Generosity and Greatness

The mother of James and John could have known who Jesus is: the Son of Man, who will die and rise and reign in Glory in His Kingdom.

In the beginning and end of today's Gospel (Mt. 20: 17-28), we see the words "Son of Man". In the first part of the Gospel, Jesus, the Son of Man, predicts (for the third time) His Passion, Death, and Resurrection--He will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, condemned to death, mocked, scourged, crucified, and on the third day be raised. At the end of the Gospel, we see the words: "Be like the Son of Man who has come not to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many." (Mt. 20:28, CCB).

There is greatness in servanthood. If one wants to be great, serve. If one wants to be first, be a slave. Give yourself for the souls of many. Our only way to the Son of Man is the way He have shown: the Way of the Cross. Yes, like the prophet Jeremiah in today's first Reading (Jer. 18:18-20), others may reject and persecute and even plan to destroy and take our lives from us because of what we believe in and of what we do for God's Kingdom. We might even be put to places and situations where we may be pressed down and may ask, "Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? ... " (Jer. 18:20a)

But remember, the Way of the Cross doesn't end with death. Yes, it may be full of sufferings and sacrifices. But definitely, it will not end in death. It will end in glory, not our own, but God's glory and our salvation. The Way of the Cross teaches us that for us to have an Easter Sunday, we must first have and endure our Good Friday.

When Jesus asked James and John regarding their request (which was coursed through their mother), " ... Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" The apostles James and John said, "We can." I think that they were able to respond with "We can", simply because their eyes were fixed on the prize. Like the apostles, may we also fix our eyes on Jesus; not on what we can gain from the world, but on Jesus. Our reward is this: " But it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him, " (1 Cor. 2:9). It is more than what our eyes can handle, more than what our ears can understand, more than what our human hearts and minds can imagine.

There is greatness in servanthood. We can be great if we allow ourselves to be generous. Generous of giving our time, our talents, and our treasures (resources) for the furtherance of God's mission. Generosity of our life, no matter how difficult. Generosity of saying, "For you, O Lord, we can!"


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Prayer for Generosity
O Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labor and not to ask for reward;
Save that of knowing
that I am doing your holy will.
Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
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All About Men

I saw this status on facebook:

You think you know what men are gonna do, you think you know what men want to do but when it comes right down to that moment when they actually need to step up, and I don't know, make a move, they chicken out. They're big, strong, brave men that we've been reading about in novels and watching in movies since we were nine years old, that's a fallacy, they don't exist. Men are not strong, men are not brave, men are afraid. ---The Ugly Truth

I beg to believe otherwise.

Men are strong. Men are brave. Men are not afraid.
How'd I know? My Dad is strong, brave, and not afraid.
And I have seen other men who are strong, brave, and not afraid.

I have seen men who stands up for what is right; even if they are just standing alone.
I have seen men who speaks for the truth; even if they got sneered and mocked at after telling it.
I have seen men who fights in defense of holiness; even to the point of self-sacrifice.

Men, who are strong, brave, and not afraid, find their own identity in Jesus, True God and True Man. From being a boy, they chose to be a MAN. In the sufferings exemplified by Jesus Christ, they chose to suffer for the cause of Christ; for they found Real Manhood in Jesus.

Yes, I have read when I was of school age that men are big, strong, and brave. But when I grew up, I realized that Men are more than what I have read.

And this is THE TRUTH.


By the way, watch this video of The Vortex: Masculinity and Catholicism

E.S.

This happened one Thursday night, last November of 2011. Note that I am writing from memory.

I was sitting alone at a fast food chain, waiting for my best friend to arrive. Beside me was a man, maybe at his 50's or 60's. Just by sitting there and looking at him something in me whispered: "You'd be talking to that man; you have to speak with him". He was eating; and I'm not. With him are books about Math and an abacus. He was cleaning one of his books when he looked at me (and he caught me looking at him as well) and he smiled. I smiled back.

Then the conversation starts.

We talked about Math and the books he has with him that night, they are all about Math and Numbers. I asked him if he's a professor in Mathematics or a Mathematician; he just simply said, he's a retired accountant. I asked him about one of the things that struck me that was with him: the abacus. He told me that it's different than the others; that it is actually a Filipino Abacus. I asked him to teach me how to use it. I learned a lot. Actually, just the basics. But it's "a lot" for me already. And my sister-best friend arrived.

He asked us what we are doing with our lives? I understand it with regard to "work". I was to say that I'm a nurse and that I'm a lecturer/ reviewer for NLE. Then I got reminded: Before anything else, I am a Missionary. And that's what I told him. And him knowing my answer, we take on from Math to Religion and Philosophies. Man, that's way far from one another!

God taught me that to every man I meet, I am responsible for that man's soul. I am a Catholic missionary. He said he's Catholic but not anymore practicing. And I get perplexed. How can that be? If one is a Catholic, one is either a Catholic through and through or not Catholic at all. The way I see it, he's a humanist-relativist.

There was this question he asked, "Hindi ko ba matitibag ang mga pinaniniwalaan ninyo?" We answered, "Hindi po." This answer of ours, allowed us to be engaged in a deeper conversation. The very word I could give to describe the man's reaction to our answer of "hindi po" is: "Nang-gigil" siyang makipag-usap sa amin. With this, you'd think that he's trying to break the very foundation of the Faith that is in us. But. Podering from his reaction, we (my sister and I) arrived at two conclusions:

1. He wants to test us and our adherence to our beliefs; or,
2. He just wants to share his thoughts with us without bearing the responsibility of him changing our beliefs.

He poses questions on us, about our faith and our beliefs. The moment I felt this was going to happen, right then and there I prayed. I prayed to St. Michael the Archangel for defense in battles like this (not that this is a debate; but it is a spiritual warfare). I prayed to St. Anthony de Padua for eloquence of words. And to St. Augustine of Hippo as well, because he's my patron saint. And I know my sister is also praying.

The man poses questions of which questions I also asked myself back then; of which questions I also failed to answer myself. Instead of worrying what I have to say, I held on to God's promise:

When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20, NAB)

Truly, our God inspired me with His wisdom. I was able to speak, for God's glory, for that man's questions. I don't want to just nod with everything he says; if I did that it would be a burden for me whenever I'd recalled the event. I don't want to be left hanging without even answering for my Faith and what I believe in. I remembered what St. Peter said:

... Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. (cf. 1 Peter 3:15-16, NAB)

When someone asks you an answer for your faith, our first Pope made it clear: when you answer you do it with gentleness and reverence (respect). Your goal is not to win the conversation, but to win the person and his soul for Christ. Before you answer, you pray for God's wisdom, knowledge, and presence. After you answer, you pray in thanksgiving and you pray for the man's soul.

The man told us, "Believe, not because it's true, but because it is beautiful". That's quite good. But isn't it that the fact that it is beautiful is because it is true? It is the truth that is why it is beautiful. It is not the truth that is why it is not beautiful.

I learned from him to always seize the moment, to enjoy the moment. Well, that's true. He enjoyed our talk. We also enjoyed talking to him. He thanked us. We also thanked him.

There's also one thing I can be proud of, that if ever the Filipino Abacus subject be added into the primary education curriculum, then I can say that I have met and actually spoke with the man who finds it essential for basic Mathematics.

Lord, I am a Catholic; and I will die a Catholic.

*NAB - New American Bible

This is Your Lesson Number One

Lesson #1 to becoming SAINT:

SELF-DENIAL

That I almost cried denying myself.

I thought self-denial was something easy to do. 

But this is what God taught me, to deny myself because of His LOVE for me and for LOVE of Him.

They Are...

Wednesday of the 14th Week

First reading: Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
Gospel: Mt 10:1-7

The disciples of Christ:
1. They are Called.
2. They are given Authority.
3. They are Named.
4. They are Instructed.
5. They are Sent.

The disciples of Christ also teaches us the virtue of SIMPLICITY. When the list of their names was presented they are merely called only by one name: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddeus, Simon. Just for the purpose of differentiation where they called as "the Son of ..." and the like. Also, it was only the traitor who had two names: Judas Iscariot.

The Gospel today also gives emphasis to FAMILIES SERVING GOD.

The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John      [Matthew 10:2 (NAB)]

God wants us to be families; to serve Him with our families, and as families. To strengthen our relationships: to create bonds of Brotherhood and Sisterhood.

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Saint Maria Gorretti, virgin and martyr, Pray for us!

Visit the website created for her.

*Clicking "Saint" would lead you to the "Saints we celebrate on the 6th of July" at www.saints.sqpn.com.
*Clicking "Maria Gorretti" would lead you to the page of "Saint Maria Gorretti" at www.saints.sqpn.com.

GOD Bless--