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?

to lose means to win // 2011.07.25

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I'm not sure about the validity of these, but allegedly, Mother Teresa gave these rules to her Sisters to help them develop the virtue of humility:

1. Speak as little as possible about yourself.
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3. Avoid curiosity.
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5. Accept small irritations with good humor.
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7. Accept censures even if unmerited.
8. Give in to the will of others.
9. Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Accept injuries and insults.
12. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
13. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
14. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
15. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
16. Always choose the more difficult task.

These are rules that focus on God and His people, and not on getting personal glory. Probably quite the opposite of what the mother of the two thunders had in mind when she was asking Jesus to have John and James sit at His side.

A lot of people miss the point of being Christ's follower, wanting His glory while forgetting what His being God really means. God is indeed awesome, being the epitome of glory. But most of all, God is Love, and love is "other directed". Love seeks to serve wholeheartedly. Love seeks to lose oneself for the sake of others, not for personal gain.

Jesus died on the cross with a lot of humiliation. Are you ready to go that path? If you are, than get ready to rise with Him as well. Mother Teresa decided to follow Jesus and gave away all that she has in service of others. Do you have doubts how many people love her? Do you have doubts of how much she was blessed as a result of this?

don't steal... all you need is give up // 2011.07.24

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The parable this Sunday has a lot of hidden meanings. Let's try to look at two of them.

One thing is for sure, we can't steal the Kingdom of God. The fact that the person found the treasure means no one was stopping him from getting it. Who wouldn't notice someone digging? And yet he returns the treasure. Why? Because nothing good will ever come from evil. There are no shortcuts to getting the real treasure that we seek.

What did he do? He went and sold all his belongings. Take note... he sells all that he has. Not some, not few, not even a lot. He sold all! When you found the treasure of God's love, nothing else matters.

Ask yourself today... are you making shortcuts or trying to trick yourself into happiness? Are you "selling" your belongings or are you just acquiring more unnecessary load that makes it harder to finally buy the pearl of great price?

St. Augustine gave us one of the greatest cliche ever told... "our hearts are restless until they rest in God". Unfortunately, most of us are either "stealing" by finding rest in the wrong places, or "ignoring the treasure" by buying instead of selling.

the unworthy and the "nice" go to the middle // 2011.07.23

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Most people find it hard to have a relationship with God because they feel unworthy of His mercy. They feel that they've committed too many sins in their lives, or have rejected/ignored Him long enough, that they have already lost God's love for them.

However, at the other end of the pole, we also have those who feel they are so "nice" that God and the world owe them. They are like the older brother who feel they have earned the right to demand from the Father and enforce their beliefs if it doesn't jive with the Father's will. In fact, most of the time, they are the ones that cause others to sin.

Today's readings remind us that God is merciful to those who seek it, and patient to those who strive to follow Him. The Israelites are my inspiration when it comes to falling and rising again. Saint John Chrysostom also tells us that God allows the weed to stay because they can "become wheat" if they desire. In fact, we have a lot of saints who were the hardest sinners before they gave their lives to God.

But let us also not forget the Gospel's warning... at the time of harvest, the weeds will be gathered and burned. Those whose hearts have not changed will be set apart from those who chose to live with God. Let us remember Saint John Vianney's words, "we put off our conversion again and again, but who says we will still have the time and strength for it then?"

a tyrant gave the 10 commandments? // 2011.07.22

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A lot of people get bogged down by laws. Of course, that especially includes the ten commandments. Wouldn't it be convenient if we can just get whatever we want even if others already own it? Wouldn't it be more romantic to just get it on with every man or woman we desire? Isn't it better to just go gallavanting or just be a couch potato on Sundays instead of going to Mass? If you see it that way, laws really are chains than they are a source of life.

Unfortunately, most of us see God that way... a tyrant that blatantly throws around laws just to make life more difficult for us, waiting for us to commit a mistake so He can cast His punishment to us. God just doesn't understand what happiness is.

But today's Psalm tells us that the laws of the Lord refreshes the soul, that God's precepts make the heart rejoice, that His statutes are more desirable than the purest gold and sweeter than honey, and that following them brings much reward (Ps 19:8-11).

Mary Magdalene knew how true these words are. She was living a life of sin, even filled with seven demons, before she met Jesus. If not following God's commandments is living life to the fullest, she definitely lived her life. Yet upon meeting Jesus, she recognized how miserable her life really was and didn't think twice embracing the life God was asking her to live.

In fact, she saw Jesus' way as a source of joy that she remained in Him even at the cross and His grave, not fearing that she too may be crucified for doing so. For someone who found real life in Jesus, death is meaningless. But Jesus also reminds her that to receive Him means to share and proclaim Him as well.

Feeling held up by the law? Try looking at them again as the saints saw them... with a view that they are God's guiding light for us to find happiness, the real one. Found joy in God's ways? Don't keep it to yourself. Proclaim the joy you find in living His ways.

scripture study p.5 // the Bible takes shape... the books gathered and defined

Where does the Bible come from? Christians consider it the Word of God, but many are unaware and even badly informed of where we got the Bible. For one, it didn't just drop from heaven ready-made, nor was it written all at once--there are about 1,500 years between when Genesis and Revelation were written. Moreover, it was not written originally in the English language. In fact, it wasn't even "widely printed" in any language until after 1,500 years from the birth of Jesus Christ. So how did we get the Bible that we have now--all 73 books... no more, no less?


the old testament takes shape

The Old Testament is divided into three -- law/Pentateuch, prophets and writings. The Pentateuch is traditionally attributed to Moses who placed a copy in the Ark about 3,300 years ago. Long afterwards, other books were added to this. As to when the Old Testament Canon was finalized, no one is certain.

Some say it was compiled around 430 BC, based from Josephus' declaration that nothing was added, decreased or changed from Scripture since 424 BC. Others say it only begun 100 BC.

So far, these books were written in Hebrew, but after the Jews dispersed to many lands and lost their Jewish tongue, the books were translated into the more common language of Greek. This is known as the Septuagint version--meaning 70, the number of translators who did the work. This was widely accepted and was the version Jesus and His followers used.

It is worth noting that two thirds of the Old Testament passages quoted in the New Testament came from the Septuagint version. This is important because the Septuagint version contains the deuterocanonical books (which are considered apocryphal or not accepted as Scripture by non-Catholics).


deuterocanonical books

Most non-Catholics don’t recognize these books as part of the Bible, arguing that they were not part of the list formulated during the Council of Javneh. The problem with this is that this council was formulated by modern Jews who were not interested in apostolic teaching and were motivated by concerns different from the apostolic community that Jesus started. In fact this council was held about 90 AD when Apostles were already actively building God’s Church as Jesus instructed them. In fact, most of them already died at this time. Prior to this, there was no formal effort among the Jews to define a formal canon.

Moreover, this canon is not consistent with the Septuagint version, which was, as previously mentioned, the version Jesus used. The Apostles have chosen to use this, and the Church was obliged to continue in this manner. In fact, since the Church was already existent at that time and Jerusalem already fell around 70 AD, the rabbis no longer had authority to settle the matter as Jesus already gave authority to settle this to His Church through the Apostles.

Other non-Catholics also argue that Jesus never quoted from the deuterocanonicals. The problem with this argument is that there are a lot of Old Testament books that Jesus never quoted from and yet are part of the Old Testament canon. Moreover, Jesus actually quoted and alluded from deuterocanonical books like Wisdom, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. It cannot be denied that Jesus and the Apostles treated these books in the same level as the other Old Testament books, and we have no reason to do otherwise.


the early church grows

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He asked His Apostles to proclaim the Gospel, but never asked them to put them into writing. The Apostles thus did as Jesus did--they preached orally and trained trusted men to do so as well. This was their sure way of protecting God's Word from corruption. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, scattered around the world and evangelized people.

None of them had a concept of writing a collection of books to form the New Testament. In fact, only five of them put to writing what they preached. All works written arose from special needs that had to be addressed. The Apostles roamed the world and founded churches, who constantly asked for their guidance--being their spiritual father--when in confusion. Thus, St. Paul would write to his converts at Ephesus or Corinth when he is not there. They were never meant as letters for the whole Church as the New Testament. Moreover, they were read only to specific congregations, and not published as handouts for all Christians to read.

The writing of the New Testament took place around 50-100 AD. No book in the New Testament states when they were written but scholars were able to make approximates of their origin. The most probable first written work was the Gospel of St. Matthew in its early Aramaic, and the last being the works of St. John. See chart below for a complete and more detailed list regarding these approximates:

Date of Composition	Canonical Writing	Author	Written in
51-52	1 and 2 Thess	Paul	Corinth
50-55	[Early Aramaic Gospel]	Matthew	Palestine (?)
50-60	Jas	James	Jerusalem (?)
54	Gal	Paul	Ephesus (?)
57 (spring)	1 Cor	Paul	Ephesus
57-58 (autumn)	2 Cor	Paul	Macedonia
57-58 (winter)	Rom	Paul	Corinth
60 (?) (64-70)	Mk	Mark	Rome (?)
62 (?) (54-57)	Phil	Paul	Rome (Ephesus)
62	Col, Philem, Eph	Paul	Rome
62 (?) (67-70)	Lk	Luke	Rome (Achaia)
63 (75)	Acts	Luke
64	1 Pt	Peter	Rome
64 (80)	2 Pt	Peter (?)	Rome (?)
65	1 Tim and Tit	Paul	Macedonia
65 (?) (80)	Heb	Paul (?)	Rome (?) Athens (?)
66	2 Tim	Paul	Rome
68-70	Mt	Matthew	Syria (?)
70 (?)	Jude	Jude Thaddeus	(?)
85-95	Rev	John	Patmos
95-100	1, 2, and 3 Jn	John	Ephesus (?)
98-100	Jn	John	Ephesus (?)

Note: A date given in brackets is a second hypothesis, less probable than the first but certainty possible. Question marks in parentheses indicate that the date is unclear in Christian tradition or has been questioned by scholars on good grounds.


the new testament is compiled

In 397 AD, through St. Augustine's influence, the Council of Carthage settled the Canon of the New Testament as we have it now. This council approved the decision of a previous council in 393 AD, the Council of Hippo. Their decision was then sent to Rome to be approved and confirmed by the Roman Pontiff, for no council is authoritative or binding unless approved by the Pope. There were people who mention the individual books of the Bible earlier than that, but it was the Council of Carthage that authoritatively declared and compiled the Bible as we have it now.

There were basically three classes of books prior to 397 AD. They were either canonical, disputed or false. Canonical books, or those accepted by all Christians as written by apostolic men, include four Gospels, 13 epistles by St. Paul and the Acts of the Apostles. These were accepted by both east and west churches, and read during the Mass.

Disputed books are those that some Christians accept but are rejected by some in other area. Among these are the epistle of St. James, epistle of St. Jude, 2nd epistle of St. Peter, 2nd and 3rd epistles of St. John, epistle to the Hebrews and the book of Revelation. Other books of this class some of us may not be familiar with because they didn't make the final list include the epistle of Barnabas, Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles, and Gospel according to the Hebrews.

Lastly, there is the third class which are not accepted as Apostolic because of contents that go against what the Apostles were teaching at that time. This include the Gospel of St. James, Acts of Pilate, Acts of Thecla, Gospel of Judas, and the Gospel of St. Thomas.

This caused confusion to the Christians for they couldn't identify which books are binding to their lives. Again, it was the Council of Carthage approved by the Pope that settled this. This was further affirmed by the Council of Florence in in 1442 under Pope Eugenius, and by the Council of Trent in 1546. It is by the authority given to them by Jesus that they have decided. Rome has spoken. The matter is settled.

As Christians grew in number, more translations arose to address those who neither speak Hebrew nor Greek. Some of them were correct, some of them were dubious. Around 400 AD, Pope St. Damascus asked St. Jerome to write an authoritative Latin version since a lot of corrupt translations were coming out. The outcome is the Latin Vulgate, which was mostly translated from the original Hebrew, and was the official version used by the Church. To date, the Church continues to safeguard Scripture from versions/translations that are not in line with the Tradition that Jesus left to His Church. Again, it is by the authority given to them by Jesus that they do so. Rome has spoken. The matter is settled.


Next in this series...
How do we know for sure that the Bible is God's Inspired Word?

chastity crash course p.1 // God is not a killjoy!

Most of us go through relationships. Courtship is exciting. We don't know what to do. How do I win her heart? How do I approach her? It's hard to connect and build a relationship, but when we're attracted, we find ways.

It gets more exciting when we finally get to meet and chat with her. We do things we didn't imagine we'd do, like volunteering in parish just to impress her, or buying expensive stuff just to please her. We'd soak ourselves in phone conversations even when our favorite show's on the tube. Finally, you become a couple.

After some time the word "forever" starts to get in mind, and intimacy starts to grow. Our parents thought us not to do "bad things" so we try to take things slow, but somehow, as time goes by and intimacy increases, it just gets harder. It feels so good and right, why call it "bad"?

Is God and the Church killjoys? Somehow most of us feel that way -- that "abstinence" is such an unfair "law". "True love waits" is usually all the explanation we hear, and it really doesn’t make sense to a heart filled with passion. We end up being torn between two choices -- suppress what we feel was good, or give in to our desires. We can try our best to abstain, but the difficulties make it easy for us to set aside our faith, especially when one thing is leading to another. If God doesn't want me to be happy, then He probably doesn't understand.

But Jesus tells us, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly... These things I have spoken to you that my joy might be in you and your joy may be full."

Unfortunately, as we find from the situation above, the word "abstinence" immediately comes to almost everybody’s mind when what the Church teaches about sexuality is brought up -- don’t do this, don’t do that! How can one believe in Jesus with this in mind. But is "abstinence" really all that the Church teaches?

A lot of people, not-so-old included, are consistently surprised to hear that the Church isn’t teaching mere "abstinence", but chastity. If only they knew the real deal. Hopefully, this series will help you understand why chastity is such beautiful thing, and why the Church teaches it.

Let us pray to Jesus...
You have created us for love. You made us for Yourself, and our hearts will not be at rest until they rest in You. So, open our minds and our hearts, so that this time of study may be a time of prayer. Help us to let go of those things that keep us from receiving the joy You wish to give us today and always. Amen.


Next in this series...
What does God have to do with relationships and sexuality? Why did God create us the way He did? What does God have to do with love and romance?

scripture study p.4 // the Bible is God's Divine Word

Revelation may be defined as the communication of some truth by God to a rational creature through means which are beyond the ordinary course of nature. Our holy mother, the Church, holds and teaches that God can be known with certainty from the created world by the natural light of human reason (DF 2). In other words, God reveals Himself to us through creation and the natural law impressed in our hearts. This is called natural revelation.

But God also reveals Himself to us in a more intimate way, more than the knowledge that He exists--starting with Abraham, when He started to reveal His plan to make us part of His family. The culmination of this revelation has come when, in the fullness of time, the Word became flesh, and the Holy Spirit descended upon us. This is called the supernatural or divine revelation.


Divine Revelation through Sacred Tradition

This supernatural revelation, through actions and words, was entrusted initially to the care of the people of Israel and then that of the Church of Jesus Christ (NV). This was conserved and handed on to all of God's people through oral tradition, with the Apostles leaving bishops as their successors together with their teaching authority.

As part of God's plan, He inspired men to put into writing these revelation, not merely as memoirs of teachings but as a manifestation of Himself. Thus, the Bible is the true Word of God (DV 14).


primary and secondary authorship

God is the primary author of this Sacred Writing, but He did so through secondary human authors. This does not mean that God dicated each word to His disciple, since that would not mean that the human is also an author. Most words in the Bible, especially in the New Testament epistles, are spoken in the first person. This would not fit the dictation theory. So how are the books in the Bible authored?

To this, Fr. William Most says, "we again appeal to His transcendence when we say He is the Chief Author, and the human author is a real author too, with his own style, but yet God causes the human to write all that He wills, and to do so without any error whatsoever."


Next in this series...
Why do we have 73 books in the Bible? What are the deuterocanonicals and why do some Bibles not have it?

if you don't get it, don't scratch your head // 2011.07.21

Click here for this day's Bible readings.

Ever had that experience when you heard a joke about something you're not familiar with? Everyone was laughing but you just don't get it. You try to laugh as well but you know it's just coming out awkward. You want to be as high as them, but you just can't.

I've been in those situations a lot of time. Usually the joke's about a certain story I missed for whatever reason, which all of them are aware of. I'd ask them what the joke was about, they'd explain and I find myself laughing with them. Sometimes though I'd just let it go and don't get it at all.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is saying the same thing. Those whose hearts are closed to God, those who decided not to take a closer look, will never get what the parables are. The parables are about God and His kingdom, and unless you want to know God, the parables will either be meaningless or just another shallow story. You may get what they mean but they won't have value for you.

But Jesus says blessed are the eyes that see, and the ears that hear. But it's not like He doesn't want everybody to get it. It's not a matter of do you know Him or not, than it is a matter of having an open heart. He did say, "ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you".

The question then is, when God "humors" you, do you laugh or just shrug it off without even asking what it's all about? You don't need to scratch your head... you can always ask.

a very sweet drive // 2011.07.20

Click here for this day's Bible readings.

Imagine yourself driving along the country side. Cool breeze. Nice scenery. Just the right amount of sunlight. Your favorite song playing on the radio, while the love of your life is telling you a story you're really enjoying.

All of a sudden a dirty car honking his horn like there's no tomorrow goes behind your back. Your country drive got ruined and you ask, "who the heck does he think he is acting like he owns the road?"

You realize you're at the middle of the road, but out of irritation, you play the stubborn driver and hesitate to stir out of his way. Finally, the road widens and the opportunity for him to pass through came. You figured you got your vengeance so you let him pass with much effort from his end.

As he passes by, your girlfriend catches a glimpse of the dirty car's back seat and saw that a young girl looked hurt and in dire need to get to the hospital. Your girlfriend looks at the driver and saw a man just focused on getting to the hospital, and a woman making signs of apology to you. Apparently they didn't want to disturb your drive.

God could've acted the same way you did when the Israelites complained yet another time to Him for food. He could've told Himself that these people are ungrateful and unworthy of my mercy and generosity. He could've said, "I will let them suffer first and when they're about to die is the only time I'll give them something to munch on."

God chose to act differently. He chose to act with love. In today's reading, God teaches us that it doesn't matter who asks or how they ask it. If someone is in real need, it is not our duty to judge if they are worthy or not, but to provide where we see a need.

Is someone difficult to deal with asking you for help directly or indirectly? Be a witness of God's patience and love to them and extend a helping hand.

i am not ashamed to be a virgin! // 2011.07.19

Click here for this day's Bible readings.

Who is Jesus' mother? Who are His brothers and sisters? This has been consistently one of the most prominent attacks on the Catholic church by her neighboring religions. Why honor Mary as ever-virgin if she never was?

Why? Because it's true! She was a virgin, and remained a virgin! So who are Jesus' brothers in today's verse? We have to remember that in Jesus' time, there wasn't any word for cousins. Brothers and sisters refer to your internal brothers and sisters as well as to your cousins (or external brothers and sisters).

What has this got to do with us? St. Augustine tells us, "In being born of a Virgin who chose to remain a Virgin even before she knew who was to be born of her, Christ wanted to approve virginity rather than to impose it. And he wanted virginity to be of free choice even in that woman in whom he took upon himself the form of a slave."

Virginity is not a bad thing as today's society is slowly teaching us. Consecrating our virginity to God for the purpose of loving and serving Him is not a bad thing. Whenever someone is questioning your priests, sisters or single lay who totally dedicated their lives to God, look at Mary and how she used her wholeness to offer to God. Life is about consecrating ourselves to God, not about losing virginity.

Does that mean only virgins are blessed? By all means no! All of us have our own roles to play, and the married's role is as important as those who chose virginity. Just don't forget that even that needs to be in the right context and within God's plan. After all, He didn't place those guidelines to be a kill joy. He's just looking after us, wanting the best for us.

the quest for the lost gold bars

It seems everybody wants to be rich lately. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're planning to share your riches to those in need. Unfortunately, as I often notice, most people lose sight of one thing -- why they want to be rich.

Two versions. First, those who attempt to be rich but eventually lose sight of their heroic reasons. These are the people who had good intentions, but eventually got lost somewhere along the way. Sometimes with full awareness, most of the time, without them even noticing it. Second version. Those who from the very beginning see getting rich as their goal in life. Those who end their purpose in getting rich. They got lost even before they started.

But Mother Teresa tells us... “God does not call us to be successful but to be faithful.” Anything short of God is nothing. As one of my fave line goes... “if you're not happy without it, you'll never be happy with it.” Never forget that only God suffices... for “our hearts are restless until they rest in God.”

You may have everything in the world, but if you lose sight of what is truly essential you'll just find yourself empty, wondering what in the world is missing in your life. You don't have to take my word for it. Just look at the saints who defined being rich in very radical ways. What they found were the real gold bars.

scripture study p.3 // choosing the right version

Why there are many Bible translations on bookstore shelves is something most people ask, and which version we choose from them is an important question Catholics need to be informed. Unfortunately, these are questions often left unanswered and unpursued.

For starters, there are basically two philosophies or attitudes translators observe when translating the Bible: literal or complete equivalence, and dynamic equivalence.


literal translations

Literal translations are good for serious Bible study since they try to give as literal a translation of the original text as possible, even preserving much of the original word order. Unfortunately, this makes the translation much harder to read because of the variations between Greek/Hebrew and English styles.


dynamic translations

Dynamic translations are more readable since they don't place much importance on the original grammar and word order of the original--what is important is preserving the meaning of the text. Unfortunately, this brings a disadvantage for a person seriously studying Scripture.


disadvantages

Sometimes, the meaning of a text is understood more fully through subtle cues or hints in the text. These cues are preserved in the literal translation, but are mostly lost in dynamic translations. This gives the reader a greater risk of reading the translators' doctrinal view into the text. Consider the following example provided by the people at catholic.com:

...dynamic Protestant translations, such as the NIV, tend to translate the Greek word ergon and its derivatives as "work" when it reinforces Protestant doctrine but as something else (such as "deeds" or "doing") when it would serve Catholic doctrine.

The NIV renders Romans 4:2 "If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works (ergon), he had something to boast about—but not before God." This passage is used to support the Protestant doctrine of salvation by faith alone. But the NIV translates the erg- derivatives in Romans 2:6-7 differently: "God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done ( erga).’ To those who by persistence in doing (ergou) good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."

If the erg- derivatives were translated consistently as "work" then it would be clear that the passage says God will judge "every person according to his works" and will give eternal life to those who seek immortality "by persistence in working good"—statements that support the Catholic view of salvation.

Of course, extreme literalism can also give problems. Again, consider the sample translations of Genesis 1:20 provided by the people at catholic.com:

"And saying is God, ‘Roaming is the water with the roaming, living soul, and the flyer is flying over the earth on the face of the atmosphere of the heavens’" (Concordant Version, an extremely literal version).

"And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky’" (NIV).

middle ground

There are many alternatives that are neither directly literal nor dynamic. Again, catholic.com provides us good observations regarding these translations based on which end of the spectrum they tend to lean to:

Toward the literal end of the spectrum are translations such as the King James Version (KJV), the New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard (NAS), and the Douay-Rheims Version. Next come slightly less literal translations, such as the Revised Standard Version (RSV), and the Confraternity Version. Then there are mostly dynamic translations such as the New International Version (NIV) and the New American Bible (NAB).

And finally, toward the very dynamic end of the spectrum are translations such as the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), the New English Bible (NEB), the Revised English Bible (REB), the Contemporary English Version (CEV), and the "Good News Bible," whose translation is called Today’s English Version (TEV).

inclusive versions

Nowadays, we also have versions that changed the genders used in the Bible. These versions usually replace "he" or "brothers" with "them" or "brothers and sisters'.

It also draws more on using "God" or "Jesus" when the original text uses "he". One example of this is the New Revised Standard Version, which retains the philosophy of the RSV but changes the genders to be more inclusive.

making the pick

It is your purpose that will help you make the decision. If your goal is a simple reading of the Bible, then dynamic translations would do, though you should be careful about the translators' views hidden in the text.

Of course, a serious Scripture study would lean more on the literal translation. Most theologians recommend the RSV Catholic Edition, which has been reissued by Ignatius Press.

Finally, catholic.com tells us that "In the end, there may not be a need to select only one translation of the Bible to use. There is no reason why a Catholic cannot collect several versions of the Bible, aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each. It is often possible to get a better sense of what is being said in a passage by comparing several different translations." The best Bible is "the one you’ll read."

***For a more detailed rendering of the topic, please visit http://www.catholic.com/library/Bible_Translations_Guide.asp where this page or article is heavily based upon.


Next in this series...
What do we mean when we say God is the author of Scripture? Why do we say it is God's Divine Word?

the miracle failed // 2011.07.18

Click here to read this day's readings.

Moses did a lot of miracles before Pharaoh, and ultimately showed God's great power over the false gods of Egypt. The ten plagues, concluding with the angel of death, prooved that the Egyptians were worshipping the wrong god. The Pharaoh had no choice but to let the Israelites go.

Faced with such circumstance, the Pharaoh had an opportunity to change his heart. He could've realized the wrong things they've done, set the Israelites free without any problems, and even invite them back if they want an Egyptian vacation. Unfortunately, that meant accepting that he is not god and letting go of that title. He was too used to bieng a god that he refused to accept the real one.

The Israelites actually had the same dilemma. They've been slaves and have been used to being slaves for a long time that they don't mind doing it if it means no additional work for them. Unfortunately, having to walk with no visible sign of food and no visible path to walk on made them doubt God.

Immediately they ignored God. In fact, we'll see that despite the miracles that God did in this episode, they'll still go back to their old ways once put in a corner. It doesn't come as a surprise then that Jesus said no sign will be given to an evil and unfaithful generation.

Miracles, great wonders... they are all good, but they can only do as much. They can change the mind, but they can never change the heart. Only the person can do that for himself. In other words, that is a decision all of us need to take.

God is continuously calling us, giving us opportunities to accept Him and find joy. The question is if we will be part of the flock whose hearts are too heartened to accept God despite the miracles,or not.

a love/hate relationship that's all about love

Love the sinner, hate the sin. We constantly hear the Church tell that, and a lot disagree by saying that we can't separate the sin from the sinner -- i.e. what a person does is who he is. But I say, that is not the point.

The problem is that we have come to a point when we measure a person's value by what that person does. The Church doesn't see it that way, learning from Jesus' example.

John teaches us, God loved us first! We know how to love because He loved us first (1 Jn 4:19). But what does God's "first love" concept really mean? We first need to review the fundamental concept of what it means for God to be God.

The primary concept we need to remember is that for God to be God He has to be complete -- i.e. He doesn't need nor long for anything that will increase His happiness or who He is. This should make us understand what it means for God to create us out of love. This means that He doesn't need us to be happy. God is not a dependency addict who got bored and decided to create man. When He said He created man for man's good, that man experience His love and find joy, He means it.

Keeping that in mind, we should see what the Bible says in a new way. God knows us even before we were born (Jer 1:5). God knows we fill fail Him, even hurt Him. Yet He created us! In fact, created us with a promise of love. Love that promises to pull us back to the light, love that even lead to His death and humiliation on the cross.

This should tell us how to deal with people who hurt us or people who don't jive with our thoughts. This is what the Church wants to keep reminding us on. Hate the sin, not the sinner.

Pope Benedict XVI answers the question, why did Jesus die on the cross when He could've brought the angels to show His glory or prove to people that He is God? His answer, because God knows it is not power that will change people but love. It is not hate or show of supremacy that will make others jive with us. It is love!

When someone hurts you, you don't react by pushing them away or casting them out of your life. Rather, you embrace them more, even cast yourself away for them, to win them. This will not be easy as we have been accustomed to stay away from the dirty ones to keep us clean, versus getting our hands "dirty" to help them clean up.

We do not throw tantrums, but rather patience, understanding, and a helping hand. We do not make people feel bad, sad and worthless, but rather hopeful that someone loves them despite of and in spite of who they are, but cares enough to help them draw nearer to God.

Impossible? Yes! But the Church also tells us to let God be God. Let Him do what He needs to do. You just need to let Him use you. You don't need to make a miracle. You just need to trust that He will make the miracle for you.

It is not our job to judge others, even if they are hard criminals. Jesus reminds us about righteousness and exalting oneself when He said that even people like Pharisees who are by the book abiding citizens can be the worst, and tax collectors people at that time see as vile can be pleasing to His eyes (Lk 18:9-14). In fact He even challenges us to love our enemies (Mt 5:44)! Why? Because it's all about love!

Understandably, sometimes this can mean us being firm or even being silent when faced with a difficult person or situation, but the question we need to ask ourselves is, "Are we reacting out of love or merely out of irritation? Is our reaction focused on ourselves or on others? Is it borne out of love or just out of us being hurt? Am I doing anything for a positive change or am I just plain angry?"

The answer to those will tell you if you're moving towards a mature relationship with God, or going further from the love and happiness God has in store for you.

the devils had their tea party cancelled // 2011.07.17

Click here to read this day's readings.

The devils probably had a tea party when they successfully tricked Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. They knew God created His masterpiece par excellance, but they were able to trick mankind into refusing to embrace their identity.

Think about that... God poured His heart out to create man in His image and likeness. He gave him His breath of life. Unfortunately, through no fault of God, man missed the point and chose death over life. The devils must've thought that was it for mankind.

God was faced with a dilemma. As a solution, He could just forget about man and just let them stay in their "dead" state. Nothing lost for God there. Or He could just completely wipe them out and start from scratch again. That would've been a great option and much easier. But God chose the third option -- He let man live and went out of His way to help them get their act together.

Unfortunately, sin already entered the world and things aren't quite as peachy for man. It was much easier to give in to the world. It was much easier to give in to sin. As man grew, so did the weeds.

Fortunately, today's Gospel reminds us that God gave the not-so-grateful man not only a chance to get his act right, but hope that despite their weakness God will not forsake them. In fact, if we hold on and don't give in to the weeds, we will be with Him in heaven. And since God wasn't content, He sent His only begotten Son to really help the wheat keep their breath. Glorious, isn't it?

The question is... are you a wheat or a weed that causes others to die?

the slaves walk to freedom // 2011.07.16

Click here for this day's Bible readings.

The Israelites were reduced to slavery, and have been living a life of pain for hundreds of years already. They must've almost given up until they heard of Moses and the works God was doing through him. Suddenly there was hope, and after the long wait, they heard the news they were waiting for... "we're moving out!"

Unfortunately, most of them probably had little idea what was happening. They've been living in the land where Pharaoh was the god, and probably thought their God has forgotten about them. They got used to being slaves that they probably didn't know what it meant to be free and move out. What does it mean to be freed and lead by a God they couldn't see?

God definitely knew all of this, and also knew that midway through the journey the very people He freed would reject Him and hurt Him by making gods of their own. But what does God do? On that night, God remained with the Israelites. He was on vigil. He was on guard. He gave them special attention. He looked after His people despite their confused hearts.

Most of the time, we're like the hard-hearted Israelites. We complain a lot about our suffering, but are too focused on it that we refuse to be freed just because we refuse to let go and let God. But what does God do?

Today's Gospel reminds us that God continues to fulfill that promise of freedom and love, not only to the Israelites but also to us... that we can always place our hope in Him, that He will not forsake us, that He will be with us... until He brings justice to victory.

Do you feel beaten up and reduced to slavery by the world and its unfair demands on you? Do you feel that God's promise doesn't make sense to you? God is faithful to His promise of setting you free. The Israelites doubted God but ultimately allowed Him to bring them out of Egypt.

He isn't giving up on you. God wants you to find happiness in Him. Will you also hold on and not let your doubts get the best of you?

infinite cups of coffee with God

Conversations aren't one-sided, that's for sure. I mean, we can hardly call something a conversation if there's only one person doing the talking.

Conversations are important because they build relationships. You can say they're like windows that give us a glimpse of what's inside the other person, but more often than not, it's not that easy to take a peek at the window, much more have a closer look.

You see, conversations--the good ones--require a common ground. To be more precise... a certain familiarity! how many times have you said “sorry” for disturbing someone because you thought they were finished with what they were saying when in fact they aren't? Or how about blasting the wrong comments because you immediately jumped to conclusion without validating if you understood what the other said correctly?

I was watching a talk show a while ago, and the host who always carries a good conversation with the rest of the anchors was suddenly committing a lot of “sorry... please go on” moments with someone she doesn't usually interview. Good conversations are built on knowledge of the other person, the subject and a continuous effort to expel saliva.

But you also need to have a clear communication line. Imagine yourself talking over the phone that just keeps giving that buzz sound. It's awkward to keep asking, “what was that you said?” or “could you repeat that, please?” In those cases, bulk of the conversation are repetitions of those words instead of sending across real messages.

Or how about delays in transmission--when you thought the other person was finished but he's not? I've seen that too many times. The usual results are either a long silent pause, or an overlap of soundwaves.

It's the same with God. We have to build our foundations if we want to have a good exchange with God. We need to build a certain familiarity with Him to be comfortable talking with Him. Otherwise we'd end up having one person silent or having the conversation one-sided.

We also need to make sure the lines are clear. We need to make sure no distractions are present. We need to be dedicated to our conversation. Otherwise we'd just end up not understanding God.

How do we go about building the foundations for an awesome chit-chat experience with God? First, we need to know Him. Read, listen and reflect! Read the Bible and what His sincere followers write. That will give you more than enough to understand God and have something to talk about. And since there are infinitely vast to learn, you'll never run out.

We need to make sure we can focus on God when we talk with God. Make sure we are sensitive enough to hear and understand when He speaks. This can be done by having the proper disposition. Let's make sure we understand how important conversing with God is. Let's do it because we want to connect, and not just because we'll feel bad not doing it. Otherwise, it just might end up as empty talk for you. That will make the conversation boring for you.

Most importantly... keep practicing! Relationships are built by regular and continuous experiences of each other. The more you pray, the more you'll understand. The more comfortable you'll be, the more you'll give and get... the more you and God can experience each other!

The more you look, the more you hear... the more hooked you'll be! So stop wasting your time reading this... pray already!

nice but empty? // 2011.07.15

Click here for this day's Bible readings.

Why do we do the things we do? Why do we go to work? Why do we do good to others? Why do we utter the words we speak? Why do we pray or go to Mass? Why do we read the Bible? Have you ever asked yourself those questions?

Today, Jesus reminds us that God is the reason for everything, and that whatever we do should be centered on Him and not on the actions themselves. Its glory in drawing near Him, and not in temporal gains or asking something in return.

In today's Gospel, the Pharisees didn't get what Jesus and His disciples were doing because they boxed God as a set of rules that need to be followed, and not as a personal God who guides us and loves us. God desires mercy to those who seek it, over sacrifice that doesn't have a heart.

scripture study p.2 // basic concepts

God is the author of Sacred Scripture (CCC 105), being written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (DV 11). It is not merely a collection of books to study, but a collection of God’s letters that tells us who we are, and ultimately, who He is. It is not merely a book of stories, but a book of God’s love for us. It is not a book about God, but God speaking to us about Himself.

a personal and communal book

The Bible is a love letter from God, but who is the recipient? The Bible speaks to you in a very personal way--with each letter directed to you--for God is a personal God. Yet at the same time it also speaks to His people, His Church. It is also mankind's love story, of how God gathered His people and brought them to his embrace.

past, present and future

The New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old is fulfilled in the New. Thus, we cannot separate the Old and the New Testament when studying the Bible and applying it to our lives. It is in the whole Bible that God's plan of salvation is laid out. Ignoring any would lead to lack of full understanding.

Moreover, the message contained in Scripture speaks about events in the past, but also directs us towards the future and teaches us how to live in the present to arrive at our journey's destination. It is thus not bound by time--its message is permanent and timeless. It is simply for all eternity, for God is an eternal God.

a book of books

God is the primary author, but he used men--such as Moses, David, Matthew, Paul or John--as instruments. Thus, the Bible is a collection of 73 books written by various human hands inspired by God.

The Old Testament has 46 books. Five for the Pentateuch, 14 for other narrative books, seven for books of wisdom, and 20 for prophetic books. The New Testament has 27 books. It has four Gospels, a history book, 14 Pauline letters, 8 catholic letters and a book on the apocalypse.

Each book is a part of a whole formed through God's guidance--the Old Testament is believed to have been compiled as early as 100 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, and the New Testament was compiled by the Church that Jesus established--the Catholic Church.

a worthy companion

St. Jerome once said, ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of God. But making the decision to study Scripture posts a lot of questions even an eager student has no idea of answering. As the angel of God asked Philip in Acts 8:30, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Phillip replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

This is understandable since “no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation (2 Pt 1:20).” We need a guide we can trust--whom God trusts.

Fortunately, as Catholics, we have the Church to guide us inerrantly in our quest to be informed and transformed by God’s Word. We hold on to God’s promise that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it (Mt 16:18). This is what the Catholic Church means when he speaks of Tradition. It does not speak of man-made traditions, but Traditions also inspired by the Holy Spirit handed down through the authority of the Church to help us grow in our understanding of God. They go side by side (DV 7 and 9) and cannot exist without the other.

from one thing to another

Studying Scripture is not an academic exercise, but an encounter with its Author that could leave us full of awe and praise--of faith, hope and love. Keeping this in mind will help you study God’s Word more effectively.

As a whole, our salvation history can be divided into four major periods that can be discovered through the 12 historical periods of Scripture. These are:
1. Time of Ignorance/Patience // Acts 17:29-30
2. Time of Promise // Acts 7:17
3. Time of Law // Ex 3:14-17
4. Fullness of Time/Last Times // Gal 4:4

We move from the time when we are uncertain how we are going to return to God to a time when God chose a race from which all will be gathered--from a time when God was patient with our wrongdoings to a time when Abraham became our father. Then we move to a time when we are guided by Law, and eventually to the fullness of time when we return fully to God's embrace.

There are basically fourteen historical books that we can utilize to go through the 12 periods of Bible history chronologically--that is, from one event to another. These books help us get a clearer perspective of the other books, seeing them as a part of the big picture.

The periods and their corresponding books/texts are as follows:
1. History of the Early World // Genesis 1-11
2. Patriarchs // Genesis 12-50
3. Israel in Egypt // Exodus
4. Conquest of Canaan // Numbers, Joshua
5. Judges // Judges
6. United Kingdom // 1 & 2 Samuel
7. Divided Kingdom Exile // 1 Kings
8. Exile // 2 Kings
9. Return // Ezra & Nehemiah
10. Maccabean Revolt // 1 Maccabees
11. Jesus the Messiah // Luke
12. Church // Acts

God's family grows

Within these periods, God made six covenants with men that ulitmately show how God's family grew to include all of us as adopted sons and daughters. Understanding these covenants is the key to understanding Scripture--our love story with God. These covenants and their corresponding scope are as follows:
1. Adam // Marriage
2. Noah // Household
3. Abraham // Tribe
4. Moses // Nation
5. David // Kingdom
6. Jesus // Catholic or Universal Church

Now, shake the dust off your Bible and let's start an amazing adventure!


Next in this series...
How do we choose the right version with so many lying around there? How do we know which one fits our needs?