There was a popular 1997 comedy movie titled Liar, Liar starring comedian Jim Carrey. It was a story of a lawyer who, upon the magical wish of his son, was prevented from telling lies as an excuse from keeping his promises. For some lawyers who possess brilliant skills to inevitably “circumvent the truth” in the practice of their profession, this situation would pose serious problems because the truth would involuntarily come out of his mouth. Eventually, the lawyer learned that he could practice law, not shield the truth, and fulfill his promises at the same time. 

I was blessed to visit the quaint and tranquil Parayle-Monial in France where Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque propagated the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Saint Margaret Mary said that the Lord gave 12 promises to souls devoted to His Sacred Heart: grace, peace, consolation, and much more. Unlike the Pharisees’ hypocrisy, the Lord is true to His Word. He always keeps His promises to us. He never circumvents the truth. And He always fulfills His promises in His perfect time. 

Tessa Mangahas (mtgmangahas@gmail.com)

reflect

‘There is nothing God loves more than keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is who He is. That is what He does.”  (Mark Batterson)

Dear Lord, help us be truthful and committed to our promise to love You all the time.

Saint Gerard Majella, pray for us.

Why God chose us is a mystery. He destines us for eternal life and gives us the freedom to choose otherwise. This is a lesson in love: love is not love unless it is freely given and received. The challenge of faith is not only to receive God’s love into our hearts, but to offer our love in return. This is what it means to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus.

¹¹ Brothers and sisters: In Christ we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, ¹² so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. ¹³ In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

¹ Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. ² Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. (R) ⁴ For upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy. ⁵ He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) ¹² Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. ¹³ From heaven the Lord looks down; he sees all mankind. (R) 

Gospel | Luke 12:1-7

Jesus despises hypocrisy. It has a hideous nature. Hypocrisy is the deliberate attempt to cover up aspects of one’s character and present a false image to the world. Perhaps, we all have a bit of hypocrisy in us. Let us pray that we may be honest and stand for the truth. 

Gospel Acclamation

May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us; who have put our hope in you.

¹ At that time, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees. ² “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. ³ Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. ⁴ I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. ⁵ I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who, after killing, has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. ⁷ Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Reflect

“No one in the world can change truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we find it.” (St. Francis de Sales)

Read the Bible in one year! Read SIRACH 21 - 25 today.

While we predominantly fear those who can hurt us physically, emotionally, and psychologically, Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that the one who can hurt us spiritually should be feared most because its effect lasts beyond our life on earth. This is because salvation should be our foremost concern. For what does it profit us if we gain freedom from earthly pains but suffer everlasting damnation in hell?

In this sense, we can now understand martyrs. Why did they endure pain and death for the faith? It is because they would rather die physically than suffer eternal death. It is because of their love for the Lord, whom they wanted to be with in eternal life. They treasured their relationship with God more than anything. They not only feared the pains of hell but, most importantly, they dreaded the loss of heaven.

Sadly, many people compromise their relationship with God in exchange for worldly things through corruption, deception, stealing, fraud, etc. When we sin, we express more our fear of material loss rather than spiritual pain. No doubt, it is at times a reasonable pain—but not enough reason to suffer an everlasting pain. To clarify, worldly things are not bad per se. They are God’s creations too. But we do not replace God with them. We were made their stewards, and as stewards, we use them for the greater glory of God, and not elevate them to be the source of our glory—much worse, to glorify them.

Christianity is worth all the pain it takes to be constantly faithful. Indeed, we must dread losing eternal life than being thrown to eternal death. It should be a no-brainer to choose eternal life. It is worth all the sacrifices and pains, death included. 

Fr. Benny Tuazon

reflection questions

What and who do you value most in life? Why?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill my mind, heart, and soul with Your presence. Fill me with Your love that I may be purified and sanctified. Amen

Today, I pray for: ________________________________