The Mayonnaise Jar

 This is quite a good story to share with you. My friend in facebook posted this one.  She did not  mentioned who the author  really is. Thanks for this wonderful words. This is simply very inspiring. Keep reading below and i hope you get some lessons!

"When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

KNOWING JESUS , KNOWING OURSELVES

In order to know who we are in God’s eyes, we need to first get to know Jesus as it is in and through Him that we exist on at least two levels. God created the world in the beginning through His word — He spoke and it came to be. Jesus is the Word of God. It is through Him that all things live and move and have their being. Secondly, we have been saved by the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We have been recreated in Him.

We owe our lives to Jesus twice. In a sense, it is even more often than this. Each time we receive His forgiveness for our sins, we move from the realm of sin and death into His presence, a place of truth and holiness and life. When Jesus asks His disciples as to who people think He is, what He is really doing is challenging them to make a choice. He wants them to know who He really is to them because when persecution comes, this will be a very large determining factor whether or not they will remain faithful to Him.

Our Christian life is full of difficult and challenging situations. It is imperative that we know who we are in God’s eyes to be able to combat the temptations of sin. It is equally important to understand our identity in Christ as the world will make all sorts of offers to us about fame, wealth and so on. Only if we are firmly rooted in our faith will we be able to resist them until the end. Sin has a way of persisting in its goal and if we are at all uncertain of who we are in Christ, then it will take advantage of that uncertainty.

So, it is worth taking the time to get to know Jesus through prayer, the Scriptures and the inspiration of the lives of saints if we want to protect ourselves from the dangers of sin and also to give our knowledge and experience a better foundation from which to share the Gospel.

sharing from Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

Reflection Question:
Am I sure of my identity as a disciple of Jesus or do I still have to grow in this?

Holy Spirit, help me to surrender more and more each day to the truth of my identity in You so that I will be able to stand firm when trials and difficulties come my way.

St. Raynerius of Spalatro, pray for us.

Related BIble Verses
Matthew 16:13-23
Numbers 20:1-13

Thanks to Kyregma for this sharing.

The Only Key To Happiness

This is a forwarded email and was written by Bo Sanchez. These are just very wonderful words that I don't want to delete it without sharing to all of you. Thanks to Bo for these beautiful words.

Do you want to be happy? Continue reading below.

The Only Key To Happiness

I have an announcement to make: God wants you to be happy. In fact, I believe God has already lined up the right blessings, the right miracles, and the right people to bless your life.
Especially the right people.
Why right people?
Because God wants you to be happy by having happy relationships.
He really only has one strategy to make you happy. He has no backup plan in case it fails. It’s through happy relationships or bust.

If you don’t have happy relationships, you’ll never be happy.
No matter how rich you are.
No matter how religious you are.
No matter how much you achieve in life.
No matter how beautiful you are.
No matter how intelligent you get.
At the end of the day, your life is all about relationships.
In other words, your life is all about love.
That’s why the greatest commandments are about love.
Because He wants you to be happy.

Daily Readings

Good morning everyone! Another week is here. We are already in the middle of March. I hope that you are all doing good out there. I just want to wish you all a great day and a wonderful week. Take care everyone and I am also sharing some words for inspiration. I hope that we are also starting to create our new heavens and new earth full of love and happiness! Cheers!

"Isaiah 65:17-21
17 Thus says the LORD: Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there, or the sound of crying; 20 no longer shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime; he dies a mere youth who reaches but a hundred years, and he who fails of a hundred shall be thought accursed. 21 They shall live in the houses they build, and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant."

Manic Monday #14

I am late again in posting this entry..but i always believed in the saying, "Better Late Than Never"..so here I am again...I am just thankful that I am feeling better now compared to the past days. Have a great day to all!

Visit MM site and feel free to join. Have fun answering the questions! Don't forget to visit and read the entries of other participants!

Do you usually wear perfume/cologne? If so, what's your current favorite?
I always put-on perfumes or cologne everytime I go out somewhere. It depends on what the occasion is. If I only go for shopping, I usually wear Victoria's secret or Bath and Body Works body splash or cologne. When going to a party a Davidoff Woman perfume or CK one is fine for me.

What's the last book you've read that you thought was really good? If you don't have one, what looks promising on your to-be-read list?
I read last night some Bible verses and readings. I always try to read it before I go to sleep. Forgive me God if I forget it sometimes or get lazy reading it. I got some books like romantic or love stories, travel books, accounting books, etcetera but I seldom read them...my life is soooo busy!hehehe!

Fill in the blank: I wouldn't be caught dead working in our garden. I always love to do it especially when the weather is good. We had rain today and I can't still go out trying to recover from cough and colds. Thanks God that I am feeling very better now! Cheers!

Beautiful Words To Share

I wish I always have a heart full of kindness and compassion. I wish I have a heart that is always gentle and patience! I always try but sometimes due to life's experiences, I just can't. At least I always tried! Do you have the same! just read this beautiful words for now! have a great one to all!

A heart of compassion

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Colossians 3:12,13 NASB
__________________

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV
__________________

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NKJV
__________________

'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'

"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

Matthew 6:13-15 NASB
__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

The Filipino who saw, spoke, touched and embraced Jesus

This was forwarded in my email last month by a dear friend and former colleague in bank where I worked before. I was also want to share it to all of you. Honestly guys, I was touched by this story. I know I am a sinful person too and I always keep on trying to live a better life. I felt so sorry for all the wrong things I have done. If ever there are people whom I did wrong, I felt sorry for that...keep reading! I hope this will give us an insight on how to live a better and happier life. Have a great and blessed day to all!

Subject:The Filipino who saw, spoke, touched and embraced Jesus
Bro. Stanley Villavicencio

* Note: The miracle that happened to him was recognized by Vatican . * In Washington DC , he spoke using his dialect, Visayan language, but what came out from his mouth was English. * In China , Chinese understood his testimony although he spoke in English while Chinese understand only their language. * In Rome , when he spoke before the Cardinals and bishops from all over the world, he spoke in English but what came out from his mouth was Italian. Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, many believers are being called by Jesus and Mary to deliver messages to the whole world, and Bro. Stanley is one of them. All messages will accompany a proof that they come from GOD himself. Bro. Stanley's case is no different. There will always be a specific time, date, and location accompanying the message. God gives us every proof that the messages delivered are truly from them. Even the Vatican , which seldom accepts supernatural events, has approved the messages. It is really God's grace that has brought these messages to our ears. In 1993, there was a miracle that is not well known. The events surrounding it are undeniable, and because of its nature it is surprising that it never made International front page news headlines. It should have done! It never left the tight knit Christian circle, when in truth, it is God and so every human being has a right to be told. Stanley Villavicencio was born in Bais, Negros Oriental in the Philippines . He was raised a Roman Catholic and had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart (Divine Love) of Jesus Christ. It is a devotion that started when he was in grade school at the Sacred Heart Academy in Bais, Negro Oriental. He married a nurse, Melissa Gantuangco Villar and moved to Cebu in Mambaling. Close to his house was a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This had a great bearing on his decision to buy the house. Unfortunately, after moving, it was discovered that the chapel was portable, erected only during the fiesta celebration and was dismantled afterwards. In 1983, Stanley became Chapel President. A neighbor donated some land close by in order for a permanent chapel to be built for the Christian Community. Stanley was basically an ordinary man. In 1993, he was an employee of AVSECOM (The Aviation Security Command). He also became a member of the Perpetual Dawn Rosary Association in Cebu . In the Cebu Roman Catholic Community, there is a tradition that whenever a special family occasion occurs in a household, the head of the family receives into the home a large statue of the Virgin Mary. March 2, 1993 is the birthday of one of Stanley 's children, therefore, that morning, he was to receive the statue. However, when the statue arrived just before eight o'clock in the morning, Stanley was not up and so his mother-in-law received it. Being concerned, she entered Stanley 's bedroom. Stanley , the night before he retired, was perfectly healthy. But this particular morning his mother-in-law found him convulsing. was spurting from his mouth with incredible force. She felt his pulse which was too weak to detect. When she forced open his eyes, they were white. An ambulance was called and Stanley was taken to Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu . He was rushed to the Emergency Room. There, still bleeding profusely from his mouth and convulsing, he was injected with the maximum dose of Valium to try to stop the convulsions and slow down the huge quantity of pouring out from his mouth. The doctors ran all sorts of tests. They could not locate the source of the bleeding, nor any kind of illness. They took a test with the view of giving him a transfusion, but his count was normal which was medically impossible. It meant that his body was not short of , despite the fact he had lost so much . Stanley then slipped into a coma. His heartbeat became slower, his skin color turned gray and then he stopped breathing. He was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit, where a specialist inserted an Ambue Bag, the end - tracheal tube being placed through his nose, going down to his stomach. This was the only form of life support that the hospital had available. An I.V. drip was placed into a vein in his hand, running dextrose fluid into his system. However, very quickly, Stanley 's organs shut down. He was declared 'brain dead'. His family at first did not believe this. Mainly because Stanley had shown no previous signs of being ill and the doctors were unable to determine what was wrong. However, by the second day, the family prepared for Stanley 's funeral. His coffin was arranged, a burial plot, and a burial gown. By the third day Stanley 's had congealed at the bottom of his legs and feet and rigomortis begun to set in. Early in the morning on the third day, Stanley 's wife brought the burial gown to the hospital to prepare her husband. Neighbors gathered outside of the chapel to receive Stanley 's coffin. Flowers were laid out for the wake. A certificate was already signed. But Stanley came back from the , perfectly healthy, as if nothing had happened. While his heart was flat line and his brain , Stanley had in spirit met for the first time 'Jesus Christ of the Divine Mercy'. Now, the fact is, that all of Stanley 's medical records show that this had happened. He was first in a coma and then . Every sequence of his medical attention was, as is the custom, really documented. On investigation, these records were examined and all medical staff involved, questioned. Stanley came to England in the year 2001. Here, he very kindly gave an interview, in which he described the events and his experience during , and how after he was sent back with a mission. This is his testimony. No attempt has been made to edit Stanley 's account or accent: the way he speaks the English language. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----- Stanley's words: 'Before I will give my testimony, I just want to inform you that after what happened to me, I was just going around giving my testimony in my own dialect. You see, the Philippines is composed of more than seven thousand islands and almost every island has different dialect. The Philippines is divided into three major parts; Luzon , Mindano and Visayas. I belong to Visayas because I am living in Cebu . So I was giving my testimony in Visayas only, until one time Father Seraphim Mekalanco, the Spiritual Director of the Divine Mercy nationwide invited me to give a talk in Manila . At first, I am happy because I can go to Manila , but then a day before I was so worried because I do not know how to speak the dialect, because in Manila the dialect is Tagalog and I do not know how to speak Tagalog. I was worried and so I asked the Lord 'What shall I do?' Then the following day, early in the morning Jesus appeared to me, to my dream and said: 'Do not worry. Just do your best and I shall do the rest'. So I went to Manila and when I am holding the microphone to give my testimony, I am thinking my testimony in my own local dialect, and it came out in Tagalog. So they understand me. 'And now comes Father Seraphim, the Head of the Divine Mercy International based in Stockbridge , Massachusetts , U.S.A. He invited me to give a series of talks in the United States , Canada and Mexico and the problem is, I do not know how to speak the English. So again I was worried and because in Cebu , the owner of the University is a Divine Mercy devotee, so he instructed the English Department to translate my testimony from our local dialect to English and after several months they finished the translation. 'They give it to me and it is as thick as this! And they said to me, ' Stanley you memorize that'. And, I said 'No. I cannot memorize it anymore'. Then they said 'Ok you just read it' and I said, 'I cannot read it also because it is my testimony, if I will read it, it will be lifeless.' So I went to America leaving behind the translation and upon reaching the States I confided to Father Seraphim everything, so Father Seraphim was so worried because my first testimony will be at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington , D.C. And I will be speaking together with Mother Angelica, the audience is almost seven thousand. Father Seraphim was so worried, so I told him, 'Father don't worry. Anyway, I did not come to America to proclaim my mercy, I am here to proclaim God's Mercy'. So when I was holding the microphone, I am thinking of my own local dialect, but then it came out English and after that I already know how to speak English. 'What I am going to tell you is what happened to me. About my own personal encounter with Jesus Christ of the Divine Mercy. When you hear my testimony, I hope it will increase your faith, and that you know that there really is a God and that God is a living God. What happened to me, happened on March 2, 1993. That was a Tuesday and a birthday of one of my children. By the way, I had ten children, but now I have thirteen. And by the way, I am a member of the Perpetual Dawn Rosary. 'It is our practice that whenever there is an occasion at our house, we invite the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it is also our practice that whenever the Virgin comes into our house it is I who has to receive the Virgin. But on that day, when the Virgin is already in our house, whatever they do to wake me up, I cannot be awaken, so it is my mother-in-law who received the Virgin. 'At eight o'clock that morning, my mother-in-law said, she heard me moaning and moaning. So she tried to look at me in my room and she found me lying in bed. Trembling vigorously. coming out of my mouth forcefully. And it was the sister of my father-in-law, who is a nurse, was present, so attended to me immediately. And as she touches my pulse, she cannot find any pulse anymore - and as she touches my chest, my heart beat is already very slow. And when they open my eyes, both eyes are already in white, so they asked help from our neighbors and they brought me to Chong Hua Hospital . At Chong Hua Hospital , we have four specialist doctors and the doctor said that my chance of survival is one in a million, because my heart beat is already slow.' As I enter the Emergency Room I cannot breathe anymore, even with the help of oxygen, so they transferred me to I.C.U. or the Intensive Care Unit, so my breathing can be aided, or forcing oxygen inside. At the I.C.U. my trembling did not stop and the was still coming out from my mouth, so the doctor injected me with Valium to control everything. 'Because Negros Island and Cebu are just very near, so that day my relatives arrive. Among them is my father who is a doctor and my sister who is also a doctor and the cousin of my wife were already present. By the way, my wife is also a nurse. 'The following day, the doctors called up my wife and asked her permission to take me off of all the life support apparatus. So my wife called up our house and asked that my long sleeve shirt, for my burial be prepared. And my mother-in- law says she has a memorial plan and that her memorial plan is transferable. So she had it transferred to my name. Meaning, I will be the one using her coffin. And it also happened we had a reservation at the Queen City Garden Cemetery in Cebu, because when my father-in-law died in 1987, we bought three lots, so they process all the papers so they can bring me to the Queen City Garden . Meaning, everything is already ready. I have the long shirt to wear for my burial, I have already a coffin to sleep in, I have already a cemetery to live in. 'But God had a different plan, because my wife did not agree to remove the life support apparatus attached to my body. In fact my relatives, they take in turns to watch over me. But it is only my body present at Chong Hua Hospital , because I saw a light, a very big bright light, but not glaring. You can stare at it. It is like a fountain. It is like a fog as it slowly evaporates, until I notice someone is standing in front of me. And when I look at His face, I recognize Him as Jesus. 'As we are looking at each other, He raised His left hand and when He raised His left hand, the clouds above were sucked downwards and when they reach just above us, the clouds keep on turning and changes in color and when it stops it becomes like a video screen. And He showed me the film of my life, from my childhood up to my present. And I notice that every time I do good, it just goes on normally and I also notice that every time I commit a sin, suddenly it would go into slow motion as if He wants to show us that what we have done is wrong, as if He wants to show us that what we have done is a sin. And because I have also committed bigger sins, sins like what we call the mortal sin. 'Every time it shows up, suddenly it would stop, came closer and enlarged it. Then I said to myself, 'Why should this be included? There must be no word of sin saw in Heaven, because it is just too bad to look at, but even if I closed my eyes I could still see it. 'Also I notice that every time I commit a sin, I could feel the heaviness. I could feel the weight. The more I commit a sin, the more the heaviness, the more the weight. And I also notice that every time I do good, for example, if I give something to the poor, I could feel as if I were floating. So it is really true what is written in the Bible, 'That what so every you do to the less of your brethren, that you do unto Me.' 'And I also notice that the sins I did not confess to a Priest it is too heavy, and also I notice that the sins that I confessed to a Priest, it is lighter. And we cannot deny anything because the screen is so big and very clear and also the pictures are also big and below the pictures are written the day, the month, the date and the year. And below that it is also written the hour, the minutes and the seconds. So, we cannot deny anything, even the seconds are recorded. In fact, He reviewed my film three times and after our long conversation, He tapped my shoulder and as He was tapping my shoulder, He said to me, 'You go back now, because you still have so many things to do. You still have so many things to finish. If I have something for you or if I have a message for you, I will just appear to you in your dream.' 'After He say that, I was at the I.C.U. of the Chong Hua Hospital . Suddenly I got up. I could feel my body so light and my head suppressed. That when I got up, I removed the oxygen from my nose. After removing the oxygen, there is a tube going down into my intestine, so I slowly remove the tube because it tickles me. And after removing the tube, I slowly remove the I.V. from my hand and because there is a nurse who saw everything, and that she was so afraid that she ran away. In fact, she said, one of the heels of her shoes was broken. 'When the nurse returns she has other nurses, doctors and the technicians, they are all running and when they reach me, they put me to bed again. And one of the doctors put on his telescope and examined me and after a short examination, the doctor put off his telescope, put it beside him and he asked for another. Meaning, he did not believe his telescope. He was given another telescope and he put it on and re-examined me again and after a long examination, the doctor looked at my E.C.G. because every bed in the I.C.U. has its own E.C.G. And he said, since I was admitted at the I.C.U. my E.C.G. was just a straight line, but now they were so surprised because my E.C.G. was working normally and because the technicians were already present, so they subjected me to X-rays, laboratory tests and brain scan. And now, all the results are in negative, meaning, I am not sick. 'The doctors were all surprised and they asked permission to have another set of examinations, because they said there might be something wrong with the apparatus. We consented, and they subjected me again to another ultra sound, laboratory tests and brain scan, all except the X-ray. And again, all the results were in negative: meaning, I am not really sick. So the doctors said 'There is nothing now that we can really do, it is really a miracle.' When I woke up, I woke up at eight o'clock in the morning of Friday. If you will count from eight 'clock in the morning of Tuesday, to eight o'clock in the morning to Friday, that is exactly three days. And because of that, the media was alerted. The television, the radio and newspaper. And because our Church, the Roman Catholic Church do not easily believe in miracles, so it has to be investigated and the investigation was led by Cardinal Vidal of Cebu . 'Cardinal Vidal leads the investigation in March. At the middle of September, Cardinal Vidal released a letter confirming what happened to me. And he gives me an endorsement letter, so that I could give testimony around the world. 'One of the doctors who was assigned to me at the I.C.U. , he is not just an ordinary doctor because when he took his medical examinations, he got the highest score all over the country and when he entered the Chong Hua Hospital, he was awarded as the most outstanding P.G.I. doctor. He was assigned to me at the I.C.U. from the very beginning, until I woke up. And because he cannot sleep anymore, so he entered the Seminary to become a Priest, and now he is already a Priest. 'From March 1993 up to now, Jesus keeps appearing to me to my dream. That is also accepted by our local Church. Because my Spiritual Director is Msgr Chris Garcia. He is one of the most holiest Priests in Cebu and he is also gifted. He has the gift of inner locution (inner telepathic voice), meaning he can also talk to Jesus. But he cannot see Jesus. But Jesus appears to me, to my dream, where I can see Him, where I can talk to Him, where I can touch Him, where I can even embrace Him. And what is best for us! Every time Jesus appears to me, He also tells my Spiritual Director, so there is a confirmation. That is why, whereever I go, it is embraced by the Church. 'Also during my investigation, the doctors asked the Priest, 'Where does all that come from? ' The coming out from my mouth is with force and continuously for several hours and why there was no transfusion. (Blood count showed no reduced level of ). So the Priest prayed and after praying the answer that this coming out from my mouth is for cleansing. I have to be cleansed because I have to face the Lord - and they also said that is it also said in the Bible, that whoever sees the Lord will have to die, so I have to die. But because I have a mission, so I have to live again. 'Also they ask me: 'Why you? Why did Jesus choose you?' So I answered them. 'Maybe because I am nothing. May because I have nothing to be proud of except for my sins.' So, when I have a chance to talk with Jesus, I ask the Lord, 'My Lord, my God, why me? I am a sinner. I am a sinful man.' And Jesus answered, 'You cannot appreciate the beauty of My mercy unless you experience the misery of sin.' And so I accepted my mission. 'Also so many are coming to me, so I ask the Lord: 'My Lord, my God! So many are coming to me and entrust their problems to me, what shall I do?' And Jesus answered: Just let them pray the chaplet unceasingly and they will be guided.' 'That is why now, in the Philippines , the chaplet is very popular, not only among the Catholics but also the other Church dominions because there are so many miracles that have been attributed to the chaplet. For example: Several months ago, my Spiritual Director, Msgr Chris Garcia, he had a slight stroke. So he was admitted at the Hospital, and the doctor said that he had a brain tumor and that there is a virus in his brain and that he cannot open his eyes because it is too painful. We went to the Hospital and we prayed the chaplet of Divine Mercy, together with Msgr Chris, and after we prayed the chaplet, several minutes later, he asked for his laptop computer. So you see the power of the chaplet. The miracle of the chaplet. 'The following day, we prayed again the chaplet. The doctors re-examined him and found him negative of everything. So on the third day he checked out of the Hospital as if nothing had happened. Do you see the power of the chaplet? 'Also, one of our Divine Mercy leaders in the Philippines , his wife was ill early in the morning. So they brought his wife to Hospital. The doctors gave him a prescription to buy the medicine and because he has no money, so he has to sell his pig. And the buyer paid him for the pig, but the buyer said that he would get the pig the following day. 'But that afternoon of that very day, the pig refused to stand up and refused to eat. So, he was so worried, because if something happens to the pig, they will be in trouble because, they buy the medicine. So he called all his children and explained to them everything; that they have to pray the chaplet for the pig. So they prayed the chaplet for the pig. But at the middle of praying the chaplet the children were laughing. They were all laughing because they said it was better to pray the chaplet for a human being, but not for a pig. 'He explained it again to them. He explained it again and again. And on the third time that they prayed the chaplet, the children prayed intensely and they finished praying the chaplet. After they finished praying the chaplet, the pig suddenly stood up and one of the children ran and got some food for the pig and the pig consumed everything. And the lesson is, if Jesus answered our prayers for a pig, how much more if we pray the chaplet for a human being. 'We have another leader of the Divine Mercy in the Philippines . He has several acres of rice fields and because he is poor he cannot afford to buy fertilizer, he cannot afford to buy insecticide. So, what he did every morning, he would roam around his rice field and pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy, everyday! Every morning! And also every afternoon. During the harvest time, his neighbors were all surprised, because during harvest time his harvest is much more than those using fertilizer and insecticide. So you see the miracle of the chaplet! 'Where ever I go, so many would ask me how soon is Jesus coming back? Or is the three days of darkness really true? Is the chastisement really true? So I answered them. Jesus said to me 'Don't be afraid'. Jesus said to me, 'Don't be afraid because I will take care of your future. Blessed are those taking advantage of My mercy while it is still the day of mercy but beware, because the day of Judgment is nearer than everyone thinks.' 'I asked the Lord, 'What are the sins that You cannot forgive?' Jesus said, 'All sins can be forgiven except if you refuse to believe that your sin can be forgiven.' That is the sin He cannot forgive, because Jesus said by refusing His mercy you are also refusing to believe that He is a God. (That is a sin against the Holy Spirit). That is why Jesus said, 'Before I come as Just Judge I will open wide the doors of My mercy'. But Jesus continued that it is also written in the Diary of St. Faustina, that 'he that refuses to pass through the doors of My mercy will have to pass through the doors of My Justice.' 'Now, after a long while that Jesus is opening this door of mercy and after a long while He will close that door of mercy. Then He will open that door of Justice. And if He will open the door of His Justice who can enter Heaven? When Heaven is only for the pure, when Heaven is only for the clean. And who are the clean? And who are the pure? All of us are sinners. All of us are unclean. We can only enter Heaven through His mercy, through His love. Without God's mercy, without His love, it is too difficult to enter Heaven. That is why Jesus now is begging us to go out now and proclaim His mercy. Jesus also said, 'Proclaiming My mercy is not enough, you have to put mercy into action, by living as an example of My mercy.' He said, 'He who will save a soul will save his own.' 'I am not allowed by the Church to pray or to do healing or lay hands on anybody because Cardinal Vidal said I would just do my evangelization, (tell people what happened to me), because he said, 'there are some who are given the gift of healing, they will also continue their healing.' But then it cannot be avoided that during my talk so many sick people are attending, so Cardinal Vidal arranged a veneration to the image of Divine Mercy, so the sick people will ask directly to Jesus their healing, not through me because I am only a human being. After that, this image becomes a miraculous image, because there are so many instant healings and also sometimes when I give my testimony, people see lights. Lights coming out from His body. That is why there are some ripples in His body (of the image). The light has a heat and the heat destroyed the plastic. Because so many people will say Jesus is emanating lights and sometimes they say that Jesus gets out from the frame, and He will transfer right behind me and they say He is taller than me. And they said each time Jesus gets out from the frame, the frame is empty. And it not only happens in the Philippines . It also happened in Hong Kong , China , in Rome , in New York , New Jersey , all over the States and in Canada and Mexico . So it also happened in Ireland and so during veneration, (showing respect and appreciation ) , you have to ask Jesus what favor you want. Because, if what you are asking for is not against His will, He will give it to you. Especially, if what you are asking for comes from the depth of your heart.' End of Stanley 's words. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----- It is an amazing testimony. But did it happen? If so, was it a miracle? There is no doubt that medically what happened to Stanley took place. This part of his story is true. He was convulsing, pouring , went into a coma and then died. No doctor wants to take a very ill person off of life support equipment. The thing is, medical treatment is not free in the Philippines and law determines that no doctor can remove medical equipment without permission from the next of kin. Stanley 's medical records were examined, all hospital reports regarding him, and all staff involved in his care, questioned over and over again. The investigation first began when peoples talk was picked up by the media. It was given more credence, when a well known doctor resigned to become a Priest, because of what he saw medically, which he deemed as 'Impossible, a miracle, an act of God'. A person from the Philippines sent a telegram to Father Seraphim Mekalanco - who is the Director of the John Paul Institute for the study of Divine Mercy, appointed by Pope John 11. Father Seraphim received the telegram in Rome . He launched an investigation. Medical records were studied by Cardinal Vidal, Cardinal Sin, and twelve Bishops. Another person who independently examined the medical records was Paul Regan from Malden , who is the founder of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy For the Sick and Dying Institute, in America . The fact that Stanley had died, and woke in full health, with no brain damage is against all the science of nature. So, yes, this part can be termed a miracle. Certainly one that had the main doctor leave his profession and become a Priest. Certainly enough to have a whole nation's television studios and radio stations, halt every day at three o'clock in the afternoon, to pray the chaplet publicly. To have people of all faiths stop in the street at this time to pray the chaplet. Now, what we have to look at is whether Stanley is being honest about his spiritual encounter. What is convincing is that Stanley described both rays coming from Jesus as white, and not one red and one white as is in the image. The white ray is described as a washing of sin, as in baptism. But Stanley's account would have been obviously more convincing if he described the rays as they are shown in the image and as seen by St. Faustina; but, I think the fact he described seeing the rays differently makes his account more authentic; who would deliberately want to complicate a con? The other thing than makes Stanley 's account believable is that he describes some of the sins he committed and saw. He was President of the Chapel to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He saw himself pass the chapel seeing people inside gambling. He saw another time his neighbors in the chapel drinking and gambling and did not stop them. Another time, he saw himself inside the chapel drinking with them. This is not someone trying to show a 'holier than thou' image. Quite the opposite. Stanley himself received a request sent on behalf of Pope John Paul II to go to Rome . When asked what language he spoke to the Archbishops, Cardinals and Bishops, given that they were from all over the world, but each would speak Italian, Stanley was very firm that he spoke in English, not a mystical Italian that rose from the Spirit of God. The profound effect that Stanley 's experience has had on a whole country is the largest mark of authenticity. In the conversation he said he had with Jesus, he was told that the chapel was not to be used for any other purpose other than that for which it was built. Jesus requested, that the chapel be extended, and a new door was to be placed on it, in the shape of a large heart, representing His Sacred Heart. All the people of Cebu and surrounding areas, contributed material and labor to comply with this request. People of many religious dominions joined together to fulfill this task. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----- INTERVIEW While in England , Stanley offered to answer any questions asked of him. (Q) 'When Our Lord appeared to you, did He appear to you just as in the Divine Mercy Image. How did He look?' (A) 'When you are in front of Jesus, you cannot just totally describe Him, because He is everything. When you are looking at Him, you cannot describe your happiness, your satisfaction, the peace and everything. In fact, you forget your family when you are in front of Him. All of the pictures of Jesus, there is likeness, but not totally, not exactly, but there is likeness, but you cannot just totally describe Him when you are in front of Him.' (Q) 'How would Jesus like our future? What would He like us to be, a part from the Commandments? How would He like our future to progress as years go on? What does He want us to do with our lives?' (A) 'That is why He said that now is the time for mercy'. (Q) 'Yes, but with all the problems we have had in Society, with contraception and abortion?' (A) 'Contraception and abortion! All that is a sin. That is why Mary is crying with already. That's a sin. That's why for example, last night, four ladies approached me and they said after my testimony, they said they are planning for an abortion, but after hearing my testimony, they changed their mind, because they said they do not want to see their films, that the other one their own child.' (Q) 'Could I ask you, did you actually see Jesus at the gates of Heaven or did you actually see Heaven?' (A) Cardinal Vidal said that it is the Garden of Eden, because, it's a garden and in it all beautiful flowers. That is why Cardinal Vidal described it as the Garden of Eden.' (Q) 'Did you actually see that yourself, or just the clouds and the light?' (A) 'I see it yes. It is the Garden of Eden. By the way, Jesus said to me that we have to pray for His beloved Priests, because He said: 'They are My precious jewels and some of them cause My Heart to bleed. But I will bless them abundantly, in time, and in eternity; much more if they will stay longer in the Confessional, because it is in the Confessional that My mercy flows greater than all the sins committed by any living creature''. (Q) 'How do we ask our Priest to promote the Divine Mercy? Should we do it very quietly or should we implore him to promote Divine Mercy?' (A) 'Give the Priest some real stuff he can learn, because some of the Priests do not promote Divine Mercy because they do not understand Divine Mercy. You have to inform them, and give them some literature that will guide them. And, you have to pray and ask Our Lord's assistance because we cannot change a person, only God can change a person, so we have to pray'. (Q) ' Stanley , because of this Divine Mercy, especially in the Islands of the Philippines , is there a great change in the Philippines ? Do they now keep the Sabbath holy?' (A) 'In the Philippines , at three o'clock in the afternoon, all the television stations, pray the three o'clock prayer, and also all the radio stations. And, not only the Catholics are ringing their bells, but also the other Church dominions, because I have also given my testimony to other Church dominions, so at three o'clock every body is ringing their bells and also I find it surprising that the Malls especially in Cebu and Manila, at three o'clock, they would stop and pray that three o'clock prayer. The Feast of Mercy will be celebrated throughout the universal Church. Jesus promised that the souls who are in a state of grace (been to Confession) who receive Holy Communion on that day, at the Feast of His Mercy, will be granted complete forgiveness of sins including their punishment, meaning after the Feast of Mercy, whatever happens to you, you will go straight to Heaven. Because even the punishment is forgiven. Because, when we go to Confession, when we go to a Priest, our sins are forgiven, but the punishment remains. That is why when we die we cannot go straight to Heaven, we have to pass through Purgatory to pay for the punishments of our sins. But during the Feast of Mercy, all the sins and the punishments are forgiven, so that's a very wonderful grace.' (Q) ' Stanley , what does Jesus think about other religions and other non-Christian religions? Hindu's and al l different religions?' (A) 'Well, God's mercy is for everybody, not only for Catholics - because if Jesus is given the choice, He wants all mankind to enter Heaven. But only man loves so much the world, that he does not want to accept God's mercy. He does not want to return to the Lord. In fact, they are just denying their sins.' (Q) 'Does Jesus want us to approach people in our work places; strangers, non Christians, to tell them about Divine Mercy? If so, how does He want us to do it? Because it is very difficult to go up to a stranger who does not believe in God or does not know Jesus and try to tell him about Divine Mercy.' (A) 'We can do it. We can do it by being an example. We have to show them, that's why Jesus said: Put mercy into action. For example, you visit the prisoners and you explain to them God's mercy. And also at hospital, tell them and you give them the chaplet and you teach them how to pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy. You can do it, because the chaplet is welcomed by other religions, because God's mercy is for everybody, not only for Catholics. That's why Jesus said that we have to multiply our prayer for the sinners because Jesus said that the sinners do not pray for themselves anymore. So we have to increase our prayer for the sinners because their salvation depends on us.' (Q) 'If those of us who have celebrated the Divine Mercy Sunday, in a state of grace, if our video is shown to us when we die, would it go back earlier or would it begin at the last Divine Mercy Sunday?' (A) 'Others would also ask me, if your sins are forgiven, it is also forgotten with the Lord, that is true! But during the of the film, you will see everything, because Jesus wants us to see how sinful we are. But then He will forgive us and that is a sign of mercy and it is mercy itself, our film, showing us how sinful we are, then forgiving us. That it mercy itself!' (Q) 'Does Jesus speak to you about His Mother?' (A) 'Yes! He always do. That's why He said we have to pray the chaplet and the rosary unceasingly, as our last weapon against the enemies'. (Q) 'One of the problems is the difference between the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and having the image over our fire places, and Our Lord asking for the image of Divine Mercy. Sometimes, the two seem to be in conflict and some prefer the Sacred Heart and some prefer the Divine Mercy?' (A) 'For me it is not conflict. Before what happened to me, since I was a kid I am already a devotee to the Sacred Heart, until I grew up, until I got married. In fact I built Sacred Heart Chapel, just in front of our house. That's why Jesus said, because I ask Him the difference: Love: Love is the Sacred Heart. Love is the flower. Mercy is the fruit. Because you do not have mercy if you do not have love. So love and mercy go together.' (Q) 'You talked about the time of mercy and there is obviously a time table, because seventy-years ago on February 22, this image was seen for the first time by Saint Faustina. The Holy Father himself is special because his mission on life is to bring in the time of mercy. Is there a time table that Jesus has for mankind? Because I have heard from radio shows in America, that's not to say prediction, because the time and the place is known only to God, but we are obviously in these final times. What is expected of society when the Holy Father decreed Divine Mercy Sunday in the year 2000, and the Bishops are indifferent to it, because the decree has gone out to the Bishops and therefore they are the ones to instruct the Priests and they wont. We people are basically having to listen to the Bishops and the Priests, but if they don't speak of Divine Mercy or follow the Feast for us to celebrate, how do we raise that up?' (A) 'We raise it up by giving more information to the Priests. Because some of the Priests do not understand Divine Mercy because they have not read about Divine Mercy, so we have to inform them. We can give them some leaflets, but before giving them information, we have to pray for them, that they will accept it, because, as I said, we cannot change a person. That's why we have to pray harder. And also, you see, Divine Mercy devotion is for salvation, saving life, saving souls. That is why the other side is also working the wolf. The other side, will also work double time because what you are doing is saving souls.' (Q) 'Does Jesus say anything about the Scriptures?' (A) 'He did not mention it to me.' (Q) ' Stanley , how long were you ?' (A) 'I was clinically for three days. 'By the way, because I am often asked about that three o'clock prayer in the morning and the three o'clock prayer in the afternoon. Because last year, when I give my testimony at the Vatican in front of all the Cardinals and Bishops, there were twenty-six Cardinals and fifty odd Bishops. One of the Cardinals asked me, 'What is the significance of the three o'clock prayer in the morning. Because there are so many answered prayers at three o'clock in the morning.' And I answered, 'That is the time of His Resurrection. ' And the Cardinal stood up and said that this was true, that in the Book, Jesus and Mary met at four o'clock in the morning. So they said, He must have resurrected at three o'clock.' (Q) 'Can you tell me, what was your illness? What did it consist of?' (A) 'Before what happened to me, I am just going good. I have no illness. I am very strong. This is why, after what happened to me, when I woke up, my wife was so stunned. She cannot believe it. So I went down to the billing section and paid the bill. Then I drive the car in going home. That's why one of the Bishops in the Philippines commented that what happened to me was just an emergency meeting with the Lord.' (Q) ' Stanley , when you were at the Vatican talking to the Bishops and Cardinals, was the Holy Father there as well?' (A) 'No! He was scheduled to attend, but he was so tired and ill at the time.' (Q) 'With the Cardinals and Bishops from all over the world, what language did you speak in? Italian? (A) 'English'. (Q) 'Italian?' (A) 'No! I said English'. (Q) 'When Jesus was preparing you for this trip to England , did He say anything to you about the people of England ?' (A) 'Yes. People of England are very dear to Him, but then much of them cause His Heart to bleed, because England is losing faith. That is why I am here, to increase faith. And now you heard from me. Do not keep to yourself, you have to multiply. Jesus said that if you save a soul, you save your own.' Stanley continues to travel around the world, telling of the amazing event that happened to him and fulfilling the mission that Jesus sent him back to earth to complete, That is, to teach the message of Divine Mercy. To His apostle, Saint Marie Faustina, Jesus made a promise in regard to both the image and the praying of the Divine Mercy chaplet. He gave conditions. What is prayed for, is prayed with a contrite heart. That it is not against His Will, in other words, it is doubtful this promise could be used to gain power and riches, which would be an abuse of His gift. He tells us that when the chaplet is prayed for a dying soul, that soul will receive His mercy and not His Justice. In away, when a promise is given to us from Heaven, then God because He is Just, is obliged to keep it. PLEASE PASS THIS TO YOUR FAMILY, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, FRIENDS ... even to your ENEMIES, etc...

Today's Readings

How are you folks? Hope your Monday is a good one! I just thought of sharing this inspirational words from from my inbox before I delete it...thanks to arcamax for forwarding it to my mail..have a great and blessed day to all!!

Preach The Gospel!

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Philemon 1:6,7 NIV
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Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:8,9 NASB
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Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:26,27 NIV
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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

The STrong Bond of FaiTh

I don't how is this really called..but I would say a sharing or a sermon perhaps...The important thing is the lesson that it brings to us...keep reading!

The STrong Bond of faiTh

We have many times heard the saying that “blood is thicker than water.” These words of wisdom tell us that there is nothing that could rival natural family affinity in binding persons. It is to the family that we go back to so that we may find our life’s bearing amidst life’s ups and downs. Our family is always our haven, our refuge, our reference point.

Going through life, though, we learn that not all family members and close blood relatives are reliable allies. Many times we have also heard how siblings go against each other in scandalous court cases. Serious political differences and ambitions brought bloodbath to persons who are supposedly of the same ancestry and lineage. In contrast, we hear how non-related couples who just met in Marriage Encounter weekends refer to one another as “Tito,” “Tita,” “Brother” or “Sister.” We witness how Christians who meet in renewal groups, such as the charismatic movement, greet each other with sincere embraces of fraternal love and concern. Members of these Christian groups claim that their relationship with one another have made them even closer to each other compared to their not-so-casual relationships with their blood relations.

Indeed, our spiritual ties of faith in Jesus do not only make us come close to God in prayer. Necessarily, true faith builds up our friendships into deeper ties conditioned not by any financial or material considerations. Faith makes us more open to sincerely share our experiences, our trials and triumphs. Faith makes us more generous to give and receive, even beyond the guarantees of material resources. Faith makes it more possible for us to forgive and to ask forgiveness in the face of human frailties. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP from Kyregma

Story of my Nephew

I believed, this story from my nephew is quite touching. My sister whom I chatted last time from Cebu told me about this. My nephew named Raven John stayed for some weeks in the province in Cebu where my parents live. One time he heard my Mother and Father having some arguments..The small child who is around 4 years old, heard the word "Deputa" which is a bad one, some sort of "S" or whatever bad one.....My nephew approached my Grandfather and told him....."Lolo (Grandpa) , I heard you talking bad word, Isn't deputa a bad word Lolo...Don't say it again!! Mama said it's not good to say bad words!!

Sometimes we just learn when a small kid talk..I guess it is always the parents who need to discipline their children especially in a very young age. In this time of childhood, children need to be taught already with what is good and proper. I am just thankful that my sister, the Mother of Raven John who is also a teacher did her best to give her children the proper discipline and attitude in their early age!!!
Sis Jing...keep up the great job as a Mother!!!...I know you can do it!!Just keep praying for the best!! ! I miss you all there in the Philippines...can't wait to see you all next year!! I love you all!!God bless us all!!

AN UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE

I am just sharing to you this very beautiful story forwarded by a friend..I hope that we can get some insights from this...have a nice day to all..

here is the story...

An unemployed graduate woke up one morning and checked his pocket. All he had left was $10. He decided to use it to buy food and then wait for death as he was too proud to go begging. He was frustrated as he could find no job, and nobody was ready to help him.

He bought food and as he sat down to eat, an old man and two little children came along and asked him to help them with food as they had not eaten for almost a week. He looked at them. They were so lean that he could see their bones coming out. Their eyes had gone into the socket.

With the last bit of compassion he had, he gave them the food. The old man and children prayed that God would bless and prosper him and then gave him a very old coin.

The young graduate said to them "you need the prayer more than I do".

With no money, no job, no food, the young graduate went under the bridge to rest and wait for death. As he was about to sleep, he saw an old newspaper on the ground. He picked it up, and suddenly he saw an ad vertisement for people with old coins to come to a certain address.

He decided to go there with the old coin the old man gave him. On getting to the place, he gave the proprietor the coin. The proprietor screamed, brought out a big book and showed the young graduate a photograph. This same old coin was worth 3 million dollars. The young graduate was overjoyed as the proprietor gave him a bank draft for 3 million dollars within an hour. He collected the Bank Draft and went in search of the old man and little children.

By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone. He asked the owner of the canteen if he knew them. He said no but they left a note for you. He quickly opened the note thinking it would lead him to find them.

This is what the note said: "You gave us your all and we have rewarded you back with the coin" Signed God the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. 1 Kings 17:10-16; Matthew 11:28-30

Have you given all to Jesus Christ? If you haven't, do so today and he will surprise you.

> PRAYER:

>

> Here is your financial blessing! It's a simple prayer, you've got 30 seconds.

>

> If you need a financial blessing, continue reading this e-mail.

>

> Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God,

>

> I pray to you that you abundantly Bless my family and me. I know that you recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother, husband and wife, but all Who believe and trust in you.

>

> Father, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the person who sent this to me, but for Me and all that I have forwarded this message on to. And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in you is more powerful than anything.

>

> I thank you in advance for your blessings.

>

> Father God, deliver the person reading this right now and those who will read it in the near future from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and walk in Your word and have the faith of a Mustard seed that You will pour out blessings.

>

> I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come Because I know You are not done with me yet.

>

> In Jesus name, I pray,

>

> Amen

Bible Readings for today

THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL

“Make every effort to supplement your faith…with love.” – 2 Peter 1:5-7

Nora abandoned her baby right after she gave birth. Jenny joyfully adopted him and named him Max.
As Max grew up, it was Jenny who provided for his needs. She took care of him when he was sick, showered him with affection and taught him everything he needed to know.
Max knew that Nora gave birth to him but who do you think he considers his real mother?
My answer would be Jenny.
The story is fictional but it can easily be true. We become who we are not by the titles we acquire but more so by our actions. As Christians, we should not be satisfied with just learning about Jesus but instead, we should be ready to put our faith into action. Cecil Lim

REFLECTION:
There’s a wealth of difference between knowing you’re a Christian and actually living like one.

Lord, may Your example lead me to show my love for others in concrete actions.


1st READING

God is not stingy the way He apportions His gifts. We need never doubt that He will give us all that is necessary to accomplish His will. However, scholastic theology tells us that His grace works upon nature. For the grace to bear fruit, we have to provide a fertile environment for it to grow and be nurtured. In other words, when it comes to looking at the various fruits our life bears, we have to do our part in cooperation with God’s grace.

2 Peter 1:2-7
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. 4 Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, 7 devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.

P S A L M

Psalm 91:1-2, 14-15b, 15c-16
R: In you, my God, I place my trust.
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 14 Because he clings to me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress. (R) I will deliver him and glorify him; 16 with length of days I will gratify him and will show him my salvation. (R)

G O S P E L

We cannot avoid our time of judgment. It is not meant to be something that scares us into doing one thing or another, but it is a reminder that the choices we make have consequences for which we are responsible. This should be enough incentive to avoid sin. However, we should never forget that the true motivation for good works is love of God and neighbor.

Mark 12:1-12
1 Jesus began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. 2 At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. 5 He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. 6 He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What [then] will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this scripture passage: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?” 12 They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

my reflections
think:Sin should be avoided not just because it has consequences, but out of true love for God and neighbor.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S WILL

I think we have all experienced times when we have spent a lot of energy preparing something for someone else only to find that they chose to do the task another way. It seems they lacked gratitude and have been rude. The situation in the Gospel is a much worse situation than this. Imagine how the owner of the vineyard must have felt when the evil tenants killed his son. The parable is really about the way each of us has neglected to follow the will of God in our lives, and have allowed sin to take over to a large extent. This is not part of God’s plan for us but because of His mercy, He does not condemn us but calls us to repent and refocus our lives on Him.
It is important for us to take the time to reflect upon our lives once in a while, and see whether or not we are being faithful to God’s call. This will give us the chance to repent of our sin if there is any and maybe just simply re-align our life direction if we are not yet in serious sin, but are headed in that direction. As the old saying tells us: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. So many of our difficulties and trials could be avoided if we spend a little more time honestly reflecting upon the direction of our lives. The challenge we face is one of a disciplinary nature. Can we commit ourselves to something as simple as a daily time of reflection in order to check where we are going?
I am told that if a person can repeat an action for 30 days without missing one day, then he or she is very close to having developed a habit. It sounds easy enough but when you try it, I am sure you will find that it is not that easy. If you miss the 25th day, you start back at one. Let us see if we are able to develop the habit of a daily time of reflection or recollection in order to keep our lives on the path that’s in accordance with God’s will.Fr. Steve Tynan

Reflection Question:
Do I already have the daily habit of reflecting on my life direction? If not, am I willing to try to develop one? I think the effort is worthwhile.

Holy Spirit, help me with Your grace to be committed to examining my life daily, and give me the strength to do what is necessary to keep my life in accordance with God’s will.

Sts. Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs, pray for us.


kyregma.com

My prayer and confession

I couldn't sleep last night. I was thinking of some things. Sometimes our lives are just full of trials and temptations. We are being tested how strong our faith is. I know and I believed, God is always there for me whatever comes my way.

It is my first time to be faraway from my husband for quite couple of weeks, well for quite 2 months anyway. I am missing him right now. I realized that I really love my husband and will never leave him.

It also comes to our life sometimes that we never realized something or someone that is valuable to us unless he/she/it is gone.

I am in a sin city right now. A city surrounded with lots of temptations like gambling and a lot more. You can find it here anywwhere. well, I guess some people also visit this place to fulfill their needs for flesh and earthly desire. I cannot judge these people doing things like these. Besides it is their choice in their life. It is just sad sometimes why values and morals are already forgotten and no longer remembered.

I am not perfect, but I always try to be one. I always try my best to do things that are according to my own belief and instinct to be in good moral. I am a Christian, a Catholic. I believed in God. I had been to a lot of trials, pains and temptations in life...and I know that God is always there protecting me and guiding me to the right path. He never leaves me.

I just keep on praying that God will continue to guide me in all my undertakings. That is why we are given the intellect and free will to choose between good and evil. All we just need is to use it wisely.

I hope and always pray that God will always give me and all of us the guidance and belief to do things that are according to God's will and not the earthly things.

I pray for those family who are falling apart, may God will help them realize the value of family. I also pray for all people who badly needs God's help, the poor and the dying, the sick and unemployed, all the victims of calamities and man made disasters, may God bless and protect them.

I also pray for my friends, relatives and especially my family and love ones. May God will continue to give them good health always and free from all harm and danger.

Lastly, I want to thank God for all the blessings and the graces He had given to me and my family...I am most thankful especially for the gift of life and all gifts of nature, our talents, faculties and abilities, thank you so much dear Lord for everything!!


ps...can't really think of the right title of this post...hope the one i gave fits!!

Acceptance

I believe life is about acceptance. We can sit back and moan about the raw deal life has given us or we can accept the cardswe have been dealt and make the most of them.So many times people have asked me how I cope, and truthfully I have days when I wonder myself amongst the chaos and confusion that life in our household involves.

I have three children. One is autistic; he is beautiful, smart,and intuitive in a way that is unique, frustrating, difficult to understand and I love him.Another child is undergoing testing for a rare endocrine disorder which may mean that he will be steroid-dependent to stay alive. It has been a long time since I have been able to see him glowing with the health and vitality that we took for granted six months ago.

I could reject the cards that God has given me but to do that would be to deny myself the part of me that I am most proud of, my children. They may have problems that others see as too big or too difficult, but they are mine. I see their beauty and their love not just for their family but the greater world around them.

The way they look at the world, the beauty they see and the gifts that they bring to my life daily make it very easy to accept the cards dealt to me.For anyone out there who is going through difficulty and having trouble seeing the beauty that is there in all our lives, please have hope and find some time even if for just a few minutes to count the multitude of blessings that God has given us in so many ways.

The issues that are concerning you may not go away; but by accepting them into your life as a part of it and remembering the multitude of blessings we receive in other ways helps you to grow stronger. It is so much easier to accept the blessings but strength and peace comes from accepting both the blessings and the challenges we are given.

~A MountainWings Original by Sue N., Australia~
mountainwings.com

Bible Readings

PENTECOST SUNDAY

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues. – Acts 2:4

During a mission trip to Vancouver, our hosts told us that God gave us a chance to rest first and have some form of recreation. So they toured us around the city.
I will never forget our day on Grouse Mountain. Grouse Mountain is the peak of Vancouver, just 15 minutes away from downtown, but with a 1,250-feet elevation. The place is fantastic. From the top, we could see the entire city, the mountains and the sea. Coming down from the spectacular spot, we had an additional treat — a cable car ride.

I noticed that all who were riding our car had a different nationality. People spoke in their own language. It reminded me of the scene at Pentecost. I felt like I was in the Upper Room with the disciples of Jesus experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and everybody was speaking in tongues! It was a bit strange hearing all the unfamiliar sounds, but something deep inside me knew that everybody spoke of the beauty of God’s creation.

I looked outside, saw the splendor of God’s work and let my own spirit sing: “How great is our God, sing with me. How great is our God, all will see how great, how great is our God….” Arun Gogna

REFLECTION:
Let your heart sing today of how great the Lord is in your life.

Thank You, Lord, that I can speak and sing to You. Amen.

MORE THAN RELEASING A DOVE

Why are doves released during weddings? Most of the time, the response I got to my queries are shoulder shrugs and long stares. Some people sometimes manage to mumble incoherent and confusing explanations. Well, I am sure there could have been a very good explanation for this wedding ritual. It is just that along the way, the stories of origin and significance have been lost. The ritual was carried through and passed on without much thought about its true meaning. This is, of course, sad.

How about Pentecost? We know it to be the commemoration of Jesus’ release of the promised Holy Spirit to His apostles. In Christian art, this Holy Spirit has been portrayed as a dove. What difference does this have with the wedding ceremony of releasing doves?

The Church has always proclaimed in her kerygmatic — her core teaching — that the heart of the life of Jesus was His passion, death and resurrection. And in the Church’s renewed appreciation of the liturgy, the Church sustains that Pentecost, not Ascension Sunday, is the end of the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Sacred Scriptures is witness to this: that the end of Jesus’ ministry was that He might send us the Holy Spirit. The latest and most reflective of the Gospels – St. John’s – testifies that during Jesus’ last moments on the Cross, He did not only breathe His last — Jesus “handed over His spirit” (John 19:30). And when His sacred side was finally pierced, “immediately blood and water flowed out” (John 19:34).

The Holy Spirit is more than a dove. The Holy Spirit is the breath of the Father and the Son; He is the love without end between the Father and the Son. Therefore He is God as the Father and the Son, the power and dynamism of the Trinity. This is then what Pentecost brings us: the opening of heaven, the empowerment of every Christian with the very life and power of God. Pentecost is then known as our birthday as a Church — a community of believers charged and empowered to continue the task of Jesus. Fr. Domie Guzman

Reflection Question:
As you make your prayer time today, spend a good time asking Jesus for a renewal of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in us the fire of Your love.

Blessed Albert of Bergamo, Dominican tertiary, pray for us.


1st READING

Mary is with the disciples at Pentecost. As Mother of the Church, it is appropriate for her to be there. Having given birth to the Son of God, He also chose her to be present at the birth of the Church. As we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit today, let us be aware that we stand in a tradition of God’s work with a people who are His own. It is our privilege and responsibility to carry on that work.

Acts 2:1-11
1 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. 2 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. 3 Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6 At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, 11 both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

P S A L M

Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R: Lord, send out your spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! 24 How manifold are your works, O LORD! The earth is full of your creatures. (R) 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD be glad in his works! 34 Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the LORD. (R) 29 If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. (R)

2nd READING

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are many and varied. In fact, lists of the gifts appear in the Scriptures several times, particularly in the writings of Paul. These gifts are to be used for building up the Body of Christ. No one has a monopoly on all or even any one of them. They work best when used within the context of the Christian community. Let us seek to be generous in how we share our gifts with others.

1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
3 Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6 there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. 12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

G O S P E L

Jesus breathes the gift of the Spirit on His apostles. This act harks back to the scriptural text where the Spirit of God hovered over the chaos of the deep and brought forth the creation of the world. It give us an indication of the power of the Spirit who is being given to us. Through the Holy Spirit we partake in the power of God Himself — a preparation for union with Him in eternal life.

John 20:19-23
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

my reflections
think:Am I generous with my spiritual gifts?

kyregma.com

Bible Readings

Feast of St. Joseph the worker

TOUGH ACT FOR CONRAD

“A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown and by his own family.” – Matthew 13:57

My friend Conrad (not his real name) recently became a lay minister. Now 52, he and his wife, Emily, have three teenage kids. Ten years before he became a lay minister, Conrad hardly went to church. He smoked, drank heavily, swore a lot, and sometimes bullied his children.

Then one day, Conrad and Emily were invited to attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar and they were spiritually renewed. Conrad stopped smoking and drinking, dropped the bad words and struggled to be a better father. He was a changed man. On the first Sunday that he served as a lay minister, his children, though proud of their father, hesitated to receive Holy Communion from him. “Coming from Dad, the host might not be effective,” they said in jest. Well, if it would console Conrad, he is not the first person to suffer such a rejection. In today’s Gospel, Jesus, who never had to clean up His act, was rejected by His own family. So to all the Conrads out there, remain faithful to your ministry.

Rejection will come and go, but God’s acceptance is forever. Bo Sanchez

REFLECTION:

When the going gets tough, the tough remain faithful.

Lord, when I am rejected, cheer me up.

THE VALUE OF WORK

May 1, “Labor Day,” was instituted in 1889. It is a red-letter day for Communism. As a system of thought and analysis that developed in reaction to the Industrial Revolution in Europe, Communism wanted to underline the fact that given a number of people who invested capital on machines that increased productivity and trade, the laborers who man the machines and the industries remain to be vital contributors to productivity. Therefore, they argued that profits should not just be for the capital owners. Aside from the day wages that is due to them, the manual laborers must be part sharers of the profit.

In 1955, Pope Pius XII established the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker to coincide with Labor Day. This gesture shows how the Church also values the basic rights of workers. In the Gospel, we can see how, even during the time of Jesus and His legal father Joseph, there was the tendency to belittle manual labor. Initially impressed by Jesus’ eloquent and authoritative teaching, the people later remarked: “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is He not the carpenter’s son?”

While the Communists define the value of labor in terms of political and economic considerations, the Church invites us to appreciate labor and work in terms of the following values:

l VOCATION – Through labor and work, we give meaning to our existence. We realize that we are not just here to waste time and to occupy space. We have a unique role to play; we have contributions to make in our world.

l STEWARDSHIP – Through labor and work, we show the highest accountability for all the talents and abilities that nature and education endowed on us.

l SERVICE – Through our labor and work, we employ our talents and abilities not only to make a living, but to meet the needs of others.Fr. Domie Guzman

Reflection Question:

What work are you engaged in? What keeps you going in your work? What sense of meaning do you find in your work?

Lord, give me the grace to value the work I do. May my labor always glorify You.

St. Andeolus, martyr, pray for us.

1st READING

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. It would be good for us to remember the plight of workers and laborers throughout the world, particularly those who are not paid a just wage for their labors. Let us all pray for justice in the workplace —a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Employers ought to ponder on this as they will also be required to give an account of their practices on the Last Day.

Acts 18:1-8

1 Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them 3 and, because he practiced the same trade, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convince both Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. 8 Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

G O S P E L

Sometimes we tend to ignore the plight of those in need—either because we are ignorant or we fail to realize the full significance of a their suffering. This is not a valid excuse in our time of rapid world communication. If we are aware that a multinational company does not enforce fair work-practices in its factories then we have a moral obligation to shun their products. This may be inconvenient to us but it is better than profiting from the injustices imposed upon others.

John 16:16-20 (or Matthew 13:54-58)

16 “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ [of which he speaks]? We do not know what he means.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”

my reflections

think:What can I do to battle injustice?

kyregma.com