Prayer and reflection #10

First Reading: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or Daniel 13:41-62
Psalm: Psalm 23:1-6
Gospel: John 8:1-11

Lord, it is amazing to think what evil lust can bring to many people. First, it subverts the conscience. Then, it causes a lot of pain, injustice, trouble and hypocrisy. Even old men, Lord, elders, who are supposed to be wise and well-respected and righteous, are susceptible of being polluted and subverted by lust. Lord, please help me to overcome lust; to embrace purity, and never allow my heart to have so much as a hint of lust. Amen.

Prayer and reflection #9

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15
Second Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9
Gospel: John 12:20-33

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Law itself. You are the Logos, the Mind, the great I AM. You are the Living God who is Justice Himself. You promised us, during Jeremiah's time, that You will put Your law within us and write it upon our hearts. And now, You have fulfilled Your promise. You have come down from Heaven and became flesh. You have instituted the Holy Eucharist and through this sacrament, we are able to receive You, in the flesh, the Word itself, the Law itself.

Lord, please help me to see Your face, Your living presence, in the circumstances of my daily life, and inside my heart. Amen.

Prayer and reflection #8

First Reading: Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm: Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12
Gospel: John 7:40-53

Lord, please help me to become a true Christian. Please help me to become truly Your follower, Your disciple, in every way.

Lord, I want to see Your face. I feel confused right now. I feel like I'm lost. I feel like I don't know what to think and do. Lord, I pray that no matter how confusing and blurry my life may become; no matter how painful, difficult, challenging, discouraging, lonely and scary it may get, I want to see Your face in my life. No matter how cloudy my mind, and dark my heart, becomes, I want to see Your face, Your living presence there.

Amen.

Quote: St. John Bosco

"Every virtue in your soul is a precious ornament which makes you dear to God and to man. But holy purity, the queen of virtues, the angelic virtue, is a jewel so precious that those who possess it become like the angels of God in Heaven, even though clothed in mortal flesh."

-- St. John Bosco

We are all called to be saints!

I've been quite busy these past few days, so much so that I neglected posting here my reflections and prayers for the daily Mass readings. There are about nine entries in all that I haven't been able to transfer here. They're quite lengthy, so I don't think I'll be able to post them all online.

I will just proceed to sharing my "hidden treasure" for the third week of March.

My favorite readings for the third week are:

1. Deuteronomy 4: 1, 9 and
2. Mark 12: 29-31

You can use your bible to read the verses above.

Anyway, I believe these are the most important thoughts God wants to impart to me this week end:

1. "I have given you all these laws so that you may find true life, true peace, true joy, true happiness and meaning."

2. "My laws, finally, are summarized into two: Love Me above all else and with all your being, and love your neighbor as yourself and as I love you."

I also encountered an interesting thought while reading Fr. Joel O. Jason's meditation on the Scripture reading for today. He said, "Jesus became man, that man may have the opportunity to become like God."

Isn't that an amazing insight?

I remember what Fr. Robert Barron explained once in one of his sermons in the Word On Fire website. He said something like this: God did not deem equality with Him something to be grasped. That's the reason why Adam and Eve sinned and why they were exiled from the Garden. They wanted to be like God. By eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they appropriated to themselves the power to decide what's right and what's wrong -- a right which only belongs to God for He is Justice Himself. Now, by becoming man, Jesus showed man that divinity is not really something to be grasped. Rather, it involves self-emptying, self-sacrifice, or the giving of one's self to others in love. It's as if Jesus is telling us: "This is what it means to be like God. Follow me, and I will show you the path that leads to true divinity." And that ultimately is what God wants for each and every one of us -- to become like Him, to become more and more divine. To become perfect, as He is perfect.

Prayer and reflection #7

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19

Oh Lord, my God, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We must take care to keep them clean and holy always, so that we may be worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit always. Or is Your Holy Spirit, Lord, present in us always, but because of our sins and vices, we suppress the Holy Spirit, neglect Him, douse Him with cold water? Isn't He ever with us, and mustn't we constantly stir Him into flame, so that we may burn freely for You, my God? My soul magnifies Your name and Your Holy Spirit rejoices with my spirit because of the truth that my Father is God, and that I should do all His commandments because they are all for my own good and He desires nothing but the best for me.

Amen.

Quote: St. John Vianney

"We do not have to talk very much in order to pray well. We know that God is there in His holy tabernacle; let us open our hearts to Him; let us rejoice in His Presence: This is the best prayer."

-- St. John Vianney