NEW BEGINNINGS, March 1-31, 2023
Sound sleep is the ultimate success... Yes, we can have everything we want in life: wealth, fame, status, adventures and miles, experiences and milestones; yet, the truest tests of whether we have arrived are peace, confidence and faith, and a sound sleep... When one grows older however, sleep is hard to come by, which is biological; and which makes us doubt whether babies who sleep soundly live better than insomniac adults... And our story and text today would seem to affirm that... For indeed, innocence of evil and wrongdoing, the absence of malice and greed, bereft of pride and selfishness, we can truly trust the One who made us; and we can truly manifest that we have faith in His salvation and healing, in His provision and protection, in His leading and love...
The real good... An online writer expressed
sorrow over one of his favorite Christian singers who abandoned the faith for
disillusionment, whom he said ultimately declared that he doesn't believe in
God anymore, that is, the God preached to him since he was a kid, and a
pastor's kid at that... And we feel regretful too, over such things, but more
than that, over the people and the situations that that person said made him
lose faith, especially since one of those was what he said was the lack of
consistency between what the Word preaches and what most believers claim to be
their faith and convictions, against what they do... And we call such hypocrisy
and disconnect as sin, what the apostles in these passages proclaimed as not
doing the good we ought to do, but instead doing what is not good--for
strengthening our connection with our God and with others... Personality tests
indeed prove that the self-righteous--particularly those who say and outwardly
manifest adherence to the traditions and rituals of their faith--have the
dirtiest and often most perverse secret sins; much like those who claim to know
a lot and feel superior over other people, especially over those whom they
think are of lower rank and status than them, are actually massively ignorant
and incapable... May we truly see ourselves before the eyes of our Maker, be
fair and just to all, and remain humble through all of life's ups and downs;
that we might not cause others to stumble in the faith, and that we might have
peace and confidence until we meet our Great Judge and King at the end of our
days...
When life doesn't go according to plan...
There were dreams we had lost, places we would have wanted to go and explore,
things and opportunities we would have wanted to do, but we didn't and never
got to, because life, and the connections and hold of our loved ones
prevailed... If we had and if we did, things would surely have turned out
differently... But as it is, and like every prayer and wish not granted, it
seemed that God had other plans for our lives... It might seem torturous and annoying,
almost to the point of disillusionment, but really, since we are limited by our
own concepts of time and mortality, age and space, we might think that we can
just settle with what we have been given... But if like Moses, we trust that
God had better and greater plans, then surely, that too will manifest... Our
losses and misses today mean that our victories and hits lie just around the
bend, if we only be patient and wait just a little while for them to be
revealed and come to fruition... For He has never abandoned His beloved, and we
can trust that as His nature and promise, He always works out everything for
good...
The right mindset... Our cute 8-year-old
neighbor's kid very confidently talks about "mindset", not really
understanding the word itself, but just mimicking what he probably hears in
video games... And he's right to a certain extent too... All of us have our own
issues and concerns; we deal with different situations daily, that stresses us
out, puts us on edge, and generally threatens our peace and sense of stability...
But if we have the proper "mindset", that is, when we prayerfully and
in faith, trust or cast our cares on our Maker and Savior, He truly blesses us
with wisdom to handle everything with grace and peace... And it's not the kind
that is forced, nor a pretense of being cool and calm outwardly just so people
will see us poised and confident, but real peace; that whatever happens in
life, in abundance and want, both when our dreams come true or our plans fail,
either when people fulfill their commitments or break their promises, we are
confident and secure that our God makes a way for us, and that everything works
out well... May we be encouraged by this, and may our hearts be set at peace...
The love shield... A character in a popular
children's book stated that the 'Boy Who Lived' was saved from certain death by
the shield of love from his mother, as she gave her life to protect her infant
son from the evil one which massacred their family... That story also reminds
us of the power of prayer, in which we heard of testimonies that certain people
were saved from destruction and a wayward life because somebody cared enough to
pray for them... And too often, real, loving, heartfelt prayer is done in
secret; for the moment we brandish it to the world, when we impress people that
we are prayerful, we lose its essence of love, we diminish its capacity to affect
and change lives... May we instead show that we care for others, that we truly
love them, not in telling them that we pray for them, but that we show such in
how we understand them, how we are patient with their issues and concerns... For
real prayer bears fruit in discernment, where we begin to understand how people
feel, and what are their unsaid needs and challenges, and makes us rise to the
occasion by meeting so, with generosity and humility... With our prayers and
true love, may we shield people from the discouragement and disillusionment
that life's downturns bring, and may we help encourage and strengthen their
faith in God and humanity...
Situation-ships... Some Bible experts argue a
homosexual relationship in the story today, thereby encouraging to affirm
LGBTQIA+ relations in the faith, seeing as great men of God seems to be
involved in it too... One can't argue with them or with the traditionalists,
because of spirited, aggressive, often hostile discussions on both sides...
However, for the sake of identity, sanity, and peace, one best remembers the true
essence of friendship: that, like the one written about between God Himself and
Abraham, it transcends age, gender, sexual and intimate relations, intellectual
capacities, power and authority status, race, and time... May we learn to
celebrate instead our nature of being made in God's image, and build ourselves
and our connections on the soul-level, where each one of us seek only the good
of our friends and acquaintances, where we celebrate each of our milestones,
where we respect the ideas and issues of our colleagues, and instead of
throwing our weight around, gently nudge each other in case we forget or are
remiss in our obligations, where we do not brandish errors and mistakes, that the
erring ones may be castigated as examples, hoping that such may inspire adherence
in others, but rather, to pick up the slack... Because truly, punishments and
penalties, even when the law says are the requirements for implementation, have
been proven by history to be untrue and ineffective in the face of love, freedom,
respect, tolerance, and understanding... For indeed, what better way to
manifest true love and real humanity than inspiring and encouraging others to
do good, to fulfill our duties, and when we see what's lacking in others, to be
the better person in being generous and in extending some form of comfort and
reassurance? ...
Everyday is a chance to do better... Most of
us believe that, but sadly, because many of us would want to protect our pride,
our self-serving interests, we always default to our usual old ways of doing
things; so much so that corruption and greed, abuse and oppression always
reign... If we but study nature however, we learn of its great adaptability in
the onslaught of the changing seasons, to try to survive and thrive until the
day it becomes extinct... And so we realize that no matter what comes next, we need
not worry, nor should this confidence be the source of any feeling of superiority...
Because each of us is given grace each day to welcome the love and mercy
showered to all by our Maker; and each one of us are given talents and skills
to make do with whatever we have in life, and make of them something better and
greater...
More than a voice in the head... It is amazing
to me how some people could claim to hear the voice of God speaking to them
yet, they could still put themselves in positions of moral and spiritual
supremacy, proclaiming judgments of others, either to outright condemnation or
worse, taking of and over their persons, properties and most cruelly, their
lives... We see a lot of documentaries these days exposing such charlatans...
Maybe false prophets and teachers get away with it because the natural human
need to belong, to be accepted, no matter how shallow or pretentious the manner
in which the giver manifests it, make us gullible... Never mind that we often
forget the appropriate response of God's people had been humility in the face
of revelation, obedience and wisdom and not prideful proclamations and
solicitations for material things and unpaid labor bordering on slavery in the
name of volunteerism... Good thing though is that we have the Word as a strong,
moral compass: anything that flies in the face of logic and reason that our
Creator has ordained in the universe, anything that oppresses and abuses, that
demeans and devalues life and dignity--whether human and everything else, anything
that ruins the peace and beauty of the natural universe, is most probably evil
and must be avoided or shunned... May we live our days as good stewards; for it
is by showing deep respect to the Word and work of our eternal Master, that we
can truly fulfill our mission of spreading His good message of love, and hope
and peace...
Making a life... Sometime ago, some young
college friends retorted about the use of doing well and getting good grades in
their minor and units-bracketed subjects, when it is the major ones they need
to get evaluated on for graduation... And I responded with what I've learnt and
realized from my time in university until now: "It may be our major
subjects that teach us how to make a living; but it is our minors that teach us
how to make a life"... "Physical education teaches us sports and camaraderie,
English hones our communication skills, Filipino makes us more aware and appreciative
of our national language, History makes us not forget the past that we might
learn how to deal with the present better, and the natural sciences teach us
more about life, nature and the environment so we could become better stewards
of them"... For all its intents and purposes, a holistic, well-rounded
education makes us less ignorant and more responsible people... And this, more
so, in our study of the Word; especially when we learn more about the life and
times they were written, when we validate them with other factual and recorded
sources, and most meaningfully and fruitfully when we live them daily, until we
reach its goal of making us into our Creator's worthy heirs and children--the
ultimate peacemakers and ambassadors of His love and grace to each other and
all creation... May we not let our education in life and the Word go to waste,
and use them as part of our everyday identity, and source of wisdom, hope and
strength...
Sabbaticals and work-life balance... Few
people realize that one of the clearest sources of these two practices is the
Word itself, because it records the Creator of the universe declaring and
blessing the days or such days to be so... In our race to perform well, to meet
worldly expectations, to get recognized and promoted by the world, to get
compensated handsomely and earn our worth in people's eyes, we try our best to
work really hard, to put in long hours, even working all seven days a week, holidays,
working until late nights... We forget that nights are created for rest and
recuperation, and Sabbaths (or days of rest; in our culture, that is, weekends)
are for the restoration of our humanity and souls; so much so that whether we
admit it or not, when we trespass such God-ordained and nature-set times and
still struggle to do our money-earning endeavors, we disrespect the Creator of
the universe, and ultimately, we cannot stop our health from deteriorating, our
emotional and mental faculties from getting off-balance... Fundamentalists
argue that we are in the last days, and the Son of God is very, very soon
coming back... In the physical realm, we feel it to be so: we are at an
inflection point--in climate, in human-made systems, in civilization... Maybe
we should slow down and think, try to get back to the essence of who we are,
sans the trappings of modern life that we pursue in the name of status and
convenience, and give more time to rest and fellowship with family and friends,
and especially more time with God, alone, and in nature; so that we could enjoy
the blessing He proclaimed on the rest day, at His resting moments... For there
lies His power and joy, and there lies our hope, to strengthen and encourage us
all our days and beyond...
Our walk manifests our character... Some of us
are so seemingly vocal about the things we want, while secretly manipulating
things to go our own way, even if it means that there are people we pull down
and step all over to get ahead... We think that if we project what we think is
a transparent attitude, that makes us more relatable, nicer, promotable,
desirable... But actually, who we are and what we want need not be spoken out
loud, for our walk, whether in the physical and spiritual, reveal to the world
our desires and dreams, our thoughts, our goals and destinations... That is not
just manifesting, but truly living out the fruits of the Spirit in our lives...
For if we really are as great as we parade ourselves to be, that should equate
to humility and magnanimity, peace and joy, contentment with what our God has
blessed us with, freedom from materialism and envy, vigilance and care about others
and the environment, wisdom and love... No cosmetic procedures indeed can make
over a wicked heart and a rotten soul; but a humble heart and meek spirit, as
proclaimed by our Lord and Savior Himself, will endure and inherit the earth...
Herein do we know if we have truly succeeded,
if we have truly lived out our faith and convictions, if we have indeed let the
Holy Spirit bear fruit in our lives--we are content, patient and enduring...
Because in whatever business we may be: in the God-business with an undying
desire for more and more members and a larger and larger church and reach, or
in the secular with the unquenchable lust to be promoted and to earn more and
more, we will soon learn that there is no end in sight, and that the pinnacle
we aim for is hollow and shallow... For a life completely lived is a life
content every moment, with appreciation for each little event and milestone,
secure in the knowledge of our God's provision and care, fully aware and
accepting of life's realities and issues, knowing and being confident by finding
value and beauty in the little ordinary aspects of life; that we truly and
without burden, gain and receive love, respect, peace, and wisdom until the
last of our days...
Uncoloured, unlabelled... One of life's truest
blessings is when God sends people our way to accompany us in our journey,
helping us see how good life is, how much more fun and pleasant it can be, and
how much more peaceful and confident we become when we learn to trust and deal
with everything in wisdom and love... And they could be people within our
family, our neighborhood and community, and even complete strangers... For we
not only proclaim and preach the Word by talking about it; but more than
declaring our faith, we confirm it to be true and alive, and we glorify our Creator
and King with every act of kindness and understanding, with every word spoken
in humility and consideration of others, with every thought and prayer for
peace, health and abundance we utter for ourselves, our next of kin, the people
around us and those whom we meet and interact with each day...
The insidiousness of self-righteousness...
Sometimes we get all absorbed in our so-called life achievements, in working in
the best jobs in the great companies, in being perfectly married and raising
the very best kids, in being very active with our nice little communities and
social circles, that sooner or later, with just a mere pink slip, a little
health blunder, a minor accident, a slip of the tongue, we realize that all our
little hypocrisies and illusions have crept up and built themselves up to shatter
our glass houses... It is then we realize how shallow a pretentious life can
be, how devoid of meaning our illusions and desires to be on the pinnacle of
perfect living... And that is the ultimate sin: living obsessed only with our
own agenda without giving respect to others' issues and concerns, desiring only
to pursue our own passions without giving a chance to others to express their
opinions and ideas, hogging all the limelight and advancement opportunities, being
the queens and kings at home and bringing the same attitude wherever, forgetting
that life is solitary, but living is communal--not only with our nuclear family,
but with neighbors, friends, colleagues, the service workers we meet as we go
through our day, and most especially strangers... May we learn to be less
selfish, be more understanding and humble, be more vigilant of our rights and
the rights of others, to uphold peace and justice and fairness; that we might not
fall prey and accomplice to envy and pride, to hypocrisy and oppression, to
discrimination and abuse...
Alone and confident... In a very real macabre
twist to our story today, it seems that from far-flung rural areas to the
middle of bustling metropolises, crimes against people living alone have
increased in recent years... Yet, demographic data show that as World population
continues to age, more and more people find that they have to live alone and
independently, far from the support of immediate family and friends... We can
still have hope and be confident however, because we have a God who cares for
us, who gives us wisdom and a keen mind to protect ourselves and secure our
property and person, and who always sends good people our way to inspire us,
and even give us company and fun in our most desolate moments... May we learn
to trust that everything in our lives will work out well, if we remain humble
and faithful in what He said we should be and do... And even when the rhymes of
everyday living and reason and logic have abandoned us, with our minds clouded
with senility and old age, may we have faith that our God will always watch
over us, root for us, and give us courage and confidence to our last breath...
Knowledge is its own reward... And so it is
that bibliophiles are some of the few truly contented persons on earth... But
reading does not actually just involve the academic, the fictional, or in this
case, the Word itself... For as we love our Lord and Savior so much we never
get tired of reading about Him, we show our affection best by knowing more
about the times and life He lived in through reading other historical and archaeological
sources; and we show our true obedience when we read people--because all of us
no matter our gender, nationality, beliefs and persuasions are for whom He came
and died for... More than preaching about the good news, we experience the good
news manifested in our lives and the lives of others when we read and understand
others, even strangers, especially those whom we perceive are different and of
lower status than us, and treat each other with respect and courtesy, with kindness
and consideration, with generosity, wisdom and love... And that is what it
means to live as people of His book, people who live on His terms...
Still, silent, waiting, goes a long way... And
our story today, and incidentally, the Doodle we woke up to this morning
express the same thing: it is when accepting who we are in the eyes of our
Maker, in the company and comfort of those who truly love and care for us, we
learn how beautiful, rich, diverse and deep with meaning and purpose life is...
That in the face of the everyday onslaught of stress and tension, the demands
of work and the ratrace of corporate struggles, we can do much not in giving in
by filling our plates with much more than we can handle, with achieving more and
more, with climbing the ladder ever higher; because true success and
achievement lie in humility and acceptance, that yes, we may be passed upon and
forgotten, left behind and down, but like Filipino adobo that comforts the
body, soothes the heart, and pacifies the soul, our God is with us every which
way when we remain humble and hopeful, patient and persevering, unassuming,
honest, transparent, generous and wise...
It's not an "us against them" world,
but "us against our ignorant, sick minds"... And that seems to be the
case with every discriminatory situation we encounter, with every act of
violence, abuse and hate we see and experience around us... And the Word today
gives us the cure--love, not between lovers, because that too is actually bordering
in the zone of selfishness, insularity and narrow-mindedness--but with those around
us whom we perceive to be of lower status, of weaker and baser qualities, of
more common, ordinary or unassuming, often-despised and ridiculed physical
features,of those who have faith, beliefs, persuasion and convictions different
than us... May we truly live out the Words of our Savior, and be more understanding
and kind, respectful and courteous to all... Because how we treat those we feel
inferior than us, reflects the quality of our character...
It's a run, it's a walk, it's a marathon and a journey...
Life that is, and for one who is not a runner like me, I take all of its
challenges walking, preferring to go by my goal card and pace in appreciating
the goodness and provision of God through and through, step by purposeful and
meaningful step all the way... As people created in the image of our God we run
and walk in different speeds and paces, but all of us are ultimately cared for and
supported by, and accountable only to Him, the One who breathed life on us...
Therefore we have no right to gloat over others, to judge how life turns out
for them, to condemn or ridicule if we don't like the way they live their
lives, or to resolve and try to emulate what comes to them believing that
"if they can, so can we", which is the heart of envy and pride... May
we learn to live with the mindset that matters, to do our best to remain kind
and courteous to all, to respect other people's rights, choices, time and issues;
that we may truly be worthy to be called faithful and good...
Not sowing discord... Many wise and cheeky people say to
keep our friends close, and our enemies closer... Which for greed and selfishness,
really does pay well; but strangely, in a positive manner, also spiritually a
fulfillment of our Savior's command to love our enemies and to do good to those
who mistreat us... Indeed, what ultimately reckons with us in the daily accounting
of our deeds, words and motivations is our conscience; which, if we live in
peace and understanding with each other's issues and concerns, give us
confidence and a sound and healthful sleep at night... A peaceful soul is a
healthy soul, which translates to a healthy mind and body... When most other
people want to get ahead even if they have to put down and deprive others; when
many want the higher ups to be impressed with them even if they badmouth and slander
others; then, maybe we have to leave them to it, give them what they lust for,
which ultimately won't last long anyway and still makes them dispensable... The
most important thing is that we get to keep our peace, our sanity, our souls,
safe in the loving and powerful hands of our God and Prince of Peace...
Healing waves... Herein does one know that many people are
unsettled, anxious, stressed out, whatever may be their professed belief,
religion, affiliation or persuasion: grumpiness, rudeness, short-tempers, rage
and tirades when experiencing even the slightest issues and provocations... Hence,
social media is awash in ambient sounds, ASMR, meditation videos and audios...
For truly, as hugely complicated are the inner workings of our bodies as well as
the nanoscopic and unseen forces that power up its functionings, sound waves
particularly have a significant impact; especially since doctors and scientists
say all that causes us pain and illness start from inflammations, and strangely
they are minimized if we are able to relax and slow down a bit... And our story
today shows a great example, where to a highly stressful and insecure job as
leader whose days in position are numbered, music soothes the demons that
plague one's psyche... May we always listen to good music, the ones that affirm
how good life is despite its hardships and difficulties, and shows us how loved
and cared for we are by the God who designed and created us, and who holds the
breath of life that powers every small details of our bodies, even to the
connections and communications of our neurons, hence how we think, feel, understand,
make choices, decide and resolve to persevere...
Non-toxic positivity... True, loving and
honest encouragements truly give people the feeling that they are loved, needed
and supported; the toxic ones, well, their insult, sarcasm, abuse and oppression
oozes out... And as believers, we have to be careful of this... For we might
just say the words, but if we don't have an ounce of empathy, if we cannot
imagine ourselves in the shoes of another, if our encouragement actually couches
languages of self-righteousness and condemnation of the other person's choices,
preferences and character, we better keep silent... For silence itself is
golden, as the hallmark of one who listens deeply and tries its best to
understand the other person's story, is a greater encouragement than all the
positive, rosy and flattering platitudes combined... More than talk, we start
with listening, we begin with understanding and caring...
What's on our walls... The story today hits
close to home, as, being a museum junkie and a primarily visual learner, I
belong to those groups of people who can't appreciate and remember something
unless I see a constant reminder... Yet, being poor and due to the humble
structure of our abodes, we put our visual reminders on our walls instead of on
doorframes, not of pricey or expensive beautiful paintings we cannot afford,
but of verses and words that encourage, build up, affirm, gently rebuke and
keep to mind... And countless times, this has indeed brought comfort and peace,
healing and enlightenment to our souls... In our virtual or social media life,
as much as in the physical, may we examine what cones up in our walls, and make
sure that for us and others, these affirm and remind us of the greatness of our
God, the beauty of life and creation, and the goodness and potential of others
too...
The solitary in families... In this life, even
with progress in the assertion of rights and respect, a lot of women are still
objectified and abused, treated second class, considered only for their bodies
and reproductive obligations, and passed up when it comes to benefits, proper
pay and recognition... Yet reading the Word in its entirety shows us that our
God upholds women and affords them due honor as the second half of humanity...
If one is confused and prejudiced, dismissive, oppressive and abusive to women
because of their perceived superiority towards whom they perceive as weak, it
is ignorance of the worst kind and have no proper and right basis in scripture
and faith... And so we learn that a lot of us must change our attitudes and not
find validation in how people see us and in what tradition dictates; for our
God meets our needs and predicaments every which way: Father to the fatherless,
Defender of the oppressed, Lover of the neglected, Provider of widows, and Family
to the solitary and single... May we indeed find and settle on His acceptance,
His recognition, His respect, His provision, His love...
In different paces... Our story today is far too common, but
not in the way the author interpreted it, that is; because far too often we see
others' weaknesses and relapses as lack of faith, and think that they are
forever lost to the ultimate hope of a happy ending and reconciliation... There
is that one element we should all overcome however: the pride, prejudice and
self-righteousness of one who thinks that he or she is better than others because
outwardly, they are religious, faithful church service attendees, and vocal
about their faith and conviction... For as our Savior even overlooked Peter's
momentary cowardice and betrayal, so too He overlooks our discouragements,
weaknesses and momentary exhaustion and rest; seeing only our great potential
and contribution by working for His kingdom, in different paces, in different
places, at different times... And so, it is of the enemy to believe that they
who are not of our little congregations are doomed, because corralled sheep
that have not known life's true challenges are easy prey to lies and deception
by ravenous wolves; but they who have been exposed to much difficulties, even
rejection, misunderstanding, abandonment and harsh judgment, are in a better
position to gain victory and live lives truly filled with God's Spirit, bearing
fruit, overflowing with His grace and mercy, shining examples of His light and love...
Alone, but not lonely... In our increasingly
lonelier and anxious world, one needs stronger connections to get through life,
to stay sane, to remain hopeful and strong... Yet, it is also a fact that as
more and more of us ages, and less and less born to replenish our kind, more
and more of us will find ourselves alone many times, either through our choice,
or the choices of others... But, as an introvert, thankfully, we are not stranger
to being left alone, left out, or unnoticed, unacknowledged and unrecognized...
Good thing too, that we have faith in a God who always attends to our needs,
and at each moment, cares for our concerns and our dreams and plans... May we
always put our hope in this, and hold on in faith that even if the rest of the
world turns its back on us, the God and Creator of the universe will always
give us His time and attention, His provision and peace, His love and mercy...
Seen and known... An omniscient God is scary,
yet that is what we believe about the God we worship... One wonders however,
how some people can act with seeming impunity, hurting others with words and
actions, pulling their weight around, robbing and depriving others of their
God-given rights, their hard-earned fruits of labor, their humanity, if they
are aware the Highest Deity sees them, knows them, and would surely make them
pay for it?... But then we realize that because our God knows and sees us, He
also knows that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, what doesn't deprive us
of one breath today is a chance to rise up to life's challenges and persevere
for a better and greater tomorrow... And so we trust that because we know we
are seen and known, that all our hardships and difficulties, the abuses and
oppressions we receive are nothing compared to what awaits us; for we might
feel injustice and unfairness today, but surely, in faith we can believe that
our reward, our deliverance, our greatest breakthroughs and victories lie just
ahead...
Stiff necks... We sometimes get them in the
morning, thinking that maybe we only turned our heads to one side when we
slept, so that our necks became sore when we woke up... But sometimes, I observe
that we get them when we carry things too heavy for what we can comfortably
accommodate... And that may just be all on the physical side, but strangely it
seems to be how it is on the spiritual and mental side of things... When we
don't listen to good advice, to reason, to logic, to the Word, we find that though
we may get what we want, it comes at a cost too painful, too heavy, too material
to affect our character, disposition and overall perspectives... And sometimes
too, when we fail to acknowledge what's good in others and not recognize their
potential, but insist that only we are right and qualified, when we bite off
more than we can chew, at the end is misery and pain... May we learn to be
humble, and like the proverbial cat who looks at both sides before crossing the
street, consider the effects of our words and choices, our actions and fleshed
out motivations on others, that we might avoid becoming stiff-necked and a
'pain in the neck' for others too...
Serpents in our midst... Not a few of us have
encountered, and unfortunately have been victimized, by people who say and do
one thing, but when it comes to preserving their ego, would not hesitate to
betray us or sell us out... And I do not dare use the word snake on them,
because our reptile buddies are quite predictable, studied and known; whereas there
is no end to the selfishness and greed, the venom and vitriol, the abuse,
suffering and agony unleashed by traitors... Yet, we thank God that, like in
our story today, He doesn't betray us, He does His best to give us what is good
and fair, He gave His all, even His Son, to show His love and grace... We can
take comfort in the hope that the human serpents in our lives will soon
experience what an ancient serpent in a fabled garden has experienced (if we
don't lose ourselves, our cool and calm, our poise and integrity in the face of
their attacks) - - these will soon be driven out from a life that is full of
peace and love; and all the things that they have accumulated as rewards from
their oppressions and abuses of others will soon come to nothing... Inspite of
life's challenges made more difficult by traitors in our midst, may we still go
on in faith, in patience, in wisdom, peace and love...
Healthy feeding... No one would doubt doctors
and health professionals when they say we have to eat healthy and clean, in
order to live productively functioning lives in wellbeing... But it seems that
isn't the same sentiment when it comes to our minds and souls... Not just during
the pandemic, but especially with the use of social media, far too many of us
spend more time on useless and shallow content that only elicit mockery and
cheap laughter, envy and pride; instead of those things that make us learn more
about life on earth, about civilization and commerce, human behavior and
culture, about history and facts... And that is reflective of our spiritual and
moral feeding too... May we be grounded more on how to make life better for
others, and ours but not at others' expense; for as we seek to do good, to be
fair and just, to be understanding, generous and kind, to learn more, we get
closer to knowing our God and how He works in each of us, and we lean more towards
how best we can live His Word in our lives, and how to make it bear fruit...
The length of our work week... This generation
and these times invite us to think about the things we work for, and how we do
it... In generations past, we were taught to work doubly hard for every peso
that we earn, to put in long hours, to always be on call in order to be called
responsible... But we realize those things prove hollow and our dreams and aims
shallow; for far too many have paid with their lives and health for a
promotion, for a recognition, for a raise; for indeed, no amount of the highest
salary, and no level of the highest status could ever come up to the value of a
life, mental and physical well-being, relationship with family, kids and
friends... May we take up our Savior's offer, who gave us an example of a
humble and simple life, free from the burdens of materialism, far from the
halls of richness, status, position and connection, within the company of the lowly,
the outcasts, the dregs of society; yet, was able to influence humanity, history
and eternity, to become the champion of our souls, and the captain of our fates...
We may not have the same length of work week, yet, we can all surely spend each
moment of it in faith, in love, in peace, in humility and humanity, in
generosity and understanding...
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