Joy of Quotes

The greatest test of courage on earth
is to bear defeat without losing heart.

Patience is better than pride.
Ecclesiastes 7:8

Food for Our Soul

God’s Superabounding Grace For You

2 Corinthians 9:8
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

If you were in the same synagogue as the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6–11), how would you see him and what do you think you would say to him? 

Jesus was preaching in that synagogue when He saw the man with the withered hand. But He also saw superabounding grace around that hand for healing and wholeness. He sees differently from us. He sees the invisible. He sees that the kingdom of God is here, ever-present in any situation, with superabundant supply. We see only the visible, which is tangible, temporal and which seems so real to us. 

But Jesus saw superabounding grace on that withered hand for healing because you do not tell a man with a withered hand, “Stretch out your hand,” unless you see the supply, the superabundance for wholeness for that hand. Jesus called forth the superabounding grace to envelop that man’s withered hand, and the hand was made whole. 

It is possible for someone who is sick to have superabounding grace on him and yet that superabundance of grace does not heal his body. That is because he keeps acknowledging the lack or the problem he sees. He is more concerned with that which is visible and temporal.

Instead of calling forth, and acknowledging and confessing the superabundance of God’s grace, he confesses his negative circumstance all the time. So even though the superabounding grace is there, it is there in vain. Isn’t that sad? 

Jesus called forth life, and life sprang into visibility. We must call forth what we want to see. Say, “Father, I thank You that right now, though my health is under attack, there is superabounding grace available for my healing and health. I call it forth and receive it now in Jesus’ name. Amen!” 

My friend, don’t be conscious of what you see lacking or missing. Be conscious of God’s superabounding grace for you and avail yourself of it!

Joy of Quotes

Perspective is everything.
What looks like a monster through the magnifying glass
is only a harmless house spider to the naked eye.

A happy heart is good medicine.
Proverbs 17:22 AMP

Gospel Reflection

September 10, 2012

Monday – Weekday

by Rev. Fr. Joy Ramos

Afternoon mass at EDSA Shrine, Our Lady of Peace Quasi-Parish

First Reading:               1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Psalm:                          Psalm 5:5-7, 12

Gospel:                         Luke 6:6-11      

6 On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 And he looked around on them all, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

HOMILY

The Readings and the Gospel that we just heard is a reflection of God's own generosity. And when we talk of God's generosity, we talk about God's love for His people. If we will quote again the Gospel Reading, it says, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking at the context of the Gospel, we can see that there were Pharisees and Scribes trying to watch Jesus closely, to see if He will do something on Sabbath Day. Indeed, on that day, Jesus healed a man who had a withered right hand.

Looking back on our personal experiences of God's generosity, today's Gospel gives us consolation on how God freely gives gifts to us so that we can share them to others. Sadly, oftentimes we are like the Pharisees. We always look at others and see only that which is bad, then we make judgments. But if we are to embrace God's generosity, we will be able to understand and empathize with others. We pray in today's Eucharist na matuto tayong maghanap ng kabutihan sa halip na maghanap ng kasaaman sa ating kapwa. If we are going to identify with the Scribes and the Pharisees, our own goal in life is to look only for the wrong and the bad in others, like what they did to Jesus. But if we are rooted on God's generosity, our goal will always be to look for goodness. Let us pray that the Lord may lead us into His justice so that we may be able to empathize with others, especially those whom we find hard to live with. Let us pray that when we go back to our work place, when we go back to our families, we can embrace the love that God has shared to us in this Celebration.