“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” - Mark 1:15

FEBRUARY 22, 2015 REFLECTION

Brothers and Sisters, I would like to share to you one statement that struck me from last Thursdays’ community praise and worship. The priest said…”We are human, we are divine and we have the power to say no to temptation…just like Jesus, when He said, “Be Silent, Satan!” (Remembering his 40 day fasting in the desert, the 3 temptations and Jesus just brushed him off Mt 4. Jesus: Get away Satan, it is written… The Lord, your God, shall you worship and Him alone shall you serve). What do you think about this? Even if He is the Son of God, Jesus was not excused of being tempted and do you know how Jesus can just overcome any temptation? Because He is the Son of God? But all of us are God’s sons and daughters too? But why do we fail? The difference….Jesus knows what He believes, He acts on what He believes and He lives for whom He believes. Tama ba? Kayo? Do you know what you believe in or do you find time to know more about what you believe? Kayo ba, ginagawa niyo kung anong pinapaniwalaan niyo? O isinasabuhay ba natin ang buhay gaya nang kay Kristo o iniaalay ang buhay natin para sa Panginoon? It’s not about us. It’s about Him.

I know we are not perfect but God sees us in magnificence sabi sa Genesis diba? We are made in God’s image and likeness. We have the dominion over everything He has made in this world…giving us the spark of the light - the power to see and act on goodness. Sabi sa Lord’s prayer, “and lead us not into temptation”. Actually as per the Catechism of the Catholic Church, when we pray this, we are asking God not to allow us take the path that leads to sin. This petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength; it requests the grace of vigilance and final perseverance.

Marami sa atin, natatalo sa temptation more so, nagfafall sa sin. And ang iba pa nga, sila pa ang mismong lumalapit sa temptation. Bakit? Mahina ako? May mga daing at kailangan rin ako? Tao lang ako? I am guilty of this but in my heart, I want to disagree and I beg to - as Father mentioned, “We are divine, we have the power to say no to temptation and no to sin” unless at the very start, we ourselves, do not agree to what is right and wrong from what is right and wrong in God’s eyes. Or sadyang hindi tayo naniniwala that we are capable of saying no to sin. And that even sometimes, we bargain. Last na to Lord, promise. Pang-ilang last and promises na natin to? And this will end my first point.

In truth, I had a hard time trying to put into words and perhaps what God wants to tell us today. I prayed harder and harder and God just blessed me. Yesterday, I asked help and went into counsel with Father Z. There was one thing he told me: “God’s grace abides in us.”

Sabi ko, “Wow! Ito na yun!! Thank you Lord! Answered Prayer! Wooot!

First, what does abide means? Sabi sa Merriam Webster:

• To accept without objection
• To accept or bear (someone or something bad, unpleasant, etc.)
• Remain
• To endure without yielding :  withstand
• To bear patiently :  tolerate <cannot abide such bigots>

Brothers and Sisters, God’s grace abides in us. Imagine that from the start all He was thinking of was us. It is through God’s love that He was willing to endure everything for us even sending His only begotten Son. As mentioned in the first and second reading, it’s just so amazing that God sees us fallen but He cleanses us and then finally renews us. It was stated that, there was our disobedience, but God patiently waited for Noah to finish the ark whom he saved through water just like our baptism and more so in the risen Christ, the just- who died for us- who are unjust- in order to lead us back Home to our Heavenly Father. Ano sabi natin kanina? Lord, last na talaga to promise… Di na mauulit! Ilang last na at promises pa? Paulit-ulit. Minsan, pare-pareho pang kasalanan pero God is just so loving, merciful and compassionate that for so many times we fall into sin, God just continually embraces us and gives us another chance - making us a new creation perhaps a better one.

I personally, always fell short on my faith to Him ever since I was younger. I was blessed and then slowly everything like a domino effect, everything just collapsed. Life for me was a struggle. There were a lot of times kapag gulo gulo buhay at hirap hirap na, teka ano to? Time out Lord! Wait! Kung kailan ako masaya bigla namang binabawi. Kung kailan ako matapang mas lalo akong tinetest and apparently, gumigive up and napapanghinaan ng loob. Sabi sa psyche, ang number two need ng tao is the need to be needed. I had that long time struggle. I am a worrier and God just won’t quit challenging me. Nakakapagod. And there was even a time I became exasperated to whatever His plans and whatever He wants me to do. But you know what, I was blessed with an angel who told me, maybe that’s why right now I became patient of God’s plans for me, because I struggled much when I was younger. And then it came to me, who am I to complain, I was blessed compared to others and thinking about it, God just apparently provided everything, maybe not as much more than before but just enough to what I needed. And in time, God changed my need to be needed into humility that everything I will do, it’s not about me but by His glory - That this earthly life, it will just pass and I’m just going to leave everything behind. God changed my worrying heart into something that believes in possibility. That’s why right now, by faith and prayer I always believe in mission possible because God promised in one of my life verses: Mark 9: 23 “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

Brothers and Sisters, I’m not telling you that my life right now is always like a fairy tale, happily ever after. Admittedly, I’m still struggling but just like Noah, God continually floods my world and tests me but I believe that God’s grace always abides in me because by those floods, I am renewed and made into a new creation a better one, hopeful looking forward of those rainbows after the rain.

Do not doubt, God’s grace will always abide in us. The struggle is real but God is more powerful than you can ever imagine. There will be a thousand more times that we will fall into sin but God will never give up on running towards us with wide open arms. My prayer, may it be that we will believe and be patient that God has prepared beautiful plans for us, by His grace, He will transform us into a new creation. Four questions: Can we accept that we are sinners yet can be loved? Can we accept that we are capable of saying no to temptation and sin? Are willing to be transformed through Jesus Christ? Lastly, do you think it’s time to turn around and come Home? “He ran to me. Lifted my face, wiped the tears on my eyes. He has been waiting for this day. He said, “Son, Do you know I still love you.”

- Rica Andico