“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over...” – Luke 6:38

As a Christian serving in various ministries for decades, I had wanted for years to attend the Hillsong Conference in Australia — an annual conference-cum-concert kind of event. When the opportunity came that I could go for free, I jumped at the chance.

       It was a treat to see Christian stars of mega-churches in person. For five exhilarating days that would start at 9 a.m. and end at 9 p.m., we soaked in electrifying worship twice a day and attended power-filled learning sessions three to four times a day.

       To top it all, when I got back home, my bank balance was higher than its level before I spent for all the conference expenses. My investments in mutual funds had increased in value and covered all my expenses for the trip with my wife and all the extra vacations that we took. I didn’t have to request for an expense reimbursement from the community that was supposed to sponsor my trip.

       It was God’s way of saying to me that a person serving Him deserves blessings — spiritually and financially — beyond measure and running over! Rolly España (rolly@homeliving.com.ph)

Reflection: A life of serving God is a remarkable life! Are you serving Him already?

Father in heaven, I thank You for calling me to serve You. It is in serving You that the gates of heaven are opened and blessings are poured out.

St. Patrick, bishop, patron of Ireland and Nigeria, pray for us.

There is no excuse for our sinfulness. We cannot simply blame the circumstances or what others have done to us. There may be mitigating factors to some aspects of our sinfulness, but they should not excuse us from our personal responsibility for them.

4 “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! 5 We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. 6 We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. 7 Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. 8 O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. 9 But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you 10 and paid no heed to your command, O Lord, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R) 11 Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. 13 Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise. (R)

This text parallels the one in Matthew 5:48 and seems to also have its roots further back in the Holiness Code of Leviticus and the exhortations of a number of the Prophets. The fact that Luke tells us to be holy, whereas Matthew uses the word “perfect,” seems to make the idea a little easier to grasp. Seeking holiness seems to be easier than seeking perfection.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

36 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 13-15

The First Reading from the book of Daniel is one of the most beautiful prayers one can read in the Scriptures. It is beautiful in its sincerity and in its vulnerability, but most of all in its intimacy. No one “composes” such a prayer. Such a prayer can only be the product of a real encounter with God and a confrontation with one’s self in the stillness of silence.

       We have alienated silence from our souls. Walk down the street, watch the people in the buses and trains. I bet five in every 10 people you see will have earphones plugged into their ears. All day we listen to someone else’s words and lyrics. It is no wonder we can no longer hear ourselves and the God who speaks within. Occasional silence — silence that is fragile, artificial and shallow — will not do. What invites the heart to surface is the silence that is positively sought, cultivated and sensitive to presence, especially to Divine presence. Without this silence, we are as good as deaf.

       In San Carlos Seminary where I work, we presently have 140 candidates for the priesthood. San Carlos is the seminary of Manila but interestingly, only half of the community comes from Manila. Last year it was even less. The rest are from the provinces. Has God stopped calling His young men in Manila? I don’t think so. The case is not that God has stopped calling. I believe, it is that Manila no longer knows silence and can no longer hear the voice of God, the heartbeat of the God who calls. Manila has become so noisy and noise is not the language of love.

       Why do angry people shout at each other even when they are face to face? They have to because shouting is the external manifestation of two hearts that have gone distant from each another.

       But look at lovers. They whisper into each other’s ears. In fact, for those truly in love, words are not even necessary. Heart speaks to heart simply in silence. Why is silence the language of God? Because God is love. And one can only encounter genuine love when it is comfortable with silence. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: Spend a moment today listening only to your own heartbeat.  Soon enough you might “hear” God’s heart speaking to your own. What is He telling you?

Speak, Lord, to the depths of my heart. When I don’t seem to be listening, nudge me a bit harder.