Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew

What I feel right now is actually not related to what I’ve posted here. I felt a little anger of a few things but today’s Gospel gave me somewhat a “relief” and totally took away my anger after hearing the homily of Fr. Regie Malicdem. It was very well said and it really made me realized a lot of things especially when asking for something from the Lord. The Gospel is according to Matthew 7:7-12 and here it is…

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives;

and the one who seeks, finds;

and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which one of you would hand his son a stone

when he asked for a loaf of bread,

or a snake when he asked for a fish?

If you then, who are wicked,

know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your heavenly Father

give good thingsto those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.

This is the law and the prophets.”

The first few lines struck me the most. It is very true that the when we ask, it will be given to us; when we seek and we shall find it; and when we knock the door will be opened for us. The Lord is always listening to our prayers. His hands are always available anytime we need it. He always answers our prayers because He is just too close to us. He is just around.

Sometimes we get too tired and we always hurry things up. We give up if we feel God will not grant us our request. We just have to remember that God always answers our prayers. We just have to wait. The Lord knows everything for us. He knows what is good for us. He answers our prayers in His ways and for sure it will be best for us. He will not give us blessings we do not ask or something that will cause us harm or pain. He will not give us a burden that we cannot carry. And if God answers our prayers with a NO, it doesn’t mean He does not care. It only denotes that it is not good for us.

Sometimes, too, He gives us more than what we ask for. If we receive so many blessings in our lives, we must learn how to share it with those who need it. If the Lord showers us with good things, it will be kind if we give space for the needy to sleep in a bed of roses. What we do to others, we do it to the Lord. It is in giving and sharing that we express our love to God and in the same way it is the manifestation of His love for us.

Let us always be thankful and be grateful for everything we have no matter how big or little they are. Remember, God loves us so much!

Conversion of the heart

The past few days were too exhausting for me. I’m a busy buzz…too tired because of work in the office and at home plus those superfluous things inside my mind that I cannot help but…hay! I wanted to freak out…shout as in…ahhhhhhhhhh…and the biggest headache of all is WEW! GMA, corruption, struggle for power and economic crisis. Although it’s not something new to us, still it is something to think about. It does not concern only ME…but also YOU! Haaay (again!).

I thought I would have the time to meditate and have my mind rested even for some time. The office had its annual retreat for the employees, but I wasn’t able to take the opportunity to be with them in solitude. I was asked by my director to stay in the office (of course I cannot say NO!) because the need to attend to media inquiries might arise and most probably we have to give media assistance. We have to monitor what is happening around and what is about to happen (because of the present crisis we are facing right now). We also need to wait for any statement coming from the Church. And above all I need to update and upload materials for the website of the Archdiocese of Manila (and it all happened).

Some of my officemates (I mean almost!) said that the retreat was good. They really were in solitude! Did I miss the chance? I cannot answer. Maybe if I see great changes from them, then, I can say that I miss the opportunity. But if they are still the same people I use to know, then I conclude that the essence of the retreat did not sink in their lives. The Holy Spirit did not work in them nor should I say Jesus wasn’t able to enter their hearts.

When do you say that the retreat served its purpose?

A retreat for me is not just a moment of silence, meditation or solitude. It is a time spent with God alone. A retreat is a moment to talk with Him, to give praise and glory, ask for forgiveness and seek petition or help. It is a moment of prayer. It doesn’t matter how good or boring the retreat master is…what matters is that, the things taught, shared and shown during the retreat gave new hope to start living your life according to His will and brought positive changes within yourself and created harmonious relationship with other people. The retreat master is actually Jesus Christ. Whatever the retreat master is saying is what Jesus Christ is actually saying to you. Believe it!

The retreat cleanses the soul. It deepens our faith. It brings changes, making us a better person. It is a renewal. And these things make a retreat very significant (and substantial as well). The retreat does not stop after 2 or 3 days. It goes on and on as long as we apply everything we learned and we keep in mind and heart the things that contributed to the shaping of our attitude and nurturing of our faith.

The Conversion of the Heart

This is the most valuable thing that happens during and after the retreat. The retreat does not serve its purpose if there is no conversion of the heart. The change should first start from us. Let us not go back to our old ways. Let us not stop growing. Conversion of the heart happens if we learn to forgive others despite the pain they caused us. Conversion of the heart is taking away anger and pride from our hearts and let love overflow from within. Conversion of the heart is not rearing envy and jealousy. It will not do any good to you. Conversion of the heart is not blaming others because of your suffering and failures. Rather it is counting your blessings. Conversion of the heart is loving one another and always praying for each other. Conversion of the heart is always keeping Jesus in our mind, heart and life.