You Can Make a Difference

“Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed.” (Acts 4:13)

When it comes to evangelization, where do we even start? As the apostles knew, the foundation of evangelization is a personal encounter with Jesus. As Pope Benedict XVI has observed, they weren’t just “heralds of an idea, but witnesses of a person.”

In today’s first reading, we find Peter and John fulfilling Jesus’ command to go “into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). While they hadn’t yet reached “the whole world,” they started their mission where they were, with the people around them, making Jesus known to all who would listen.

It’s interesting that at this point in his life, Peter was more of a spitfire fisherman than a deep theologian or trained public speaker. Still, his address to the people was filled with Scripture references and clear, godly reasoning. It’s obvious that Peter didn’t just go out there and wing it. Clearly, he had been studying the Scriptures and building up a database of knowledge about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation.

At the same time, Peter was prayerful and passionate. He wanted to do more than just give a scriptural exposition on healing. He wanted to see people embrace the gospel, and so he relied on the Holy Spirit to pierce the hearts of his hearers.

Peter’s balance between good arguments and trust in the Spirit can be a model for our approach to evangelization. We have the same tools available to us that Peter had—and even more. Not only do we have our Bibles with footnotes and commentaries, we have the Catechism and the witness of countless saints. And of course, we have the same Holy Spirit guiding and empowering us. Like Peter, the closer we stay to Jesus in prayer, the more effective our logic will be when we share his gospel.

So don’t be afraid to tell other people the reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15). Read, study, learn the gospel so that you can build a solid argument. And pray, pray, pray. You really can make a difference in the people around you!

“Holy Spirit, I ask you to both teach and empower me to be an effective witness to the gospel. Give me the boldness of your first apostles!”

--that in all things may be glorified--

Hallelujah to the Risen Lord

Acts Chapter 10

34 Then Peter began to speak. "I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same," he said. 35 "He accepts people from every nation. He accepts all who have respect for him and do what is right. 36 "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened all through Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism. 38 You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil's power. God was with him. 39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40 But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen. 41 But he wasn't seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 "He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to give witness that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets give witness about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name."

He accepts people from every nation. Peter's realization that God came for ALL men regardless of color, race, or status was given to Him thru the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It came from God. In the same way the Holy Spirit led Him to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

He accepts all who have respect for Him and do what is right. Respect is defined as "to consider worthy of high regard." Regard is defined as "to show respect or consideration for; to hold in high esteem."

If we respect God, we have a very high regard for Him. We fear Him, revere Him, we make sure that we are acceptable to His eyes, or at least honestly try to. We acknowledge Him as someone worthy of our highest esteem. When we highly respect someone, we would want to be always in His grace by trying to do what is right in His standards.

So let us all show our respect to God by trying to live in His words, by His words, and through His words. Let us give thanks to the Lord in all circumstances of our lives, good or bad for He is good all the time. Let us worship and praise Him with our lips and our actions, acknowledge our sins and repent sincerely, glorify Him by loving ourselves and our neigbors equally, as God would want us to.

Let us not forget the reason for His death on the Cross and the Victory of His resurrection. Death is no more; Life is ours to live for.


I serve a risen Savior. he's in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him,  He's always near.


In all the world around me I see His loving care. And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair. I know that He is leading through all the stormy blast; The day of His appearing will come at last.


Rejoice, rejoice o Christian, lift up your voice and sing. Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King! The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find, None other is so loving, so good and kind.

 

--that in all things God may be glorified--

He lives, He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You aske me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!

GOD IS FAITHFUL (EVEN IF WE'RE NOT)

“You denied the Holy and Righteous One.” (Acts 3:14)

Peter and John had just healed a man by calling on the name of Jesus. Amazed by this miracle, a crowd gathered around them, and Peter knew that God was ready to do more than heal one man. He was ready to bring inner freedom and new life to everyone there. Quickly, Peter began to speak, turning everyone’s attention away from himself to Jesus. He reminded them that they had all denied Jesus, even allowing a murderer to be released from prison in his place.

Imagine what was running through Peter’s mind as he preached there at Solomon’s Portico. Was it all that long ago that he himself had stood in the Temple courts pretending that he didn’t know Jesus? If anyone had “denied the Holy and Righteous One,” surely he was just as guilty! But greater than the depth of Peter’s guilt on that fretful night was his experience of Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness. He knew firsthand Jesus’ ability to wash away his sins and failings. And nothing would stop him from proclaiming this truth!

Why did Peter speak such direct and convicting words? Couldn’t he just have reminded them of how Jesus healed people, and that he is still healing people now? No, he couldn’t. His own experience was too fresh in his memory—and it was too dramatic for him to brush aside. He himself had come face-to-face with his own sin, and in that moment, he also came face-to-face with Jesus’ forgiveness.

It’s also important to see that Peter was not singling out one group of people that day. Rather, he was speaking to everyone—even to all of us, because we have all sinned, and we are all covered by God’s incredible mercy.

Every time we celebrate Mass, we have the chance to recall our sins and lay them at the foot of the cross. The Penitential Rite is a perfect opportunity for us to open our hearts and let Jesus wash us clean. Our shame can be stripped away, and we can be set free. Yes, we have denied Jesus. But he will always remain faithful, “for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13)!

“Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness! Even though I have denied you in so many ways, you still love me and welcome me back. You are the Holy and Righteous One, and I give you my life.”

--that in all things God may be glorified-

Walk With Jesus

“Their eyes were opened.” (Luke 24:31)

Meditation: Luke 24:13-35

It is clear that this passage constitutes a continuation of Jesus' discipleship training. There are several points he seeks to get across to his disciples, those in the First Century and today:

1. The Messiah must suffer
2. Then the Messiah will enter into his glory
3. Our unbelief should be our shame, not our pride
. This is not some convenient rationalization by disciples after the fact. Jesus makes it abundantly clear that the Old Testament teaches it. True, Jewish scholars had not seen it, but it is there nevertheless. Read thoughtfully the Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12. When you connect the Messiah with the Servant of Yahweh, it is pretty clear that we are reading a prophecy and interpretation of Jesus' death and resurrection. The meaning of his death becomes obvious as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin. This passage is so compelling that for centuries it was banned from public reading in the synagogues lest any more Jews see the Messiah in it and convert to Christianity. . Isaiah 53:11-12 talks about the Servant's glory: "After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied... Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong." The Roman Catholic wing of the Church has portrayed most effectively in the crucifix the agony and suffering of Christ. The Protestant wing of the Church has understood the glory of the resurrection, depicted by the empty cross. Together these truths must both be understood and treasured by the Church. . I am impressed that Jesus isn't very tolerant of his disciples' unbelief in the face of the Scriptures and the events of the day. "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" he says. To our shame, there are corners of the Christian movement where unbelief and doubt are points of pride for the "unbiased" scholar and academic. We demythologize and explain away, and are left with little to show for our efforts except a shell of Christian relativism without a core of faith in the Jesus of history, God in the flesh. Jesus expects his disciples to believe what he says.

Though perhaps these are not part of Jesus direct discipleship teaching to his disciples, I see two additional lessons in this passage:

• Jesus is revealed in the breaking of bread.
• Jesus may walk beside us unrecognized
Of course, the evening meal that Jesus presides over in Emmaus is not a celebration of the Last Supper. But it recalls vividly to these two disciples times when Jesus would break bread with them, and the intimacy of their table fellowship with him. Rather early in the Church's life, the term "the breaking of bread" comes to mean "celebrate the Lord's Supper" (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16) and in that act reveals his presence in a special way. You don't need to believe in transubstantiation to understand the "special presence" of Jesus with his Church when we break bread together in his name. It is a holy time, a sacred experience of worship, a participation (Greek koinonia, " communion, sharing") in the body and blood of Jesus himself (1 Corinthians 10:16). It is literally "the Lord's table" (1 Corinthians 10:21). It is a "remembrance" as well as a "proclamation" (1 Corinthians 11:25-26). And yet it is more. In this faith-gathering of the Church, Jesus reveals himself, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20). . Just as Jesus isn't recognized by the travelers to Emmaus, he can be with us and even encourage us in our struggles, even though we aren't aware that he is present. The risen Christ is not limited, as we are, by geography or time.

Lord Jesus, forgive me for my unbelief and spiritual dullness. Sometimes I have taken so long to grasp what you have explained so clearly in your teaching. Sometimes I have been prevented from believing by intellectual pride. Other times by my own unwillingness to follow and my subsequent rationalizations. And sometimes by my own lethargy and unwillingness to read and value the Bible. Forgive me -- and my brothers and sisters. We accept your admonishment, and desire to follow after you, chastened but forgiven -- and now obedient. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

--thanks to the Jesus Walk Bible Study Series--

--that in all things God may be glorified--

You are Not Alone

“Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.” (John 20:11)

Mary Magdalene had dared to hope, and look where it got her. Jesus was dead. And not only dead but missing! Out of great devotion, she hastened to the tomb early. She wanted to get there before everyone else so that she could prepare Jesus’ body for a proper burial. But he was gone! Crushed with sadness, she wept bitterly. She presumed that it was all over.

Apparently, Mary forgot Jesus’ promise to rise after three days. Perhaps the gardener, who presented himself, knew where his body was. “They have taken my Lord,” she said (John 20:13). It was all up to her. Peter and John had come and gone, leaving her quite alone. In her grief, she resolved that she would return him to the tomb herself if necessary.

Was it compassion for Mary that moved Jesus to call her by name? After all, he had not engaged Peter and John. Yet once he did call her, all her sadness and despair vanished. She recognized his voice! He was alive! She was no longer a mourner; she was no longer alone!

As the Easter season begins, it is a good idea to consider how often we go around acting as if Jesus were still dead. It’s a good idea to ask whether the decisions we make in a typical day reflect the creed we profess every Sunday at Mass. Do we really think Jesus can help us in our day? Or like Mary Magdalene, do we assume that he has left us to our own limited devices?

Yesterday, we suggested that you develop a plan to help you deepen your sense of Jesus’ presence during this Easter season, and today we want to encourage you again. Don’t be hesitant like Mary Magdalene and Peter and John! Jesus is at your side right now, ready to act in your life. Every day, affirm your belief in the risen Lord and his power to work in your life. Take him at his word, and ask him for one specific thing each day. Ask him, in the power of his resurrection, to pour out his grace in a difficult situation—and then listen for his voice. He wants to call you by name today!

“Jesus, I believe that you are the risen Lord! I place my faith in you and trust in your power to work in my life today.”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Keeping the Love Alive

“You will fill me with joy in your presence.” (Acts 2:28)

A famous photograph from 1973 shows a family in California running to meet their father, who had just been released from a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp.

With arms outstretched, their faces are positively beaming as they run to embrace him. One daughter is actually airborne as she leaps with outstretched arms toward her father.
This picture shows just how closely love is connected to joy. It shows how simply being with someone we love can fill us with happiness-especially if we have been separated from them for a while.

This is the kind of joy that Mary Magdalene felt when she first saw the risen Lord. It’s also the kind of joy that Peter felt on the day of Pentecost and the joy that filled the author of Psalm 16, the psalm that Peter quotes in today’s first reading.

In the abstract, of course, we know that Jesus is always with us, even if it sometimes feels as if he is far away. We know that we shouldn’t feel glum just because we don’t sense God’s presence. But this theory doesn’t always translate into reality for us. This is why faith is so important-and why specific acts that express our faith can be helpful. For example, when you pray in the morning, try doing something concrete to remind you of Jesus’ presence. You may want to dim the lights and light a candle. Or maybe you could keep an icon or crucifix nearby. You could try praying out loud, vocally affirming the truths of Jesus’ love and presence. You could even pray before the Blessed Sacrament!

As you go through your day, you could also call on the Lord or say a short prayer of praise every couple of hours to keep Jesus’ presence in the forefront of your mind. That’s what the seventeenth-century Carmelite Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection did, and it filled him with joy, even as he worked “among the pots and pans” in the monastery kitchen!

This Easter season, resolve to trust more deeply in Jesus’ presence. Then, you’ll be ready on Pentecost to receive his Spirit more deeply in your heart.

“Lord, help me to know that you are with me at every moment. Today, I choose to rejoice in you!”

Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Sal Veder/File.

--that in all things God may be glorified--

FROM DEATH TO LIFE

If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. (Romans 6:8)

Stretching back to the very beginning of the church, the Easter Vigil is our greatest and most powerful celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Beginning in the predawn darkness outside the church, the vigil opens with the lighting of the Paschal Candle. A new light has dawned! Jesus has overcome the darkness of sin!

Led by the light of this candle, we all process into the church, ready to celebrate our redemption. A culmination of our Lenten journey, the procession reminds us of the Israelites’ desert journey to the Promised Land. It also calls to mind our own journey from earth to heaven. It is our way of telling Jesus that we want to fix our eyes on his light so that our own darkness will fall away and we can become more like him.

Tonight’s vigil is so much more than the celebration of a past event. It is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death—and of our own victory over eternal death. It is a celebration of Jesus’ promise that anyone who hears his word and believes has eternal life (John 5:24). It’s a celebration of the amazing promise that we have died with Christ and are now raised up with him to a whole new life (Romans 6:4).

New converts will be baptized into the church tonight. They will be joining us in crossing from death to life. It’s a wonderful thing to see. But even though most of us were baptized as infants, we have the same call as these new converts: to nurture this precious gift of God’s life so that it comes to its full potential in us. We have all passed from death to life. We have all become citizens of the kingdom of God. And we are all called to live in the light.

So when you renew your baptismal vows tonight, make it a point to give your heart to Jesus in a new way. Thank him for having brought you from death to life. Praise him for raising you up to be with him in heaven. And tell him that you want to stand with him in this world as his light and his witness.

“All glory is yours, Jesus! You have rescued us from sin and brought us to eternal life. Lord, I give you my heart!”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Behold, the Lamb

Behold, the man! (John 19:5)

When Pilate spoke these words on that first Good Friday, he was trying to prove Jesus’ innocence. He had tried him and found nothing in him worthy of the death that the Sanhedrin was demanding. “I have interrogated him. I have even punished him for whatever crime you may think he committed. Look at him now! I’ve done all I have to do. Now leave him—and me—alone!”

But it wasn’t enough. Incited to a near riot, the crowd demanded that Jesus be put to death. And Pilate, forever known as a weak-willed government functionary, caved in.

Two thousand years later, Pilate’s words continue to ring out, only now with a new, prophetic meaning. On this day above all other days, God himself is asking us to behold the man. He is asking us to look at Jesus—wounded, bruised, crowned with thorns—and see him as our Savior, our Lord, and our King.

Yes, behold the man! He stands before you as an innocent victim. Behold this man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and see the One who bore all of your sins. Fix your eyes on him, and see your redemption. See the lengths to which God went to rescue you from death. See the love of Christ—a passionate love that is willing to endure the cross for the sake of your salvation. Behold the man, and know that he embraced this fate because he loves you.

But there is more. As you behold the man, you are also beholding humanity itself. You are seeing what our sin, our jealousy, our selfishness look like. You are seeing a picture of how sin has marred us. Like the man beaten and left for dead on the roadside until the good Samaritan rescued him, Jesus stands before you now, showing you how desperate and needy we are without him. He is showing you what sin does to you, in the hopes that you will surrender yourself to him anew today. So behold him, and see what he has saved you from.

Yes, behold the man today. Praise him. Thank him. Worship him. Give him your life today, because he gave himself so completely for you.

“Jesus, as I fix my eyes on you, give me a glimpse of the salvation you have won for me. Lord, I want to belong to you alone!”

-- that in all things God may be glorified--

LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

Jesus knew that his hour had come. (John 13:1)

Today, we read the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. It was an act of extreme humility that caught them off guard. And so he asked them: “Do you realize what I have done for you? … As I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:12,15).
So is this the final lesson? Did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet as a way of calling them to take up a life of humble service? Well, yes and no.

Yes, Jesus did urge his disciples to become humble servants like himself—and he did it in a specially powerful way with this prophetic gesture. But that’s not all he was doing. Look at the way John introduces this story: “Jesus knew that his hour had come… . He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end” (John 13:1).

Jesus knew that the end was near. Yet rather than spend these final few hours focusing on his own life, he went out of his way to show his disciples how deeply he loved them. He knew that words alone weren’t going to do the job. Words can be forgotten all too easily. So he chose a prophetic gesture that would make a deep impression on them. He chose to perform an act that was reserved for household slaves. He chose an act that would be forever etched in the disciples’ memories as proof of his love and his commitment to them. With this act, Jesus went beyond humility. It was his way of telling them: “I have loved you right up to the end of my earthly days. I have confidence in you. I am entrusting my church to you. Now go and lead others as I have led you.”

Tonight’s liturgy includes a time for the pastor to wash the feet of some of his parishioners. It’s his way of mirroring Jesus. It’s his way of giving us all a sign of how deeply dedicated to us Jesus is, of how strong his love for us is. As this special rite unfolds tonight, imagine that Jesus himself is present, telling all of us: “I love you so much. You can count on me in every situation.”

“Jesus, I am overwhelmed by your love!” - the Word Among Us

--that in all things God may be glorified--

The GREATEST ACT OF LOVE the World Has Ever Known

“I have not rebelled, have not turned back.” (Isaiah 50:5)

It’s amazing the detail with which these prophetic poems known as the Suffering Servant describe the way Jesus conducted his life—especially during his Passion. This passage, for instance, paints a remarkably vivid picture of Jesus’ endurance and lonely struggle to fulfill his mission in a world that was hostile to him and everything he stood for.

Suffering and endurance in the name of God were not unique to Jesus, however. These passages describe also the hardships endured by prophets who proclaimed the word of the Lord to Israel. For their testimonies, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and many others suffered at the hands of their own people. Jeremiah, for example, was thrown into a muddy, abandoned cistern where it was hoped he would starve. He was eventually rescued but later was kidnapped and taken to Egypt against his will. Elijah was under constant danger of execution by Queen Jezebel. Even Ezekiel—living with his fellow Jews as an exile in Babylon—was an outcast.

What stands out in Jesus’ sufferings in contrast to these prophets is his willing submission to such abuse (Isaiah 50:5-6). Inspired by love, Jesus freely chose to give his life to win our freedom. He foresaw the mistreatment, torture, and death that would be his, but he went forward. Fully human, capable of physical and emotional pain, Jesus gave himself to his oppressors (50:6). The innocent died for the guilty; the faithful for the unfaithful. This was the greatest act of love the world has ever known.

Tomorrow we begin the Triduum, the great three-day celebration of our redemption. During these days, we will recall the suffering by which Jesus offered a way back to God from the exile of disobedience and sin. In the liturgies we will relive the drama of Jesus’ last hours and the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation. Let’s spend today pondering Jesus, the Servant of God who freely offered himself to his enemies. May praise well up in our hearts as we gaze upon our suffering Messiah-King!

“Blessed be your name, Jesus! By your death and resurrection, you have filled us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. We proclaim you as beloved of the Father, Son of God, and Anointed One. May your name be exalted forever!”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Say YES to Jesus

“Judas took the morsel.” (John 13:27)

Jesus had just washed the feet of each of his disciples, including the one who would betray him. Then, predicting the betrayal, he reached out again to Judas, offering him a morsel of bread dipped in the common bowl. Far from using this gesture as a dismissal of a failed disciple, Jesus was giving Judas one more opportunity to recognize Jesus for who he was. It was a final outreach to a disciple who has lost his way and was consumed by bitterness and confusion.

Some Scripture scholars see in this passage a hint of the Eucharist. Judas took the morsel, but he still couldn’t perceive the gift being offered to him or the identity of the One giving it. Even after all that time he had spent with Jesus, Judas still couldn’t accept him in the way Peter and the others had. His heart, hardened by the choices he had made, was closed. As a result, he ate and drank his own condemnation.

Just as Jesus kept reaching out and offering himself to Judas, he does the same with us. Every time we receive communion, Jesus is handing us another opportunity to accept him into our lives more deeply. He invites us to put aside any obstacles we have set up to embracing his love.

Doesn’t this move your heart? Despite the choices we have made that have led us away from him, Jesus keeps on reaching out to us. Where our understanding of him is cloudy, he offers insight and clarity. Where our relationship with him is weak, he wants to deepen it. Every time we approach the altar to receive communion, we have another irreplaceable opportunity to change our lives a little bit more—and to welcome his grace and power in greater measure.

Every Mass gives you another opportunity to take the “morsel” in faith! Receive the gift of Jesus’ eucharistic presence, and accept the Giver who suffered and died for you. Let the Holy Spirit open your eyes and your heart so that you can welcome him into your life a little more. No matter where life’s choices have led you so far, it’s never too late. And as you say yes to him, you’ll find yourself rejoicing in his love and faithfulness!

“Jesus, I am overwhelmed by your love. You never stop reaching out to me and giving yourself to me. Help me to receive you with all my heart!”

--that in all things God will be glorified--

WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO JESUS?

“The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” (John 12:3)

Imagine if you were in a serious dating relationship, and you wanted to buy a gift for that special someone. You wouldn’t just go pick out the first thing you saw in the local discount store. You’d take your time to find just the right thing. And when you gave your gift, you wouldn’t simply drop it off with a casual note. You’d deliver it in person, and you’d let them know just how important they were.

All of these actions are similar to what Mary does in today’s Gospel. Her gift of spikenard reveals the extravagant devotion of a lover. It’s extravagant not only for how much it costs—an entire year’s wages—but for how she gives it. If she were only anointing Jesus for burial, she would cover his head with the ointment. But in an act of adoration and worship, she anoints his feet instead. By this, she is saying: “I love you, Jesus, for all that you have done and for what you are about to do for me.”

Jesus might expect the same level of devotion from Judas. He was, after all, one of only twelve men picked from all Israel. Judas had been with Jesus for three whole years, hearing him preach and watching him perform miracles. But somehow Judas lost his devotion. He became so selfish that he could no longer give Jesus anything—least of all his heart. Judas was interested only in what he could get. He was even ready to betray Jesus for a pile of silver coins!

As you pray this week, keep the image of Mary in mind. And ask the Holy Spirit to give you a deeper sense of worship. Meditate on all he has blessed you with. Ponder his incomparable work of redemption on the cross. Lay aside any anxieties about the future or bitter regrets about the past. Just remember that he loves you today. Let these truths penetrate your heart so that praise and thanksgiving well up from inside you. And know that any humble, grateful prayer you offer is like sweet-smelling incense to him!

“Lord, how can I thank you for redeeming me from sin and for the new life you have given me? I can never thank you enough!”

-- that in all things God may be glorified!--

LET US STAY WITH JESUS

Keep watch with me. (Matthew 26:38)

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most significant week of the year. Everything that Jesus said and did while on earth was leading up to this week, to the moment of the cross, the climax of God’s great plan for humanity. So what better way to spend this week than to walk with Jesus through his Passion and death?

In the garden, Jesus told his closest friends: “Remain here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). He wanted them to spend those last precious hours with him. And now, he is asking you to do the same. He is inviting you, another close friend, to stay with him so that you can observe and receive all the grace that is flowing this week.

Try to imagine yourself in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. Watch and celebrate as Jesus enters Watch as he is anointed at Bethany and shares a final meal with his friends. Watch as the Son of Man, your Savior, is betrayed … seized … and brought to trial. See him be falsely accused … beaten … crowned with thorns … and led up a hill to be crucified. Keep watch as the veil in the Temple tears … the rocks split … the graves open … and the dead rise. Take it all in, and let it change your heart.

As this week unfolds, take time to thank and praise Jesus for the cross. Offer your life to him in deep gratitude. Take time every day to solidify your faith in what Jesus has done for you. He has overcome the devil, sin, and even death itself. He has completely forgiven you. All week long, try to respond to the stirring of the Holy Spirit by repeating with Jesus: “Not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

“Lord Jesus, thank you for enduring the cross. Help me to remain by your side this week, watching you and learning from you.”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

JESUS is the same Yesterday and Today

"What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs.” (John 11:47)


From the outset, Jesus’ ministy was rife with miracles. He changed water into wine (John 2:1-11). Then he healed a royal official’s son without even seeing or touching the lad (4:47-54). Later, with one simple command, he healed a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years (5:1-9). He also walked on water, multiplied fishes and loaves, and created sight in a man born blind (6:1-21; 9:1-8). And finally, as the climax of all his miracles, he raised a man from death (11:34-44).

The attitude of Jesus’ opponents toward all this seems almost nonchalant. They didn’t deny the facts; they just didn’t seem to care about them. Instead, they focused nearsightedly on their own concerns—that Jesus might cause them some trouble with the Romans.
Isn’t that just what happens when we lose touch with the Lord in our everyday lives? A miracle occurs, and we dismiss it with a matter-of-fact explanation. A person repents and changes his life, and we chalk it up to maturity. We have a sense of peace at Mass, and we ascribe it to the music, not the Holy Spirit. Is it possible we’ve become too “sophisticated” for our own good?

Jesus urged: “Let the children come to me” (Matthew 19:14). He wants us to come to him with childlike expectation, wide-eyed and wondering what he will do next. He wants us to ask for miracles and look for them, to step back occasionally during the day and ask: “What are you doing right now?” Jesus’ opponents grew up too fast. They became too serious, when they should have been simply amazed at what God was doing around them.

So get acquainted with the Spirit’s still, small voice in the little things in your life. Jesus hasn’t stopped creating or healing or feeding or bringing life to his people. He never changes, and what he did two thousand years ago, he still does today. Learn to sense his presence, the gentleness of his touch, the sound of his voice. And be prepared to see the astonishing unfold right before your eyes!

“Jesus, take my hand, and lead me today. Open my eyes to the miracles you are working around me, and free me to rejoice at them.”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Looking through the Eyes of Love

” I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” (John 10:32)

Jeremiah 20: 10 - 13
10	For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him."
11	But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.
12	O LORD of hosts, who triest the righteous, who seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I committed my cause.
13	Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.

Both readings today feature experts at fault-finding. Jeremiah’s detractors are “on the watch for any misstep” (Jeremiah 20:10), hoping to find some excuse to take vengeance on him for preaching a message of divine judgment. And Jesus’ accusers are alert for any hint of “blasphemy,” any claim from Jesus that he has a specially close relationship to God.

Because of such a narrow focus, the people in both stories end up missing out on what God is offering them. They ignore Jeremiah’s warning about impending judgment, and because they refuse to repent, their city falls to their enemies. Jesus’ hearers turn away from the life he offers them if only they will come to him humble and open. Their minds are already made up, and so they end up missing out on the good news of his resurrection.

How easy it is to focus on what is wrong with someone’s words or actions! How reassuring to think that we have nothing to learn from them! But this kind of attitude often has an unintended consequence. Not only does it separate us from that person, but it may make us miss out on something God is wanting to teach us. Of course we can’t condone wrongdoing, and we should not agree with falsehoods. But there is no child of God on this earth from whom we have nothing to learn.

Instead of focusing on what a person is doing or saying wrong, ask God to help you discern what they are doing right. Perhaps there is a pure motive behind what looks like a poor choice. Perhaps they are speaking out of fear and hurt, even though their tone sounds angry or confident.

In other words, let God expand your heart. Perhaps that person can give you a new perspective that deepens what you know to be true. Instead of assuming they’re mistaken, ask them to help you understand why they believe and value what they do. God has many unlikely messengers. Don’t miss out on the message he wants to give you!

“Lord, help me to not be quick to condemn someone. Open my eyes and my heart instead, so that you can teach me.”

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Beautiful, Beautiful

Don't know how it is You looked at me And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart, breaking through the dark Suddenly ablaze,,,,

Now there's a joy inside I can't contain But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it's pouring down, I see You through the clouds Shining on my face

Like sunlight burning at midnight Making my life something so beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me, all that I need You are so beautiful, beautiful!

I have come undone But I have just begun Changing by Your grace.             
                                                                                   -- Francesca Battistelli

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Self esteem is the essence of living with positivity and responding to life's difficulties in a realistic way. Low self-esteem is brought about by negative experiences which commonly stemmed from our childhood. It is caused by factors depending on the background and status of the person, his surroundings, age, association with the outside world, etc.

Study shows 85% of people have low self esteem. This fact greatly contributes to what is happening to our world now for a person who suffers from it may: be consumed by fear of failure, fail more often than not, tend to procrastinate, feel unfulfilled, frustrated, angry, unloved, unlovable, nervous or shy; be indecisive, and Suffer from many other uncomfortable feelings that prevent us from our realizing full potential

It can lead to depression which is very rampant in our society. It is all around us. In our loved ones, friends and relatives.

Sad to say, though, our very own loved ones highly contributed to how we view our own worth because we value most how they see or regard us. I have to admit that I, as a parent, am guilty. For in the course of our anger, we say things that can be damaging to a child. The most commonly used term we utter when our kids did something wrong or just were in our way in our stressful moments is "stupid".

In our anger, we say things we really don't mean. That is why we must refrain from opening our mouth in those times. Matthew 15:11 says It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth. Let us not forget to ask forgiveness for all the hurting words that come out of our lips. In the Epistle of James, 1:19, he said: Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

If we are really to reflect on the above Genesis verse, if we call somebody stupid or any other negative word, then God must be stupid or whatever it was we called them names  for we are supposedly His image.   

Here are the tips given by Dr. Joe Rubino who published a book on this:

1. Identify the source of your low self-esteem. What negative thoughts did you buy into or interpret about yourself? What new interpretations can you create?
2. Create 2 lists -- one of your negative qualities and another of your strengths. Figure out ways to work on the qualities you wish to manifest.
3. Identify lingering upsets from your past. Then take action to complete each one and move on with your life in a positive, productive manner.
4. Decide today to forgive yourself and those who have hurt you. Figure out how to resolve your strained relationships.
5. Decide to remove yourself from abusive relationships. Inform people in your life of your commitment to reinvent yourself and notify them that you will no longer permit others to treat you without respect.
6. Create a detailed, newly invented declaration about who you are that addresses every aspect of your self-image.

In addition to all those, it will be better to affirm our relationship with God. For only through Him can we find strength These are few of powerful scriptures that we need to claim as ours.

Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength
Psalm 28:7 The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Isaiah 12:2-3 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.'

No matter what other people may say, only these matters: We are beautiful, beautiful in God's eyes and we have a beautiful, beautiful God.

--that in all things God may be glorified--

Do Good, Hoping for Nothing in Return

As christians, we are supposed to walk the walk of God. How to do this? By seeking and reading God's word. Sadly, most of us do not really make time to read the bible and yet we have time to do everything else. When we are troubled and in deep distress, we look everywhere else to find answers and solace, forgetting that the Bible is the Book of Life, and everything we need to know is there.


The enemy is working 24/7 to lure as many people as he can away from God. I always wanted to read the bible, but it seems that there is always something more important that comes up when it's time to do it, or the devil makes us forget. I still struggle sometimes, but I know God will lead me there for He knows in my heart that I want to do it. Today, a new idea formed in my mind. I will write a journal of daily scriptures the Lord is showing me.


Today, He showed me Luke chapter 6:27-38 and I will highlight here the passages that struck my heart:


²⁸Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  


³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you


³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise


 ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.


³⁷ “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.


³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”


These are words to live by and take note of the promises if we do so. It is very very hard to do them for we humans are weak. But God gives us strength and we should always remember to stay focused in Him alone. Let us ask for His grace and guidance that we may be able to do it. And forget not that even though we fail, God always forgive. And as God forgives, we should also forgive each other. Not once, not twice. But up to  seventy x 7 times (Matthew 18:22)


No man is created for himself alone. We are created for each other. Let us remember that we can be the only bible some people can read; that they can read it through us, by our actions. For it is by our actions that we have the privilege of showing people that God is the God of love, mercy and compassion, if we treat others with love, mercy and compassion too! Always remember that how we act has a great impact not only to our friends and family, but strangers as well.


Bless the Lord, o my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Praise, honor & glory be to the Most Blessed Holy Trinity.


Lord of forgiveness, mercy and love, help us to make our hearts right with you. Forgive us all our sins. As You created us in your image, may we do as You want us to do all the time. Let us be the bible that others read. and we thank You for everything that we have. In the mighty name of Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.


--that in all things God may be glorified--

Created in the Image and Likeness of God

In Exodus 32:7-14, it is written:


 ⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. ⁸ They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
 ⁹ “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
 ¹¹ But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. “LORD,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? ¹² Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. ¹³ Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” ¹⁴ Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.


This is the 2nd time that it struck me how God is like us in some ways. While it is true that He is slow to anger, he still gets angry. Especially when people are stiff-necked as evidenced by the scripture above.


In the same way, our parents are similar to God. They love us, but when we continually offend, disobey them, or shame them by our actions, soil their reputations by what we do, we push them to the limits too. And they, out of anger and desperation, because we are stiff-necked, will do or say things they never really mean and will regret later. Which led me to the following scripture:


." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." -- Matthew 15:16-20


But the beauty of all these is, God listens to reason. We just need to talk to Him. He listened to Moses when He reasoned with Him that His anger abated.


How many times in our lives we encounter "padrino" or "mediators"? My mom was always the mediator between Dad and us when we did wrong while growing up. Mommy always plead our cause and tried to reason with our Dad whenever he was angry for a wrongdoing committed. 


Like God, we listen to reason, too! Especially if the mediator is one who has found favor in our eyes, like Moses was to God.


John 15: 7 says: " If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."


That was the 1st verse to strike a chord within me in the parallelism of God to parents. I even pointed this out to my Wednesday bible study group at the New Vision Methodist Church when we were studying the book of John.


Because of my work schedule, I almost missed all Wednesdays while we studied that book, but for whatever reason, God wanted me to be there when we read those verses. I even remembered explaining to the group how I always wondered where the reward system originally stemmed from. It became very clear to me then. For in all normal families, the ones who are always obedient always get favors. If you do your chores, then you can do things. If you excelled in school, you get a reward. If you helped without being asked, you get a treat. It has always been easier to ask something from our parents if we abide by them.


Conversely, a disobedience or any wrongdoing have consequences. Tots are being sent on timeouts, in the corner, and as children grew, the consequences adapt to the most effective like being banned from playing their favorite toys, watching tv's, early bedtime, no sleep over, being grounded, etc. Those are the punishments for kids here. In the Philippines, when we were growing up, there is one common form of discipline. The one called "rod" in the bible; or "palo" in tagalog, or whipping here. It was very effective to us. I remember trying hard to avoid doing wrong when I was little so I won't get whipped.


The Wisdom of King Solomon is clearly imparted in Proverbs 29:15, The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But the child left to himself brings shame to his mother. It can be interpreted any way you can, but to me, it means a stick. We were whipped when we were kids but because they were meant to teach us lessons, the sting of each of them we can remember no more. Just the reason why we got them and the lessons learned from them.


The evangelist John also wrote in Chapter 14:


12 Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father. 13 And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.


When we were created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:27),  God, apparently, was not only speaking of physical attributes. God is love. His physical repesentation on earth is Jesus Christ. If we believe in Jesus, we will strive to be like Him. In what ways?


Christ felt no guilt. God wants to banish ours. Jesus had no bad habits. He wants to remove ours. Jesus had no fear of death. God wants us to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased, mercy for the rebellious, and courage for the challenges. God wants us to have the same.... 


For God loves us the way we are but He refuses to leave us there. He wants us to have a heart like His. He wants us to be like Jesus. He wants us to be in His real image and likeness.  Amen to that.

-- That in all things God may be glorified!

WORRYING IS A SIN

Worrying as defined is a verb meaning to torment with or suffer from disturbing thought; fret.

In medical terms, Worrying is feeling uneasy or being overly concerned about a situation or problem. With excessive worrying, your mind and body go into overdrive as you constantly focus on “what might happen.”

In the midst of excessive worrying, you may suffer with high anxiety -- even panic -- during all your waking hours. Many chronic worriers tell of feeling a sense of impending doom or unrealistic fears that only increase their worries. Ultra-sensitive to their environment and to the criticism of others, excessive worriers may see anything -- and anyone -- as a potential threat.

Chronic worrying affects your daily life so much that it interferes with your appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance. Many people who worry excessively are so anxiety-ridden that they seek relief in harmful lifestyle habits such as overeating, eating junk food, cigarette smoking, or using alcohol and drugs.

Those are not what God wanted for us. This is what God's plan is for us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29: 11- 13

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus said v25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what will you eat or what will you drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

v28 "Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these"
v31 Therefore, do not worry, saying What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

As humans, we have the habit of praying for our predicaments, problems, situations, for God to help us. And yet, even if we already lifted it up to the Lord, we still worry, or doubt, or try to solve them by what we think can help us. We gave them to the Lord, let the Lord do the helping and us do the receiving in thanksgiving. Let us NOT DOUBT! Just BELIEVE! We have to pray earnestly for discernment and LISTEN to what God is telling us. I am so guilty of this. It is easier said than done. If you read my post entitled "The Voice of Truth", you will understand what I am saying.

How lucky are we that we have a loving and merciful God who loves us just as we are. Most of us cannot comprehend God's love for us. Honestly, I have just recently been enlightened. And these words I read fromthe Lent issue of "the WORD among us" helped a lot: JUST AS WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE OURS, GOD LOVES US SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE HIS. We love our kids to death and that love does not diminish no matter how many times they do wrong; in the same way God loves us for He does not keep record of our wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5). Instead, He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (v7) for He is the God of Love.

In St. Paul's epistle to the Philippians, 4:6-7, he wrote: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Amen to that.

Faith is the key. "For whatever is not from faith is sin" - Romans 14:23 That is why worrying is a sin - because it is not of faith.

Faith is defined as the confident belief or trust in the truth or trustworthiness of a person, concept or thing. For me, Faith is the confident belief and trust in the truth or trustworthiness of our God. It is the faith demonstrated by Abraham when he was ready to slay his son Isaac for his God. It is faith that made Noah build the Ark when everybody scoffs and laughs at him. It is by faith that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter, choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God, later on manifesting that faith by delivering the Israelites from slavery as His God told him to. It is faith that made that woman touch the cloak of Jesus so she can be healed; the same faith that made Pope John Paul II forgive the man who tried to kill him.

So let us put our faith in God, the only One we should put our trust on. When we pray, we must have faith that God will act on our prayers and never doubt.

Let me end this post by sharing with you a very powerful song by Kutless:

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
THAT'S WHAT FAITH CAN DO!

                                        --That in all things God may be glorified--

The Living Water

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me that your soul may live. Isaiah 55:1-3


The living water is God. With him, you will not thirst. Though you have nothing, He bids you to come. For the water and bread of this life is temporary. But the water that comes from God that nourish our spiritual being gushes forth from Jesus' Sacred Heart. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit so we need to take good care of it; in the same way, communion with God by reading His words and having a personal relationship with Him will quench our spiritual thirst.


Have you ever recalled one moment of happiness that lasted you a long time? I believe the answer is no.  For it is fleeting. It never lasts. Here today, gone tomorrow. Like our bodies, our lives. Yet, our spirit will never die. When we pass on from this life to the next, that's the only part of our being that stays. And what happens to it after is the result of a very important choice we have to make while we are on this earth or planet, whatever you might call it. The choices: heaven or hell.


In the Gospel of John, chapter 4, he recorded the longest conversation Jesus ever had with anyone in the New Testament. And with a Samaritan woman. (The Samaritans were a group of people that were openly hostile to the Jews and vice versa. Jews viewed Samaritans as physically and spiritually detestable. They were treated as outcasts. As a result, Samaritans felt strong resentment and anger toward the Jews.)

The Samaritans were descended from the Israelite people who had not been deported when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom (722/21 BC) and imported other peoples into the region (2 Kings 17:22-41). They continued to worship Yahweh, but also allowed the worship of other gods from the resettled peoples’ homelands.


Alexander the Great allowed the Samaritans to build or renovate a Samaritan temple on Mt. Gerizim. This became a point of contention to the Jews who had returned and rebuilt Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Tensions continued to degrade until the temple on Mt. Gerizim was destroyed by the Jews in 128 B.C. (The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 726-7). Both groups believed that they were worshiping Yahweh, and both believed that they had the right place to worship Yahweh. The woman had met a prophet–someone who knew what had happened in her life, and one she was sure could answer the most pressing theological question of her heart and of the time.


John 4:7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water,. . .Verse 4 says that Jesus “had to [Gk: edei] go through Samaria.” The use of edei (had to) makes it clear that this is a divine appointment. It was not geographically necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria, and Jewish travelers normally traveled around Samaria. Jesus and his disciples entered a Samaritan village, and the disciples went to buy food (v. 8) while Jesus sat by the well because he was tired. A woman from the nearby village of Sychar came for water.

4: 7b and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 4:8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?"4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 4:11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 4:12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 4:13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 4:14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 4:15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water."

You can imagine what a total shock it was to everybody upon learning that Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman. But Jesus came here to bring salvation to everybody. Not only the Jews. It was offered to them first, but most of them chose not to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, so it was offered to the Gentiles (non-Jews) too. That means you and me.

4:21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 4:22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

It did not matter where one worshiped God—it was how God was worshiped. There would no longer be limitations of geography in worshiping God for God is spirit, and he will be worshiped in spirit and truth. We need not feel guilty when we miss church to worship for we can worship Him right where we are; as long as our hearts are pure.

4:25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us."  4:26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you."

The Samaritan woman was the first person to whom Jesus revealed himself as Messiah in the Gospel of John, and this is the first “I am” statement in the gospel as well.

Why did Jesus reveal himself to this woman and not to Nicodemus? The woman was not expecting a political Messiah. The Samaritans were looking for the ta’eb or “restorer” (Sloyan, 54). The Samaritans were not looking for a political Messiah from the line of David; they were looking for a prophet like Moses who would restore the observance of the law of Moses as it should be (Sloyan, 54). Jesus could reveal himself as Messiah to her without worrying about political misunderstandings that would have arisen in Judah.

There is no other way to the Father or to heaven but only through Jesus. No matter how good we try to be, if we have no Jesus in our hearts, then our goodness is nothing. It is only through Jesus that we can have true JOY in our hearts.

In the same gospel (John 1:17)  he wrote: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 


The Way - Isaiah 35:8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

By this is meant, doubtless, that they and all others were to have access to God only by obeying the instructions, imitating the example, and depending on the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the leader in the road, the guide to the wandering, the teacher of the ignorant, and the example to all. See John 6:68; "Thou hast the words of eternal life;" 1 Peter 2:21; "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps;"

The famous Leo F. Buscaglia wrote: “The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live." It is sad that many believes that by following Jesus, everything will be a bed of roses. And when they experience suffering, they let go. We have the tendency to just ask, ask, ask when we pray, but we should be doing praise, praise, praise, especially in times of trials. For the Lord loves it when we bless  and praise His Holy Name.

The Truth - John 1:17 . For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The source of truth, or he who originates and communicates truth for the salvation of men. Truth is a representation of things as they are. The life, the purity, and the teaching of Jesus Christ was the most complete and perfect representation of the things of the eternal world that has been or can be presented to man. The ceremonies of the Jews were shadows; the life of Jesus was the truth. The opinions of men are fancy, but the doctrines of Jesus were nothing more than a representation of facts as they exist in the government of God. It is implied in this, also, that Jesus was the fountain of all truth; that by his inspiration the prophets spoke, and that by him all truth is communicated to men. 

John 8:32 said: Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. It is very clear that since Jesus is the truth, He shall shet us free.

The Life - John 11:25, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 1:4 -In him was life; and that life was the light of men.

No man cometh to the Father but by me - To come to the Father is to obtain His favor, to have access to His throne by prayer, and finally to enter His kingdom. No man can obtain any of these things except by the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. By coming by Him is meant coming in His name and depending on his merits. We are ignorant, and He alone can guide us. We are sinful, and it is only by His merits that we can be pardoned.We are blind, and He only can enlighten us. God has appointed Him as the Mediator, the propitiation of our sins and has ordained that all blessings shall descend to this world through Him. Hence he has put the world under his control; has given the affairs of men into his hand, and has appointed him to dispense whatever may be necessary for our peace, pardon, and salvation.

I urge all of you to read the book written by the "beloved" Apostle of Jesus, the Book of Love, the Book of John in the New Testament. Start from there and try to read the Bible every opportunity you can, for it is the Book of Life. All the answers to our questions and problems are there. We just need to ask the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit to guide us, so that we can understand what the Father is telling us through His words.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light into my path. Psalm 119:105


It is only by knowing God's Word that we can defeat the enemy who doesn't want us to enter the Kingdom but wants as many souls as he can deceive to go with him in the pit of hell.


John 7:38 (KJV) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.