I met childhood friends at a wake recently. Their stories revolved around inheritance encounters of the in-law kind.

       One friend related that after her mother-in-law died, her sister-in-law asked her to choose from the old woman’s things. The stuff had little value — old personal things and housewares. She wondered why she was the only one choosing. Apparently, her sisters-in-law had already picked the best of the lot. What was left for her was headed for the trash bin if nobody takes them. All she inherited was junk.

       Another friend, a widow, had a sad story. When her father-in-law died, she was stripped of her legal rights as her late husband’s heir. She said it would have been alright if it was in his will but he died intestate. That just meant her husband’s siblings arbitrarily decided to cut her out.

       Their stories made me think how blessed we are that we are truly God’s children and His beloved heirs. We will never inherit trash from Him, neither will we be cut off from our heavenly inheritance without due cause. When we accept God as our father, we gain the rights to His Kingdom. Lella M. Santiago (lellams88@gmail.com)

Reflection: Are you feeling oppressed or discriminated against? Be uplifted by the truth that you are God’s heir.

Father, thank You for choosing me to be Your child.

St. Pedro de San Jose Betancur, pray for us.

1^ST READING

Is there anything missing in your life? We should take Jesus with us wherever we go and whatever we are doing. He is our guarantee that all will be well. Should difficulties arise, we have the comfort of knowing that Jesus is there to help us.

8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. (R) 21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R) 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. 28 I give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his kindness endures forever. (R)

Jesus has become one of us so that we can relate to Him more easily and have greater conviction that a personal relationship with Him is possible. This is God’s greatest desire — to be in relationship with us not only as Redeemer and Savior, but also as our Friend.

1 Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We know that God loves us because He died for us on the cross. In fact, Jesus died for all men and women. No one is excluded from His love and mercy. We can trust Him to be faithful. Christ’s sacrifice reveals that He is willing to do anything to save us. Let us believe and confidently move forward in our faith. God will always meet us where we are.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.

11 Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. 13 This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

think: Le us believe and confidently move forward in our faith. God will always meet us where we are.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Numbers 34-36

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WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS

In my more than 30 years as a priest, I have ministered to terminally ill patients, some of whom were close to me. Though hovering close to dying, they lived life to the full, and everything legit that earthly life could offer. Despite being ravaged and debilitated by a cruel disease, they always showed their joie de vivre, as only people of faith knew how.

       A number of them had very clear requests, as they planned carefully for the day that most people would not even hear of. But people of faith are also people of hope. They love as much as they believe and, precisely on account of their faith and charity, nurture every remaining moment of their short lives on earth with the hope of everlasting life.

       My elder sister was one such woman of hope. In her dying days, she asked us not to cry or be sad. She requested us not to take pictures of her as she lay on her deathbed. But she did ask us to pray with her, to pray by ourselves when she could no longer join us, and while still in her lucid moments, she remained for all of us, her younger siblings, the epitome of an excited child, looking forward to going home to the Father.

       I have been blessed by this and many other similar scenarios of loving, faithful and hopeful individuals proclaiming in life — as in their death — the powerful words of John: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.”

       Just two days before Christmas 2013, I witnessed another enviable death of a former student. Tired, sleepy and weary of one Simbang Gabi Mass too many, I was told that he was dying. I didn’t plan to go as the hospital was far from where I was, but I eventually went. And I was glad I did, as I was once again blessed by a faith experience. He taught me in his beautiful death what it means to declare in faith: “We shall see him as he is!” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: Imagine that you are on your deathbed. Listen to your feelings and thoughts. What dominates them — joy or fear?

I long to see Your face, Lord, not just when my life is over but right here, right now.