THE FACE OF TRUE LOVE!

Friday, May 27, 2011 

Easter Weekday

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 15: 12 - 17

12        "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

13        Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14        You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15        No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

16        You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

17        This I command you, to love one another.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:

A BLESSED FRIDAY TO ALL!!!

My reflection today will be a continuation of yesterday’s reflection.

Degrees of friendship can be outlined in many ways as interpersonal relationship happens in different contexts. Friendship is even used in online interactions like in friendster and facebook. In general friendship connotes a mutual bond that connects people to each other that creates mutual recognition or support from each other. Friendship, at a deeper and more PERSONAL level, connotes an interpersonal and mutual affection between and among friends. At this level, FRIENDSHIP is a kind of relationship wherein LOVE can easily be shared and lived. When love and friendship are shared, life becomes meaningful despite its many struggles and hardships.

The Gospel yesterday challenges us to KEEP Jesus’ COMMANDMENTS as a constitutive element of our LOVE for him. Today Jesus gives us the SOCIAL DIMENSION of our love for him—LOVING ONE ANOTHER! To love Jesus is to love others too. It is his command to us: “This I command you, love one another.”  And he makes this command as a STANDARD to our FRIENDSHIP with him. He said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Thus, to be a friend with Jesus is to become a friend to everyone. In the context of Jesus’ command, to be a friend with everyone is to love one another. This challenges us to examine the way we relate with others. Do we relate with them in the spirit of friendship? This could happen only if we abide by the command of Jesus to love one another.

It is very interesting to note that Jesus did not say “love others” but “love one another.” This only goes to show the “MUTUALITY” and “RECIPROCITY” of the love-commandment of Jesus. It was not meant to be a one-sided love affair. Love must be mutually shared. Moreover, Jesus makes himself as the PRIME MODEL of loving. He said, “…love one another as I have loved you.” What kind of love did Jesus lived and shared to be imitated? It is the kind of love that makes one willing to lay down his life for his friends.

The way Jesus stretch out his arms on the cross expressed magnificently his love for us. He lay down his life for us. It is a love that is self-sacrificing, unconditional, and life-giving. The cross stands as a test of love, it is like fire purifying the gold and testing its quality. We have a lot of crosses to carry in order for us to be able to be self-sacrificing and self-giving in our love for one another. We will undergo a lot of purification and testing. One of the hardest tests is to be forgiving, compassionate and merciful, like Jesus, to those who make our life hard and difficult. Jesus is the revelation of this full reality of love as he carried our sin unto the cross so that by his wounds we will be healed (1Peter 2:24). In Jesus we have the face of what TRUE LOVE is.

LOVING GOD IS GLORYFYING HIM IN ALL OUR ACTIONS!

Thursday, May 26, 2011 

St. Philip Neri, Priest (Memorial)

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 15: 9 - 11

9          As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.

10        If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

11        These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED THURSDAY TO ALL!!!

LOVE is defined in many ways by different people. And it is defined from different point of views and according to various perspectives of experience. This is so because love is an abstract concept that can be speculated, talk about and applied in many ways. But whatever is the definition, I think love becomes more meaningful in the context of the inner drive for RELATIONSHIP or ATTACHMENT- may it be to objects, beliefs, persons, or a deity. Love is an outward push from within towards what brings satisfaction and happiness.

To love is to obtain happiness. No one loves for pain or suffering, though most of the times loving is also risking to be hurt and suffer. In the Gospel today Jesus is giving us a perspective of obtaining HAPPINESS by LOVING HIM. To love Jesus is to ABIDE by his/God's COMMANDMENTS! Jesus makes himself the model of this kind of love as he always abides by his Father’s will. Jesus came, as he categorically claimed, to do the will of his Father.

To love Jesus is not just to be attached to/with him in an intimate and personal relationship. To love him is to KEEP his commandments. To love Jesus, therefore, requires the promotion and carrying out of his COMMANDMENTS anywhere, anytime and in whatever circumstance. Loving Jesus is surrendering one’s will to his will. It is this keeping his commandments, surrendering to his will, which brings JOY in its FULLNESS. He said, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." Keeping Jesus/God’s commandments, however, may lead to suffering because loving Jesus/God may cause confrontation, defiance and resistance to anything that go against Jesus/God’s will. Yet, the reward of such suffering is the fullness of happiness with God in his Kingdom.

A true Christian then is he/she who never forgets his/her faith in whatever responsibility he/she is attending to, never leaves God in the Church when he/she engages in business, practices his/her profession, or in making a legislation and policy that influence people in their decision making. A true Christian who LOVES GOD is GLORIFYING God in all his/her ACTIONS by keeping God in his/her daily undertakings. The JOY of every Christian who LOVES GOD is being FAITHFUL to GOD in SERVING MEN and WOMEN!

JESUS’ POWER!

Sunday, May 22, 2011 

Fifth Sunday of Easter

by Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 14: 1 – 12
1	"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
2	In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3	And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4	And you know the way where I am going."
5	Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
6	Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.
7	If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."
8	Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied."
9	Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
10	Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
11	Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.
12	"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED SUNDAY TO ALL!!!

The Gospel today is the gospel-reading divided in two parts for the previous two days, Friday and Saturday. Since I have made my reflections on the previous days’ readings (Friday and Saturday), I will just point out some CHALLENGES this reading has for us as points for reflections toward the strengthening of our response to Jesus call to follow him.

Jesus challenges us NOT to be TROUBLED. Our FAITH in him must be our LINE to security that should bring PEACE to our minds and hearts. By our faith, we are in the GOOD HANDS of GOD, in the safety of our Lord Jesus’ and the Father’s PROTECTION and CARE.

Jesus challenges us NOT to be CONCERNED with the TIME of his RETURN, when he will be coming back, but be concerned rather with FINDING the WAY to secure a ROOM that Jesus prepared in his Father’s house for each of us. Jesus is our direct WAY to the Father and the KEY to secure a room in the Father’s house. Following Jesus is walking to the path that leads to the Father’s house.

Jesus, thus, challenges us to KNOW HIM, for knowledge of him is knowledge of God. To accept Jesus is to accept God. To follow Jesus is to follow God. To have Jesus in one’s life is to have an intimate and personal relationship with God. Knowing Jesus changes everything!

Finally, Jesus challenges us to carry out his “WORK” as the concrete and visible expression of our FAITH in him. Just as the Father lives in Jesus and carryout his “works” in him, so must so also with us; if Jesus is in us, let Jesus “works” through us. Jesus is our POWER to SERVE!

KNOWING GOD IN JESUS!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Easter Weekday

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 14: 7 - 14

7          If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."

8          Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied."

9          Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'?

10        Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

11        Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.

12        "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

13        Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son;

14        if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED SATURDAY TO ALL!!!

God as a concept or idea signifies the Supreme Being beyond definite and exact description as it is an uncreated self existent, all powerful, all knowing, omnipresent and transcendent source and foundation of all of creation and being. God is said to be the TOTALLY OTHER. As a concept, God is so distant and impersonal. However, Christianity offers to the world the way to know God. It is a knowing that is not achieved through conceptual analysis but through a PERSONAL RELATIOSHIP with God.

In Christianity, God is so personal and near. In Jesus we have a human face of God. In Jesus we have the fullness of God’s revelation of himself. In Jesus, God is not a concept but a PERSON. In knowing Jesus, one knows God. In the Gospel today, Jesus said plainly that “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."

Jesus reveals to us God as his FATHER. But God is not just his Father. Jesus taught us that God is OUR Father too. This image of the “fatherhood” of God only invites us to enter into a more intimate and personal relationship with God. In fact, such fatherhood of God reveals the full reality that we BELONG to him. But because of our sinfulness we turn our back away from him and walk unto the path that leads us away from the Father’s house. 

Thanks to Jesus who is the EXACT IMAGE of the Father (Hebrew 1:3) that in him we have our WAY back to the Father. And so in Jesus we have the Father working for our “return” back to him. For this reason Jesus declared unto the ignorance of Philip, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” Therefore, to have an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus is to have an intimate and personal relationship with the Father. Jesus declared clearly, as he categorically stated in the Gospel yesterday, that only through him we can come to the Father. This is so because Jesus is GOD who DWELT AMONG US. Therefore, the way into an intimate and personal relationship with God is to enter into an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus.

This relationship with Jesus is the one that matters most when we speak of the coming of the “end of the world,” as Harold Camping, a preacher, believed that today, at 6 PM, is the end of the world. If we truly believe in Jesus, and have an intimate and personal relationship with him, do we also “work” the “work” that he does? This is the way to PREPARE and FACE the “end of the world.” The “work” is not easy. We might face humiliation, rejection and persecution. All we need to do is ask Jesus’ help when the road is getting rough. He assured us that “if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

GETTING READY FOR THE "END" OF THE WORLD!

Friday, May 20, 2011 

St. Bernadine of Siena, OFM Priest (Memorial)

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 14: 1 - 6

1          "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.

2          In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3          And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4          And you know the way where I am going."

5          Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"

6          Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED FRIDAY TO ALL!!!

The many discussions about the prediction of certain doom’s-day-sayers that the world will end this coming May 21, 2011 have deeply TROUBLED and make many hearts anxious. Many hearts have been consumed with FEAR! Many are anxious about the uncertainty of what is coming. The sudden heavy rains in the afternoon after a very hot morning have made some of my students to think and ask if the world is really coming to its end. Many have asked if TRULY the end of the world will come on May 21, 2011. An American preacher, Harold Camping, has even claimed that he is a hundred percent certain that the end of the world would come on may 21, 2011. It is the day of Jesus return to earth, according to him.

Jesus, in the Gospel today, admonishes us not to be troubled but rather have faith in God and in him. If the end of the world would come, Jesus assured us that there are plenty of rooms in God’s house. Jesus assured furthermore that he is the one preparing the rooms for us. But is he returning this Saturday, May 21, 2011? Nobody knows! What is certain is Jesus is coming back. But Jesus declared that only the Father knows when. The real issue is not so much about WHEN is Jesus EXACTLY coming back but our READINESS for his return. The question is not whether on May 21, this coming Saturday, would Jesus really be coming back but are we READY if he will really comes back on that day. Jesus promised us that when he returns back he will take us to himself to bring us to where he is. He said, “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

To the unprepared, certainly their hearts will be devoured with anxiety. They will surely be troubled. To get prepared for the coming of the “end” of the world is to know HOW to enter into the PLACE where Jesus prepared plenty of rooms for us. We need to know the WAY to get there. And there is no other way than JESUS! He is the WAY back to the Father. He is the WAY to have our ROOMS in the Father’s HOUSE. The unprepared is like Thomas who does not know the way because he doesn’t know fully Jesus yet.

If we truly know Jesus, we must not be troubled even if tomorrow will be the end of the world. For us not to get LOST, let us hold on to Jesus firmly by following him closely. He is the WAY because in him we have the TRUTH of our SALVATION, and in him, therefore, we have LIFE to eternity in the Father’s HOUSE. As Christians, our HOPE lies not on a teaching but on a PERSON—the one who is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. He is JESUS!

A KISS OF FAITHFULNESS!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

St. Crispin of Viterbo, Religious (Memorial)

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 13: 16 - 20

16        Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17        If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18        I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, `He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

19        I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

20        Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED THURSDAY TO ALL!!!

One of the most painful experiences one can have in a relationship is that of being BETRAYED by someone you loved, or someone you consider a friend. Friendship is nourished and sustained by loyalty and trust. Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.” Such words would indicate, among many, that betrayal is something that is hard to repair. It will create suspicion and doubt from the betrayed party. And so Tennessee Williams could declare, “We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal.” If we begin to distrust each other what kind of relationship can we build in friendship?

Jesus, in the Gospel today, indicated how a friend who eats bread with him will lift his heel against him. Jesus have known already who will betray him before it will take place. With this foreknowledge of betrayal, Jesus does not make any move to impede it from happening. He did not even confront publicly his would-be-traitor as to chastise him or condemn him. There was no hatred in Jesus’ heart towards his traitor. This scenario runs contrary to our common experience of being betrayed. Once we got the news that someone is going to betray us, we naturally tend to be defensive, cautious and self-protective. It would be so painful if the one who is about to betray us is a friend. It would be a normal reaction of self-preservation from us to stay away from such a friend. Some would even go far as to do harm first to such friend, maybe kill him, just to avert the danger and consequence of an impending betrayal.

Jesus has shown a different reaction. He is not concerned with self-preservation than being loyal to his friends, including Judas his would-be traitor. He eats with him. He journeys with him. On the night when he was betrayed, Jesus never shown any negative and violent reaction to the kiss of betrayal that Judas gave to him. Jesus simply asked Judas why he betrayed him with a kiss. How many times do we betray Jesus? How many kisses did we used to betray him? But despite our betrayal, Jesus never stops trusting us that we can still change and become faithful to him and become his real friend. He remains loyal to his friendship with us. 

Can we be loyal to Jesus, our Lord and Master, whatever its cost? Can we stand for him in proclaiming his teachings even if it will lead to confrontation with the powerful and violent? Can we remain loyal to Jesus even if it will lead others to betray us? Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Let us give to Jesus our KISS of FAITHFULNESS!

SEEKING HIS KINGDOM FIRST!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

St. Felix Porri of Cantalice, Capuchin, Religious (Feast)

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

Luke 12: 22 - 31
22	And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on.
23	For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.
24	Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
25	And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?
26	If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?
27	Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28	But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!
29	And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind.
30	For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them.
31	Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED WEDNESDAY TO ALL!!!

Everybody has the desire for a BETTER LIFE, a life free from troubles and difficulties. Even the proposed Reproductive Health Bill, which is currently debated in Congress while I am making this reflection, has the main intention to promote a BETTER life of the Filipino people through population management, or should I say population control, and maternal care. We are bombarded almost daily with slogans through mass media that express the resolved of people to end poverty and curve graft and corruption, and other social problems that are threatening, if not yet destroying, the well-being and better-life of the people. Everybody, in short, is very ANXIOUS about the “QUALITY of LIFE” one must have in order to live a COMFORTABLE and HAPPY life.

In the Gospel today Jesus is challenging us to look into those that make us anxious about life. Jesus is straight forward in admonishing his disciples saying “do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” If we are not to be anxious with our life, or the quality of our life, should we stop working for food? Should we stop from being concerned with our health by stopping discovering new ways in addressing and curing different kinds of illnesses? Should we stop being concerned with the corruption in our government that wasted people’s taxes and makes the life of the poor more miserable? Shall we simply sit down, armed with strong FAITH in the Divine Providence that will provide us with all that we need the way He takes good care of the birds and the lilies?

Jesus never asked us to be complacent and passive and never work for food, nor stop being creative in addressing diseases that destroy our health, nor indifferent to the injustices and various forms of oppression and exploitation happening in society that make life miserable. Jesus asked us NOT to be ANXIOUS about these concerns, for LIFE is more than these. Jesus rather is challenging us to be ANXIOUS in SEEKING the KINGDOM of GOD. Jesus is leading us to where our HEARTS must be CONCERNED about FIRST. If we seek the Kingdom of God, everything that we need will be ours as well. If we seek God’s Kingdom, we will have FOOD on our tables, we will have CLOTHES to wear, we will have the CURE to different illnesses that threaten the integrity of our body, we will have QUALITY of LIFE that we desire, and above all we will have the taste of the FULLNESS of LIFE.

FORGIVEN TO FORGIVE!

Wednesday, May 04, 2011 

Easter Weekday

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 3: 16 - 21

16        For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17        For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

18        He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19        And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20        For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21        But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED WEDNESDAY TO ALL!!!

It is a common experience, and almost a natural human reaction, to become angry at anyone who aggrieved us or caused us pain. This could be an unconscious reflex from our inner drive to self-preservation. The recent news of the death of al-Qaida chief  Osama Bin Laden is welcomed with rejoicing in America, and its allies, who experienced terrorist bombing attacks suspected to be hand-made of bin Laden. Yet many considered this incident as an occasion for a major threat for continued terrorist attacks from Bin Laden’s supporters and follower for REVENGE. RETALIATORY attacks are now feared that would spark after Bin Laden’s death. This scenario will just propagate a never ending cycle of violence and vindictiveness.

A day before Ben Laden’s death, we celebrated with jubilation the beatification of our beloved Pope John Paul II. In his beatification, we cannot escape remembering his life. One of the good things we remember about him is his being FORGIVING. The most gallant and gracious expression of his being merciful and forgiving is his visit to his assassin. He came not to blame, condemn or demand for harsh punishment out of vengeance. He came to embrace his killer and offer his sincere gift of forgiveness.

In the Gospel today, we have the ultimate expression of God’s offer of MERCY and FORGIVENESS to us evildoers. Jesus is God’s LOVE and MERCY PERSONIFIED! The coming of Jesus by sharing our human nature reveals God’s unconditional love to us. Jesus did not come to bring God’s wrath for our sinfulness neither to unleash ultimate condemnation of our evil deeds but to BRING US SALVATION. Jesus came to bring us LIGHT that will lead us back to the RIGHT PATH going back to God. By our evil deeds, we live in the DARKNESS of SIN. And so Jesus gives us the OPTION to choose to regain out lost opportunity to gain the FULLNESS of LIFE with God. Such option is to be made by BELIEVING in him as the WAY to the TRUTH of the FULLNESS of our LIVES. The promise fruit of such believing in Jesus is ETERNAL LIFE.

The Gospel is once again challenging us to keep strong in our FAITH in JESUS in whom we have the guarantee of God’s MERCY and FORGIVENESS. Like the Blessed Pope John Paul II embracing his killer, Jesus’ OUTSTRECH ARMS on the cross is the sublime symbol of God’s EMBRACE to us sinners offering FORGIVENESS to our sins, sins that brought DEATH to us in eternity. There is no retaliation and vengeance with God but MERCY and FORGIVENESS. Let us glorify God always by being FORGIVING to others, especially those who have wronged us. Let our Christian Faith makes a difference in our world that is in chaos due to hatred and vengeance by our acts of MERCY and offer of FORGIVENESS. Only mercy and forgiveness can break the chain of violence and vindictiveness around us. Let us remember that we are FORGIVEN in order for us to FORGIVE.

THE ONE WE CAN LEAN ON!

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Saints Philip and James, Apostles (Feast)

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

John 14: 6 – 14
6	Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.
7	If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him."
8	Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied."
9	Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
10	Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
11	Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.
12	"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.
13	Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son;
14	if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED TUESDAY TO ALL!!!

Philip’s request for Jesus to show his Father to them, so for them to KNOW him, is an instance which would indicate how the disciples’ mind are still set at the level of the “PHYSICAL PROOF” (the OBERVABLE) for knowledge to be gained about something. Last Sunday’s Gospel presented to us a similar case. Thomas came to believe in the resurrection of Jesus only after he made a physical confirmation by touching Jesus’ wounds. Yesterday’s Gospel also had presented a similar situation wherein Nicodemus misunderstood Jesus’ calling for him to be born again as returning back to a mother’s womb and be reborn again physically.  Philip, Thomas and Nicodemus were so shortsighted in dealing with Jesus at the “physical” or “tangible” level of comprehension and understanding. These three cases reveal to us that if our minds and hearts are set only to what is “tangible” or “observable” (the PHYSICAL), we will have difficulty in comprehending and accepting Jesus’ teachings.

In the Gospel today Jesus made a very grand promise that anything we ask in his name will be given. He said, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” Here Jesus is making a declaration that we need to have faith in him who can give us what we ask from him. However, one could question the veracity of this claim of Jesus by checking out if indeed all that we asked from him are all granted. All would agree that not all that we asked from Jesus were given according to what we really asked from him. However, this would not mean that Jesus failed or ignored to answer our prayers. On the contrary, Jesus always give us an answer to our prayers, only that at times it will not be according to what we prayed or asked for. By not receiving or getting what we asked for is already an answer to our prayer, of course with a good reason. It will require, however, a correct understanding and attitude to prayer to remain with much trust and gratitude in the Lord who knows what is best for us. If we based strictly, therefore, our faith in Jesus to what is tangible and perceptible by our senses it can be expected that doubting Jesus would soon come when our prayers are “seemingly” ignored and remained unanswered.

We can ask anything from Jesus because he is our WAY to the Father who will grant anything his children will need and asked for. The Gospel today is challenging us to check out the kind of attitude we have to prayer. Do we pray as to demand something that must be given according to what we asked for because Jesus promised us to give anything that we will ask from him? Or do we pray with full trust and openness to the providence of God to give what we truly need and yet also humble to accept that not all our prayers are granted according to how we want it to be heard or according to what we want but our prayers will be answered according to what God knows what is best for us? Let us completely surrender ourselves to Jesus who truly KNOWS what is BEST for us, for he is the WAY, the TRUTH and our LIFE! Jesus promised us that in him we have SOMEONE we can LEAN ON!