September 29, 2012 – John 1:47-51

Nathanael asked him, “Where did you come to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree, before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel.” Jesus answered, Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things that these.” And he has said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Today is the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Father Patrick Fitzpatrick relayed that his confirmation name is Michael. Michael is the patron of Toronto. St. Michael is the saint who defended God in war in heaven. St. Gabriel, which means God is Mighty, is the second angel of God. St. Raphael, which means God Heals, is the third angel. He said that Guardian Angels are not only for children but for adults as well. In the gospel, Jesus was called  Rabbi, the Son of God, and the King of Israel. Father Patrick mentioned a song phrase “I believe in Angels. I’ll cross that stream, I had the dream.” His prayer was “May our Guardian Angels protect us. Amen.” 

September 28, 2012 – Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 / Luke 9:18-22

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven;

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;

A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to break down and a time to build up;

A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance;

A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace and time to refrain from embracing;

A time to seek and time to lose;

A time to keep and a time to throw away;

A time to tear and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence and time to speak;

A time to love and time to hate;

A time for war and a time peace.

What gain have the workers from their soil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time, moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their mind, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Luke 9:18-22

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist but others Elijah, and still others that one of the ancient prophets has arisen. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, The Messiah of God.” He sternly ordered and commended them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, chief priest and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Father Ernie DeCicio said that it is only by walking with Jesus and having a relationship with Him with our faith that we will know who Jesus is. Jesus wants to bring us peace and joy.

September 27, 2012 – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 – Reflections of a Royal Philosopher

Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. All things are wearisome; more than one can express. The eyes is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See this is new?” It has already been, in the ages before us. The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembered of people yet to come by those who come after them. 

Father Dan Donovan said that the Book of Ecclesiastes is the Book of Wisdom. Live into old ages, see children succeed. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” which means refrain or repeating. Nothing is done in vain.

September 24, 2012 – Proverbs 3:27-34 / Luke 8:16-18

No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Then pay attend to how you listen; for to those who have,  more will be given; and from those who do not  even what they seem to have will be taken away.

Father John Bertao talked about his personal experience about children’s confession when a parent joined in the confession. He said that there is nothing to be feared of nor there is a dark mystery about confession. He said that by doing so we obtain a life of peaceful communion with others. He added that Holy Scriptures or the bible is not outdated and applicable although it is written thousand years ago. We should go out of our comfort zone to demonstrate Gods commandments to everyone or set good example of morals. We should practice good faith especially to children who are in great need of values. We should encourage them to do good because doing good never go out of style. Let yourself shine and be a light to others.

September 22, 2012 – Luke 8:4-15 – The Parable of the Sower

When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: A sower went out to sow his see; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on the birds of the ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it a chalked it. Some fell into good sill, and when grew, it produced a hundredfold. As he said this, he called, Let anyone with ears to hear listen!

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The news on the path is those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who when they hear the word, receive with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the are the one ho hear but eye go on their way, they are choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of life and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good solid, these are the eons how when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Father Darren Dias said that parables are stories of everyday life that draw involvement holy images to illustrate deeper truth. The gospel is about a man who sowed seeds and scattered these seeds on earth – the rock, thorns, and good soil. The seeds refer to the words of God. The seeds that were thrown on rocks refer to the words of God unable to stand the test of time. The seeds thrown on good soil yielded much and it produced hundredfold. The word is success, trustworthy. We should need to listen to become good soil. We should persevere in spite of rocks and thorns and grow in hundred fold in our daily living.