Have HOPE.

There are prominent examples in the Bible where prophecies did not take place as initially declared because of prayer and repentance. These instances highlight the conditional nature of some of God's pronouncements, particularly those concerning judgment. Here are two well-known examples: Nineveh (Book of Jonah): God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh to declare its impending destruction: "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4). However, the people of Nineveh, from the king to the common person, responded with repentance, fasting, and prayer. Because of their sincere change of heart, God "relented from the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them, and he did not do it" (Jonah 3:10). This is a classic case of a conditional prophecy where a change in human behavior (repentance) led to a change in the predicted outcome. King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:1-6 and Isaiah 38:1-6):   The prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and told him, "Th...

It's a common sentiment in our modern world: "Let them decide when they're old enough." This often surfaces when it comes to significant life choices, and increasingly, we hear it regarding the Catholic sacraments for children. We see parents who, for various reasons, postpone their children receiving First Reconciliation (Penance), First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, sometimes until the children are "old enough to truly understand" or "can decide for themselves." While the intention behind this might stem from a desire for genuine belief, it inadvertently creates a significant gap in a child's spiritual formation and can, in fact, undermine the very faith parents hope their children might one day embrace. The Problem with "Letting Them Decide Later"   Missing the Foundation  Imagine building a house without a foundation. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are foundational sacraments. Reconciliation offers the profound ...

In today's digital age, video games are an undeniable part of childhood. From vibrant adventures to creative building simulations, the world of gaming offers much to explore. However, beneath the surface of seemingly innocent fun, a darker trend is emerging that demands our attention as parents: the desensitization of our children to violence through prolonged exposure to certain game content. We're not talking about every game, of course. Many titles offer fantastic educational or problem-solving opportunities. But a growing number of games, even those popular among younger audiences, are normalizing concepts that should give us pause – particularly violence and even murder. The Alarming Trend: When "Murder" Becomes Commonplace Let's take a platform like Roblox as an example. While Roblox offers incredible creative potential and a wide variety of user-generated experiences, it also highlights this alarming trend. Despite content maturity settings designed to filt...

Who has watched The Passion of the Christ in its entirety and remained unmoved? Who has become hooked on The Chosen and is not continuously being transformed?  These powerful productions remind us of the enduring impact of biblical storytelling. Whether reliving the profound sacrifice or walking alongside disciples in their daily lives, these films bring ancient narratives to life, inviting us into a deeper, more personal encounter with the sacred. The dawn of the new evangelization has come. God is our God of the past, our God of the future, and our God of the here and now. In every generation, even the means of evangelization must adapt. And our Lord knows that. He will not be contained in the past. He will be among us, here. Now. As one of us. God and human, God incarnate dwelling among us, preaching of His Kingdom. Whoever has ears, let them hear.  - Matthew 11:15 (Watch this on  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkfzovXpAVA  )

Two Branches, One Root: Finding Unity in Israel and Palestine   My heart's lament.... (Verse 1) From ancient hills where olive trees do sway, A mingled tear descends this very day. For daughters weep and sons in sorrow stand, Upon the soil they both call motherland. Two branches sprung from roots entwined as one, Now shadows fall where golden light once shone. (Verse 2) Oh, bitter winds of discord, how ye blow, And seeds of anger in young hearts do sow. Misspoken words, like arrows, find their mark, Leaving a scar within the spirit's dark. Yet in the quiet whispers of the breeze, A longing stirs for moments of such ease. (Verse 3) Remembered tales of kinship, hand in hand, Across the valleys of this sacred land. The shared delight of harvest, sun, and rain, Before the echoes of such bitter pain. Can memory's soft light no longer gleam? Awaken hearts from this relentless dream. (Verse 4) Like David sang of pe...

  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.  For God cannot br mocked. Rodrigo Duterte, former president of the Philippines, has made several public statements that were widely interpreted as critical of God and the Catholic Church. Here are some key instances:  * Criticism of the Creation Story:    * Duterte questioned the biblical story of Adam and Eve, expressing his disbelief and asking "Who is this stupid God?" for creating them only to allow them to be tempted. This critique of the concept of original sin was a major source of controversy.  * Statements about God's "Stupidity":    * He publicly used the word "stupid" to describe God, which caused significant outrage in the predominantly Catholic Philippines.  * Challenges to God's Existence:    * Duterte also stated that he would resign if anyone could prove God's existence, further fueling the debate about his religious views.  * Attacks on the Catholic Church:    * He ...

Ah, the joys of a new job! Five years ago, I walked into this clinic with a backpack full of experience from companies that thrived on digital workflows. Imagine my surprise when my new employer's idea of "appointment scheduling" involved a color-coded system of sticky notes and a well-worn appointment book. Patient records? Buried in folders that resembled archaeological digs. Appointments were lost in the Bermuda Triangle of Outlook calendars, patient history resided in folders that resembled ancient scrolls, and the search function was a rumor whispered by stressed receptionists. But fear not, for I, the keyboard crusader, have arrived! Three years later, the clinic is a digital haven. This is the legacy I leave behind, a streamlined system that will become the stepping stone for new hires. But is that a bad thing? My sweat and blood is just a short-cut key of a new joiner?  Let's be honest, folks. We've all been there. You put in the blood, sweat, and ...

The Holy Spirit stopped me.  Since last year, time after time, I read news about our highest shepherd doing things that are against my core belief, things that I felt are being twisted, being made sound complicated to understand yet only to lead to wrong things.  Such is blessing relationships in sin...how can a sin be blessed, I asked myself. It is just wrong and I will not accept this. Needless to say, I am scandalized. I had to contemplate. This month, God led me to Armenia.  I saw the Armenians preserved their faith, and Christian practices in the Church. I have witnessed how sacred they still keep the traditions. I wanted to become part of that. I had to contemplate more. I asked the Lord to help me make the right decision that night when I came home from Armenia. In my heart, I will start looking for the church here in my community, the Orthodox Christian church. Sabbath day came. I attended my Sunday Mass. I thanked God for having brought me to Armenia and learned...

TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOM (by Lea Maria) Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to turn my back on You. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to hurt You. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to hurt and be indifferent. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom not to love as You have loved me. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to live just for myself. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to be deaf and blind to the needy. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to waste the time that is meant for You. Take away my freedom, O Lord, the freedom to ignore You when I know I heard Your call. I don't need these freedom, I don't want these freedom. Take away instead my life if my existence will be filled by these. For I only want to serve You and love You and glorify You. All the days of my life, O Lord, I belong to You.

Just this August, 2023, we moved to Muwailah Commercial, the New Muwailah. Coming from Old Muwailah with monthly rental tenancy, the application for SEWA for an annual tenancy is new for us. The office of our new place required us to process SEWA on our own. That means connection for water, electricity, and gas are all our part. From the office instructions, everything seemed to be very easy. And so I thought. Until I started the legwork! One thing was common from all the departments I was asked to go to: all their answers to my questions varied from person to person! They differ in their responses! Just when the officer you are talking to tells you that you only need this and that paper to present to the next department, you’d be surprised that the next department will ask something else instead! So. Tons of patience, so I thought. But for all of you who landed on my page and are really in need of some guidance, well, here’s your lucky day! Am not gonna let you experience what I...

  Find yourselves small and ignorant. Not to be sad, but to believe and feel that there is a single being that knows all, and this is the Creator of all things.   - St. Joseph, 2015 It makes you so small.  So helpless.  It forces you to be little and dependent. Your being bubbly leaves you.  Suddenly, you are not that assertive anymore.  You just want to listen when someone is with you.  You just let go of everything that is not necessary. You stop looking for fun.  You lose interest in being entertained by things you see on television. You just want to be quiet.  You just want to be attentive. IT IS TIME TO WALK WITH JESUS IN HIS WALK TO THE CALVARY. Few days ago, before I got sick, I was having a conversation with a priest friend and I was telling him "I feel I have not done so much for the Lord.  All I do is pray.  But praying is so easy."  I said it so casually that I did not realize I must have become boastful at that ...

The Unity of Two Worlds This  is the proof that with God, even the most damaged relationship can be healed.   For all of us who have been brain-washed by media for hundreds of years, making us think that Muslims are bad people, let the Christians who have lived and co-existed with them be heard:  the Muslims who are true to their religion are very loving people.  In the same way that the Christians who are true to their religions live the teachings of Jesus by heart and are loving people too. The Christians in UAE thank  His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, for such a loving heart, allowing our highest religious leader to set his feet in UAE.  We thank also our Pope Francis for being true to his mission, reaching out and becoming the channel of peace.  If one of this two heads refused the prodding of the Holy Spirit, this crucial, memorable historical event would not have taken place...

Have you ever been attacked by the Suicide Demon? In one of the apparitions of Mama Mary to visionaries, she has mentioned that in the last days, many of the faithful will be taking their lives by their own hands and many will fall.  Those closest to Jesus will be attacked. If you search google about what goes on in the mind of someone about to commit suicide, most often than not, you will end up reading lines like 'no one knows what he/she was thinking before it was committed'. Well, today is your lucky day.  Below is an information straight from someone I know so well who was a hair-strand away from committing suicide. My head was very heavy.  I was bombarded with all sorts of dark thoughts, of reasons why I should take away my life.  I was so full of hopelessness.  A part of me was telling me 'tell the people you love about this, you gotta let them know' but another part of me was telling me 'just keep it to yourself'. How did the feeling s...

19 7 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME"  (Luke 22:19) God knew that without Jesus, we cannot live up to our commitment to God. He knew we will have amnesia at some point. Or worse, not just 'at some point'.  We do have amnesia every now and then! One day, we are so spiritually high. Next day, we are floating in a sea of desperation. One day, we kneel down promising to be a good Christian, Next day, we are spewing fire over anything we can imagine. We forget. No matter how often we profess our commitment to God. We do forget. We do forget. WE DO. WE DO. WE REALLY REALLY DO! AND THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID " Do this in remembrance of me."   The Holy Communion . First celebrated in the Last Supper. Continuously being done in every single Holy Catholic Mass!   So we don't forget Him. So, if someone asks you why ta...

TO GOD BE THE GLORY! 

I see beauty in the vulnerability of another human... We were all born sweet, cute, adorable in the eyes of mankind.  Indeed, we were.  We had that innocence, complete trust and smiles that could melt the hearts of our parents. The beauty of our souls radiated like a beacon light to all our family members then. Then as we journey through our lives, we get bruises and calluses that tarnish us. We get scars that somehow deminish the light from our beacons, bit by bit.  Until one day, we look at the mirror and realize how difficult it is now for us to smile. We find it difficult to give a stranger that cheerful look, that which could give hope. We now fail to grin to our family members that sends that unspoken 'You have me' words straight to their hearts. As we journey, we learn to build defenses, we learn not to trust.  We unlearn all those wonderful things that made us sweet, cute and adorable in the eyes of mankind.  We no longer want to ...