Life forevermore

"God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 Jn 5:11)
There is more to life than today, but this today is an important part of life.
The present moment is what gives life concreteness; it's not just a memory nor a dream.
To live the present moment well does not mean denying the past; indeed, when we live the present moment, we pay homage to the past because we acknowledge its lessons.
To live the present moment well does not mean rejecting the future, for today is the soil on which the future is built.
To live the present moment is to be grateful because today, this fleeting time we have in our hands, is a gift, that is why we call it "present".

The Gift

A gift is always undeserved; otherwise, it would be called a prize. What makes something a gift is, it is unconditional; otherwise, it is an exchange.
This Christmas, let us pause for a while and think whether the gifts that we give or the gifts that we receive are truly gifts. Are they unconditional?
Christmas shows us what a true gift is: God, choosing to assume human nature, and choosing the most helpless and the most marginalized form of all: a little child, born of poor and ordinary parents, in a foreign land.
We don't deserve this gift, but it comes from the abundance of God's love for us. We don't need to work for it. That's just how God's logic operates.

Faith

"Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, 'My son, your sins are forgiven'." 
(Mark 2:5)
Faith is always personal, but it is not "something we acquire by ourselves".
Faith is a gift of God and a gift of others, the Christian community. It is not something we have because we deserve it.

"And Jesus said to the paralytic, 'Stand up, take up your mat and go home'. The man rose up ... he took up his mat and went out." (Mark 2:11-12)
Then the faith that we have received is called to mature, to be the soul that gives life to our thoughts, words, and actions.

The present moment is a gift, that is why it is called "present"

The best defense against change is to accept that it happens.
Acceptance leads to letting go.
Letting go leads to wisdom.
Wisdom leads to seeing the gift that is present in each moment.

Give to those who cannot repay

My giving should not be a weight or a burden to the other person. The act of giving, itself, is its own reward, a source of true happiness.

Easter people

In a world often paralyzed by fear and despair, we Christians have reason to hope. The road is not easy; the struggle is real. But we will rise.
The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that evil doesn't have the last word.
Saint Augustine said that we are Easter people and alleluia is our song.
Joy is an act of courage. Joy is an act of faith. Joy is God's gift.

Totally yours

At the start of this new year, I renew my choice to be totally God's. There is a great temptation in me not to say this, knowing how many times I've made two steps forward and three steps backward.
But I will do this renewal because I feel that it is the Spirit urging me to do so.
Lord, you don't need me, but I need You.
You don't deserve me, and neither do I deserve you.
Everything about You is totally gift, and I am blessed by the very fact that my life is immersed in Your immense ocean of mercy.

With open hands

I open my hands, Lord, for the gift of Your Presence. You are the best gift, the only gift I need.
I know that there is still a lot to improve in me so as to become the person you've dreamed of me. Sometimes I don't know what to ask, when I am unaware of my shadows and limitations. Sometimes I don't want to ask what I know I need to ask, because I fear change.
God-within-me, help me to open my hands to give and to let go, to receive and to be grateful. Amen.

The sycamore and the gaze

What does the Gospel passage about Zaccheus teaches me?
It teaches me a lot.
First, it is truly a deep encounter that changes us. When I say deep, it means that it is an encounter that engages my entire being: mind, heart and limbs.
Second, encounter takes place because there is an attraction. This attraction may be caused by different reasons, but it must be there; because attraction is what makes us agree to suspend what is usual to focus on something. Attraction makes us open to the encounter.
Third, we have to do something after that initial attraction. It may be to climb a sycamore tree and do away with all appearances of "being cool".
Lastly, however odd or small our effort may be, God does His part. And when God truly looks at us, and we let that gaze penetrate the deepest core of our being, we will never be the same.

The irony of Christmas

The irony of this birthday celebration is that it is the celebrant who gives gifts. May we not forget this truth. The true gift of Christmas is Jesus and it is a gift that God freely gives to each one of us. May this truth be the foundation of our lives. In our moments of defeat, solitude and lack of purpose, may this truth be the streak of light that will guide us through the darkness.

Rich

We are enriched not by what we keep but by what we give and what we receive as a gift.

Create life

When we look at it with our own criteria, life is not fair. But the truth is, there is goodness, kindness, love and loyalty around us. When we don't see them, perhaps it is a call for us to create them for ourselves, for the people we love, for whoever crosses our path. For though life is a gift, life is also what we make it happen.