But Jesus immediately said to them: €Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.€ €Lord, if it's you,€ Peter replied, €tell me to come to you on the water.€ €Come,€ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, €Lord, save me!€ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. €You of little faith,€ he said, €why did you doubt?€ - Excerpt from Matthew14:22-36
In the face of fear, challenges in life, extreme difficulties and a mountain of problems, we - humans - tend to despair and simply allow our difficulties to swallow us. Sometimes I wonder why some people resort to suicide to escape their difficulties. Is it really that much? A corporate executive committed suicide because of bankruptcy. A boy jumped off a building because he had a quarrel with his girlfriend. A general shot his head because of shame, because his former bosses abandoned him, and because of the cases filed against him. Is the pain and sorrow that much? When tragedy struck me, I knew how they felt. My pain mirrored theirs. Good thing suicide was far, far away from my mind because I held on to God. I was stripped of everything. Nothing is left of me except Hope.
As Jesus said, "Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid." Jesus will never abandon us. He will always be there to reach out and pull us out of our problems speedily. The question is, do we want Him to save us? With all the money, technology and developments in our world, do we still cry out and say, "Lord, save me!"
I testify to the Truth that Jesus is the only One who can save us. Looking back at the darkest chapter of my life, I cannot describe how I was able to survive. Jesus held me, supported me and gave me the strength that I need to make it through.
---
And he called the people to him and said to them, €Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.€ Then the disciples came and said to him, €Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?€ He answered, €Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.€ - Matthew15:10-14
Years ago, my teachers used to say, "When you see a litter or garbage, pick them up even if it is not yours." One day, I saw a plastic softdrink cup which I picked and threw in the garbage. My friend thought that it was such a dirty thing to do. Then I indicated that there's another candy wrapper near her feet. She asked, "Why should I pick it up?" I said, "Because we are taught to do it as help to the janitor, nature, to make the school clean, and 'Cleanliness is next to godliness.' as the saying goes." She said, "I won't pick it up. I don't want to get dirty." Strange because this friend of mine is one of those who would answer "I will pick small garbages like wrappers as help to mother nature." during examination and oral Q and A.
Yes, it is important to wash one's hands before eating for hygiene and other purposes. However, eating with unclean hands do not automatically make a person unclean physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc. Yes, it is important to clean foods for sanitation and other purposes. However, I do believe that there is no such thing as "unclean" or "condemned" food just because it came fresh from the market, from the tree, or from dirty hands. This is my belief because primarily everything is created good. However, I do admit that a food can be corrupted because it was poorly cooked, poorly prepared, poorly transported, poorly sanitized.
Jesus did make a powerful point when He said, "Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." If our hands are clean, the food is clean, then we too must be clean ourselves. But this cleanliness is not limited to washing hands or taking a bath, rather, cleanliness in our heart, mind and soul. Can we say that a thief is clean because s/he eats with clean hands and clean food? Can we say that a murdered is clean because s/he eats with clean hands and clean food? True cleanliness lies in the purity of our minds, our hearts and our souls. For if we are clean inside, then we are clean outside as manifested in our conduct, interaction, communication, etc. But if we are clean outside, but not inside, then our rottenness (sinfulness) will eventually stink and manifest and no amount of taking a bath will remove it. Jesus is reminding us to clean our hearts, minds, souls through prayer, good works, charitable acts, and anything that pleases Him.
---
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, €Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters€"one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.€ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, €This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!€When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. €Get up,€ he said. €Don't be afraid.€ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, €Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.€- Matthew17:1-9
The Transfiguration of Jesus is always a reminder to me of change and transformation. Jesus' face shown like the sun and His clothes became white as light. From being a "man," His disciples saw a glimpse of His glorious form. This is a reminder to all of us of change and transformation that we may be like Jesus. Our face and clothes may not bedazzle, but our face and our very person will definitely glow and reflect the goodness emanating from within.
A happy affair Jesus' transfiguration was! How sad, though, that very soon this glorious form will suffer and be unrecognizable due to wounds and bruises. However, the story of Jesus will end and continues still to live on in its majestic, glorious and triumph over sin and death. There is a wonderful life awaiting for us. Everything will end with us going home to our Father Creator. Our sufferings now are nothing compared to the happy life in stored for us.
In the face of fear, challenges in life, extreme difficulties and a mountain of problems, we - humans - tend to despair and simply allow our difficulties to swallow us. Sometimes I wonder why some people resort to suicide to escape their difficulties. Is it really that much? A corporate executive committed suicide because of bankruptcy. A boy jumped off a building because he had a quarrel with his girlfriend. A general shot his head because of shame, because his former bosses abandoned him, and because of the cases filed against him. Is the pain and sorrow that much? When tragedy struck me, I knew how they felt. My pain mirrored theirs. Good thing suicide was far, far away from my mind because I held on to God. I was stripped of everything. Nothing is left of me except Hope.
As Jesus said, "Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid." Jesus will never abandon us. He will always be there to reach out and pull us out of our problems speedily. The question is, do we want Him to save us? With all the money, technology and developments in our world, do we still cry out and say, "Lord, save me!"
I testify to the Truth that Jesus is the only One who can save us. Looking back at the darkest chapter of my life, I cannot describe how I was able to survive. Jesus held me, supported me and gave me the strength that I need to make it through.
---
And he called the people to him and said to them, €Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.€ Then the disciples came and said to him, €Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?€ He answered, €Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.€ - Matthew15:10-14
Years ago, my teachers used to say, "When you see a litter or garbage, pick them up even if it is not yours." One day, I saw a plastic softdrink cup which I picked and threw in the garbage. My friend thought that it was such a dirty thing to do. Then I indicated that there's another candy wrapper near her feet. She asked, "Why should I pick it up?" I said, "Because we are taught to do it as help to the janitor, nature, to make the school clean, and 'Cleanliness is next to godliness.' as the saying goes." She said, "I won't pick it up. I don't want to get dirty." Strange because this friend of mine is one of those who would answer "I will pick small garbages like wrappers as help to mother nature." during examination and oral Q and A.
Yes, it is important to wash one's hands before eating for hygiene and other purposes. However, eating with unclean hands do not automatically make a person unclean physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc. Yes, it is important to clean foods for sanitation and other purposes. However, I do believe that there is no such thing as "unclean" or "condemned" food just because it came fresh from the market, from the tree, or from dirty hands. This is my belief because primarily everything is created good. However, I do admit that a food can be corrupted because it was poorly cooked, poorly prepared, poorly transported, poorly sanitized.
Jesus did make a powerful point when He said, "Hear and understand: not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." If our hands are clean, the food is clean, then we too must be clean ourselves. But this cleanliness is not limited to washing hands or taking a bath, rather, cleanliness in our heart, mind and soul. Can we say that a thief is clean because s/he eats with clean hands and clean food? Can we say that a murdered is clean because s/he eats with clean hands and clean food? True cleanliness lies in the purity of our minds, our hearts and our souls. For if we are clean inside, then we are clean outside as manifested in our conduct, interaction, communication, etc. But if we are clean outside, but not inside, then our rottenness (sinfulness) will eventually stink and manifest and no amount of taking a bath will remove it. Jesus is reminding us to clean our hearts, minds, souls through prayer, good works, charitable acts, and anything that pleases Him.
---
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, €Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters€"one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.€ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, €This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!€When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. €Get up,€ he said. €Don't be afraid.€ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, €Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.€- Matthew17:1-9
The Transfiguration of Jesus is always a reminder to me of change and transformation. Jesus' face shown like the sun and His clothes became white as light. From being a "man," His disciples saw a glimpse of His glorious form. This is a reminder to all of us of change and transformation that we may be like Jesus. Our face and clothes may not bedazzle, but our face and our very person will definitely glow and reflect the goodness emanating from within.
A happy affair Jesus' transfiguration was! How sad, though, that very soon this glorious form will suffer and be unrecognizable due to wounds and bruises. However, the story of Jesus will end and continues still to live on in its majestic, glorious and triumph over sin and death. There is a wonderful life awaiting for us. Everything will end with us going home to our Father Creator. Our sufferings now are nothing compared to the happy life in stored for us.
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