Never allow Words to Limit You!

Hi, are you saying you’re DEPRESSED?

It wouldn’t really help to lock yourself up inside your [dark] room!  Why not look around, open your heart and divert your focus? Do something than allow Google and those gadgets to limit your productivity.

LOOK INSIDE!  — literally, inside your room – you might need to clean up some more!        — your cabinet, your study table, your bedsides, those corners, the under-bed — you might need to organize some more to give yourself the real “peace of mind” that you deserve. Get rid of those clutters that are adding up to create a clouded mind.  Go, get up & move, do yourself that big favor!

LOOK WITHIN! — literally, within the bounds of your home – there might be some tasks that are waiting for someone’s initiative since you might not have some helper and your mom just can’t do everything on her own.  Remember that being part of A HOME, you should take responsibility — not only on the basic chores.  There might be some areas in your home that might need your creative touches to get organized and spic and  span: in the den, or in the receiving area, or under the stairs, or in the powder room, or in the kitchen like the kitchen cabinets and lavatories, or in the garden, or might be in the garage too. Go, give out some willing amount of volunteerism, it will bless you more!

LOOK OUTSIDE!  — yes, literally outside the four corners of your room and of the ceilings and walls of your house! — you might need to see THE REALITY of how other people are living out a normal life OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONEs.

— out there, you will see how people are striving to walk from their house and get some ride with smile on their faces; some on a rush maybe, but you   will see how determined they are despite not having as yet the comforts of the car that would bring them where they have to make a living;

— out there, you will see how simple things are giving joy to people with simple           needs and you will be amazed at how thankful they are beyond happiness;

— out there, you will see how people are coping with some discomforts, yet they can manage to survive the day, simply grateful that they did.

— out there, you will see some sick people whose only choice is to HAVE A  LIFE, without allowing their illness to control how they should LIVE A LIFE TO THE            FULLEST. Go, do some observing, God brings significant messages through the people around us, it would help you a lot if you will strive to find God’s silent messages from the stories of those “others” whom you should find “significant” in one way or another or in any other way around.

Then, LOOK UP! — with your heart this time!

You need to see that God is just gazing at how you’re living your life right now.  You need to feel that God is quite sad that you’re not enjoying life as you should.  You need to hear God’s silent messages to you, through the closest people around you. Your humility to “listen with your heart” is all that it takes to discover and realize what those heartfelt messages are yearning to convey.

Pwede ka namang maglambing – it’s the simplest humility that you can extend even without saying a word. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all when we intend to just be meek and detach from our pride.

Sometimes, you’re just saying that you’re depressed – But the truth of the matter, alam mo kung ano? — Partly, it’s just your justifications that give you that kind of feeling.

Fact is, you just need to decide to be modest to look within, look around, look outside and finally look up, for you to realize that there are more to life than being limited by what words are dictating on you.

Have the will to LIVE OUT YOUR PURPOSE without being controlled by whatever situation you’re into. You can always prove that your will is bigger than your usual weakness.

You may BREATHE, yes tama ka, just breathe – but strive to find the right environment to breathe in.  Some places might be contaminated for you to get the right air kaya you still find it difficult to breathe; ‘di ka pa din makahinga like you wanted to — kasi, you need to humbly accept na meron ka pang mas dapat gawin kesa sa mas pinipili mong gawin as of now.

You’ve got to remember and recognize that “Blessings are to come and FLOW if you will first mend what you need to settle most importantly!

So what’s my point, my dear?  You’re not actually depressed — you are just being limited by the word itself.  Tell yourself you’re not, and you won’t be!

Take it from one who’s declaring that cancer is limited – and so it is!

 

 

 

 

 

We Should be Imperfectly Mutual!

5^th Sunday of Easter

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Jn 15:1-8

“The vinedresser must carefully prune the vine before it can bear good fruit.”

As parents, masarap sigurong marinig sa mga anak natin na sabihin nilang: 

“Dad, Mom, you did a good job in me!”

Minsan kasi, isa sa mga worries nating mga parents ‘yong “feeling natin, parang hindi pa natin nagagawa yong gusto pa sana nating gawin; … yong habang binibigay mo yong best mo, you’re still worried if you have already done what God told you to do.”

But then, sometimes too, we’re asking ourselves, “what should it take for parents to do a job well?” – is it just fair to also expect our children to do their piece of the job as well?

Minsan din kasi, as parents, we’re quite being harsh on ourselves na “akuin ang lahat ng pagkukulang” when brokenness in the family perseveres; while on the other hand, as children, we’re also unfair to point our fingers to our parents when things don’t work well.

Today’s gospel is reminding us a SIMPLE TRUTH:

The Lord promises that we will bear much fruit

if we abide in Him and allow Him to purify us.

This means that, as much as parents are striving to abide by God in performing their duties to their family, the children should also listen and cooperate with their parents in making their family imperfectly beautiful.

Just as what God wants, parents would also want each child to learn what’s more important in life. Sometimes there’s no easy way to understand that we have to sacrifice certain things for our family – but it is always grand when we learn to be humble in LISTENING with our HEART.

For, in the end, our humility to strive to understand and be in unity with our family will bring us the abundance that we hope to enjoy in life — over any material things that we cannot really keep for long.   #sunset

 

*this article is published as Gospel Reflection in The Feast San Lorenzo Bulletin

  Issue #20. 29 April 2018

“True Character is who you are and what you do — even when no one is watching you!”

If Jesus Can, Why Can’t We?

5th Sunday of Lent. Pls Read God’s Silent Message: JN 12:20-33

 

Are there people in your life that have hurt you and you have not yet forgiven?

Yong mga taong kinakasamaan mo ng loob kasi ang sabi mo nasaktan ka nila …

Yong mga taong sabi mo nakasakit sayo kaya nagalit ka sa kanila …

Pero ang tanong Friend … nalaman kaya nila na sumama loob mo sa kanila?

Nalaman kaya nila kung bakit at kung ano ang iyong ikinagalit?

And kung nalaman man nila, napag-usapan nyo po kaya ng tama where to draw the line of reconciliation?

Hanggang kailan ka po kaya magagalit?  Hanggang kailan hindi magagawang magpapatawad?

Just some of the questions we could reflect on. Sometimes it’s not really all about them – but about nobody than US!

Minsan kasi, kailangan din nating masaktan para maisip natin kung kailan din natin hindi sinasadyang makapanakit. Stories always have two sides of the coin. Supposedly, when we commit, we admit; when we omit, we submit! – but in reality, when one commits mistake & omits to ask for forgiveness, we normally judge & condemn – sacrificing the relationship to death.

Pero alam mo friend, what makes us uneasy to forgive is the fact that the real enemy that Jesus came to overcome was Satan who tempts the human race to create their own destiny through sinful pride and disobedience. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains alone. But if it dies, it will bear much fruit.”  – John 12.24

Only when the seed is destroyed by burying it in the ground, can it rise to new life and bear fruit. What it means is that, sometimes we have to die to our self-satisfaction of justifying why we’re mad.

If Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross to set us free from destruction, why can we not give up our pride and futility?

Friend, ayaw ni God na laging mabigat ang pakiramdam mo dahil galit ka dahil sa pagkukulang ng iba!

God has been striving to bring us into an inseparable bond of love & unity with Him. Only if we would be one with God would we be able to “free others from our unforgiveness” – then it would eventually free us to extend more love and bear much fruit of encouraging relationships! #sunset

 

published in The Feast San Lorenzo Weekly Bulletin. Issue #15. 18 March 2018. UNLEASHED Series. Talk 3: Freeing Yourself.

 

 

Its Time to Free Yourself

What is your picture of God in you?

Today at The Feast San Lorenzo, we realized that our merciful God does not want us to be the greatest punisher of our self because of our mistakes in the past.

Friend, pwede tayong maglambing kay God by confessing our sins so that we can free ourself from the shadows of our own unforgiveness. Minsan kasi ang yabang natin, we keep on running away from God’s love kaya we dont get what we deserve; instead, we get what we think we deserve because of the guilt that we have in our heart kasi we do not humbly confess to God kung saan tayo nagkamali. We also do not forgive ourself the way God wants us to kasi sometimes our disorientations are being mixed up, specially when we are already guilty.

God has that magic detergent that would wash away our sins which is called “forgiveness!” Out of His great love, He is telling us now that WE HAVE NOTHING TO PAY — for there at the cross, He already paid for our sins.

Kaya friend, wag na tayong pakipot, let’s free ourselves na from that thing that has been punishing us for the longest time! God loves us so much that He wants us to change our picture of Him in our life. Let us forgive ourself because God has already forgiven us. 🙂

That time we change our picture of God,

Would be the moment we will appreciate and enjoy God’s love. God will protect us from any sort of dirt in pir life and asure us that WE HAVE NOTHING TO PAY because He loves us unconditionally.

#youareloved #cometogether #thefeastsanlorenzo #unleashed #freeingself

“We Can Still Align”: The Antidote to Future Regrets

 2^nd Sunday of Lent

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mk 9:2–10

 

Hello, MILLENIALS!

Have you heard some at your age, with these lines?

“Sana pala, I didn’t give in that much, di sana ako na-broken hearted!

Sana pala, I didn’t keep secrets from my parents, na-guide sana ako!

Sana pala, di ako nagmadali, na-enjoy ko pa sana ang pagka-bata ko!

Sana pala, nakinig ako, di sana …”

 

Guess what, would you know that your parents share the same sentiments with you

“Kung sana lang nasabihan namin sya, di sana sya nasasaktan ngayon!

Kung sana lang nalaman namin, di naman nya kailangang maramdamang mag-isa sya!

Kung sala lang di kami na-awkward na masabihang stage parents, we could have enjoyed TIMES TOGETHER!

Kung sana lang, nakinig sya at napakinggan namin sya, di sana…”

 

Ang daming “sana”, ang daming time na parang nasayang na!

If dadating ka sa point na parang kulang na ‘yong time, saka mo lang masasabi sa sarili mo:

“Sayang, ‘di sana ako naghesitate na tingnan ang dapat kong makita,

‘di sana ako nagdalawang isip na sabihin ‘yong dapat kong sabihin;

naging humble sana akong ipakita at iparamdam na kailangan ko ng tulong;

kailangan kong maramdamang di ako nag-iisa.”

 

Millenials and “Me-linya” … come to think of it, “to each his own!” … sometimes, we just don’t realize and recognize that we both share the same sentiments towards each other in the so-called “generational gap.”

Madalas kesa minsan, we fail to make “both ends meet” kasi we are focused on our own emotions and expectations.

Today’s Gospel is reminding us to be spiritually awake and not miss God’s glory in action:

“The Lord Jesus not only wants us to see His glory –

He wants to share this glory with us.

And Jesus shows us the way to the Father’s glory: follow me – obey my words – take the path I have chosen for you and you will receive the blessings of my Father’s kingdom – your name will be written in heaven.”

We would miss God’s glory and action if we wouldn’t strive to obey “as children” and submit to the path that God has chosen for us “as parents.” The Antidote to future regret is to align as parents & child NOW!  

Life is too short, we should maximize time, appreciating and enjoying “having each other” while we still have all the opportunity to “make things up with each other”. #sunset

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Article published in: The Feast San Lorenzo Bulletin. Issue #12. 25 February 2018. The Light of Jesus Family in San Lorenzo, Sta Rosa, Laguna. The Feast San Lorenzo

Your Cross is a Symbol of Life

Are you having difficult time right now?  Do you feel that you’re carrying a cross at this point in time? 

Don’t feel too low Dear Friend, God can transform your difficulties to grace!  

In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenged His disciples to collaborate with His mission by carrying their cross. 

In our life, we too are called to carry our cross and to follow Jesus. 

That cross which is a symbol of life and of our being saved. 

“We will not die forever bec we do not belong to death, we belong to God.” — Fr. Erwin dela Cruz

The call is for us to keep on trusting our God — for if we do, nothing could keep us apart from Him. 

Walang pagsubok at paghihirap na hindi natin kayang paglabanan because our weapon is the ressureccion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Paying this forward, to you dear friend,  as inspired by Fr. Erwin Dela Cruz’s homily during the Mass @ The Feast SM Sta Rosa this morning, July 2, 2017. 

Photo credits: Earl Pascua, The Feast SM Sta Rosa

Every Mess could be a Masterpiece

Sometimes you need to “just be you” with that pure heart.

All that it takes for us to come up with something beautiful out of any mess is that heart that appreciates. Our perspective would matter a lot. The way we look at things will always make the difference. And because we’re just as grateful for the gift of time, every bit of effort will always be significant.

All that it takes for us to come up with something beautiful out of any mess is that heart that appreciates. Our perspective would matter a lot. The way we look at things will always make the difference. And because we’re just as grateful for the gift of time, every bit of effort will always be significant.

Source: Every Mess could be a Masterpiece

A Mom’s Big WHY.

Source: A Mom’s Big WHY.

About

When you’re just as grateful for the Gift of Time …

Source: About

You Can Heal Your Own Wounds

6^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mt 5:17-37

photo credits: http://www.stephaniedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Forgive-Yourself.jpg

 

Would you know one of the reasons why some wounds don’t heal?

May mga sugat na halos ayaw mong gamutin kasi masakit kapag nililinis; to the point na magagalit ka pa sa naglilinis ng sugat mo kasi nasasaktan ka!

We have doctors all around to tell us how to heal our wound; we have nurses to assist and loved ones to care for us while we’re hurting…yet we end up offending them; we don’t listen to the doctor’s instructions because we’ve focused on our pain and we kept on doing the wrong thing.

What we do not realize is, we can actually HEAL OUR OWN WOUND if we would be brave enough to CLEAN IT UP BY OURSELVES by following how we were instructed.

In today’s Gospel, God  wants us to understand His intention for giving us His commandments which He yearn to be fulfilled in us. All that He expects is for us is to strive to do the right thing: overcome negativity with possibilities; triumph against every temptation to be weak; reach out to forgive those who’ve offended us and look within to forgive our own self from our wrong doings.

Our heart is the seat of our motivations. If only we will find that inspiration deep within to allow God’s love to move in our life, we would then comply as directed, follow as instructed! We won’t have to hold back the pains caused upon us, as we will no longer offend carelessly – then we wont have to endure our wounds at all! #sunset

Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.  But I say to you, do not swear at all.  Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’  Anything more is from the evil one.”