HOW TO BE A GOOD GUIDE

Eight Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Luke 6:39-45 Some people may judge us by our appearance. Others through the types of gadgets we possess. But how do we really get to know a person? Our first reading tells us that the interior defines the exterior. To know someone it requires us to discover their heart. Wait for the person to open his mouth because “Man can be detected in what he says.” Friends, speech is not just about words and sounds but can be the guiding principle to know one’s heart. Speech is the mirror of the soul. Let us then be careful because our speech can affect the lives of others. Be mindful of the value of human speech. Friends, how pure is your interior? When your heart is troubled your speech is grumbled. “For the mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart.” How to purify our hearts? Three points we need to consider. First, we need a good guide. “A blind person cannot guide another blind.” Second, we need to get out from the trap of selfrigteousness. Sometimes we are quick to judge but slow to correct ourselves. It’s so easy to see the sin of someone else and point it out but often more difficult to see our own sin. “Friends, being selfrighteous is hypocrisy. Hypocrites are those who conveniently forget their faults to point out someone else. Better to be known as humble sinner than a selfrighteous hypocrite. Counting other peole’s sins does not makes us a saint. Inshort, do not judge another person for what we see in others ussually exist in us. Let us examine our own sins, failures and mistakes. Friends, don’t find fault, find a remedy. Finally, let us use our speech to produce good words. Lord please clean my heart so that my words and deeds may glorify you. Blessings Fr. Jhack

CHILD’S NOISE IS GOD’S VOICE

Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 10:13-16 “Let the children come to me for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Some parents never bring their children to the church because of the following reasons: First, they think it’s a disturbance; children can be noisy in church. Second, they cannot contribute to the financial burden of the church. Finally, they need special attention. But amidst of all these reasons, Jesus in todays gospel is telling us: “Do not stop them.” My dear friends, children is a blessing not a problem. Friends, if we prevent the children to come to Jesus we lose the big chance of entering the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." If you don’t teach your children not to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to. As a priest, it gives me great joy to see more children in my parish church. It gives me joy if my parish church is filled with noisy children because it conveys a message that my church is alive. Child’s noise in the church is better than the voice of the choir. The noise of the children is the best and desirable Sunday preaching you should listen to. Why? Because it tells me that the church has a wonderful future. The child’s noise brings a message that the church is not dead. The child’s noise is God’s voice. Make it your practice to bring your children into the house of God. Blessings Fr. Jhack

MARRIAGE IS FOREVER

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 10:1-12 “What God has joined together, let no one separate.” To all the husbands, your wife is your forever. To all the wives, your husband is your eternity. Sometimes your marriage will be tested by different waves and forms of struggles but separation or divorce is not the best solution. If there is a failure in your relationship, start again fix it and give each other a chance to be better. Make a resolve to work together in good times and in bad. There is no perfect marriage and when storms attack your married life learn to dance and bend in humility and give your marriage a music to succeed. Friends, divorce is like an amputation. You survive but there is a less of you. To all the couples, our gospel is reminding you guys that that best gift you can give to your kids is a happy marriage. God created us to relate not to separate. “What God has joined together, let no one separate.”Friends, marriage is a divine institution and no human power can dissolve it. Divorce is as painful as death because it is a death without a burial. Today and for eternity dont forget to tell your spouse that you love him/her everyday. If in case you forgot, let me refresh you of this: “I, ___ do you take you as my lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, to this day onward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?” Blessings Fr. Jhack

CUT IT OFF

Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 9:41-50 Jesus in today’s gospel inviting us to give taste to peoples lives by being salt. Nowadays, good number of our faithful had lost their faith because of some church scandals and bad examples cause by few church leaders. As a result, their faith turns bland, some stop going to church, others change religion and worst others denied the existence of God and draw them away from the Christian community. Today our readings gives us the perfect hint on how to restore the sweet flavour of our christian catholic faith. Three importhing things we need to consider. First, lets do acts of charity like giving a glass of water to someone who is thirsty. We have to put value more on people than things. What is interesting to note here is that, charity benefits the giver more than the receiver. Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven. “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose their reward.” By doing simple charity we set a good example for others to follow. Charity is our perfect testimony to Jesus Christ. Second, we give taste to our brethren by avoiding a scandal. Jesus warns His disciples not to give a bad influence and example that might lead others to sin. Woe to us if we are the stumbling block for others to enter God’s kingdom. Shame on us if we are the reason why others are deprived of God’s beautiful gift of salvation. Its a great horror if we are an obstacle to others and block their path to heaven. Friends we will lose our place in the kingdom if ourselves are the main reason for others to fall into sin. Whatever cause us to sin, cut it off! Finally, our first reading reminds especially those who are affluent who exploit and manipulate the poor to enrich themselves that deceiving others to gain more money is evil. The message is very clear: use your money to help people. Never use people to make more money. Money is good but too much love for it makes our life complicated and salty. “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” Friends, “keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." Blessings Fr. Jhack

DO NOT STOP HIM

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 9:38-40 “Whoever is not against us is for us” Life is not a competition yet for some of us we live as if it were. We think that we are better compared to others. Our gospel for today is reminding us that if an outsider performs a good deeds using God’s name “do not stop them.” Goodness is the language that everbody understand. Three things I would like to share. First, part of our mission is driving out evil influences in us and in our community. Friends be mindful that evil is everywhere. Let us fill our life with God. “If God is with us who can be against us.” Second, never be envious with people who are doing Godly thing even if they don’t belong to our circle. You know what, evil begins when we treat others with envy. Let us get rid of our prejudices and biases towards other’s beliefs. The Lord makes it clear with His disciples, “do not forbid him for no one who works miracle in my name can soon after speak evil of me.” Friends, the message of today’s gospel is very clear: never prevent someone from driving away evil spirits even if they don’t belong to our group. Finally, doing good has no boundary and jurisdiction. Good deeds is our glorious task. Even if our kindness would not be acknowledge by anyone, remember that someone in heaven smiles for what you have done. Keep doing good stuff even if others hates you. The good we do today often will be forgotten tomorrow but keep doing good anyway. Be mindful of this my dear friends, doing good, does you good. Blessings Fr. Jhack

PRIMACY OF PETER

The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle Matthew 16:13-19 Today’s the church celebrates the Primacy of St. Peter. Like Peter we are challenge to make a declaration of faith. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Friends, our faith requires us to make a personal testimony. Its not enough to answer the questions of faith but let us be a witness of it. knowing is not enough. We should go beyond the knowing level by our actions. We are called to be a rock like Peter. To be like rock means to be firm with our faith. Let no one moves you. Be firm with your faith. Never switch your faith. Friends, let us be a witness of our faith faith. How? Let me took the answers from our first reading of today. It says: “Do not lord it over those in your charge but be examples to the flock.” To be an authentic witness of our faith means, to be an example to others. Brethren, we can attract others not by our ideas and opinions but by our witnessing. Our actions are the most powerful words. We are not called to dominate but to serve. The best influencer are the doers. People may doubt what we say but they will always believe on what we do. Being a good example is the most excellent form of service. Performance is greater than theory. Today, lead by example. We are what we do; not what we say. It is our actions that defines our identity. Do what you say because our supremacy lies in the power and authencity of our performance. Blessings Fr. Jhack

HOW TO FORGIVE?

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Luke 6:27-38 Let me start with this story: From his death bed, the husband called his wife and said, "One month after I die I want you to marry Samy." "Samy! But he is your enemy !" "Yes, I know that! I've suffered all these years so let him suffer now ." Smiling, shaking hands, hugging our friends is very easy. Everybody can do that. It is easy to love people who are lovable right? But how about those unlovable? “if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?” How are we to treat them? First, do good to them, second, bless them and third, pray for them. Inshort, we have to return mercy. As St. Thomas Aquinas once said: “Mercy is love’s second name.” Friends, loving our enemies is the perfect path towards perfection. It is difficult but its not impossible. It is contrary to human nature but that is what He demanded of us. Try it! It is liberating. What should be our behaviour towards difficult people? Three points I wanted to share with you today. First, our gospel is telling us not to take revenge. “If your enemies are hungry feed them, if they are thirsty give them something to drink. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Doing good must be our sweetest revenge for love is the weakess of the devil. Second, we are encourage to pray for someone who does not like us. Some people are unreasonable, illogical and self centered. Pray them anyway. If we wish to take revenge do it by praying. Friends put smile in your prayers too. When someone curses you, smile. When someone hates you, smile. When someone persecute you and say ill-words against you, smile. Going to church for worship but not forgiving someone is a fake worship. Loving God yet hating our enemies is hypocrisy. Love is shown in deeds not in words. Life is like an echo. We get what we give! “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Whenever we are confronted with an opponent conquer them with love. Friends, keep loving your renemies for love is the force that capable of transforming an enemy to a friend. Finally, think of this: enemies are angels sent by God to show his love and mercy. Enemies are chance and opportunity for us to enter the gate of heaven. Be kind to the unkind because they need it the most. Loving our enemies and those who hurt us is never easy. But Jesus usually does not ask us to do the easy thing; he asks us to do whatever brings about the most love. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LISTEN

Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 9:2-13 “This is my beloved Son, Listen to Him.” This is our call not only today but every day. We are deeply challenged to listen to the voice of God. Our world nowadays is very noisy: so much voices to listen to. Friends, do not let the voice of the world keep us from hearing the voice of God. What I am trying to tell you folks is this: to hear God’s voice, we must turn down the world’s volume. Proverbs 3:6 says “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do and everywhere you go; He is the one that will keep you on track.” The quieter we become, the more we can hear. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” Listen to Jesus and follow Him. This is the message of today’s gospel. Friends, change is possible if we listen to the right voice. Just a simple reminder, sometimes God stays silent until we are ready to listen. God gave us mouth that is close and ears to tell us to listen more and speak less. The smarter you get, the less you speak. Friends, listen more than you speak. And you know what, God speaks to those who take time to listen. And He listen to those who takes time to pray. Friends, God sees your struggles, keep talking to Him and listen for His directions. “This is my belived Son, Listen to Him.” Today, spend your time in listening for there is a voice that does not use words. Sometimes people just need someone to listen. No advice. No words. Just an ear. LISTEN! NB: Listening is the beginning of prayer. Blessings Fr. Jhack

Behind the scene

CONDTIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mark 8:34-9:1 “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?” Eternal life is priceless. Nothing compares! Today the gospel challenges us to work hard to save our souls. Putting high premium on eternal life must be our supreme priority in life. Friends, no amount of money can equate the importance of eternal life. If we follow the Lord we need to meet the three basic conditions. First, DENY YOURSELF. It means, we need to absolutely surrender and entrust ourselves to God. We are invited to forget ourselves and make Jesus our fundamental option. We are not the real messiah, we are only creatures. Friends make yourself a second option before God. God first before anything else. Selfies has no room in God’s kingdom. Second, we are called to CARRY OUR CROSS. Why? Because the cross is our glory. No cross, no crown. Friends, as I always told you: “life without a cross is not a comfortable life.” The more crosses we have, the stronger we become. Do not abandon your cross. It is not a sign of burden but a mark of blessing. When you carry your cross never complain because you are on your way to glory. Finally, FOLLOW THE LORD. Following God is not a part time committment. It is a full time calling and not just a part time task. Follow the Lord not people. Follow the Lord not the ideology and empty promises of some political candidates. “Happy are those who do what the Lord commands.” Follow the Lord because He is the only One who can save us. Our money cannot save us. Our fame and connections can’t save us either. Only Jesus! Remember, the best things in life are nit things. “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life.” Friends, save your soul. Blessings Fr. Jhack

SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE.

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mark 8:27-33 “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Are we like Peter? Do we judge by human standards? Or do we strive to judge by God’s standards? The Lord began to explain what would happen but Peter did not agree with what he was hearing. A Messiah must suffer, be rejected, die a violent death is unacceptable for Peter. It is quiet different to his understanding of the role of the Messiah. He did not like the path that Jesus set forth. He was called Satan because he was tempting Jesus to abandon the path of persecution and sufferings. Suffice it to say, Peter failed to pick up and understand the mission of Jesus. Our saviour is a suffering-servant. Folks, the way of love is to cross the path of sufferings. Remember this: the more we avoid suffering the more we suffer! Embrace your pain. Enjoy your struggles. Friends, sometimes we think and behave like Peter. Why? Because we like to listen to the promises of Satan than the promises of God. We love the crown than the cross. We enjoy triumps without trials. We loved to received blessings without burdens. Our gospel is reminding us that Christ makes it clear that his disciples must be ready to follow in his footsteps. Today, let us ask the Lord to give us the grace to accept difficulties with joy. Friends, the path to salvation necessarily leads through the sorrow and joy of the cross. God proved His love on the cross. Blessings Fr. Jhack