God in Action

            “GOD IN ACTION.”    The Mystery of God’s presence in this world has long been a question that my mind has been laboring on.  Recently, what made me dwell more deeply on the question is the greeting of the priest presider at  Holy Mass: “THE LORD BE WITH YOU” and the people’s response now is: “AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.”   This greeting emphasizes a phenomenon of God’s presence in the assembly attending the Mass.  Hence, it may be inferred that during the Eucharistic celebration GOD is PRESENT  in ACTION.

            In a Spiritual Reflection by Blessed John Paul II, published by the ANAWIM WAY booklet  he says: “The image of God is mirrored in every human being.  This is the deepest truth about man that can never be ignored or violated.”   Since God is in me, should I not develop a CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS PRESENCE IN ME?   This question is a great challenge to me in the way I should live.

            How should I live so that I would be constantly conscious of God’s presence in me?    This is simply answered by the letter of St. Paul  in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING”.  The ANAWIM WAY booklet, however, says: “PRAYER BEGINS WITH ALLOWING GOD TO BE IN CONTROL”.

            To allow God to be in control is, indeed, for me the key to a constant consciousness of His presence in me.  This requires me to be humble, acknowledging my unworthiness of God’s presence, and my sincere desire to surrender myself to whatever is God’s Holy Will.   This is an attitude which I will strive  to develop more and more with God’s grace.

            Often, specially for these past few days I have been saying a prayer in my heart: “Lord God, what is it that You want me to do NOW?”  This is  based on my belief  that ‘GOD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING NOW’, using me as His instrument.  Hence, I have to be attuned to HIS HOLY WILL by sincerely asking for enlightenment from the HOLY SPIRIT.  After listening in my heart what God wants me to do now at a particular instance, I simply have to ACT accordingly.

Thus, GOD then is IN ACTION thru me.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 29, 2013

The Bible is Christ

            “The WORD OF GOD is primarily JESUS CHRIST.”   This is a line from Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. in his book ‘Faith and New Evangelization’ (Chapter 17, p. 62). This statement made me ponder more deeply for some moments what the Bible is.

            Externally the Bible is just like any other book with several printed pages bound together and covered with  hard-board or leather.  For families who enthrone the Bible in their homes, it is put in a place of honor.  As it is, it is lifeless.  It can remain lifeless unless someone takes it, reads it, reflects on it, and lives it.  Only then can it become alive. Hence, it becomes actually a Living Person – JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF  - the WORD OF GOD.   We read this in the Gospel of John Chapter 1: 1,14: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”  

            To me the Bible could  be compared to a computer with an internet.  Left to itself the computer would be just like any other material object that is inanimate.  But when one opens it and uses it’s keyboard, then it provides a multitude of information or accomplishes a lot of activities that has been programmed into.   One, however, has to be computer-literate in order to use a computer.  So it is that there is a need to learn how to make the Bible the LIVING WORD OF GOD – JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.

            First of all, one has to have FAITH that God is, indeed, speaking to mankind through the Bible. 

            Secondly, one has to study and reflect on what the Words mean to him.  Although they are Words of God, they were written by men in their own language and according to their own circumstances.  Hence, there is a need to uncover the meaning of these words as they apply to one’s own situation. 

            Thirdly, one has to sincerely desire and live his life in accordance with whatever he understands to be  God’s Holy Will.

            To consider the Bible as CHRIST HIMSELF speaking to us, one has to take time to read it, reflect on it, and live it.   This requires a firm commitment to spare some period of time everyday to dwell on some Words of God in a quiet atmosphere where listening to God would be undisturbed.  Then, and only then can CHRIST be truly present in the Bible as the WORD OF GOD.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

June 24, 2013