chastity crash course p.3 // what's lust and love got to do with it?

"All we need is love", sang the Beatles. "Love makes the world go round", said another song. Everybody says "I love you".

But what do we really mean when we say "love"? Mary Beth Bonacci observes the following...

"I love pizza. I love my parents. What’s the difference? What am I really saying with these last two statements? When I say I love my parents, it means that I want the best for them, that I’m willing to sacrifice to give them the best. When I say I love pizza, I’m just saying I love pizza. Do I have a relationship with pizza? Am I saying that if pizza has a problem, I’ll be there for it? (What?! No pepperoni?! I’ll get there!) Once I’m tired of pizza, I pretty much don’t care what happens to it."

Pope John Paul II explained, "Love is not merely a feeling; it is an act of will that consists of preferring, in a constant manner, the good of others to the good of oneself." In other words, love is more than a feeling and not judged by the intensity of the emotion. We must strive to know what’s best for others and decide or commit ourselves to bring this "good" to others.

Pope John Paul II clarifies that the opposite of love is not hate, but using. So what does it mean to love, and not to use? Let’s read what God said, "Love one another as I have loved you. (Jn 13:34). So how does God love us? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." (Jn 3:16). What did Jesus say in the Last Supper? "This is My Body which is given up to you..." Love seeks to lift the other person up towards his/her good, not bring him/her pain, depression, loneliness, anxiety or addiction.

So how can we find real love? When we sincerely give ourselves for the good of others. The Church said "Man cannot fully find himself, except through a sincere giving of himself (Gaudium et Spes)". Real love is focused on the other, pizza love is focused on self. Isn’t that beautiful?

Let’s try to see how much we understand it:

LOVE
= committed or uncommitted?
= faithful or unfaithful?
= live-giving or life-less?
= life-long or temporary?

PIZZA LOVE / LUST
= generous or selfish?
= deep or shallow?
= sensitive or insensitive?
= pure or impure?

Of course, love equates to the left options, and lust equates to the right options.

So...
Loves gives to the other. Lust uses the other.
Love treats another person like a person. Lust treats another person like an object.
Love cannot exist apart from its source, God. Lust is sexual desire apart from the love of God.
Love is honest and life-giving to all persons involved. Lust is devious and ultimately destructive to all persons involved.
Love seeks to do what is best for the other. Lust seeks to please the self.


Next in this series...
What does chastity mean and where does it place in sex and love? Why is abstinence not necessarily chastity?

i was not in a homicide

I think the distinction between murder and homicide, and how the court differentiates their degree of seriousness is remarkable.

Murder, which is pre-meditated, is definitely more serious than homicide, which is somewhat more of a spur of the moment type of thing.

But it also makes me worried, for it makes me realize that I am a murderer and not a homicide participant. Why? Because I am fully aware that with the sins I am committing, I am putting God on the cross to die. And yet, here I am, falling into sin time and again.

So yes... it was me... I murdered an innocent man!

My restitution is to die to my old life, and live the new life that God gives me. I wonder how many more years it will take before I finish my sentence.

prayer of st. francis of assissi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

better than french bread

Ever wondered how things would be if we lived in the time when Jesus walked the world? I mean, how would it be talking to Him, touching Him, and listening to Him right then and there, face-to-face? Even a song that's not really religious asks, "What if God was one of us?"

What if He's within one-meter radius? Would you ask Him who His favorite actor is, or what his favorite show on TV is? Would you ask Him to heal you, or fill you with water that will never make you thirsty again? Or how about asking Him to feed you a million breads from one loaf? Whew! Now that would definitely be something.

But wait a minute! Hasn't your neighborhood priest or anyone told you that Jesus is still hanging around? I know you'll probably think he's speaking of God's spiritual presence in every place you go to, but have you ever considered that what he/she is speaking of is God's physical presence? I mean not just Jesus looking over you, but Jesus truly beside you? - Jesus "with" you?

Well, if no one has told you that, let me be the first one to tell you - God is still here on earth, available for all of us to look at, listen to, and touch more than we can imagine!

Now some may say, "Hey, I never see Him on TV. All I see are actors who portray Him. I'm sure CNN, ABC or even Fox News would be talking about Him if He were here. Where the heck is the presence you're speaking of?"

Well, the presence that I am speaking of is talked about daily, at almost all points in the globe and at any time in your watches. If you really haven't heard a lot about it, "You're missing a lot!"

As Saint John Chrysostom said, a lot of people are asking about where Jesus is, or what does He sound like, but He is here, for you to touch, to listen to, as a source of nourishment and healing.

So how's that? During the Last Supper, Jesus uttered the words that made all who believe in Him receive Him more fully. "This is my body...This is my blood," He said. No mere symbols there. It's really Him! He didn't say "This bread is my body, or this wine is my blood." They were no longer bread and wine, but body and blood! Now if you know who Jesus is, you know He can't possibly lie about that.

And you know what, He asked His Apostles to do what they have done, which is receive God's body and blood, in remembrance of Him until the end of time. After all, Jesus said, "I will be with you always." And so through Apostolic succession, or through handing down the authority God bestowed to His Apostles, we are able to see, hear and touch God's Real Presence here on earth. We can be sure that until He "returns", He is still with us in a very real sense.

Want to see Him, tell Him something, or touch Him right there and then, face-to-face? Chances are, you do! You even place Him inside of you each time you go to communion.

Now if you know that what you receive during the Holy Mass is Jesus Christ Himself, not any mumbo-jumbo symbols, would you not do everything to prepare and receive it? I mean, if that would mean the greatest ever you can have, would you still take a billion dollars in exchange for it? After all, Jesus said that unless we eat His body and blood we could never be saved.

Or would you not treat it with greatest respect and reverence? If you've been wishing all your life to show and tell Jesus everything you've ever wanted, what you know He is worthy of, isn't this your chance? No sense asking those silly questions again now that you know God is still physically present to you.

Now how about the way you treat your closest friends? Ever noticed how easier it is to get along or be closer to those people you don't just talk to through phone or letters, but be with physically? Or ever noticed how much easier it is to get to know or understand those which are with you in the physical sense?

While it is true that God is everywhere, God is not physically present everywhere. God understands how much this presence is important that He gave us the Holy Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist. Knowing this, would you say you'd just talk to Him anywhere although you have the opportunity to do so? Would you tell your neighbor that you'd always just talk to each other on the phone though you're free to visit him?

While prayer outside the real presence is great, praying to God face-to-face is far-out! Just as the saints say, the more you expose yourself to the Eucharist the more graces you receive. And I don't find that hard to believe since almost all, if not all, of the saints and holy men place special reverence and devotion to the Eucharist.

I can't possibly over emphasize how great this gift is. I'm even sure I didn't say enough about it. I just hope that each day you're made to choose between God and the world, between the Eucharist and any bread, you'll choose God, you'll choose the Holy Eucharist. After all, it's far better than French bread, even if you put some cheese on it! So don't just stand there. Go to Jesus already. Tell Him or ask Him something. Better yet, listen to Him.

a sign of contradiction, the light of the world

When Jesus was still walking our world, people kept asking, “Who is He that He does those things? Who is he to say that? How dare him?”

To most people, He was a sign of contradiction. For them, He was someone who didn't conform to what the world was saying. He was someone who spoke against the world even if it meant death.

In that regard, yes... we can call Jesus a sign of contradiction, but not because He was childish enough to pick a fight with those who didn't get Him. It was because He was showing us what it means to be a light to the world.

God has given us infinite love, He has given us grace... and with this comes the responsibility of sharing the light. Again, not because we want to start a fight, but because we want others to see, to understand the love and the light that we have received from Him.

God is not asking you to punch those who choose to live a different life, but He is asking you to always live your Christian life, to tell others of His greatness and to stand up against evil even if that means being unpopular... That even through these small ways you will be a living witness for Him... And together with Jesus, be a light of the world.

empty or rich?

Growth in spiritual life requires continuous sacrifice, for it is sacrifice that gives us grace... and it is grace that brings us closer to God. As St. Teresa said, the more we sacrifice, the more we open ourselves to God's grace. And let us not forget, God's grace is infinite.

But these sacrifices sometimes leave us with a feeling of emptiness, of being stripped down of what we have.

We may lose our friends for standing up for God when they are choosing to live a different life. We may find ourselves hungry when we give what we have to those who need more than we do. We may find ourselves feeling empty when we see everyone around us living a grand life in materialism. Everyone around us may have all the material riches of the world, and we may find ourselves having none.

But let us not forget what we gain in our sacrifice. Let us not forget the grace that we receive. Let us not forget God, who enters our lives. If we forget, then we have gained nothing with our sacrifices. If we lose sight of the reason of it all, all of the sacrifices are in vain. And that is a greater loss.

So press on. Continue to run the race. For even if you have losses, what you gain is infinitely more than what others offer. You may feel empty, but you are actually rich, for you have the source of all richness in you.

surprised and cautious // 2011.08.24

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Reading today's Gospel, I can't help but wonder what would've happened if Nathanael didn't heed Philip's words, "come and see". They were telling him that they met the Messiah, and all he could think of was "Can anything good come from Nazareth?". Fortunately he came and see.

A few verses after, we suddenly hear him say, "you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!" Wow! That change of heart was quick. Makes one smile reading Jesus' words, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?" In other words, did he believe just because he saw something spectacular? Fortunately, it was really the Son of God whom he met.

Sometimes we're like that. We jump to a conclusion and think "that's it!" without even really looking deeper to find out what the truth is. Or sometimes we see something fascinating and immediately fall on our knees as if it's the greatest thing that ever happened.

Jesus reminds us that He comes to us in the unexpected. Let us not take for granted even the smallest things that enter our lives. At the same time, He also reminds us that He is much greater than any miracle. Unless we see that it is really Him, let us not jump from the boat only to drown.

Look around you and be surprised by the beauty of God's work. At the same time, do not be swayed off Him by mere eye candies. What He offers is much greater than the malicious pictures in pornography, or even the riches of this world.

our job is not to look at the cover // 2011.08.23

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As the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. It may have the best designed artwork outside, the best quality paper and cleanest cover on it, but if the words inside have no meaning, what use do we have of it? Jesus uses a very creative image to put it in today's Gospel... "you clean the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence."

If we'll think deeper, the image also goes the other way. The book can have the lamest cover, but the content can be the best thing you can ever read. The cup and dish can be dirty outside, but it can be full of love and selflessness.

What then should we do? I don't know about you, but I'd listen to James when he said, "There is only one lawgiver and judge... who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:12).

I always say it and will never get tired of saying it... It is God's job to judge, and not ours. Remember our reflection last August 19 for Matthew 22:34-40? Our biggest job is to love!

with ears, with heart, with conviction // 2011.08.22

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It's inspiring how Paul spoke of the Church of the Thessalonians: "For our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction."

It's amazing how the Thessalonians not only listened to the God's word with their ears, but with their hearts and everything in them, and with much conviction! Their lives tell us that following God isn't impossible, and should push us to persevere with ours as well.

But Jesus also warns us what happens to those who listen only with their ears, and act as if they have nothing to do with God, even harming others as they do so. Jesus has three words for them... "Woe to you".

How about you? How do you listen to God's word? Or have you even taken time to hear it?

certainty without division // 2011.08.21

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It amazes me that every year, thousands of new churches spring out. All of them claim to be Christians. All of them claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit. And yet, not all of them are saying the same thing. What then is a Christian to do? How can one be assured which of the two completely opposing interpretations are correct? How can they be sure they are not doing something God doesn't approve of? Fortunately, God loved us more than enough to make sure we have the capability to love Him the way He should.

As Catholics, we believe that God protects the Church from committing error when it comes to doctrines and morals. This means that God will never allow His Church to proclaim something wrong as a definitive truth. We call this the doctrine of Infallibility, and today's Gospel reminds us of this gift.

Confused? Not sure how to make sense of your faith? Not sure what the Scripture is really saying? God gave us the gift of assurance through infallibility. Study what the Catholic faith is really teaching and find in it God's word properly revealed and understood.

not driven by senseless hype // 2011.08.20

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"The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you."

That sounds very privileged, right? Wouldn't it be nice to have people follow you? Isn't it convenient to be in their position? And yet Jesus reminds us that it is not power nor position that brings honor to men in the eyes of Christ -- "he greatest among you must be your servant".

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saint Bernard. If you'll read his story, you'll know why the Church gave him the honor of being called "Doctor of the Church". That reason behind that honor is something he could've celebrated and shown off in all the conferences and debates he attended. And yet, he remained quiet, not wanting to show off and even interested in the applause of the people.

Bernard was a defender of the faith. He made it his business to ensure people understood it completely, but he never lost site of what the law is all about, or what it meant for him to be God's messenger. A lot of people call him the man who fell in love with God, and it was this love that drove him to follow God and proclaim His word. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jesus and Bernard also remind us that it should always be love that drives our life, and it is this, not our position or following the law to the letter, that will define who we are. But let's also not forget Jesus' command for us to follow God's Word, regardless if the people who deliver them are way out of their proper orbit.

it's all about love and love // 2011.08.19

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As much as we are saddened by the antics of the Pharisees, their question to Jesus in today's Gospel is a good one: "which commandment in the law is the greatest?"

Jesus' answer is worth quoting in whole...

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

Jesus mentions the word love in both the first and the second. Basically, the greatest commandment can be summarized by one verb... love! He goes on further by saying that all the rest depend on this. Therefore, whatever we do should be guided by love.

Do you follow God's commandments? As you do, never set aside the greatest of them, as that is what puts meaning to your actions.

don't drag the party down // 2011.08.18

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I love parties and get togethers. It's just not the same when you're with people who share the same passion and have laughters with them. I don't know about you, but I always get my spirits up when I'm with my friends.

There was a time however when I wasn't in a good mood and I wasn't interested at all at what's happening. I wasn't just not contributing to the fun, I was dragging them down for no valid reason with how I was acting. Sadly, I have to admit that I ruined that rare reunion because of my selfishness and pride.

It's the same in today's Gospel. The hosts were in high spirits, even willing to invite strangers in an intimate affair just to celebrate and share their joy with everyone. Unfortunately, some people didn't care what the event was. They were in a wonderful festivity. What reason then should they have to stay?

Fortunately, all of us are invited in God's party. Would you be part of the festivity, or would you rather stay down and drag others with you?

happy with little or miserable with more? // 2011.08.17

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One of my previous jobs was for an IT company. I was part of a startup team with members of various experiences, and it didn't take long before we found out each other's salary. It also didn't take long before I started hearing people complain about how little they are getting compared to other members of the team. It didn't break the team, but it did take a lot of the team spirit for quite a while.

One of us didn't say a word when salary was the topic. He didn't give a complain or give any hint of dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, he was also one of those whose salary people haven't found out about. People jumped to conclusion that he was getting a lot, thus the silence. It didn't help that he was as jolly as ever every time he's in the office. It took everyone by surprise when we found out he was actually getting the least amount of salary compared to the rest of the team.

My friend had little compared to others, but he was able to smile everyday, content with what he asked for and without any extra baggage weighing him down. Would you rather be in misery by constantly measuring your worth and happiness against others even when you are getting what you asked for?

not worrying about the treasure to get it // 2011.08.16

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Jesus tells us very disturbing words in today's Gospel... "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God". It is understandable that the Apostles question if someone will even be saved.

Why? Because they are well aware that we look for gain more than giving. We focus more on being rich than on helping our brothers and sisters.

What then should we do? Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:28-29... stop your worrying and let God take care. Jesus assures us that those who look beyond this world will be rewarded with more. More importantly, He assures us that nothing is impossible with Him.

It is not that Jesus wants people to poor, but He does want people to focus on God. The problem with most people is that they fall in love with the wrong god when they start looking at the world and the false riches it offers.

How about you? What are the blessings that you receive? Are you sharing them with those in need? What is your treasure? I hope it is God and not something else.

gift from surrendering // 2011.08.15

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What beautiful words Elizabeth had for Mary, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Today, we celebrate the solemnity of Mary's assumption. As Catholics, we see Mary as our perfect model of complete trust and abandon to God. I'm sure our blessed Mother was faced with a lot of fear and challenges, but that didn't stop her from giving herself to God.

Most people think it was a no brainer for Mary, that she was given a wonderful gift no one could ever refuse. But those people are missing the point completely. God will only give what He gave Mary if that person has a clean heart, but most of all, if that person has love. And it is that love, that made it the most difficult thing for Mary, for it is that love that gave her infinite pain seeing her Son die on the cross.

But Mary saw beyond that and trusted God. It is not only that she would conceive without "knowing" Joseph that she had to trust God with. It was also that she could carry Jesus, not only in her womb, but also in her heart. It is this trust that made her cry, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."

How about you? Is it love that inspires you to follow and trust God, or is it the gift? Mary saw beyond the gift and received more that we can expect. I pray we don't lose sight of the giver, just because we were too focused on the gift.

assured not by what's dealt but by the Planner // 2011.08.14

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Reading the first half of today's Gospel for the first time can make someone hate Jesus. How can he turn away from the woman in need, especially if it's her daughter who's tormented by God's enemy, the demon? St. Paul tells us in the second reading that God is a god of mercy, and yet how can Jesus do this?

Reading the rest of the Gospel, we see Jesus suddenly change and healed the woman's daughter, praising the woman's great faith. Just what did Jesus see? He didn't see someone who approached Him just as a mere alternative to heal her daughter. He saw someone who would gladly take whatever God would give, regardless if they were "scraps", for she knew Jesus and was willing enough to trust Him completely.

Isaiah reminds us in the first reading that the house of God is a house of prayer for all peoples. Those who know Him enter this house with joy despite their sacrifices, for their faith assures them of God's infinite love.

How about you? Are you focused on what life has been dealing you, or are you much more focused on knowing God and what His wonderful plans are for your life?

don't be afraid of your Father // 2011.08.13

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The Israelites were like children who were once lost and recently found their way. They immaturely rebuked God and refused Him despite the miracles He did for them, but after letting God touch their lives, they now know better.

I find it exciting that after so many years of strife, they now willingly choose to follow God despite Joshua warning them about what it means -- i.e. He is a jealous God and demands full attention.

Jesus invites us to enter this mystery of love and surrender which the Israelites did in Moses' time by telling us that even children who people find as immature and lacking discipline and intelligence should not be prevented from coming to Him.

Are you like the Israelites... lost, fearful, and struggling? Listen to Jesus' words... "Let the children come to me."

sex and celibacy... blessing or curse? // 2011.08.12

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There is nothing wrong with sex, and there is nothing wrong with celibacy. When in the right context, they are avenues of grace, but both in the wrong context can be a curse, than a blessing.

Jesus first speaks of marriage. He makes it clear that what God put together as one flesh, no man can separate. There is no room for divorce simply to marry another. There is no room for pre and extra affairs. If you are incapable to do so, than marriage is not for you, and going against this is doing so at your own peril. Jesus warns them, it is better that they not marry.

Jesus also talked about those who decided not to marry. It may be because they chose to do so, or it may be because they were forced to (probably by a past tragedy in their lives). Jesus made sure we're aware of the beautiful reason... for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.

The world teaches us to have sex for pleasure, or that celibacy sucks. Jesus reminds us that whatever your state of life is, not having God is a "dead life", for He is the source of life. Married? Learn and share God's love through your family. Single? Learn to give yourself to the world with a smile. Be Jesus to the people around you, and be blessed immensely!

mercy given is mercy shown // 2011.08.11

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One of the things Jesus teach is for us to forgive our brothers and sisters, our friends and our enemies, relatives and strangers. But how difficult it is. We easily find ourselves asking for mercy from God and from others, but how difficult it is for us to see ourselves forgiving those who hurt us intentionally or unintentionally.

But we won't be able to understand or grasp God's mercy unless we learn to forgive others even when the wound they have given us leaves a lasting scar that keeps us suffering. O how big the pains we give God with our sins and lack of love, and how great the love and mercy He gives us despite our wrongdoings. We can't even compare the things our neighbors do to us to the things we do to God, and yet He is there with open hands, waiting, calling us to come to His sweet and warm embrace.

God revealed His love and mercy. He revealed how to come to know Him as a God of love and mercy. He doesn't leave us by ourselves. When will we show our love and mercy to those whom He has given the same infinite love and mercy? If they're good enough for God, they should be good enough for you.

scripture study p.6 // assured of Divine Inspiration

Sacred Scripture is divinely inspired. This means that all Christians believe that it is the Word of God, and thus is free from errors. But what is our assurance that it is, in fact, divinely inspired?


a sublime message... it moves

Most Christians would say that the Bible is inspired because it has a sublime message that attracts people to God--it moves them. But this is not sufficient to prove inspiration. For one, most non-Christians can't make much sense of Scripture when they read it. More importantly, if this is the case, then your favorite book that influenced your life--other than the Bible--can easily pass as divinely inspired.


the Holy Spirit tells me

The immediate question is "how do you know it is the Holy Spirit?" Remember that even the devil can deceive you as it does to well-meaning people who joined cults. The growing wealth of interpretations of the Bible supposedly also guided by the Holy Spirit but are completely in disagreement with one another makes you realize that this argument easily translates to "this is how I feel about it." Without any clear criteria, anyone can also claim inspiration about any book, misusing the "Holy Spirit" as their justification. The Holy Spirit is not confused to say different things opposed with each other.


God's men and their pen

Others will claim that the Bible is inspired because they were written by Apostles and prophets chosen by God. This would be good, but we must realize that not all books in the Old Testament were written by prophets, and not all books in the New Testament are from Apostles. There are even books whose authorship is uncertain for both Testaments.

This argument still fails if we pertain to God's men as His disciples. Why aren't other books of that time not included in the list? The epistle of Barnabas is one example. How about the works of St. Augustine? He was a bishop and one of the Early Fathers responsible for confirming the New Testament Canon, yet his works--as inspiring as they are--were not considered divinely inspired as we see Sacred Scripture.


Scripture says so

Most Christians will say that the Bible is inspired because the Bible itself says so. "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16).

But the New Testament didn't even exist completely during the time this verse was written, and no writer claimed that what they were writing were inspired by God. More than that, any book can have a text in it that says "this is the divinely inspired word of God" and that won't automatically make it so.


Scripture is historically reliable

One thing we can all be certain of is that the Bible is historically reliable. Homer's Odyssey and Illiad, as well as works by Plato and Aristotle have manuscripts that never exceed one thousand. The Bible has over 6,000 manuscripts of the original Greek and Hebrew, and has over 40,000 of its early versions (Latin, Aramaic, etc.).

Modern geographical discoveries prove that the historical events mentioned in the Bible did occur. Even the chariots and bones of the Pharaoh's men who died in the Red Sea while pursuing Joseph are now discovered. In addition, manuscripts of that time that support the Bible's historical authenticity have also been discovered.

What all of these say is that we can be assured that apart from divine inspiration, the Bible is a document that contains historically sound information.


Jesus founded a Church

Looking at the Bible in purely historical terms, we see the figure of Jesus in it. This Jesus claims He was God. He can either be mental or a good man who devised a plan to trick men into believing He is God. But all of His words were true. His wit and intelligence does not fit a description of a crazy man. Above everything else, He rose from the dead, and no strategist can ever do that. The only logical rationale we can arrive at is that what Jesus claimed is true. He is God.

What did Jesus do when He was still on earth? He established a Church. The Bible and written works of that time attest to this. The overwhelming witness of the early Fathers leaves no doubt to this. This Church was given teaching authority and was promised protection from inerrancy in matters of doctrines and morals.


the Church tells us so

At this point, we have still considered the Bible as a purely reliable historical book that shows Jesus as divine, and as establishing a visible Church--the Catholic Church--that is protected from errors.

How do we know the Bible is the inspired Word of God? Because the Church tells us so. With the grace of God bestowed upon her, she teaches with full authority and infallibility that the Bible is divinely inspired. It is God's Word. There is no spiral argument since we started with a purely historical book that cannot be contested.

Thus, outside the Catholic Church, there is no real or definitive assurance that the Bible is inspired. Does this give us a reason to boast? No, it rather gives us more reasons to dive even deeper into Scripture as our non-Catholics do. Remember, to one more is given, more is expected.


Next in this series...
Now that we have sufficient background, how do we read the Bible? What methods and principles are required to be able to interpret it?

i'd prefer to be crazy // 2011.08.10

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If you'll think about it, Jesus sounds like a lunatic. Consider what He said in today's Gospel:

whoever loves his life loses it

It's difficult to make sense of those words when we all know that we lose when we give. If we have a hundred pieces of bread, giving away half of them to others will not leave us with 200 pieces of bread. If we give away our lives to others, than it is the recipient that gains, and not us, right?

But Jesus speaks of another life. He speaks of something else to gain. He speaks of so much more than what we can think of. The problem lies in us seeing life as merely what the world tells us life is.

Life is not about gaining. Life is not about success. Life is not about getting rich or being popular. Life is not about getting all that you want. If you see it that way, than yes, Jesus is crazy. But He's not.

If we want to live life to the fullest, we need to follow God's word. But to do that means to have faith in Him, to have complete trust and abandon to Him. As I always say, it is not our job to worry. Let God take care of everything. Just follow His words and let Him surprise you.

convenience killed the child // 2011.08.09

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Mother Teresa once said, "Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants."

And yet the world appears to have accepted it. It remains a horror that hundreds of babies are aborted every minute! That's hundreds of thousands every day! With that statistic, Adolf Hitler would probably feel like a saint.

What's even surprising is that 76% of those who took abortion were afraid that having a baby would change their life, and only 1% had an abortion due to rape or incest. Let me translate that in case you missed it... most people get an abortion because it's convenient!

Mother Teresa reminds us that "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."

But abortion may not be legal in your country. It may not be rampant or tabboo, but a final warning before we end this note... 54% of those who took abortion used contraception.

life is only to get close to God... nothing else matters!

“Life is only to get close to God... nothing else matters!”
Venerable Tescelin

If I can capture that thought in my whole life... in everything I think and do, I am ready to die. We often miss that point, but it is the only point we should consider -- we are here to be closer to God! If you value other matters, that is your loss.

it's what's best for you, and not what's best for God // 2011.08.08

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It's quite ironic to hear Moses say the following...

fear the Lord
follow His ways exactly
love and serve the Lord with all your heart and soul

and then follow it up with...

which I enjoin on you today for your own good

How can giving it all we've got be for our own good? How can making sacrifices and putting others first be looking after our own? How can focusing on God actually mean taking care of ourselves?

Moses reminds us that God owns the highest heavens, the earth and everything on it, and yet He chose to give His love to us. He doesn't need any of us, and yet He chose to take care of us even when we turn our backs against Him. Doesn't that tell you that what He wants for you is not best for Him but best for you?

As Moses said, think about it.

in the whisper than in the earthquake // 2011.08.07

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We always equate God with power. When we think of God, it's much easier to remember Him dividing the Red Sea, or with the ten plagues. We picture Him with thunders and loud sounds of the earth shaking before His presence.

But today's reading shows us something different. A strong and heavy wind passed. An earthquake and a fire came. And yet, God was not there. Then a tiny whispering sound came, and Elijah knew he is in God's presence.

We have the same challenge in our time. We are tempted to look for God in what the world tells us we need to achieve. We look for God in success, money, popularity and the likes, only to find ourselves still empty.

Elijah reminds us that the Lord has a gentle voice that asks we silence ourselves to listen. We have a God who seeks intimacy rather than show of power and majesty. We have a God that teaches us that love does not require grandeur, but an open heart that seeks to know Him more and more.

i'm no longer the wimp afraid of ghosts // 2011.08.06

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I was afraid of ghosts when I was growing up. So does my children and my friends. Somehow I feel ghosts can do anything they want and I'm powerless to stop them. Thus it's easy to jump when I hear a voice in the dark, or run out of fear when I'm alone. There's just something about things we don't readily sense that makes us cower.

It's amazing that Peter, James and John were not afraid when they saw Jesus "shone like the sun with His clothes becoming white as light." They weren't afraid when they saw Moses and Elijah, because they were speaking to Jesus.

But when "a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.'”, things changed immediately. They were suddenly very much afraid.

Where did the voice come from? Why were those words uttered? Who is this man before us? Jesus tells them, "Rise, and do not be afraid." But how can they be not? They still didn't understand what happened.

Pope Benedict reflects the following before he became Pope:

But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who once gradually unveiled his countenance first to Abraham, then to Moses and the prophets, and then in the wisdom literature—the God who showed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth. He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love.

After Pentecost, we see Jesus' disciples afraid of nothing. They even cast out evil spirits with much gusto! What changed? God's mission was successful to them. The voice they once feared is now someone they intimately know -- someone they know intimately loves and looks out for them. How? Because they finally got it that they have come to live with Jesus -- they have come to live with God.

How about you? Afraid of ghosts, evil men or the challenges you face? If you let Jesus enter your heart, there is nothing to be afraid of. Rise, and do not be afraid.

more than His power, i will praise God for His love // 2011.08.05

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It's easy for most of us to say that there is a God who loves us. It's easy for most of us to say God created the world, and God is great. That's not debatable for a lot of people.

In today's first reading, Moses reminds us that God has done a lot of great and marvelous deeds. They are indeed jaw dropping moments, but it struck me more to read this line than the others...

"God personally led you..."

It's easy to say God is powerful, great and marvelous when we've been taught of His wondrous deeds since childhood. But most of us miss that line and its meaning. And what a great miss that is!

We don't have a far away God. We have a personal God! A God who wants to walk with you personally whether you're in hard times or fun times. A God who wants to be with you, if only You'll let Him.

Yes, He is mighty. Yes, He is powerful. But it is not fear that He wants most. It is your love. For me, that is a greater reason to stand in awe and love our God. As the Bible puts it, who are we compared to Him, that He is mindful of us (Ps 8:4)? And yet He still chooses to do so!

When was the last time you talked to Him? Spill your heart to God today and let Him know how you are doing, whether good or bad. Spend time in silence too, and let Him surprise you with His gentle yet warm voice.

judas was a friend, and peter was satan // 2011.08.04

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Me and my friend's favorite poem from a book he gave me...

God is mysterious.
Adam and Eve messed life up.
Jesus called Judas "friend"
and Peter "Satan."
Jesus was crucified.
And you thought this was going to be a picnic.

In today's Gospel, Jesus asked His disciples who He is. People back then and people nowadays would readily have their own answers, but it takes more than words to answer that... it takes more to really know and understand Jesus.

How about you? What's your answer? Have you taken time lately to get to know Him really well, or do you only have empty words as an answer?

it's the orange juice... not the tumbler // 2011.08.03

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My daughter loves to drink orange juice in her favorite tumbler. Of course it's the juice that she loves, but she got used to drinking it from her favorite tumbler she thinks any juice in tumblers other than hers is not orange juice. Of course, this gets frustrating when you don't have her tumbler, she needs to drink her juice but refuses to do so because she doesn't believe it's the drink that she loves.

God had the same problem with the Israelites in today's first reading. God showed them what He promised them, but instead of trusting what God told them, they focused on how they perceived things and not how God perceived the situation. How easily they lost faith when things didn't go their way. God was finally fed up. "How long will this wicked assembly grumble against me?"

Contrast that to the Canaanite woman in today's Gospel. People back then got used to the idea that only the Jews deserve to be blessed by God. It was unthinkable for Gentiles in Jesus' time to approach a Jew for assistance, much more a "rabbi". And yet we find a woman who understood Jesus more than anyone else.

Jesus tested her faith. Of course He wouldn't forsake someone who humbly asks for help, but He wanted to show His disciples what faith was all about. Jesus rebuked the woman and even compared her to a dog who only eat scraps. But great faith only believes; it doesn't complain. Any blessing from God, for people with faith, is an infinite joy. She had no problems eating scraps if that meant receiving God's blessings. No demands, no conditions. Just like how God loves us.

The Israelites who failed to trust in God died in the desert. The Canaanite woman who had faith despite being rebuked got what she asked for. My daughter still loves drinking the juice she loves in her favorite tumbler, but that doesn't stop her from drinking it from any glass already. She's grown to be a mature girl, and knows that the tumbler is just a bonus, and shouldn't prevent her from drinking what she really needs.

How about you? How much do you trust in God despite how your situation tells you otherwise? Will you receive the grace He is giving whatever form it is in, or will you remain a brat who will remain unnourished?

God speaks to everyone, but do you listen? // 2011.08.02

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Miriam and Aaron complained, “Is it through Moses alone that the LORD speaks?
Does he not speak through us also?”

Admittedly, it does sound like a fair concern. Do they not serve God as well? Do they not give their lives to Him as well? Why then is it only Moses that goes inside the tent to speak with God "face to face, plainly and not in riddles"? God saw through them, and gives three reasons why this is not the case:

- their concern came from jealousy, speaking against Moses who is a man of God

- Moses has earned God's trust, being meek and ever mindful of God, while they only thought of themselves

- Moses spoke God's Word and yet they spoke against him with malice

Aren't we like Miriam and Aaron most of the time? Instead of being inspired by seeing others sacrfice themselves for God, we try our best to find fault to be against that person instead of giving them a helping hand to succeed in their work for God. We focus on others, versus looking at ourselves and trying our best to follow God's will. And most of all, we focus on God's messenger and why we'll refuse him, versus focusing on God's word.

Moses wasn't perfect, but he gave God primacy. He focused on God and not on himself, trusting and following God even when the Israelites were really out of this world. It would do us good to focus on God's word, versus finding excuses just to make us feel good by thinking we're better than him/her.

God has many ways to talk to us. How can we expect to hear His voice, when we don't even care about His words?

Moses almost failed but it didn't matter // 2011.08.01

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People nowdays are very troublesome. They only think of themselves, and don't consider whether others could be hurt by their words or actions. It makes it difficult to do good to them, much more love them.

Moses had the same problem with the Israelites. He has done everything God asked him to do, and was happy that his people are finally free. Suddenly, they kept complaining and complaining and complaining... and complaining. All throughout their journey, they kept finding things to complain about, and in today's readings, it's about them not being able to eat meat. Apparently, they'd rather be slaves and eat meat, than be free and sacrifice for a while until they reach their destination.

Moses got fed up. How can he serve people who are not even grateful, or people who don't even understand how much God has blessed them? How can he speak to people who don't attempt to know their God? He'd rather die than go through helping the people he now finds troublesome and real pains in the neck.

What did God do? He told Moses, "Is that all they ask? Don't stress yourself and lose 'Me' just because of them" (paraphrase mine). God gave the Israelites meat.

Peter somewhat had the same episode with Jesus. He wanted to be part of Jesus' miracle and asked that he walk on water too. Peter took courage and did as was asked, but got afraid immediately when things didn't go as he wanted. What did Jesus do, He took him by the hand and saved him from drowning.

Aren't we like Moses and Peter mose of the time? Are you getting tired of the people around you? Do they seem hopeless? Or are you tired of the problems happening to you? Do you feel hopeless? Feel free to tell God, but more than that, listen to what He wants you to do. Let Him worry. As Mother Teresa said, it is not our job to be successful, but to be faithful.

it's not what you have but who you are // 2011.07.31

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Most of the studies or surveys made by consumer magazines or by analysts say that we are consuming more of "this and that" than we did before -- that we are making use of something more than we ought to. A TV set is almost considered a basic need by most people. Quite simply, the "if you don't have this or that, you're nothing" attitude is slowly settling in our midst without most of us even noticing it. It sure is causing a lot of craze, but we're all somewhat taking it lightly.

One of the reasons why most people find it hard to believe or realize how much God loves them is the way our world teaches us that one is measured by what one has or what one can give. The words "the more you have the more you're loved" are not so hard to hear these days. Is this how much our God really loves us?

I don't know about you but if someone died for me, I sure won't doubt that person's love for me. But the funny thing is that there was a long length of time when I knew someone who died for me, and I treated Him just like another person I pass by along the streets. And I guess it's because I've heard it so many times since I was young that I took it lightly. But when I heard someone asked me what I would do if a person died while saving me from drowning, things got different. Hello... Jesus died for you... don't just stand there and say duh!

If you feel enthralled by the idea of someone dying for you by the sea, the more enthralled should you be to realize that Jesus died not only for your life here on earth but moreover for your eternal life on the cross - and at a time you were ignoring Him, even hurting Him. Hey, He loves you so much He gave His life for you. And you weren't even asking Him to do that for you. What else can you do but love Him as well with your whole heart.

Tomorrow's Monday. Things usually start that day. I picture most people planning for the whole week either that day or this day. What am I gonna do? What am I gonna buy? To what will I waste my money and time this week? Where am I gonna throw my life to?

I don't know what most of you will answer to those questions, but I sure hope and pray that you'll be giving your life to the person who asked His Apostles to give the people something to eat when He saw that they were in need. I beg you get what God gives for free...His unconditional love.

how easily we kill ourselves for petty things // 2011.07.30

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Herod wasn't exactly a holy man, but somehow he still knew the difference between left and right. He wanted to kill Herod but knew doing so was the wrong thing to do. It may be for the wrong reason of his people possibly hating him if he killed someone they see as a prophet, but the point is that he decided to let John the Baptist live despite his inclinations to do so.

Unfortunately, one of Herod's "gods" in the form of Herodias and her daughter challenged him to do the wrong thing. Despite him deciding it was not right to kill John the Baptist, his weakness to his gods -- women and his pride -- he went on to order John the Baptist's death. He was distressed, but he gave in nonetheless.

Aren't we like Herod sometimes when temptation comes in? We hear our own voice whispering to ourselves phrases like "I'm already cornered, I have no choice", "but it feels so right, maybe it isn't wrong even if it's clearly a bad move", or my personal favorite, "God would understand." We give in to our "gods" and easily forget who the real God is. We forget what really is good for us.

There is an old saying, "evil happens when good people do nothing". That phrase holds true to ourselves as well. We fall into evil if we let ourselves be drawn and trapped into it. Let us be weary by always remembering God in our hearts and in our thoughts.

the real deal superhero

Following the parade of superhero movies like Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Thor, Green Lantern, and most recently, Captain America, it can be fun to imagine Jesus flying around like Superman, with the voice of Darth Vader and mind-manipulation powers of X-Men's Professor Xavier. Now that would be evangelization par excellance, reaching to the far ends of the earth... and way beyond.

That's a little too sci-fi for me, but being God, I don't see any problems with him doing so. Not only would that be more effective and a lot faster, it'll also drop the jaws of his flock in awe. That's evangelizing with pizzazz!

But before we stroll into the far ends of fiction, wishful thinking or what could've been, let's step back to reality... a far better reality!

Jesus chose twelve Apostles and some more disciples. Nothing might look spectacular there, but here's the catch... They're not even the scholars of their time, and neither are they famous for having the greatest of strength nor wittiest of tongue. They're just plain men who simply loved Jesus. For crying out loud, some of them are even great sinners before they met Jesus.

If we think about it, it really doesn't make sense. It's crazy and a waste of a wonderful concept compared to the super fantastic option of the superhero Jesus above. But God still chose to do it that way. Why?

To name one, to show that His grace is enough to conquer the world! Just look at what those not-so-great followers did in God's name! Look at how Christianity reached people from the four corners of the earth! If you'll ask me, that's definitely grace in action! But wait... Doesn't that make God the “only” superstar in the story, taking credit for everything?

But hold your horses for a minute before answering that question. In fact, don't answer it at all.

Everything comes from God. All good things come from our great good God. So if it means that apart from Him we can't do anything, there's really no problem... Because it really doesn't make sense to do great things without the only source of greatness. Right?

And on the contrary, he isn't selfish enough to take all the glory. He has given the greatest honor that could ever be given to His disciples by allowing them to partake with Him the mission of bringing his people to His flock. Even if it doesn't make sense, He chose to enlist people to help Him do the job, even if He doesn't need any help at all! He has given them something they don't have and empowered them to do great things! And believe me... It's not merely for His glory.

So why? Because He no longer calls us slaves, but friends. We are actually adopted to his family. Imagine that... from slaves to a member of literally the highest family ever! By empowering people to do great things, He is teaching us how to live in communion... how to be one with Him and His creation. He continuously shows us that it is love that changes people and not force nor prestige.

Apart from God we can't do anything, for He is the source of all goodness. He doesn't need us, but He chose to empower us to teach us something -- that He loves us and that as adopted members of His family, we are called partake of His love and longing to make all things new. And finally, that His grace is sufficient to make you a superhero! No flying needed.

a miracle greater than bringing Lazarus back to life // 2011.07.29

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Jesus raising Lazarus back to life has got to be one of the most jaw dropping miracles he had ever made. Who brings people back to life?! I only know of Jesus doing it in His own name.

But let's take a closer look at what Jesus said in this miracle: "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die."

Jesus loved Lazarus and wanted to see him "alive" again, but this episode also allowed Jesus to teach us what life really is. It is not life that we merely breath. It is not life that we merely walk this planet. A lot of people followed Jesus, but I'm sure you'll agree with me that they're not here on Earth anymore.

Instead, Jesus points us to the only life that matters, life to the fullest... a life with Him! In other words, life without Him is not life at all. And it is this life that should make us, as the Psalmist did, "Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel, the pleasant harp and the lyre. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast." It is this life that makes us rejoice whatever our situation is.

Jesus raised Lazarus to show the reality that was inside Lazarus -- i.e. his love for Jesus. This paved the way for him to have life, not just life on Earth but the real life that matters.

Have you ever wondered why you're alive? Rather, ask yourself... "where is Jesus in my life?" If He is at the center of your life, you'll know there is no greater purpose and miracle than that.

God did better than the fathers of internet // 2011.07.28

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My father was working abroad when I was growing up. There was no internet back then, and phone calls were extremely expensive. My father would write us a letter and it would take weeks for it to reach us. We'd send back a response and it would take weeks again to reach my dad. Imagine how not-so-timely our news were to each other. Somehow, it just doesn't feel like I grew up with my dad.

Nowadays, we have cheaper phone costs. We have the internet which not only gives us emails and facebook, but even allow us to do video conferencing. Compare that with sending pictures via snail mail a few decades ago. Everybody has a mobile phone and could easily send SMS anywhere in the globe at a cheap cost.

The world has changed a lot and long distance relationships are just not as difficult as before. I have friends in different countries, but I still get to "see" and talk to them a lot that it's like they're here. I can even stream live videos of events they'd want to join, and we'd be able to laugh at each other despite the distance. I know it's still different than them being actually here, but it's way, way better than waiting for months to get a letter.

But what's even more amazing is how God continues to make His presence in our lives felt. Read the first reading and marvel at how God was with the Israelites "in all the stages of their journey". He made sure they knew He was there.

As if that wasn't enough, Jesus came down and lived with us. To be sure we don't miss Him when He ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit entered our hearts to make sure we are able to have a personal relationship with God. And surprisingly, that still wasn't enough for Him. We have the Eucharist with which we get to be beside God literally, even put Him inside us! If that's not making sure He's with you, I don't know what is.

In your darkest moments to believe God cares? Or too high with smiles to remember God? Have faith and humility. Open your eyes and let Him surprise you how much He is with you more than you can expect in all the stages of your journey.

you have what Moses didn't // 2011.07.27

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Aaron and the rest of the Israelites didn't know what to make of Moses' radiant face. Some of them probably felt unworthy to be beside him, some probably felt it should be them and wondered if Moses knew how they felt, some probably wasn't sure if they'd die if they go near Moses. One thing's for sure, they knew Moses conversed with God, and what an awesome way God did it. Clouds, thunders... wow!

Reading today's first reading, I'd probably join the crowd who wished they were with Moses whenever he'd enter the tent. Think about it. God was there! Moses talked with Him intimately! How cool is that? But guess what? Something is way cooler!

Fast forward to our time and our focus points to the Eucharist. The Church tells us, "In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained. This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present." (CCC 1374)

Did you get that? God is with us! Not only spiritually, but also physically! Whenever you go to Mass and hear the words of consecration, Jesus stands before you as a friend stands and sits with a friend. Literally, not symbolically!

I don't remember a verse where Moses touched God. In fact, Moses didn't see God's face (Ex 33:20). Scripture tells us he spoke with God face to face as a friend speaks to another; that is, God spoke with Moses as an equal. But he never touched Him nor saw His face.

Want to be like Moses? You can, and even more! You can talk to Him, and with an open heart, hear His voice. Jesus paved the way for you to do that. But He did more... you can touch Him, and with a clean heart literally receive Him in you! God wants to be a real part of you that He gave us this gift. Receive it and like Moses, share Him to the world!

no knife stabbing involved // 2011.07.26

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Raising a child is difficult and requires a lot of patience. When my son was growing up, there were definitely more than a thousand times that I almost took a knife and stabbed him to death. He'd do something way off and I'd discipline him, only to find him doing it again. He'd throw food, punch people and talk back to me (sometimes with curses). But I love my son and knew he was still in the process of growing up. As always, God teaches us the way.

Scripture tells us that God is "slow to anger and rich in kindness... forgiving wickedness and crime and sin". The saints said it. God said it. We shouldn't have any reasons to doubt it. If you do, read the story of Moses again and recall how hard the hearts of the Israelites were and how infinitely patient God was with them.

Saint Paul tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of God's glory", but we are also assured today that we have a merciful God who looks at our hearts and not our past. We have a God of Mercy and Love who will do everything to keep us in His embrace, knowing that it is only in Him that we will find fulfillment. Let us hold on to that promise.

But be warned too that Scripture also tells us that He doesn't "declare the guilty guiltless". We have a God of Mercy and Love, but He is also a God of Justice. To those whose hearts are not willing to change, God cannot force Himself. If it is darkness and pain that we seek, than God has no choice but to give it to them.

I love my son and stuck with him. I knew at that time he'll continue to give me a headache, but my job as a father was to help him grow. Giving up was definitely the last option, and I knew I wouldn't do that unless my son disowned me and ran away somewhere I couldn't find him.

Are you feeling that God couldn't possibly love you? Have faith, you have a loving God!

a season of rain

In the spiritual life, they say that it’s not how many times you fall that counts but how many times you rise up again. Although it sounds very enticing, it’s actually a difficult thing to follow. I mean, if I’ll count the number of times I fell, it’s much easier to think about the disappointments and the desolation it brings rather than reflecting on how I can rebuild what I destroyed.

But having gone through all my downs and failures, with its setbacks and frustrations, I couldn’t be more honest to say that there’s no better thing to do than to stand up, right whatever wrong was done, and accept that it was just another season of darkness in one’s life that needs to be overcome. To put it simply, rising up again is definitely better than giving up to darkness.

It has been a continuous source of relief for me that I can still do something as long as I breathe--that a struggle, however pathetic it may seem, is still a sign of life. From my sinfulness to my freezed and failed works for God, I can’t say I haven’t appreciated that speck of light waking up once again offers.

The key is to just keep doing what God asks you to do the best that you can however the devils trick you into thinking nothing's happening. There have been a lot of times in my struggles when it seems that everything I was doing didn't make sense and helped no one. I couldn’t be more surprised to hear about people who’ve been inspired or revived by the works I could never take credit for given my situation at that time. Although I couldn’t quite comprehend how the efforts given did what it did, it’s a miracle from God that those struggles beared much fruit. What seemed to be a dying toil was used by God to do His work!

I still have a lot of battles to fight. A heck of a lot of battles. But even if I’ve been dilly-dallying most of the time in the past, I certainly still hold bits of life in me. And whatever God wants me to do with it, I pray that I’ll have the courage to capture what God wants me to grasp.

I’m constantly working on my "resurrection", but every day is a start for me. These toils, however delayed or lame, are always welcome breathes of life. They're my reminders that I can draw strength from Jesus--from His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension--when I’m pushed to the corner.

Service to others for God doesn't really help others as much as it helps me. The miracles God make humble me but also remind me that every thing is possible with Him. So even the struggles will end in His time, if only I hold firmly and keep my faith, hope and love in Him.

Don’t be dismayed when life seems to be constantly giving you dung! Christianity isn’t about peaches and cream, but about life and living it to the fullest despite the hardships life offers! There’s no other way to live other than to live the way Jesus lived. He is, after all, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Believe me, you’ll be surprised how fulfilling all of those struggles are if you’ll only live it rather than escape it!

We are in a season of darkness. John Paul II calls it the culture of death. We all have our difficulties and struggles. But just as darkness is followed by rain, ours will, too. It is that rain of grace that will wash away all our fears and disbelief. Let’s not lose hope just because we can’t seem to see the light Jesus has to offer. Let us, like the father in Mark 9:24, pray “I believe, help my unbelief!” and learn from Him.

chastity crash course p.2 // let's talk about sex

In January 19, 2004, Time Magazine released an issue about human sexuality with the following excerpt:

Of all the splendidly ridiculous, transcendently fulfilling things humans do, it’s sex... that most confounds everything. What in the world are we doing? Why in the world are we so consumed by it? The impulse to procreate may lie at the heart of sex, but... bursting from our sexual center is a whole spangle of other things—art, song, romance, obsession, rapture, sorrow, companionship, love, even violence and criminality—all playing an enormous role in everything from our physical health to our emotional health to our politics, our communities, our very life spans.

Why should we be so? Did nature simply overload us in the mating department...? Or is there something smarter and subtler at work, some larger interplay among sexuality, life and what it means to be human? (p. 64)

Decades ago, it’s already a scandal to wear a one-piece swimsuit in TV. Nowadays, every highway has billboards filled with women wearing significantly more provocative clothes in poses that really tease the senses. Music Videos are filled with intense sexual materials. "Clean magazines" are way back the line compared to smut magazines. The world is obsessed with sex. We have a sexual revolution, and even the secular world is wondering why? Let’s try to keep that in mind and try to answer it later.

It’s been said that whether we deny it or not, we ultimately have two fears—the fear of not being loved, and the fear of not being able to give love. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all have the desire to share our lives with others, to know that there are others genuinely caring for us or there for us whatever happens.


created for love

This desire springs from our being created in the image and likeness of God. God is love, and as His creatures, we are created for love. How can we say that, and how can we be certain about it? Let’s try to dig a little deeper on that statement. It’s going to take a lot of thinking, but it will all be worth it.


in the beginning... God is madly in love with you!

Reading John 1:1-5, we see a glimpse of the Trinity and the reality that before God, there was "nothing" -- all creatures came from Him. He is the source of light. Genesis tells us that the world is dark and void without God. Let’s try to imagine that if it was us.

Imagine yourself in a dark room all by yourself. Can you spend a lifetime in that scenario? Given the choice, would you want others to join you eventually? Most of us think of creation as that. God was bored by Himself, so He created man. But is that really the case?

Let’s ask another question. Can God create something He cannot carry? What’s really in this question? If God can create anything, he can create it, but if He can’t carry something, He’s not God. Are your heads spinning already? Let’s try to ask a similar question. Can you draw a triangle with four sides? Of course not! That won’t be a triangle anymore. In the same way, God can’t create something that will not make Him a God. There is a problem with the question. In other words, for God to be God, He needs to be infinite, without limits... the very thing we often describe God with.

Let’s ask the question again, did God create you and me just because He is bored? Of course not! If He "needed" us to be happy or complete, He wouldn’t be God. So what’s the only logical reason God created us? If there’s nothing in it for Him, then there’s no other thing to say than because it’s all because of us – God created us because He wants us to be happy. Let’s take it a little further.

If a carpenter creates a chair, what would he need? Wood and nails. Once he’s finished and leaves, we’re left with the materials he used. Those would still be there because they are not dependent on the carpenter. But what did God create us from? Nothing. So if God would leave us, we’ll all be... "nothing". So the fact that we’re here means that God hasn’t left us.

If God created us so that we’ll be happy--remember that He gives infinitely as well--and that we are still here despite being sinners means that He still gives Himself to us, it only means that God is madly in love with us--with you and me! Let me repeat that in case you missed it... "God is madly in love with you!"


in His image

We should never forget that we are created in the image of God, not God in our image. If God is perfect, He can only give perfect love, and being created in His image, God meant that we do the same as well. If God created us for our sake, we should also give ourselves completely, versus seeking how we can "use" others.

Sex is important but how does it fit our lives? According to the Church, sex speaks this language of "forever" and "total giving". It foreshadows how God wants us to unite with Him--we were created for heaven and sex foreshadows the unity we’ll have with Him in it. That’s why the world is obsessed with it.

But if sex is the sign, then love is more important. In other words, the desire to be loved and to love is much deeper than the desire to have sex because love precedes sex -- the message precedes the language. We’ll discuss how this -- sex as the language -- is the case in our future parts of this series.

So how come that doesn’t seem to be the case with love and sex today? The problem is we have various definitions of love, most of them wrong. The Church tells us that Original Sin screwed up the picture. Before that tragedy, however, we can see what God meant for love and sex.

We’ll continue our dive to the beginning as we progress in this series and see how it was originally -- how it got ruined and hopefully how it gets fixed. It’ll be exciting. But first, we need to define what "love" is as the Church understands it. That will help us see it when we look at the beginning.



Next in this series...
What is the difference between love and lust? Why is knowing their difference important in sex and love?