THE HIGHWAY

“I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level.” – Isaiah 49:11

       It was a thrilling experience to drive to Subic through the new SCTEX highway. I was cruising at top speed!

       I noticed that many mountains were cut to make way for the wide and long, straight road.

       This brings me to recall the time when I was called to start The Feast in a foreign country.

       I was facing a mountain of challenges: no co-servants to help, no venue, no one to sing in the prayer meeting, etc. There was literally no Light of Jesus (LOJ) presence in the city.

       One by one, I began to see the hand of the Lord moving: mountains were cut, roads were built.

       I was able to easily arrange for an audience with the archbishop. I was given quick approval to establish the LOJ Family in his archdiocese. Out of nowhere, a man called up and volunteered to help. I was introduced to a worship leader. Everything just fell into place! In a few months, we started The Feast in Port Moresby.

       How wonderful it is to journey with the Lord. He can cut mountains and make highways level to pave a better way! Danny Tariman (dtariman.loj@gmail.com)

Reflection: Are you facing a mountain of problems? Is the road narrow and winding? Trust the Lord — He will make a way!

Lord, I surrender to You my situation and problems. Have Your way in me. Amen.

St. Francis of Paola, hermit, pray for us.

The time of the Messiah will be recognizable by many signs. One is that the highways of the Lord will be made level. What does this mean? I believe that this is a prophecy indicating the universal nature of salvation that the Messiah will bring — that is, salvation will not be exclusively for the Jews but will be available to all peoples of all nations.

Isaiah 49:8-15

8 Thus says the Lord: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you; and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people. To restore the land and allot the desolate heritages, 9 saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the ways they shall find pasture, on every bare height shall their pastures be. 10 They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them; for he who pities them leads them and guides them beside springs of water. 11 I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level. 12 See, some shall come from afar, others from the north and the west, and some from the land of Syene. 13 Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.

Psalm 145: 8-9, 13-14, 17-18

R: The Lord is gracious and merciful.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R) 13 The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R)17 The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

We cannot do anything without the grace of God. If Jesus relied on unity with His Father in order to do anything, why do we think it would be any different for us? As we learn to accept our need for God’s grace to do anything good, let us pray that we never waste the opportunities given to us to both live the blessings of the Kingdom of God starting now, and also share it with others whenever we can.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die.

17 Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

think:  We cannot do anything without the grace of God.

HONORING GOD WITH OUR WORKS

Every day, I pray my “Morning Offering.” Since my days in Catholic school, I have regarded lifting up to God “my prayers, actions, joys and sufferings of this day” an appropriate way to begin acknowledging the day as truly a gift from God.

       Jesus’ words deepen for us what it means to work for God and to do His work. Constantly and continuously repeated by Jesus — like a mantra — is the allusion to God as “Father.” In fact, the English text of the Gospel periscope today mentions “Father” around nine times. This is primordial: As true Christians, we honor God not just as the Great and Absolute Maker, but as the Loving Father.

       Love work. The first two chapters of Genesis tell us the story of how the universe and all that is in it are the product of God the Father’s deliberate and orderly work. God the Father directly willed to make everything. The universe is not, in any way, the result of an accident.

       Work with power and confidence. Jesus says what He does are what the Father “has given” to Him. Therefore, even the resistance and opposition of the Jewish leaders failed to bring down Jesus. Likewise, it is the Father who supplies us breath, time, inspiration, talents and resources for all our work.

       Await all from the Father. Jesus was led by the Father. He waited for the “hour” as the Father has determined. Jesus declares: “I cannot do anything on my own... I do not seek my own will...” It is not enough that one is empowered, but that one must truly be led by God.

       Give all glory to the Father. Like Jesus, let us remember that we are only “sent” and we cannot be greater than the One who sends! Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTION: Make the “Our Father” your opening prayer in every task, and in every meeting you have for today. Focus on the word “Father.” What encouraging images come to you? Allow God to minister to you with these images.

Our Father, thank You for today and for all that is to come.