaiah, they would answer: “the dead will not come back to life, the shadows will not rise again, God has wiped out their very memory,” (Is 26: 14).

Only much later, that is about 170 years before Christ, the Israelites began to speak of life after death. We, Christians have strong faith in life after death. In fact, eternal life to a Christian does not begin with death, but it begins with faith and begins with our meaningful life on earth.

That’s why we see in today’s Gospel Jesus responds to the Sadducees, enemies of Jesus who refused to accept the growing belief in the resurrection of the body in other words life after death. To affirm that Jesus says, “The dead do rise to life," (Lk 20: 37). He says that life in the resurrection will be completely different quality and altogether will be a new experience.

The Church gives us hope and brings meaning of life and purpose of death. Life does not finish with the grave!

Heaven is Within Our Reach

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, (Mt. 5:1-12).

Today we celebrate with and for the assembly of saints in heaven. The festival of All Saints should inspire and strengthen us to live in faithful witness to Christ and to work in His Church. (The Greek work "witness" is martyr). We must continue living as Children of God to "bear witness to the truth," (Jn 18: 37). Heaven is within our reach. Heaven is not far the privileged few but for all of us. That is the intention of God. The saints are gift of God to His Church and to His people. They are our friends in Heaven and we should not hesitate to pray to them.

We can call on our patrons/patronesses and our favorite saints, and also our departed grand parents, parents, relatives and friends whom we believe are already in communion with all saints and with God, (cf. YouCat #146).

Saints of God, pray for us.

God Gives Grace to the Humble!

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted," (Lk 18:14)

In the Gospel, the Pharisee was comparing himself to other people while the tax collector was comparing himself with God.

We should judge our goodness and holiness by looking at God, not by looking at those around us. Often, we think, “I am not as bad as most people.”

WHY DID YOU COME TO CHURCH? 

a) To be seen!

b) To seek God!

To Be Seen!

The Pharisee was truly good and holy person who kept the law faithfully, fulfilling every law and even went beyond what the Law required. He was a model of what we would call a living saint. Obviously, the Pharisee was at the temple for others to see how good he was. It was a public performance and religious show. He was there to be seen by all and to be heard by the other worshipers.

When you are preparing to come to Church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you or you come to Church to impress others the way you pray rather than your personal conversion and your connection with God.

To Seek God?

Tax collectors were generally regarded as people of low moral standards. Because tax collectors worked for the pagan Romans, mixed up with them and constantly handled unclean money. He didn’t focus on the other people but he focused on his own sinfulness. He beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This is the most moving of all prayers, and one that God cannot fail to hear.

Why do you go to Church every Sunday? Is it just your habit, a part of your weekend routine? Perhaps you came because your parents or your spouse pressured you to come. Or maybe you feel guilty if you don’t come. Or you come seeking to connect with God that one day you might be abled to get into heaven?

When we come to God's house, we should be primarily concerned about seeking God’s face. 

When we have this attitude, I am sure we can go home reconciled and at peace with God and with one another.

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble," (1 Peter 5:5).

World Mission Sunday 2013

Pope Francis in his message for World Mission Sunday 2013 (20th Oct) said that our faith in Christ “is a precious gift, not reserved for a few but offered with generosity.” He added, “Everyone should be able to experience the joy of being loved by God, the joy of salvation!” This precious gift is not meant to be kept to ourselves but it has to be shared to all. When we keep it only to ourselves, “we will become isolated, sterile and sick Christians.” 

In this Year of Faith, we take the opportunity to increasingly strengthen our friendship with the Lord and open our minds and hearts to know and love Him, (cf. Porta Fidei, no. 15). Every Christian is obliged to play a role in spreading the faith, to communicate it to others, to live it in charity and to witness to it. We cannot proclaim or announce Christ without the Church. The Pope said, “Evangelisation is not an individual or private act,” but “it is always ecclesial.” He quoted what Pope Paul VI said, “When an unknown preacher, catechist or pastor preaches the Gospel, gather the little community together, administers a Sacrament, even alone, he is carrying out of an ecclesial act.” This affirms that every missionary or evangeliser is never carrying out his apostolic work alone or should never involve pressure or force. His evangelism is a part of a single Body that is a Church animated by the Holy Spirit.

On this Mission Sunday the entire Church should remember how Paul and Barnabas at the end of their first missionary journey, “reported what God had done with them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, (Acts 14:27).  Let us ask God today to make us strong in our faith, firm in our hope and persistently and courageously to “shout the Gospel by our action."