We all, I believe, can agree that our daily life is blessed with many experiences. Each experience, good or bad, happy or sad, would solicit from our heart some emotions or decisions to be expressed.
In spiritual life, any action of the heart or of the human will is something that matters attention. First of all, any exercise of the human will is in the realm of morality, and whatever is morally good or evil, affects the spiritual life of the person. Jesus Christ, being true God and true Man, has a heart, which these two natures subsist, thus, our Lord has a human will and divine will. His heart is capable of human and divine emotions, capable of human and divine feelings or passions. In themselves, emotions are not sinful, even human passions in themselves are not sinful. Only when they modify a sinful act or goes with a sinful motive that these actions of the human will becomes malicious or morally evil. Thus, from how our Lord Jesus used His human heart or human will, we can also learn lessons, so that we can cultivate the actions of our hearts to let them be always God-oriented and God-centered.
In the gospels, among many things we can learn from the actions of the Lord, there are two that I would like us to reflect upon. First, the idea of hesitation or hesitancy: This is a very human reaction of the heart in front of a perceived risk or difficult task. Let us remember that event in the agony of Jesus in Gethsemane. He said: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will” (Mk 14:36). Reflecting on these words, Jesus showed His very human nature. It is very human to hesitate, to feel weak foreseeing the great sacrifice involve in the cup of suffering that He was sent to drink. This is a relevant lesson for us all! He experienced hesitation and the feeling of weakness, so that, when our turn comes to pass through such moments of being asked to make sacrifices or to make life changing decisions, and we entertain to back off, we may remember His experience and follow His example to trust the divine will of our Father God. He hesitated, so that He can save our hesitations. He hesitated so that, He can lift up our weakness to become courage at the very moment of such experience. That is why, He said, “but not what I will but what you will.” Can you remember the times you hesitated to do something good; and ultimately decided not to do it? Or have decided to pursue doing the good to be done? What are the good actions or decisions that you usually have some hesitations? Many times, it is not easy to forgive, or to be understanding, or to be generous to share what we have, or to give time to prayer. Oftentimes, we hesitate to forgive or be patient or be generous or to pray for reasons or justifications that are actually self-centered. If we ever encounter again a chance to do good or an opportunity to love God better through loving a brother or sister, may we never hesitate! Let us be courageous and confident, that we are about to do is following what Christ did! If we can imitate our Lord, then, we have acted and lived as truly as we should be!
Second, the idea of being fed up or frustrated or saddened or upset: Remember these occasions: Jesus to cure a possessed boy – “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me (Mat 17:17).” Then, Jesus looking upon Jerusalem: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing (Mat 23:37).” And Jesus with Philip: Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (Jn 14:9). These passages show the humanity of Jesus, like the having shown hesitation. It is not sinful to feel fed up, frustrated, or upset, this is very human, but to be eaten up with this emotion or passion can lead to bad actions. But Jesus, though true human, He is also true God, He knows that God’s compassion is more powerful that being fed up or frustrated of our human hardheadedness or stone-heartedness. Yes, He felt frustrated of the lack of faith of those who follow Him even those closest to Him or those whom He was even being sent for, like the Jews as the chosen people of God. This is also our lesson: We may encounter frustrations or begin fed up or being upset about many things or about our friend who does reciprocate our goodness. Jesus shows us to not dwell on the emotion of being fed up or frustrated, but look at the situation from the point of view of God, that is, every challenging situation is an opportunity to do a greater good, it is a God-given chance to practice becoming a hero, a champion, for Him in the drama of life. In spiritual life, we should cultivate this divine attitude to look at the bigger picture of things or to choose always the higher ground. There is always something good that can come out from our challenging moments; when we act as we are ought to act! Let us learn the lesson that we may be fed up, but we should not give up! We may be frustrated, but never surrender!
Jesus Christ is our model of living a life that pleases our heavenly Father. Jesus’ life is animated by the Holy Spirit, so also our lives by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, we are temples of the Holy Spirit, and thus, by His sanctifying power we can be saints, we can do great things, we can truly be transformed! Let us not take for granted these simple or ordinary feelings or actions to hesitate or feel frustrated. Whenever we will encounter such situations, let us remember how our Lord acted and reacted! Know that every situation, every moment, is a chance to be like Him, to be “alter Christus,” another Christ! Amen.

by REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD

St. John the Evangelist says: “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God (Jn 1:1); … and the Word became flesh (Jn 1:14)…” Jesus Christ the Son of God is the Word of God who became flesh through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The story of Mary’s life is intimately connected with God’s Word – His Son. St. Elizabeth said of Her: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled (Lk 1:45).” Notice these words: “what was spoken,” this refers to The Word of God to be incarnated in Her.
As we continue our journey of spiritual life this year 2012, it is beneficial to return to reflect upon Mother Mary’s life. In fact, the very beginning of the year is always dedicated to Her Motherhood to our Lord Jesus the Son of God. And so, January 1st celebrates in a Solemnity Mary, Holy Mother of God. I will not get into the doctrinal discussion here of the Marian title “Mother of God” (Theotokos in Greek), but as a truth of faith, She became Mother of the Incarnate Divine and Eternal Word-Jesus Christ because of Her “Yes” to the holy will of God. This truth of Her positive response to the incarnation of the Divine Word modified Her life. Mary’s life changed from an ordinary woman in a small and poor town of Nazareth into a woman who indeed “all generations will call Blessed.”
Mary lived a life that is pleasing to God every moment of Her existence. Her life was lived in conformity to the will of God and in intimate relationship with God’s Word – Jesus Christ. How did She live Her life in daily bases? She lived as holy mother to the Jesus the Son of God. She lived as a model wife for all wives of the earth and a model woman of grace for all of us who should be in God’s grace all the time. She lived with ordinary household chores doing them with extraordinary sense, for the fact that She does them with great love for God’s Son and Her Son Jesus Christ. All that She did were done because they are for the love and service of God in His Incarnate Son Jesus. Mary’s life would have been forgotten in history of humanity if She was not united with Jesus, our Lord. Her life was very ordinary humanly speaking, but it became extraordinary because of Her association with God’s Word and God’s Will.
Our life has this chance everyday to be associated with God’s Word – Jesus Christ and words – His teachings, and God’s Will. As Christian believers, we are followers of Christ, hence, by associating ourselves, our lives, with His words and His life, we have the opportunity to live a life like that of the Blessed Mother Mary whose life was modified and transformed by Her association and relationship to Christ. Let us try to evaluate seriously our daily life now how we behave, how we speak, how we relate to others. Are these occasions mentioned our venues of letting God’s words be manifested as witness that through us Jesus is in our midst, He is in alive in our own lives?
When we can develop and mature in our attentiveness to the word and will of God, then our life is being modified and on the way to being transformed by God. When we are cultivating the others-oriented attitude instead of being self-centered, then we are imitating Mary’s life. When we give time to meditate and reflect on God’s words in the Bible everyday, then we are forming our life to be God’s word oriented like Mary, and we will not be distracted or lost from the right path to our divine destiny!
There are many kinds of life to live in this world, but if we can categorize them, it would only be two, one that pleases and glorifies God and the other that offends Him or that kind of living that never at all accepts His Lordship in life. Ours obviously should be the former, but it has to be practiced, to be lived, every moment! Let us be like Mary, who believed in the word of God for Her. If we can read the Scriptures with strong faith, and reflect what we read with ardent love of God, and then decide to put into practice the fruits of our reading and reflecting into our daily life, consequently, we are not far from shaping our lives into the kind of lives Mary and Joseph and the Prophets of God and the Saints! The key to a blessed and prosperous year is not so much in what we can do by human standards, but it is simply in seeking to practice God’s Words, do His Will, and accept His Lordship in our life! That is my wish and prayer for you, dear reader! Amen.

By REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
In our Catholic Liturgical Calendar, The feast of Christ the King is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. With this feast we conclude the current liturgical year, the year cycle A. The first Sunday of Advent is the first day of the new liturgical year; it is our “new year” as a Universal Church, and we will be in the year cycle B. As we are in this ending or closing days of the liturgical year, the idea of the end time is the theme of the readings during these last Sundays. This prompted me also to reflect about TIME.
With God there is no time. He has no beginning and without end, His “time” is called eternity. Our measure of life and events in successions of before and after, and of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, is called time – there is beginning and there is an end. Our life begins when we were conceived and born into this life; then we end our earthly journey, which we call death. The time in between our being born and dying from this earthly life is what we call “our journey of a lifetime.” This journey is unique because this is the only journey that everything is just to be done once! Everything that we do, every word that we say, every encounter we make with a friend or foe, every opportunity to do good, these all happen only once. There is no repetition! The chance of time and context, the chance of one’s own disposition, and the chance of doing the act meritable or not, happens only once. Thus, every repetition of an event like Birthday or a coming back to work the next day or saying thank you to someone who helped us in some way, these are actually not repetitions, for this time that such similar chance come around, they are already with different context and different moment of time. Every time we let something pass by our way, we let it pass for eternity. Hence, in our lifetime when some opportunity comes to help, to advice, to smile, to be a shoulder to cry on, to pray, to work giving your best efforts, and so on, these does not repeat, they may appear to be the same the second next time around, but it is no longer entirely the same. This uniqueness of our lifetime journey is what makes life in itself beautiful and mysterious. Every day we discover life with its joys and pains, its intrigues and truths, its aspirations and fulfillments. So, time is precious both to our human existence and for our preparation to our divine destiny.
We cannot, therefore, waste time in either human or spiritual dimension of our earthly existence! In our reflection now, I would like us to reflect one how we can use or live our “life-time” as fulfilling as possible before the eyes of God and others. I made this acronym of TIME:
T – TAKE IT AND THANK GOD. Every moment of time is a gift from God! We ought to take it (the time) as it comes to us, and let us be grateful for it. Whatever comes our daily existence, it can be a joyful moment or a challenging one, it can be a time of success or failure, these moments of time has reason of being, they are there for us to live and be built up to become the person the Lord wants us to be. So, as you wake up to a new day, smile and give thanks! God will smile back at you and will bless you!
I – INVESTMENT. Every moment of time is an opportunity to love and serve God through your work, your family, your vocation in life, or through anything you are suppose to do. Since every moment of time is God’s gift, it is therefore His investment towards you or us. We should in return, therefore, exert every effort we have, the best we can, as our investment as well towards God. Life itself is God’s gift to us, as His investment to each one of us. This very life that we have, each moment that we have, should be lived in what matters to Him, for such is how we can multiply our investment and make us favorable to our Lord and God. Thus, before we are going to do something stupid, make a second thought, know that we could lose our investment – a moment of time itself in our lifetime journey!
M – MANAGEMENT. Manage your daily life, manage our use of time! Good use of time is good living! Such pleases God! Spending time idly is spending it for the evil one. It is said, that “idle minds are the play ground of the devil.” God forbid, let this never happen to you and me. It is morally and spiritually healthy to make schedules of activities and plans. Managing our time maximizes our daily existence: More things are done, more activities attended, more people met, more chance to live the day to the fullest! How do you live your day? Are you orderly in your things and activities?
E – ENTREAT the Lord. Since time is a God’s gift, what could be wiser than praying God also about it? That is, entreating Him to make our living or our spending of our life-time well! Without God we can do nothing, thus says the Lord Jesus (Jn 15:5). That is why it is imperative to include prayer in our daily living. A time for conversation with God should be part of our day. We cannot let a day pass without prayer, a time with Jesus. Living our life with God at the side line may lead us someday be the ones cast aside!
Give this a thought… give your life-time a serious thought! Let us hope that we all are living our life and spending our time in a manner that matters to God and that pleases Him. God bless you!

by REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD

For obvious reasons, there is definitely a difference between a death march and a victory parade. A death march is a journey of the defeated and the condemned. The person on a death march is sad, smitten with grief and hopelessness. Maybe crying as he walks, maybe conditioning his mind to just accept the fate, and so walking down cast unwilling anymore to see any glimpse of hope. As the very word suggest, the persons on death march are on their way to their death. I am thinking, for example, of the way of Jesus and the two thieves carrying their crosses to Calvary. Their fate was sealed! It is a fate that is dark and very sad. While a victory parade is infinitely joyful. There is a lot of excitement and jubilation. Those who are in the victory parade walk with pride and honor wearing smiles from ear to ear. Waving hands to each other and greeting everyone by the side-walks. The victory parade would be full of victory shouts and laughter. The people cry or shout not because of lament and pity but of celebration. A victory parade is a journey of the champions!
Spiritual life is a journey, we always say that. However, we need to specify what could be the best attitude to have on such a journey. We know that in the realm of the spirit, we can’t quantify, for this dimension is not tangible. In the long run, there could be some sense of monotony; a complacent disposition may creep in. It is, therefore, our priority always to find ways to let our motivation never grow weak, to let our spirits high and hopeful, and to let our steps steady! Consequently, our existence should always be considered and thought of in the way God has designed for us. For it is only in and with His plans we can find the intrigue and challenge as well as the consolation and inspiration that we need to live our day!
Borrowing the words of St. Paul, we should have “the same attitude” with that of Christ (Phil 2:5). Spiritual life in itself is already challenging, unless we imbibe in us a powerful attitude, we would lay-low, we would prefer to just take a laid-back attitude, that, “I am already good, so it is enough, why strive for more?” Our spiritual life is to be maintained with eagerness and enthusiasm! We cannot walk along our life’s path like in a death march, but ours should be like in a victory parade! Jesus Christ knew that His mission is to give His life “as ransom for many (Mt 20:28).” And so His temptations along the way were to drift away from it, or forget about it all together. His temptations in the desert are considered as not only during those 40 days and 40 nights there. The number forty is a symbolic number of an entire life’s existence. So, Jesus was tempted all throughout His earthly life before His passion and resurrection. Even in the garden of Gethsemane, being so human, He was feeling the burden of His mission and fate to die, “to lay down His life,” for all. If not for His consistent and persevering conviction that His heavenly Father God was and is with Him, and yet even in His humanity He was able to imbibe that god-centered attitude to see His fate and mission as will of the Father for the best results for the whole of creation, He could have changed the way salvation happened; but the way it happened was the best in God’s divine and mysterious designs, so He realized it as planned! His attitude of referring always to the Father with conviction made the great difference. Let us emulate this powerful attitude, that is, to look at life with firm conviction that God is the designer of our life and that everything good or challenging that we encounter is the best thing for us in order to make us the best person we can be.
In the life of the saints, most of them, if not all of them past through difficulties, many times such trials were not from outsiders but from those closest to them; from the very community they were in or from their very own families and friends. The suffering they encountered or the spiritual dryness that experienced could lead us to think they should have just given up. But they did not give up! They pursued their resolve to do the will of God, to live a life that is consistent with Christ’s teachings and calling for them. This is the mindset and attitude that we should possess! We all know that praying is not enough, as Jesus said, “not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of God’… (Mt 7:21)” We all know that all action, activism, devoid of prayer life is also deficient. To maintain a spiritually and morally healthy balance should lead us to arm ourselves with “the same attitude” of Christ, that is, not just humility, nor only about optimism in daily living, or obedience to God’s will, but the entirety of these virtues and qualities that harmoniously make up for a Christ-like living.
Have you experienced being tempted to quit from your daily prayer? Has there been a time you did not want to go to Mass? You know that you possess some good qualities where you are strong of, yet have you ever been tempted not live or practice them anymore?
May we pursue the life of the spirit and persevere in it even in the midst of difficulties! I would like to end with this blessing and prayer of St. Paul: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind… that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rm 15:5-6).” Amen!

REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
A game of pronounce: “I” and “You” tried to compete with each other on who is the most important. “I” said, ‘I am the most important, because I do everything. I am the subject of all actions. And you, pointing to “You,” are just the recipient.’ “You” yelled back, ‘no!’ But before “You” could continue to speak, a divine echoing loud voice was heard: “stop arguing! To me, you are both important.” There was silence. “You” was smiling; “I” wondered that the reality is all people are equally important… The anecdote is just a way of expressing the silliness of our arguments and rivalries, who is important? You and I before God are important. All of us are actually the I and the you, it depends in what context. You are the “You” in relation to me, and I become the “You” in relation to you, for by then, you will be the “I.”
In spiritual life, it is necessary to be able to know the value of each other. Using our eyes of faith, we will see that there is something great in all of us, there is the Lord Jesus. In the example of our Lord’s life, we are shown that He is always concerned for others; He gave importance to the “yous” – all of us. For Him it is when we forget ourselves – our I, that we – our I is brought to it’s fullness. We are most fulfilled not in indulging our egos, but in letting our ego shares and out-pours itself to others. For with the others, with the “Yous,” we find the addressees of our affections, love, and care. To love only oneself is not only selfish but madness, for we are created not for oneself but for many – a family. To let the world revolves around me or you alone is the beginning of chaos, for such act will put disorder in the things and disharmony in the relationships of persons. We all know that in the world, there are institutions and or persons who have this self-centered attitude. The result always ends becoming a tyrant or dictator, usurping all the powers to oneself. It is therefore morally and spiritually healthy to scrutinize ourselves regularly how our attitudes are, and what are our usual ideas in relation to others. If there is or are some hints of greed or selfishness in us, they should not be taken for granted! Jesus said: “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed… (Lk 12:15).” A little flame can become a wild fire, so also our unchecked and uncorrected little vice or nastiness can stifle our growing journey in spiritual life. Hence, valuing each other is valuing oneself! Seeing oneself in the presence of God can lead to seeing Him in others; otherwise, denying to acknowledge Jesus in the other will also be denying to see Him in oneself.
Our Lord Jesus, quoting from the Old Testament about what is the greatest commandment, taught that it is the love of God as the greatest and the second is the love of the neighbor as we love ourselves (Mat 22:37-40). The Love of the neighbor, the valuing of others, the giving importance of the “you,” is God’s will! Yet, Jesus modified further the model of loving others, no longer patterned in the love of oneself, but in the way He loves us: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (Jn 15:12).” His example of loving us is our measure of valuing and giving importance of each other. This is actually a challenge! For many times the worse happens that it only becomes a Utopia, that it is only good words to hear but no deeds to accompany it. This theme of giving importance of “thy neighbor” is repeated in spiritual life, for we are to become imitators of God who is an “altruistic God!” He gave importance to all of us sacrificing even His Only Son for our salvation. We should know that there is no authentic spiritual journey without considering and practicing the sense of altruism in love in our daily living. Our eyes, as an example, are looking outward in order to see around us, but most importantly, to see the brother or sister in need of love and care. Our hands are given to us by God not only to bring food to our mouth, but also to extend our hands to share our food to others. Even when we pray, we can pray joining our hands together, but God also provided us another way, that we can also join our hands with other people’s hands and pray together.
How do you feel when others, especially those whom you don’t like at the work place or anywhere, when they are successful or happier than yourself? Are you glad and grateful with them with what they have achieved? When there is some deep seated jealousy in you, be careful it could be sinful, for such emotion can disfigure your sense of love for others. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Rm 12:15),” such is the Christian attitude of altruism. This is not automatic even if we are baptized and called Christians! We need to train ourselves in it every moment, every opportunity that comes our way! May you and I learn to persevere in the good that we do, and may our Lord make us become more like Him towards each other! Amen.

BY REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
The word of God creates. He speaks and things come into being, into existence. In the book of Genesis chapter 1: “God said, let there be…” He calls into existence from nothing all things. His word has the creating power that makes things become, like in verses 14-15: “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.’ And so it was.” In the public life of Jesus our Lord, a centurion asked Him to heal his slave. But he did not want Jesus to enter his house: Mt. 8:8 – The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. The centurion believes in the power of the words of Jesus. His faith was praised by the Lord, and so it was granted him the healing of his slave without Jesus actually going into his house and seeing or touching the slave. Jesus, on another occasion, showed the power of His words in Mark’s gospel. There was a storm at sea; He was in the boat but sleeping. He was waken up by those with Him in the boat, for they were already afraid: “Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mk 4:39).” In the same gospel, Jesus met a evil spirit-possessed person. The devil was shouting and, “Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him! The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him (Mk 1:25-26).”
This is very assuring for anyone who seeks a deeper relationship with the Lord. Knowing that God’s words has power, I am convinced that such power is even more effective in those who believe, in those who are striving in godly life.
As expressed by those passages above cited, God’s words has power to create, to heal, to let the storm and waves calm down, and to cast out evil spirits, so also whatever we have at the moment, ask the Lord God to speak His words of healing, blessings, and consolation. As you believe in God’s presence at this moment, close your eyes and let God speak His word that would release for you the grace or graces that you need at this moment in your life.
Begin to evaluate your life at this moment, what are the virtues that you need to grow? What are the things that you need? Are you anxious about something? Tell the Lord Jesus about these things, and beg Him to say His word upon you.
If you are struggling in humility, say: Lord, speak: “that I may be humble!” If you are battling some vices, say: Lord Jesus, command: “that I be released from the bondage of vices, that I may have courage to cast out my vices!” Many times, there are certain venial or small sins that we fall into over and over again, and we don’t mind not giving up on them, because our reason is “they are just small sins and God will understand.” This kind of mentality will end up becoming complacent in spiritual life. Ask the Lord to pronounce His words upon you now: Lord say: “that I may never give even an inch to the evil one to take hold of me in repeated sins!”
Moreover, the problem also is our self-denials. We deny that we have problems on some areas of our life, and many times these areas are related to our moral and spiritual life. It is hard to accept, for example, that we are proud, or selfish, or impatient, or critical about others, or lazy, etc… Usually this kind of denying attitude is masqueraded by some practice of devotions to the saints and some forms of religiosity. We think that since we have devotions, and we pray these devotions everyday or we are religious in going to Mass daily or every Sunday, or we pray every night time before sleeping that these will make up for those bad attitudes and habits mentioned above. We should realize that our praying would be useless if our practice will not show the image of God whom we prayed to daily! Our believing would actually be dead, if our behavior would not testify what we believe! So, let God take control of you… Let Him say His words that would make you become what He wants you to be!
Pray: Lord, that I may be attentive to Your words; that I may be generous in incarnating Your words into my behavior and mentality; that I may be humble like You, O Jesus; that I may be simple hearted like You; that I may be holy as You want me to be… Believe in your prayer! Believe that the words in your prayer will be converted by God into His own words; so that you would receive the very grace you are asking from Him! Believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, will make ways for you, and He will release abundant blessings that you pray for! Amen.

By REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
Spiritual life is a journey of personal perfection cooperating to the sanctifying graces of God given to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. The saints corresponded to the actions of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They put into practice Christ’s teachings. They sought to do the will of God in imitation of Jesus Christ, His only Son. With such disposition of mind and heart, heroically the saints were able to do the seemingly impossible possible. Examples:
Blessed Pope John Paul II. Surviving the assassination attempt of his life, he went to prison where his assassin was, and forgave him. We find in the gospel of St. Matthew: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Mt 18:21-22).” Blessed John Paul II was a successor of Peter. He lived, he put into practice what the Lord Jesus said. He is an example to us in our time, that although it may seem impossible to forgive the person who has done the worst harm to us, now we know that it’s possible.
St. Maximilian Kolbe. In the concentration camp by the Nazi for the Jews was Fr. Maximilian Kolbe. The story goes, there was a man about to be executed, but this man was crying and pleading the soldiers not to kill him. Fr. Maximilian talked to the soldiers. He pleaded to spare the life of the man, and that he himself be executed in place of that man. Fr. Maximilian died, and the said man survived the Holocaust to tell the tale. Jesus said: “Greater love no one has than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It may seem impossible to actually put into practice these words, except only by Him who uttered them. But St. Maximilian did it. Hence, whether in the bloody manner or spiritual, martyrdom is the selfless act of loving of God and neighbor to the fullest, and we are called to put into practice this teaching.
I would like us also to reflect on these words: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these (Mk 12:29-31).” Another passage about God’s love for us: “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3)” These passages are not there for us to just feel the beauty of being loved by God. We are invited to let the love of God that we experienced in our lives by experienced also by others through what we do in life. Another example of the impossible possible:
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who founded the Missionary Sisters of Charity, her life, and that of her Order, is a life and service of love. She used to say, “see Jesus in the poorest of the poor,” and “hearts to love and hands to serve.” Such simple words of hers means love in action. She is the example of our time that it is possible to love the unwanted, the abandoned, the stranger, the lepers, etc. She said: “God is disguised in the poorest of the poor.” These sayings of hers were the popular ones that I could remember told us about her when I was still in seminary formation. But I believe, for our context, it is not about her words, it is about how she lived. She was a woman filled with the love of God that she outpoured her life into loving Him in others.
All of us, like Bl. Mother Teresa, should realized that if we are to live our faith in Christ Jesus we ought to capture these words of St. Paul: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).” And in another passage of the same letter: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).”
We know that we are to do the good, the truthful, the godly, and anything that matters to God. We know that by doing these give honor and glory to God. However, we feel many times that these things are impossible to do, because we simple don’t want to do them, for when we do them, we are going to disrupt our comfort zone. To make the “impossible” possible takes some decision-making and a wholehearted commitment to doing it. Since there is the involvement of a committed willingness and acceptance of self-sacrifice, the possible becomes impossible. Yet for the saints their love and faith in Jesus Christ are their energy and power that make them do the impossible possible.
What are you good at in the things that please God at this time in your life? Can you pursue it (them) and become the best in it (them)? Can you remember some examples in your own life, that you did the “impossible”? Can you repeat and multiply them? Let us go and make a difference in our lives and those around us! God bless you!

By REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
We have not yet reflected specifically on this topic sin and sinful life. I guess it is because the presupposition is that we know it or that it is better not talked about. Yet if we know it, why would we still fall into sins and sinful mannerisms? Wouldn’t we suppose to avoid or struggle harder so that we can more be people of virtues?
I guess we know that some animals, not specifying one, sometimes vomit their food, then, eat it again. This is an image of what we do sometimes in our moral and spiritual journey. We know for example that watching pornography corrupts the mind and can lead to sinful thoughts and actions. Yet this is a booming business in our time, for many, if not all, like to watch it or talk about it, so to say, many are patronizing it. We all know, another example, that it is spiritually unhealthy not to go to confession for years or months, and the justification is, “well, I don’t really have sins.” Is it true, “no sins?” Complacency and negligence will always make justifications. And we should remind ourselves that negligence to our spiritual life can be sinful, as sin of omission. Unfortunately, some of our negligencies are morally grave. These are only a few among the many sinful things that we know, and yet we still willfully fall into them; just as we know that we can’t eat what we vomit, but we are actually morally doing it, we eat what we vomit. Even with venial sins many of us, are culpable or responsible to have willingly fallen into them; although these are trivial sins, yet they are traps of the evil one that we should not take for granted in our fight in our spiritual warfare. What are the sinful actions you fall into? Are you trying to trash them aside? How serious are you in your struggle against such actions or behavior?
In the 15th chapter of St. Luke’s gospel is the story popularly known as the prodigal son and the merciful father. This can be another image in reflecting about our spiritual life when we drift away from God and fall into sinfulness. Like the younger son in that parable, we venture into the sinful unknown, that is, to be away from our Father God, and away from the security of our home in Him. We all know that to be away from God is never an option! The only, and for always, the option is to be with God, with Jesus Christ our Lord; He said, “…apart from me, you can do nothing (Jn 15:5).” Yet we culpably and willingly do the same. One of the reasons in imitating the prodigal son is the thought of the fun of moral adventurism, because we want to learn lessons in life. Many of us think that to gain some lessons about life is by doing some foolish things and make some foolish decisions, so that consequently, we can learn lessons, even if it be the hard way. But this is actually an erroneous mindset, for good lessons can be learned, first of all, in and by the very pursuit of goodness and by following the good path. Jesus, who is also true human, experienced temptations. However, during those moments of temptations, He did not venture into Satan’s side, He maintained His place with God. For indeed, the conclusion that we draw from His experience is that there are more lessons that one can learn and can teach to others in victories than in defeat! We should correct this mentality of moral adventurism away from God. The sad reality of it, is that, the very beginning of this adventure is already an offense to God. The prodigal son did not only offend the father by squandering his property, but at the very moment the son asked his father to take the half of his father’s property that he would later inherit is in itself a great offense of disrespect and dishonor to the father. Then, from that sinful act he ventured farther and farther from the father; so to say, from one sin on to many sins until reaching the point of regret and despair. Everyday make a resolution never to be away from Jesus Christ. Everyday let us make an act of love and allegiance to God our Loving Father to stay by His side! Let us beg His mercy and healing for the many occasions we made foolish decisions and ventured away from His sanctifying graces.
In our sinful and foolish actions we find some fun and pleasure, but it is only for a moment. The regret and guilt that come after are greater than the fleeting fun of our foolishness. We should believe that it is glorious to perseveringly walk in the path of goodness than in sinfulness. The joy in goodness is lasting than the pleasure that comes with the sinful actions. We don’t have to learn the lessons of the evil of stealing money by doing it. It would be foolish to opt to learn the lessons of adultery by committing it; it would surely end in moral and spiritual tragedy. It is wicked of us if we persist in our wrong mentality and tendencies. We should strive and persevere living in the favor of God! May Jesus our Savior deliver us from occasions of offending Him and choosing to be away from Him!
Let us end our reflection with the prayer: “Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power of God cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.” Amen. God bless you!

by REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
We believe that “the word of God is alive (1 Peter 1:23),” and one of the statements uttered by the Lord that have changed many peoples’ lives is this: “Follow Me.” I would us to reflect on some biblical passages that contain this invitation of the Lord Jesus. As you read through, do it calmly and reflect on every word as if Jesus Himself is present talking to you. Even in our time, this invitation is still very powerful. Jesus is still calling us to follow Him and become His ambassadors of love and peace in the world, community, family, and the work place.
Let us begin with the passages where Jesus called His first disciples. Pay attention and open your heart, read prayerfully, for just as the first disciples’ lives were transformed, so too you may as well according to whatever God wants you to be in your life at present:
(Mk 1: 16-18) As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
(Mt 9:9) As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
(Jn 1:43) The next day he decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
(Mt 8:21-22) Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
Meanwhile, try also to consider reflecting this divine invitation with a sense of confidence in the very words of Christ that assures us of His protection and blessing:
(Jn 10:27-28) My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. – In your personal spiritual journey at the present moment, can you consider yourself as a faithful sheep and not instead a wayward sheep? Spiritual life is following a Master and learning from Him. If we care for our spiritual life, let us never forget the value of listening the voice of the Master. Without listening to Him how can we follow Him? Without reflecting upon His words, how can we grow in spiritual life?
We can never stagnate in spiritual life. Day after day, let us try to bring to life the following passage:
(Mt 19:20-21) The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” — Like this young man we ought to seek the higher things in God, but let us not be like him who turns down the opportunity of the life of perfection that Jesus was offering to him at that moment. Know this young man could be you and me. May we never say NO to any invitation of Christ to follow Him in the road of perfection! By this, obviously we need to purify ourselves through mortification by accepting and putting into practice the word of God:
(Mt 10:38) …and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
(Mt 16:24) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Finally, let us reflect on the rewards of following Jesus. These passages should inspire us to be focused in our daily existence, and let God be the single reference in how we live and who we are as a person:
(Jn 8:12) Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(Mt 19:28-29) Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.
(Jn 12:26) Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
Know this, dear reader that, following the Lord Jesus could be hard, but journeying in life without Him is awfully harder. Trying to sanctify one’s life can be difficult, but it would be more difficult living our life the worldly way, for life is not meant for this world, but for heaven. Becoming serious in our relationship with God maybe taxing, but worst if we are to live without Him! Consider these thoughts, and may God’s words find home and fruitfulness in your life!

By REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD
A healthy family will have some arguments but clarifications after; some misunderstandings but reconciliation after; many teasing, yelling and critiquing among members for fun, but after they will pat each others’ back to affirm and encourage each other. A healthy society would be similar: It is good to have some check and balance, to have some critiquing even if at times more destructive than constructive, sarcastic than humorous. It is helpful to critique each other, because a good critique is a good word of advice. A good advice is a good man’s maker, but a bad one only provokes antagony and disappointment. Know that your word can make or unmake a person; it can build up or destroy.
         
Let us try to learn from the Scriptures some divine teachings on using our words, knowing how we should talk – the good talk: Mt 5:37 “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Prov 17:27 “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.” These holy words should become for us some criteria of our speaking. Our manner of speaking flows from our manner of living. If our existence is deceitful, our dealings with others will be influenced by falsehood, then, our use of words and manner of speaking become also filled with lies. Living and speaking deceitfully is duplicity of life, and this is a path that would lead to personal ruin rather than personal edification. Meanwhile, when we are sincere in life, our speech, our use of words also will project the virtues of honesty and sincerity that we posses. Such will build up oneself to be the best person one can be, and will edify others as well, for they will be inspired by the kind of example of life given.
          
  How do you use your mouth? Are you fond of foul words and expressions? Every time you use a bad word or expression, do you not become aware that you are staining your soul and conscience with the sinful language that you have? “A person who is knowledgeable will be restrained in speaking,” according to the Book of Proverbs, because such person would know when is the right time for the right words to be said to the right person, beyond this he would rather keep quiet and observe, and listen to others; for while he observes and listens, he learns, and in learning he builds himself for the better. We should remind ourselves that spiritual life concerns also with the use of our mouth, the use of our words. Moreover, we should know that we have only one mouth for which we use to eat, to communicate and to pray. If we use our mouth for praying, then we ought to have control over the use of our mouth and words. We are sure there are no dirty-talker persons in heaven. We are sure that God will not tolerate an evil-mouthed person.

A person with a foul language hurts himself as he hurts others too. The Psalmist says:   “You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son (Ps 50:19-20).” The evil of bad words said or dirty expressions spoken hurt in most cases not to people whom you do not know, mostly the addressee of our talking or speaking are those whom we know and even love, like the wife or husband, the colleague at work, the children, the cousin, the friends, truly as what the Psalmist said, they are done to “your own mother’s son.” The world is already filled with pain, trouble, wickedness, lust and pornography, to name only a few of the negatives, in other words, it is already morally bleak as it is, thus, we should not be causes of anything that would make the world worse, we should instead be causes-agents of changing the world to be godly, that is, the world to become God’s kingdom. St. Paul quoting the wisdom of the past warns and advises the Roman Christian community of his time: “’Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.’ ‘The poison of vipers is on their lips (Rom 3:13).’” We have to be aware to the fact that even with only the use of our words or with the way we speak we can be the nastiest person in the planet.

Let us have command over the use of our mouth! Let us form our hearts and feed it with good and holy things from the Lord’s teachings, and from the inspiration of good and godly people! We need to become good in the inside, so that, this would become the source of goodness that we can express to others, as the Lord said: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Lk 6:45).” Among the things and qualities a person can be attractive of and can easily gain friends with is the way of speaking and or the good use of words. Make a resolution now to correct your manner of talking, if you’re fond of bad words. Nurture your present good manners and values. Watch over your mouth or tongue, as they say, so that you will speak gently, and use words that only can be inspiring and edifying. When we do this we sanctify not only our words and mouth, but the whole of our being. God bless you!