Jesus and I: A Reflection

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." -1 John 4:16

One time when I donated blood for a friend, something came into my mind and I am sharing it because I found it good to be reflected upon:

I gave blood, Jesus gave His. I gave a pint, He gave His all.

My needle is short and sharp, His nails were large and dull;

My cot was soft and restful, His cross was rough and hard;

My med-techs were kind and gentle, the soldiers were cruel and mean;

The crowd applauded my sacrifice, those who passed by reviled Him;

Mine was type A (I think positive, I just forgot), His was positive for all;

Mine, at best, will prolong life fr a while, His, without doubt, will SAVE us all for eternity!

Mine is nothing, Jesus' is more than anything!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for giving up your life for us to live in eternity. Amen.

Akala Mo Lang: Isang Pasasalamat

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." -Proverbs 27:17

Sometimes, thoughts of our hearts must be expressed in words. and here it is:

Madalang akong sumulat ng mga ganito para sa mga tao...sa totoo lang iilan pa lang kayo.
Madalas para sa Nanay ko at ilang mga kakilala. Mga taong talagang itinuturing kong malaki ang anging bahagi sa buhay ko. Kung sino ako at kung nasaan man ako ngayon.

May taglay kang karisma na wala sa iba. Sasabihin ko sa'yo sa kabila ng mga pagkakaiba nating dalawa bilang tao nahatak mo ako. Oo, nahatak mo ako na gawin ang mga bagay na akala ko ay hindi ko kaya. Ang pag utot ng malakas, ang pagsinga sa damit, ang pagtatali ng sintas sapantalon, ang pagsimot sa ketsup ng mcdo at jollibee na minsan nakakasama na ang tinta ng pouch sabay sabing "hmmm...saaaraaaappp...". Ito ang mga bagay na nagpakilala sa akin na tao pa din pala ako. Nag paalala sakin na kahit na sa mga simpleng bagay at pagkakataon, pwede pala maging masaya.

Agapay ang bigay mo sa aking paglalakbay. Akala mo lang siguro na wala kang nagawa, ngayon sasabihin ko sayo, ikaw ang siyang naging kaagapay ko sa aking paglalakbay. Yes, maraming mga pagkakataon na lingid sa iyo at hindi mo alam na may mga mabibigat akong pinagdadaanan, pero ang iyong presensya, ang iyong mga encouraging and inspiring texts, ang iyong mga tapik sa balikat, hawak sa kamay at ang iyong mga akbay ay nagsasabing, kaya natin to...kasama natin si Papa Lord!

Rakista! Yes, Your rock my life! Ano ibig kong sabihin? ah, nananhimik ako tapos binulabog mo. Hehe, in a positive way. Ipinamulat mo sa akin ang tunay na mundo, napalabas mo ako sa aking comfort zones. BUhay kalye, buhay labas nakita at naappreciate ko. Masaya naman pala. Nabago ang pagtanaw ko sa mga taong may tattoo. Nabago pagtingin ko sa mga taong nagkukwentuhan sa kalye. Nabago lahat, dahil itinuro at ipinakita mo ang mga ito. Binulabog mo, kasi mas tinuruan mo din akong umunawa ng mga kahinaan ng tao. Na walang perpekto, pero kapag ginamit ang puso makikita na sa kabila ng lahat ay pwedeng mahalin, tanggapin at patwarin ang isa't isa.

Kahinaan ay hindi dapat pala maging hadlang sa isang masaya at mapayang pagsasama. Hindi pala ito dapat maging sanhi ng pagkasira ng tunay na sinimulang maganda. Hindi pa ito dapat maging hadlang para ipagpatuloy ang nasimulang tunay na pagkakaibigan. Yes, ikaw na ang lahat, kaibigan, kaagapay, kapatid, tagapagturo, inspirayon, kapartner sa lahat ng bagay (partner in crime sabi nila, ahehe), ang maganda pa lagi nating kasama si papa Lord. Grabe naman yun, prayer partner pa tayo, taga salo, tagapagtanggol. Lahat na yun!

Akala mo lang na walang magandang naidulot sa akin ang mga panahong ito, meron, kaya isang pasasalamat ang sa iyo ay hanog ko. Maraming salamat kasi sa kabila ng lahat nandito pa din tayo kasama ang ating mga mahal na pamilya at mga kaibigan...ang KUsh Clan na walang iwanan...Maraming bagay ang aking natutunan, promise!

Kahit may mga alitan, hindi pagkakaunawaan, tampuhan, wala pa namang bangayan at away talaga, ahehe...eh nakatutuwang hanggang ngayon eto pa din tayo solid kasama ang mga kaibigan at pamilyang tunay na nagmamahal...Dalangin ko ang katatagan at ang magandang kalusugan para sa lahat. Nawa ay mamayani ang kapayapaan at pagmamahalan sa puso ng bawat isa. Salamat papa Lord sa biyaya ng taong ito.

 Mark Anthony N. Tayo isa kang regalo ng Diyos sa iyong mga kaibigan, sa iyong mahal na pamilya at sa akin...isa kang inspirasyon sa marami, nawa'y magpatuoy ka sa paggawa ng tama, mabuti at akma, nawa'y tuloy tuloy ang pag abot mo sa iyong mga pangrap. Maraming salamat sa iyo Pareng ko.

Prayer:
Lord, bless my inspiration, my beloved Pareng Ko. Amen.

Be Positive! Be Victorious!

The Victory of the Cross is our in Jesus.

"...thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

We all read the story of David and Goliath. I just imagined the thoughts they had then.

When Goliath went to the Israelites, the soldiers thought and told themselves; "he's so big, we can never kill him."

But David looked at him and thought; "He's so big, I can't miss!"

Dear friends. We all have our own Goliaths to face. As we face them, our own Goliaths, trust and faith in God will give us victory. Having positive attitude will help us focus.

Be positive! Be victors in the Lord!


Prayer:
Lord, help me focus on your power. Make me victorious. Amen.

Be Good-Looking

The Holy Sacrament of Reconciliation will make us good-looking in the eyes of God.

"...I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." -Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

Many of us are working hard in the gym to have a good body physique. Many of women buy many make up sets, many avail of many treatments just look good.

I want to share with you TIPS to be GOOD LOOKING for free!

FOR LOVELY EYES:

"Always look at the good side of other people." (Philippians 2:4)

FOR TENDER LIPS:

"Speak only kind words towards others." (Colossians 4:6)

FOR A CHARMING FACE:

"always smile with a happy heart." (Proverbs 15:13)

FOR GRACEFUL ARMS:

"reach out with compassion to those in need." (Romans 9:15)

FOR BEAUTIFUL FEET:

"always walk with God." (Genesis 6:9)

Try it! You will see, they are free treatment but very effective! Be a good-looking person all the time!

Prayer:

Lord, make me a good-looking person not just outside but in the inside. Amen.

Live What Matters!

Dinner with a wonderful couple, my spiritual brother Renan and wife Jannel Lim.
They live what matters in life. In photo is Mark Tayo, a very good friend and partner
who also inspires me as he is a man of dreams for his family. Trying to live what matters.

"You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you..." -Deuteronomy 5:33 (ESV)

"What really matters in life?" is the question many of us are keep on asking ourselves. Working hard to earn money, achievements and others is not bad at all but we should always be reminded that in life what really matters are:

Not what we HAVE, but what we SHARED;

Not our MATERIAL SUCCESS but our SIGNIFICANCE;

Not what we LEARNED but what we TAUGHT;

Not our COMPETENCE but our CHARACTER;

Not HOW LONG WE WILL BE REMEMBERED but BY WHOM and FOR WHAT.

Yes my dear friends, let us live what matters in life. Let us LIVE a LIFE that MATTERS, that CARES, that LOVES!

Living life with PURPOSE and WALKING through it with the LORD's guidance is an awesome life!

Experience it!


Prayer:
Lord, teach me to live what matters. Amen.

God Wants You!

People who let the Lord uses them for His purpose.

"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." -Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

For so many times I asked myself, "How can God accomplish things through me? I am limited. I have my shortcomings. I am a sinner."

Until I realized that I need to make a sacrifice. And a sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt and must empty myself. Yes, I should empty myself of myself. I mean I should not focus so much on me and my limitations and shortcomings. Instead, I should focus on the Lord and His grace who wants to use me despite of all those.

My friend Drew Alda sent me an SMS (text message):

"Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love and grace than in your weakness."

Wow! True enough. We should focus not on ourselves but on God who wants to accomplish his purpose through and with us.

Prayer:

Lord, I am sorry for the times that I am so drawn to myself forgetting that You can use me. Lord, Thank you for your love and mercy. Thank you for your grace. Use me, Lord. Accomplish your plans through me and in me. Amen.

Sor Techie Rodriguez: A Woman of Great Faith

Sor Techie Rodriguez, Founding Elder of The Lord's Flock
Catholic Charismatic Community.
 (Photo from Bro. Froilan Hong's FB)

"Increase our faith." -Luke 17:5

I graduated the Life in the Spirit Seminar from the Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community way back in 3003 while I was still a seminarian. It was then that I met this woman of great faith, w call her Sor Techie. (Sor is latin for sister)

Her faith in God and His Divine Providence was so impressive and inspiring that I myself was drawn into it. My seminary days, I always seek the Lord and entrusted to Him everything. When I became a priest, I lived in the "Faith Principle" of Sor Techie.

The Miracle that happened in building the Heritage and Sanctuary of the Community happened also in many of my projects. Why? I trusted the Lord the way Sor Techie trusted Him and His providence.


Prayer: 
Lord, thank you for giving your Church the gift of Sor Techie Rodriguez, who did not only preach Your Holy Word but inspired us to trust you as she does. Bless her and her mission and all the members and elders of the Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community. Amen.