Jesus is the Bread of Life

We eat foods to fill our hungry stomach and drink waters to quench our thirst. Food and water are among the basic necessities of human to survive the life on Earth, thus we have been working hard every day to provide these needs. You often hear it to most workaholic persons that their foremost reason for working more than eight hours day and including even the Saturdays and Sundays is to put foods on the table. We stuff our belly with sumptuous meals from feast and drown ourselves in various beverages. There is nothing wrong with this brothers and sisters. In fact, God wants us to enjoy life that is why He’s been gracious to provide all our needs. Feasting and revelries are good activities because through such things we are glorifying Him who has given all those foods and drinks that are laid on the table. But let’s not overdo things and forget the right thinking and manner over such things that we acquire here on Earth. Foods and drinks fill our body and give us strength but it can never give us an eternal life. But there’s a food that does – the bread of life, Jesus.

In John 6:27, the scripture says, “Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father, has put his mark of approval on him.”

Jesus is referring to himself as the food that lasts for eternal life because He is our salvation. In today’s time, many are suffering from hunger. This kind of hunger is not the physical starvation but the famine of the soul. Jesus is teaching us to work for the food that will give us the everlasting life. When we eat the bread of life we are strengthening our soul which would make us last forever. The scripture is not saying that you should resign from your current job now and refrain from working but instead, it is only saying that you should know better than to focus much of your time and energy to things that only make you lasts for certain number of years. Wealth will give you good life on Earth, but you’ll soon get old and die. In the judgment day the living will be gathered and the dead will rise to life and they will all be judged according to how they had lived their life. While you assured a better life for yourself on Earth, you should assure all the more a better life beyond death.

John 6:28-29 So they asked him, “What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?” Jesus answered, “What God wants you to do is to believe in the one He sent.

What God wants to do sounds simple and plain, but we people finds it difficult to establish our faith. Because as we grow more rational we are affected by certain things and events and we learn to always look for concrete evidence of truth before we believe. God knows this of course, thus He gave us the Holy Book, the bible to where we can feed our soul with the Words of God. Because the Words is Jesus, He is the Messiah and Jesus is the bread of life. The truth is laid there inside the bible, all we need is the wisdom and the will to read it and understand its message. Read it and understand it, because in understanding comes respect and love. You can’t love someone you didn’t know but the spreading of the Good News is all enough for you to ponder things through and get yourself all the more curious to know about it. Who wouldn't want to be saved?The Good News is there is a Salvation and Jesus is our Salvation. Get to know Him deeper, Communicate with Him, Accept Him – once you do, there’s no way that you can’t love Him after you’ve learned everything that He has done just To Save You.

God wants us to believe in the One He sent us and by doing so, believing in Jesus means accepting Him in our lives, in our Hearts. With Jesus living in us, we are living the life according to His teaching. Jesus is sent here on Earth to teach us and most of all to save us and give us eternal life. Living the life according to God’s will is living the life according to the sample and teaching of Jesus, the One that God sent. Let’s eat the bread of life brothers and sisters and let Jesus lives within us. Amen. 

The things that matter most

I thought there was an early practice for the choir this afternoon so I went there around 3PM. When I got there in our rehearsal area I was surprised that nobody was in there yet wherein fact I was already late for the supposedly 2PM schedule. I texted our coordinator and asked if there was an early practice (that was the original schedule discussed from the previous week), and she replied that there was none. At that moment I felt like I was being left out. I didn’t receive any message that the rehearsal was cancelled but before I got into this sort of self-pitying I reminded myself that it was also my fault to not ask and confirm the rehearsal. I wasn’t able to attend the other practice before which was last Friday. Maybe they have announced it there about the cancellation of today’s practice.

The good thing is I was able to control my temper and be rational about my thinking. If I’m the same person that I was about two years ago, I would probably burst out in rage complaining about the inaccuracy of information and failure of communication. I would rant about the unfair treatment that I should be staying at the house instead with more time to rest. I shouldn't be coming there early with nothing to do and no one to talk to. I used to be short-tempered back then, imitating my previous bosses who were strict about everything, yelling on imperfections and swearing on the flaws. I have just realized by now that I have changed somehow and that is because of my deepening relationship with God.

It was still two hours away before the time of our mass service. Instead of going somewhere, I entered the church and attend the 3PM mass. It has been a year since I attend the mass as a plain churchgoer. When I joined the choir I’m always attending the mass together with my choir mates in the comfort of the choir loft – secured chair, electric fan, free from the claustrophobic crowd. Today, I experienced again to be seated there in the row, in the last row. I was able to get a seat (people who comes late rarely has the chance to get one) and sat there thinking about the thing that happened to me. Then it was sort like a voice has whispered into my ear, “It just that God wants to spend more time with you today”. I saw Jesus there in the cross, and it seemed like I heard him say, “I want to spend longer time with you today.” If I hadn’t come there early, I would probably be spending time at home facing my laptop doing the same stuffs I bury my nose on from Monday to Saturday. God has made a way to give me a break and cuddle me in his loving arms, rocking me as a baby, whispering in my ears that everything is going to be okay because He's there to take care and watch over me.

I attended the mass and heard the sermon of the priest. After that, it was still an hour away before our 5PM mass service but I went up to the choir loft anyway. I sat there in the corner, browsing my phone and realized that there have been three birthdays for the past week of which I missed to send my greetings. So I send them all my belated greetings assuring them that I didn’t forget their special day. I really didn’t forget, it just that I didn’t get the time to stop from my busy activities and spend some seconds to greet them “happy birthday”. . .

While I typed this article, I came to realize about so many things about time and priorities. Because of so many things that I worry about (financial, career, future), I’m giving less of the time that I should be giving to Him. Most of the time I’m failing to be there in our choir rehearsals (which happen twice a week only for 2-3 hours), and there are even Sundays that I’m absent or nowhere. Why? Because I feel like spending my time instead to things that could earn me money or recognition. There are lots of resources now to communicate with friends from mobile to different gadgets through the internet but I’m still failing to send them even the shortest HBD greeting for their special day. Why? Because I think I could always send them a belated greeting when I’m no longer bombarded with things-to-do – which never really happen.

God has reminded me today to take note of these more important things. Our time is indeed very limited so let’s not consume it all in work alone – remember that other than our job there are more important parts in our life that also need our time and attention. Let’s not miss the most important. There’s more to life than money and fame and those are the people around us and most of all is the Lord our God to whom we owe everything that we have in life.

Give Him the credits that He well deserve -- without Him, we're nothing

But the Lord says, “Can an ax claim to be greater than the one who uses it? Is a saw more important than the one who saws with it? A club doesn’t lift up a person; a person lifts up a club.”

Isaiah 10:15

Whenever we are taking so much pride in things that we succeed at doing, we are inviting the tendencies to be proud, to boast of what we can do, to compare, to look on ourselves as higher form of being than any of our kinds. I’m not telling that all people who have gained success or excel in what they do became a lot like this but let’s accept it to ourselves that there is really this kind of exalted effect that praises and compliments have on us. Whenever we are getting boastful we are starting to claim all the credits to ourselves when in truth we couldn’t have done it if not for the Lord’s will and guidance. Yes, my friend, we often forget ourselves and sink to the idea that we are the one who brought ourselves such success, that we’re the unbeatable, we’re the champion, we’re worth all the millions admirations and praises – the truth is we’re just nothing but we’re only made great by Lord our God who loves us so much. Let’s not take away the credits that our Lord deserves for making our life wonderful. Let’s be proud of our life’s success to glorify the Lord and not ourselves, and more importantly let’s not hesitate to share to others everything that we have.

Oftentimes, successful people tend to look on others as lazy, unmotivated, weaklings poor who brought to their own selves such miserable status. “They’re not trying hard,” “They don’t have ambitions to motivate them,” “They’re lazy” – such and other kinds of judging phrases are what we often hear to some rich people who rant about the poor. Maybe that what they are saying are true BUT again who are we to judge the others – do we know the real story, are we there when they were born on Earth, do we know the history of their family, do we know that person and every details about him? No, only God does so only God has the rights to judge a person because He knows each of us very well that even the hairs on our head are numbered.

Also we often hear it to some especially to those who have successfully made it from having nothing to having almost everything. They are ranting about how they have strive hard enough in life, how they have invested sweat and blood just to gain all their riches so why can’t the others do the same to elevate their status in life. The thing is, not everyone is getting the same opportunities that you have so you are still not in the position to judge that they are not trying hard in life. You may have worked hard for what you have now but you wouldn’t be able to make it that far if God didn’t allow it. There are some who are trying harder than you did but still not getting what they want, it’s not because their faith is failing or God didn’t love them but because God has better plan for them more than the material wealth. Thus, if God allowed you to earn and gain those riches that you have now, be thankful and glorify His name. More importantly do not judge the others for who they are and help the needy by all possible means.

An ax is a fierce tool that can cut and chop the strongest of wood but the ax is useless without the one who holds it. Likewise with the saw and club thus, we must stay humble and never let ourselves drown on the successes that we are achieving in life. Success is sweet but once you let yourselves be proud about it, things will all turn bitter. Stay humble and kind and you will be blessed more than what you are praying for. 

Jesus is our Salvation

Many disasters and calamities have been happening in the world now and these unforgiving acts of nature are driving us all crazy with fear. Well who wouldn’t? For the recent tragedies that happened in various parts of the globe there were thousands of people that had died, millions of properties devastated, and numerous lives were shattered. Many are having the dread that the end of the world is already coming – the judgement day of both the living and the dead. Maybe yes, maybe no but who knows? No one really knows when that time would exactly arrive as what the scripture says in Luke 12: 39 – 40.

And you can be sure that if the owner of a house knew the time when the thief would come, he would not let the thief break into his house. And you, too, must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him. – Luke 12: 39-40

The day will come like a thief who comes at night where everyone’s sleeping and in the comfort of their bed. It is important therefore that we are ready at all times just in case the day finally arrive. We never can tell. It could be on the next hundred years, or next month, or tomorrow or maybe it’ll arrive any minutes now, no one can really tell. So what should we do? Get ready. We mustn’t fear about the coming of the end, but we must worry about the judgment that will happen then. The world will meet its doom and all the people will be judged according on how they have lived their life on Earth. Let’s all worry not about the world finally coming to an end...but worry on where we will find ourselves after that. Because next to our mortal life here on Earth is a life of no ends and there could only be two possible places that we could be into – in the Kingdom of God or in the place of fire and darkness.  

Is it coming? No one else knows. So better change that question into, “Am I ready for the judgement day?” 

Signs have been given in the Scripture, but those same signs we have already seen and read about and yet the Final End is still not here. Signs have been showing for thousands of years now since the date of scripture. Though the anticipated end hasn’t coming yet in spite of the mentioned signs that we thought had already happened or have already happening, it doesn’t mean that we all now have to relax and take all things light and easy.

“There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides. People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near.” – Luke 21: 25 – 28

I’m sure that while you're reading the scripture the pictures of past tragedies are flashing back into your mind. Many events similar to these things had also happened far way back in the times of our ancestors, even stretching back to our ancestors’ ancestor and yet the End is still not happening up to now. Many people have been anticipating the End of the World without thinking too much of their readiness for the situation. When disasters happened and you survived it, be thankful because you have been given another chances to fix your life and be a better person. You still get chances to get yourself prepared. On the Salvation day everyone will be judged – both the living and dead – on how they have spent their life on Earth. Meaning while you’re alive and breathing you still got loads of opportunities to get your path straightened and be the best person that God wants you to be. Realize it now and don't waste your time about things that really don't matter. Don’t miss the chances to arrange your life. You don’t know what’s waiting there in the afterlife but when you submitted yourself to Lord our God and accept Jesus to your life, you are saved from whatever dooms that lies there beyond. Jesus is our Salvation, our only salvation. Let’s put all our hope and faith on Him.  

Sunday Reflection: Be Born Again through Words of God

At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. “I ought to be baptized by you,” John said, “and yet you have come to me!”

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.” So John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and lighting on him. Then a voice said from heaven, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17

REFLECTION:

As I listen to the reading this afternoon there were lots of realizations that came into my mind. Jesus Christ who is the Son of God knelt and bowed so John the Baptist could baptize Him. John was surprised by this action that he had said out loud that it should be him (John) who must be baptized by Jesus and not the other way around. But Jesus said “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.”

Jesus Christ who is greatly above us all had humbled himself and not only that he had taken away our sins and sacrificed himself to die in the cross. Jesus the Great, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the King – He had done the things that were all required of Him by God the Father. But how about us? Are we willing to do the things that are required of us? Shouldn’t we be ashamed of ourselves that we who are saved by this One Great Son of God from our sins are not doing our part as Christian and worse than that we are not exerting even the least of effort to improve ourselves to become a better person?

Changing and improving ourselves is not an overnight process. The temptation of sins is so strong that even though we intend to move away from it we can’t still win over our own weakness and we will just find ourselves committing again the same mistakes. We are being pulled back over and over again. Now the thing is, we really can’t repair the thing that has been damaged. It’s like gluing together the pieces of a shattered vase. You can make it look like whole again but it will be frail and useless. One wrong move and it will just get broken again, much worse and splintered than before. So what will you do then? You will get rid of that vase and will buy a new one, much better, much beautiful and much functional.

To change for the better is to get rid of our own damaged and wasted self, and be born again into a new person who is much better, much beautiful and much purposeful. It’s sort of saying, kill your old self and let your new self be born and that is through the Holy Spirit. Now I didn’t mean you to take the “kill your old self” literally, it means that we all have to get rid of our old self by an inner transformation that can only happen through our personal relationship with the Lord. We have mentioned here being born again. In Catholic Church when were baptized as baby, we were born again and washed clean from our sins. But as we grow old, we commit again sins and in able to be washed clean from it we must submit ourselves to the Lord and be baptized through the Holy Spirit. Baptizing is more than just the ceremony, like what the priest said this afternoon, baptizing is not about religion, it’s all about faith. As we are baptized, we are receiving the Holy Spirit and we are welcoming the Lord to our heart and this is where the inner transformation begin, thus we are being born again and become a new person. 

Let's all strive to change for the better and keep planting the Words of God to our heart. In this way we are starting a new and exciting transformation within us and we are beginning to fulfill all that are being required of us by the Lord our God.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector ~ Reflection

Luke 18: 9-14
New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
 

This parable is a reminder to all of us to stay humble and kind and to never judge the other people from their shortcomings and mistakes. Reading the Words of the Lord, living with it day by day, helping the poor and being honest with our offerings are indeed the righteous way to live but it still neither sets us apart nor above the other people who are doing differently. Just because they are not as righteous as we think we are we can already look on them as some untouchable, hopeless, sinner people. Most people tend to lose the spirit of righteousness and value themselves greater than the rest who do less. They are living with the thought that since they are doing their duties of being a good Christian they are now the more favoured individuals. 

Brothers and Sisters in faith, sometimes we tend to forget ourselves and become condemnatory in our thoughts and words like the Pharisee in the parable. Thus, we must always keep in mind that we are in no place to judge and criticize others for the wrong that they have done, but let Him the Lord our God judge them. We might have never known it but our sins could be more terrible than these people whom we thought are worse than us. 

The tax collector in the story could have really done something that is worth a hundred times of punishing and the Pharisee might be right about his judgment on him, however, by thinking in such a way, the Pharisee is committing sin against his neighbour and that made him no less than the sinner that he judged. 

Most people must be guilty about this kind of thing. We exalted ourselves for being dutiful to our Christian responsibilities, we already feel like we are raised above the others who are not doing the same things that we do, then we eventually feel proud about it. Sadly but it really happened to many of our brothers and sisters. Where is the essence of being righteous there? We all know how being proud attracts all the tendencies to be arrogant, big-headed, and conceited. 

Humble yourself and understand those who are not yet enlightened by the Words of God. Instead of judging them, pray for them. Instead of sending them away, try your best to understand them and help them get through their test by sharing to them the good news. Instead of looking down on them, extend them your hand and pull them up to where you are. We are just no one but we became someone when we finally welcome the Lord to our heart thus, we must not set ourselves above from the others who are sinners like us. We must be the one to understand them the better because we used to be in their shoes before. Maybe not as worse as their situations are but we’ve been there and we know how terrible and dark it is to live a life that is not submitted to God.