MAGNIFICAT

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 1:39-56 “Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country.” Mary is from Nazareth and she had to travel by foot to Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Biblical scholars says, it will take days of travel (2-3days maybe) going to Judea. Travelling before is not fun compared today. It was their tradition before that travellers had to carry with them their gods to protect them from any danger and harm along the way. But for Mary she never carry any gods because she bring with her the God of gods-Jesus in her womb. She too is pregnant! “And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” The visitation episode is telling us that if we carry Jesus with us we don’t need any amulets for protection. We don’t need lucky charms to carry. Jesus is enough! If we bring Jesus, we will be the source of joy for others. “For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.” Today, its my prayer that all of us will be pregnant of Jesus. (Mabuntis sana tayo at ang batang ating isisilang ay si Hesus.) Like Mary and Elizabeth, if we say yes to God, He can turn the impossible to possible. He can make your burdens into blessings. He can transform your trials into triumphs. Your mourning will be change into rejoicing. We need to have faith like Mary and Elizabeth. When we trust God the blessings He promised is from generation to generation. Finally, the Magnificat is the record of God’s mighty things done to Mary. God always favor the lowly than the arrogant. God loves the humble than the proud. Today, the gospel is inviting us to be humble and recall the great things God has done for us. Be grateful for all of them. Dont complain just be grateful. Friends what is your Magnificat? Blessings Fr. Jhack

TAKE COURAGE

May 30, 2022 Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter Year C John 16:29-33 What makes you depress? Are you frustrated by your failures? Are you broken hearted? Are you tired of everything? This message is for you! Today, the gospel is reminding us to continue to trust that with God we can overcome all obstacles and challenges in our life. “Take courage; I have conquered the world!” Folks, keep going no matter how hard life is. It maybe a bad day but its not a bad life. Remember, every difficulty is an opportunity in disguise. Don’t quit but do it. Moreover, peace and courage are two gifts that Jesus wants to leave with us. “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.” Peace is knowing that we have company. We are not alone in our struggles. And courage is acknowledging that God’s strength will shine out even in our human weakness. Friends, don’t let fear stops you. Bravery is the solution to regrets. Guys, go forth and be fierce. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LOOK UP

May 29, 2022 Solemnity of the Ascension Luke 24:46-53 I was blessed to visit the Ascension site in Jerusalem. In the pilgrimage site the attraction was about the mark of Jesus before he left for heaven. It was believed to be the earthly spot where Jesus ascended into Heaven after his resurrection. Folks, the first message ascension is asking us to leave a legacy. Make an indelible mark on your family that can never be deleted. What is your legacy? How do people will remember you? Today we are invited to be a light in a dark world. We are called to be a solution in a problematic society. Spend your heaven by doing good things here on earth. Pope Francis reminds us to find ways to spread the word of God to every corner of the world. As we do our mission the Lord promise us of his presence. “ I am with you always to the end of age.” Perhaps like the disciples some of us doubted of this yet let the promise of God shine on your problems. What God promises God provides. In our journey of faith there will be moments that we don’t feel his presence. But bear in mind that God’s promise does not depend on our feelings. If God has made a promise He will stand by it. Friends, God is with us. We need not to be afraid what is ahead of us. The best of it is, God is with us. Finally, ascension means going up. Our mission is not only to look down but also to look up. Do not allow the concerns of this world pull you down from ascending. We cannot fly if we are overloaded. Drop all your burdens. Drain all your worries. Folks, gaze up towards heaven because like Jesus that’s where we go to someday. Do everything that will bring us to heaven! Blessings Fr. Jhack

ASK

Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter Year C John 16:23b-28 “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” There is nothing wrong in asking. Dont be ashamed to ask. We need to ask because there are things that only the Lord can provide. Beg the Lord for He is gracious. When we ask, joy is the answer to our petitions. The Lord knows our needs but He wants us to present our deepest concerns and profound requests. What are your needs? Open your mouth and prepare to open your hands too to receive for the incoming blessings. Keep asking and wait for the right time to receive what you’re asking for. However, let us be mindful that our God is not like a vending machine. There are petitions and request of ours that were not granted not because God don’t like it but because it is for our good. When God does not answer our prayers it means He has another greater plans for us. You know what, God may not always answer the prayers we want but He will always answers the prayers we need. Prayer is not about what we want but its all about God’s will. Friends, God answers our prayers but not in the way we want it. Never stop praying because you can find the answers in prayers. Never stop praying. Always believe. Your miracles is on the way! Lord, thank you that You are listening to my prayers though it may not always be the answer I that am expecting. Thank you for giving me something much better than to what I desire. Friends, be careful what you ask God for. You just might get it. Blessings Fr. Jhack

GRADUATION CLOSING PRAYER

Most gracious and loving God, You are source of wisdom. You are the Alpha and the Omega. We thank you for everything this year 2022 especially for blessing our learnings and hard works. We thank you for keeping us safe from all the danger and harm. As we close this academic school year we humbly beg you to continue pouring out your blessings upon these graduates and their families. Bless their lives with earthly success and heavenly favours. May they seek to practice what they have learned with meekness. Grant that they may strive to be good example to others. Enable them to discern what is right. Help them to me more grateful. Empower them to walk in the truth. May their lives reflects the beauty of Your heart. Fill them with an unquenchable desire to learn your Word. And may they all continue to live lives of humility and kindness, learning and discovery, peace, love and gratefulness as they bless the world with their presence. May the paths they take always lead to you. Lord, we entrust to You the dreams and aspirations of these lovely graduates. Use them for Your greater glory. Thank you for giving them smart and wise educators. Thank you for the teachers who have shaped them intelligently. Thank you for the school administration for giving these graduate a conducive environment to learn. Thank you for all the bus drivers who patiently give these students here a safe ride. Thank you for the school non-teaching staff and personnel for their untiring support and kindness. And most especially we thank you Lord for all the proud parents here for their unceasing love express through different ways for making their children a better Christian. Thank for giving us a lovely community who relentlessly cater the gospel values, morals and sound teachings. This we pray in hope and thanksgiving through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen

YOUR PAIN WILL TURN INTO JOY

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter Year C John 16:20-23 “No one will take your joy from you.” Where is your joy? What is your joy? Who is the foundation of your joy? There is always stress in life but it’s always your choice whether you let it affect you or not. The gospel for today is the continuation of yesterday’s goodnews. Still we are reminded that we will have pain but our pain will be turned into joy. Using a mother in labor is a metaphor to suffering. “But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world.” Friends, joy is the concrete and vivid sign of the presence of God. Nobody can take it away from us. Our enemy the devil will make all the possibilities to make our life miserable and lonely but if our joy is anchored in and with Jesus, victory is ours. Again I say to you: “No one will take your joy from you.” True joy cannot be found in pleasures like sex, drugs, travels, alcohol or in buying. You know what, money, fame, prestige can’t provide ultimate joy. ONLY JESUS! Today be a joyous person. Carry that joy and spread it like a virus. Blessings Fr. Jhack

SORROW TO JOY

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter Year C John 16:16-20 “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices, you will grieve but your grief will turn into joy.” Today, our gospel reading is reminding us that all sufferings are only temporary-“just a while.” There is always joy after the pain. After the darkness comes the sun. After the storms comes a calm. Failure is not final. Our God cares for our sorrows. He will surely turn our grief into rejoicing. Our mourning will be transformed into dancing. Pains and struggles of whatever forms are just passing. Problems has an expiration date. Friends, whatever causes you pain, it will subside someday. Nothing will last forever. All will be well. Friends, today allow God to turn your grief into joy. Surrender to Him all your worries. There is comfort in knowing that everything is temporary. So if things are going good, enjoy it because it won’t last forever. And if it things are going bad, don’t worry it won’t last forever either. Everything is bound to end but God’s love will never end. Don’t stress yourself too much because no matter how bad the situation is....it will surely change. Embrace the struggle and let it make you stronger. Your pain is just a “little while.” This pandemic is just a “little while.” Your financial struggle is just a moment. Your emotional distress is soon to end. Your healing is on the way because your pain is just a little while. “You will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

JESUS IS THE GLORY OF GOD

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Year C John 16:12-15 We have a wonderful Responsorial Psalm today: “Heaven and earth are full of your glory.” It is full of God’s glory because our gospel for today reminds us that we are not orphans. Jesus told His disciples about the role of the Holy Spirit: the Spirit of truth will guide them to all truth. When we embrace the truth we give glory to God. Friends, if we live in truth we will see the glory of God. The truth will lead us to Jesus who is our glory. Today, let us guard our life against the spirit of dishonesty and insincerity. Always speak the truth. Allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. The Holy Spirit will never dare us to distort the truth. When we embrace the truth we give glory to God. Speak the truth at all times. Friends, the ultimate end of our life is to display the glory of God. It is a big irony if we shine but God’s glory fade in us. Like John the Baptist let us acclaim: “He must increase I must decrease.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

PERSECUTED BUT NOT ABANDONED

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter Year C Jn 15:26-16:4a Persecution is the path of those who follow the Lord. In today’s gospel Jesus warns us that we will be persecuted for our testimony. There will always be opposition, struggles and danger in our lives but today’s gospel reading is very comforting. Despite of the challenges Jesus reassures us of the Holy Spirit. He will not leave us alone. “I have said these things to keep you from stumbling.” The Holy Spirit is the one who will comforts us in our affliction. The Spirit possess the truth about Jesus and we are called to testify to the truth. The most powerful testimony is a Godly life. Friends, we will suffer a lot but remain strong. Persecution is an opportunity to hope and trust in the Lord. This pandemic is a modern persecution. These times are hard but it’s only passing. Be strong because things will get better. It would be stormy now but I firmly believe it won’t be stormy forever. I know persecution is not fun but it will purify us. Friends, be strong like wall because strong walls shakes but never collapse. The Holy Spirit is at work with us, empowering us to witness to Jesus. We had an advocate. God promises to make something good out of the storms that bring devastation to our life. “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling.” God sends storm to show He is the only shelter. Challenge: With Christ darkness cannot succeed. Be strong and don’t give up. Stay strong, stronger than yesterday. Blessings Fr. Jhack

WE ARE NOT ORPHANS

Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C John 14:23-29 Our gospel for today speaks about the farewell discourse of Jesus. He is going away but He is not leaving us alone. “ I am going but I am coming to you.” Let me begin my reflection with this story: A boy find $100 dollars in the trail. He went home and share the story to his dad. Son: Dad I found $100 bucks on the trail this morning. Dad: What did you do to the $100? Son: I took another $100 from my pocket and I left it close to $100 in that trail. Dad: Why did you do that? Son: I did it because I know how it feels to be alone. I left another hundred dollars so that; that $100 there will have company. This story reminds us that God is going home but He will never leave us orphans. Friends, don’t worry. Do not be a worrier but be a warrior. Whatever worries you have today, give it all to Jesus. Do not worry because He is assuring us of peace. Peace is the result when we know that God is in control. “I am giving you my peace.”Friends, I’ll just wanted you to know that someone up there cares for you. His name is Jesus. Today, do not feel like you are alone because you are not. Always remember that in some way or another, you are somebody’s angel even if you don’t know it. They love you and think of you even if you don’t hear it eveyday. Trust that there is love around you even if you cannot feel it. Be brave! Fill your mind with optimistic thoughts. Blessings Fr. Jhack

IN IT BUT NOT OF IT

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Year C John 15:18-21 “You do not belong to the world” The “world” in today’s gospel does not mean the physical corporeal world but the world of people who have mistakenly made like the world of pleasure, money, fame, success, reputation, power, and authority as their God. This world is beautiful but never allow yourself to be consumed by it, “for what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and looses his own soul.” Today’s gospel is reminding us that our belongingness cannot be found in this world. We are in the world but not of the world. In it but not of it. We are called to be world changers not the world chasers. Three years I remember when I went to St. Peter Basilica in Rome I happened to visit one of the parish nearby. (I can easily spot the difference.) There are plenty of tourists around filming and taking photos but few people attending the Eucharist inside the church. What’s my point? Friends, we cannot improve the world if we conform ourselves to this world. Not everyone will accept Jesus! Therefore, as what I mentioned earlier, let us be world’s changers not its chasers. Live to be approved by God not to be applauded by the world. Let us spend most of our time and energy on what is above rather than on what is below! Blessings Fr. Jhack