He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” – Mark 3:30

       One early December morning, a rich man found a baby boy wrapped in soiled clothes lying outside his door. He asked his helper to bathe the child and wrap him in a clean blanket. The baby kept crying and, guessing that he was hungry, the man got a piece of clean cloth soaked in water and made the infant suck it.

       This was how Nick’s life began. He grew up on the lap of luxury and enjoyed everything that money could buy. Because the rich man had various businesses that required him to travel often, Nick would be left to himself. His search for fun and company led him to vices. Until one day, he was caught for illegal possession of firearms, shabu, and cocaine.

       He cried when his adoptive father cursed the day when the “devil” came to his house. But Nick begged for his forgiveness. “Father, I’m sorry. I’m not the devil. I love you. Please love me.”

      This event marked a new chapter in their lives where love and forgiveness conquered shame and condemnation. The father’s willingness to forgive and the son’s repentance drove away the evil that threatened to overrun their lives. Chelle S. Crisanto (ellehcmaria@gmail.com)

Reflect: Do you feel abandoned and lost amidst the temptations of the world you live in? Call out to the Savior who never leaves you.

Lord, I know You have my back. But there is so much evil around me. Please make me strong and sensitive to Your love and the love of my family. Amen.

St. Vincent, deacon and martyr, pray for us.

David was one of Israel’s greatest kings. He established a vast empire that stretches from Egypt to Syria, and from the Mediterranean inland. Israel amassed wealth because it controlled the routes by which goods are transported between the East and West, and North and South. It was then at the center of the known business world. A shrewd general and tactician, David accomplished this by conquering neighboring nations.

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said: “Here we are, your bone and your flesh. 2 In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.’” 3 When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the Lord, and they anointed him king of Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years: 5 seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah. 6 Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the region. David was told, “You cannot enter here: the blind and the lame will drive you away!” which was their way of saying, “David cannot enter here.” 7 But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David. 10 David grew steadily more powerful, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

R: My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

19 [20] Once you spoke in a vision, and to your faithful ones you said: “On a champion I have placed a crown; over the people I have set a youth.” (R) 20 [21] “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 [22] That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” (R) 24 [25] “My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 [26] I will set his hand upon the sea, his right hand upon the rivers.” (R)

To deny God a place in our life is a grave sin. To do this is to reject Him and have nothing to do with a life of faith. Unfortunately, this is a familiar scenario in today’s secular world. Let us witness to a life of faith in God and bear good fruits for His Kingdom.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

22 The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” 23 Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. 28 Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” 30 For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Read the Bible in one year Matthew 19-21

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________

THE GOD APP

When I was still a young priest, one of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) I got from people was about sin against the Holy Spirit. This is because of the Lord’s declaration: “Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin”(Mark 3:28-29, NIV).

       What did Jesus mean when He said this? How could that be, when God is merciful? Jesus Himself reassured St. Faustina that His Divine Mercy is far greater than any sin ever committed. To clarify things, recall last week’s Gospel when people accused Jesus of being out of His mind; now, they are saying He is possessed by the evil spirit. The funny thing is, His detractors were also coming to Him, almost believing Him, though largely doubting His real powers and abilities. Here lies the danger of believing Jesus as holy and powerful, yet doubting He could really do something. This happens until now when we categorize certain things that God would do or could not do for us, like finding a parking space at the mall. We argue that God does not act on our requests because they are so petty and He listens only to serious problems. When we think that way, we not only doubt God’s power but also His generosity.

       To sin against the Holy Spirit is to believe in a God who is powerless, who does not care, and, hence, could do nothing for us. It is unforgiveable not because it insults God but because the moment we think of Him as powerless, then He truly becomes powerless with us because we would not approach Him at all. How could God grant us the things we need, no matter how trivial, if we have made up our minds that He could not do anything for us?

       In this age of smartphones and computers, people seem to trust more in the abilities of their gadgets than God’s. We have so many apps on our phones, like for traffic, music, and food, yet we forget that the best app is God, the only app we need. In fact, He is more than an app for He is a personal God relating with us. Fr. Nick Lalog

------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS -------

Can you spend 24 hours without your gadgets and rely more on God? If not, why?

Lord Jesus, we believe in Your power, Your mercy, Your love. You’re all that we need. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ______________________________________