First Sunday of Lent Reflections...The measure of love

Today is the first Sunday of Lent and it's Gospel is focused on the temptations of Jesus which I essayed just the other day, so I needed to deviate to give chance to a reflection which seems to be very timely and just fitting and proper on the fast approaching celebration on the day of the hearts: Valentine's Day!

So, my dear friends, without so much ado, let me begin by telling you that many of my friends in the Philippines who kept emailing me said time and again: “Dom, You must take care of yourself because if you do not take care of yourself, nobody else inside will take care of you, etc. etc. etc..."

This came to my mind why people out there get their insurance companies and memorial plans. We want to be taken care of. Why? This is probably because we believe that there might be no one to take care of us when we no longer are able to take care of ourselves.

Well, this practical idea is not really based on the Scriptures.

We can see from Scriptures that evidently, Abraham did not agree with the advice I get from my friends.

During the time of Abraham, trouble arose between him and Lot because their workers were fighting each other. And to resolve the feud, they decided together, probably saying: “Okay, let us just divide. Whichever you choose will be yours, whatever remains will be mine.” And Abraham gave the best part--the Jordan portion of the Holy Land--to Lot. He strongly believed that even if he did not take care of himself, there would always be somebody who would take care of him.--GOD.

Abraham did not mind being left the less fertile land, the less promising land. He gave up the most fertile, the most promising land to Lot. And just as he believed, Abraham was rewarded by God. He was rewarded with Canaan. He was rewarded by becoming the Father of all nations.
The action of Abraham is given confirmation by the Gospel which says, “You must treat others the way others treat you.”

In our own words and interpretation, this must mean that, “You must give to other people what you want the most for yourself,” because God will take care of the rest. It is when you are able to give up what you enjoy and aspire for the most; when you can give up your very dreams so that others can become better persons; when you can sacrifice for others so that they may be able to continue to live a descent life, then you are giving them your real love; and when there is love that is real, then God is always there.

In our celebration of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, we offer simple bread. We offer simple wine. And yet, in the poverty of our offering, GOD responds. He gives us back, no longer bread, no longer wine, but His very body, His very blood.

God is always like that- He cannot be outdone in generosity. God always appreciates ANY sacrifice we make. The Lord says, “Treat others the way you would have them treat you.”
Give to other people what you enjoy the most. Give to other people what you like the most. Give to other people what you love the most.

It is not true that if you do not take care of yourself, no one else will. Rather the Lord says, “When you have forgotten yourself, when you have given up what you want most, what you cherish most, what you love most, then I will enter into your life.
I will take care of you.”

May God bless us and be gracious to us in this time of Lent! Happy Sunday to all of you and let me greet you an advance "happy Valentine's day to all of you" out there...