Memorial of St. Therese of

Lisieux, virgin and Doctor of

the Church

IS IT TIME TO QUIT?

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory. – Philippians 2:3

       I have a friend who wanted to be a dentist. After four years in college, he took the board exam. The first time, he failed. He took it three more times,

and still he failed.

       He talked to me after that and it was clear to me that his dream was killing him. He couldn’t think straight anymore. I felt he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

       I told him, “I think if you persist in this dream, it will kill you. I believe God is not rejecting you; He is redirecting you. God is telling you that your success and happiness and mission may be found elsewhere.”

       He told me the age-old reason for not quitting: “But if I quit, people will say I’m a quitter.” I told him, “That’s pride talking. Your decisions should never be based on what other people will say, but on what God is telling you.”

       Today, my friend is working as a well-paid manager, happy with his life and family, and serving God in The Feast.

       Friend, do you feel frustrated at not getting what you want in life? Maybe it’s time to quit and see if God’s leading you somewhere else. Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

Reflection: What is God telling you through your failures?

Dearest Lord, open my eyes and my heart to receive Your wisdom and light for my life. Amen.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin, Patroness of Missions, pray for us.

Ezekiel affirms that we have a merciful God and He will always forgive the repentant sinner. We have no cause to doubt the merciful spirit of God. If God forgives someone who sins against us, do we have a right to complain about how He dispenses His mercy? Definitely not, because we are always on the receiving end of His forgiveness as well. Let us not blame God for being merciful but seek to imitate His mercy when we deal with others, especially when they sin against us.

25 Thus says the Lord: You say, “The Lord’s way is not fair!” Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? 26 When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die. 27 But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life; 28 since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

R: Remember your mercies, O Lord.

4 Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God, my savior. (R) 6 Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. 7 The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not; in your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. (R) 8 Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice and teaches the humble his way. (R)

St. Paul wants us to seek unity in the Body of Christ. We need to focus on what we have in common and not concentrate on our differences. If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will find a common ground in our faith experiences, rather than always looking for ways to pull others down and promote ourselves or our own brand of Christian faith.

1 Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others. 5 Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Obedience to God’s will is the key to growing in holiness. If we always insist on following our own will instead of God’s, we will soon realize that things do not seem to be right. This should encourage us to refocus our minds on what God wants us to do, rather than assume that we know better than God. He desires the best for us, so why don’t we trust and follow His plan for us?

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

28 Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

think: What’s the first thing that you do whenever you need to decide on something?

Read the Bible in one year Proverbs 24-27

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

in one year PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

The ultimate purpose of my life

GOALS FOR THE QUARTER

Priority areas God wants me to work on

DON’T MISS OUT

In today’s Gospel, there were two sons. The father gave an order. One said “yes” but eventually disobeyed his father. The other said “no” but eventually obeyed his father. Who was the better son? Obviously, the one who said “no” but eventually obeyed the father.

       Just a point of caution here. While Jesus stresses the superiority of the internal disposition over the external speech, I don’t think Jesus teaches us that they are intrinsically and mutually separate. Between the two sons, the one who initially said “no” but obeyed eventually is the better one. But what if there was a third son who said “yes” and obeyed the father? Wouldn’t he be the best among them?

       You see, when we separate, we confuse. When we simply distinguish, we clarify. And when we clarify, we can integrate.

       Jesus is not speaking here of exclusion but integration. Exclusion is when we absolutely separate one from another like oil and water. It can sometimes justify our tendency to be minimalists. Integration is when we understand that one is distinct from the other but they are nevertheless reconcilable and is actually ordered to one another. They are meant to complement and enrich one another.

       We can be guilty of exaggerated exclusions. Maybe you’ve heard of people who say, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Maybe you’ve seen priests who would be in social gatherings looking more like construction workers saying, “Priesthood is in the heart, not in the garb.” Maybe you’ve seen stoic husbands rationalizing, “Love is in the doing, not the saying.” Or like in the Gospel today, “It’s better to say ‘no’ then do it than to say ‘yes’ but not act on it.”

       Friends, we can still be religious and spiritual at the same time. I can have a priestly heart and appearance at the same time. A husband can love his wife through his words and actions. I can say “yes” and obey my father’s will. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. To exclude is to miss out and can sometimes even justify a minimalist attitude. To integrate is always a summons to be better and to go beyond the status quo. Fr. Joel Jason

----------  REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

In what area of your life are you guilty of exclusion to justify your mediocrity? Don’t miss out on the richness of harmony. The Christian life is not about exclusion but integration.

Guide me in the road of integration, O Lord. Amen.