"BASAG!"

a personal reflection on John 2:1-11

"I got my plaque today for being a consistent Dean’s Lister!"

Our daughter shared the awesome news last Friday. Pero pagkalipas ng ilang oras, may kasunod na bad news.
"I accidentally dropped my plaque :-("
She sent that in our family chat group.
"Nabasag pero intact pa naman yung pangalan ko."
"Oh no!" I replied back. There was a pause in our chat after my reply.

Have you ever experienced something similar? It's that moment when everything is doing well then something bad suddenly happens.
That's the story in today's Gospel. Imagine the scene at the wedding party. The venue was packed with guests celebrating with the newly married couple. An abundant supply of delicious food that would make any modern day buffet restaurant look lame. Happy people exchanging stories. Laughter filled the place. I'm sure it was sooooo fun!

Then bad news comes. Mary says to Jesus "They have no wine" (John 2:3). That's not just a problem. It's a major problem! A party with no wine is like being in a flying plane with no pilot.

But there is no need to fear because Jesus is here. Jesus gives instructions to the servants. He performs His first miracle. Water turns into wine. Not just ordinary wine but the best wine! The steward of the feast even compliments the bridegroom by saying "you have kept the good wine until now" (John 2:10).

Ano ba ang mensahe nito para sa atin?
That good & bad things will always happen in our lives. But if you want a miracle to happen you have to do two things.

1. Stay close to Jesus like what Mary did. Stay close to Jesus through prayer & bible study. Stay in Church, don't leave the Church.
2. Follow what Mary said to the servants. "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). Obey Jesus always.

That's the message I want to share today. You are called to STAY & OBEY. THEN WAIT FOR GOD'S MIRACLE TO HAPPEN.

Let's go back to my opening story. I asked my daughter send me picture of her broken glass plaque. I looked at the pic. The plaque's body broke off from the base & the edges were chipped. I realized that the damage will not affect the recognition given by her school. No need to fret over this. Bale wala kung ayos o basag ang plaque. She's still a Dean's Lister!
"Oks lang yan anak. Loctite o glue lang katapat nyan. Ano gusto mong reward? Celebrate tayo bukas!"

I pray that this post inspires you to STAY & OBEY. May you have a blessed week! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

“SAN KA PA?"

a personal reflection on Mark 1:29-39

Jesus was simply awesome in today's Gospel.

He provides instant healing to the mother-in-law of Peter (Mark 1:31). He cures "many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons" (Mark 1:34).

But wait there's more! Because if you will jump to the verses before the Gospel He was already at work. He taught & “the people were astonished at his teaching" (Mark 1:22). He met a man with an unclean spirit & ordered the spirit to come out. The evil spirit followed so the people "were amazed” (Mark 1:22) that "He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” (Mark 1:27).

Then early the following day, HE "he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:15).

So in less than a day this God-Man Jesus taught, healed all types of illness & cast out spirits. He brought comfort to a lot of people. He made a positive change to many in such a short time frame. MARAMING NAGAWA SI HESUS SA LOOB NG BENTE KUATRO ORAS. Can you imagine how much positive change He can make in the whole duration of your life?

SAAN KA PA? Don't look for any other hero. Jesus is the best! Allow Him to invade your life now! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

"I" ALWAYS COMES FIRST BEFORE "U"

a personal reflection on Luke 3:15-16,21-22

Mali po. Sa alphabet applicable yan, but for people it should not. Pero ang mundo natin masyadong self-centric. It's always about "ME", "I" or "MINE". This makes us think we are superior than others. The Gospel today teaches us the opposite. It's all about humility. It's all about not thinking that you are better than others.

• John the Baptist corrected the people when they thought he was the Christ. "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke 3:16).
• Jesus did not need to be baptized but "when all the people were baptized" then "Jesus also had been baptized" (Luke 3:21). The baptism of Jesus was not for His own benefit, but meant for ours. Maybe Jesus wants to show us what humility is all about.

Humility is so hard to find nowadays. But humility allows us to love others more. So instead of following what the world teaches, practice what John the Baptist & Jesus does. If you want more examples look at the lives of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa & Pope Francis. They prioritized others, especially those who had less. Their actions preached the concept of "the last will be first, and the first last." (Matthew 20:16). That's how we should live or lives!

Being humble is not a weakness. It's about knowing that we are all equal in the eyes of God. May we always think about others first before we worry about our own concerns. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

NAPUPUNO KA NA BA SA ATING MGA PINUNO?

I personally do. What can we do? Bash them in social media. Spread hatred about them. How about praying for them? Hah, what? May pag-asa pa ba siya o sila na magbago?

St. Paul says that we should pray for everyone. “I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity” - 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Jesus, in today’s Gospel (Mark 6:45-52), shows us what a good leader is. Let’s pray that our current & incoming leaders, especially in government, will possess these traits.

1. LAST MAN OUT. The VIP feeling leader usually arrives late & leaves early. He lets his minions arrive early to prepare for his grand entrance then he lets them stay behind to clean up. That’s not what Jesus does. In Mark 6:45-52 it says that "Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Beth-sa'ida, while he dismissed the crowd.” Jesus lets the team leave ahead of HIM while HE handles the last minute business with the audience. That’s a true leader!
2. PRAYER. "And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). A true leader knows that he has weaknesses so he allows God to fill in those areas. King Solomon prayed to God for wisdom so that he may rule God's people well. Always look for a leader that prays.
3. REMOVES FEAR & GIVES ASSURANCE. Some leaders do the opposite. They give fear & remove all forms of assurance. Jesus is the true leader because when the apostles were fearful HE says to them "Take heart, it is I; have no fear" (Mark 6:50). A true leader should make you feel safe.
4. JOINS YOU IN THE BATTLEFIELD. Some leaders send their army in the battlefield & waits for them to return. That is if they are lucky to be alive after the war 🙂 . True leaders join their team. Jesus "he got into the boat with them” (Mark 6:51). HE could easily snap HIS finger from a distant to calm the waves. Instead, HE joins them in the boat despite the threat of the raging waves.
5. BRINGS PEACE. Mark 6:51 says that "the wind ceased” when Jesus got in the boat. A true leader brings peace & harmony not hate & war. A leader brings peace because the people knows that HE loves & cares for them. Does your leader actions bring unity or disunity?

We need to voice out our concerns about our leaders’ actions & words. Hopefully they listen & change. But more importantly, we need to pray for them no matter how difficult it seems. They need God’s guidance as much as we do.

Lastly, Jesus is the best leader you can have. HE should be leading your life, every area of it. Did you already surrender your life to HIM? - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

TRUE CHANGE IS COMING

a personal reflection on Matthew 2:1-12

Paano ba ang tamang paraan para tunay na magbago? Tingnan natin ang ginawa ng 3 hari o pantas.

• They LOOKED. "WHERE IS HE who has been born king of the Jews?" - Matthew 2:2
• They FOLLOWED. "behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was." - Matthew 2:9
• They HONORED & OFFERED. "they fell down and WORSHIPED HIM. Then, opening their treasures, they OFFERED HIM gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." - Matthew 2:11
• They CHANGED. "they departed to their own country BY ANOTHER WAY" - Matthew 2:12

TRUE CHANGE IS COMING IF YOU FIND & FOLLOW THE KING.

That is the Jesus effect! You have to LOOK for HIM in everything you do, you have to FOLLOW ALL HIS teachings, you will WORSHIP & OFFER YOUR LIFE to GOD then TRUE CHANGE happens. May you have a blessed week FB friends! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

"ANG HINA NAMAN NG DIYOS MO!"

Why would a powerful & mighty God allow HIMSELF to be crucified & killed on a wooden cross?

Good question. Ang tunay na Diyos kayang-kaya tirahin ng kidlat lahat ng ayaw sa Kanya di ba? Pwede naman. Pero hindi dahil kaya Niyang gawin e gagawin na Niya?

Nakanood ka na ba ng action movie tapos parang ayaw mo iyong ginawa ng bida? Ang mga comments mo ganito - “dapat binaril na agad iyong kalaban!”, “bakit di pa niya pinatay habang malakas pa siya?” o kaya “kung ako ang bida, ganito gagawin ko...”
Ang dami nating comments. Parang mas marunong pa tayo sa scriptwriter at sa direktor. 🙂

Well, that’s not how we should treat God. We cannot tell God what HE should have done. We cannot impose our own will on God. Let’s go back to the question - Is God weak because HE allowed a weak bunch of humans to kill HIM on the cross? HINDI PO.

God chose to DIE so that you & I may LIVE! God died so that all of us L-I-V-E-S.

• “L"-OVE. God chose to die because HE loves us. That is the first & most important truth that we have to understand. John 3:16 says that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life”. Wala ka pang ginagawa, mahal ka na Niya. God does not wait for you to be perfect & holy before HE loves you. In fact, "God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8). How should we react to God’s love? Simple lang, allow God to love you. We don’t allow God to love us because we are afraid. We fear that God’s awesome love will change us. We don’t want to change for the better because we have to drop those things that are pleasurable for us. Don’t be fearful? Just accept God’s love because “there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). CHRIST DIED SO THAT YOU MAY ACCEPT HIS LOVE.
• “I”- SINNED. We continue to sin despite God's love for us. This is why God "sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). KAMATAYAN ANG KAPALIT NG ATING KASALANAN. The bible says "that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Let's stop the blame game. We cannot completely blame Judas, Pilate, the un-fair trial court or the cruel Roman soldiers for the death of Jesus. The truth is we crucify God every time we sinned. Hebrews 6:6 says that every time we don’t follow God (commit apostasy), we "crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” We also cannot put all the blame to the devil when we sinned. St. Francis of Assisi says "Nor did demons crucify Him; it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins”. Kaya magpakatotoo na tayo. We need to be accountable. We cannot justify our wrong actions by blaming others for our sins. Let’s be humble & admit that our weakness makes us sin. This is why we need God’s Holy Spirit in our lives. CHRIST DIED SO THAT YOU MAY LEARN TO REJECT SIN.
• “V"-ALUABLE. In God's eyes YOU are the most valuable creation! You may not believe it but God does. "Sa lahat ng ginawa ko na mali may value pa ba ako?" Of course! Because your true worth does not diminish regardless of what you did it the past. I love the analogy of this truth to money. You may crumple a 1,000 Peso bill, step on it with your dirty shoes or draw a moustache on the Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim & Josefa Llanes Escoda but it does not lose value. It's still worth 1,000 Pesos! Ganyan ka din sa mata ng Diyos. You are so valuable that no amount of silver or gold is enough to pay for your freedom from sin. You were ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus. If you don’t believe me read 1 Peter 1:18-19 - "You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." CHRIST DIED BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY VALUABLE TO HIM.
• “E”-MPATHY is defined as the feeling where you understand another person’s experience or situation. Ganyan si Lord sa atin. God shows empathy to us by suffering with us. Jesus was betrayed by one of HIS apostles, one of them denied HIM, most of them left HIM, HE underwent torture, HE was falsely accused, HE was humiliated in front of multitude & HE died. We either experienced, is experiencing or will be experience suffering. But so did God. Jesus can look us straight in the eye & say “I know exactly how you feel”. What can we do with our suffering? OFFER IT UP FOR GOD’S GLORY. Colossians 1:24 says "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church”. CHRIST DIED TO SHOW YOU THAT GOD KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL BECAUSE HE HIMSELF SUFFERED.
• “S”-ET PLAN. This is all part of God’s mysterious plan to save us. Jesus was "delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you (man) killed, using lawless men to crucify him" (Acts 2:23). Matagal ng plano yan, Genesis pa lang. Genesis 3:15 says "I will put enmity between you and the woman, & between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Jesus did crush the serpent’s or the devil's head & was struck HIMSELF by the serpent when HE was crucified. St. Paul confirms this in Romans 16:20 "then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." This shows that God has been planning to save us right after our first parents sinned. CHRIST DIED TO FULFILL GOD'S PLAN TO SAVE YOU.

Now back to the question. Does God dying on the cross make HIM a weak god? DEFINITELY NOT. Dahil ang kamatayan ay hindi katapusan. We, Christians, believe that death is not the end but the separation of the soul from the physical body. God dying on the cross is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it is the complete opposite. It shows the POWER & STRENGTH of God. Without the death on the cross, there will be no resurrection. God completely showed HIS POWER by rising back to life on the third day. Is that weakness or is the strength?

Our faith is based on Jesus’ resurrection because "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14).

Friends, when someone tells you that your God is weak because HE died, simply smile back & reply with “Ok, I will agree with you. But show me first that you can rise from the dead by your own power” 😉 Have a blessed day! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

SINUKA or SINO KA?

The priest & the Levites asked John the Baptist, “Who are you?” (John 1:19). 

Why not ask yourself the same question - “Who are you?”. Because most of the time we forget. We think we are just meant:

1. To find the one & be happily married to that person. Pero bakit single ka din? Or you can’t seem fix your marriage?
2. To be successful in our chosen field. Pero naka-ilang lipat ka na ng trabaho at parang walang nangyayari.
3. To be part of Forbes Richest Person list. Kapag may ipon ka na may lalapit at nangangailangan ng tulong mo. Back to zero ang ipon.
4. To be a powerful man followed by the multitudes. Pero kahit aso mo ayaw sumunod sa iyo ☺

You try your best to achieve any of the above but you fail. Galit yata ang mundo sa akin. Ang tanong mo sa sarili “SINUKA na ba ako ng mundo?”

Don’t be frustrated. There is nothing wrong with getting married, becoming successful or aiming to be rich. But you were meant for something bigger.

"as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will"- Ephesians 1:4-5

Sino ka?

You were CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE HOLY & ADOPTED BY THE ETERNAL ONE. That is who you are! #RiseUp, Start your day with that belief & start blessing the world. –alvinfabella@yahoo.com

NANAY, TATAY, GUSTO KONG TINAPAY

a personal reflection on Luke 2:41-52 (Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

"ate, kuya...."

Teka, huwag mo muna ituloy ang pagkanta. Instead, let's reflect first on today's Feast of the Holy Family. This is an important feast because if we want a BETTER WORLD then we need BETTER FAMILIES. Ano ba ang pwede natin matutunan sa banal na pamilyang ito? Let's take a closer look at each of them.

1. Unahin natin si "NANAY". Mary was given a very BIG assignment. The angel told her that she would be the mother of the Savior. She would carry God in her womb. That was a HUGE, BIG, HUMONGOUS, MEGA, UPSIZE role! And Mary had a CHOICE. She could respectfully say "No" to the angel. But instead, Mary CHOSE THE LORD & says - "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
2. Si "TATAY" naman. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant he had CHOICES. He could (A) bring her to court & divorce her publicly or (B) divorce her quietly so that she may be free from shame. Then the angel told him in a dream that "which is conceived in her (Mary) is of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20). That revelation gave Joseph a third option (C) which was to do "as the angel of the Lord commanded him" (Matthew 1:24). Joseph chose "C". He chose “C"-HRIST & took Mary as his wife.
3. Sino naman ang "TINAPAY"? It's the One who says "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). Sorry pilit ba 🙂. Jesus is the third member of the Holy Family. In today's Gospel, the child Jesus was missing for 3 days but HE was later found in the temple. The anxious parents asked HIM why HE suddenly went AWOL. HE replied back - “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). The young Jesus had a CHOICE. HE could have stayed with HIS parents, go home safely & play with HIS friends. But HE chose to do HIS Father's will. Fast forward to 21 years after, Jesus had a CHOICE again. HE could back out from what the Father wanted HIM to do. HE prayed "My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me" (Matthew 26:39). HE could excuse HIMSELF from the un-fair court trial, the people's condemnation, the horrific torture, carrying of the heavy cross & the gruesome death. Yet, Jesus CHOSE GOD'S WILL & prayed "nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).

Mary, Joseph & Jesus are the perfect examples of what a Christian is. They also show us what a family should be like. One thing they have in common is they ALWAYS CHOOSE GOD. Mahirap sumunod sa Diyos pero dapat natin gawin dahil tayo din ay pinili ng Diyos.

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I CHOSE you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." - John 15:19

Wala naman masama kung ang goal mo sa bagong taon ay mag diet, magka-ipon, magka-bahay o ma-promote sa trabaho. But before all these, may we PUT GOD FIRST this 2019! Be like Jesus, Joseph & Mary. Make your decisions holy by putting God first!

Happy new year FB Friends & may 2019 bring you a step closer to becoming a Saint!! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

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