FOUND! SORT! (First Anniversary Post)

July 24, 2011

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1K 3,5.7-12 . Rm 8,28-30

Mt 13,44-52

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Throughout the past weeks, Jesus is showing us the Kingdom of God hidden in Parables. Just when we realize the Kingdom of Heaven is like the heaven of our desires, Jesus shows us otherwise. It takes a lot of understanding and child-like humility for us to know what in reality is the Kingdom that God prepared for us.

Just like what we have for this Shabat (Day of Rest). Jesus shows the Kingdom's glory in four parables, which in first hearing may make our minds tickle. 


Though Heaven is a good place, it is still hard to reach. We may or may not reach it come the proper time. It depends upon us. That's where the parables enter, for some it may be a mind-teaser, but for those blessed with the proper knowledge it comes as an aid to a holy life.

FOUND!

If ever we find something significant, we feel glad and joyful. Parang taong-bundok, ipinagsisigawan pa natin na first time lang nating makakita ng ganitong kahalagang bagay. And if ever it is given to us, we use the best of our ability to take care of it, and never let it lost or scratched even a bit. That's how important things are to us; we consider them significant. 

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field... Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls... They find it... sell everything... and buys it.

This should also be our attitude towards the Kingdom of Heaven which, like the pearl of great price and the treasure buried in the field, is never seen easily, but when found would bring so much joy to the believer to the point that he would sell everything he have just to get possession of these essential treasure. As for us, we see God and the Kingdom of Heaven everyday. We see God not only in our everyday encounters. We do not see God only in the Divine Word. We see God most of all in the Holy Eucharist. 

The Holy Mass is the great manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. Imagine Jesus, in all his splendor, shown to us beneath the veil of the Host. This is the real taste of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the chance for us to be with God and mingle with him in the Heavenly Kingdom. The modern world disregard him, but truly blessed are those who encounter Jesus in Holy Communion and enjoy the moment with him in the Sacred Mysteries.

We always have Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. We have the foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven in our everyday life. Do we still feel the gladness and immense joy every time we find the treasure which would lead us to life?

SORT!

Madalas kasi, pag naririnig natin ang salitang Kaharian ng Diyos, sinasabi ng ilan, Weeh... Langit? Naku, hinding-hindi ko mararating yan! Para lang yan sa mga taong-simbahan. We do not even take measures to reach it and so to enjoy having eternal life. 


Now, that's where Jesus' words enter. The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

We hope that upon the day of Judgement, God would call all the righteous to his bosom, so as to enjoy the bliss of being one with Him. Those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified. (Second Reading) But being Christians saved by the Blood of the Lamb in the Cross, we are given a life-long task to do everything good and everything holy and do it while the sun is still around for us. We do not just hope, we do not just pray, we also work our way to Heaven! 

And if we are not able to work our way to Heaven, we must remember that at the end, we shall be sorted according to our lives. If you lived it good, welcome to the Kingdom! If you have lived it bad, then go down there and suffer.

We ask ourselves at this point, Are we able to live according to our Christian Identity, and work our way to Heaven?

Finally, Jesus tells us, Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old. If we are able to find God in each day, and catch the underlying message of God as he passes by our life, then most certainly we may be able to gradually take off our old selves - selves full of sin and selfishness - and take in our selves a new garment - the garment of humility, light and salvation. 

I mean, let's face it! We are not only Christians by name. We have our whole life as a mission to live by our real identity. Prayers are not only enough for us to enter God's Kingdom. Most of all, we need a lot of good works to be worthy enough of the treasure we may find in the barren field. God comes to us in every moment of our day, as I said, but we must also be sensitive enough to these moments, and respond with whole sanctity.

And so, when we have FOUND the Kingdom of Heaven in our everyday life, let us turn to God in thanksgiving, and ask his grace for us to SORT everything in our life for the Kingdom to be worthy of living in us. Let us work more for the treasure we may have FOUND, or else, we shall be SORTed at the end of the day.

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Ur Sunday Dose Logo, used in 2010

Sa isang taon na pagbabahagi ng pagninilay, aking nabatid

Ang kahirapan ng pakikipag-niigan sa Salita na Banal.

Gayunpaman, ako'y nagpapasalamat sa Poong Dakila't Matuwid

Sa kanyang iginawad na karunungan, katatagan at pagmamahal.

Gayundin, sa inyo, mga mahal na mambabasa,

Aking lubos na pagpapasalamat sa lahat ng suporta.

Buhay kayo ng blogsite na ito; sa inyong ibinahaging tiwala,

Ang inyong patuloy na pagbabasa, sa aki'y ganap na ligaya.

I would never praise myself for all of these;

To God be the fitting glory, honor and praise.

His Word is for all of us a DOSE of life and holiness,

So to him be all kudos now and always!