The Faith of a Child

Mark 4: 35-41
2 Sm 12: 1-7, 10-17/ Ps 51: 12-17

Why are you afraid? Do you not yet have faith?
(Mark 4:40)

In every storm we face on earth,
Christ’s in the stern when we leave berth.
Don’t be afraid, or hesitate,
Trials only serve to form our faith.

One day, as evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, “Master, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” (Mark 4:35-41)

Reflection

Wearied by the day’s chores, Jesus had fallen asleep on the boat’s stern. Suddenly, a storm arose, and big waves started to swamp their boat. The apostles woke up Jesus, saying, “Master, don’t you care if we drown?”

I recall the time when we were in Talikud Island, Samal City, and we spotted a fishing vessel a kilometer from shore. We ventured out to see if the fishermen had any catch that we could buy. But when we were halfway there, the wind turned up and our little outrigger began to be tossed about by the waves. My niece and her friend were with us, and I was starting to worry. But not the two kids. They were merrily enjoying the banca ride, confident in their uncle’s presence.

In times of turbulence in our life, children sometimes have more faith that things will eventually work out than we do. When in fact, we should know better that we have a more reliable Father we can depend on. Jesus slept soundly in the storm because He knew well that His life was in His Father’s hands. That was not the case with His disciples. We find ourselves identifying with them in the frailty of our faith. When we are in a tight spot, don’t we at times pray, “Lord, don’t You care that I am now sinking in this problem?” And many times, when the storm has passed, we realize how little faith we have. “Why fear? Where is your faith?” God seems to be asking us.

Most of our trials in life end in victories. In fact, God allows trials to build our faith. They mold us to become mature Christians. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” St. James said, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) Jesus said unless we become like little children we cannot be worthy of Him. Perhaps what our Lord meant was that we must trust God fully like a child. Because the child of God is never left to face a storm alone. Jesus is always there with us, with the same power to calm the waves that we are so fearful of. We only need to have the same trust that we used to have as children. He will see us through.

We put our faith and trust in you, Father, as we walk fearlessly amidst all the turbulences in life. We have Your promise in Psalm 91: “I rescue all who cling to me, I protect whoever knows my name; I answer everyone who invokes me, I am with them when they are in trouble; I bring them safety and honor; I give them life, long and full, and show them how I can save” (Ps 91:14-16). Amen.

Growing by God’s Grace

Mark 4: 26-34
2 Sm 11: 1-4, 5-10, 13-17/ Ps 51:3-7, 10-11

…night and day, the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.
(Mark 4:27)

The Word we’ve sown God makes it grow,
In faithful hearts it will take root;
How it has grown we may not know,
But it will bear abundant fruit.

Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Again He said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything. (Mark 4:26-34)

Reflection

Most of the lessons that Jesus taught were related to seeds, trees and sowing as these were familiar to the Jews, Israel being basically an agricultural country. Thus, He taught that a tree is known by its fruit; seeds that fall into fertile soil produce a hundredfold; an enemy can sow weeds among the wheat; the kingdom is like a landowner hiring workers in his vineyard; and the Pharisees are like the unworthy tenants. Jesus also described His relationship with his disciples by using the image of the vine and its branches. “I am the vine, you are the branches.” (John 15:5)

As in any agricultural venture, success can only come from a cooperative effort. God employs us to sow the seeds of His Gospel. We do not know how, but He nourishes the Word that we have planted in the hearts of our listeners (or readers). Some would turn away, others would attend for a while, and still others would persevere but only as fence-sitters. But there are a few who turn out to be the best of the crop, and through them the Good News will flourish like so many branches. Numbers are not that important to God. It is the quality of His tenants. Nor do we have to worry about the size of our ministry, or our efforts. However small our share may be, God will use it for an important purpose. Trust God to make it grow into the biggest shrub. Who can tell how God can employ a small act of kindness to break a stubborn heart?

Who can see the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in words of encouragement or inspiring text messages? We are God’s sowers, His instruments of propagating His kingdom here on earth. As St. Paul said, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Cor.4:7). But we who sow God’s Word are blessed by His Word too, because the Word of God is living and effective (Heb 4:12), and lives in the hearts of those who profess it. That is why our ministry is never ending; as long as we walk on this earth, it will keep on growing like the mustard tree, and by the grace of God, will keep on bearing fruit.

Lord, thank You for employing me in Your vineyard, and helping me grow stronger in the nourishment of Your Word. Your Holy Spirit enables my complete transformation to become a worthy tenant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let the Light of Truth Shine!

Mark 4:21-25
2Tim 1:1-8 / Psa 96

Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bushel basket or under a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?
(Mark 4:21)

For those who seek to know God’s Word
All things hidden will be revealed;
Walk in the light and be assured
Your salvation will be fulfilled.

Jesus said to (His disciples), “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bushel basket or under a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear. Consider carefully what you hear,” He continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has, more will be given; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:21-25)

Reflection

What our Lord is saying in this passage is: whoever has learned the message of the Gospel is compelled to spread this Good News to others, for the Word of God can never be hidden, and its mysterious meanings will eventually enlighten all believers in Christ Jesus. But only those who listen with a receptive heart will be transformed. And only those who put God’s Word into action in their lives will be fruitful. In many of His parables, Jesus emphasized concrete action in order to become productive. In His parable of the talents, it is the servant who invests his master’s money who gets his master’s reward. It is the wise builder who builds his house on a rocky foundation. It is the diligent trader who seeks and finds the pearl of great price, and sells all of his possessions to acquire it. It is the alert bridesmaids who bring extra oil who are not left out of the wedding party. And it is the man who is willing to take up his cross to follow Jesus who will be worthy of Him and His kingdom.

Whoever produces, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not produce, even what he has shall be taken away from him.’ It’s the simple principle of progression in everything in life. For instance, as a runner, I’ve learned that the more regularly I run, the stronger my muscles and cardiovascular resistance grow. And the farther and faster the mileage and time. The same goes for our faith to grow stronger. Unless we practice it constantly in good works, prayers, and in evangelization, we cannot expect spiritual growth and productivity. Instead, without exerting any effort, our faith, like idle muscles will tend to atrophy. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack a good measure, pressed down, full and running over.” (Lk.6:38)

“Whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.” Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of God. And even in the eyes of men, truth will eventually prevail. That is why we strive to “be honest even if others are not, even if others cannot, even if others will not.” Honesty is its own reward. For the sake of truth, we give ourselves to the Lord, as the Lord gave Himself to us. More than material goods, He will give us more in wisdom and revelation. May we be Christ’s light-bearers to counter the falsehood and darkness of a world in sin.

Lord, Your Word is the guiding light of my life. Let me never fall into the darkness of sin again, so that I may see Your ways clearly and discern fully Your will. Help me to radiate the light of Your Word to others in all that I say and do. Amen.

The Commission of St. Paul

Mark 16:15-18
Acts 22:3-16 / Psa 117

Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved… whoever does not believe will be condemned.
(Mark 16:15-16)

Do I live as Jesus’ witness?
Have I been a channel of His Word?
Does my life reflect God’s goodness?
Then all His promises are assured.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mk 16:15-18)

Reflection

Today our Church celebrates the feast of St. Paul’s conversion. Among the most ardent apostles of Jesus, St. Paul of Tarsus must have received the hardest commission of all. This ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’ was “special”, because he never saw his Master in the flesh. He was the only chosen apostle who never walked with or heard the teachings of our Lord. In fact he was on a different kind of mission when the Spirit of Jesus “intercepted” him on his way to Damascus. Educated as a Pharisee, he was a natural-born Roman citizen who hated the early Christians for their perceived “blasphemy”. He was the last apostle, but turned out to be the foremost evangelist of Jesus Christ.

In preaching the Good News throughout the Gentile world, St. Paul lived out the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. In His Name he drove out evil spirits (Acts 16:18). He “spoke in new tongues” as his proclamation of the Word of God was understood by all the peoples in the different countries that he visited. The converts on whom he laid hands to baptize them in the Holy Spirit also spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:6). Shipwrecked in the island of Malta, St. Paul accidentally held a poisonous viper, but he was not harmed (Acts 28:3-5). He had no occasion to drink poison, but when a young man was killed, falling from the third floor of a building, St. Paul was able to bring him back to life by embracing him (Acts 20:10-12). St. Paul followed the mandate of Jesus Christ to the letter, and never wavered in his God-given mission. In his farewell speech in Miletus, he said, “In one city after another the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me. Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:23-24).

In following Jesus’ call to repentance, conversion, and preaching of the Gospel, let St. Paul be our model. Like St. Paul’s, may our mission be a personal one, full of faith in God’s power, hope in His eternal reward, and motivated by love for His Word and for those to whom His Holy Spirit sends us. Those who have received the commission of Jesus Christ to be heralds of the Gospel are living a new life in the Holy Spirit. There is reason to rejoice and be glad, despite the trials that we might face. For we believe that the risen Lord is working in us through the power of His Spirit, and we are so privileged to share in this task of St. Paul and his fellow martyrs.

Speak to me in my heart, Lord God, on what I must do in order to be worthy of this gift of faith. Dear St. Paul of Tarsus, pray for me that I may gain even just a little of the grace that God gave you to proclaim His Gospel, and make a difference in the lives of others as you did for the early Christian Church. Amen.

Christ’s Family

Mark 3: 31-35
2 Sm 6:12b-15,17-19 / Ps 24

“Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking at the apostles sitting around Him, He said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
(Mark 3:34-35)

If we want to be Christ’s brother,
What do our words and acts reveal?
Do we show love for one another,
As He has taught us to be God’s will?

His mother had arrived with some of Jesus’ close relatives, and standing outside they sent word to Him. The crowd of people inside informed Him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for You.” Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking at the apostles sitting around Him, He said, “Behold, My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35)

Reflection

Our Lord was not ignoring His own mother and relatives when they came to see him, but only took this opportunity to convey an important lesson about the kingdom of God. On this occasion He was not taking His blood relationships for granted, but was simply emphasizing a higher, more lasting spiritual kinship, which is the family of God. This teaching is a valuable truth about the fellowship of believers who belong to a much larger family here on earth (apart from our own natural family), which is more representative of the Father’s divine family in heaven. This spiritual family may be called a renewal community, a charismatic prayer group, or a brotherhood of Christians who are bound together by the Gospel values of Jesus Christ. And His message then as it is now is: we can only enter into this relationship if we do the will of the Father.

Following Jesus can at times put strains on relationships especially if members of the family belong to different churches. My niece is married to an American Baptist pastor, and no longer attends mass with her parents. But she is very active in their church and devoted to spreading the Good News. She said that while her natural family might be opposed to her beliefs, she takes comfort in the fact that there is a larger, and more important spiritual family to which we all belong, where we all see Jesus as the same Savior, and the same God as the Father of all His children.

“Whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother,” Jesus said as He regarded His apostles around Him. They had all left their former way of life to follow Him, and eventually to follow God’s will. I remember the time when we first joined our renewal community. Total strangers were calling us “brother” and “sister”. Back then it was a new thing for us, but we thought it was great, because it gave us a sense of belonging, being part of a big spiritual family. It was here that we learned how God intended different communities under His Church to become our spiritual families. Each is a fellowship of people, loving and caring for one another, bound together in a common relationship to Christ. In our spiritual family, we also learned submission to authority – to our group leaders, directors and chapter head. This eventually taught us to submit to our Church, and to the will of God, our Father – for our own good.

In this larger family we have realized the importance of a support group, without which most of us would be no match against the forces of evil. No soul can stand alone. How fortunate are all those who are now in one of God’s spiritual families: as we draw closer to our brothers and sisters in community, we draw nearer to Christ.

Father, You have blessed us with both our natural and spiritual families. Help us to love them constantly in good times and in bad, as it is Your will for us to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ in all our relationships. Help us to be open to one another that we may be open to Your will. Amen.

The Unforgivable Sin

Mark 3: 22-30
2 Sm 5:1-7,10 / Ps 89

…whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.
(Mark 3:29)

Trust in the goodness of the Lord,
Believe that we have been redeemed!
Those who deny Him and His Word,
The Holy Spirit they’ve blasphemed.

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons He is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.” (Mark 3:22-30)

Reflection

Is there really a sin that can never be forgiven? Yes, there is, as our Lord was quite emphatic about this. However, this does not contradict the doctrine we believe in that God is all-forgiving. Jesus Himself said, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (to die on the cross for the remission of our sins) so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16-18). The lines are clearly demarcated here (there are no ifs or buts about it): Either you choose to belong to the kingdom of God, or you prefer to stay in the kingdom of darkness and evil. Those who choose to believe the lies of Satan, and willfully deny the divinity of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, condemn themselves to eternal perdition. God cannot save a soul who refuses to be saved. In the Gospel version of Matthew, the author added these words of Jesus: “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters” (Mat.12:30). And He further said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mat.12:36-37).

Our Lord Jesus was not condemning those who had attributed His divine power (to cast out evil spirits) to Satan; He was only warning them that if they persisted in their unbelief, then they were in danger of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, and would inevitably condemn themselves to this unforgivable sin. This was what had happened to Satan and his minions, whose willful opposition to God’s plans had hardened their hearts forever. In fact, our Lord consistently urged the people in His time (and ours) to “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Repentance is the key to salvation from this sin.

The most difficult spiritual problem that I continue to struggle with concerns a younger brother who no longer believes in the teachings and divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In fact he even doubts the existence of a loving God Who is Father to us all. I fear for the eternal fate of his soul because he no longer cares about his faith. But I still hold on in trust to the power of combined prayers. I therefore plead with you, dear reader, to please pray for this person, that God in His goodness and mercy, will manifest a miracle in his life for his conversion. Thank you, and I am certain God will also bless you for your prayers.

Father God, our Lord Jesus said, ‘no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man’ when He rescued the captives of Satan. Please tie up the hands of Satan, the strong man, so that the souls that he has taken possession of may escape eternal damnation. Amen.