Easter Message: "Jesus is Life!"

In his Easter vigil message Pope Francis said: "Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness, and that is where death is. Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life!" Worshiping Jesus in rituals is good but it will never be enough. Baptized Christians  are expected to embody Jesus.  By the Sacrament of Confirmation, the faithfuls have been given the gifts of His Holy Spirit to enable them to be up for the tasks.  On Easter we renew these vows. Now we can truly live meaningfully for others as well. We can only give what we are in our essence. By  unleashing  Jesus' love from our very own hearts, it will be reflected by the way we live and in the way we love.

Pope Francis has also reminded everyone that the message of Easter is that faith can help people transform their lives by letting "those desert places in our hearts bloom".

A Palm Sunday Message:"Wake Up!"

"When Jesus got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” - Luke 22:45-46

Source of Image: dreamstime.com

It is only this physical world that sleeps as it is lulled by its deluded desires to have and to do more; but not our spirit, our being,  which is always awake and just waiting to be alive in the Spirit of God. Many choose to stay asleep for it is more convenient and seemingly safe, despite the fact that being stuck to it is the source of troubles and immense woes. Truly, it takes one to have a greater courage, openness and grace to want and desire to be awakened and to stay that way for God. How will Jesus find you today, asleep or awake?  
As you offer your palms for blessings this Sunday to welcome the Holy Week observance, let the spirit of love, joy, peace through forgiveness and prayers reign in your being and through the way you live all the days of your life. May we all have a blessed Palm Sunday!

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Each moment can be a moment of grace if our faith is truly genuine and alive. And only those who have known Christ deeply in this way will ever lived in this grace and will able to grasp and appreciate what Paul was talking about with the Philippians in today's first gospel reading. For Paul, knowing Christ is enough, a kind of knowing that surpasses everything. What does your heart tell you now? Do you want something or someone other than Christ? And will that something be ever enough?

Source of Image: revelife.com

Philippians 3:8-14

⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus Take the Wheel: How to Let God Lead and Take Control

Pope Francis Praying to Mama Mary for Guidance

We join the entire world in welcoming and praying for Pope Francis! He inspires hope for a genuine inner transformation to happen and a revitalized faith for the more than 1 billion Catholics the world over. Practicing religion with spirituality is possible if we make it so. 

Source of Image: telegraph.co.uk

We all love our mothers. Jesus loved his mother a lot, too. And so does Pope Francis. Jesuit superior general Father General Adolfo Nicolás says that taking the name of Francis (taken from St. Francis de Assisi) indicates the new pope will be close to the poor, and committed to the good of the church.  Some  very good news, indeed!                                                 
The new pope makes a surprise visit to Rome's Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica to pray for guidance on his first day in the new role. Priests say Pope Francis's visit was a surprise and that they only had 10 minutes to prepare for his arrival. Pope Francis is the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk

A Prayer for Those Who Journey

On February 28, 2013, and unprecedentedly, Pope Benedict XVI has stepped down from papacy for health reasons, which for many (and that includes me), is a sign of genuine humility and love for the Church which has been entrusted to his care and which he has devotedly served. Not anymore a pontiff, he now calls himself an ordinary pilgrim. And that's who we really all are, pope or no pope,  in this temporary world we inhabit and find ourselves in . . . a pilgrim.  And through and beyond imperfections, we're pilgrims who are free to choose to find love, peace and joy in Christ, moment by moment. O Lord, how we love this journey! And for those of us who embark on this exciting pilgrimage we call life, here's the prayer of our heart.

Source of Image: alefeia.org

A Prayer for Those Who Journey
- An excerpt from Joyce Rupp's Meeting God in our Transition Times

Response: God of our journey, remind us you are near.

Life is an unfolding mystery, sometimes a painful search and sometimes a wonderful discovery . . .
As we journey through life, we often face the fear of the unknown, doubts, hesitations, anxieties and insecurities . . .
Our hearts are restless because they are pilgrim hearts whose home is not here . . .
When our footsteps grow weary, when we stumble along the way, discouragement and doubt so easily come forth to greet us . . .
We are always learning what to leave behind and what to take with us as we move along the road of life . . .
We  encounter God continually in the cycle of "setting out" and "coming home." Sometimes we allow life to be so busy as we travel that we miss this special presence . . .
Expectancy, anticipation, and courage rise up in our beings when we are open to the ways of God in the wilderness . . .
In our journeying, we need strong conviction about the beauty and goodness of life, a vision of hope that endures the pain and the struggle, and a thread of love that weaves through all of our dreams . . .
God of the journey, we need a burning bush to set our hearts aflame with deep love of you.  When the road of life seems long and tedious, when dying and rising get to be too much, be that pillar of fire by night. Be that comforting cloud by day so that we not only can see the way, but also can be confident of your gracious presence which is our strength and our hope. Thank you for your nearness to us. Amen
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In the same vein, two days from now our event- Road Trip: Finding God in Your Life's Journey will take place. We pray . . . God of our journey be with us all, the facilitator, organizers and especially with the participants as we invoke your grace to work through us. Amen.
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More healing from Jesus

Today we again follow Jesus as he goes around in his sorties. And we found him as he continues on his healing journey near a pool called Bethesda where so many sick people, cripple, lame, blind, etc., have been coming for healing. He spotted a  blind man who was blind for the last 38 years and he asked him: "Do you want to be well?"

Source of Image: jenniferrothschild.com

The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me."  Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Immediately, the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

This time, Jesus turned his gaze upon me and asked me, too: "Do you want to be well? And amazed but with little hesitation I answered: "Yes, Lord! I, too, am blind for so long and I've been wanting to see. This world is extremely competitive for me; I am weak and I cannot simply get ahead nor am able to catch up. There seems to be no one in my life to lift me up and bring me to healing. Help me see." And Jesus said to me, "Rise, bring your weary body up and walk." Immediately, I knew I am well, I see with clarity and able to reflect on his words and life deeply and write these blog posts.

It is no mere coincidence nor whimsical that I reflect and share inspired thoughts online. . . it's just because I was internally blind and now I can see better.  And as I learn to come to terms with whatever unfolds in life, however and whatever, unshackled and with dipping resistance, then, I know and feel, He continually heals me  . . . moment by moment. Nothing to resist and nothing to fix in the moment. Everything is perfect in the moment that it arises. Come, let us continue to follow Jesus and to join him in His mission of  being love, joy and peace to all. That's the only way we can ever thank Him for the healing and for this wonderful gift called life.

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions

Who wants to be healed?

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus heals the sickness of an official's son from afar and instantaneously through the father.  Yes, it did happen before.  But,  how about now?

Source of Image: branham.org

Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  He still heals whoever realizes that he is sick of whatever malady in body, emotion, mind, or spirit;  and that he sincerely and humbly asks for healing. We can start our healing process, one way or the other,  when we come to realize that there are more rights than wrongs with us.

Jesus Heals the Official Son (NIV John 4:43-54)

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

                                    

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

The message for this Sunday is reconciliation within ourselves, with others, and with the whole creation. And in doing so, we are no longer a prodigal son nor like his brother who was physically present but did not understand; we're not anymore separated as we have returned,  reconciled, and became one . . .  with the Father- indeed, a new creation! This is our spiritual challenge today-to be a new creation through Christ, or, do we rather cling to our old self, to our separateness . ..  our comfort zone?

Source of Image: sermoncentral.com

Brothers and sisters:

Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:

the old things have passed away;

behold, new things have come.

And all this is from God,

who has reconciled us to himself through Christ 

and given us the ministry of reconciliation, 

namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, 

not counting their trespasses against them 

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

So we are ambassadors for Christ,

as if God were appealing through us.

We implore you on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,

so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

2 COR 5:17-21

Source of image: joeonosai.blogspot.com

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions

A Humbled Heart Does It, Not Sacrifice

What do we bring into and take out from this world that really matters? We know God does not desire sacrifice, that is, the mere offering of the ritual sacrifice without the good inner dispositions won't be adequate. Only an offering with a genuine contrite spirit and a humbled heart will do it.  Nothing else. . . not our victim attitude nor our self-righteousness of deluded doings, having and bribing.

Source of Image: www.thisbeautifullifeblog.com

Lord, you will open my lips; and my mouth will proclaim your praise. For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn. - Ps 51:17-19

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk 18:9-14)

I Was Here! I lived. I loved. I gave my all so that others may live!

                                                     

The Great Commandment is LOVE!

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Source of Image: jeremyaffeldt.wordpress.com

And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

Source of Image: yalt.crcna.org

Source of Image: indulgy.com

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions

Listen and Prosper

The ability to listen is a  divine gift, especially so if we listen  with our inner ears and see with our inner eyes. That is what we call faith. . . something that we do hear beyond what our human ears can hear, and something that we see beyond what our human eyes can ever see.  

Source of Image: eaf.net

Faith does not need any visible proof nor  a sign though it produces the best tangible results. For an evolved faith is powerful and transforming. It goes beyond mere believing as it animates us to live out and practice what we hear- to be whole; lest our faith is trapped and remains only in the head. We may be walking dead like zombies for years and decades without even knowing it. Everyone does a zombie stance every time one hardens his heart and lives according only to  human norms of shallow rituals and rules, wealth accumulation, skin-deep beauty, pleasure and that more is always great. But should we choose to soften our hearts and to humbly open our inner ears  to the voice within, then, we come alive!  We will know what it means to be truly alive regardless of circumstances unfolding before us. We don't need to beg God for anything nor to pressure and to bribe  Him to do anything for us. We know what we know-  that even before we utter a plea,  He already fills us to the brim. We know we are His  beloved stewards. We are guided. Once we allow the holy wisdom to come through us, we can never be the same person as before. We prosper in a liberating way beyond what any human can able to mentally grasp.

If  today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

"Thus says the LORD: 
This is what I commanded my people:
Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper."- Jer 7:23

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions

Mother Teresa's Meaning of Life

Source of Image: joeyo.org

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.” 

by Mother Teresa of Calcutta

An Invitation to Inner Journey

Almost everyone seems to be moving a lot nowadays, wanting to go from one place to another, near or far. It is a known fact that the travel business is a huge industry. Mass transport system has to be efficient to bring horde of people to their destinations. Moving forward becomes a cherished goal of motivated people. They want to go from point A to point B, and so on and so forth, which is very good. In our recollection-workshop called Road Trip: Finding God in Your Life's Journey, we also invite people to embark on a journey, but, it is a journey like no other, because it is a journey to one's self . . . an inner journey.

Source of Image: journeystudy.wordpress.com

"The most adventurous journey to embark on is the journey to yourself; the most exciting to discover is who you really are; the most treasured pieces that you can find are all the pieces of you; the most special portrait you can recognize is the portrait of your soul."- C. JoyBell C.

Source of image: care2.com

Source of Image: michianamobile.com

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions

On Bearing Fruits of Joy

As a follow up on Sunday's reflections about the fig tree that does not bear fruit, here's some food for thought and for the spirit- Know that we are always a given a fresh chance to experience joy, peace and love and in the process be a light unto others. Yet, a tree can only bear so much fruits if it is cultivated well which requires weeding out of at least three unwanted elements in the soil/landscape of our lives: (1) pride, (2) sloth or laziness, and (3) timidity or cowardice.

Source of Image: gerberbabycontest.net

Thus, we can weed out pride slowly but surely first by being watchful (Be vigilant says Christ) of our inner disposition, acknowledging moments that we are boastful, self centered and always wanting to be in control. The best practice instead is to receive and strive to cultivate our gift of humility that we know nothing, to acknowledge God as the Power, the Source behind all our blessings, to be continually dependent upon His grace,  and to count such blessings instead of whining.

We lose momentum by over inactivity and lethargy. We all need to move that body, mind and spirit to keep the whole of us alive and growing. Have you heard of this "Do what you love and love what you do"? Yes, that works; do it whatever that thing may be for as long as it is legal and ethical. Exercise that body through physical work-outs and labor. Keep that mind alive by generating positive and productive thoughts. Read good books. Listen to inspiring people and programs. Get in touch with friends, loved ones and connect with God through prayers both private and public to lift up your spirit. The key to live wholly and joyfully is always found within and inside us. Turning that inner key to open the door of grace and taking small steps of change everyday can spell a gigantic difference over a lifetime. 

Be of a courageous heart. In anything you do, just do your best and allow God to do the rest. For as long as you know that the Lord is actually behind your project or decision, go all the way. We are more than conquerors. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31.

Be very blessed!

Join us in this spiritual retreat:

ROAD TRIP

Finding God in Your Life's Journey

March, 16, 2013; 8am-5pm

Venue: Quezon City, Philippines

Ms. Nina Robledo: Retreat Director

Fee: P800 per person w/ lunch and snacks

For questions and to reserve a place send an email to: 

wholeingcenter@yahoo.com.ph

v  walk prayerfully through the many phases of your life

v  discover God as your constant companion on your journey

v  reflect on your transitions in the light of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus

v  uncover the gifts of these transitions