“Mama, you should have another baby,” Danica kidded her mom before she left for school. That morning, her parents received a dreadful phone call.

       Danica died in a road accident caused by a reckless jeepney driver. When my friend rushed to the hospital, she saw her husband  quietly crying in a corner of the emergency room. He looked at her and said, “As early as now, let us find the grace to forgive.” My friend broke down.

       During the wake, she told me that they decided not to press charges and instead forgive the driver. “Because we have been forgiven by Christ, we chose to forgive him, too,” she said.

       Unlike Herod and Herodias whose resentment led them to kill John, my friend’s gesture of forgiveness has inspired many to get closer to God.

       Just recently, I bumped into this couple at the mall. I was ecstatic to see the husband carrying a little girl in his arms. With tears in her eyes, my friend told me that God has blessed them with another child.

       Just like what Danica had wished for them the day she died. Marisa Aguas (jojangaguas@yahoo.com)

Pope Francis Says: “Faith likewise offers the possibility of forgiveness, which so often demands time and effort, patience and commitment.”

Heavenly Father, help me to forgive. Not by my own efforts but only by Your grace can I do this.

St. Agatha, virgin and martyr, pray for us.

This eulogy to David’s greatness reminds us that the Jews continue to regard him highly until today. As we look at the current precarious state of Israel, it is helpful to look back to Jewish history and try to understand why the Jews decide the way they do about certain issues. We are free to argue the rightness or wrongness of their stand but let us also strive to know why.

2 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was David in Israel. 3He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock. 4 As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people’s disgrace, when his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath. 5 Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm to defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people, 6 therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands and praised him when they blessed the Lord. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled 7 and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day. 8 With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung. He set singers before the altar and by their voices he made sweet melodies. 9 He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year 10 so that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound. 11 The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; he conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.

Psalm 18: 31, 47, 50, 51

R: Blessed be God my salvation!

30 [31] God’s way is unerring, the promise of the Lord is fire-tried; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him. (R) 46 [47] The Lord live! And blessed be my Rock! Extolled be God my savior. 49 [50] Therefore will I proclaim you, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing praise to your name. (R) 50 [51] You who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed, to David and his posterity forever. (R)

John the Baptist died because he was unafraid to preach the truth even to the most powerful men in the land. This is what we need today – leaders with integrity. Without integrity, the Gospel will lose its power and capacity to convert. Let us ask God for the grace to be uncompromising in the way we witness to the truth of our salvation.

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.

14 King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” 17 Herod was the one who had John  arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. 18 John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. 20 Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. 21 Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 His own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” 23 He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 26 The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. 27 So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. 28 He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

think: This is what we need today – leaders with integrity.

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Corinthians 1-4

CRUSHING THE GIANT THAT IS NOT GOLIATH

We all have egos. Without getting into a lot of psychobabble, let us just agree that our egos are either inflated or deflated. Both extremes are not good for you and me. In between the two extremes is the mean of virtue, or the mark of a healthy personality.

       For simplicity’s sake, let us look at Goliath as one with a bloated ego. Small wonder the Bible portrays him as a giant. Pit him against the scrawny David, who carries no sword nor heavy shield, and you have an image that Sirach wonderfully portrays — that of a weak, lowly and humble young man, who put Goliath’s giant ego in place, in one fell swoop, with nothing more than a slingshot and a well-chosen pebble as his weapon.

       The secret of course, and Sirach aknowledges this, is not because David was lowly and powerless, but that David “called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm,” and who came to the side of the young man, precisely because he was lowly, poor and powerless.

       Years of counseling work have taught me precious lessons. One of them is that brilliance of mind alone does not guarantee a happy and fulfilled life. But neither does being a simpleton and being a good-for-nothing lout assure one of that elusive life of contentment.

       Let us allow Sirach and his ramp model for the day give us a clue. David shows us two important truths. First, he was aware he was poor and powerless. He acknowledged it to himself and to at least one more — to God. Now, pan your imaginary camera to Goliath, who had a giant’s physique. He had a humongous ego and he made no secrets he disdained the boy.

       The story ends well. Goliath’s inflated ego went pfftt! David, whose glory Sirach extols, may have put down a giant, but before he could do that, he first slayed the bigger enemy within — his pride, as shown by his humbling plea and prayer to the “Most High God.” How does your own story unfold? Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

I humbly pray to You, O Lord, to help me conquer my biggest enemies — those that lay within me. Amen.