"Come out," Jesus said. Peter requested Jesus to command him to walk on the water with him. Jesus only responded. Peter walked on the water toward Jesus. However, it was only for a brief while. The strong wind and troubling water distracted Peter and he started to sink... (Mt 14:22-30)
Peter was Jesus's deeply loyal follower, most trusting, and most vocal of his adoration for his LORD. Yet even the most trusting of followers can have weak moments. These are moments when the world around him distracts him from the miracle and joy of walking with the Lord on unsteady waters.
"LORD, save me," Peter shouted. At once, Jesus reached out to grab hold of the troubled Peter. (Mt 14:30)
When we take away our focus from our LORD Jesus Christ, we worry of many things around us. We easily forget the joy and miracle of the relationship we have of Jesus Christ. In these moments, we simply have to call on to our LORD, "Save me, LORD!" Even in our weakest, when our faith is little, the LORD saves us.
LORD, increase our faith!
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Saturday, June 17, 2017
joy in life
I just watched the movie The Bucket List again and it strikes a chord in my heart every time. A line in the movie resonated with me: "Did you find joy in your life?" I recount my day today as I write this post and ask myself that question and it hit me: "Have I?"
Life goes by pretty quickly. I realize that the question is one I would want to ask myself at the end of every day, every moment, every second of my borrowed time here on earth. Interesting: the phrase 'borrowed time.' Let me correct that to say - gift of time here on earth. Knowing that life is a gift puts a smile on my face and answers the question every time. Yes, I have found the joy in my life. That joy is to know that I am loved by my Creator, my dear Heavenly Father, who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that I may be live life to the full. I thank Him for this gift.
The next question is - have I shared this joy with others? I can do a better job. I would like to do a better job. I hope this new post can be a good start. I can't promise regular posts, but I can promise to do my best to share the joy that I have found every moment, of every day of my life.
May the good Lord bless you that you may find the joy in your life!
Life goes by pretty quickly. I realize that the question is one I would want to ask myself at the end of every day, every moment, every second of my borrowed time here on earth. Interesting: the phrase 'borrowed time.' Let me correct that to say - gift of time here on earth. Knowing that life is a gift puts a smile on my face and answers the question every time. Yes, I have found the joy in my life. That joy is to know that I am loved by my Creator, my dear Heavenly Father, who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that I may be live life to the full. I thank Him for this gift.
The next question is - have I shared this joy with others? I can do a better job. I would like to do a better job. I hope this new post can be a good start. I can't promise regular posts, but I can promise to do my best to share the joy that I have found every moment, of every day of my life.
May the good Lord bless you that you may find the joy in your life!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
respect life
I am one with my parish in actively promoting the messages of truth to other people.
"For the Christian, it is an absolute imperative to respect, love, and promote the life of every brother and sister, in accordance with the requirements of God's bountiful love in Jesus Christ,"
(St. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae n.77)
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
desire to connect
There is in the deepest and innermost being of man the need to connect.
I hear and read about it a lot - man's desire to connect, not being an island, or a lone ranger. As I walked through a row of establishments in a mall one day, I saw a man, grinning with excitement as he was taking a selfie with his meal - I quickly judged it was a selfie but then I saw and realized he was talking to someone using his device. In the next establishment I saw through the glass a young lady with long black hair, sitting at the bar facing me and the passers by. She was chatting happily with someone using her phone with her white earphones in her ears. How powerful indeed has technology evolved to bring us such a gift for us to connect with people!
Yet technology only aids our means to connect. What pushes us to connect is our deepest desire of being in touch with another. What fuels this desire is just that real longing of something that is inside us - a truth of what we lost and what we wish to recover.
The truth is - we were born united with the One who made us. We were separated from Him because of our ways which are against His intention for us and for our lives. Yet even though we willfully choose to do things our way, inside of us there is a yearning that can never be quenched. This yearning is to just be back with Him, be one with Him, and do His will.
I hear and read about it a lot - man's desire to connect, not being an island, or a lone ranger. As I walked through a row of establishments in a mall one day, I saw a man, grinning with excitement as he was taking a selfie with his meal - I quickly judged it was a selfie but then I saw and realized he was talking to someone using his device. In the next establishment I saw through the glass a young lady with long black hair, sitting at the bar facing me and the passers by. She was chatting happily with someone using her phone with her white earphones in her ears. How powerful indeed has technology evolved to bring us such a gift for us to connect with people!
Yet technology only aids our means to connect. What pushes us to connect is our deepest desire of being in touch with another. What fuels this desire is just that real longing of something that is inside us - a truth of what we lost and what we wish to recover.
The truth is - we were born united with the One who made us. We were separated from Him because of our ways which are against His intention for us and for our lives. Yet even though we willfully choose to do things our way, inside of us there is a yearning that can never be quenched. This yearning is to just be back with Him, be one with Him, and do His will.
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." John 6:35-40
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
throw your life away
To the young, throw your youth - your prime years to the Lord. To the elders, it seems that at this point, what this means is to throw your whole life away to the Lord!
- Andy Juan, March 28, 2016
PS. I paraphrase the statement above from a senior leader in the community I am a part of (Ligaya ng Panginoon). He was addressing the brothers of the Servants of the Word during an Alumni Night, himself being alumnus of the brotherhood.
Monday, February 22, 2016
life for a life
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"As how I offered my Beloved Son to redeem your life, will you offer your life to redeem yours?"
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
faithful because He is
I've always considered it a grace from the Lord to be somewhat free from strong attachments which may distract me from quickly responding to His promptings. In a lot of my decisions in the past since my renewed relationship with the Lord, I recognize that God's hand has always held my heart close to His through this grace.
A good friend of mine pointed my natural tendency of being like this once and realizing it for myself, I thanked God for it! I tried to examine deep in my heart on where this was rooted and I could not find anything else but this verse:
I am trusting that what lies ahead of me is according to God's plans, even in ways I cannot logically explain, because my God is faithful. Even just looking back at my life, at the many crossroads I've faced and the side trips I've taken, I look at this winding road and just see the hand of God. I see the hand of God directing my path in every step of the undiscerning ways I took and I see Him always directing me toward Him.
We can be trusting and faithful to the will of the Lord because our God is a God who is faithful in ways unimaginable and in ways beyond our rational mind.
This is a good reminder for all of us, even for me, when at times I find myself weak, beat down, and just fazed with so many things before me blocking my sight of the Hand that has always been there and the promise that it has always been leading me to.
A good friend of mine pointed my natural tendency of being like this once and realizing it for myself, I thanked God for it! I tried to examine deep in my heart on where this was rooted and I could not find anything else but this verse:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
(Lamentations 3:22-23)
I am trusting that what lies ahead of me is according to God's plans, even in ways I cannot logically explain, because my God is faithful. Even just looking back at my life, at the many crossroads I've faced and the side trips I've taken, I look at this winding road and just see the hand of God. I see the hand of God directing my path in every step of the undiscerning ways I took and I see Him always directing me toward Him.
We can be trusting and faithful to the will of the Lord because our God is a God who is faithful in ways unimaginable and in ways beyond our rational mind.
This is a good reminder for all of us, even for me, when at times I find myself weak, beat down, and just fazed with so many things before me blocking my sight of the Hand that has always been there and the promise that it has always been leading me to.
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