Wednesday, December 23, 2009

X’mas message: allow God to control our lives

GOD MUST BE GIVEN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES: In a column I wrote on December 23, 1995 in time for Christmas Eve that year, I said we must allow God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, to direct, lead and guide us. Twelve years later, that Christmas message still rings true.

Here is that 1995 column I wrote for an English tabloid called “Metro Sun” once again:

“Tomorrow night is Christmas Eve. May I take this opportunity to wish all our readers here... and everyone else who believes in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, Merry Christmas.

“May all of us be blessed with the realization that Christmas is not only a season to be merry, a time to be kind to one and all, as the song goes, a season to shower gifts to those we love, but a time to renew our faith and belief in God.

“At this point that our country seems to be racked with killings, kidnappings, robberies, hold-ups, hostage takings, endless in-fightings among our politicians, poverty among our people, moral deprivation in all levels of society, the only reachable salvation and reprieve is God.

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GOD IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO MAN’S WORLDLY PROBLEMS: “God is the only One now who can deliver us from all these worldly problems. In fact, the reason why He sent His only Son to us during the very first Christmas some 2,000 years ago was to save us from these problems and to free us from sin by dying in the Cross later.

“It is therefore but fitting that, at this point where no one---not even the government and its puny officials---appears to be in control, we allow God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, to direct, lead and guide us, to bring us to wherever He may want to bring us.

“For once, let us put our complete faith, trust and confidence in God, asking Him to do whatever He pleases, in accordance with the Lord’s Prayer which says `x x x Your will be done x x x

“Whether you believe it or not, putting complete faith in God is the very first step towards self-sufficiency and economic prosperity. It is in pursuance of the Biblical injunction to ` x x x seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all of these things shall be added unto you x x x

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PROSPERITY AWAITS THOSE WHO SUBMIT TO GOD: “Take note that the Bible, in making this promise of prosperity, used the mandatory word `shall’. Which means that it will be followed and would surely come to pass. So what are you waiting for?

“There is of course no reason to doubt that prosperity would come to anyone who would follow this injunction of seeking God and His Kingdom. Many sought God, and subsequently got economically better and financially comfortable.

“I do not know how to explain this phenomenon but, certainly, it is God’s way of showing us that He cares for His people, particularly those who unfaililingly believe in Him.

“Wala naman sigurong mawawala sa atin kung susubukan nating lubusang magtiwala sa Diyos kahit ngayon man lamang Paskong ito.”

So I greet everyone “Merry Christmas”, and here is a prayer for everyone: that God in His great love and mercy for all of us give us unending blessings, guidance and protection all the days of our lives, amen!

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LUMINOUS MYSTERIES START WITH BAPTISM OF JESUS: After the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Roman Catholic Christians, the Mysteries of Light, or the so-called Luminous Mysteries, come next, to narrate another aspect of the life of Jesus Christ starting from His baptism to the Institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.

Significantly, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all contain an account of the baptism of Jesus Christ. In Matthew, we find the story in its Chapter 3, verses 13 to 17. In Mark, we find it in its Chapter 1, verses 9 to 13, while in Luke, the event is narrated in its Chapter 3, verses 21 to 22.

In John, the story is found in its Chapter 1, verses 29 to 34, although this account is not as specific about baptism as was written in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Be that as it may, the baptism of Jesus, performed by His cousin, John the Baptist at the Jordan River, continues to be a confirmation of Jesus’ divinity, and of His status as the Son of God.

In all the Gospels, the story is told that after He was baptized, the heavens parted and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove and lightning, with a voice from heaven saying “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Surely, in all history, there is no other person or being in this world whom God called as His Son, whom He loves and with whom He is well pleased except Jesus.

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