St. Therese Relics 5th Pilgrimage - Diocese of Dipolog

09/09/2024

Pamalandong sa Mateo 18:15-20

KINUTLO GIKAN SA EBANGHELYO SUMALA NI SAN MATEO

Si Jesus miingon sa iyang mga tinun-an: “Kon ang imong igsuon makasala kanimo, adtoa siya ug pakit-a siya sa iyang sayop. Apan himoa kini nga kamo rang duha. Kon mamati siya kanimo, magkauli ang inyong maayong kabubut-on. Apan kon siya dili mamati kanimo, pagdalag usa o duha ka tawo, aron ang matag sumbong kapamatud-an sa duha o tulo ka saksi, sumala sa giingon sa Kasulatan. Ug kon dili gayod siya mamati kanila, isulti ang tanan ngadto sa simbahan. Ug kon dili siya mamati sa simbahan, isipa siya nga usa ka langyaw o kobrador sa buhis.”

“Ug busa sultihan ko kamo: ang inyong idili dinhi sa yuta, idili usab didto sa langit, ug ang inyong itugot dinhi sa yuta, itugot usab didto sa langit.”
“Ug sultihan ko pa gayod kamo: kon duha kaninyo dinhi sa yuta magkauyon pagpangayo bisag unsang butanga, kini ihatag kaninyo sa akong Amahan nga atua sa langit.”

Kay kon may duha kun tulo nga magkatigom sa akong ngalan, atua ako uban kanila.”

ANG EBANGHELYO SA GINOO.

__________________
Pamalandong:
Usa sa kinaiya natong mga Pinoy nga maayo apan kundi mabantayan mahimong dili maayo, kining pagkamaikogon. Mabinantayon gyud kaayo ta sa atong pagtagad sa uban kay maikog ta basin unsa unyay ikasulti nila bahin nato. Panahon sa piyesta mangutang gyud aron dunay ikaresibi sa mamistahay. Kung dunay bisita, ang tagbalay, mogawas sa kwarto aron didto pahigdaon ang bisita. Kung dunay okasyon, ang mga tinagoang nindot nga plato ug ubang gamit ipagawas dayon. Kining tanan tungod kay maikog nga dili kaayo matagad ang isigkatawo. Nindot kini nga kinaiya kay buhat man kini sa pag-paambit kon unsay naa nato ug buhat sa pag-alagad sa atong isigkatawo sumala sa gisugo ni Cristo. Ang bantayan lang kon ato na kining buhaton alang sa kaugalingon. Nga ato lang ning himoon aron ipasikat ang kaugalingon, tungod kay nahadlok kita nga maot unya ang ikasulti sa uban mahitungod nato.

Tungod niining kinaiyaha nga labihan ka manggihunahunaon kon unsa unyay ikasulti sa uban, nabansay nato ang kinaiya nga dili moprangka ug istorya. Kon duna kitay ikasulti sa ubang tawo nga dili maayo, maikog tang mosulti kaniya. Kon dunay sayop nga atong makita sa usa ka tawo, imbis siya moy atong istoryahan adto hinoon nato iistorya sa uban – mao nga mahimong tsismis ug libak. Imbis naglikay ta nga dili madaot, namaot na hinoon ang atong dungog kay mabansagan man tang libakero o libakera, kay ang angay ihisgot ngadto sa usa ka tawo ato mang ihisgot ngadto sa laing tawo. Unsa may atong buhaton aron mawagtang kining kinaiyaha? Kay wa ra ba gyuy gusto nato dinhi nga tawgon ug libakero o libakera.

Si Cristo dinhi sa ebanghelyo nagtudlo kanato sa usa ka kinaiya nga angay bansayon, ang pagsulti kon unsay angay isulti ngadto sa hingtungdan. Kon duna kitay gustong isulti sa usa ka tawo, siya moy atong istoryahan. Kon duna kitay nakita nga dili maayo ug buot kitang magpakabana, kadtong naghimo ug di maayo maoy atong istoryahan dili ang uban.

Dunay usa ka pari nga sa iyang wali kanunay gyud siya mamira ug politiko, unya ra ba kadtong politikoha maoy sige niyag pangayoan ug donasyon. Wa kaagwanta ang politiko, miduol sa pari human sa misa ug miingon: “Padre ngano man nga kung mag solicit ka nako maayo man kaayo ka moistorya apan lahi man ang imong iistorya mahitungod nako panahon sa misa?” Mitubag ang pari, “Pasensiya na sir, kadto man gong nag solicit ko nimo, mura ko ato ug nangumpanya, dinhi sa misa, mura ko anig kinaiya sa politikong midaug na.” Buot ipasabot sa pari, nga usahay ang atong pagkamaikogon gipaluyuhan sa atong personal interest ug panginahanglan. Dili kini maayo.

Ang inigsoong paghigugma mao nga mosulti kita sa tinuod apan dili aron lang ibulgar ug pakaowawan ang tawo o di kaha aron makapahungaw ta sa atong gibati. Mosulti kita sa tinuod aron ang hingtungdan atong matabangan nga siya mahimong matarong ug buotan. Kay mao kini ang atong misyon nga dad-on ug hiusahon ang tanan ngadto sa Amahan. Amen.

05/09/2024

“The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart.” - Martin Luther

31/08/2024

You want to make sure that you are doing the right thing? Do this!

30/08/2024

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Novena
The family is so very important in our lives and in our society! So, we are going to pray that the sacrament of marriage is strengthened and that families are sanctified.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your love into my family. Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your mercy into my family. Our Lady, on this feast of your birth, please pray for stronger and holier marriages. Amen.

Most lovable Mother Mary, our Father in Heaven created you with delight. You are His creature whom He made worthy to become the holy Mother of His Son. You were born into a family of Saints. Pray for me today that my joy in your Son will increase and that my family may become more holy. Dearest Mother, please pray for me and for these my intentions… (State your intentions)

Hail Mary…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

25/08/2024

Pamalandong sa Ebanghelyo: Mateo 23:27-32

Ang pantiyon, nindot tan-awon sa gawas apan maot sa sulod. Mao kini ang hulagway sa tawo nga mabalak-on kon unsa unyay ikasulti sa ubang tawo apan dili mabalaka unsay ikasulti sa Ginoo. Kining kinaiyaha gisaway ni Cristo dinhi sa atong ebanghelyo, gani iya pa kining gipanghimaraot.

Apan kanus-a man kita mahimong mabalak-on sa ikasulti sa uban? Kon labihan ang atong paghunahuna sa kaugalingon lamang. Kon kanunay ra gani natong gilantaw ang atong kaugalingong kaayuhan wala na kitay panahon sa paghunahuna alang sa kaayohan sa uban. Dako pa gani ug purohan nga gamiton nato ang uban aron pagkab-ot sa atong gitinguha ug gikinahanglan. Kon ang sentro na gani sa atong mga paningkamot mao lamang ang kaugalingon, ang tanang tawo mahimong atong ka-kompetisyon. Mao nga dali kaayo nato silang gamiton o kaha daoton.

Sukwahi kini sa kinaiya sa atong Ginoo, kay siya mihatag man sa tanan apil na ang Iyang kaugalingong Anak alang sa atong kaayohan, alang sa atong kaluwasan. Ang pinaka maayo diay nga mahimo nato sa atong isigkatawo mao ang paghunahuna o pagpakabana usab alang sa ilang kaayohan, alang sa ilang kaluwasan. Sama nga mao kini ang misyon ni Cristo dinhi sa kalibutan, mao usab kini ang atong misyon isip usa ka simbahan.
Niining adlawa, mamalandong kita sa atong kaugalingon? Para asa man ang tanan kong paningkamot ug hinagoan?

Ayaw gyud kalimti ang uban ilabina ang mga nagkinahanglan ug panabang. Ang pinakanindot nga tabang sa uban mao ang pag-agak nila nga mahasubay sa hustong dalan. Isip mga misyonaryo ni Cristo dad-on nato ang ubang tawo ngadto sa Ginoo. Mao kini ang angay natong hagoan ug gastohan. Amen.

05/08/2024

18th Sunday B: St. John Marie Vianney Sunday
John 6:24-35

Today’s Gospel is about eating. Yes, about food – something very familiar and close to our hearts. Sino ba dito ang ayaw kumain?
As a matter of fact, we don’t need to be told to eat. Only those who are very conscious of their body –maybe some of the ladies here – would not want to eat. I think many of us actually need to be told to stop eating. It is my observation, for instance, that whenever food is going to be served, many – even those not active in Church, will attend the activity. During fiestas for instance, there are more people during the ‘kainan’ than in the Eucharistic Celebration and novenas.

Today, Jesus asks us: “Are you looking for me because you want free food?” Remember, last Sunday’s gospel? Jesus fed the people. And today’s Gospel is a continuation of that. The people followed Jesus because they thought Jesus would feed them again. Aren’t we like these people? We only remember Jesus, we only know God, if we ask for something, if we need something – because we can get something? This attitude is even reflected in the politics in our place. We follow; we support the politician who can FEED us; who can fill our stomachs, who can give us something – never mind his bad reputation.

If you look around, you may see people who are overfed. What do we call them? We call them obese. That is not healthy. And there are also many who are underfed. What do we call them? We call them malnourish.

There is, however, a more serious problem which we often neglect because we become too busy earning for a living. In the process of wanting to feed the body, many of us become SPIRITUALLY MALNOURISH. Spiritual malnourishment leads to an inability to feel gratitude, love, and worse, inability to feel the Spirit. It causes one to feel discouraged, depressed, selfish, ugly, empty, lost and angry.
Today, Jesus is not talking about that food that FEEDs the stomach; it is NOT the food that perishes. Yes, God provides us even with the food that feeds the body just like he provided the Israelites when they complained about their hunger as you heard in the first reading. On top of that, in the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the food that FEEDS the soul.

This means one thing, my brothers and sisters. Jesus is inviting us to a feast, a banquet, which is available to all of us – FREE! – Because Jesus already paid for it with HIS own life. What is this feast or banquet? It is the EUCHARIST. During each Eucharistic Celebration, we EAT the bread of LIFE! This is the food that does not perish. This is HOW IMPORTANT it is to COME to MASS as often as you can and receive the bread of life and listen to the bread of life – the WORD of GOD! My dear friends, how ready is your mind and heart to the words of Jesus, to the reality of this celebration that you attend?

Now it’s been said that we become the FOOD that we eat. It is not enough then that we come to mass and partake of the bread of life. We need to be renewed just like what St. Paul said in the second reading. There are two requirements for this bread of life to be able to NOURISH us.

First, is that is put away the our old self and our former way of life; our corrupted life and deceitful desires. Second, is that we be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on a new self – righteous and holy.
If that is so, we are at peace with ourselves, at peace with our family, at peace with our neighbors and at peace as a community; as a parish.

I am reminded of St. John Marie Vianney who fed himself not of perishable food but of the Eucharist. St. John Marie Vianney ate little – only boiled potatoes. But he was able to stand the rigors of his daily routine including not giving in to the devil who tried to frighten him. Why? Because of his devotion to the Eucharist. Yes, the EUCHARIST was his food, his life. And this, my friend, I experienced when I went to Ars. I was so inspired that I did not feel hungry for three days that I was there. That is when I realized that when the Spirit is fed, the body does not really need much.

Many of you come to mass and partake of the BREAD of LIFE. My prayer is this: that we all experience a community and a parish that is REALLY FED AND NOURISHED by the bread of life – a community and a parish that is GRATEFUL for the feast that we partake of. If we are GRATEFUL, we stop complaining; we stop being self-centered and selfish. Instead, we actively and generously respond to the call to love and serve the LORD in and among others. Amen.

03/08/2024

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B
Jn. 6:24-35

Nakahibalo ba mo nga dunay Daang Moises ug Bag-ong
Moises?

Ang Daang Moises mao kining gihisgutan sa unang
pagbasa nga nagpakaon ug ‘manna’ gikan sa langit ngadto sa
mga Israelita didto sa kamingawan aron duna silay igong kusog sa
ilang panaw padulong sa yutang saad. Ang Bag-ong Moises mao
si Jesus nga gihisgutan dinhi sa ebanghelyo nga naghatag kanato
sa iyang kaugalingon aron mahimo natong pagkaon aron kita
malagsik ug malig-on sa atong panaw dinhi sa kalibutan padulong
sa langitnong puloy-anan. Sa inyong hunahuna, niining duha ka
pagkaon, asa may mas mahinungdanon?

Niadtong milabay’ng Dominggo, ang ebanghelyo naghisgut
sa pagpakaon ni Jesus sa 5,000 ka tawo. Gipadayag kanato ang
Dios nga nagtan-aw sa atong panginahanglan. Mao nga kadtong
nagsigeg sunod sunod kang Jesus wala gayud nagutman kay iya
mang giatiman. Nanghinubra pa gani ang pagkaon nga iyang
gihatag kanila. Apan dili kini maoy tumong sa pag-anhi ni Jesus sa
kalibutan. Ang mga tawo nga nangaon ug manna sa kamingawan
sa panahon ni Moises nangamatay gihapon kay ang maong
pagkaon alang man lamang sa lawas. Ang gitanyag ni Jesus kanato
karon mao ang pagkaon sa kalag. Ang pagkaon nga magdala kanato sa kinabuhing dayon. Sa iyang pagpakaon sa 5,000 ka
tawo didto sa kamingawan, buot niya silang tudloan nga labaw
pa niining maong pagkaon mao Siya mismo – ang iyang lawas ug
dugo. Nga kung si Kristo maoy atong kanunay pangitaon ug kan
on dili na gayud kita gutomon.

Mga igsoon, kining pagkaon sa kalag nga akong gihisgutan
maoy atong gidawat ug gipanag-ambitan matag panahon nga
mosimba kita. Kining pagkaona mao ang Eyukaristiya, ang lawas
ug dugo ni Kristo. Mao kini ang langitnong pagkaon, pagkaon sa
mga anghel. Ang Eyukaristiya mao ang langitnong kalan-on nga
magdala kanato ngadto sa kinabuhing dayon. Mao bitaw mga
igsoon nga diha sa pagpangita ug makaon mas unahon gyud
nato ang langitnong pagkaon. Daghang mga tawo nga kanunay
maghunahuna ug bugas – pagkaon sa lawas. Moingon pa gani
ang uban, nganong sige mog anhag simbahan, makabugas ba
mo diha? Nalimot sila nga ang atong gidawat ug gikaon dinhi sa
simbahan maoy mas makatabang kanato aron mahimong kugihan
ug mapanalanginan ang atong mga hinaguan.

Mga igsoon, kun busog kita sa pagkaong langitnon makat
on usab kita sa paghatag ug bili sa mga butang nga malungtaron.
Pinaagi sa Diosnong grasya makat-on kita sa pagtan-aw kun unsa
gayuy atong tinuod nga gikinahanglan. Simple ra man gyud unta
ang kinabuhi sa tawo apan nahimong komplikado kay gasige
kitag dugang ug mugna sa atong mga gusto. Kini mahitabo kun
ang atong gisaligan lawasnong pagkaon lamang. Maapeke ang
atong paminsar. Apan kun busog ang atong kalag sa langitnong
pagkaon, kaantigo kitang mo prioritize kun unsa gayud ang labing
mahinungdanon sa kinabuhi ug mahimong gaan ang atong
pamati kay si Kristo mao may maghupong ug maghingpit sa atong
kinabuhi. Matinuod na dayon ang giingon sa Salmo 78: “Gihatagan
sila sa Ginoo og pan gikan sa langit.” Amen.

01/08/2024

My homily for the Novena Mass in honor of St. John Marie Vianney (for the sanctifications of priests) at St. James the Great Parish, Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City:

August 1, 2024: Thursday, 17th Week
Mt. 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

______________
If there is one thing I am very grateful for, it is having been able to visit Ars, the parish of St. John Marie Vianney for 41 years, already more than 10 times. It is my go to place, my happiest place on earth.

Not that I have much money. I always only have almost none. But I save my last pennies and not spend on any personal convenience just so I can be in Ars. Why? Because it is the closest I can be with my idol saint which I especially seek for in my lowest moment. Now that tells how many times I have experienced lows in my priestly ministry. But that also tells you how much impact St. John Marie Vianney has on me. I may be far from perfect, but I can be proud of what God has done through me as a pastor of souls especially among the poor or the least.

Indeed, I can sing today’s psalm: Blessed is he whose help is in the God of Jacob.

Why do I take much comfort reflecting in the life of St. John Marie Vianney? It is because I see that even in my weaknesses, just like he had his weaknesses, God still uses me to be a fisher for His kingdom. I can only wish and pray to have even just a bit of John Vianney’s holiness –how he handled and faced his adversary, the devil and how he gathered the people of Ars towards God. Although, he also lost heart, He never really gave up. He faced his adversary, not violently, but by being even becoming more holy and sacrificing. He kept his focus in his ministry of winning souls to the good father. I imagine him casting his nets, not only for a particular few, not only those he deemed worthy, but he threw his net catching all sorts of souls. He was not choosy whoever came to him. It was not his concern to judge who was worthy. He knew very well in his heart that his mission is to work for the conversion of old hardened heart.

We just had our reshuffling last June. I have only been in my new parish for 5 weeks, but I admit that I have never been as exhausted, financially drained and almost giving up. It is a much bigger parish than my previous ones – much bigger not only in size but also in the many parish concerns that welcomed me. But I need to cast my net just the same. It is my call. It is my mission to get as many into my net not judging who gets in.

This, too, is your mission. It doesn’t matter how big your net is. What matters is that you respond to the call to cast your net and win souls to the good Father. You are not to choose who gets into your net. It’s not your mission to do that. It is God who will judge the soul of each one in our nets.

I am sure that none of you have experienced that life of a fisherman. But I am telling you, it’s not easy. When a fisher sails into the open sea, he can only entrust his life to God as well as what gets into his net. As he casts his net into the sea, he cannot say only salmon, mayamaya, lapulapu, or tuna can get into the net. Other undesirable fish including garbage can get into the net –at times, these are the only ones that a fisherman catch. But he drops his net just the same.

St. John Marie Vianney was sent to Ars, a small unknown poor village. But with his hard work, relying only in God’s abundance and mercy, he was able to convert his parishioners and even those not belonging to it. Why and how? Because he was well aware that things are not in his hands but in God’s. He knew that it wasn’t his net but God’s. He allowed the hands of God to work through him.

Why do things seem so heavy? Why do we feel so burdened? Why do we get affected by what’s happening around us? Because we become our own judge. Because we put things in our own hands. Because we think it’s our own work, our glory and our own failure.
St. John Marie Vianney did not wish or do any of these. He only had one desire –that is to LOVE only God by casting his nets to win souls to the good Father. He knew that judgment was not his but God’s. He knew that his persecutions were opportunities for him to love God even more.

My we be like St. John Marie Vianney in our fervor to cast our nets, in our humility to embrace sufferings for the sake of the Kingdom so that at the end of our journey, when the Lord casts His nets, we will be among those He will choose to be with Him in heaven. St. John Marie Vianney, pray for us. Amen!

30/07/2024

27/07/2024

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B
Juan 6:1-15

Niining panahona, usa gayud sa gikabalak-an sa kadaghanan kun unsay isulod sa tiyan. Mao man gani nga ang mga tawo nagyangungo gyud sa gobyerno alang sa ayuda ilabina sa panahon nga wa na gyuy sulod ang bulsa. Apan ang dakong pangutana, mao ba gyud kaha kini ang ayuda nga atong tinguhaon ug pangitaon? Duna pa kahay laing panginahanglan nga maoy angay natong tinguhaon ug saligan panahon sa kalisdanan? Mao kini ang mensahe sa atong mga pagbasa karon:

Nadungog nato sa unang pagbasa (2 Hari 4:42-44) nga si Eliseo nagsugo sa iyang katabang sa pagpakaon sa gatusan ka mga tawo. Nagduhaduha ang maong sulugoon kay ang pagkaon diyutay ra, apan sa dihang gisunod niya ang sugo sa propeta, nakakaon ang tanan ug duna pay sobra. Ang pagkaon imbis kulang, apan tungod kay misalig si Eliseo sa gisulti sa Ginoo, ang pagkaon nahimong sobra pa sa gikinahanglan. Ang Ginoo mismo maoy nag-atiman, maoy nagpakaon sa mga tawong adunay lig-on nga pagtuo. Labaw pa sa pagkaon, mas tinguhaon diay nato ang kasingkasing nga sa Ginoo masaligon.

Bisan sa kalisdanan diha sa bilangguan, si San Pablo sa atong ikaduhang pagbasa (Efeso 4:1-6), nagdasig sa mga taga Efeso nga magmalig-on sa pagtuo ug magpabilin diha sa Ginoo. Ug kini himoon diha sa mga pamatasan ug binuhatan nga magdala kanila sa kahiusahan. Unsang pamatasana? Nga ang mga magtutuo andam sa pagpaubos, pagsabot, pagpaambit, pagtabang, pagpasensiya ug pagpasaylo. Mao kini ang mga pamatasan ug binuhatan sa mga tawong tinuod nga nagasalig ug nagatuo sa Ginoo. Ang tawo diay nga tinuod nga nagatuo sa Ginoo kaantigong motan-aw sa panginahanglan sa uban ug dili maniguro sa kaugalingon lamang.

Nganong ingon niini ang angay’ng pamatasan sa mga nagatuo sa Ginoo? Tungod kay mao kini ang kinaiya nga gipakita ni Cristo sa atong ebanghelyo. Ang mga tawo kansang tinguha mao ang pagpaminaw sa mga pulong sa atong Ginoo nahikalimot na sa ilang kaugalingong panginahanglan. Wala gisulti sa ebanghelyo nga sila nireklamo, ang Ginoo na mismo maoy nagtan-aw ug naghunahuna sa ilang panginahanglan. Ug unya nahitabo ang dakong milagro, nakakaon ug nangabusog silang tanan gani nanghinobra pa kaysa ilang gikinahanglan.

Mga igsoon, niining panahona, kanunay kitang nabalaka sa atong mga panginahanglan. Natural siguro kana. Apan tungod sa sobrang kabalaka, wala kaha nuon nato napadaplin ang tinuod nga tinubdan ug makahatag sa atong mga kinahanglan? Dili kaha nga tungod sa atong pagpaniguro misalig na lamang kita sa gahum sa tawo ug nawad-an nag pagsalig sa Ginoo? Ang Salmo 145 nag-ingon: “Ang kamut sa Ginoo maoy nagapakaon kanato; iyang gitagbaw ang tanan natong mga kinahanglan.” Amen.

27/07/2024

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B
John 6:1-15

I remember sometime in August 2014, we had one big BUT good problem. We were able to gather 1000 plus youth for our first Parish Youth Assembly. That was GOOD NEWS indeed! But we had one big problem - HOW TO FEED 1000 plus youth when we do not have money. The Parish Pastoral Council was worried. I was worried. Then I called a friend who told me not to worry. But how can I not worry? We needed 40k pesos but we only had 10k. This friend said she'd call back in 30 minutes.

After 20 minutes, this friend call back and she said that she was able to get the needed money -actually more than what we needed. She got 50k pesos from three of her friends.

I told myself -"Indeed, God provides when we respond to His call!"
Today, we hear a very familiar story -the feeding of the thousands. Our first reading (2Kings 4:42-44) also assures us that there is food and that there is enough for all and so does the psalmist say: The hand of the Lord feeds us: he answers all our needs! (Psalm 145) I repeat: The hand of the Lord feeds us: he answers all our needs! How is that? The second reading tells us: We have one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all! (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Our God is a God of abundance! He truly provides. He gives more than what we need.

Do we believe that?

Today, if we look around, and maybe look at our own experiences, it may be difficult to see and feel that God provides and that He provides abundantly, more than what we need. Life seems difficult. We seem not to have what we need. There seems to be a LACK rather than ABUNDANCE.

Why? Because we have created false needs. We have allowed the world -media, commercialism, the TV, advertisers, producers TO DICTATE what we need. The world has made us gluttons and greedy. Just look at what is happening - even if we don't need something, even if we can't afford, we THINK WE NEED IT. WE WANT IT -and so spend our money for these leaving little or nothing for what really matters (i.e., unnecessary gadgets and spending on things which are not really important).

The Lord provides us what we need -what we need for good life -good life, that is what brings us closer to Him, what we need in our procession to heaven! The Lord does not provide for vices, for kaartehan, for capricices because these draw us to sin, AWAY from Him.

Today, I invite you to exclaim: The Lord feeds us: he answers all our needs. But as we say that, may we realize what ONLY TRULY MATTERS.

18/07/2024

"Christians know that the death of a poor religious man, licked by the tongues of dogs, is far better than the death of a Godless rich man, dressed in purple and linen." -St Augustine