“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” – Luke 21:33

       I’ve loved reading Bible stories ever since I was a small girl. The colored pictures amused me. In my early twenties, I copied on index cards Bible phrases that spoke to me in particular moments in my life. Three decades later, the same words continue to speak to me, revealing different messages as circumstances changed over time.

       I have lived to see three generations before me – my great grandparents, my grandparents and my parents. My children were born when my grandparents were still alive and strong. All these generations have heard the Word of God, and the future generations will all hear the same Word of God.

       In much the same way, the world we live in has gone through war and peace, through destruction and rehabilitation. People, famous and not, have come and gone. We’ve had our share of triumphs and defeats, of joys and sorrows. But His Word has remained the same. It urges us on. It showers us with hope. It lifts up our spirits. And it transforms us day by day. Bella Estrella (blestrella@gmail.com)

Reflection: After all is said and done, the Word of God will continue to live on. It remains forever.

Thank You, Lord, for molding us through Your Word that never changes. Steadfast indeed is Your love, and we can never live without it.

St. Francesco Antonio Fasani, pray for us.

Daniel saw in the future a glorious age where goodness triumphs over evil. Will we witness that time? What is important is that we know that Jesus will come again and fulfill His promises. At the end of the world, God will banish evil forever and those who receive salvation will live with God forever in heaven.

2 In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night, the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, 3 from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings. While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a man, and given a human mind. 5 The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side, and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks. It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.” 6 After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard; on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given. 7 After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast, different from all the others, terrifying, horrible, and of  extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and what was left it trampled with its feet. 8 I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like a man, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly. 9 As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. 10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened. 11 I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up. 12 The other beasts, which also lost their dominion, were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season. 13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, 14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

52 [Dan 3:75] “Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 53 [Dan 3:76] “Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 54 [Dan 3:77] “You springs, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 55 [Dan 3:78] “Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 56 [Dan 3:79] “You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 57 [Dan 3:80] “All you birds of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R) 58 [Dan 3:81] “All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.” (R)

There will always be signs of the end of the world. God’s intervention signifies that this time is coming. He always works towards the fulfillment of His plan and promises to us. May we be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit so that we can contribute to the Lord’s Second Coming. Christians must pray and work for the fruition of the Kingdom of God.

Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

29 Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

think: God always works towards the fulfillment of His plan and promises to us.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezekiel 5-8

THE OBJECTIVE WISDOM OF NATURE

When the fig tree is in blossom, summer is near, as Jesus said in the Gospel (verse 31). People in pre-scientific times did not have the sophisticated weather forecasting gadgets we moderns have and yet they can predict the weather just as accurately by simply reading the signs written in nature. Yes, nature, both natural and human, is filled with the wisdom of its Creator. If we use our reason and understand the nature of the human person, of human actions, of the environment, we can deduce an intelligence behind them as well as the right and good action to be done at a particular moment and situation.

       Catholic theology calls this the natural moral law — the law of God written by God Himself in the nature of the person,  actions and things so that everyone, and not only believers in Revelation, might have access to the true, good and beautiful. The account of the wise decision of Solomon from the book of Kings which settled the dispute between two mothers fighting over a child ended with, “When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice” (1 Kings 3:28).

       Who gave Solomon that wise decision? He simply used his reason and reflected on the nature of a mother. A mother is someone who will lay down her life for her child. It is rational that the strong protects the harmless and the weak. Sadly, the very reason that led Solomon to that decision is the very reason used to rationalize and distort everything we understand about motherhood.

       We live in a time of relativism, where morality is determined by whims and fancies, by feelings and preferences. There is a moral wisdom written in the nature of everything. If only we are willing to critically use our reason and bravely accept concomitant demands it reveals, the natural moral law will lead us to the true, good and beautiful. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Is your morality based on what you feel, prefer or like?

Give me wisdom, O Lord, the attendant at Your throne. Amen.