Reflections of a beloved son

We are told that if we deny Him, Jesus will deny us, but He will remain faithful even as we become unfaithful. Jesus challenges us today to not just hear His words, but to actually do something about them! Don’t just simply hear His words, but listen to them. And to listen to them from our hearts so that our hearts may be moved to action. Faith alone is not enough. We can’t just say we believe and think everything will be fine and that our spot is reserved in heaven just like that. Works are needed. Not extraordinary work, not anything outside our means, but works that we are able to do. God always gives us all the help and graces we need to do those works. Faith enables us to ask God for that help. So, faith is needed, but it is not sufficient. Faith accompanied by good works with God’s grace is doing the will of the Father. Let’s get to work! Click here to listen to today's daily reflection.

We sometimes take so much interest in fixing other people’s problems and even in trying to solve the world’s problems. However, the truth to the matter is that we cannot change anyone except ourselves. We may want so much for someone to change their wayward ways, but we can’t change it for them. I think we can see this most clearly with parents and their children who may have gone down a not so good path or siblings who can see the same. Even though we cannot change for them, what we can do is be that role model for them. To do this we must take a good look at ourselves.   We can’t see clearly when there’s a splinter in our eyes. But the harder part is that sometimes we can’t even see the splinters. Do we know they are there but choose to ignore them? Do we simply keep putting eye drops in to ease the pain, but not really doing anything about them? It’s time to remove those splinters. We can’t remove them alone. Even if we try to use the mirror it will be difficult. That’s is w...

We are all on a journey, and we must encourage and support one another. There will be times when we may doubt and question and sometimes, we may even give up and walk the other way. Sometimes guilt and shame will lead us to despair and desperation. Sometimes we may feel that God has abandoned us. Then let us remember the time when Jesus was in the garden praying to His Father asking for the cup to pass him by or when He asked why His God had forsaken Him. Jesus knows our sufferings, pains, worries, and anger because He was fully man like you and me. But He also knows of the joy, peace, hope, and love that none of those things can take away.  The joy and peace that comes from God will enable us to endure those sufferings and times of desperation in our lives. The eternal will always triumph over the temporal. We must stick together and remember that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Even when the world tells us there is an easier way, a truer truth, or a better li...

In one of his letters, St. Boniface writes, “ In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course .” At the time of St. Boniface, the missionaries in Germany had a difficult time evangelizing because the pagans were worshipping an oak tree. When St. Boniface arrived, he saw that the tree was in the way, so he cut it down. He got rid of the obstacle that prevented the people from getting closer to God and knowing the Truth. We are told in the Psalms that those who love the law of God will have no stumbling blocks but will rather have great peace. But some may say, well that’s not true. Some devout Christians have difficult lives. True but difficulties are not necessarily stumbling blocks. If we come to see our difficulties as crosses and means of deepening our faith and growing closer to God, then there are no stumbling blocks but only a faith ...

Anything that is worth doing will take work, and sometimes it will bring about tears. Following Christ in a world that rejects Him will be difficult if we allow it to be. The world may try to bring us down with their hate speech and subjective contradictions, but we must remain defenders of Objective Truth, the truth that sets us free. The Truth is worth it. Christ is worth it. You are worth it. Those walking in darkness and hopelessness are worth it. Those who persecute us are worth it. We must by our example of perseverance and love bring others to this Truth. If we want peace and joy then we must keep the faith and hope burning within our hearts. This peace and joy is already present and it never leaves us, but we must choose receive it, even in the midst of tribulations.

We are chosen. When the world rejects us, let us never forget that we have already been chosen by a Father who has loved us even before we came into existence. When the world tells you that you are not enough, know that God says to you, "I love you, and I choose you." May we in turn have the courage to say "You and Your grace is enough for me."  

When we allow God to enter our hearts He will fill it with love and all the graces we need. St. Stephen was "filled with grace and power" because he allowed God to enter into his heart. And through him others came to know Jesus and His Father. But not without persecution and hardship. Doing good will not always be pain-free. But it will always make a difference in someone's life. Your act of charity can move people to conversion, heal wounds, and restore brokenness. Let God work through you.

I believe if you were to ask anyone who seems well-adjusted, doing well, and happy if everything in their lives has always been well and easy, I am sure they will tell you no.   It takes hard work to produce good results , in anything.  For a student, to get honestly good grades, one must study and work hard and diligently.  For a teacher, to be an effective instructor, one must do as much, if not more work than their students to prepare lessons and to love them well.  For a parent, to be a loving parent who does his best to provide for his family, he must maintain his career.  For an athlete, to play to win one must practice day in and day out, putting in sweat and tears.   All things worth doing are worth sacrificing for .  The struggles will be there, but if you keep in mind why you’re working so hard, those struggles will become opportunities to respond to grace and let God lead you. St. Paul and Barnabas told the people who were struggling to ...

" Do you understand what you are reading? " Philip asked.  " How can I, unless someone instructs me? " the Ethiopian court official answered (Read Acts 8:26-40). How many of us want to understand the mysteries of life?  Or know the secrets to joy and happiness?  Or for some closer to home, how many of us want to just know how to get through this week and put food on the table?  In the Acts of the Apostles, while on his way preaching the Good News, the Angel of the Lord told the Apostle Philip go south.  When he listened and followed the path as instructed, there he saw an Ethiopian court official who was reading from the Prophet Isaiah.  And the Spirit told Philip to go to him.  Philip did and he asked him the question that started this reflection.  "Do you understand....? "  By this question, Philip opened up for the court official windows and doors of opportunity and grace.  By being docile to the Holy Spirit, Philip was able to c...

" Does our law condemn a man before it first hearts him and finds out what he is doing? "  This is what Nicodemus asked his fellow Pharisee brothers.  They ridiculed him.    Do I judge someone's character before getting to know them?   It is so easy to do so. The scenario in today's Gospel (Jn. 7:40-53) is that there are people who are beginning to believe that Jesus is "the Prophet" and "the Christ," because they have "heard these words of Jesus."  But in order to see what "these words" were we must rewind a bit in John's gospel.  These are the words that Jesus said: "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of flowing water will flow from within him'" (Jn. 7:37b-38).  Jesus was promising the sending of the Holy Spirit.  Because the people listen to what Jesus was saying and spent time trying to get to know Him, they came to believe. In order to g...

Come out and show yourselves!   This is what the Lord said to the People through the Prophet Isaiah ( Is. 49:8-15 ) in today's first reading.  Do we hide who we really are because we are ashamed of who we believe that we are?  Do we believe the lies about ourselves that the world drills into our minds?  God says to us: " Come out and show yourselves! " We must not believe in the lies what others and the world say about who we are.  Who we are is not based on any material thing.  We are not what we do.  We are not what we have.  We are not what others say that we are.  The essence of who we are is rooted in the Father.  We are children of God.  We are His beloved ones.  Our true identity lies in something that is eternal , and nothing that is temporal and limited .  If we root our identity in things that are not permanent and transient, we are guaranteed to get hurt and eventually find ourselves confused and sad.  ...

Are you tired?   Are you tired of trying to hold everything together?  Are you tired of trying to put on a brave face?  Are you tired of trying?  Are you tired of feeling like you are doing everything alone?  God is saying to you, " You are not alone; I am with you ."  He is with you, sitting with you, and asking you, " Do you want to be well? " In today's Gospel reading , there is a man lying on the floor who is unable to walk, and Jesus asks him that question.  The man did not say "yes" or "no," but rather did what I often do - try to avoid giving a straight answer, and making excuses.  The man said that no one helped him into the pool.  What are my excuses ?  Do I allow excuses to keep me from getting closer to the Father?  Do I allow excuses to keep me from getting closer to others?  Do I make excuses instead of reaching out? Oftentimes when we see someone who we love and care for struggling, we wish we could help them....

Whether matters small or big, they are all important.   In today's Gospel reading we are told: "Amen I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of the letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." Rules are not always easy to be followed.  Sometimes the more minor a rule or law seems to be, the harder it is to follow.  For example, it is tempting not to come to a complete stop at a STOP sign.  It's very simple but our "go" mentality takes over and say "well, as long as there's no people or car, I'll just tap the brake lightly and coast by."  However, it is important to follow this rule.  It may happen that we get distracted and we accidentally hit a child crossing the street. From a different perspective, tasks whether big or small all contribute to the greater good of the society and of the People of God.  Whether it be sweeping the floor or managing the airport tr...