GOD CAN USE YOU

Saturday within the octave of Easter Mark 16:9-15 Jesus appears not only once but three times. Mary told the disciples that Jesus had appeared to her, they did not believe her. Maybe because shes a woman and women were considered voiceless, powerless and no influential status. The message of the gospel is very clear: God will use nobody to transformed everybody. God will use the weak to lead the strong. God will use the humble to shame the proud. Today, we are challenge to be a broadcaster of this truth. Everyone of us is called to be an evangelizers. You are a newscaster and the news that you are going to spread is this: Jesus is alive. Friends, never allow stubbornness and hardness of our heart prevent us from becoming an evangelizer. Pope Francis once said: “An evangelizers must never look like someone who just come back from funeral.” Spread the joy of the resurrection wherever you go. Lack of faith is the problem nowadays. No wonder why the Gospel ends with a command: “Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Gospel to all creation!” In today’s first reading we are reminded to obey God than men! Dont be afraid to be used by God because He is with us like a mighty warrior. God uses weak people and not superstars. God loves to use the insignificant people to do great things for the gospel. Please be aware that Noah got drunk, Jacob lied, Moses was a murderer, Rahab was a prostitute, David had an illicit affair, Joseph plan to divorce Mary, Peter was a denial king, Judas was a traitor but God uses them. He can use you too to spread His message. Like them let us joyfully say-“Here I am Lord, send me.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Friday within the octave of Easter John 21:1-14 Most of the disciples of Jesus were fishermen and of course fishing is their way of life. When Jesus called them to be fishers of men they stop fishing and followed Jesus for three years. When Jesus died some of them went back to their old ways of living-fishing again as told in today’s gospel. However, they caught nothing. Perhaps they tried all the tricks they knew but still they caught nothing. After a long break their trying so hard to catch fish, they did their best, they tried everything they knew in fishing but still they caught nothing! Friends, there are moments in our life that we are like these disciples; we tried everything but nothing happened. We did our best but seems our best is not enough. We try but we failed. We felt frustrated, disappointed, discouraged and we wanted to give up. Today let us learn from the gospel, “try something new”-never give up. “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” Three points i would like to share. First, when somethings in our life doesn’t work well, never surrender. Never give up. Folks, raise your hands to God and let Him take over. Remember this: life has two rules. Rule number one, never give up. Rule number two, always remember rule number one. Success is a journey not a destination. Second, when you are disappointed, do not be tempted to go back to your old ways (fishing-fishing) Try something new. The Lord wants us to grow. Start something new and fresh because life is great and amazing amidst of failures. Old ways, won’t open new doors. When your tired passing through the doors, tried to pass in the window because some windows are wider than doors. Finally, the gospel is reminding us that the Eucharist is the best vitamin for those who are depressed and struggling. When you are in difficulty come to Jesus. When you allow Jesus to come into your life, you will no longer drag your burdens and problems but you will be dragging the overflowing blessings of God. He will turn your nothingness to something. He will turn your sorrow to joy. He will turn your frustration into celebration. He will turn your cross into crown. Get ready to be blessed! Blessings Fr. Jhack

PEACE BE WITH YOU

Thursday within the octave of Easter Luke 24:35-48 In today’s gospel Jesus promised peace to his disappointed disciples. “Peace be with you” he said. It is a peace not of this world. Jesus offers peaces to calm their fears. Jesus wanted to bring their emotions back to normal. He knows that they were troubled and frustrated that is why He assured them of his peace. Friends, in our troubled moments always remember that God is journeying with us. Be still! Let His peace be your strenght. In the silence, our fears will be replaced by courage. Our desparation will be changed into moments of hope because of God’s promise of peace. Just as Jesus opened the minds and hearts of His disciples to understand the scriptures may God also open our hearts and minds so that our worries and anxieties will be replaced by His peace. Let me end my reflection by qouting St. Teresa of Avila: “Let nothing dusturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. He who has God finds he lacks nothing.” Troubled hearts must not stay in each of us. Blessings Fr. Jhack

CHRIST IS OUR COMPANION

Wednesday within the octave of Easter Luke 24:13-35 The two disciples were going back to Emmaus frustrated and disappointed! They felt helpless and hopeless because the death of Jesus shattered their expectations. Have you been knockdown? Imagine yourself losing a loved one, losing an idol. Imagine yourself watching a game and your favorite team is in losing end! What do you feel? Perhaps some may say “turn off the TV!”These are the experience felt by these two disciples on their way back to Emmaus. Frustrated, disppointed and with a sense of defeat. (BOKYA.) They were disappointed by the tragic end of the Lord because they have expections in Him as their promised messiah. His death shattered their hopes and dreams. They were put to shame. Sometimes, there are moments in our life that we feel like that. Why? Because we forgot the promise of the Lord. We feel like God has let us down and He no longer cares. We thought everything was a failure and misery. But hey, its not the end yet! The game is not over yet! If you’re opponent leads by 5-0 score in a hockey game, the game is not over yet. The final buzzer doesn’t sound yet. In a moment like this Jesus is with us and He is listening as we tell him our hopes and dreams. Brethren, when you are on your lowest, when you’re down look up to the highest. Raised up your eyes up above. Hold on to our faith because eventually God will appear to us again in an unexpected ways. Today’s gospel is reminding us that in our moment of disappointments, in times of frustrations God walk with us. He is with us in our struggles. Please remember this: God is close to the broken hearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. Friends, even in our depressing moments God can be found. Even in seemingly defeat experience God is there. Today, do not allow your frustrations steal the amazing presence of God in you. Do not allow your blessings be robbed by your fears. God is here but unrecognized. Blessings Fr. Jhack

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS NOT YOUR PROBLEMS

April 19, 2022 Tuesday within the octave of Easter John 20:11-18 Death is never easy to deal with. Right? Mary Magdala was not able to recognize Jesus because she tend to dwell on her sorrow. Her mourning makes her mistakenly identified Jesus as a gardener. My dear friends, the message of today’s gospel is very clear. When we focus more on our pains it will blind us to recognize the presence of God in our lives. We can’t see the light if we love to hide in darkness. We cannot taste what victory is if we love to talk about defeats. We will not suceed if we nailed our thoughts on our failures. Healing is impossible if we keep touching our wounds. Forgiveness is unattainable if we keep remembering our painful memories. We cannot feel the joy of Easter if we are stuck to the sorrows of lent. Blessings can be elusive if we always complain and not grateful to what we have. Enjoy your blessings and stop looking to what is missing. Count your blessings not your problems. Count your blessings not your troubles. Our sorrows and pains can paralyze us if we allow them to dominate in us. Remeber this: A negative mind will never give us a postive life. Friends, train your life to see the good in everything. Why? Because the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Our happiness and success depends on the quality of our thoughts. If we always dwell on our sorrows the identity of the risen Lord will remain a garderner. Today if you have pains talk to Jesus not to a gardener. Finally, “I have seen the Lord” was Mary’s proclamation and revelation. Folks, if we aspire to see the Lord, move away from the tomb because Jesus is no longer a slave of the tomb. Search the Lord, find Him but don’t look Him in the tomb. Today, many of us seek the resurrected Christ but we failed to find Him because we look for Him in the tomb of temporal pleasures. We look for Him in a wrong stations. When you are disappointed seek the Lord not other else. We cannot find Him in the tomb of wealth and fame. We cannot find Him in the tomb of prestige and power. Today refuse to entertain any stories of pain. Train your mind to see the beauty of the world everyday. Don’t ruin a good today by thinking about the bad yesterday. Brethren, try to be positive in a negative situation. We are reminded by our gospel today that when we seek the risen Lord our sorrows will be turned into hope. Our disappointments will be replaced by delights and joy. Friends, remember this, “one day all will be well.” Let me end my reflection by qouting again our Responsorial Psalm of today. “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

MONEY TALKS

Monday within the octave of Easter Matthew 28:8-15 Money talks. This is the name of the game in today’s gospel. “The chief priests assembled together with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldier telling them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him while we were asleep.” My dear friends, I don’t know if you noticed this too but when money rules us, the truth is silent. When money talks nobody notices what grammar it uses. Hey, if money talks, that talk is very cheap. Money can jeopardize the truth but it can’t hide it. Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time but it ain’t goin away. Never trade your dignity, your integrity and your morals with money. If you have much money never use it to spread fake news. Use whatever you have to circulate the truth.One author says: “I love listening to lies when I know the truth.” Friends, keep watch because there are so many “users” around us with this kind of behaviour-keep talking and I’ll keep counting. Don’t give money the chance and power to hide the truth. Rather than money give me the truth. People need the truth nothing but the truth. Friends, the truth may hurt a little while but a lie hurts forever. Truth will always be the truth even if nobody believes it. Finally, the truth will lead us to the place where Jesus wants to meet us. “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Brethren, where is your Galilee?what is your Galilee? Find it because the instruction of Jesus to meet in Galilee is an assurance of finding the truth. What kind of truth? The truth that He is alive! The only vehicle that will transport us in Galillee is riding and following the route of truth. Blessings Fr. Jhack

REJOICE AND BE GLAD

EASTER SUNDAY John 20:1-9 “He has been raised and is not here” This is the day that the Lord has made, let us REJOICE and be glad. Happy Easter my dear friends. Joy is the characteristic of Easter. We need to rejoice because the Lord is Risen. We need to rejoice because Jesus defeated the power of death. Rejoice because there is life after death. Rejoice because like Jesus heaven is our final destiny. How to reach heaven? Do good and be good! Remember that you are good. Today, run towards others and spread that goodness. Today don’t be a kill joy but give joy! I repeat give joy, don’t be a kill joy. The resurrection of Jesus is reminding us that all forms of sufferings are temporary. Every problems has an end. Sorrow, pain, agony all of these are just passing. There is indeed hope. God is victorious. He conquers death. He triumph over sin. “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song”-St. Augustine. Brethren, the tomb is empty. Jesus is risen. Don’t stay inside the tomb. Its stinky in there. Go out from the darkness and live in light. Let us be faithful in our baptismal promises- renounce Satan, say no to sin, reject the lure of evil. Believe in God, believe in Jesus the Son of God and believe in the Holy Spirit. Love and defend the faith of the Catholic church. This is our faith, spread it and be proud of it! Blessings Fr. Jhack

HE IS RISEN!

EASTER VIGIL Year C Luke 24:1-12 Death is dead. The author of life remains the undefeated champion. The author of life remains its author. He conquered the power of death. Today is the day that God overthrown the sovereignty of the devil. Today is the day that God destroyed the enemy of life. Today is the day that God transform our life from being mortal to immortal, from being finite to infinite, from being limited to limitless, from being temporal to eternal. Today is the day that God points us to our final destiny:heaven. Yahoooooo, God is alive. Jesus is risen! Let us then remember that Easter is not about bunnies, chocolates and Easter eggs but its all about Jesus who promise us heaven. If Jesus did not rise from the dead our faith is futile. Women were the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection. I was wondering why of all the people during those time the Lord choose to first appeared to a sinful woman. Why? This might sound funny and descriminating but for practical reason, He choose to be first seen by a woman because it is easy to spread the news using a woman. The news about Jesus’ resurrection immediately became a trending topic. It spreads rapidly. The resurrection of Jesus became the talk of the town. Women were effective and great evangelizers. Thank you for the women of great faith. I first learned my basic prayers through a woman-my mother. My mom was the best catechist I ever knew. Like Mary let us be evangelizers. Run and tell others the news about Jesus. Evangelizers don’t waste time. They run to remind us the importance of the news. Authentic evangelizer spread the goodnews not the fake ones. Spreading fake news is not an evangelization. Its a deception of the truth. We renew our baptismal promises to challenge us to embrace heaven by renouncing the false promise of the devil. Friends, it is already Easter so be an Easter people. Live in the light and cast out the shadow of darkness. Its time for us to make a difference. We should be a witness of the resurrection “these things were true.” Friends, do not give up to tell the truth about Jesus. The resurrection is the climax of the saving action of Jesus. Let us spread this joy. Be an Easter people. Death, sorrow and sin were loosers. God burried them down and cannot hold Jesus to rise up. Death is dead. Celebrate for there is hope. “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is void of content and your faith is empty too” (1Cor 15:14). This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia! Blessings Fr. Jhack

INSIDE JOB

GOOD FRIDAY John 18:1-19:42 I was wondering why this day is called GOOD FRIDAY. What makes it good where in fact our readings speak about the details of the suffering of our Messiah. It doesn’t sound good to me! It sounds like sorrowful, painful, ugly, bloody and unjust friday for me. Why? Because an innocent man was convicted by the crime He was not committed. Its unjust because Jesus a guiltless man was condemned to die. Today, the Church is in mourning. We are all suffering not only of the pandemic but because of the injustice done to our Savoir. Silence is language of Good Friday. We need to stay in silence because of the sorrow brought about by Jesus’ death. We have to be in silence because it is in quiteness that we realized that our sins was one of the reasons why an innocent Jesus was crucified. It is in silence that we experience the mercy of God. Ahhhh, now I know why its called Good Friday. It is the resurrection of Jesus that makes Good Friday good. Today is the day Christ fell but importantly TODAY IS THE DAY MERCY STOOD. Reflecting on the Passion, I have discovered that one of the reason why Jesus was arrested and crucified was conspiracy. He was a victim of an “INSIDE JOB.” There was a connivance within. A subersion! “One of you will betray me. One who is eating with me.” One among His trusted disciples was involved in a conspiracy. He was betrayed by a kiss of a friend. Don’t get me wrong but you know what, every time we commit mortal sins that is a connivance to Satan’s plan to kill Jesus. Every time we chose to work and neglect our church obligations that is conspiracy to the devil’s deceptive strategy. Everytime we prioritize money than God, that is an INSIDE JOB. I have something to tell you my friends, “horrible was the nature of our sins, but boundless mercy stretches out its arms to any man who comes in search of it.” Conclusion: I got this poem online. “Its Friday. Jesus is praying, Peter is sleeping, Judas is betraying, Pilate is struggling, the crowds are shouting “crucify Him”, Mary is crying, the Pharisees are celebrating BUT THEY DONT KNOW ITS ONLY FRIDAY, SUNDAY IS COMING!” Brethren, are you in pain? Are you in suffering? Are in great trouble and swimming in the ocean of difficulty? Do you feel cheated and betrayed? Are you in agony? Are you in tremendous sorrow? Are you not in good terms with someone? Are you deeply frustrated? HEYYYYY, ITS ONLY FRIDAY, SUNDAY IS COMING! Hold your faith, Easter is on the way. Hope is rising! SUNDAY IS COMING! Blessings Fr. Jhack

HOLY THURSDAY

The Last Supper John 13:1-15 If you know that tonight will be your last day on earth and tomorrow you will be gone, how will you treat your family and friends? Jesus, the night before His crucifixion He gathered His disciples and instructed them what to do. He left them something to remember Him. First, He instituted the EUCHARIST. “Do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus instituted the Eucharist because it is dangerous for us to be alone. The Eucharist is Jesus. He is physically absent but Hes with us. “I am with you always until the end of age.” Pope Pius X once said: “the Eucharist is the safest, surest and shortest way to heaven.” The washing of the disciple’s feet captures the genuine meaning of the Eucharist, He emptied himself and took the form of a slave. He comes to nourish and provide us life everlasting. Friends, St. Teresa of Calcutta reminds us of this: “If people spent one hour per week in Eucharistic Adoration; abortion would be ended.” If we wanted to eliminate faces and forces of evils in our society, love and live the Eucharist. Be a Eucharistic person! Second, Jesus before His expiration He instituted the PRIESTHOOD. Eucharist and priesthood are entertwined with each other. Without the priest there will be no Eucharist. Friends, satan is upset and jealous with the priests. He is always looking chance and ways to destroy the priesthood. Recently, I started to post my sermons online and to tell you honestly not all are welcoming readers and viewers. Besides the affirmations, bashing, negative comments and discouraging feedbacks were part of my social media ministry. Friends, the devil finds deceptive ways to discouraged young men to dedicate their life to the priestly vocation. The devil will make young men believed that priesthood os boring, depressing and not imteresting. In doing so, it is the devil plan to gradually eliminate the Eucharist in the face of the earth. The Eucharist is very important because it is the meeting junction of heaven and earth. As your priest, I am not here as your boss but as your servant and I always remember that. Im here not as your master to serve but as your slave. Friends, if there are times that I behave as if im the most important figure in our community please remind me to act like that of Jesus. If there are times that I seek importance kindly remind of the nsture of my calling. You know what, it is my wish to be a VIP- Very Ignorant Priest. Ignorant in a sense the world is asking people to dominate but we priests chose to obey our authorities. It is difficult to obey but its the wisest and fulfilling way to live. Ignorant in a sense the world aspire to accumulate more, to have more but we priest chose to live in simplicity and poverty by renouncing earthly treasures and pleasures. TO HAVE LESS IS OUR SATISFACTION. Ignorant in a sense, the world is seeking to find a partner in life to live with but we priest choose to be celibate. Pray for me and all the PRIESTS. If there are times that we hurt you because of our words, I am offering my sincere apology. If there times that you were exhausted of our long and boring sermons, please pardon me/us for being insensitive of the time. If there were times that you were scandalize by the way we live, sorry for our misconduct. If there were times that we behave like goat not as sheep, sorry. If there are times that you find us unapproachable and not friendly, kindly understand our swing moods. For all our limitations and weaknesses please forgive us. Keep me and all the priests you know in your prayers. Finally, Jesus gathered His diciples in one table and told them not to forget to exercise humility. Service is the best expression of love. Friends, bend your knees and wash each other’s feet. Bend your knees and let us clean/remove the dirt attached to our body. Jesus said: “Not all of you are clean.” Don’t be shy to show your dirty feet to Jesus. Allow Jesus to clean it because it will take us where our hearts wants to go. The best way to have a FOOT-SPA experience is to walk towards others. Let us use our feet to welcome people, to forgive them and serve them. Brethren, use your feet not to kick and hurt people. Use it to go everywhere to spread the message of love. Its called Maundy Thursday because we are mandated to show our love in humility by washing each other’s feet. We are called to serve not to be served! Blessings Fr. Jhack

SPY WEDNESDAY

HOLY WEDNESDAY Year C Matt 26:14-25 “How much will you give if I hand Him over to you?” In today’s gospel Judas deal business with the chief priests. He sold his master. He traded his boss with a minimal amount of 30 pieces silver. You know what, Holy Wednesday has other name. It is called “Spy Wednesday” because today is the day we remember how Judas conspired with the chief priests. Conspiracy! When we kept the money and allow others to die, it is a conspiracy. When money corrupts our values and virtues, it is a conspiracy. When we choose income over heavenly treasure its a conspiracy. Today the gospel is teaching us this lesson: we have to stop expecting loyalty from friends who can not even give us honesty. Stop expecting faithfulness from dishonest person. Friends, what is more essential and important to you? Your relationship or money? If you are ask to pick one what will your choice be? Values or dollars? Money or dignity? Gold or God? The one we pick determines who we are. Nowadays, it is a sad reality because some of us tried to measure dignity and honor with wealth. The cost of love now is measured by 30 pieces silver. No wonder why some of us chose to work even if it is a day of obligation. Some of us tend to forget to pray but spent an overtime in games and recreations. We trade God for something less valuable. Friends, let this be a reminder for all of us: too much love for money will bring us no good. Too much love for money is the road towards misery. Money is good but too much attachment to it; is dangerous. Money is not intrinsically evil. We need it. In moment like this we need money to survive. But what makes it evil is our unrighteous attitude produced by money. People tends to be greedy rather than being generous. People tend to be selfish rather than being selfless. Indeed it is right to affirm that the love of money is the root of every evil. Brethren, never exchange your relationship with 30 pieces of silver. “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man was betrayed.” Becareful folks because the devil is using money as a mean to destroy relationships. The devil is very cunning because he can even use money as a medium to destroy the government and even the church. Becareful because the devil is looking for another spy to deal business with. Today we are challenge to put high premium on honesty and loyalty to combat conspiracy and betrayal. Blessings Fr. Jhack