Invest in Heaven

“Sell all that you possess, and give the money to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven.” Mt. 19:21

Many times we have heard people (and even us) saying “You cannot bring your money in heaven.” I don’t agree. We can bring them there. How? Generously give them to the poor!

Listen, I believe that generosity (in many forms) has the power to transform earthly things to heavenly ones. How did I know it? Jesus said to the young man, “Sell all that you possess, and give the money to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven.”

Boom! Earthly things turn into HEAVENLY ones.

The Bible has many of this:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Mt. 6:14-15)

“May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Mt. 6:10)

“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches.” (Mt. 16:11)

“True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life.” Proverbs 22:4

Again, your generosity here on earth echoes until heaven. And the material things you generously give here, you will abundantly receive in heaven. 

My dear friend, start investing in heaven.

Give to the poor.

Stay inspired!

 

PS. Bless yourself and others by saving for the poor? How? Click here!

Find Rest, Give Rest

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." 
Mt. 11:28-30

I'm happy to know that you're safe kapasahero. My sincere prayer is with you and to all especially to those properties and love ones are greatly affected by the recent typhoon Glenda.

My friend, I don't know how to start.

When you see trees and electric posts on the ground,

Crops ruined, houses flat, friends crying, and lives lost;

It's really hard to speak, to write.

But somehow, today's Gospel made me compose.

For I found a loud assurance from it.

What assurance?

The assurance that we're not alone. We Filipinos are never alone.

We have a God of rest and of restoration. 

I invite you kapasahero,

Today let us come to Him, in prayer and in trust.

Together, let us find strength and rest in His yoke of peace and of love.

It is only in Him, with Him, and through Him we can truly share the strength and rest to others. 

P.S.

Let us all share whatever we have: time, talent, and treasure. Especially to the lost, the least and the forgotten. And for those who practice the 'PASAHERO TICKET' oras natin 'to, tulong tayo!  

Be Healed

 “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do.” Mt. 9:12

You and I have a doctor, and the good news is that He’s always on call.
Actually, He’s better than that- He comes before we call on Him.
And like a mother who is soothing his ill son with gentle massages,
Our doctor soothes us with His gentle forgiveness.

Indeed, you and I need not to go weary, afraid and lonely.
For every time we are in sickness and in pain of sin,
Healing is possible, very possible!
Again, for you and I have a Doctor,
Never isolating but forever forgiving.

Today, allow Him to heal you.

When God Died, He Was Thinking About You (Last Round)

Today, we celebrate God’s faithfulness to us.
Indeed, He’s faithful for He did not only complete a task, He did fulfill a promise. A promise of new life, a more fulfilled life. In a word- salvation.

Many did not noticed or expected it. Many did not even believe it.That for all those years (from creation to resurrection) until now; His death and resurrection is all about us. It is our salvation, more than His glory.
It is our salvation, more than His majesty.

Let’s put this reality this way:
Jesus chose to be like man, for you to stay like God. Jesus chose to die having you rather that to live without you. Jesus chose to be buried on earth, so that like Him; you may rise in heaven!

Now, we have a perfect example to truly live our lives. To gain salvation.
If Jesus was able to give Himself for others, how about us?
If Jesus was able to empty Himself for others, how about us?
If Jesus was able to die and live for others, how about us?

I hope it is affirmative. For this is the summary of Easter-
To die and live for others. But this time, this time;
It’s not anymore about us and it should not be because of ourselves.
For this time, this time; it should be only for His glory.
It should only be for God’s Majesty.

Yes. It’s a cycle. (Actually, I can’t wait to share this with you for this is the summary of the all things I would like to tell you since last Sunday) Hear this my friend - God thinks of us for us to learn how to better think of ourselves and of Him.

To make it more clear, this is what I mean.
God loves us for us to love well ourselves and our neighbor, and in loving well ourselves and our neighbor, we can love and be with Him. That’s salvation! That’s Easter!

Let us pray,

Generous Father, as we now conclude our Lenten observance and begin our Easter season, We thank you. We thank you for you made us realize that it is us who you love more than anything else. Help us to do the same with you, to love you more than anything else. For we know, through your grace, that if we will learn how to love you more, we can truly love ourselves and others. Guide us as we continue our journey while proclaiming your resurrection. Guide us as we offer our lives to others. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Have an inspiring Easter journey today and forever. ‘Til then kapasahero!

When God Died, He was Thinking About You (Round 5)

Tonight, we will be witnessing what we are preparing since last Sunday. Please don’t miss it. It is the reason why we are all Christians. Yes. It is the reason for all the seasons. I invite you then, go to your parishes and experience what I mean.

Tonight, in a special and grand way, God will be speaking to us through his written words- the Scripture; and through His Word became flesh- Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is for us to be invited once again to believe and re-live one thing: What is that one thing?

It is the truth that- When God gave Jesus, He was thinking about us! Yes, it is me and YOU whom He thinks and cared about all throughout these years.

When God created the world, He is thinking about you.
When God promised Salvation after Adam and Eve fall, He is thinking about you.
When God called Abraham to build his nation, He is thinking about you.
When God sent Moses to deliver Israel from Egyptians, He is thinking about you.
When God chose Isaiah to prophesy His wonders, He is thinking about you.
When God became man and born in a manger, He is thinking about you.
When Jesus preached the Gospel to the poor, He is thinking about you.
When Jesus healed the sick and brought to life the dead, He is thinking about you.
When Jesus forgave sins, He is thinking about you.
When Jesus celebrated the last supper, He is thinking about you.
When Jesus embraced the cross, He is thinking about you.
Yes, when Jesus died on the cross, He is thinking about you.
And you know what, while reading this one, He is still thinking about you.

That’s how God is selfless and generous to you… generous and loving to us.
Listen to this. I’m not God, but I believe that when He acts, He thinks of us always.
He thinks of how our life would be better for us.
That even in difficulty, sickness, and even death, He make sure that we are safe.
What is my proof? The Resurrected Christ!

Celebrate Him tonight. Receive Him forever!
Have an Inspiring Easter Vigil to you my friend.

When God Died, He was Thinking About You (Round 4)

“After the Cross, the greatest symbol of God’s love for us is Marriage"

Be ‘Polygamous’. But Please Don’t Get me Wrong

An inspiring Holy Friday and Generosity day to you! 

Today, I would like to continue our reflection by sharing some of the inspiration I got from the song “When God Made You” as well as the readings of today.

Like what I’ve told you yesterday, I found the song “When God Made You” not only about marriage between a husband and a wife but a reflection of our ‘Marriage’ to God. Yes, between you and your ‘Marriage’ with God. Because if you think you’re single, no; you’re not. You’re already married and in a relationship (complicated or not, it’s up for you to decide) If you think you should be monogamous, no; you shouldn’t. You should be ‘polygamous’. But please don’t get me wrong. What I mean is that aside from your husband or wife, you should also be (and more) loyal to God. What made me think this way? The Gospel (Jn.18:1-19:42) that you’ll be hearing this afternoon at the “Adoration of the Cross” in your parish will lead you to understand. Allow me to give some points:

At the beginning, the Gospel says: “Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward…” Jn. 18: 4

Yes, Jesus knows what will happen to him. How come? Simple. Because He’s fulfilling a promise. (And basically, a 'promise' is something that has been said before) What was that promise? The promise that God, His Father will save us through Him.

At the beginning, the promise was put by Genesis this way: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He (Jesus) will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Gen. 3:15

After many years, the prophet Jeremiah repeated the promise:

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior. Jer. 23:5-6

For us to better see, prophet Isaiah has a more elaborate version:

“Surely He (Jesus) took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”  Is. 53:4-9

In the New Testament, everything that was promised through Isaiah was summarized by John in this way:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Jn. 3:16-17

Yes, not only Genesis, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and John; but all the scriptures are with us today to help us believe (and receive) that Christ is the perfect one, sent by the Father for us to be assured of life. A life that is full and everlasting. 

Believe It is Jesus, The Perfect One

Now, try to see these opening lines of the song “When God Made You.”

It’s always been a mystery to me,
How two hearts can come together,
And love can last forever.

But now that I have found you I believe,
That a miracle has come when God sends the perfect one.
Now gone are all my questions about why,
And I've never been so sure of anything in my life.

I hope you see what I mean. Again, more that your special friend, your husband, or your wife; today, believe it is Jesus. It is Jesus you need. That Jesus is the one who can answer your life’s greatest mysteries. That He is the one you need to be secured. That He’s the perfect one sent by God for you to experience love, a love that can last forever. Yes, it is Jesus. Believe it is Jesus!

Now, I invite you to pause for a while and reflect on these questions:

1. Do you have a question in your life today? What is it? Do you believe that Jesus is the perfect answer?  In what way?

2. What gives assurance in your life right now? Is it Jesus or anything else?

Hope you’ll ponder on these questions well. For you also to get facilitated I invite you to watch the inspiring video below entitled “We Are the Reason”. Again, enjoy God today and have an inspiring Generosity Day¹!

¹Why today is called Generosity Day? click here. Thanks.

When God Died, He Was Thinking About You (Round 3)

Nobody Thinks of Him but He Only Thinks About Us

Congratulations! Indeed, I’m happy for you for allowing God to be the center of your Holy Week 2014 celebration. By the way, how’s your conversation with Him. I hope the Gospel narrative and the questions that I gave you helped more to focus on Him. This time, I would like to share my personal journey with you with the same Gospel. May this reflection help you to have a more inspiring moment with God.

Honestly, while watching it last Sunday, there was a tendency at the beginning for me not to really pay attention.  It is because somehow as a religious educator; I have already read or listened to it for quite number of times now. But as I keep on watching, there is something that bothers me and made me quiet. It is the realization that during his passion- nobody thinks about Jesus. That from the many individual and group of people present during his passion, nobody thinks about Him, about His welfare. All of them were only concerned of his, her or their own agenda. Allow me to present some of the evidence.

The chief priests and elders; concerned only of their tradition and of pride.

Pontius Pilate; concerned of his throne and power. (even his wife; concerned of her sleep)

Barrabas; you know it, freedom of course.

The soldiers; concerned only of orders and of having fun.

The two criminals: concerned of their safety.

The crowd; their just there to see miracles and wonders.

Yes, try to watch the passion narrative again and observe what I shown you here. You’ll see, all of them are only concern of themselves. But wait, there is something more. Something that I would like you to focus more. Kindly look at Jesus. See how he responded to each one of them. Yes, this is what made my cry. Listen to this my friend.  Even though nobody thinks of Jesus during his passion, in return, Jesus only thinks about them. He only thinks of their salvation.

And this started a different Holy Week 2014 journey for me. Having realized that for most of my life, I was also like those who are present in Christ passion - only thinking of myself; only concerned of my fears and of my dreams, my defeats and my triumphs, forgetting most of the time, what really God wants me to be and what I can really do for and with others.   

Because also of this inspiration, this song that I would like to share with you below becomes different. Yes, it is a weeding song. But for me, it’s not only between a husband and a wife. It’s between me and my God. The God who loves you and me, that is why He gave Jesus to you and me generously. My friend, I invite you to listen and be touch by the song. Try to sing it as if you are having a chorus with Jesus. ‘Til next time.