REFRAIN FROM JUDGING.

Monday of Second Week of Lent Year C Luke 6:36-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” Jesus stresses the primary importance of good relationships with others. We are reminded today not to condemn others. Why? Because judging others is a way of making ourselves feel better than others. It is actually covering up our own weaknesses. Before you judge others make sure that you are perfect. Today, we are challenged to be merciful for mercy is the second name of love. Judging others does not define who they are, it defines who we are. “If you judge people you have no time to love them” says Mother Teresa. Friends, let us practice fraternal charity in our thoughts by avoiding judging evil of any one without certain foundation. We need to know the actual story first before judging. We dont walk in their shoes. What we see is the incomplete reality. Judge to improve others not to humiliate them. If we wish to be loved by God and by men always to speak well to all. in short, if you don't have something nice to say better to zip in your mouth. Judgement is not our job; it is of God. What we are called into is to practice mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Stop judging, start loving. “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

BE HOLY

Saturday of the First Week of Lent Year C Matthew 5:43-48 Smiling, shaking hands, hugging your friends is very easy. Everybody can do that. But today Jesus is challenging us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us! If our enemies are hungry we need to feed them, if they are thirsty we need to give them something to drink. This is the path of perfection. It is difficult but its not impossible. What should be our behaviour towards difficult people? Three things I wanted to share with you today. First, our gospel is telling us-don’t take revenge. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Love is the weakess of the devil. Doing good must be our sweetest revenge. Do the opposite of what your persecutors does. Second, we are encourage to pray for someone who doesn’t like us. The best revenge is prayer with a smile. It intimidates those who wish to destroy you. Love is the antidote of hatred. When someone curses you, smile. When someone hates you, smile. When someone persecute you and say ill-words against you, smile. Conquer evil by doing good. Love covers multitude of sins. It will make all things beautiful. Friends, going to church for worship but have someone in life you are not in good terms with; is a fake worship. Its hypocrisy Finally, we are challenged to be holy as our heavenly father is holy. How to be holy? Be... H-appy O-ther centered L-oving Y-es to the will of God. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord. Blessings Fr. Jhack

LISTEN TO THE BELOVED SON OF GOD

Second Sunday of Lent Year C TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS Luke 9:28b-36 “Master, it is good that we are here.” Peter told Jesus saying” it is good for us to be here” because Peter dont like Jesus to come down the mountain. Why? For practical reason: He doesnt want Jesus to be crucified. He don’t like Jesus to suffer. Sometimes we can associate our life with Peter. We are afraid of suffering. We love to embrace a Christ without a cross. We love to remove the cross from Christ. But you know what, NO CROSS, NO CROWN! Satan dont like the cross. He is only after of the crown. Brethren, our glory is the cross. Life without a cross is not a comfortable life. Life without burdens is not a blessed life. Triumph without trials has no pleasure. Friends, don’t be afraid of suffering, its only until Calvary. It is only temporary. It has an expiration date. The more we try to avoid suffering, the more we suffer. Suffering is a blessing from heaven. Amidst of our struggles, pains and sufferings, come down from your Mt. Tabor and get ready to march towards your Calvary. Keep going because our journey will end in glory. Finally, if we wanted to experience real, authentic and genuine transformation, the answer according to the gospel is by LISTENING TO JESUS. We need to constantly and faithfully listen to Him. If we wanted to be transfigured let us disfigure ourselves from sin. It is sin that makes us ugly. It is sin that disfigure our beautiful image. It is sin that makes us not attractive. It is sin that makes us not good looking. Brothers and sisters, listen to Jesus because He is the Beloved Son of God. Blessings Fr. Jhack

BE QUICK TO RECONCILE

Friday of the First Week of Lent Year C Matthew 5:20-26 In today’s Gospel Jesus is talking about holding unto grudges, anger, hurt and perhaps even hate. Friends, the Lord is inviting us to avoid angry words. We are challenge to choose love rather than anger. Why? Because anger is one letter short to danger. It is a feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind. Friends, hold your words when you are upset because words spoken in anger leave a scar that can never be healed. Becareful with your words, once they are said they can only be forgiven, not forgotten. Becareful with bad-mouthing like gossip, slander, and defamation because it kills. Control your tongue! Finally, going to church for worship but have someone in life you are not in good terms with; is a fake worship. It is bigotry going to pray and make our offering to God if we keep hurting a brother or sister. “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”. People are more important than gifts. The best gift you can offer to God is to make peace with your enemies. Loving God but hating our brother is hypocrisy! Conclusion: People are more important than gifts. Reconciliation should not be delayed. Be quick to forgive. Reconcile right away. Friends, any material gifts are inferior to interpersonal relationships. Our offering is nothing if we keep hurting others. The best gift we can offer to God is making prace with our enemies. Today, “make peace with your brothers and sisters then come back and offer your gift to God.” Blessings Fr. Jhack

ASK

Thursday of the First Week of Lent Matthew 7:7-12 In today’s gospel Jesus promises us that if we ask, we will find what we are seeking for and if we knock, the door will be opened for us. My dear friends, we are invited today to believe and have faith because the invisible God will provide what we hope for. Today we ask God for our needs and desires. Friends, keep asking the Lord with sincerity and persistence and do not be discouraged even if the answer is delayed. He who is afraid of asking is depriving himself of a great blessing. The gospel present to us three ways of prayer. First approach of praying is by ASKING. Meaning, we need tonopen our mouth. Say what you need. Prayer is an act of humility and humble people ask for help. If we dont ask we dont get. Friends, ask what you need and be prepared to get it. Second action we need to do is by SEEKING. Turn on your eyes. It means after we bring out our concerns through our mind and mouth this time we should use our eyes and feet to find what we ask for. Folks, God is gracious for He provides everything we need, just keep your eyes open. Beautiful things comes to those who seek. But you know what, seeking is not enough. Do something else! And the final ways of praying is by KNOCKING. Activate your hands. Friends, once we find what we are seeking for be ready to experience the limitless blessings of God. Don’t stop on the level of asking. Find ways to achieve your success. Friends, Ask-Seek-Knock! Blessings Fr. Jhack

TURN TO THE LORD NOW

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Year C Luke 11:29-32 “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus compares himself to Jonah calling people for conversion. This (our) generation is an evil one because often we are deaf and blind to God’s invitation to conversion and call to the call of repentance. Instead of making ourselves better, we always asked for a signs. Friends, if we recognized Jesus there should be a sign of repentance and conversion in us. It is an evil generation because we always postpone our repentance. We always delayed our conversion. We always have the tendency to procrastinate. We live our life as if God never exist. The best way to get something done is to begin. Procrastinations is an opportunity’s assasin. Delaying is not the answer; it will add another problems. If we wait until we’re ready, we will be waiting for the rest of our lives. We maybe evil like Niniveh but if we are not complacent we will be saved. Today’s generation is an evil but we can save our generation by turning to the Lord. When we repent and change for good we are actually saving not only ourselves but also our family and our country too. Repentance pleases God, do it now! Action will destroy our procrastination. Save your soul! Blessings Fr. Jhack

HOW TO PRAY

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Year C Matthew 6:7-15 Prayer is not a multiplication of words. It is not a formula for vocal recitation nor a blue print of vain repititions. It is not a litany of petitions either because our Father already knows our needs before we ask. Friends, prayer is not all about what we wanted but what God wants for us. Jesus teaches us that it is not the amount of words, nor the time we spend but faith that is important. Brethren, Jesus loves short and simple prayers but with sincerity of intentions and holiness of heart. Friends, when you pray make it short. Precise but concise! Second thing, when we pray avoid being seen. Do it between you and God. The Scribes and Pharisees wanted the people to think they were pious and close to God, so they made it their practice to pray in such a way as to be seen by men. They went into the synagogues and made a show out of their prayers. What was important to them was what the people thought not God. This is hypocrisy! Finally, time spent in prayer is never wasted. You will never regret the time you spent with God. In this season of Lent let us strenghten our relationship with God through prayer. Friends, never doubt the power of prayer! Be sincere with your prayers. Your sincerity is proven when you learn how to forgive those who mistreat you. Your sincerity is ratified when you forgive your enemies. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Conclusion: In praying be short, be specific and be sincere. Blessings Fr. Jhack

HELP OTHERS

Monday of the First Sunday of Lent Year C Matthew 25:31-46 “Whatever you have done to the very least of my brothers you have done to me” St. John Chrysostom once said: “If you do not recognized Jesus in the beggar at the church door, neither will you find Him in the Chalice.” Jesus identifies with each one. Jesus is already present but in disguise in every person. In today’s gospel Jesus makes it clear that what we do or do not do for others is a significant determining factor for our future. We will be judged according to our love and service done for others. We will be judged by our deeds not by our words. It is our actions not our words that matter. Our choices determines our future. We have the power to choose to help others or to ignore them and their needs. Friends, let us be mindful of the needy around us or else we are missing the whole point of living. We show our love for Jesus by loving and serving other people. Be a sheep in the midst of goats. CONCLUSION: Those who shut their ears and refuse to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. Proverbs 21:13 Blessings Fr. Jhack

TEMPTATION

First Sunday of Lent Year C Luke 4:1-13 Three things I would like to share: 1. Temptation is a part of our life. Its everywhere and it exist anytime. Satan is always at work. The closer we are to God the more we will be tempted but when when we are tempted don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up! The more we resist the more it persists. It is easier to avoid temptation than to resist it. 2. Tempation is like in a wilderness. It ussually attacks when we are alone, lonely, powerless, depress, and sad. The devil knows our weakness. He knows our achiles hill and human loopholes. Frinds, if you noticed most of our sins are repetitive. We confess same sins again. We do it again and again. The devil always appears good looking. He will disguise as an angel. This is what I called “apparent good.” Appears to be good but it’s wicked and evil in its totality. Becareful! Don’t play game with the devil. 3. Temptation is not a sin. Jesus was tempted yet He never sinned. For me temptation is an inclination to sin-an invitation to commit sin. Take note of this, when we are tempted, God is giving us an opportunity to do good because every tempatation is a chance to prove that we are good. Every tempation is an opportunity to enter the kingdom of heaven. Every tempation is an opportunity to trust God. We have trials but if we trust in God we will be triumphant. Conclusion: In our life there are two spirits fighting each other-the wild beast and the angel. One is pushing us to do evil and the other telling us to stay good. One is enticing us shouting “come on do it” while the other is preventing us whispering “dont.” Warning, Satan does NOT like our getting close to God and will do anything to derail our attempts at holiness. Don’t save your body by selling your soul. What to do now? “Repent and believe in the good news”. Blessings Fr. Jhack

GOD IS ENOUGH

Saturday after Ash Wednesay Luke 5-27-32 Better a humble sinner than a self righteous saint. Our Gospel present to us two different types of persons- the sinner (Levi) and the self-rigtheous (Pharisees). The sick and those who pretend to be healthy. In today’s gospel it tells us that Jesus did not come to call the righteous. He is here for the sick. “Those who are well have no need of a physician”. He is inviting us to follow Him. Have yourself check to our Divine physician. Levi was an outcast, unwanted, despised, hated because of his profession. Someone no one wants to be around. You know what, our sins makes us the modern Levi but I have goodnews to tell you-the world may not care about us but God does. Yes, He does! He hates our sins but He loves us. I made mistakes, I messed up, I am not perfect but God’s grace is perfect and greater than my sins. We maybe a great sinner but the goodnews is, we have a greater savior. When Jesus invited Levi to follow Him; Levi left everything and gave a great banquet in his house. Levi understand that Jesus is more important than his wealth and his career. Friends, like Levi repent and rejoice. When we found Jesus we have the great reason to celebrate and initiate a party. The Eucharist is always party because it is celebration of a sinner who found a saviour. "Eucharist is 'not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak”. (Pope Francis) Brothers and sisters don’t miss to attend the party everyday. Jesus is waiting for you! Blessings Fr. Jhack

FASTING BRINGS US CLOSER TO GOD.

Friday after Ash Wednesay Matthew 9:14-15 Today our gospel is reminding us that when we fast we don’t need to compare what were doing. “Why do we and Pharisees fast often but your disciples do not fast?” Stop comparing, do your thing! Comparison is a thief of joy. Second, don’t complain if others are not fasting. Complaining never makes anything better. If were comparing and keep on complaining such fasting will not make your voice heard on high. Such fasting is not acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. There is a bit of Pharisaic attitude in us. We fast but we complain. We fast but we compare our piety to others. We love to post in social media our piety. We dont have to post it to prove it. Its an irony if we are faithful in fasting but the Lord is far from our lives. Finally, our gospel tells us that to be with Jesus is a thing of joy. “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them.” Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God. Its the echo of God’s life in us. Celebrate and choose joy because happiness is not enough. Blessings Fr. Jhack