BE SIMPLE AND HUMBLE

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 11:25-27 In today’s gospel Jesus is condemning intellectual pride. What matter for Jesus is not the head but the heart. Brain is nothing without the heart. Brain is useless if our heart is empty. Friends, IQ has no value if all that we have learned make us forget God. Do not then let our intelligence prevent us from recognizing the Lord. It requires humility to know the Lord. “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” Stay away from intellectual pride. It closes the truth about God. For Jesus the clever and the well-educated people are those who look themselves as infants. Those who are willing to learn new things are the wise and intelligent. A great man is always willing to be little. Folks, the measure of intelligence is the ability to be receptive to God’s teaching. Remember this: Intelligence without spirituality is like a bird without wings. Be childlike no matter what age you are. Behave like infants regardless of your age. Friends let your inner child turn up for it is the gateway for God’s grace and favor to overflow. Blessings Fr. Jhack

NEVER POSTPONE YOUR CONVERSION

Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 11:20-24 "Woe to you" means grief, sorrow, misery, terrible calamity will come upon you if you do not repent. The sin of Chorazin, of Bethsaida, and of Capernaum was the sin of doing nothing. I called this indifference-an absence of good deeds! We know and we are very much aware that its bad but we no longer care. We know it is a sin but we don’t care. Indifference! Nowadays, we lost the sense of sin. We don’t care what God and anyone else think. Jesus was so furious and upset with Charazin and Bethsaida because they were not interested in repentance. No signs of changing their evil lifestyle to Godly habits. These towns were not afraid of God. Friends, repentance is not only turning from sin but running to God for forgiveness. You know what, God is not please if we continue to ignore the call to repentance. Friends, repentance pleases God. Today we are reminded that not to repent is a shameful act. It makes God bent out of shape. Conversion is urgent! All of us are obligated to repent of our sins because sin is a transgression of God's law. This is not the final judgement yet. There is still a delay. Friends, there is still time to repent. The sun may rise tomorrow but you nay not. Repent today. Let us not delay our repentance. The most beautiful blessing we have been given is the chance to repent. Warning: If we dont repent, the greatest of all curses, all badlucks and miserable events will fall upon us. True repentance is seen not heard. Offer prayers for the city where you live. Ask God to bring a city wide repentance starting from your local and national leaders. Blessings Fr. Jhack

GOD’S WORD IS LIKE A SWORD

Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mt 10: 34-11:1 “I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” Jesus’ presence automatically causes division because not all in our family shows loves in Him. The Word of God is like a sword: it separates and divides. This is indeed true because if we try to look at our own family, others express their faith by going to church but some members dont mind going to church at all. Others are prayerful but others are not expressive of their faith. Others believe but others are doubting. I called this as domestic spiritual struggle. My dear friends, we are challenged to witness to our faith in Him. How? First, take up your daily crosses in life and follow Jesus. Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get into heaven. Second, be sensitive to the needs of the insignificant people those we called the “little ones.” Finally, receive Jesus in your life. Blessings Fr. Jhack

JERUSALEM TO JERICHO

Fifthteen Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Luke 10:25-37 “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.” Friends notice the direction of this man:from JERUSALEM to JERICHO. This kind of movement indicates a very deep significant biblical interpretations. One interpretation is like this:Jerusalem is a place of prosperity, abundance, luxury, fortune and plethora of blessings. Why? Because it is where the temple of God resides. On the other hand, Jericho is a sin city. I was in Jericho last year for a pilgrimage. One of its attraction is the Mount of Temptation. You know what, there are gallery of temptation in Jericho. It is like Las Vegas of our time:a city the never sleep. People who resides in Jericho during the time of Jesus were not afraid of God. Biblical scholars considered it as a place of damnation, doom and torment. That is why, when this man moved from Jerusalem to Jericho, he was robbed and beaten unto death. Friends, the gopel for today is challenging us to find our Jerusalem and stay there. Never be tempted to exchange your everlasting Jerusalem with temporary Jericho’s. When we move away from Jerusalem we will surely experience similar misery like that of man in today’s gospel. When we trade our Jerusalem to Jericho surely plagues, afflictions, harassments and misery is our final destiny. In Jerusalem however blessing collides. Friends, stay in your Jerusalem. Our Jerusalem is our Sunday worship. Never trade your Sunday with a day of Jericho like recreation, work, sleeping, shopping and travelling. To all husbands, your wife is your Jerusalem. Never trade her with a false and fake lover. If you trade your wife a mistress that mistress will be your “miss” for a year but she will be your “stress” forever! To all students, your studies is your Jerusalem. Never trade it with Jerichos like playing long games and hanging with atrocious company. Conclusion: Pope Francis once said: “Like the good Samaritan may we never be afraid to touch wounds of those who suffer but heal them with concrete acts of love and mercy.” Let me end this reflection by saying: To help your self is good. To help a friend is better but to help a stranger is the best. Blessings Fr. Jhack

NEVER SELL YOUR SOUL

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 10: 24-33 God has three essential attributes. First, God is Omnipotence meaning all powerful. Second, He is Omnipresence, meaning He is everywhere at once. And finally God is Omniscience meaning He is all knowing. He knows all that there is to know and all that can be known. “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.” If you dont want anyone to find out then dont do it. Time discover truth. There are no secret that time does not reveal. Friends, God knows everything. Secondly, our reading proved to us that we have a God who really cares for us. “Even all the hairs of your head are counted.” No matter how small, vulnerable and insignificant we may feel at times, we are always supported and valued by a loving, caring God. If God provides for the sparrow, much more support will be given to us because we are His children. We are worth more than sparrows. So worry not, for God will sustain us. We are the apple of His eyes. Finally, we are reminded that the soul will last, but the body will die. “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Friends whatever good for your soul do that. Take time to do what makes your soul secures heaven. Never sell your soul to the devil. Blessings Fr. Jhack

HATED BY MEN BUT LOVED BY GOD

Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 10:16-23 Following Jesus is not an easy way. There will be hostility, lack of support, betrayal, opposition and severe persecution like imprisonment and eventually death. “Everyone will hate you because of me.” Friends, what should be our response to these? First, be cunning as the snake and be gentle as the dove. Behave like a snake. Be wise! You know what, persecution is just a threat but it cannot defeat us. It will scare us but cant overpower us. It will shake us but cant break us. Second, when persecuted and arrested, stand firm. Be steadfast. “Whoever stand firm to the end will be saved.” Friends, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Stand firm for the Lord. Never give up. When our feet are on the right place nobody can break us for the Lord will be our strenght. Finally, when we are persecuted, oppossed and criticized behave like a sheep. Never be wolf to a wolf. “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next.” Friends, do not force people to accept your beliefs. There are three solutions to every problem. Accept it. Change it. Leave it. If you can’t accept it, change it. If you can’t change it leave it. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LOOK FOR A WORTHY PERSON

July 7, 2022 Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 10:7-15 Our gospel for today is reminding everyone of us especially those in the ministry of the propagation of faith that the kingdom of God is not for sale. It is free of charge. “Freely you have received, freely give.” Friends, God’s love is free! Building God’s kingdom is not an avenue for earning material wealth. Like the disciples our business is to give healing not hurting others. Our job is to give life not to destroy it. Our mission is to free people from the slavery of evil. Furthermore, today’s gospel is reminding us to choose our company. “Look for a worthy person and stay there.” Friends, let us sorround ourselves with uplifting people. Let us associate ourselves with people of good quality. You know what, it is better to be alone than in bad company. Folks, if we want to be holy, stay with holy people. If we wish to be humble, stay away with the proud and arrogant. If we like to be religious and spiritual choose religious and spiritual friends. Stay with good people. If you wish to be successful,associate with successful people. “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” Finally, if we are not welcome just leave. “Shake off the dust from your feet” is a gesture telling those who shut their doors that we are not responsible of their miseries for refusing to listen to God’s message. It is a warning! Refusing to God’s message and messengers bring condemnation to those who rejects it. Shake of the dust in your feet and flee. Move away because you might be included in their destruction. How unfortunate and unlucky are those who refuse to believe in the good news. If others don’t like you don’t force the acceptance. Flee to the next. Blessings Fr. Jhack

ALLOW GOD TO USE YOU

Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Mt 10:1-7 Jesus gives the apostles the authority to drive out evil spirits. He gave them power to heal every diseases and sickness. And He gave them clear instruction to ‘proclaim the good news’ of the kingdom of heaven. Friends like the twelve these are our mission too. Each of us has the ability to heal. We have the power to gift another person with our care. We are called to be caregivers and instruments of love. We are called to correct the wrong to prevent the spread of wickedness. Remember, we have the authority over unclean spirits. Friends, what areas in your life needs to be clean? Giving care does not demand perfection. The disciples called by God were simple and ordinary individuals. Some of them were known public sinners, uneducated, doubter, traitor and hot tempered. Yet, amidst of their limitations they were given an authority to spread the kingdom of God. Friends, we feel sometimes we are inadequate, unequip, not qualified but it does not matter if we are not quaified or wild cards. Just allow God to use you and find the lost sheep around you. All around us there people who are hurting, people who needs our love, people who needs our time, people who needs our presence. Friends, God will use us but we need to be usable even in our weakness. Blessings Fr. Jhack

KEEP DOING WHAT IS GOOD

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C Mt 9:32-38 No matter how good a person you are, there will be always someone criticizing you. Whatever we do, good or bad people will always have something negative to say. This is the experience of Jesus in today’s gospel. He was accused of driving out the demons by the power of the prince of demons. Friends, doing good sometimes makes other envious but do not be distracted by their criticisms. Some may hate us but continue to do good anyway. You know what, I’d rather be hated for speaking God’s truth than being praised for trying to redefine the truth. The devil may use other people to discourage us but our God has dominion over all these discouragements. Be an encourager. The world has plenty of critics already. Jesus wants us to pray for more laborers to bring in because the harvest is plentiful. He wants more helper. Jesus is looking for more people who has the heart to care for the needs of others. My dear friends, when God calls us to a task don’t be afraid because He will equip us. The lack of labourers, then anf now, is a problem but it is also an opportunity and a challenge. When we pray to the Lord to send labourers into his harvest we often think of the religious life and sometimes forget that Jesus calls each person to be a disciple of his love. Each of us has a vocation, a call to serve and to build the Kingdom of God. God needs you. Blessings Fr. Jhack

POWER OF FAITH

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 9:18-26 Today’s gospel we see Jesus healing both the woman suffers hemorrhage for twelve years and the rising back to life of the official’s daughter. This passage is telling us that without faith miracle would not work. If you are experiencing pain, failures, sorrows, defeats and sickness just believe that once again you also will experience hope and joy. Friends, remember this: when God steps in, miracles happen. My dear friends, God give miracles to those who believe. Our faith in the Lord requires us to take care of the possible and trust God with the impossible. Impossible is God’s starting point. Miracles are on the way, keep the faith. Jesus came for us to give us life, and life in abundance. Like Jesus be a blessing to everyone you meet today. Blessings Fr. Jhack

BE LAMB IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9 The readings today all point to the central theme of proclaiming the Good News. In the Gospel today, Jesus sends out pairs of two on a mission in order to preach together where Jesus plans to go. Why two by two? Because proclaiming the kingfom of God is not a solitary mission, it is not a one man show nor an individual activity but a COMMUNITARIAN MISSION. In going for mission, we don’t need to bring our temporal and material possesions. People dont need it. What they need is Jesus. People dont need our achievements and recognitions. What they need is Jesus. Temporal possessions brings artificial happiness but Jesus gives us real joy. If we have Jesus peace is assured and hospitality of people is secured. Jesus also told his disciples, I am sending you “like lambs among wolves”. Friends, what are you? Do you behave like lamb or are you like a wolf? Simetimes, I feel guilty because I felt like I am a wolf sent to the group of innocent lambs. Instead of bringing Jesus to others I brought with me my pride, my selfishness, my achievements. These things distract the imperative tasks of spreading the goodnews. Today, our gospel is telling me, "Fr. Jhack like the disciples you are sent to go out to spread God's kingdom but carry no purse, no bag, bring no sandals."Why is this? To bring nothing means to save me and you from the trap of materialism. All we need to bring is JESUS. Only Jesus, always Jesus. If we bring Jesus we can cure the sick, we can cast out demons, we can be the source of healing and peace. If we bring Jesus with us people will welcome you and give you something to eat. Suffice it to say, if we have Jesus, we have everything so why bother to carry those unnecessary stuffs. Right? Please don’tt be ashamed to proclaim God's message for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but power of love and self-discipline. May those who are called for mission especially the (bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians) will behave and act like lambs not as wolves. May they bring the Bible not their iphones. May they will bring the cross not the sword. Friends, as you go out, bring Jesus with you, ONLY JESUS, ALWAYS JESUS. Blessings Fr. Jhack