Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. – Mark 10:16

Last year, I received news that filled my heart with so much joy. You see, 17 years ago, I worked with a bunch of teenagers in the Light of Jesus Family. I personally took them under my wing.

       But when they hit their twenties, some of them got busy with their careers, got married, had babies, and worked abroad. I didn’t hear from them for many years.

       When our international missionary, Roy Pasimio, came home from a visit to the Middle East last year, he told me that we now have new video Feasts in that part of the world. I asked him, “Who are our leaders there?” And Roy told me, “Remember the teenagers that were part of our youth group years ago? They’re now our leaders there.”

       Yes, the seeds planted in their youth are now flourishing and bearing fruit.

       Friend, don’t be discouraged when it seems like nothing is happening to the people you’re trying to disciple. Your role is to continue to plant and bless them. God’s role is to grow the plant. As they say, you may be the only Bible that people will read. Believe that, one day, the harvest will come. Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

Reflection: Do you sometimes feel frustrated when evangelizing others? Don’t! Just keep going and let God do the rest.

Grant me Your patience and Your heart, Jesus, to continue my work for You.

St. David of Wales, bishop, pray for us.

We never stand alone when we have faith. We always stand as the community of the faithful, the Church, when we confront the various events of our lives. Our challenge, as always, is to trust that whatever happens, God will have His hand in there somewhere. Even when we make wrong decisions or are suffering, God draws us closer to Him in one way or another.

13 Beloved: Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing a song of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. 17 Elijah was a man like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. 18 Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, 20 he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

1 O Lord, to you I call; hasten to me; hearken to my voice when I call upon you. 2 Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice. (R) 3 O Lord, set a watch before my mouth, a guard at the door of my lips. 8 For toward you, O God, my Lord, my eyes are turned; in you I take refuge; strip me not of life. (R)

Jesus wants us to know that we are never too young to come to Him. It is not a matter of how wise or strong we are, but that we want to be with Him. This is the message of the Gospel today. Let us always be open to the work of the Holy Spirit, who draws and attracts us to the way of discipleship. He is always fighting against the various attractions of the world that are more immediate and palpable. Let us be extra vigilant to the voice of the Spirit in our lives.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

13 People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said  to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

think: Even when we make wrong decisions or are suffering, God draws us closer to Him in one way or another.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Hebrews 9-13

As a priest, people approach me to ask for a lot of things. Some ask for counsel, for information, for clarifications about the faith.  Sometimes I get asked questions which have nothing to do with who I am or with what I represent. I was once asked which stock is performing best in the market. I don’t even know what a stock is and how it works. I guess it’s because, as a priest, I represent what a community recognizes as an elder.

       In the First Reading today, James paints a picture of a typical early Christian community. James commends the concerns of the community to the pastoral attention of an elder. An elder in a community plays the role of advisor, healer, comforter, reconciler and, above all, a prayer advocate. It is summed up in the line, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). There are many versions of this verse describing the character of the elder, but this is what I like best: “The fervent petition of a holy man is powerful indeed.”

       I’m not sure if I fit the category of the “holy man” in James 5:16 but I’m sure his prayer request is not something that a holy man prays for and God blesses. A holy man does not and cannot blackmail God into submission. One cannot pray, “This I pray, whether you like it or not.” It doesn’t work that way. The unwritten dictum is that a holy man prays only for holy things — things that are true, good and beautiful.

       One time, a guy subtly asked me to pray for the failure of his competitor’s business venture. “He pirated some of my business ideas and so I pray he doesn’t succeed,” he explained. “Malakas naman kayo kay Lord, di ba?” he added. (Your prayers are powerful with the Lord.)

       In reply, I told him, “I will pray instead that God prospers the work of your hands and that the other one might be sorry for whatever wrong he has done to you.” I believe that was more compatible with the prayer of James 5:16. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you look at prayer simply as a tool for divine favor? Are the desires of your heart true, good and beautiful?

Purify my heart, Lord, that I may only desire that which is true, good and beautiful.