We Should be Imperfectly Mutual!

5^th Sunday of Easter

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Jn 15:1-8

"The vinedresser must carefully prune the vine before it can bear good fruit."

As parents, masarap sigurong marinig sa mga anak natin na sabihin nilang: 

“Dad, Mom, you did a good job in me!”

Minsan kasi, isa sa mga worries nating mga parents ‘yong “feeling natin, parang hindi pa natin nagagawa yong gusto pa sana nating gawin; ... yong habang binibigay mo yong best mo, you’re still worried if you have already done what God told you to do.”

But then, sometimes too, we’re asking ourselves, “what should it take for parents to do a job well?” – is it just fair to also expect our children to do their piece of the job as well? 

Minsan din kasi, as parents, we’re quite being harsh on ourselves na “akuin ang lahat ng pagkukulang” when brokenness in the family perseveres; while on the other hand, as children, we’re also unfair to point our fingers to our parents when things don’t work well.

Today's gospel is reminding us a SIMPLE TRUTH:

The Lord promises that we will bear much fruit

if we abide in Him and allow Him to purify us. 

This means that, as much as parents are striving to abide by God in performing their duties to their family, the children should also listen and cooperate with their parents in making their family imperfectly beautiful.

Just as what God wants, parents would also want each child to learn what’s more important in life. Sometimes there’s no easy way to understand that we have to sacrifice certain things for our family – but it is always grand when we learn to be humble in LISTENING with our HEART. 

For, in the end, our humility to strive to understand and be in unity with our family will bring us the abundance that we hope to enjoy in life -- over any material things that we cannot really keep for long.   #sunset

*this article is published as Gospel Reflection in The Feast San Lorenzo Bulletin 

   Issue #20. 29 April 2018

"True Character is who you are and what you do -- even when no one is watching you!"

If Jesus Can, Why Can’t We?

5^th Sunday of Lent

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: JN 12:20-33

Are there people in your life that have hurt you and you have not yet forgiven?

Yong mga taong kinakasamaan mo ng loob kasi ang sabi mo nasaktan ka nila …

Yong mga taong sabi mo nakasakit sayo kaya nagalit ka sa kanila …

Pero ang tanong Friend … nalaman kaya nila na sumama loob mo sa kanila?

Nalaman kaya nila kung bakit at kung ano ang iyong ikinagalit?

And kung nalaman man nila, napag-usapan nyo po kaya ng tama where to draw the line of reconciliation?

         Hanggang kailan ka po kaya magagalit?

         Hanggang kailan hindi magagawang magpapatawad?

Just some of the questions we could reflect on. Sometimes it’s not really all about them – but about nobody than US! 

Minsan kasi, kailangan din nating masaktan para maisip natin kung kailan din natin hindi sinasadyang makapanakit. Stories always have two sides of the coin. Supposedly, when we commit, we admit; when we omit, we submit! – but in reality, when one commits mistake & omits to ask for forgiveness, we normally judge & condemn – sacrificing the relationship to death.

Pero alam mo friend, what makes us uneasy to forgive is the fact that the real enemy that Jesus came to overcome was Satan who tempts the human race to create their own destiny through sinful pride and disobedience. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains alone. But if it dies, it will bear much fruit.”  – John 12.24

Only when the seed is destroyed by burying it in the ground, can it rise to new life and bear fruit. What it means is that, sometimes we have to die to our self-satisfaction of justifying why we’re mad.

If Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross to set us free from destruction, why can we not give up our pride and futility?

Friend, ayaw ni God na laging mabigat ang pakiramdam mo dahil galit ka sa pagkukulang ng iba! 

God has been striving to bring us into an inseparable bond of love & unity with Him. Only if we would be one with God would we be able to “free others from our unforgiveness” – then it would eventually free us to extend more love and bear much fruit of encouraging relationships!  #sunset

***published in The Feast San Lorenzo weekly Bulletin.  Issue #15. 18 March 2018. UNLEASHED Series. Talk 3. Freeing Others. 

https://profgail67.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/if-jesus-can-why-cant-we/

https://trendingprof47.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/if-jesus-can-why-cant-we/

https://gratefulgailmontero.blogspot.com/2018/03/if-jesus-can-why-cant-we.html

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"True Character is who you are and what you do -- even when no one is watching you!"

We Can Still Align: The Antidote to Future Regrets

2^nd Sunday of Lent

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mk 9:2–10

Hello, MILLENIALS!

Have you heard some at your age, with these lines?

Sana pala, I didn’t give in that much, di sana ako na-broken hearted!

Sana pala, I didn’t keep secrets from my parents, na-guide sana ako!

Sana pala, di ako nagmadali, na-enjoy ko pa sana ang pagka-bata ko!

Sana pala, nakinig ako, di sana …

Guess what, would you know that your parents share the same sentiments with you?

Kung sana lang nasabihan namin sya, di sana sya nasasaktan ngayon!

Kung sana lang nalaman namin, di naman nya kailangang maramdamang mag-isa sya!

Kung sala lang di kami na-awkward na masabihang stage parents, we could have enjoyed TIMES TOGETHER!

Kung sana lang, nakinig sya at napakinggan namin sya, di sana…

Ang daming “sana”, ang daming time na parang nasayang na!

If dadating ka sa point na parang kulang na ‘yong time, saka mo lang masasabi sa sarili mo:

“Sayang, ‘di sana ako naghesitate na tingnan ang dapat kong makita,

di sana ako nagdalawang isip na sabihin ‘yong dapat kong sabihin;

naging humble sana akong ipakita at iparamdam na kailangan ko ng tulong;

kailangan kong maramdamang di ako nag-iisa.”

Millenials and “Me-linya” … come to think of it, “to each his own!” … sometimes, we just don’t realize and recognize that we both share the same sentiments towards each other in the so-called “generational gap.”

Madalas kesa minsan, we fail to make “both ends meet” kasi we are focused on our own emotions and expectations.

Today’s Gospel is reminding us to be spiritually awake and not miss God’s glory in action:

“The Lord Jesus not only wants us to see His glory - He wants to share this glory with us.

And Jesus shows us the way to the Father's glory: follow me - obey my words - take the path I have chosen for you and you will receive the blessings of my Father's kingdom - your name will be written in heaven.”

We would miss  God's glory and action if we wouldn’t strive to obey “as children” and submit to the path that God has chosen for us “as parents.” The Antidote to future regret is to align as parents & child NOW!   

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Life is too short, we should maximize time, appreciating and enjoying “having each other” while we still have all the opportunity to “make things up with each other”. J #sunset

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Article Published in: The Feast San Lorenzo Bulletin. Issue #12. 25 February 2018. The Light of Jesus Family in San Lorenzo, Sta Rosa, Laguna. https://www.facebook.com/thefeastsanlorenzo/

"True Character is who you are and what you do -- even when no one is watching you!"

Be Wise, Mission Out for that Oil.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Please read God's Silent Message: Matthew 25.1-13

Yong ang tagal mo Syang hinintay, pero dahil hindi ka pala talaga prepared,  

you still missed that chance!

Yong akala mong ready ka na, kaya umasa ka, pero may kulang pa rin pala. 

Hahah … nakaka-relate ka po ba? 

Have you also been caught unprepared in some instance? 

Sometimes God sends us surprises us which make us unaware of what’s best to do and how – and in these instances, sometimes, we’re missing out on what’s most important in life. 

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them,

but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.”

Minsan kasi, yong akala mong ang dami mo nang ginawa, pero you just did it for the sake na “kasi kailangan” – it leads us to consequences which give us the choice that we’d never actually want to take.  It makes a lot of difference when you work hard on things with all your heart than “just because it is required.” 

Sometimes all that it takes is for us to HEED GOD’S CALL.  At that moment when we are so uncertain, and yet, we allowed our senses to grasp what lies ahead, we are actually giving ourselves the chance to be attentive to God’s voice within us. 

Yong sabi mo na ang tagal mo Syang hinintay, baliktad pala, 

ikaw pala yong hinihintay Nya, matagal na! 

Ang kulang lang pala ay maging ready ka sa bawat instance 

na gusto Nyang maramdaman mo na umaasa Syang mapansin mo. 

Yes dear friend, buti na lang you’re reading this! 

Congratulations for being here – because today, God has actually initiated to fill your lamp with oil.  Together, let’s mission out a good relationship with God and with one and all here @The Feast San Lorenzo. ☺ #sunset

photo credits: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/54/01/4f/54014f280858ce139e5ffaac1c5cbcc9--murakami-lotion.jpg

"True Character is who you are and what you do -- even when no one is watching you!"

This, I Should No Longer Keep to Myself!

Gospel Reflection for 

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mt 22:15- 21

For the longest time, I’ve never been too bold telling one and all that “I have cancer!” 

For some reason I respected, I never disobeyed when my mom told me that I shouldn’t make others know that I am battling cancer. For all those times, seven years in a row while I was in remission, only few did know that I was giving cancer a good fight. Only few did know that I’ve been a strong fighter.

Up until the “second wave” came in 2016 when I had to go through the same battle again – when cancer turned stage 4, I was still too cautious whether to go out to the open because as I was told, not everyone would wish us good will when we are frail.  

My body showed how physically weak metastasis have caused, 

... but every time I gave myself “the push” that I needed, 

... every time I smile at myself in the mirror while loosing those hairs again, 

... every time I strive to manage to get up each waking morning 

    to mend the home and assure my husband and kids that they still have me, 

... and every time I would strive to bring myself to sleep with God’s songs of healing 

    amidst the stinging pains elsewhere in my body, 

    -- I just can’t help but be grateful for God’s mercy.     

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar

and to God what belongs to God." – Matthew 22:21

For the longest time, I deeply know I owe God!

Thanks to this Gospel – because today, I am boldly declaring to give back whatever is due to Him – that amount of gratitude which I should never keep to myself.

Just like that coin which has Caesar’s image, I am a kind of a coin as well – stamped with God’s image and likeness, I belong to God!  Nothing will ever hinder me now from telling one and all that I am strong in my battle because God is within me -- and at that, I am not just a Cancer Survivor, I AM A VICTOR!

So my dear friends, I am inviting you to get inspired by my story in my blog  

@ https://acancervictorsadvocacy.wordpress.com/  

in facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/acancervictorsadvocacy/ 

& in instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/gailmontero.47/  #sunset

photo credits to:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c9/0c/39/c90c396e945589f655a07a76acccb99c--biblical-inspiration-inspiration-quotes.jpg

"True Character is who you are and what you do -- even when no one is watching you!"