Abiding Presence

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Spirit Moments

As I look back at my life, I realize that there is nothing that I ardently prayed for that God did not grant me. All my fervent prayers have come to pass, often in measures and manner that I have not expected. It has been a long way from the small town where I was born to where I am now. And the road I have trodden is literally paved with untold blessings and graces.

Yet, in spite of all these blessings and graces, I often feel that God has not heard nor answered my prayers. It is probably because I did not receive what I asked for when I wanted it nor in the form and shape I asked for. I can indeed be very dense very often.

The apostles faced difficulties even as they left everything to follow Jesus. They must have surely expected some thing in return for themselves. Peter probably said it for all of them when he told Jesus, Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” And now, here they were in a boat buffeted by a squall. They probably wondered why, since following Jesus, the miracle-worker, should be smooth-sailing.

If I but have true faith, I should realize that Jesus does not take away but rather calms the storms in my life. He does not take away but rather gives me strength and courage to take up my cross. He does not promise an easy life but rather guarantees that He will always be with me, all the time.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up, rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Mark 4:35-41

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Grace Trumps the Laws of Nature

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Spirit Moments

The world is ruled by natural laws that determine the unfolding of things. One reaps what one sows. The Law of Karma: what goes around comes around. Newton’s Laws of Motion: an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion (the Law of Inertia); the acceleration of an object produced by a net (total) applied force is directly related to the magnitude of the force;  for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The Law of Abundance: there are infinite resources in our world.

These laws govern our lives, even our spiritual lives.I sow love, I reap love. I sow hatred, I reap hatred and anger. Unless I act and do something, I stay where I am and stay who I am. Changes in my life are in direct proportion to my efforts. When I give what something I have (like a pen or a pair of shoes), I lose it; but when I something out of what I can do (like my talents and capabilities) or from who I am (like kindness and love), I increase and multiply them.

But beyond the natural laws, there is the reality of Grace which goes beyond the laws of nature. I sometimes reap what I have not sown for everything in my life is gift. What I send up in prayers often does not come down but stays with God and is transformed into something divine. Love, even when repaid back with anger and hatred, can change people and their lives. In the end, I realize that abundance is a reality because of God’s infinite love and care for us.

Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
Mark 4:26-29

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Abundance and Attachments

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Spirit Moments

When I live my life out of an abundance mindset, it is easy to be kind and generous. When I act out of a scarcity mindset, I will always feel that I do not have enough to give even when I have more than what I need. Thus, I have encountered the most generous people I have met among those who do not even have sufficiency of material possessions. Because of their abundance mentality, even the only shirt they have on is not too much to give to one who is naked, nor the last bite they are about to eat too little to share with one who is hungry. I have also met the most selfish people among those whose material wealth and possessions are more than enough to last them a lifetime. They find it hard to part with what they have, often justifying their action by saying they have worked for it or the other person does not deserve to receive anything from them.

Christ worked from an abundance mindset. He taught us how nature is so generously abundant that birds of the air need not toil. He changed plain water into wine when wine ran out at the wedding in Cana. He multiplied a few loaves in order to feed the thousands who came to hear Him. And even when He was stripped of everything he had, including his dignity and humanity, He still willingly gave up the one life that He had.

Abundance begets kindness and generosity. Attachment begets selfishness and acquisitiveness. And both are choices that I can choose to make and live by.

“Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.”

each me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will. – See more at: http://loyolapress.com/prayer-for-generosity-saint-ignatius-of-loyola.htm#sthash.UPqQSs4F.dpuf

And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear.
The measure you give will be the measure you get,
and still more will be given you.
For to those who have, more will be given;
and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’
Mark 4:21-25

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Another Day in Paradise

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Yesterday, I was watching Jane and Anabelle as they were enjoying their snacks under an old redwood tree. There was a precocious five-year old young girl, with her sexy-genarian Lola, picnicking under a two-hundred year old tree. Every now and then, I would wave at them from where I was seated in the public library and Jane would either wave back or make funny faces at me, while Lola looked at her lovingly. I was struck by the ethereal beauty of the scene.

Jane can make my heart flutter like a gentle wind caressing my soul with extreme contentment. Just as Anabelle has always made my heart beat with love, longing and gladness untold. Just as the towering redwood tree they were picnicking under would make my spirit soar upward with dreams and visions of beauty and eternity. Anabelle and I are in the winter of our lives. Jane’s is just beginning. The tree has been there long before we were and will be there long after we are gone. It all seemed a random meeting and juxtaposition of people and events: a young girl and her Lola under the giant redwood tree. And yet, the scene all made sense. Another one of those days where God speaks to me in very subtle and silent ways in the ordinary events of my life.

A baby is born, grows up to be a pretty young girl and I pray she will become a fine young lady – still within my lifetime. A fine young lady meets a dreamer of a young man, marries him and they raise a wonderful family – this has been my lifetime. A tree grows in the park and in its mute silence provides shelter to picnic in to countless young girl having an ethereal moment with her mother or her Lola – my lifetime merely a moment in its existence. Yes, the world makes sense even when we do not see nor hear the signs.

“Lord, make me see and hear what you are telling me through the ordinary events of my day so that I may bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.
Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”
Mark 4:1-9

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Making the Family Strong

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Spirit Moments

I was born and raised in a culture that is very family-centered and family-oriented. Our lives are punctuated by many family gatherings. Our family always comes in as number one. Parents would go to great lengths to provide not only their basic necessities but also a good education for their children to enable them for life. And children, more out of love than out of duty, would take care of their parents in their old age.

It is sad to see the family increasingly becoming weak and fragile, beset by many challenges. In many developed societies, more marriages end up in divorces than last the lifetime of couples. It seems that the present day throw-away culture, with its penchant for instant gratification, has no tolerance for the forgiveness, perseverance, sacrifices and mutual respect that is required of long-term loving relationships. And now, we also have to deal with the emergent phenomenon of same-sex parenting.

Even during His time on earth, Jesus has defined any loving and sharing community as a family. Anyone who harkens to his call of love and service is a  brother, a sister, a mother or a father. And indeed, deep inside we are but one family born of a Father who has loved us first and has loved us endlessly.

“Lord, bless our families and make them strong that we may truly be one in invoking you as Our Father.”

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:31-35

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Combatting Evil Through Prayers

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Evil is for real. The devil, in his devious ingeniousness, has somehow convinced many people today that he does not exist. In today’s world, greed and selfishness have been glorified and lord it over in places life Wall Street and in many corporate board rooms. They have been sanitized and called enlightened self-interest. As a result, pride is now something to be truly proud of and has been re-labeled as a healthy and positive self-image. One need not feel guilty anymore about expressing anger to the extreme; instead one is lauded for his assertiveness. Lust is out in full view of everyone – in songs, videos, movies, billboards and ads. No wonder perverts and molesters are having a field day. Violence and hatred have become acceptable currency for settling differences. To the extreme, the idea of preemptive strikes has become an acceptable national policy. The golden rule which based on love has been debased into this saying, “Do unto others before they do unto you.

In the face of all these, Christ continues to proclaim His contrarian Gospel of love and service. He preaches generosity instead of greed, humility instead of pride, peace and forgiveness instead of anger, self-denial and discipline instead of lust and self-indulgence, love and service instead of hatred and violence. And to combat the evil one, Christ admonished us to pray without ceasing, know that we are up against a formidable foe.

“Lord, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.
Mark 3:22-26

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The Gospel of the Little Flowers

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Image

I have often noticed flowers that are often left alone
By the wayside as decorative plants or just as wildflowers.
Someone took a closer look and found out
That these simple and modest blooms had more to offer.
They do add color and beauty to a garden or to any spot for that matter.
Some have medicinal properties; others add value to nutrition.
Some theory says that the development of man’s brain and of his consciousness
Started when colorful flower like these appeared on earth.
When God was done with His creation, He saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
It takes man to discover that goodness and proclaim too that it is good.

Most of man’s history has been the quest for wealth, power and fame.
Much of history has been written by wealthy, powerful and famous persons.
And many even today go on their own quest for wealth, power and fame.
Until one person came along and turned things upside down.
Instead of wealth, He extolled being poor in spirit.
In place of power, He preached humility and forgiveness.
He would be famous but it was because He proclaimed His gospel of forgiveness, of love and of service to others.

“Lord, bless my tongue and my lips that I may proclaim your Word. Bless me with courage and strength that I may do your work.”

Jesus went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
Matthew 4:23

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The God of Surprises and the Unexpected

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Anabelle and I shall be completing six years of stay in the US within the coming months. All those years, I have been not been productive. I have not had a job. I have not been creating wealth. I have not been contributing nor making a difference in the way I have been used to in the past. I could very well be a non-entity and the world goes on as it does and will.

And yet, they have been good and happy years. We have seen Jonathan and Jane grow up and we have been a big part in their early years. We have seen Macky through medical school and just recently gave him and Lani a pretty lavish wedding. We have seen and been to awesome places, thanks to Martin and Mickey for the most part. We have taken up hiking and walked through some of the most beautiful places in our part of the world. We have met and made new friends; and those whom we already had, we have deepened our friendship with them even more. We have helped in all those years in the the work of evangelization in our parish. And I believe both Anabelle and I have become more deeply spiritual.

Compared to our busy-ness before, we are indeed doing ‘nothing.’ I feel we have cocooned ourselves in a relatively easy life and that is getting me rather restless. Will I eventually emerge from my present cocoon to do something else? I hope it is not yet emerging into eternal life. Bit if it were so, it would have been a full and fulfilled life I have had. Yet, there is this lingering feeling within me that the best is yet to come. Not in the next life. But in the here and now. My God is the God of surprises. I have never imagined myself living in the US and yet here I am, truly enjoying it. My God is the God of the improbable and the impossible. If someone in my youth had told me what I would become in my future, I would definitely have said, “Impossible!” Yet, the impossible has happened and is stilling happening in my life. My God is the God of the unexpected. I never expected this turn in my life – doing nothing but helping raise my two grandchildren. And yet, there is this incessant voice and persistent feeling that I am being prepared for something else. I stay. I pray. And I wait.

Today is the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. On the road to Damascus, he encountered this God of surprises, this God of the improbable and the impossible, this God of the totally unexpected. From being the most rabid persecutors of the those who belonged to the Way, he became the fervent of all the apostles in proclaiming and spreading the Good News. A totally unexpected turn for him. And I am sure St. Paul would have been the first to say, “Impossible! This cannot be happening to me.”

“Lord, you have peppered my life with surprises, with the improbable, the impossible and the unexpected. Stay with me as I wait in faith and confidence in what you have in store for me – that it only gets better from here on.”

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Mark 16:15

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Called by Name

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Spirit Moments

It has been said that the sweetest sound to anybody’s ears is his or her own name. My name defines me and identifies me to people. I used to ask my sons when they were children if they liked their names; and they would always say yes. I would also ask them if they wanted to change their names and what name they would choose; and they would always answer no, they loved their names. Today, I ask the same questions of my grandchildren and I get the same answers.

I say the name Anabelle and the beautiful image of love incarnated in my life immediately comes to mind; and I am filled with all the wonderful moments we have shared together from the first time we met till our walk together yesterday morning. I say a friend’s name and I immediately see a familiar face and remember the joys and challenges we ave gone through together.

Names are not just tags to identify people. Nor are they just labels to remember them by. Names convey all that a person is, has been and the potential that is still waiting to be unleashed within. When I speak out a name, I love to feel it on my tongue and in so doing relish the gift of the person who goes by that name. I also truly appreciate it when people say my name with affection, respect, caring and love.

God also knows me by name. From all eternity, He has my name etched in the palm of His hand. These words from Him are very comforting: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:1-2

“Lord, you have called me by name and I belong to you. I wll call on the name of Jesus that God may abide in my life forever.”

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Mark 3:13-19

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Health and Holiness

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Spirit Moments

Diseases afflict not only the body but also the spirit. The science and practice of medicine has seen such tremendous progress that people today are living longer and better than ever. Yet, even as the physical health of people has improved, many have seen their spirits broken and battered. In the face of better health, there have also been epidemics of depression, sadness and quiet desperation.

Food has never been as plentiful as they world sees today. If we were just to match the entire food production with all the mouths there are to feed, there would be more than enough for everybody. Yet, people still die of hunger in many places. And there is a deeper hunger in souls of people that cannot be satisfied with physical food. There is widespread spiritual hunger that is begging to be satisfied.

The world has never created as much wealth as we see today: gleaming cities, luxurious homes, a seemingly inexhaustible cornucopia of precious goods and beautiful things. Yet, poverty remains the number one problem of the world. How can just 85 individuals amass as much wealth as the bottom 50% of the world’s population? People feel so poor they feel they have nothing or no more to give others. Selfishness reigns.

Christ came to bring not only physical healing but more importantly spiritual wholeness and health. He came to deliver us from our sins, from the diseases that keep us from being hale and whole, from the deep hunger in our hearts that only He can satisfy and from the poverty of spirit that keeps us tied to the ground.

“Lord, touch my heart and my life to make me whole and holy.”

He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
Mark 3:7-12

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