Someone made this interesting observation: You feed a dog, and you become the dog’s master; you feed a cat, and the cat thinks he/she is your master.
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In today’s Gospel (Lk. 17, 5-10), Jesus asks His disciples: “Is he (the master) grateful to that servant because He did what was commanded?” Let us ask ourselves today: I who claim to be a follower of Jesus, am I like the dog that is grateful and faithful to my master? Or, am I like the cat that feels so privileged and entitled?
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Humble and selfless service is what the Lord asks of all of us. May we become more faithful to our Master’s vision, and more obedient to His mission.
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I turned 69 yesterday, and my overriding prayer is: Thank you, Lord, for your love, generosity, faithfulness, and mercy! And my humble prayer is: Lord, help me to have more faith, and to be more faithful to You till the end.
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Speaking of the end, there was a rumor that I died already last week. Even my siblings and friends received condolence messages for my “demise.” I guess it was because my column in the Inquirer last Sunday was entitled “Rest in peace,” along with my picture and name. Oh well, I took it all with faith and humor, saying to myself: Thank God for advance prayers for the repose of my soul!
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“Increase our faith” like the disciples. We need to learn BTS—Believe, Trust, Surrender. Yes, may we think with faith, speak with faith, act with faith, live with faith, and love with faith. Amen!
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The rest of our lives can become the best years of our lives if we spend the sunset years of our lives with reparation, intercession, and purification. Even trials, pains, and sufferings of growing older can become more meaningful if we see our suffering and sacrifices as offerings for God, for others, and for ourselves.
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October is the month of the Rosary. I dreamed of Papa and Mama recently. I saw them both praying the rosary early in the morning, something I witnessed so often when I was a little boy in a town where there was no electricity then. Thank you, Papa and Mama, for the example and the precious lessons we learned from you! Thank you for the gift of faith, and the gift of prayer.
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Please pray the rosary slowly and with the heart. Let us not just recite the rosary. Let us pray and live the rosary. Carry a rosary always with you.
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Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels, our “bodyguards” from the Lord to shield us from sickness and accidents, protect us from bad people, and purify us from bad habits, bad attitudes, and bad relationships. “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
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Sharing with you a text message I received: At the funeral service of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Archbishop’s last words were: “Now let us remove all symbols of power from the coffin, so that our sister Elizabeth can be committed to the grave as a simple Christian, whereupon the scepter, the crown, and all valuables were removed. The Queen was buried with nothing, even the title ‘Queen’ to her name! Yes, in the end, we will all go back with nothing.”
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A moment with our Lord:Lord, help me to be faithful and humble to You till the end. Amen.
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