January 9, 2011 - The Baptism of Jesus – Rev Fr Mario Rivera
Baptism – removes stain/ shame of our inherited original Sin, from Adam and Eve.
- heals the wound , removes the wound of sin.
- indelible mark, will never be erased, it is your IDENTIFICATION in Gods kingdom.
Ex. A father whose been sentenced to prison not only will bear alone the stain and shame of his sin but all his children will bear the shame and teasing.
Genesis 3;16-19
16
To the woman he said: "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing; in pain shall you bring forth children. Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."
17
To the man he said: "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat, "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.
18
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you, as you eat of the plants of the field.
19
By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt, and to dirt you shall return."
We still are bearing the brunt of our first parents sin.
John didn’t want to baptize Jesus, Jesus was without Sin, God became Man.
Jesus submitted to being baptized fulfill scripture, to shoulder our sin, and to ensure our acceptance in the Kingdom of God.
- The beauty of our lives reflect the beauty of God
- we need to be dignified
- We are a child of God , You are a dignified person, Live as a child of God!
- You are Baptized, it is an indelible mark! it will never disappear, will never be erased.
even if in a moment error you change religion, being baptized Catholic, you need not get another Baptism, and upon Gods grace you go back to being Catholic, you need not have another baptism , but to go to Confession and to recite the Apostles Creed.
When we were baptized we became Gods children and we have dignity and being His children, we have this inheritance, Eternal Life.
Ex. Inheritance, when informed in advance we do plan ahead what we will do with it, how we will spend it.
The same way with Eternal Life, we should plan for it! If your doing wrong here how can you claim a place in heaven.
1.) Whats your date of Baptism? We celebrate our birthdays ,but why not our birth in Gods Kingdom
2.) Importance of giving a Christian Name in Baptism – choose Christian Names , Saints names those who led an exemplary Christian Life.
We are reminded this words:
Mat 3:17
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
You are dignified person , LIVE as a child of God and May the Lord be pleased
A Catholic Donkeys continuing JOURNEY.. Dear Jesus,you have made me be your little donkey. Please don’t leave me and I will stay with You always. Lead me, tightly harnessed by Your grace: You have led me by the halter; make me do Your Will. And so I will love you for ever and ever — The Forge, 381~ ST JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
FEAST OF THE 3 WISE MEN by REV FR MARIO P. RIVERA
Traditionally the end of Christmas is the Epiphany , the Feast of the 3 kings or The 3 wise men, or the 12th day After Christmas,( Christmas ends on February 2 - Baptism of Jesus)The Three wise men came out to search the newly born king and give homage by giving gifts.
When you give gifts you are wise, because you follow the example of the 3 wise men, when we give we think of what the appropriate gift to give the one we will give it to. As for the wise men gifts they brought were;
GOLD – Royalty, during Jesus time was the most precious metal, if you have an abundance of it means your wealthy, respectable and it is worthy of KINGS ,it represents the Divinity of Christ.
in the Old Testament – the Temple was made with Gold, hence was called the House of GOLD, why because Gold represents the power and majesty of GOD.
We cant offer Him gold but we can offer Him loyalty, because he is God, can people see that God is God and God is Divine, can people see your loyalty? through your actions? In your beliefs? That Jesus is Divine
If we have had doubts in our life and faith , time to offer ourselves to God , that we are an offering to God , we exist to glorify God and to be of service to our fellowmen, how we treat and serve others is how we treat and serve Jesus
we can only glorify Him if we believe and accept Him as God, Are you loyal to Christ ?? if you are then your like GOLD .
Frankincense – used to worship God in prayer, the smoke represents our prayers going to the heaven. DO we worship God, do we prove we worship God in words? in thought? in words?
Example; chain letters, chain mails, chain text – ignore! Our belief our faith should be based on love not on FEAR. God does not threaten us to do things
Example , Astrology, horoscopes, why base your life here?
(3 wisemen were Astronomers- study of the heavenly bodies the movement to the starts not Astrology, study of the stars in connection with man and human activities.
Superstitions - Year of the Rabbit, we are not Chinese, we are created better than animals, why then base on animals
Ang taong nagtitiwala ay pinagpapala, ang taong walang tiwala ay di pinagpapala
The 3 wise were trying to find Jesus, patient. Wag maging kuripot sa Diyos
Myrhh – for curing wounds and embalming, acknowledges the humanity of Jesus
We are human and vulnerable to pain , we abhor and don’t want pain, it’s not right to ask and say God take me specially if we are sick, and it’s a sin to say when a family member is ill to say Lord take him/ her to end his suffering, we should offer our suffering for the benefit of others, to ask God to use it as an offering to help others. Participation in Gods suffering, a purging, .. we suffer because we are no superheroes, We need to accept our humanity!. Tao ka
Being human were succeptible to pain, suffering, and everytime we do suffer, let us offer it to God.
3 wise men offered gifts to God, these gifts to Jesus a reminder ,
Pag mamahal sa iyo ng Diyos, let manifest our love for god and men and the very esse3nce of our life is to glorigy God and be of service to humanity.
When you give gifts you are wise, because you follow the example of the 3 wise men, when we give we think of what the appropriate gift to give the one we will give it to. As for the wise men gifts they brought were;
GOLD – Royalty, during Jesus time was the most precious metal, if you have an abundance of it means your wealthy, respectable and it is worthy of KINGS ,it represents the Divinity of Christ.
in the Old Testament – the Temple was made with Gold, hence was called the House of GOLD, why because Gold represents the power and majesty of GOD.
We cant offer Him gold but we can offer Him loyalty, because he is God, can people see that God is God and God is Divine, can people see your loyalty? through your actions? In your beliefs? That Jesus is Divine
If we have had doubts in our life and faith , time to offer ourselves to God , that we are an offering to God , we exist to glorify God and to be of service to our fellowmen, how we treat and serve others is how we treat and serve Jesus
we can only glorify Him if we believe and accept Him as God, Are you loyal to Christ ?? if you are then your like GOLD .
Frankincense – used to worship God in prayer, the smoke represents our prayers going to the heaven. DO we worship God, do we prove we worship God in words? in thought? in words?
Example; chain letters, chain mails, chain text – ignore! Our belief our faith should be based on love not on FEAR. God does not threaten us to do things
Example , Astrology, horoscopes, why base your life here?
(3 wisemen were Astronomers- study of the heavenly bodies the movement to the starts not Astrology, study of the stars in connection with man and human activities.
Superstitions - Year of the Rabbit, we are not Chinese, we are created better than animals, why then base on animals
Ang taong nagtitiwala ay pinagpapala, ang taong walang tiwala ay di pinagpapala
The 3 wise were trying to find Jesus, patient. Wag maging kuripot sa Diyos
Myrhh – for curing wounds and embalming, acknowledges the humanity of Jesus
We are human and vulnerable to pain , we abhor and don’t want pain, it’s not right to ask and say God take me specially if we are sick, and it’s a sin to say when a family member is ill to say Lord take him/ her to end his suffering, we should offer our suffering for the benefit of others, to ask God to use it as an offering to help others. Participation in Gods suffering, a purging, .. we suffer because we are no superheroes, We need to accept our humanity!. Tao ka
Being human were succeptible to pain, suffering, and everytime we do suffer, let us offer it to God.
3 wise men offered gifts to God, these gifts to Jesus a reminder ,
Pag mamahal sa iyo ng Diyos, let manifest our love for god and men and the very esse3nce of our life is to glorigy God and be of service to humanity.
January 1 – NEW YEARS DAY
A reflective start...new year, new begginings, redirection...
Feast Day of Mary the Mother of God- by Rev FR MARIO P. RIVERA
1.DESIGN A LIFE – what do u want out of your life, what are your plans for your life? what do you still want to happen in your life? if u have a design, a plan in your head youll do everything to achieve that.
God made you and gave you your life, so make it useful! everything you do good or bad affects the people around you whether you realize it or not.
" If u think you can, your right, if you think you cant, your also right" – WINSTON CHURCHILL. It matters what you think you can do.
To achieve your dreams How? start with positive thinking – all things will be easier. NO excuses. Write it plot it,then just do it.
2. PRIORITIZE – WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE?? putting into order the hierarchy of values you have,
why do u work ? for what ? why?
When what we do equivalents NO TIME for the people/reason we do things for ... then
we may have to re-organize our priorities.
So what are your priorities, LIST IT, the time is now! All we do affects others, attitudes affect others.
3. PUT THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN FRONT
Today is the Feast of the MOther of GOd, what better way than to look up to her for example, for help, for guidance, often times to keep the peace in our conversations specially with those whose beliefs and religions are different from us we refrain from talking about her, we are ashamed to talk about her, were afraid to rock the boat, we hide her, we hide our love for her, to think that we should be proud of her ,
to think that the next most important person in the NEW TESTAMENT aside from JESUS is the Blessed Mary, we should be ashamed in hiding our love for her, One of the best best gifts God gave us is the Blessed Mary.
As for those who do not believe in her who contest Catholics belief for her, we can only say that : we have the received the very best gift from God that you don’t have and that’s the blessed Mary,
a Mom who loves us, pacifies us , helps us, consoles us, who helps be our bridge,a mom who only almost always wants whats good for us, our greatest intercessor, and will always be there for us too til the last day.
Be the change you wish to see in this world!
what i learned:
design my life, plan, make no excuses in implementing it,prioritize, to not forget Mama MAry is there for me, and that in order not to be frustrated with how people bungle up things and when things dont go my way .. to try to be the change i wish to see in this world.
Feast Day of Mary the Mother of God- by Rev FR MARIO P. RIVERA
1.DESIGN A LIFE – what do u want out of your life, what are your plans for your life? what do you still want to happen in your life? if u have a design, a plan in your head youll do everything to achieve that.
God made you and gave you your life, so make it useful! everything you do good or bad affects the people around you whether you realize it or not.
" If u think you can, your right, if you think you cant, your also right" – WINSTON CHURCHILL. It matters what you think you can do.
To achieve your dreams How? start with positive thinking – all things will be easier. NO excuses. Write it plot it,then just do it.
2. PRIORITIZE – WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE?? putting into order the hierarchy of values you have,
why do u work ? for what ? why?
When what we do equivalents NO TIME for the people/reason we do things for ... then
we may have to re-organize our priorities.
So what are your priorities, LIST IT, the time is now! All we do affects others, attitudes affect others.
3. PUT THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IN FRONT
Today is the Feast of the MOther of GOd, what better way than to look up to her for example, for help, for guidance, often times to keep the peace in our conversations specially with those whose beliefs and religions are different from us we refrain from talking about her, we are ashamed to talk about her, were afraid to rock the boat, we hide her, we hide our love for her, to think that we should be proud of her ,
to think that the next most important person in the NEW TESTAMENT aside from JESUS is the Blessed Mary, we should be ashamed in hiding our love for her, One of the best best gifts God gave us is the Blessed Mary.
As for those who do not believe in her who contest Catholics belief for her, we can only say that : we have the received the very best gift from God that you don’t have and that’s the blessed Mary,
a Mom who loves us, pacifies us , helps us, consoles us, who helps be our bridge,a mom who only almost always wants whats good for us, our greatest intercessor, and will always be there for us too til the last day.
Be the change you wish to see in this world!
what i learned:
design my life, plan, make no excuses in implementing it,prioritize, to not forget Mama MAry is there for me, and that in order not to be frustrated with how people bungle up things and when things dont go my way .. to try to be the change i wish to see in this world.
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FORGIVENESS CORNER
this corner is for those who we want to forgive and those for whom we pray for forgiveness, let us ask Jesus to help us and open our hearts to forgiveness and forgiving. Look at the Cross and tell Jesus, Lord i want to forgive, im finding it hard to do so, help me. I chose to forgive and leave everything in Your loving hands.
