“Where did this man get these things? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!” – Mark 6:2

       Back in high school, I was in our Religion Experimental Class. While others saw us as “honor students,” I didn’t feel honorable whenever we would go on exposure trips to depressed areas. I would avoid interactions in the places we’d visit.

       But as I grew older, I began serving in a Charismatic community through teaching and Christian counseling. There, I saw how God powerfully touches and transforms lives. Seeing once-sorrowful faces turn radiant with joy moved me to tears and filled me with an overwhelming sense of God’s love.

       After resigning from my corporate job, I decided to go back to counseling and coaching. I became a certified Neuro- Linguistics Programming (NLP) practitioner and was trained to coach people struggling with phobias and traumas, help those who want to cut bad habits, manage stress and overcome negative thoughts, feelings, etc. I found many parallelisms between the science and psychology of NLP and Christian counseling. When I see an improvement in another’s state or being, I’m inspired to keep helping and reaching out to others. Rezza Custodio-Soriano (rezzac@live.com)

Reflection: What can you do differently today to help someone in need?

Lord, show me how I can make a difference in others’ lives, no matter how small. Let me be Your channel of love today. Amen.

St. Anthony Zaccaria, priest, pray for us.

Prophets are sent to proclaim the Word of God, to ensure that the people do not forget His promises. The great challenge the prophets have always faced is the limited number of people willing to listen and respond to their words. The world distracts us with the lure of immediate pleasure and the joy of material possessions. These deaden our spirits and make it difficult for the Word of God to get through to us.

2 As the Lord spoke to me, spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking 3 say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. 4 Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God! 5 And whether they heed or resist — for they are a rebellious house — they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

Psalm 123:1-2, 2, 3-4

R: Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

1 To you I lift up my eyes who are enthroned in heaven — 2 as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters. (R) As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes on the Lord, our God, till he have pity on us. (R) 3 Have pity on us, O Lord, have pity on us, for we are more than sated with contempt; 4 our souls are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the  contempt of the proud. (R)

Paul admitted that he had moral struggles. Unlike St. Augustine 300 years later, he is not willing to reveal them to us. However, we take comfort at the fact that the greatest of saints also struggled morally. We should be grateful for the grace that God gives us to overcome them. When we struggle with our temptations, let us ask God to help us overcome them with His grace and blessing.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

7 Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, 9 but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 10 Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jesus has difficulty speaking to those who have known Him all His life. It would be very hard for them to alter their knowledge of Him now that His ministry has begun. They remember Him as their neighbor. In the same way, we must allow the grace of God to prevail in our own lives and the lives of others. Let us never doubt His capacity to transform and redeem us.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

1 Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! 3 Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and John and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” 5 So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

think:When we struggle with our temptations, let us ask God to help us overcome them with His grace and blessing.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Chronicles 9-10

Things to be grateful for from the past week

Things to ask God for in the coming week

Most important word God told me this week

THE GOD WE WILL NEVER FULLY KNOW

In another place and amidst different people, what Jesus had said and done would have been greatly appreciated. Making miracles, like the blind regaining sight, the deaf hearing again, the mute being able to speak, and the crippled and lame walking, should have made Jesus very popular in His native place in Nazareth. Add to it the inspiring, moving and relevant words on life and faith, Jesus should have been worshipped in His native place. If they did, they would not have committed idolatry at all. Instead, their blindness beset them again.

       The truth of Jesus’ person was shadowed by their knowledge of who Jesus was to them since birth. He was the son of a woman called Mary. His father was a carpenter named Joseph. They knew His brothers, relatives and friends. He was from Nazareth, an unlikely place for prophets to come from. They judged Jesus based on His background.

       As a priest, that is also my experience. Former schoolmates find it hard to believe that I had become a priest. They base their conclusions on how they knew me before. Many times I have to prove myself. It would be easy if one of them had their child baptized by me or if I presided their wedding. One time, a classmate approached me three times and asked if I was really a priest. I felt what Peter felt when Jesus asked Him three times if he loved Jesus.

       God had already revealed to us everything we need for our salvation and He continues to reveal Himself to us for our particular needs. Even the saints or the pope never cease to pray and seek God’s guidance and revelations. It would be a mistake to say that we already know God and that we already know what He will do and not do. God should be the last person who we can claim we already know. He always has new ways of presenting things. With God, it is always best to be humble and open. Fr. Benny Tuazon

REFLECTION QUESTION: Who is Jesus to you? Be open and allow Him to reveal more of Himself to you.

I will never fully know You, Lord Jesus. But I open myself as You reveal Yourself.