the living bread...

Today's Gospel says, (Jn 6:44-51) Jesus addressed the crowd, «No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets: They shall all be taught by God. So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to me.

For no one has seen the Father except the One who comes from God; He has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the bread which comes from heaven so that you may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh and I will give it for the life of the world».

Today, we sing to the Lord whom we receive the glory and the triumph from. The Resurrected presents himself to his Church with that «I am whom I am» that identifies him as a source of salvation: «I am the bread of life» (Jn 6:48).

The community gathered around He who is Alive, by way of thanks, lovingly recognizes him and accepts God's instruction, now known as the Father's teachings. Christ, immortal and glorious reminds us again that the Father is the true protagonist of everything.

Those who listen and believe live in communion with He who comes from God, with the only one who has seen him and, thus, faith is the very beginning of eternal life.

The living bread is Jesus. It is not nourishment we assimilate for us but that assimilates us. It makes us feel hungry for God, thirsty for listening to his Word, which is, our heart's rejoicing and joy.

The Eucharist is an anticipation of the heavenly glory: «We divide the bread, the medicine of immortality, the antidote we take in order not to die but to live forever in Jesus Christ» (Saint Ignatius of Antioch).

Our communion with the flesh of Christ resurrected must get us used to all that comes down from Heaven, that is, to beg, receive and assume our true condition: we are made for God and only him can fully satiate our hungry souls.

But this living bread will not only one day make us live beyond our physical death, but we receive it now «for the life of the world» (Jn 6:51). The Father's design, who did not create us to die, is tied to love and faith.

He demands a present, free and personal reply to his initiative. Each time we eat from that bread, let us go deep into the very Love! We do not live anymore for ourselves, we do not live anymore in error.

The world is precious because there is He who keeps on loving it to the end, because there is a Sacrifice out of which we all benefit, even those who ignore it.

that is why....

That is why... we cannot live on bread alone and why water still leaves us thirsty. We need more than physical or even emotional needs met. We need God and our hearts are restless till they rest in Him.

That is why... Jesus gives us the water we may drink and never thirst again.

That is why...today, drink of the Holy Spirit and let that Living Water well up in you to eternal life for someone you love.

Bless us all...

look and see...

Today's Gospel says (Lk 24:35-48, The disciples told what had happened on the road and how Jesus made himself known when he broke bread with them.

As they went on talking about this, Jesus himself stood in their midst. And he said to them, «Peace to you». In their panic and fright they thought they were seeing a ghost, but he said to them, «Why are you upset and why do such ideas cross your mind?

Look at my hands and feet and see that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves that a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have». As he said this, He showed his hands and feet. In their joy they didn't dare believe and were still astonished. So He said to them, «Have you anything to eat?», and they gave him a piece of broiled fish. He took it and ate it before them.

Then Jesus said to them, «Remember the words I spoke to you when I was still with you: ‘Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled’».

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And He went on, «You see what was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Now you shall be witnesses to this».

Today, the Gospel still refers us to the Resurrection of the Lord, when the two disciples of Emmaus are going to Jerusalem and, once there, while explaining how the Lord made himself known to them, the Resurrected Jesus appears in their midst.

But his presence is disconcerting. On the one hand, it provokes a great fright on them, to the point that they thought they were seeing a ghost but, on the other hand, his body pierced by the nails and the spear, is an eloquent testimony that he was the very Jesus, the Crucified one. His statements were very remarkable when he said in Lk 24:39, "Look at my hands and feet and see that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves that a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have."

From today's Gospel passage, we can say that understanding the word of God is not something we can manage privately, or within a gathering of friends or acquaintances. The Lord revealed the meaning of the Scriptures to the Church gathered in that Paschal community presided over by Peter and the other Apostles, who had been appointed by the Master so that «repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all the nations. We need the Church to be able to fully understand the mystery of the Resurrection of our Lord.

Therefore, to be witnesses to the real Christ, it is indeed urgent that we can make ouselves as His disciples and learn how to recognize his Passion scarred Body in each one of us and in the Church....

get out, and proclaim the Good News...

Today's Gospel (Mk 16:15-20): Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them, «Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.

The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed».

So then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven and took his place at the right hand of God. The Eleven went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied them.

Today, there would be plenty to speak about as to why the word of the Gospel does not reverberate with strength and conviction; as to why we, Christians, keep a leery silence regarding what we believe in, in spite of the so called “new evangelization”. Each one will make his own analysis and will come out with his particular version.

But in the festivity of St. Mark, while listening to the Gospel and looking at the Evangelist, we cannot but proclaim assuredly and gratefully where the source is and where the strength of our word lies.

The gospeller does not speak because he has been told so by a recent sociological study, or because of political “prudence”, or because “he feels like saying what he thinks about”. No, he does it, because a presence and a command have certainly been prescribed upon him, from the outside, without coercion, but with the authority of who deserves all the credit: «Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation» (Mk 16:15). That is, that we yieldingly evangelize, although we do it gleefully and confidently.

On the other hand, our word is not presented just like another one out of the market of ideas and views, but it has the whole weight of all strong and explicit messages. Life or death depend upon its recognition or rejection; and its truth, its capacity for conviction, comes the testimonial way, that is, it appears accredited by the signs of power in favor of the needy. This is why it actually is an “announcement”, a public, happy and excited statement, of a conclusive and saving fact.

Why, then, our silence? Fear, shyness? Get out...get out of your nutshell and proclaim the Words of Jesus....Get out and be an instrument of the Lord in evangelizing His people. Get out and spread the Good News. Get out and be heard!

live in newness of life...

Today's Gospel of John says (Jn 3:1-8): Among the Pharisees there was a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus by night and said, «Rabbi, we know that you have come from God to teach us, for no one can perform miraculous signs like yours unless God is with him».

Jesus replied, «Truly, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again from above». Nicodemus said, «How can there be rebirth for a grown man? Who could go back to his mother's womb and be born again?».

Jesus replied, «Truly, I say to you: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Because of this, don't be surprised when I say: ‘You must be born again from above’. The wind blows where it pleases and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit».

A few days ago we were still celebrating the Paschal Vigil. An integral part of it was the Baptism celebration, which is the Passover, a step from death to life. The solemn benediction of water and the renewal of baptismal promises were key points of that holy night.

In the baptism ritual there is an immersion in water (death symbol) and an emergence from water (a new life image). We are submerged in sin and we come out of it renewed. This is what Jesus calls «to be born from above» or «to be born again» (cf. Jn 3:3). This is “to be born of water”, “to be born of the Spirit” or “of the blowing wind...”.

Water and Spirit are the two symbols used by Jesus. Both express the action of the Holy Spirit that purifies and grants life, cleans and encourages, calms the thirst and breathes, smoothes and speaks. Water and Spirit make a single thing.

But Jesus also says the flesh is in opposition to the Spirit: «What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit» (Jn 3:6).

Carnal man is humanly born when he appears down here. But the carnal man is defeated by the spiritual man, who is spiritually born in the Baptism. Which means to be born anew and of above.

A beautiful formula by Saint Paul could be our reflection and action motto, mostly in this Paschal time: «Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life» (Rm 6:3-4).

Blessings to us all in this Easter Season!!!

the search is over....

It's been a couple of days that I did not post any update here because I was caught in some very important appointments that prevented me from being with my notebook. It is difficult to write when I am away from my notebook , so with this, please accept my apologies...

But I have a very good and vital post to share with you today. This is not a paid post as what common bloggers would do for some sites but rather, this post is my way of reaching out to you to help you in the course of your daily search for significant free sources as your guide in your search for daily prayers and reflections, significant source for your study-guides, researches, and any other relevant theological and religioous research that you may aim to find through the net.

I have a friend who owns a very good site that caters for all these abovementioned searches. His site will surely be your sure answer to your long time and unending search for knowledge and information on issues that pertain to your queries. In this site, you will find prayer database of about 800 and you may please feel free to use them.

Likewise, this site has recently added a Catholic Social Community where you can be a member.

So, I want to really encourage you to make use of the site's free resources in its community which include the following:

Library - small but growing

Forums - chat, discuss and make friends

Picture Gallery - hundreds of catholic images

Quizzes - Test your Catholic Knowledge

And some Audio Prayers

I want to also tell you that with all these that you can find from this site called for Catholics by Catholics, I am sure all your longings for knowledge and information on your prayerlife, your spirituality and faith would finally be met.

Finally, I want to let you know that this site which is starting to grow bigger has in it a Groups Section which may be of interest to you. Event listings are available too.

Oh, once you have visited this site, I want you to really pay attention to what it offers and avail of them, and then please let me know how have you been benefited by them...

God's blessings be with us all in this time of Easter!

Peace be with you...

Today, Christ resurrected meets again his disciples with his desire of peace: «Peace to you» (Lk 24:36). This is how HE says to them to disappear the fears and forebodings the Apostles that had accumulated during their days of passion and loneliness.

Let's take note of today's Gospel (Luke 24:35-48). It says: The two disciples told what had happened on the road and how Jesus made himself known when He broke bread with them. As they went on talking about this, Jesus himself stood in their midst.

And He said to them, «Peace to you». In their panic and fright they thought they were seeing a ghost, but He said to them, «Why are you upset and why do such ideas cross your mind? Look at my hands and feet and see that it is I myself.

Touch me and see for yourselves that a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have». As He said this, He showed his hands and feet. In their joy they didn't dare believe and were still astonished. So He said to them, «Have you anything to eat?», and they gave him a piece of broiled fish. He took it and ate it before them.

Then Jesus said to them, «Remember the words I spoke to you when I was still with you: Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled». Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And He went on, «You see what was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Now you shall be witnesses to this».

Well, in the Gospel reading, Jesus proves to His disciples that He is not a ghost but totally real.

It is the resurrection of Christ which gives meaning to all our mishaps and sufferings, which helps us to recover our peace of mind and calm us down in the darkness of our life.

All other small lights we may find in our life become meaningful under this Light.

«Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled...»: and again «He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures» (Lk 24:44-45), as He had already done with the disciples at Emmaus.

The Lord wants us to understand the meaning of the Scriptures for our life; He wants our poor heart to become a flaming heart, like His: with the explanation of the Scriptures and the chunk of bread, the Holy Eucharist.

In other words: our Christian task is to see His story to become a story of salvation as He wants us to understand and live with it amidst the troubled world.

Blessings to us all in this season of Easter...

the road to Emmaus

(Lk 24:13-35): Two disciples of Jesus were going to Emmaus, a village seven miles from Jerusalem, and they talked about what had happened. While they were talking and wondering, Jesus came up and walked with them, but their eyes were held and they did not recognize him.

He asked, «What is this you are talking about?». The two stood still, looking sad. Then one named Cleophas answered, «Why, it seems you are the only traveller in Jerusalem who doesn't know what has happened there these past few days». And he asked, «What is it?». They replied, «It is about Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet, you know, mighty in word and deed before God and the people.

But the chief priests and our rulers sentenced him to death. They handed him over to be crucified. We had hoped that he would redeem Israel. It is now the third day since all this took place. It is true that some women of our group have disturbed us.

When they went to the tomb at dawn, they did not find his body; they came to tell us that they had seen a vision of angels who told them that Jesus was alive. Some friends of our group went to the tomb and found everything just as the women had said, but they did not see him». He said to them, «How dull you are, how slow of understanding!

You fail to believe the message of the prophets. Is it not written that the Christ should suffer all this and then enter his glory?». Then starting with Moses and going through the prophets, He explained to them everything in the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they drew near the village they were heading for, Jesus made as if to go farther. But they prevailed upon him, «Stay with us, for night comes quickly. The day is now almost over». So he went in to stay with them. When they were at table, he took the bread, said a blessing, broke it and gave each a piece.

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; but He vanished out of their sight. And they said to each other, «Were not our hearts filled with ardent yearning when He was talking to us on the road and explaining the Scriptures?».

They immediately set out and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and their companions gathered together.

They were greeted by these words: «Yes, it is true, the Lord is risen! He has appeared to Simon!». Then the two told what had happened on the road and how Jesus made himself known when he broke bread with them.

Today, the Gospel is inviting us to say the liturgy of these days of the Octave of Easter. Let us rejoice in knowing that today and forever Jesus resurrected stands among us.

He walks with us on the journey. But we must let him open our eyes of faith for us to realize He is present in our lives. He wants us to enjoy His company complying with what He said to us: «And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age» (Mt 28:20).

Let us walk in the hope we have knowing that the Lord will help us find a meaning in everything that we do in our lives. We have to do just like what the disciples did at Emmaus— we have to endure difficulties, setbacks, dejection.

In front of the different troubling events around us, we should know how to listen to His Word which will bring us to interpret them in the light of the plan of God's salvation.

Even though, at times, wrongly, we may think He is not listening to us, but He never forgets us; He always talks to us though we may, however, be lacking the good disposition necessary to listen, to meditate and to contemplate on what the Lord wants to say.

In a very troubled environment where we live, we often find people carrying, in the ignorance of God, a meaningless life.

Thus, it is our Christian task that we should understand and take the responsibility to become useful instruments for our Lord Jesus Christ to be able, through us, to come close and walk along with those around us.

Let us join hands and lead other people to an understanding that they are sons of God. Let us make them understand the fact that Jesus has loved them so much that He has not only died and resurrected for them, but He has decided to stay with them for good through the Holy Eucharist.

Bless us all in this season of Easter!

Monday in Holy Week...Jesus and His agony in the garden

We can be with Our Lord into this dark hour, this black night of His deepest agony. Have you ever been in a state of sorrow? I guess you have been in such state, in some way or another.

Maybe a love interest did not return your affection. Perhaps it was a time when a loved one passed away. It may even have been something as simple as seeing your plans, be they big or small, fall through and result to nothing. Oh well, if I may ask you to remember that sorrow and try to recall it now, then you may enter into union with Our Lord's agony in the garden.

Remember how oppressive it felt? Recall the great weight of it, bearing down on you, so that - in some cases, for some of you - you felt that you could not move. You were sitting, or lying down and hardly felt like standing, or eating. Remember the overwhelming exhaustion of it. Remember the ache in your heart. Remembering all these will make you feel the feeling od what Jesus felt in the garden.

This is what Our Lord felt in the garden. Because He was Divine, and His human nature was perfect, His ability to sense and feel emotion was far more perfected than yours.

Have you ever scheduled an appointment which you did not wish to keep? Maybe it was a trip to your counselor, or a difficult confrontation with a friend. Recall how your heart beat faster the closer you got to the appointed time, how your nerves were wrecked, how you trembled a little. Remember the dry feeling in your mouth, the agitated breathing patterns. If you can recall al these- then I am positive you are feeling what Jesus felt in the garden.

What may we learn about this agony from a contemplative and theological point of view? The garden, of course, reminds us of Eden. We remember the first agony and temptation of the First Adam, who, unlike Our Lord, said by his actions, "not what Thou wilt, but my will be done."

We read in Genesis 3 that the curse of sin meant, practically speaking, that Man must labor by the sweat of his brow to eat his daily bread. We learned that the earth was cursed so that it would bring forth thorns. We learned that Adam saw his own nakedness, and was ashamed of it.

Our Lord redeemed these things and reversed the curse at every point. He redeemed the sweat of Man's brow by sweating drops of His own Precious Blood granting to Man through the Cross that he may eat the true "daily bread" of the Eucharist.

He redeemed the thorns by allowing the crown of thorns to be pressed into His sacred flesh and coated with His Precious blood. He redeemed the nakedness of Adam by being stripped of His own garments and suffering humiliation.

From the account of the agony, we must take note of these words: "Pray, lest ye enter into temptation," and "Could you not watch one hour with me? … The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." ...Remember all of the times when we were unable to pray with Our Lord even for one hour (we may understand this figuratively to refer to all the times when we forget to pray at all) because of the weakness of our flesh.

Recall these sins to mind and make reparation especially by meditating on this mystery of the Rosary. Say to Our Lord, "I offer you this Mystery of the Agony in reparation for those times when I fell asleep, whether literally or figuratively, and failed to pray."

In the account of Jesus praying in the garden, we may pray and ask Him for anything, we should always hasten to add, "yet not my will, but Thine be done."

When we ask the Father for something that is in accordance with His will, we can be infallibly certain that He will grant it. This is why some spiritual writers have said that requests for more grace, more humility, deeper devotion, firmer faith, etc., are always granted.

As we meditate on the hour that Jesus went to the garden, we may say:
"Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy."

People need the Lord

Everyday they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pair
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides their silent cries
Only Jesus hears

Chorus:
People need the Lord
People need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams
He's the open door
People need the Lord
People need the Lord
When will they realize
People need the Lord

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost for
Sharing life with one who's lost
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share

People need the Lord
People need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams
He's the open door
People need the Lord
When will they realize
That we must give our lives
For people need the Lord
People need the Lord
People need the Lord